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VA Reveals Future of Choice Plan Before House Committee
On Wednesday, the VA submitted a plan that simplifies its network of private doctors to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The New Veterans Choice Program proposes the creation of a single system by combining 7 existing VA private health care programs. The plan also allows veterans who live far from a VA facility to visit private doctors or specialists at government expense.
Related: Sen. McCain Proposes Permanent Choice Program Legislation
“The success of the VA health care system over the next several years will depend in large part on VA’s ability to consolidate these 7 disparate methods into a single coordinated program that's easy for veterans and community providers to understand and buy into,” said House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla) during the oversight hearing, held November 18, 2015.
The VA is striving to simplify and streamline a currently disjointed system. For example, the new plan recommends creating a single set of rules that govern how veterans are referred to outside care and to which doctors. The agency also aims to simplify claims, billing, and reimbursement systems for doctors while also improving its medical record keeping.
Related: VA Relaxes Rules for Choice Program
“All of these programs have been layered on top of each other without someone saying, ‘How do we rationalize them?’” VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald said in an interview with The Washington Post. “We want an integrated network. We want the very best providers connected with us. This is a big deal, and it will be a big improvement over what we have now.”
The proposed changes to Veterans Choice require Congressional approval and could prove costly. The VA estimates that redesigning the system would cost between $1.2 billion and $2.4 billion in each of the first 3 years. Adding access to emergency services and urgent care would add an additional $2 billion per year.
Related: Obama and McDonald Call on Congress to Give VA Flexibility
However, there could be cost savings in the future. The VA spent about $7 billion per year on outside medical care prior to implementing the current Veterans Choice Program. Officials estimate that annual costs would reach $6.5 billion if the program continues in its current form.
On Wednesday, the VA submitted a plan that simplifies its network of private doctors to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The New Veterans Choice Program proposes the creation of a single system by combining 7 existing VA private health care programs. The plan also allows veterans who live far from a VA facility to visit private doctors or specialists at government expense.
Related: Sen. McCain Proposes Permanent Choice Program Legislation
“The success of the VA health care system over the next several years will depend in large part on VA’s ability to consolidate these 7 disparate methods into a single coordinated program that's easy for veterans and community providers to understand and buy into,” said House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla) during the oversight hearing, held November 18, 2015.
The VA is striving to simplify and streamline a currently disjointed system. For example, the new plan recommends creating a single set of rules that govern how veterans are referred to outside care and to which doctors. The agency also aims to simplify claims, billing, and reimbursement systems for doctors while also improving its medical record keeping.
Related: VA Relaxes Rules for Choice Program
“All of these programs have been layered on top of each other without someone saying, ‘How do we rationalize them?’” VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald said in an interview with The Washington Post. “We want an integrated network. We want the very best providers connected with us. This is a big deal, and it will be a big improvement over what we have now.”
The proposed changes to Veterans Choice require Congressional approval and could prove costly. The VA estimates that redesigning the system would cost between $1.2 billion and $2.4 billion in each of the first 3 years. Adding access to emergency services and urgent care would add an additional $2 billion per year.
Related: Obama and McDonald Call on Congress to Give VA Flexibility
However, there could be cost savings in the future. The VA spent about $7 billion per year on outside medical care prior to implementing the current Veterans Choice Program. Officials estimate that annual costs would reach $6.5 billion if the program continues in its current form.
On Wednesday, the VA submitted a plan that simplifies its network of private doctors to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The New Veterans Choice Program proposes the creation of a single system by combining 7 existing VA private health care programs. The plan also allows veterans who live far from a VA facility to visit private doctors or specialists at government expense.
Related: Sen. McCain Proposes Permanent Choice Program Legislation
“The success of the VA health care system over the next several years will depend in large part on VA’s ability to consolidate these 7 disparate methods into a single coordinated program that's easy for veterans and community providers to understand and buy into,” said House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla) during the oversight hearing, held November 18, 2015.
The VA is striving to simplify and streamline a currently disjointed system. For example, the new plan recommends creating a single set of rules that govern how veterans are referred to outside care and to which doctors. The agency also aims to simplify claims, billing, and reimbursement systems for doctors while also improving its medical record keeping.
Related: VA Relaxes Rules for Choice Program
“All of these programs have been layered on top of each other without someone saying, ‘How do we rationalize them?’” VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald said in an interview with The Washington Post. “We want an integrated network. We want the very best providers connected with us. This is a big deal, and it will be a big improvement over what we have now.”
The proposed changes to Veterans Choice require Congressional approval and could prove costly. The VA estimates that redesigning the system would cost between $1.2 billion and $2.4 billion in each of the first 3 years. Adding access to emergency services and urgent care would add an additional $2 billion per year.
Related: Obama and McDonald Call on Congress to Give VA Flexibility
However, there could be cost savings in the future. The VA spent about $7 billion per year on outside medical care prior to implementing the current Veterans Choice Program. Officials estimate that annual costs would reach $6.5 billion if the program continues in its current form.
Models for Excellence in Military Medicine
Basil A. Pruitt, Jr, MD, will receive a lifetime achievement award for his long-standing leadership role at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Pruitt led the facility for 27 years and retired from the Medical Corps in December 1995.
“I am accepting this award and truly sharing it with the outstanding surgeons and other scientists with whom I have had the privilege of working,” he told Federal Practitioner. “I think the institute’s record could be duplicated in other Army Medical Corps research facilities, but it takes a longer assignment.”
