Practice Management
The percentage of emergency department (ED) visits that included influenza testing increased from 2.5% in 2013 to 10.9% in 2022, according to a new data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ED visits for children ages 0–5 years had the highest percentage of tests ordered both in 2013 data (8.6%) and 2022 data (23.1%). Among ED visits by adults, the percentage with an influenza test increased from 1.9% to 9.1% for patients …
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Michigan’s state health department reported more than 1,500 pertussis infections as of December 8, 2024—the highest number of cases in 10 years, according to Mlive. By comparison, the state saw a 596-case average from 2017 through 2019. And Michigan isn’t alone. The Massachusetts department of public health also reported a 5-fold increase in the number of confirmed cases of pertussis with 754 cases on the books through the end of November, compared to 115 in …
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It’s the healthcare disruption that seems to remain top of mind. Nebraska’s Attorney General has now filed a lawsuit against Change Healthcare, alleging the company violated state consumer protection and data security laws, making Change vulnerable to the massive ransomware attack in February that brought wide channels of the US healthcare system to halt. Poor security and other systemic failures allowed cybercriminals to steal personal and health data while also freezing Change systems that process …
Read MoreIn spite of current thinking, it turns out that vitamin D and calcium actually don’t reduce the risk of falls or fractures in healthy older adults, according to a new draft recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). About 14 million adults aged 65 years or older (27.6%) reported falling at least once in the previous year, making falls the leading cause of unintentional injury among older adults. However, the task force recommends …
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Antibiotic use in pregnant moms may be associated with negative long-term health outcomes in their children, according to a new analysis in the Journal of Infection. By studying nearly 22 million children from industrialized countries, researchers found that exposure to antibiotics any time during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of immunologic, metabolic, and neurobehavioral adverse health outcomes in children. Among the 23 outcomes investigated, they found antibiotic exposure was associated with, for example, cancer …
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On December 16, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of certain Boston Scientific Accolade pacemaker devices. According to FDA, the devices present an increased risk of permanently entering Safety Mode, which limits the pacemaker’s functions, preventing it from being able to regulate the heart’s rhythm and rate in some patients. FDA says the risk comes from a manufacturing issue, in which the battery underpowers the system. The recalled devices are in …
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Countries around the world are reporting wastewater detections of poliovirus. The United Kingdom recently reported 3 wastewater detections of poliovirus type 2, while Germany reported 6 wastewater detections in 6 different cities. Other detections in Finland, Spain, and Poland have been reported recently as well. In general, the European countries that have reported virus detections since September have strong disease surveillance and high routine immunization levels. Meanwhile, Pakistan has reported 3 wild poliovirus type 1 …
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Peter Lamelas, MD, MBA, one of urgent care’s industry leaders, has been appointed by President Elect Trump as the US Ambassador to Argentina. As the founder of MD Now Urgent Care, the Cuban-born physician and entrepreneur grew the brand to 59 centers, which were acquired in 2022 by HCA Healthcare. Certified in emergency medicine with more than 20 years of experience, Lamelas was also a founding member of the Urgent Care Association (UCA) and joined …
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Looking comprehensively at the ongoing announcements from CVS, it becomes clear that the healthcare giant is recasting its retail pharmacy and in-store clinic strategy. With the recent announcement that CVS is shutting down all of its MinuteClinics in Utah this month, the company’s clinic closures are rapidly adding up—with more closures expected by February 2025. In terms of retail operations overall, CVS pledged to whittle away approximately 300 store locations per year, adding up to …
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In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to a new research letter describing body mass index (BMI) data from 2013 to 2023 in JAMA Health Forum. In spite of conflicting trends forecasting increasing obesity rates (ie, BMI equal to or greater than 30) over the next decade, researchers found the mean population BMI rose annually from 2013 to 2021, then plateaued in 2022 at 46%, followed by …
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