Here’s a roundup of nephrology news over the past week. Click on the headlines to browse the articles. Or, if you’ve discovered other newsworthy items that may be of interest to our team or your nephrologist peers, we invite you to please share news links in the comments.
CMS will give providers flexibility on MACRA requirements
The CMS announced Thursday that it will allow providers to choose the level and pace at which they comply with the new payment reform model aimed at emphasizing quality patient care over volume.
CEO Power Panel: Are your physicians ready for reform?
Anxiety is rippling through the healthcare industry as the initial reporting period for Medicare’s new payment system for physicians fast approaches. Modern Healthcare’s latest CEO Power Panel survey reveals leaders are bracing for uncertainties and challenges generated by MACRA.
Comment deadline nears on ‘site-neutral’ payment proposal
The American Hospital Association wants the CMS to delay implementation of the change for at least one year. It says the proposal in its current form could make providers vulnerable to violating anti-kickback laws.
Real-time monitoring key to boosting patient satisfaction
Every healthcare provider is struggling to lift its patient satisfaction ratings. They know a happy patient is usually a healthier one. Yet caregivers often learn about patient complaints far too late in a hospital stay to affect those perceptions.
Are physicians ready for MACRA and its changes?
The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions 2016 Survey of US Physicians sheds light on physicians’ awareness of MACRA, their perspectives on its implications, and their readiness for change.
FDA: New Warnings for Opioids, Benzodiazepines
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the addition of Boxed Warnings to the drug labeling of prescription opioid pain and prescription opioid cough medicines, and benzodiazepines.
FDA: Final Ruling on OTC Antibacterial Soaps
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule determining that over-the-counter (OTC) consumer antiseptic wash products containing certain active ingredients can no longer be marketed because manufacturers have not demonstrated that the ingredients were both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water for the prevention of illness and the spread of certain infections.
Review: Peramivir for Influenza Treatment
A literature review published in the journal Infection and Drug Resistance discusses the role of peramivir injection in the treatment of acute influenza.
Reimbursement, Legal Concerns Plague Telehealth
Telehealth technologies can allow delivery of high-quality care at a lower cost, especially in underserved areas, but there is currently no uniform legal approach to telehealth, hampering its provision, according to a Health Policy Brief published online in Health Affairs.
CMS investigating efforts to push dialysis patients into ACA plans
CMS has issued a request for information seeking public comment on concerns that dialysis providers may be steering people eligible for, or receiving, Medicare and/or Medicaid benefits into Affordable Care Act-compliant individual market plans.
Vanderbilt dialysis clinic to begin using Nephros hemodiafiltration system
Nephros Inc. said it has signed an agreement to enable a Vanderbilt Dialysis Clinic to offer hemodiafiltration (HDF) to patients. The agreement provides Vanderbilt with the Company’s OLpür H2H Hemodiafiltration System, dialysis supplies and service support to facilitate HDF treatment. The system is the only FDA 510(k) cleared medical device that enables nephrologists to provide HDF treatment to patients with ESRD.
Donor, Recipient Factors Influence Kidney Transplant Costs
Kidney donor and recipient characteristics impact transplant costs, according to a study published online in the American Journal of Transplantation.
Hepatitis C in CKD: Challenges and Opportunities
The availability of direct-acting antiviral drugs may enable eradication of hepatitis C virus and improve outcomes.
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