Maj Gen (Ret) Byron C. Hepburn, MD, will also lead an innovative panel discussion that will focus on the case study of a soldier injured by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. The panel brings together the patient, his family, and the entire medical team who treated him from the battlefield all the way to today. The journey of the wounded warrior panel will take a cohesive approach of care that continues until today. According to Dr. Hepburn, the challenge was not only to stabilize the patient and ensure his survival, but the maintenance of the long-term quality of life for the patient
“The journey never stops” Dr. Hepburn explains. “It is an integrated system that is constantly being refined. This trauma system was put in place with an evacuation chain that is like a Swiss watch.”
Listen to the complete interview here:
For more information on the meeting and to register, visit www.amsusmeetings.org
Basil A. Pruitt, Jr, MD, will receive a lifetime achievement award for his long-standing leadership role at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Pruitt led the facility for 27 years and retired from the Medical Corps in December 1995.
“I am accepting this award and truly sharing it with the outstanding surgeons and other scientists with whom I have had the privilege of working,” he told Federal Practitioner. “I think the institute’s record could be duplicated in other Army Medical Corps research facilities, but it takes a longer assignment.”
Maj Gen (Ret) Byron C. Hepburn, MD, will also lead an innovative panel discussion that will focus on the case study of a soldier injured by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. The panel brings together the patient, his family, and the entire medical team who treated him from the battlefield all the way to today. The journey of the wounded warrior panel will take a cohesive approach of care that continues until today. According to Dr. Hepburn, the challenge was not only to stabilize the patient and ensure his survival, but the maintenance of the long-term quality of life for the patient
“The journey never stops” Dr. Hepburn explains. “It is an integrated system that is constantly being refined. This trauma system was put in place with an evacuation chain that is like a Swiss watch.”
Listen to the complete interview here:
For more information on the meeting and to register, visit www.amsusmeetings.org
Basil A. Pruitt, Jr, MD, will receive a lifetime achievement award for his long-standing leadership role at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Pruitt led the facility for 27 years and retired from the Medical Corps in December 1995.
“I am accepting this award and truly sharing it with the outstanding surgeons and other scientists with whom I have had the privilege of working,” he told Federal Practitioner. “I think the institute’s record could be duplicated in other Army Medical Corps research facilities, but it takes a longer assignment.”
Maj Gen (Ret) Byron C. Hepburn, MD, will also lead an innovative panel discussion that will focus on the case study of a soldier injured by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. The panel brings together the patient, his family, and the entire medical team who treated him from the battlefield all the way to today. The journey of the wounded warrior panel will take a cohesive approach of care that continues until today. According to Dr. Hepburn, the challenge was not only to stabilize the patient and ensure his survival, but the maintenance of the long-term quality of life for the patient
“The journey never stops” Dr. Hepburn explains. “It is an integrated system that is constantly being refined. This trauma system was put in place with an evacuation chain that is like a Swiss watch.”
Listen to the complete interview here:
For more information on the meeting and to register, visit www.amsusmeetings.org
IHS Pilots Improved Version of Health Records
The IHS is launching a pilot program intended to improve its current health information exchange. The new IHS Personal Health Record extends and revises the Resource and Patient Management System, which is in use at hundreds of health care facilities across the country.
Related: How Safe Are Patients’ Electronic Health Records?
The Personal Health Record will provide patients better access to their medical records, IHS says. Eligible patients who sign up for an account will be able to view their health information securely online, including laboratory results, and e-mail their health care team through the system. The IHS and participating Tribal and Urban Indian Health Program providers will also be better able to share their patients’ most accurate and recent health information.
Related: HHS Grants Fund Health IT in Communities
After the pilot, access to the Personal Health Record will be expanded to all patients receiving care at IHS direct service facilities operated by the U.S. federal government and participating facilities operated by Tribal organizations and Urban Indian Health programs. Facilities must sign an agreement to access the enhanced features of the IHS medical records system but can still use the previous IHS medical records system if they choose; adopting the improvements is optional.
Related: Getting Along With Electronic Technology—Safely
The IHS received $149 million in payments for successfully participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive program and was the first government system to certify its electronic health record.
The IHS is launching a pilot program intended to improve its current health information exchange. The new IHS Personal Health Record extends and revises the Resource and Patient Management System, which is in use at hundreds of health care facilities across the country.
Related: How Safe Are Patients’ Electronic Health Records?
The Personal Health Record will provide patients better access to their medical records, IHS says. Eligible patients who sign up for an account will be able to view their health information securely online, including laboratory results, and e-mail their health care team through the system. The IHS and participating Tribal and Urban Indian Health Program providers will also be better able to share their patients’ most accurate and recent health information.
Related: HHS Grants Fund Health IT in Communities
After the pilot, access to the Personal Health Record will be expanded to all patients receiving care at IHS direct service facilities operated by the U.S. federal government and participating facilities operated by Tribal organizations and Urban Indian Health programs. Facilities must sign an agreement to access the enhanced features of the IHS medical records system but can still use the previous IHS medical records system if they choose; adopting the improvements is optional.
Related: Getting Along With Electronic Technology—Safely
The IHS received $149 million in payments for successfully participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive program and was the first government system to certify its electronic health record.
The IHS is launching a pilot program intended to improve its current health information exchange. The new IHS Personal Health Record extends and revises the Resource and Patient Management System, which is in use at hundreds of health care facilities across the country.
Related: How Safe Are Patients’ Electronic Health Records?
The Personal Health Record will provide patients better access to their medical records, IHS says. Eligible patients who sign up for an account will be able to view their health information securely online, including laboratory results, and e-mail their health care team through the system. The IHS and participating Tribal and Urban Indian Health Program providers will also be better able to share their patients’ most accurate and recent health information.
