Article
Clinical Neurology
Abdel Douiri, Walter Muruet, Ajay Bhalla, Martin James, Lizz Paley, Kaili Stanley, Anthony G. Rudd, Charles D. A. Wolfe, Benjamin D. Bray
Summary: The initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK led to a decrease in admissions for acute stroke patients, with older patients and those with less severe strokes being more affected. While quality of stroke care was maintained and even improved in some aspects, there was an increase in inpatient case fatality, especially among patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections. These findings suggest that hospital avoidance during the pandemic may have resulted in untreated stroke patients with poorer outcomes, highlighting the need for resilient healthcare systems.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Roy H. Perlis, Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Alauna Safarpour, Alexi Quintana, Matthew D. Simonson, Jasper Perlis, Mauricio Santillana, Katherine Ognyanova, Matthew A. Baum, James N. Druckman, David Lazer
Summary: Depressive symptoms were found to be higher in areas and times with limited community mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating the importance of understanding the potential impact of pandemic responses on public health.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
John N. Mafi, Melody Craff, Sitaram Vangala, Thomas Pu, Dale Skinner, Cyrus Tabatabai-Yazdi, Anikia Nelson, Rachel Reid, Denis Agniel, Chi-Hong Tseng, Catherine Sarkisian, Cheryl L. Damberg, Katherine L. Kahn
Summary: This study aimed to assess whether patients with Medicaid or Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibility had lower return to use of ambulatory care rates compared to other insurance types during the pandemic. The results showed that overall utilization of 6 ambulatory care services decreased between March 2020 and February 2021, and participants with Medicaid or Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibility had a significantly lower rate of increase in utilization compared to other insurance types.
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Gregory A. Roth, Sophia Emmons-Bell, Heather M. Alger, Steven M. Bradley, Sandeep R. Das, James A. de Lemos, Emmanuela Gakidou, Mitchell S. V. Elkind, Simon Hay, Jennifer L. Hall, Catherine O. Johnson, David A. Morrow, Fatima Rodriguez, Christine Rutan, Saate Shakil, Reed Sorensen, Laura Stevens, Tracy Y. Wang, Jason Walchok, Joseph Williams, Christopher Murray
Summary: In this retrospective cohort study involving 20,736 adults with COVID-19 in the United States, in-hospital mortality rates decreased after March and April and remained at a lower level from May through November, regardless of changes in patient characteristics.
Article
Pediatrics
Bradley K. Ackerson, Lina S. Sy, Sungching C. Glenn, Lei Qian, Claire H. Park, Robert J. Riewerts, Steven J. Jacobsen
Summary: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric vaccination coverage was assessed in Southern California. Vaccination uptake declined during the pandemic, with some recovery in younger children. Measles-containing vaccine uptake improved in older children, but total vaccine uptake remained lower, indicating the need for additional strategies to increase vaccination coverage.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Quanhe Yang, Xin Tong, Sallyann Coleman King, Benjamin S. Olivari, Robert K. Merritt
Summary: Hospitalizations for stroke among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged >= 65 significantly decreased during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1-June 6) with a reduction of 22.3%-12.1%. Reductions were similar across different age, sex, and race/ethnicity groups. Variability in stroke hospitalization reductions was observed among different states.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Paddy Ssentongo, Anna Ssentongo, Emily S. Heilbrunn, Vernon M. Chinchilli
Summary: In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, gun violence rates in the United States rose by 30%. This study estimates the relative risk of gun violence in the US during the second year compared to the first year of the pandemic, taking into account time and space. The results show that nationally, gun violence rates remained the same in the second year compared to the first year, but there were identified hotspots of gun violence in certain states.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kazuno Negishi, Masahiko Ayaki
Summary: This cohort study evaluated the development of presbyopia and dry eye-related symptoms from 2017 to 2020, with a focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggested that presbyopia developed earlier and progressed slower during the study period, potentially influenced by stress and rapid digitalization related to the pandemic. The prevalence of dry eye symptoms, such as dryness irritation and pain, increased during the pandemic period compared to 2017.
Article
Pediatrics
John D. D. Lantos, Hung-Wen Yeh, Fajar Raza, Mark Connelly, Kathy Goggin, Shayla A. A. Sullivant
Summary: During the early months of the pandemic, rates of suicidal ideation among adolescent patients rose. Rates of screening and of positive screens were lower in telehealth visits.
