Here’s a roundup of nephrology news over the past few weeks. 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.
A MACRA Mashup and a Late Christmas Gift
We made it to the end—not just the end of the year, but the end of our MACRA series here on the blog. Here is a list of all the blogs, videos, and MIPS tips we’ve published during our MACRA series.
Bill Introduced in Senate Would Expand Telehealth Options for Home Dialysis Patients
Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, introduced the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2016 (S. 3504) on Dec. 6, which includes a section that would expand the ability of Medicare beneficiaries on home dialysis to receive required monthly clinical assessments using telehealth, beginning in 2018.
Grace Hopper and the Hour of Code Project
The annual Hour of Code project supports computer science tutorials for tens of millions of children of all ages around the world. The project supports teachers and facilitators in leading 1-hour sessions, demonstrating the fun, creative side of computer programming.
Top 10 Most Costly Conditions in the U.S. Announced in New Report
According to a study published in JAMA, modeled estimates of the country’s spending on personal and public healthcare significantly increased from 1996 through 2013. The highest amounts of spending were seen on diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and low back and neck pain.
Back-End Technology Remains a Challenge for MACRA Rollout
HHS’ Office of Inspector General says the CMS has made significant progress on implementing Medicare’s new payment framework for physicians. But the watchdog agency also named technology systems and technical assistance to providers as a critical challenge still ahead.
Benchmarking Survey Results Help Nephrology Practices Optimize Performance
At the end of the day, every nephrologist can use compensation as a measure of financial success for their efforts in the business of medicine. What is not answered with this metric is whether or not the compensation is the best it could have been. To help nephrologists answer this question, every two years the Renal Physicians Association (www.renalmd.org) publishes results from a national, nephrology-specific business benchmarking survey.
Drones Can Safely Transport Blood Products
HealthDay News—Blood products don’t seem to suffer damage when transported by drones, according to a study published online in Transfusion.
Artificial Red Blood Cell Created
HealthDay News—According to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, an artificial red blood cell has been created that can effectively pick up oxygen in the lungs and deliver it to tissues throughout the body.
ESRD Linked to Diet Soda Consumption
People who frequently consume artificially sweetened diet sodas appear to have greater risks of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), according to a new study.
Medicare Advantage Still ‘Only Safe Game in Town’ for Insurers
While Medicare Advantage plans added nearly 900,000 members in 2016, enrollment is growing at a slower pace. Still, experts say the future of Medicare Advantage will be lucrative for insurers.
Food and Drug Administration Final Guidance Protects Medical Devices from Hacks
The Food and Drug Administration has finalized guidance on keeping medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps safe from hacks.
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