Related: HHS Grants Fund Health IT in Communities
After the pilot, access to the Personal Health Record will be expanded to all patients receiving care at IHS direct service facilities operated by the U.S. federal government and participating facilities operated by Tribal organizations and Urban Indian Health programs. Facilities must sign an agreement to access the enhanced features of the IHS medical records system but can still use the previous IHS medical records system if they choose; adopting the improvements is optional.
Related: Getting Along With Electronic Technology—Safely
The IHS received $149 million in payments for successfully participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive program and was the first government system to certify its electronic health record.
Homes for Veterans With Special Needs
Homelessness among veterans is finally on the downturn. Since 2010, when the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was launched, rates of homelessness have dropped significantly. Connecticut, New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City have all reached milestones in reducing the number of homeless veterans, the VA says. But there’s a long way to go.
Related: Redesign of a Screening Process for VA Homeless Housing
That’s why 21 community programs for veterans with special needs—including women, frail elderly, chronically mentally ill, terminally ill, and those caring for minor children—will receive $4 million in renewal funding from the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program.
Related: Using H-PACT to Overcome Treatment Obstacles for Homeless Veterans
The VA has also announced $12.8 million in renewal funding from the GDP program for 20 community agencies that provide transitional housing with supportive services for homeless veterans under the Transition in Place (TIP) model, which encourages rapid movement from transitional housing to permanent housing, to allow veterans to live as independently as possible.
Related: Services for Veterans With Special Needs Get Funding
The GPD program promotes helping homeless veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income, and obtain greater self-determination. In addition to grants, the GPD program provides per diem payments to help public and nonprofit organizations establish and operate supportive housing for specific homeless veteran populations.
Homelessness among veterans is finally on the downturn. Since 2010, when the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was launched, rates of homelessness have dropped significantly. Connecticut, New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City have all reached milestones in reducing the number of homeless veterans, the VA says. But there’s a long way to go.
Related: Redesign of a Screening Process for VA Homeless Housing
That’s why 21 community programs for veterans with special needs—including women, frail elderly, chronically mentally ill, terminally ill, and those caring for minor children—will receive $4 million in renewal funding from the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program.
Related: Using H-PACT to Overcome Treatment Obstacles for Homeless Veterans
The VA has also announced $12.8 million in renewal funding from the GDP program for 20 community agencies that provide transitional housing with supportive services for homeless veterans under the Transition in Place (TIP) model, which encourages rapid movement from transitional housing to permanent housing, to allow veterans to live as independently as possible.
Related: Services for Veterans With Special Needs Get Funding
The GPD program promotes helping homeless veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income, and obtain greater self-determination. In addition to grants, the GPD program provides per diem payments to help public and nonprofit organizations establish and operate supportive housing for specific homeless veteran populations.
Homelessness among veterans is finally on the downturn. Since 2010, when the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was launched, rates of homelessness have dropped significantly. Connecticut, New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City have all reached milestones in reducing the number of homeless veterans, the VA says. But there’s a long way to go.
Related: Redesign of a Screening Process for VA Homeless Housing
That’s why 21 community programs for veterans with special needs—including women, frail elderly, chronically mentally ill, terminally ill, and those caring for minor children—will receive $4 million in renewal funding from the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program.
Related: Using H-PACT to Overcome Treatment Obstacles for Homeless Veterans
The VA has also announced $12.8 million in renewal funding from the GDP program for 20 community agencies that provide transitional housing with supportive services for homeless veterans under the Transition in Place (TIP) model, which encourages rapid movement from transitional housing to permanent housing, to allow veterans to live as independently as possible.
Related: Services for Veterans With Special Needs Get Funding
The GPD program promotes helping homeless veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income, and obtain greater self-determination. In addition to grants, the GPD program provides per diem payments to help public and nonprofit organizations establish and operate supportive housing for specific homeless veteran populations.
Weaving a Safety Net to Protect Against Suicide
Despite the strengths of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) families and communities, IHS says, suicide remains a devastating and all-too-frequent event. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the AI/AN community across all ages; the AI/AN youth suicide rate is more than twice that of the national average.
Related: Native Americans at Risk
The IHS Suicide Prevention Program is intended to help create a “safety net” of interconnected programming—health, education, law enforcement, public health and well-being, economic development, and physical and behavioral health—to maximize effectiveness of services and protect against suicide risk. As part of that effort, IHS has announced 118 awards of more than $13 million to prevent methamphetamine use and suicide in AI/AN communities.
Related: SAMHSA Awards Funds for Tribal Youth Programs
The awards build on a recently completed, nationally coordinated 6-year pilot project that funded 130 health programs through the Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative (MSPI), which promotes the use and development of evidence-based and practice-based models that represent culturally appropriate prevention and treatment approaches. During the first 5 years of the pilot program, MSPI provided treatment services for more than 9,000 individuals and trained more than 13,000 professionals and community members in suicide crisis response.
Related: “Suicide Safe” Mobile App Fills a Gap
The National Congress of American Indians (the oldest and largest national organization of AI/AN tribal governments) has also called for a Native Hope for Life Day, or Suicide Prevention Awareness Day.
Despite the strengths of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) families and communities, IHS says, suicide remains a devastating and all-too-frequent event. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the AI/AN community across all ages; the AI/AN youth suicide rate is more than twice that of the national average.
