Today’s Top Story
Study: Preoperative opioid use linked to increased risks to patients.
Findings from a study published in the April issue of the journal Annals of Surgery suggest that preoperative opioid use may be associated with increased risk of longer stay and 30-day readmission. The authors reviewed information on 200,005 patients who underwent elective abdominal surgery and found that 8.8 percent were preoperative opioid users. Compared with non-users, preoperative opioid users were more likely to have a longer hospital stay and were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility. Overall, preoperative opioid use was associated with a greater rate of 30-day readmission and overall greater expenditures at 90-, 180-, and 365-day follow-ups. In addition, the authors noted dose-dependent effects regarding readmission, discharge destination, and late healthcare expenditures.
Read more…
Read the abstract…
Other News
CMS clarifies deadline for e-reporting of CQMs to Medicare EHR Incentive Program.
Providers participating in the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program must attest using the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation System by Monday, March 13, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The agency had previously stated that the deadline was Friday, March 13, 2017. Clinicians must submit clinical quality measures (CQMs) electronically through one of the available mechanisms for the Physician Quality Reporting System by the March 13 deadline, or their attestation will expire and they will not meet the criteria for meaningful use.
Learn more about the Medicare EHR Incentive Program…
Access the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation System…
Study: What factors affect medical liability claims related to anesthesia in nonspine orthopaedic surgery?
A study published online in the journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research examines trends in medical liability claims related to anesthesia in nonspine orthopaedic surgery. The researchers reviewed data on 475 claims related to nonspine orthopaedic surgery and 1,592 claims related to other procedures and found that nonspine orthopaedic anesthesia liability claims more frequently cited nerve injury and events arising from the use of regional anesthesia than other surgical anesthesia liability claims. The researchers suggest that the trend “may reflect the frequency of regional anesthesia in orthopaedic cases rather than increased risk of injury associated with regional techniques.” They suggest that, when neuraxial procedures and anticoagulation regimens are used concurrently, “care pathways should emphasize clear lines of responsibility for coordination of care and early investigation of any unusual neurologic findings that might indicate neuraxial hematoma.” In addition, “postoperative use of multiple opioids by different concurrent modes of administration warrant special precautions with consideration given to the provision of care in settings with enhanced respiratory monitoring,” the researchers write.
Read more…
HHS says it will fail to meet court-ordered deadline to resolve Medicare billing appeals.
According to Modern Healthcare, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reports that it will be unable to clear its pending Medicare billing appeals backlog by a court-mandated 2021 deadline. The court had previously ordered the agency to reduce its backlog by 30 percent at the end of 2017, 60 percent by the end of 2018, and 90 percent by the end of 2019. HHS states that there are currently 667,326 pending appeals, and projects the number of pending appeals to rise 3 percent by the end of 2017 and 46 percent by the end of 2021. HHS states that it has more pending appeals than previously anticipated, and lacks resources to fully address the backlog.
Read more…
ACGME votes to increase work hour limits for first-year residents.
Reuters reports that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has voted to increase shift hour limits for first-year residents from 16 to 24 hours, with a limit of 80 hours worked per week. Supporters of shorter limits have argued that patient care could be impacted by residents who are overworked. However, recent research has yielded evidence supporting the view that reduced work hour limits have had little positive impact on patient safety, but may adversely affect resident training.
Read more…
Study: Are patients more likely to undergo surgery in an FFS system?
Data from a study on cardiovascular disease treatment suggest that patients treated under a fee-for-service (FFS) system may be more likely to undergo surgery than those treated in a salary-based setting. The research team reviewed information on 10,579 patients with a diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis and found that, after adjustment, the odds of undergoing procedural management were significantly higher for patients in the FFS system compared with those in the salary-based setting. The findings remained true even when patients were stratified by symptom status at presentation.
Read more…
Read the abstract…
Call for volunteers: ACOEM Hip and Groin Disorders guideline panel.
AAOS seeks to nominate members to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Hip and Groin Disorders guideline panel. Applicants for this position should be active fellows, candidate members, candidate members osteopathic, candidate member applicants for fellowship, or candidate member applicants for fellowship osteopathic with experience in evidence-based guideline development. In addition, all applicants must provide the following: an online AAOS CAP application and a current curriculum vitae. All supporting materials must be submitted by March 26, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. CT, to Kyle Shah, at shah@aaos.org.
Learn more and submit your application…(member login required)