Article
Immunology
Ernest G. Chan, Patrick G. Chan, Takashi Harano, John P. Ryan, Matthew R. Morrell, Pablo G. Sanchez
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in lung transplant volume in the United States, but overall volume has returned to normal. Further studies are needed to identify areas of improvement to better prepare for future pandemics.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Megan Todd, Annaka Scheeres
Summary: This study aims to estimate excess mortality due to non-COVID-19 causes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and investigate disparities by race/ethnicity, age, and sex. The results show significant excess mortality from heart disease, homicide, diabetes, drug overdoses, traffic crashes, and falls in 2020-2021, and this burden falls disproportionately on non-Hispanic Black individuals in Philadelphia. Among younger non-Hispanic Black men, homicide and drug overdoses contribute to a higher percentage of excess deaths compared to COVID-19. For younger non-Hispanic Black women, drug overdoses account for a higher percentage of excess deaths compared to COVID-19.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Peggah Khorrami, Benjamin D. Sommers
Summary: This study examines the changes in Medicaid enrollment for all 50 US states and Washington, DC during the first 9 months of 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Jacqueline Ellison, Megan B. Cole, Terri-Ann Thompson
Summary: This study examines the patterns of face-to-face and virtual contraceptive appointments in states with equal reimbursement policies compared to those without such policies.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Fan Lv, Xu Gao, Amy Huaishiuan Huang, Jian Zu, Xinyuan He, Xiaodan Sun, Jinli Liu, Ning Gao, Yang Jiao, Margaret G. Keane, Lei Zhang, Yee Hui Yeo, Youfa Wang, Fanpu Ji
Summary: The study found a significant increase in mortality related to diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with a pronounced rise in mortality among adults aged 25-44. There was a widened racial/ethnic disparity observed, highlighting the need for urgent preventive interventions.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Rishi K. Wadhera, Changyu Shen, Suhas Gondi, Siyan Chen, Dhruv S. Kazi, Robert W. Yeh
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in deaths caused by ischemic heart disease and hypertensive diseases in some regions of the United States. These findings suggest that the pandemic may have had an indirect toll on patients with cardiovascular disease.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Stephen M. Kissler, Bill Wang, Ateev Mehrotra, Michael Barnett, Yonatan H. Grad
Summary: Privately insured children in the United States receive many antibiotics early in life, largely due to respiratory infections. Antibiotic dispensing varies widely among children, with more antibiotics dispensed to children with pulmonary/respiratory, otologic, and/or immunological comorbidities.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Michael L. Barnett, R. J. Waken, Jie Zheng, E. John Orav, Arnold M. Epstein, David C. Grabowski, Karen E. Joynt Maddox
Summary: This study examined the health outcomes differences between SNFs with and without known COVID-19 cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicated that mortality significantly increased in active COVID-19 SNFs, while it decreased in SNFs with no-known COVID-19 cases.
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Michael L. Barnett, Paul E. Sax
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Agne Ulyte, Ateev Mehrotra, Haiden A. Huskamp, David C. Grabowski, Michael L. Barnett
Summary: The use of specialty care significantly decreases after patients transition to a nursing home. Residents who require specialty care have fewer visits after the transition, with a decreasing trend in all specialties. Patients with severe conditions have a larger decrease. Among residents who continue to visit specialists, 78.9% see the same provider as before the transition.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anna L. Goldman, Michael L. Barnett
Summary: This study found that physician work hours have consistently declined in the past 20 years, resulting in physician workforce hours per capita lagging behind US population growth. However, the hours contributed by advanced practice professionals have rapidly increased, potentially leading to diverging implications for gender equity.
JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Amanda C. C. Chen, Arnold M. Epstein, Karen E. Joynt E. Maddox, David C. Grabowski, E. John Orav, Michael L. Barnett
Summary: The study aims to investigate the care delivery approaches and perceived barriers of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in providing care for short-stay residents. The findings suggest that there is a wide range of care delivery approaches implemented by SNFs, but staffing issues and limited resources are the dominant barriers to care delivery.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Brian E. McGarry, Ashvin D. Gandhi, Michael L. Barnett
Summary: A study found that widespread surveillance testing among staff members in nursing homes can reduce Covid-19 cases and deaths among residents, especially before the availability of vaccines.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Michael L. L. Barnett, Ellen Meara, Terri Lewinson, Brianna Hardy, Deanna Chyn, Moraa Onsando, Haiden A. A. Huskamp, Ateev Mehrotra, Nancy E. E. Morden
Summary: An analysis of Medicare claims data from 2016-2019 revealed that white patients were more likely to receive medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) compared to black and Hispanic patients. Despite an increase in opioid overdose-related mortality among black individuals, racial and ethnic disparities in the use of OUD medications remained consistent and substantial over time.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Health Care Sciences & Services
Suhas Gondi, Michael L. Barnett
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Amanda C. Chen, Arnold M. Epstein, Karen E. Joynt Maddox, David C. Grabowski, E. John Orav, Michael L. Barnett
Summary: This study investigated the association between dementia-focused care strategies and clinical outcomes, utilization, and costs for short-stay dementia patients in nursing homes. The results showed that the presence of dementia care units was associated with improved outcomes, while cognitive deficiency training and dementia-specific occupational therapy had mixed effects.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako, Autumn Nobles, Muzzammil Muhammad, Marcella Nunez-Smith, Michael Barnett
ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nazleen Khan, Katsiaryna Bykov, Michael Barnett, Robert Glynn, Seanna Vine, Joshua J. Gagne
PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Arno Cai, Ateev Mehrotra, Hayley D. Germack, Alisa B. Busch, Haiden A. Huskamp, Michael L. Barnett
Summary: The supply of psychiatrists is inadequate to meet the demand for mental health care in the United States, but psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are experiencing significant growth and could help address the widening gap. From 2011 to 2019, the number of PMHNPs treating Medicare beneficiaries increased while the number of psychiatrists decreased. This shift has led to changes in practice patterns and an overall decrease in mental health office visits.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Xiyu Ding, Michael Barnett, Ateev Mehrotra, Delphine S. Tuot, Danielle S. Bitterman, Timothy A. Miller
Summary: This study aims to develop machine learning models for classifying the type and content of eConsult questions and investigate the ability to solve this task with limited expert time resources. The results show that multitask learning can help reduce labeling effort in certain cases, but sharing information across classifier types has little benefit, while sharing classifier components across specialties can improve classification performance.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL INFORMATICS ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sadiq Y. Patel, Haiden A. Huskamp, Austin B. Frakt, David Auerbach, Hannah T. Neprash, Michael L. Barnett, Hannah O. James, Ateev Mehrotra
Summary: Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are playing an increasingly important role in the healthcare workforce. However, due to indirect billing practices, much of the care they provide is not reflected in claims data. By using prescriptions to identify indirectly billed visits, it was found that the number of such visits has been increasing over the years. Eliminating indirect billing could result in significant cost savings for Medicare, particularly impacting smaller primary care practices.