Related: Native Americans at Risk
The IHS Suicide Prevention Program is intended to help create a “safety net” of interconnected programming—health, education, law enforcement, public health and well-being, economic development, and physical and behavioral health—to maximize effectiveness of services and protect against suicide risk. As part of that effort, IHS has announced 118 awards of more than $13 million to prevent methamphetamine use and suicide in AI/AN communities.
Related: SAMHSA Awards Funds for Tribal Youth Programs
The awards build on a recently completed, nationally coordinated 6-year pilot project that funded 130 health programs through the Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative (MSPI), which promotes the use and development of evidence-based and practice-based models that represent culturally appropriate prevention and treatment approaches. During the first 5 years of the pilot program, MSPI provided treatment services for more than 9,000 individuals and trained more than 13,000 professionals and community members in suicide crisis response.
Related: “Suicide Safe” Mobile App Fills a Gap
The National Congress of American Indians (the oldest and largest national organization of AI/AN tribal governments) has also called for a Native Hope for Life Day, or Suicide Prevention Awareness Day.
Despite the strengths of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) families and communities, IHS says, suicide remains a devastating and all-too-frequent event. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the AI/AN community across all ages; the AI/AN youth suicide rate is more than twice that of the national average.
Related: Native Americans at Risk
The IHS Suicide Prevention Program is intended to help create a “safety net” of interconnected programming—health, education, law enforcement, public health and well-being, economic development, and physical and behavioral health—to maximize effectiveness of services and protect against suicide risk. As part of that effort, IHS has announced 118 awards of more than $13 million to prevent methamphetamine use and suicide in AI/AN communities.
Related: SAMHSA Awards Funds for Tribal Youth Programs
The awards build on a recently completed, nationally coordinated 6-year pilot project that funded 130 health programs through the Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative (MSPI), which promotes the use and development of evidence-based and practice-based models that represent culturally appropriate prevention and treatment approaches. During the first 5 years of the pilot program, MSPI provided treatment services for more than 9,000 individuals and trained more than 13,000 professionals and community members in suicide crisis response.
Related: “Suicide Safe” Mobile App Fills a Gap
The National Congress of American Indians (the oldest and largest national organization of AI/AN tribal governments) has also called for a Native Hope for Life Day, or Suicide Prevention Awareness Day.
What Is the New Normal in Federal Medicine?
Federal Practitioner recent talked with VADM Michael L. Cowan, MD, executive director of AMSUS about the upcoming conference December 1-4 in San Antonio, Texas. The annual conference is the largest gathering of DoD, PHS, VA and other federal health care providers in the U.S. Organized in 1891 and chartered by Congress in 1903, AMSUS has nearly 8,000 members across all health care disciplines.
Among the featured speakers for the conference will be University of Texas Chancellor William H. McRaven, and Julianne Flynn, MD, chief of staff of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
Timeline
0:15 What Is the New Normal?
2:15 What
For more information on the meeting and to register, visit www.amsusmeetings.org
Federal Practitioner recent talked with VADM Michael L. Cowan, MD, executive director of AMSUS about the upcoming conference December 1-4 in San Antonio, Texas. The annual conference is the largest gathering of DoD, PHS, VA and other federal health care providers in the U.S. Organized in 1891 and chartered by Congress in 1903, AMSUS has nearly 8,000 members across all health care disciplines.
Among the featured speakers for the conference will be University of Texas Chancellor William H. McRaven, and Julianne Flynn, MD, chief of staff of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
Timeline
0:15 What Is the New Normal?
2:15 What
For more information on the meeting and to register, visit www.amsusmeetings.org
Federal Practitioner recent talked with VADM Michael L. Cowan, MD, executive director of AMSUS about the upcoming conference December 1-4 in San Antonio, Texas. The annual conference is the largest gathering of DoD, PHS, VA and other federal health care providers in the U.S. Organized in 1891 and chartered by Congress in 1903, AMSUS has nearly 8,000 members across all health care disciplines.
Among the featured speakers for the conference will be University of Texas Chancellor William H. McRaven, and Julianne Flynn, MD, chief of staff of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
Timeline
0:15 What Is the New Normal?
2:15 What
For more information on the meeting and to register, visit www.amsusmeetings.org
A Window Into the Genetics Behind Diabetes
Information from decades of international research on diabetes mellitus (DM), accumulated into an online library—or portal—is now available for open-access searching. The portal, a product of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP), will include data from more than 100,000 genetic samples.
Related: What to Do When Chronic Conditions Add Up
Data can be searched by genes, gene variants, and genetic regions and can be cross-referenced with criteria such as glucose and insulin measurements. Data can also be sorted to include relevant genetic studies and the type of data collected. “The knowledge portal will allow us to translate differences in an individual’s genome into an understanding of how those differences affect a person’s risk of developing type 2 DM (T2DM). By harnessing the power of international data sets, we can also better account for differences in race, ethnicity, and locality,” said Philip Smith, PhD, co-chair of the AMP Type 2 Diabetes Steering Committee.
Related: New VA Studies Examine Genetic Influences on Chronic Illness
The AMP, a public-private partnership, includes NIH, FDA, biopharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations. It was launched in 2014 to, among other objectives, shorten the development time to new treatments in 3 diseases: Alzheimer disease, T2DM, and the autoimmune disorders of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The overall 5-year budget is $229.5 million; the total project budget for T2DM is $58.4 million.
Information from decades of international research on diabetes mellitus (DM), accumulated into an online library—or portal—is now available for open-access searching. The portal, a product of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP), will include data from more than 100,000 genetic samples.
