A new MRI technique being studied at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City could cut the time needed to reveal whether a tumor is responding to treatment from a matter of weeks to just a few days. The technology in question makes use of hyperpolarized MRI to track tumors as they metabolize [...]
Although one of the main goals of the Meaningful Use program is to improve the quality of care, there appears to be "no association" between being a "meaningful user" of electronic health records and the quality of care provided to patients, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Read more here.
In an innovative and dynamic period for the healthcare industry, high CEO turnover, leaders from outside the traditional realm and C-suite changes bring new skills and fresh blood into hospitals and healthcare systems, according to a Hospitals & Health Networks post by Mary Grayson. Read more here.
For the evaluation of patients with suspected CAD, the costs of single-photo emission CT were significantly lower than that of PET or coronary CTA, according to new data from the SPARC registry. At 2 years, patients who underwent PET had higher costs and mortality compared with SPECT, and patients who underwent coronary CTA had higher [...]
A new way to scan children -- and potentially adults -- for signs of cancer's spread without exposing them to dangerous radiation has been developed, researchers say. Read more here.
Accountable care organizations (ACO) have had varied success so far with diabetes and heart disease patients, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of Medicare data. Read more here.
If one list of unnecessary medical procedures is good, then two lists should be better, right? That could be the thinking behind a new list released this week in JAMA Internal Medicine of unnecessary tests in emergency medicine that are driving up healthcare costs. And the new list takes aim specifically at medical imaging. Read more here.
Noninvasive cardiovascular imaging in U.S. medical practice today raises two policy challenges, according to a statement released on Feb. 17 by the American College of Cardiology and 13 collaborating medical groups: fostering a volume of imaging that balances patient needs with responsible use of societal resources, and continued improvement in the quality of care based [...]
The battle over breast screening was revived yet again this week with data from a controversial Canadian study in BMJ that cast doubt on mammography's effectiveness for women ages 40 to 59. Mammography proponents quickly rose to point out flaws in the trial, which contradicts other population-based breast screening studies. Read more here.
Cardiology may be a step ahead of some other specialties in participation in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). An analysis of self-referrals to specialists found that the percentage of new patient self-referrals in cardiology was lower than the national norm for both Medicare and private insurance beneficiaries. Read more here.