Research on the cost of health care and how to control it. Covers cardiovascular care in Latin America, emergency-visit costs, insulin pricing, and screening gaps.
A study published in Spine found that patients with neck injuries incur significantly higher health and social costs, which also affect their spouses. The increases in costs began to occur well before the initial injury, up to eleven years earlier.
A clinical trial found that a centralized, patient-preference program decreased depressive symptoms and may be cost-neutral over time. Active treatment for post-ACS depression was associated with significant improvements in symptoms and potentially lower healthcare costs.
A new study suggests that pneumococcal disease may be shifting its burden from infants to adults in Latin America, with significant economic implications. The research highlights the need for increased monitoring and surveillance to understand the full extent of the disease in the region.
A new UCSF study reveals large price swings in patient charges for the 10 most common outpatient conditions in emergency rooms across the country. The median charge for total outpatient conditions was $1,233, with some patients facing bills of $4 to $24,110.
Friedreich's Ataxia, a rare genetic disorder, imposes significant annual costs of £11,000 to £19,000 on individuals. The study emphasizes the need for tailored resource allocation to maximize quality of life while minimizing its impact.
A new study suggests that consumers select health insurance plans based on both their overall wellness level and anticipated response to having insurance. The research indicates that people with lower behavioral responses to the contract are more likely to opt for high-deductible plans.
A new Northwestern University study found that US veterans diagnosed with GERD are frequently prescribed high doses of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and kept on the drug for too long. The researchers evaluated over 1,600 patients and found that nearly 25% were given high total daily dose prescriptions.
A new Pitt study found that generic drug coverage is cost-effective compared to no coverage for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Generic coverage improved health outcomes and reduced medical costs, with savings of $570-$1,312 per year.
A recent study found that bariatric surgery does not lower overall healthcare costs in the long term. Instead, it results in higher inpatient costs and lower prescription and office-visit costs. The research analyzed data from over 29,000 patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2002 and 2008.
Professor Barbara Sahakian emphasizes the importance of prioritizing mental health, citing one in four adults suffering from a mental disorder. She advocates for regular monitoring and early detection through innovation and technology to promote prevention and effective treatment.
State Medicaid programs offering coverage for birth doulas may capture cost savings associated with reduced cesarean rates, benefiting diverse, low-income women. Doula support improves birth outcomes and enhances the mother's birth experience.
A new system using Kinect technology and Azure connectivity can replace expensive telemedicine systems, reducing hospital-acquired infections and patient transport costs. The system uses low-bandwidth connections and can be used in areas with unreliable internet, making it a powerful tool for remote communities.
A new study by UCSF found that California's tobacco control program cost $2.4 billion and reduced health care costs by $134 billion over nearly 20 years. The program also led to a significant decrease in smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption, contributing to the overall healthcare cost savings.
A study found that 40% of top-ranked and 36% of non-top-ranked hospitals struggled to provide a price estimate for total hip replacement, with costs ranging from $11,100 to $125,798. The researchers suggest consumers should ask for cost information and be persistent in obtaining it.
A new AI framework using Markov Decision Processes and Dynamic Decision Networks has been developed to simulate treatment paths, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. The approach outperforms traditional models in both cost reduction and quality improvement.
The study found that increased breast milk intake by 10 milliliters per kilogram per day reduced the odds of sepsis by almost 20%. Breast milk also lowered NICU costs by $20,000 to $32,000 per day. This research is significant for its economic impact on risk of infection and related hospital care costs.
A University of Oregon study finds that patients with higher levels of motivation, knowledge, and confidence in managing their health have substantially lower healthcare costs. The researchers recommend assessing patient activation scores to support more engaged patients and improve outcomes.
Researchers at UCLA's Pediatric Medical Home will study ways to reduce preventable hospital admissions and emergency room use among children with medically complex illness, aiming to decrease healthcare expenditures. The study will analyze root causes of preventable hospitalizations and design cost-saving strategies.
A new study by Cornell University researchers offers a spatial solution to boost nurses' efficiency through better design. The research analyzed floor plans and work patterns in five medical-surgical units at US hospitals and found opportunities to improve caregiver workflow.
A study published in JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that median out-of-pocket costs for Canadian breast cancer patients were $1,002, with higher costs among more educated women and those living far from hospitals. Wage losses had a greater impact on family finances than out-of-pocket costs.
