Article
Psychology, Developmental
Greta A. Bushnell, Stephen Crystal, Mark Olfson
Summary: The use of antipsychotic medication among privately insured young children in the United States declined from 2009 to 2017, with a focus on conditions such as pervasive developmental disorder, conduct or disruptive behavior disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, a significant portion of the use remains off label and lacks supporting evidence on effectiveness and safety, posing a challenge to improving antipsychotic prescribing in this population.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Sidra N. Bonner, Jyothi R. Thumma, Justin B. Dimick, Kyle H. Sheetz
Summary: This cohort study examines the increasing utilization of robotic surgery in Medicare beneficiaries and privately insured patients undergoing general surgical procedures.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alyna T. Chien, Lauren E. Wisk, Nancy Beaulieu, Amy J. Houtrow, Jeanne Van Cleave, Christina Fu, David Cutler, Mary Beth Landrum
Summary: This study investigates the ownership of primary care practice and specialist-use patterns for commercially insured children with disabilities. The findings show that the majority of children receive their primary care in independent practices and use at least one specialist. The proportion of children with disabilities seeing specialists in independent practices is similar to those in system-owned practices, although the number of specialist visits is lower in independent practices.
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Charlie M. Wray, Lenny Lopez, Meena Khare, Salomeh Keyhani
Summary: Cost-related access barriers, medical debt, and dissatisfaction with care are common among privately insured individuals, particularly those with poor health status.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Lina Jansen, Daniel Boakye, Elizabeth Alwers, Prudence R. Carr, Christoph Reissfelder, Martin Schneider, Uwe M. Martens, Jenny Chang-Claude, Michael Hoffmeister, Hermann Brenner
Summary: In a study of colorectal cancer patients in Germany, there were major differences in uptake of targeted therapy between patients with private health insurance (PHI) and those with statutory health insurance (SHI), but no differences in patient survival after adjusting for relevant sociodemographic, clinical, and tumor characteristics. Although patients with PHI had a longer overall survival, the survival advantages were largely explained by differences in sociodemographic factors. Survival advantages of PHI were not significant in patients with stage IV disease and were limited to the early years after diagnosis. Further studies are needed to investigate factors associated with the uptake of therapeutic innovations and their impact on patient survival by health insurance type.
JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK
(2021)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Ilana B. Richman, Jessica B. Long, Natalia Kunst, Kelly Kyanko, Xiao Xu, Susan Busch, Cary P. Gross
Summary: This cohort study describes changes in breast cancer screening costs after the adoption of digital breast tomosynthesis at both the patient and population levels.
JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Florencia Borrescio-Higa, Nieves Valdes
Summary: Medical care for children with cancer represents a large financial burden for families worldwide. The costs in Chile for children under 18 are high, with inpatient hospital care being the main driver of expenses.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Ashley A. A. Leech, Elizabeth McNeer, Andrew W. W. Roberts, Stacie B. B. Dusetzina, Pikki Lai, Jake R. R. Morgan, Stephen W. W. Patrick
Summary: This cohort study investigated the link between the out-of-pocket costs of obtaining an initial prescription of buprenorphine and its subsequent discontinuation among commercially insured adults in the US with opioid use disorder.
JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nicholas G. Zaorsky, Chachrit Khunsriraksakul, Samantha L. Acri, Dajiang J. Liu, Djibril M. Ba, John L. Lin, Guodong Liu, Joel E. Segel, Joseph J. Drabick, Heath B. Mackley, Douglas L. Leslie
Summary: This study analyzed the data from the 2018 MarketScan database to characterize the most common medical services provided and the associated spending for privately insured patients with cancer in the US. It was found that breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers had the highest number of services performed, particularly in pathology and laboratory tests, while breast, lung, and colorectal cancer incurred the highest costs, especially in medical supplies and nonphysician services. The total estimated cost of cancer care for privately insured adults in the US was $156.2 billion.
