Some medications don ’ t help back pain as much as we thought
This study found that NSAIDs don’t work as well for back pain as many people think. However, it is not true (as stated by some headlines about this study) that NSAIDs were not effective at all. Some people did improve with these medications. The trick is figuring out in advance who is most likely to get better with NSAID therapy. We can’t yet do that very well.
Here’s my suggestion: if you take an NSAID for spinal pain (or just about any other pain), keep track of how you’re feeling. A “pain diary” is one way to do this. If you aren’t clearly better in a week or two, talk to your doctor about adjusting the do...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 2, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Back Pain Drugs and Supplements Pain Management Source Type: blogs
The unintended consequences of bundled payments
Knee replacements are booming. Between 2005 and 2015, the number of knee replacement procedures in the United States doubled, to more than one million. Experts think the figure might rise sixfold more in the next couple decades, because of our aging population. Since many people receiving knee replacements are elderly, Medicare picks up most of the cost of such procedures. In response to this huge rise in expenditures, Medicare is experimenting with ways to reduce the cost of procedures. But that raises a disturbing possibility. If orthopedic surgeons make less money on each knee replacement they perform, they might start ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - February 28, 2017 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/peter-ubel" rel="tag" > Peter Ubel, MD < /a > Tags: Policy Orthopedics Source Type: blogs
Are Electronic Health Records the Solution? Doesn ’t Seem Like it
Electronic health records (EHR) streamline physician and patient interactions, and they ’re the easiest way to access a patient’s medical history, medications, and radiology images. The original initiative behind EHRs was to create more efficient medical care, and ultimately reduce costs. Yet, a recentstudy from Stanford University and the National Bureau of Economic Research demonstrate that doctors who find themselves regularly using EHR also request more complete blood tests (CBCs), CT scans, and x-rays than physicians who don ’t use the system. These services rack up expenses that can be considered repetitious or...
Source: radRounds - February 23, 2017 Category: Radiology Authors: Julie Morse Source Type: blogs
Gaming the System
This post was originally published by The Health Care Blog on February 11.
As physicians ready themselves for the future of medicine under onerous MACRA regulations, it seems appropriate to glance into the future and visualize the medical utopia anticipated by so many. Value-based care, determined by statistical analysis, is going to replace fee for service.
Six months ago, I received my first set of statistics from a state Medicaid plan and was told my ER utilization numbers were on the higher end compared to most practices in the region. This was perplexing as my patients tend to avoid ER visits at all cost...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - February 15, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Medicaid Source Type: blogs
Gaming the System
By NIRAN Al-AGBA, MD
As physicians ready themselves for the future of medicine under onerous MACRA regulations, it seems appropriate to glance into the future and visualize the medical utopia anticipated by so many. Value-based care, determined by statistical analysis, is going to replace fee for service.
Six months ago, I received my first set of statistics from a state Medicaid plan and was told my ER utilization numbers were on the higher end compared to most practices in the region. This was perplexing as my patients tend to avoid ER visits at all costs and can be found milling about in my parking lot at 7am o...
Source: The Health Care Blog - February 11, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Irvine Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
