October 8, 2020 | Insulin Underground
INDUSTRY NEWS
Modifiable risks account for 27% of health spending
Research published in The Lancet Public Health finds that 27% of U.S. personal health care expenses were attributable to 84 modifiable health risks. That amounted to $730.4 billion in 2016 spending. “Among adults, five modifiable risk factors—high BMI, high systolic blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, dietary risks and tobacco smoke—accounted for the most attributable spending, mainly through spending on cardiovascular disease; diabetes and urogenital, blood, and endocrine diseases; and management of metabolic risks,” researchers conclude. (HealthLeaders Media; Lancet Public Health)
INNOVATION & TRANSFORMATION
Researchers are exploring ways to use people’s voices to diagnose coronavirus infections, dementia, depression and an array of other conditions. We know that some conditions lead to obvious vocal changes—examples include colds and allergies. But many scientists think vocal analysis could help identify an enormous range of disorders, thanks to the complexity of human speech. For example, Israel’s defense ministry and start-up company Vocalis Health asked people to donate their voices to such a project. But the science is new, so don’t expect to see this technology deployed tomorrow. (Nature)
CONSUMERS & PROVIDERS
Insulin costs driving patients underground
The struggle to afford insulin has forced many people to go underground to obtain it, Kaiser Health News reports. It’s even happening in Colorado, which capped insulin copayments. However, many patients are discovering that the $100 cap applies only to state-regulated health plans. According to the Colorado chapter of Type 1 International, an insulin access advocacy group, only 3% of patients with Type 1 diabetes under 65 could benefit from the cap. Such laws give the impression that things are improving, “but the reality is, we have a much longer road ahead of us,” says Colorado chapter leader Martha Bierut. (Kaiser Health News)
Strong teams lead to better patient engagement
Organizations with a strong team-based care infrastructure are better positioned to launch patient engagement programs, according to research published in the Annals of Family Medicine. “Collectively, our findings suggest that strengthening the foundation of the medical home by promoting full staffing of primary care teams, clearly defined roles of team members, effective leadership, and a practice culture of performance improvement may increase adoption and use of patient engagement practices,” the researchers conclude. (Annals of Family Medicine; PatientEngagementHIT)
Effecting anti-racism in academic medicine
In 2018, 13.3% of the U.S. population identified as Black. But Blacks made up only 6.2% of new medical school graduates, 4.4% of active residents and 3.6% of medical school faculty, according to a commentary in The New England Journal of Medicine. Such disparities are frequently attributed to the lack of adequate candidates in the pipeline, but they actually reflect long-standing racist policies, according to the authors. Reversing the effects of centuries of racism will be challenging, “but academic medicine can begin by adopting an antiracist approach...centered on three main goals: adequate representation, increased power and influence, and the transfer of institutional wealth and resources.” (New England Journal of Medicine)
NEW & NOTED
Patient rapport through a mask: Wearing a face mask makes it harder for clinicians to connect with patients. Citing a Harvard Business Review article, the Advisory Board offers eight tips for building a connection, despite the mask. (Advisory Board; Harvard Business Review)
VA and racism: The Government Accountability Office will investigate claims of systemic racism within the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to members of Congress. A union survey of 1,500 members who are VA employees found nearly 80% said racism is a moderate or serious issue. (The Washington Post)
Expanded NP scope: Nurse practitioners in California will be able to practice on their own after a minimum of three years working under a physician's supervision, according to recently enacted legislation. The change—strongly opposed by the California Medical Association—takes effect Jan. 1, 2023. California joins 22 other states that allow NPs to practice independently. (Medscape)
MULTI-MEDIA
Remdesivir, explained in pictures
With COVID treatment remdesivir back in the headlines, STAT created a simple video to show how it works. (STAT video)
MARKETVOICES...QUOTES WORTH READING
“I knew it wasn’t altogether legal. But I knew …[if] I didn’t get it, I wouldn’t be alive.” D.j. Mattern, a Denver woman with Type 1 diabetes, on using an underground network to obtain insulin, quoted in Kaiser Health News