Related: What to Do When Chronic Conditions Add Up
Data can be searched by genes, gene variants, and genetic regions and can be cross-referenced with criteria such as glucose and insulin measurements. Data can also be sorted to include relevant genetic studies and the type of data collected. “The knowledge portal will allow us to translate differences in an individual’s genome into an understanding of how those differences affect a person’s risk of developing type 2 DM (T2DM). By harnessing the power of international data sets, we can also better account for differences in race, ethnicity, and locality,” said Philip Smith, PhD, co-chair of the AMP Type 2 Diabetes Steering Committee.
Related: New VA Studies Examine Genetic Influences on Chronic Illness
The AMP, a public-private partnership, includes NIH, FDA, biopharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations. It was launched in 2014 to, among other objectives, shorten the development time to new treatments in 3 diseases: Alzheimer disease, T2DM, and the autoimmune disorders of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The overall 5-year budget is $229.5 million; the total project budget for T2DM is $58.4 million.
Information from decades of international research on diabetes mellitus (DM), accumulated into an online library—or portal—is now available for open-access searching. The portal, a product of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP), will include data from more than 100,000 genetic samples.
Related: What to Do When Chronic Conditions Add Up
Data can be searched by genes, gene variants, and genetic regions and can be cross-referenced with criteria such as glucose and insulin measurements. Data can also be sorted to include relevant genetic studies and the type of data collected. “The knowledge portal will allow us to translate differences in an individual’s genome into an understanding of how those differences affect a person’s risk of developing type 2 DM (T2DM). By harnessing the power of international data sets, we can also better account for differences in race, ethnicity, and locality,” said Philip Smith, PhD, co-chair of the AMP Type 2 Diabetes Steering Committee.
Related: New VA Studies Examine Genetic Influences on Chronic Illness
The AMP, a public-private partnership, includes NIH, FDA, biopharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations. It was launched in 2014 to, among other objectives, shorten the development time to new treatments in 3 diseases: Alzheimer disease, T2DM, and the autoimmune disorders of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The overall 5-year budget is $229.5 million; the total project budget for T2DM is $58.4 million.
A New Kind of Flu Drug
An experimental influenza drug could become the first in a new class of influenza antivirals, according to HHS. The drug (known as both JNJ-872 and VX787) is being developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Titusville, NJ), with technical assistance and funding from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
Related: Mass Transit for Viruses
Studies to date suggest that the drug may provide clinical benefits even when administered much later than 48 hours after symptoms begin, unlike other FDA-approved medicines. Patients are not typically hospitalized within 48 hours of symptom onset, so doctors and patients need treatment options that are effective later in the course of the illness, said BARDA Director Robin Robinson, PhD.
The drug has a unique mechanism of action different from already available antiviral drugs. That could be an important feature, HHS says, as flu viruses—particularly those with pandemic potential—emerge that are resistant to current drugs.
Related: Stopping the Spread of Germs
Another novel approach to treating patients with influenza comes in the form of a monoclonal antibody therapeutic drug (VIS410), developed by Visterra, Inc. (Cambridge, MA). The drug targets a part of the virus common to a wide range of flu strains. The target area evolves much more slowly than areas targeted by approved drugs, which could allow VIS410 to work against strains that are resistant to current antivirals, HHS says. Preclinical studies suggest that the drug could be safe and effective in high-risk patients, such as the elderly and children.
Related: HHS Contracts for Quick and Easy Flu Shots
No monoclonal antibody antiviral drugs for influenza have yet been approved by the FDA.
An experimental influenza drug could become the first in a new class of influenza antivirals, according to HHS. The drug (known as both JNJ-872 and VX787) is being developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Titusville, NJ), with technical assistance and funding from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
Related: Mass Transit for Viruses
Studies to date suggest that the drug may provide clinical benefits even when administered much later than 48 hours after symptoms begin, unlike other FDA-approved medicines. Patients are not typically hospitalized within 48 hours of symptom onset, so doctors and patients need treatment options that are effective later in the course of the illness, said BARDA Director Robin Robinson, PhD.
The drug has a unique mechanism of action different from already available antiviral drugs. That could be an important feature, HHS says, as flu viruses—particularly those with pandemic potential—emerge that are resistant to current drugs.
Related: Stopping the Spread of Germs
Another novel approach to treating patients with influenza comes in the form of a monoclonal antibody therapeutic drug (VIS410), developed by Visterra, Inc. (Cambridge, MA). The drug targets a part of the virus common to a wide range of flu strains. The target area evolves much more slowly than areas targeted by approved drugs, which could allow VIS410 to work against strains that are resistant to current antivirals, HHS says. Preclinical studies suggest that the drug could be safe and effective in high-risk patients, such as the elderly and children.
Related: HHS Contracts for Quick and Easy Flu Shots
No monoclonal antibody antiviral drugs for influenza have yet been approved by the FDA.
An experimental influenza drug could become the first in a new class of influenza antivirals, according to HHS. The drug (known as both JNJ-872 and VX787) is being developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Titusville, NJ), with technical assistance and funding from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
Related: Mass Transit for Viruses
Studies to date suggest that the drug may provide clinical benefits even when administered much later than 48 hours after symptoms begin, unlike other FDA-approved medicines. Patients are not typically hospitalized within 48 hours of symptom onset, so doctors and patients need treatment options that are effective later in the course of the illness, said BARDA Director Robin Robinson, PhD.
The drug has a unique mechanism of action different from already available antiviral drugs. That could be an important feature, HHS says, as flu viruses—particularly those with pandemic potential—emerge that are resistant to current drugs.