Article
Oncology
Chan Shen, J. Douglas Thornton, Ning Li, Eric Schaefer, Shouhao Zhou, Sarah Kawasaki, Colette Pameijer, Douglas Leslie
Summary: This study examined the trends and patterns of opioid and non-opioid pharmacotherapy use among privately insured pediatric patients with cancer in the United States. It found that the use of opioids among pediatric patients with cancer has been declining in recent years, while the use of non-opioid pharmacotherapy for pain management has been increasing.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Natalia Kunst, Jessica B. Long, Xiao Xu, Susan H. Busch, Kelly A. Kyanko, Stacy T. Lindau, Ilana B. Richman, Cary P. Gross
Summary: The study found wide regional variations in breast cancer screening costs for women aged 40-49 in the US, primarily driven by differences in costs of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and 2-dimensional (2D) mammograms. Projected savings of millions of dollars annually could be achieved by reducing the highest cost values to the national average.
Review
Oncology
Michelle Yee Mun Teo, Jung Yin Fong, Wan Ming Lim, Lionel Lian Aun In
Summary: Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) gene somatic point mutations are highly prevalent in colorectal cancer, and targeting undruggable kinases and kinase-substrate molecules has shown promise as a therapeutic approach. Combination treatments involving MEK inhibitors and PI3K inhibitors have been shown to be effective in preventing the development of resistance and improving therapeutic outcomes in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the use of these pathway inhibitors in combination with immunotherapy for patients with limited treatment options. This review discusses the latest scientific approaches and clinical trials targeting KRAS mutations for the management of colorectal cancer.
MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Lisa Simon, Jane Barrow, Jacqueline R. Starr, Nathan Palmer
Summary: The study found that patients are less likely to visit a dentist after a hospital stay, with fewer procedures being recorded post-discharge. However, the number of diagnostic and restorative services delivered increased while periodontic, endodontic, oral surgery, and prosthodontic services decreased.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Holly Elser, Michelle Caunca, David H. Rehkopf, Wells Andres, Rebecca F. Gottesman, Scott E. Kasner, Kristine Yaffe, Andrea L. C. Schneider
Summary: The study found that the diagnosis and treatment rates of poststroke depression have been increasing among stroke patients over the years. Women have a higher diagnosis rate compared to men, while racial/ethnic minorities have a lower diagnosis rate. Furthermore, women and older patients are more likely to receive treatment.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sachini Bandara, Mark C. C. Bicket, Emma E. E. McGinty
Summary: This study found that opioid prescribing decreased and non-opioid alternatives increased for patients with chronic non-cancer pain and cancer. However, the reduction in opioid prescriptions outweighed the increase in non-opioid alternatives.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Chandler. J. J. Mitchell, Andrew Althouse, Robert Feldman, Robert M. Arnold, Margaret Rosenzweig, Kenneth Smith, Edward Chu, Doug White, Tom Smith, Yael Schenker
Summary: This study found that the most common and severe symptoms reported by patients with advanced cancer were fatigue, low sense of well-being, and poor appetite. However, these symptoms were addressed less frequently than expected in shared care plans developed by oncology nurses. Further research is needed to understand how primary palliative care interventions can effectively improve bothersome symptoms for patients with advanced cancer.
JOURNAL OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Meng Li, Kaiping Liao, Alice J. Chen, Tina Cascone, Yu Shen, Qian Lu, Ya-Chen Tina Shih
Summary: Nationwide, there is evidence to suggest that metastatic lung cancer patients residing in counties with a higher percentage of racialized population experience slower initiation of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy despite having a higher density of medical oncologists in their neighborhood.
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Chao Hsing Yeh, Nada Lukkahatai, Xinran Huang, Hulin Wu, Hongyu Wang, Jingyu Zhang, Xinyi Sun, Thomas J. Smith
Summary: The study aimed to identify inflammatory biomarkers associated with the mechanism of auricular point acupressure (APA) on pain relief and explore the correlations among pain intensity, interference, and inflammatory biomarkers. Data from three pilot studies were analyzed, and the results showed that APA could alleviate pain by modulating inflammatory biomarkers.
PAIN MANAGEMENT NURSING
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Kathrin Milbury, Meagan Whisenant, Shiao-Pei Weathers, Smitha Malliaha, Stella Snyder, Natalie Jackson, Jing Li, Yisheng Li, Roseanglea F. Silva, Ya-Chen Tina Shih, Lorenzo Cohen
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness of dyadic yoga and individual caregiver yoga as supportive care strategies for family caregivers. The results showed that individual caregiver yoga had a greater subjective benefit for caregivers and led to improved mental quality of life and reduced financial burden. This study highlights the importance of individualized support for vulnerable caregiver populations.
