May 28, 2020 | Antibody Test Crackdown

INDUSTRY NEWS

Physician ACOs gaining ground, study finds

Physicians led 45% of ACOs in 2018, according to a paper published in The American Journal of Managed Care. Hospital-led ACOs accounted for approximately 25% and joint-led ACOs 30%. Physician-led ACOs will likely dominate moving forward, but many ACO policies and strategies were designed for hospitals and health systems, not physician groups. “As physician groups tend to have less experience managing risk, less access to capital, lower overhead, and less-integrated EHRs, policy makers need to understand how increased numbers of physician group-led ACOs will necessitate changes in policy initiatives,” the authors wrote. (Becker's Hospital Review; The American Journal of Managed Care)

Many coronavirus infections are asymptomatic

More than a third (35%) of coronavirus infections are asymptomatic, according to models from the CDC. It estimates that 40% of coronavirus transmission is occurring before people feel sick. Its “best estimate” is that 0.4% of people who show symptoms and have COVID-19 will die. Some experts find this a bit too optimistic. “While most of these numbers are reasonable, the mortality rates shade far too low,” biologist Carl Bergstrom, an expert in modeling and computer simulation at the University of Washington, told CNN. He says the numbers seem inconsistent with real-world findings. (CNN)

INNOVATION & TRANSFORMATION

Survey: Patients like telemedicine

Telemedicine can achieve similar patient experience ratings as face-to-face visits, according to a new Press Ganey survey. It concluded that “virtual visits can achieve similar ratings for patient experience as in-person visits, with some specific differences in methods of care delivery.” The survey also indicates, however, opportunities to improve processes related to telemedicine. Among the areas that need improvement: ease of scheduling appointments and ease of contacting the provider. (HealthLeaders Media)

CONSUMERS & PROVIDERS

Consumers: Insurers are poor communicators

J.D. Power’s 2020 analysis of consumer attitudes toward commercial health plans finds that 60% of private plan members say they were never contacted by their insurer with coronavirus-related information. Nearly half (48%) said they feel their insurer has not shown concern for their health since the pandemic reached the U.S. James Beem, a managing director at J.D. Power, tells FierceHealthcare the findings illuminate the broader communication problems. “This really seeps back into the master factor of health insurance companies...not appropriately engaging or communicating with health insureds.” (Fierce Healthcare)

CDC updates site, reiterates key messages

The coronavirus primarily spreads from person to person. It does not spread easily from contaminated surfaces or exposure to infected animals, according to the CDC’s updated “How COVID-19 Spreads” website. “Direct contact with people has the highest likelihood of getting infected—being close to an infected person, rather than accepting a newspaper or a FedEx guy dropping off a box,” virologist Vincent Munster, at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, a NIAID facility, tells the New York Times. That’s been the CDC’s message all along, says CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund. The revisions were simply the result of an internal review and “usability testing.” (Washington Post; CDC)

New study illuminates disparities

A new study published in Health Affairs confirms the racial disparities in COVID-19. Black patients diagnosed with COVID-19 are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized for treatment than non-Hispanic white patients also diagnosed with the disease. Researchers controlled for age, gender, comorbidities and income. They also found that males with confirmed COVID-19 infection had twice the odds of a hospital admission compared with females. The study pulled data from Sutter Health’s hospitals and clinics across California. (Health Affairs; ABC-7)

NEW & NOTED

Antibody test crackdown: The FDA is cracking down on antibody tests for the coronavirus that have not yet been shown to work. Last week, it published a list of test makers that have failed to file applications to remain on the market or already pulled their products. (Associated Press)

Dramatic global increase: Coronavirus infections jumped by more than a million in less than two weeks, from 3.85 million to over 5.1 million. the Wall Street Journal reported on May 22. The data comes from Johns Hopkins University. (Wall Street Journal)

Into the 21st century: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee announced it will permanently cover virtual visits with in-network providers, effective immediately. This includes member-to-provider and provider-to-provider consultations. (HealthLeaders Media)

MULTI-MEDIA

Podcast: Grundy on diagnostics, team-based care

The current episode (19 minutes) of the Voices of Change podcast features Dr. Paul Grundy, GTMRx President and godfather of the patient-centered medical home. He discusses an array of issues, including the role of primary care in difficult diagnostic dilemmas and the value of physicians and pharmacists working together on the care team. (Voices of Change)

MARKETVOICES...QUOTES WORTH READING

“The rapid adoption of telehealth has enabled caregivers to meet the needs of patients with the levels of attentiveness, expertise, and empathy provided during an in-office visit. If caregivers actively adapt their processes and behaviors to the telemedicine environment, they can effectively build the unbreakable bonds of trust that are so critical to patient-centered care.”—Patrick T. Ryan, chairman and CEO of Press Ganey, quoted in HealthLeaders Media