Related: Stopping the Spread of Germs
Another novel approach to treating patients with influenza comes in the form of a monoclonal antibody therapeutic drug (VIS410), developed by Visterra, Inc. (Cambridge, MA). The drug targets a part of the virus common to a wide range of flu strains. The target area evolves much more slowly than areas targeted by approved drugs, which could allow VIS410 to work against strains that are resistant to current antivirals, HHS says. Preclinical studies suggest that the drug could be safe and effective in high-risk patients, such as the elderly and children.
Related: HHS Contracts for Quick and Easy Flu Shots
No monoclonal antibody antiviral drugs for influenza have yet been approved by the FDA.
Joining Forces to Reduce Opioid-Related Death
In September, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell led a 2-day “intensive convening” of representatives from all 50 states and Washington, DC, focused on stemming the tide of opioid misuse and overdose. More than 145,000 people have died of an opioid overdose in the past 10 years—over 16,200 in 2013 alone. Heroin deaths more than doubled between 2010 and 2013. “The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries; it touches lives in cities, rural counties, and suburban neighborhoods across the country,” said Secretary Burwell. “That’s why it’s so important that we come together—both state and federal leaders—and take a coordinated and comprehensive approach to address this crisis.”
Related: Faster Response to Overdoses
Secretary Burwell commented on 2 efforts. The first is a move to expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by revising prescribing regulations of buprenorphine to treat opioid dependence. Research has shown that MAT, a “life-saving, evidence-based treatment,” is underused: HHS says that of the 2.5 million people who currently need treatment for opioid use disorder, fewer than 1 million are receiving it, due to a cap on prescribing. Updating the regulations to allow physicians to prescribe to more patients, Secretary Burwell said, will help more people get much-needed treatment.
Related: Using Dashboard Technology to Monitor Overdose Risk
The second effort involves grants of $1.8 million to rural communities to expand access to naloxone, which reverses opioid overdose. In 2013, according to the CDC, death rates involving prescription opioids were higher in rural counties, compared with urban counties. The Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal (ROOR) grant program will give each of 18 recipients in 13 states $100,000 to buy naloxone, train health care professionals and local emergency responders in using the drug, and facilitate referrals to substance abuse treatment.
Related: Pharmacist Pain E-Consults That Result in a Therapy Change
The ROOR pilot program will support partnerships formed at the local level to coordinate care. Each awardee must be part of a rural partnership of 2 or more entities involved in preventing and treating opioid overdose, such as emergency responders, health facilities, law enforcement, and academic organizations.
In September, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell led a 2-day “intensive convening” of representatives from all 50 states and Washington, DC, focused on stemming the tide of opioid misuse and overdose. More than 145,000 people have died of an opioid overdose in the past 10 years—over 16,200 in 2013 alone. Heroin deaths more than doubled between 2010 and 2013. “The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries; it touches lives in cities, rural counties, and suburban neighborhoods across the country,” said Secretary Burwell. “That’s why it’s so important that we come together—both state and federal leaders—and take a coordinated and comprehensive approach to address this crisis.”
Related: Faster Response to Overdoses
Secretary Burwell commented on 2 efforts. The first is a move to expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by revising prescribing regulations of buprenorphine to treat opioid dependence. Research has shown that MAT, a “life-saving, evidence-based treatment,” is underused: HHS says that of the 2.5 million people who currently need treatment for opioid use disorder, fewer than 1 million are receiving it, due to a cap on prescribing. Updating the regulations to allow physicians to prescribe to more patients, Secretary Burwell said, will help more people get much-needed treatment.
Related: Using Dashboard Technology to Monitor Overdose Risk
The second effort involves grants of $1.8 million to rural communities to expand access to naloxone, which reverses opioid overdose. In 2013, according to the CDC, death rates involving prescription opioids were higher in rural counties, compared with urban counties. The Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal (ROOR) grant program will give each of 18 recipients in 13 states $100,000 to buy naloxone, train health care professionals and local emergency responders in using the drug, and facilitate referrals to substance abuse treatment.
Related: Pharmacist Pain E-Consults That Result in a Therapy Change
The ROOR pilot program will support partnerships formed at the local level to coordinate care. Each awardee must be part of a rural partnership of 2 or more entities involved in preventing and treating opioid overdose, such as emergency responders, health facilities, law enforcement, and academic organizations.
In September, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell led a 2-day “intensive convening” of representatives from all 50 states and Washington, DC, focused on stemming the tide of opioid misuse and overdose. More than 145,000 people have died of an opioid overdose in the past 10 years—over 16,200 in 2013 alone. Heroin deaths more than doubled between 2010 and 2013. “The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries; it touches lives in cities, rural counties, and suburban neighborhoods across the country,” said Secretary Burwell. “That’s why it’s so important that we come together—both state and federal leaders—and take a coordinated and comprehensive approach to address this crisis.”
Related: Faster Response to Overdoses
Secretary Burwell commented on 2 efforts. The first is a move to expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by revising prescribing regulations of buprenorphine to treat opioid dependence. Research has shown that MAT, a “life-saving, evidence-based treatment,” is underused: HHS says that of the 2.5 million people who currently need treatment for opioid use disorder, fewer than 1 million are receiving it, due to a cap on prescribing. Updating the regulations to allow physicians to prescribe to more patients, Secretary Burwell said, will help more people get much-needed treatment.
Related: Using Dashboard Technology to Monitor Overdose Risk
The second effort involves grants of $1.8 million to rural communities to expand access to naloxone, which reverses opioid overdose. In 2013, according to the CDC, death rates involving prescription opioids were higher in rural counties, compared with urban counties. The Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal (ROOR) grant program will give each of 18 recipients in 13 states $100,000 to buy naloxone, train health care professionals and local emergency responders in using the drug, and facilitate referrals to substance abuse treatment.
