The American journal of managed care
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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated risk for poor mental health (MH) outcomes among youth from low-income families and propelled a shift to telemental health. Yet, little is known about barriers to and facilitators of MH care access when services are delivered via synchronous telehealth to Medicaid-enrolled youth. ⋯ Our results highlight the need for flexibility in reimbursement policies that allows providers to optimize MH care access by offering telehealth delivered via telephone and video as well as in-person services, depending on the needs and preferences of youth and families.
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The COVID-19 pandemic forced operating rooms (ORs) to adopt new safety protocols. Although these measures protected the health of patients and providers, their impact on OR efficiency remains unclear. Our objective was to further elucidate the effects of COVID-19 on orthopedic surgery OR efficiency. ⋯ Although significant, there was minimal absolute change in orthopedic OR efficiency during the onset of the pandemic. These results suggest that the protocols enacted at our institution appropriately maintained orthopedic OR efficiency, even in the context of the rapidly increasing COVID-19 burden.
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Observational Study
Charitable medication distribution improves care for uninsured patients with diabetes.
This study examined the impact of insulin products donated by a pharmaceutical manufacturer and dispensed by Dispensary of Hope-partnered pharmacies on medication access and treatment outcomes among uninsured patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). ⋯ Our results showed a significant improvement in glycemic control among participants, demonstrating the substantial impact that pharmacies partnered with charitable medication distributors such as the Dispensary of Hope can have on individuals with insulin-treated T2D.
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Limited data exist on the adoption of rituximab biosimilars vs the reference product by indication. Available data from real-world studies comparing rituximab biosimilar and reference use have focused predominantly on oncology indications. This is the first study to assess the utilization of the 3 US rituximab biosimilars vs the reference product. ⋯ Real-world evidence shows an increase in rituximab biosimilar adoption over time, with higher adoption for oncology vs nononcology indications and in nonacademic settings.
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Several barriers along the cascade of care reduce hepatitis C treatment access. We propose an investment in patient-centered care strategies to initiate and engage this vulnerable population with curative treatment, such as the implementation of community-based educational peer support groups. Barriers to implementing these patient-centered care strategies remain.