The American journal of managed care
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Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare, diverse group of inherited neuromuscular disorders that cause degradation of the lower motor neurons, progressive muscle atrophy, and weakness. The natural history of SMA has changed significantly with an increased understanding of SMA pathophysiology and new technologies. As a result, affected individuals now have 3 disease-modifying therapies available for treatment. ⋯ This reinforces the importance of newborn screening as a mechanism for early diagnosis. Pharmacists are highly valued members of the healthcare team who play a pivotal role in the SMA care team. Therefore, pharmacists must be up-to-date on SMA's medical management, including the most current efficacy and safety data to assist providers, caregivers, and patients in selecting these agents and ensuring patients with SMA receive optimal and timely medical care.
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Screening mammography is a preventive exam used to detect breast cancer in asymptomatic women. This cue-to-action pilot project sought to determine if outreach, education, and incentive would increase uptake of screening mammography among women aged 52 to 74 years who are members of a community-based health insurance plan. ⋯ A one-time, time-limited cue-to-action pilot project consisting of outreach, education, and incentive increased uptake of screening mammography by women enrolled in a community health insurance plan providing health insurance coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act. This increase is statistically significant in the intervention period compared with the reference period (PR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.6; P = .02). Despite a small sample size, the magnitude of the effect for this pilot study is encouraging and warrants future studies in a larger population.
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To describe real-time changes in medical visits (MVs), visit mode, and patient-reported visit experience associated with rapidly deployed care reorganization during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ COVID-19 required prompt organizational transformation to optimize the patient experience.
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The cost burden of patients with SMA is considerable, and is estimated to be approximately $4 million to $5 million over 10 years in patients with early-onset SMA. This cost is 54.2 times greater than an otherwise healthy population. The utilization of medication, resources, and cost differs between different types of SMA and is more intensive in infantile-onset SMA type 1. ⋯ With the approval of novel pharmacotherapy options for SMA, timely treatment initiation may help to decrease healthcare burden and costs associated with early-onset SMA. Current options are effective in improving mobility, but maximum benefit has yet to be seen as this population is still growing. Due to the cost of treatment, managed care pharmacists should consider appropriate utilization management and innovative outcomes-based payment models to decrease risk while maximizing outcomes.
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ACCC president Randall Oyer, MD, gives insight into the ongoing collaboration between the ACCC and ASCO to foster minority participation in cancer clinical trials.