Related: Pharmacist Pain E-Consults That Result in a Therapy Change
The ROOR pilot program will support partnerships formed at the local level to coordinate care. Each awardee must be part of a rural partnership of 2 or more entities involved in preventing and treating opioid overdose, such as emergency responders, health facilities, law enforcement, and academic organizations.
Policy Changes Hospitalists May See in 2016
The year 2015 brought the repeal of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) and new rules for advanced care planning reimbursement. It saw hospitalists take the lead on improving the two-midnight rule and respond to a global infectious disease scare.
The Hospitalist caught up with Dr. Greeno, chief strategy officer at North Hollywood, Calif.-based IPC Healthcare, to ask him about what he sees for the year ahead in policy.
Question: What are the biggest changes in store for 2016 that stand to impact hospitalists?
Answer: Much of it is just a magnification of the things that most hospitalists are already feeling or sensing. Clearly, there is a very solid movement toward alternative payment methodologies. BPCI (the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative) has been embraced by hospitalists and other physicians all over the country at a scale that has surprised everybody.
There is also more consolidation in the healthcare industry as a whole. Hospital organizations are getting bigger, and we’re seeing consolidation of hospitalist groups. We will see cross-integration in the healthcare system that occurs at a rapid pace: hospitals buying physician groups, health systems and providers starting health plans, health plans acquiring hospital systems. In the not-too-distant future, we are all going to be in the population health business. This is a complete realignment of the healthcare system, and we haven’t seen the half of it yet. We have to be prepared to do it all, or a very big piece of it. The good news is, we are an absolute necessity for success in the future.
Q: It’s a presidential election year. How much weight should physicians put on claims made by candidates?
A: I encourage people to be politically engaged, but I don’t think the majority of what’s happening in healthcare is being driven by politics. It’s being driven by dispassionate economic forces that aren’t going to go away, no matter who is president. We have to figure out how to care for our population more cost-effectively. The ACA (Affordable Care Act) has driven a lot of the political environment in D.C. since its passage, including a big divide between the two parties, but it’s about three things: insurance reform, expanded access, and, particularly, delivery system reform. That’s the part we really care about and can influence the most, I think. Both parties feel like the delivery system needs to be reformed. I don’t think the election will have a major impact on hospitalists and what we do.
The ACA created an environment where things moved faster, created the (CMS) Innovation Center that drives alternative payment methodologies. It created a burning platform for things that already needed to happen.
Q: Is there anything new for meaningful use/EHR in 2016?
A: There are implications of meaningful use for hospitalists. Last year was the first that meaningful use penalties for physician groups came into effect. The way it was written, there was an exception to meaningful use requirements for hospital-based physicians, but a majority of SHM’s membership does not qualify for exemption and are subject to penalties. It’s not small: $2,500 to $5,000 per doctor. The Public Policy Committee at SHM has been working in Washington the last couple of years. We were able to get a one-year exemption, and now they’ve given us a second year, but we can only do five years according to law, and we have to apply every year. We have applied to CMS for a specialty code for hospitalists, and if that gets approved, it will be used to identify who is a hospitalist and who is not. If we submit under that code, then we’re not subject to penalty.
–Dr. Greeno
Q: What is the future of the two-midnight rule?
A: The committee and SHM took that on several years ago at my urging because it didn’t seem like other specialties were leading that issue. It doesn’t affect hospitalists in terms of how we’re paid, but it does affect the patients we care for. I think we’ll have a better solution in the coming years.
Q: What should hospitalists be thinking about heading into 2016?
A: They should be starting to prepare for a world where they no longer get paid with fee-for-service. Hospitalists are in the post-acute setting, where a lot of the action takes place, and it’s the high-cost action. My lesson is to embrace the changes; don’t fight it. As a hospitalist, your job is going to be different a year from now. We might as well get ready for the change, because there’s going to be a lot of change in the system.
Kelly April Tyrrell is a freelance writer in Madison, Wis.
The year 2015 brought the repeal of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) and new rules for advanced care planning reimbursement. It saw hospitalists take the lead on improving the two-midnight rule and respond to a global infectious disease scare.
The Hospitalist caught up with Dr. Greeno, chief strategy officer at North Hollywood, Calif.-based IPC Healthcare, to ask him about what he sees for the year ahead in policy.
Question: What are the biggest changes in store for 2016 that stand to impact hospitalists?
Answer: Much of it is just a magnification of the things that most hospitalists are already feeling or sensing. Clearly, there is a very solid movement toward alternative payment methodologies. BPCI (the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative) has been embraced by hospitalists and other physicians all over the country at a scale that has surprised everybody.
There is also more consolidation in the healthcare industry as a whole. Hospital organizations are getting bigger, and we’re seeing consolidation of hospitalist groups. We will see cross-integration in the healthcare system that occurs at a rapid pace: hospitals buying physician groups, health systems and providers starting health plans, health plans acquiring hospital systems. In the not-too-distant future, we are all going to be in the population health business. This is a complete realignment of the healthcare system, and we haven’t seen the half of it yet. We have to be prepared to do it all, or a very big piece of it. The good news is, we are an absolute necessity for success in the future.
Q: It’s a presidential election year. How much weight should physicians put on claims made by candidates?