Editorial Material
Oncology
Julia Lai-Kwon, Sarah Heynemann, Nicolas H. Hart, Raymond J. Chan, Thomas J. Smith, Larissa Nekhlyudov, Michael Jefford
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Ya-Chen Tina Shih, Cathy Bradley, K. Robin Yabroff
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Mariana Chavez-MacGregor, Xiudong Lei, Catalina Malinowski, Hui Zhao, Ya-Chen Shih, Sharon H. Giordano
Summary: This study used the National Cancer Database to investigate the impact of Medicaid expansion on the timing and delays of adjuvant chemotherapy among early-stage breast cancer patients. The results showed that after Medicaid expansion, the proportion of Black and Hispanic patients experiencing delays in chemotherapy initiation decreased, narrowing the racial disparities.
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Vishal R. Patel, Thomas B. Cwalina, Arjun Gupta, Nico Nortje, Samyukta Mullangi, Ravi B. Parikh, Ya-Chen Tina Shih, S. M. Qasim Hussaini
Summary: In this cross-sectional study, oncologist participation and performance in the 2019 MIPS were examined. Oncologist participation rate was found to be low (86%), compared to the overall participation rate (97%). It was also observed that oncologists using alternative payment models (APMs) as their filing source had higher MIPS scores, indicating the importance of organizational resources for participants.
Article
Oncology
Rudolph M. Navari, Jennifer Le-Rademacher, Fabrice Smieliauskas, Kathryn J. Ruddy, Thomas James Saphner, Heshan Liu, Elizabeth Harlos, Adedayo A. Onitilo, Karthik Giridhar, Preet Paul Singh, Pavan S. Reddy, Selina Chow, Flavio Kruter, George Raptis, Charles L. Loprinzi
Summary: This article reports a protocol developed to evaluate the value of an NK-1 receptor antagonist for preventing nausea and vomiting resulting from highly emetogenic chemotherapy with an olanzapine-based antiemetogenic regimen.
Article
Oncology
Vishal R. Patel, Thomas B. Cwalina, Nico Nortje, Samyukta Mullangi, Ravi B. Parikh, Ya-Chen Tina Shih, Arjun Gupta, S. M. Qasim Hussaini
Summary: The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is the only federally mandated value-based payment model for oncologists. The inclusion of cost measures in MIPS may disproportionately affect oncologists, who have higher costs of care compared to other specialties. This study examines the implications of incorporating cost measures on physician reimbursements and highlights the need for specialty-specific recalibration to ensure fairness and preserve healthcare quality.
JCO ONCOLOGY PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
I-Wen Pan, Tina W. F. Yen, Isabelle Bedrosian, Ya-Chen Tina Shih
Summary: This study examines the trends and associated factors of preoperative breast MRI use among early-stage breast cancer patients. The results show that the use of preoperative breast MRI has steadily increased. In addition to clinical factors, age, race/ethnicity, and geographic location are associated with the use of preoperative MRI.
JCO ONCOLOGY PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Annie T. T. Wang, Eric J. J. Wang, Thomas J. J. Smith, Rab Razzak, Paul J. J. Christo
Summary: Complex regional pain syndrome is a challenging chronic pain disorder, and the current treatment options are often insufficient. Scrambler therapy, a noninvasive method of neuromodulation, has shown promise in treating refractory neuropathic pain. This case report presents two patients with complex regional pain syndrome who underwent scrambler therapy and experienced significant pain relief and improved function and quality of life.
JOURNAL OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Thomas J. Smith, Eric J. Wang, Charles L. Loprinzi
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Anesthesiology
Katherine Tovar Sanchez, Thomas J. Smith
Article
Oncology
Casey J. Allen, Rebecca A. Snyder, Danea Marie Horn, Matthew F. Hudson, Anne Barber, Fabrice Smieliauskas, Patty A. Spears, Stephen Edge, Rachel A. Greenup
Summary: This study examines how stakeholders prioritize the importance of oncologic outcomes, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and cancer-related health care costs.
JCO ONCOLOGY PRACTICE
(2023)