A study found that revealing the costs of expensive medical tests like MRIs up front had no impact on the number of tests doctors ordered. Doctors have already decided they need to know the information, regardless of the cost.
A study at Johns Hopkins found that early rehabilitation programs in ICUs generate significant cost savings for hospitals. By reducing length of stay and improving patient strength, these programs can save hospitals up to $818,000 per year.
Researchers estimate naloxone distribution could prevent 6.5% of all overdose deaths by providing a cost-effective way to reverse opioid overdoses. Quadruple doses of seasonal flu vaccine may better protect HIV-infected patients from serious illness or death, but evidence for quality impact is limited.
Experts recommend developing and implementing evidence-based appropriateness criteria to prioritize patients most in need of elective procedures, such as joint replacement surgery. This could help combat increasing healthcare costs while enhancing access and quality, according to Weill Cornell researchers.
Socrates Analytics provides a cloud-based software program that collects, standardizes, analyzes, and reports on disparate hospital billing, administrative, and operating room data. This enables hospitals to interpret complex administrative data, view trends, outliers, and variability in care processes, ultimately improving efficiency ...
Researchers found that telestroke networks can increase patient recovery, improve function, and reduce disability. With a network, hospitals can make nearly $360,000 annually, with each spoke hospital generating over $100,000 in revenue.
A new study suggests that the University of Michigan Health System's (UMHS) approach to medical errors, known as the "Michigan Model," has helped reduce malpractice claims and costs. The model focuses on compensating patients quickly and fairly, supporting clinical staff, and reducing patient injuries by learning from experiences.
Average employer-sponsored family health insurance plan premiums increased by 62% between 2003 and 2011, rising to $15,022 per year. Employee payments for their share of health insurance premiums also rose by 74%, with deductibles more than doubling.
Consumers with individual insurance policies received $394 million in rebates, while insurers reduced overhead by $560 million. The Affordable Care Act's medical loss ratio provision led to improvements in administrative costs and medical loss ratios in the individual market.
The American College of Physicians recommends limiting upper endoscopy to patients with heartburn only when accompanied by serious symptoms or specific risk factors. The guideline aims to reduce unnecessary procedures and associated costs, while ensuring effective care for GERD patients.
The American College of Cardiology and European Society of Cardiology disagree on mandatory ECG screenings. The ACC suggests $69 billion over 20 years to save 4,813 lives, while experts like Antonio Pelliccia argue cultural and policy obstacles hinder widespread adoption.
A new study at the University of Cincinnati uses computer-based simulation modeling to estimate the operational disruption and lost opportunity costs of introducing HIV testing into emergency departments. The research aims to provide valuable guidance for hospitals and policymakers on implementing HIV screening programs.
A study suggests that limiting non-medically indicated caesareans and induced labor can reduce preterm births in high-income countries. Implementing evidence-based interventions could avert around 58,000 preterm births annually, saving $3 billion in economic costs.
The new system-on-a-chip enables integration of large components onto a single microchip, achieving significant improvements in power consumption. It cuts the size, weight, power consumption, and cost by about 10 times compared to conventional body data monitoring technologies.
A recent study proposes redirecting $750 billion in wasteful healthcare spending towards various initiatives, including businesses, education, infrastructure, and job retraining. The potential outcomes include reducing deficit, funding preschool programs, improving transportation projects, and promoting rural development.
A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine finds that per capita Medicare spending on the elderly has grown nearly three times faster in the US than in Canada since 1980. The authors attribute this difference to Canada's single-payer system, which includes fewer administrative costs and a greater emphasis on primary care.
A simple-to-use risk score identifies low-risk STEMI patients, allowing early discharge and reducing hospital length of stay by a day. This strategy results in estimated savings of nearly $7,000 in total hospital costs.
A new report by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute suggests that declining medical imaging use may be driving up hospital stays and medical costs in the US. This trend could have negative consequences on patient safety and access to care if not addressed through policy changes.
A study by Rice University researchers found that states without Certificate of Need regulations for open-heart surgery experienced a 4% decrease in average patient care costs. The deregulation led to increased competition among hospitals, driving up the quality of care and resulting in cost savings.