A: I encourage people to be politically engaged, but I don’t think the majority of what’s happening in healthcare is being driven by politics. It’s being driven by dispassionate economic forces that aren’t going to go away, no matter who is president. We have to figure out how to care for our population more cost-effectively. The ACA (Affordable Care Act) has driven a lot of the political environment in D.C. since its passage, including a big divide between the two parties, but it’s about three things: insurance reform, expanded access, and, particularly, delivery system reform. That’s the part we really care about and can influence the most, I think. Both parties feel like the delivery system needs to be reformed. I don’t think the election will have a major impact on hospitalists and what we do.
The ACA created an environment where things moved faster, created the (CMS) Innovation Center that drives alternative payment methodologies. It created a burning platform for things that already needed to happen.
Q: Is there anything new for meaningful use/EHR in 2016?
A: There are implications of meaningful use for hospitalists. Last year was the first that meaningful use penalties for physician groups came into effect. The way it was written, there was an exception to meaningful use requirements for hospital-based physicians, but a majority of SHM’s membership does not qualify for exemption and are subject to penalties. It’s not small: $2,500 to $5,000 per doctor. The Public Policy Committee at SHM has been working in Washington the last couple of years. We were able to get a one-year exemption, and now they’ve given us a second year, but we can only do five years according to law, and we have to apply every year. We have applied to CMS for a specialty code for hospitalists, and if that gets approved, it will be used to identify who is a hospitalist and who is not. If we submit under that code, then we’re not subject to penalty.
–Dr. Greeno
Q: What is the future of the two-midnight rule?
A: The committee and SHM took that on several years ago at my urging because it didn’t seem like other specialties were leading that issue. It doesn’t affect hospitalists in terms of how we’re paid, but it does affect the patients we care for. I think we’ll have a better solution in the coming years.
Q: What should hospitalists be thinking about heading into 2016?
A: They should be starting to prepare for a world where they no longer get paid with fee-for-service. Hospitalists are in the post-acute setting, where a lot of the action takes place, and it’s the high-cost action. My lesson is to embrace the changes; don’t fight it. As a hospitalist, your job is going to be different a year from now. We might as well get ready for the change, because there’s going to be a lot of change in the system.
Kelly April Tyrrell is a freelance writer in Madison, Wis.
The year 2015 brought the repeal of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) and new rules for advanced care planning reimbursement. It saw hospitalists take the lead on improving the two-midnight rule and respond to a global infectious disease scare.
The Hospitalist caught up with Dr. Greeno, chief strategy officer at North Hollywood, Calif.-based IPC Healthcare, to ask him about what he sees for the year ahead in policy.
Question: What are the biggest changes in store for 2016 that stand to impact hospitalists?
Answer: Much of it is just a magnification of the things that most hospitalists are already feeling or sensing. Clearly, there is a very solid movement toward alternative payment methodologies. BPCI (the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative) has been embraced by hospitalists and other physicians all over the country at a scale that has surprised everybody.
There is also more consolidation in the healthcare industry as a whole. Hospital organizations are getting bigger, and we’re seeing consolidation of hospitalist groups. We will see cross-integration in the healthcare system that occurs at a rapid pace: hospitals buying physician groups, health systems and providers starting health plans, health plans acquiring hospital systems. In the not-too-distant future, we are all going to be in the population health business. This is a complete realignment of the healthcare system, and we haven’t seen the half of it yet. We have to be prepared to do it all, or a very big piece of it. The good news is, we are an absolute necessity for success in the future.
Q: It’s a presidential election year. How much weight should physicians put on claims made by candidates?
A: I encourage people to be politically engaged, but I don’t think the majority of what’s happening in healthcare is being driven by politics. It’s being driven by dispassionate economic forces that aren’t going to go away, no matter who is president. We have to figure out how to care for our population more cost-effectively. The ACA (Affordable Care Act) has driven a lot of the political environment in D.C. since its passage, including a big divide between the two parties, but it’s about three things: insurance reform, expanded access, and, particularly, delivery system reform. That’s the part we really care about and can influence the most, I think. Both parties feel like the delivery system needs to be reformed. I don’t think the election will have a major impact on hospitalists and what we do.
The ACA created an environment where things moved faster, created the (CMS) Innovation Center that drives alternative payment methodologies. It created a burning platform for things that already needed to happen.
Q: Is there anything new for meaningful use/EHR in 2016?
A: There are implications of meaningful use for hospitalists. Last year was the first that meaningful use penalties for physician groups came into effect. The way it was written, there was an exception to meaningful use requirements for hospital-based physicians, but a majority of SHM’s membership does not qualify for exemption and are subject to penalties. It’s not small: $2,500 to $5,000 per doctor. The Public Policy Committee at SHM has been working in Washington the last couple of years. We were able to get a one-year exemption, and now they’ve given us a second year, but we can only do five years according to law, and we have to apply every year. We have applied to CMS for a specialty code for hospitalists, and if that gets approved, it will be used to identify who is a hospitalist and who is not. If we submit under that code, then we’re not subject to penalty.
–Dr. Greeno
Q: What is the future of the two-midnight rule?
A: The committee and SHM took that on several years ago at my urging because it didn’t seem like other specialties were leading that issue. It doesn’t affect hospitalists in terms of how we’re paid, but it does affect the patients we care for. I think we’ll have a better solution in the coming years.
Q: What should hospitalists be thinking about heading into 2016?
A: They should be starting to prepare for a world where they no longer get paid with fee-for-service. Hospitalists are in the post-acute setting, where a lot of the action takes place, and it’s the high-cost action. My lesson is to embrace the changes; don’t fight it. As a hospitalist, your job is going to be different a year from now. We might as well get ready for the change, because there’s going to be a lot of change in the system.
Kelly April Tyrrell is a freelance writer in Madison, Wis.