Governor Romney's plan would increase uninsured in every state to 72 million, while the Affordable Care Act reduces it to 27 million; children and low- and middle-income Americans particularly affected
Cancer drugs are administered sequentially or in combination, creating a virtual monopoly for each drug. Value-based pricing is a potential solution to address the high cost of cancer therapy.
Researchers estimate that maximizing observation unit potential can result in significant cost savings, with an average annual saving of $4.6 million per hospital and up to $3.1 billion nationwide. This could be achieved by avoiding 2.4 million unnecessary inpatient admissions.
The first-ever estimate of cancer's economic burden in Europe reveals that cancers cost the European Union €124 billion each year, with lung cancer responsible for the highest overall burden. Caring for cancer patients also takes a toll on caregivers, who experience impairments in physical and mental health.
The study found that the number of total knee replacements increased by over two and a half times from 1991 to 2010, driven by an aging population and increased demand among older adults. The procedure is highly effective, allowing patients to remain active as they age, but also represents a major healthcare expense for Medicare.
Researchers found a short (7-day) course of amphotericin along with high-dose fluconazole for at least 2 weeks is the most cost-effective and least toxic treatment for cryptococcal meningitis. This regimen is significantly cheaper and less toxic than the current WHO-recommended treatment, which results in more deaths.
A new study reveals that young cancer survivors frequently forego routine medical care because of financial constraints. Despite having health insurance, they face significant cost burdens, which can lead to unmet health needs.
A study of 48 German families found that treatment for alcoholism significantly reduced family costs directly related to a family member's alcoholism. After twelve months of treatment, average costs attributable to alcoholism decreased from 20.2% to 4.3% of the total pre-tax family income.
A new study published in The Lancet suggests that replacing intravenous catheters only when clinically necessary is safe and could save millions. This policy change would prevent up to 6 million unnecessary catheter insertions and save about $60 million annually in health costs, according to the research.
A small subset of patients with open-angle glaucoma account for a large proportion of all glaucoma-related charges in the US. The costliest 5% of patients are responsible for 24% of total charges, with younger age and cataract surgery being significant risk factors.
The ACA's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is providing a temporary coverage option for people with pre-existing health conditions until the new state exchanges are implemented in 2014. State-run high-risk pools, while helpful as a stop-gap measure, are expensive to run and often unaffordable for those who need them.
A new study found that people with mild asthma who take inhaled steroids only when symptoms occur have similar outcomes as those who use them daily. This could lead to reduced medication costs and more flexible treatment options.
The Great Recession has brought severe challenges to city and county governments, with budget shortfalls cited as a top problem by nearly half of surveyed local governments. Local government managers have responded by freezing positions, trimming benefits, and reducing service delivery levels.
Researchers found modest estimates of overall savings associated with the PGPD, but larger savings among dually eligible patients through reductions in hospitalizations. The study also revealed lower medical 30-day readmissions and significant variation in savings across participating organizations.
A computer model developed by researchers can help healthcare clinics manage no-shows and last-minute cancellations by incorporating overbooking into the system. This approach has been shown to increase efficiency, bringing it back up to around 73% in some cases.
A study found that 25% of Medicare recipients spent more on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses than their total assets during the last five years of life. The average spending was $38,688, with the top quarter of participants spending $101,791.
A Lancet series examines the social, political, and economic issues surrounding universal health coverage. The evidence suggests that progress towards UHC leads to substantial improvements in population health, particularly for the poorest people. However, countries relying predominantly on out-of-pocket payments have not achieved UHC....
A new study finds that out-of-pocket spending on healthcare in the last five years of life can account for a significant proportion of an individual's household assets. More than three-quarters of households spent at least $10,000 on healthcare costs, with some individuals contributing as much as their total household assets.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found that non-invasive diagnostic imaging costs to Medicare Part B dropped significantly between 2006 and 2010. The decline was attributed to reimbursement cuts and increased education on scan utilization.
A new strategy for managing Medicare's costly dialysis program has been implemented, bundling total costs and discouraging lapses in quality. The changes aim to rein in health care costs, but concerns remain about the potential impact on patient treatment and overall healthcare expenditure.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Patient Care Program aims to improve healthcare by engaging patients and their families, reducing costs, and increasing patient safety. The program focuses on eliminating all preventable harms to adult patients in acute-care settings and reconfiguring clinical processes, care teams, and technolog...