The American journal of managed care
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Comparative Study
Evidence gaps in advanced cancer care: community-based clinicians' perspectives and priorities for CER.
Although much effort has focused on identifying national comparative effectiveness research (CER) priorities, little is known about the CER priorities of community-based practitioners treating patients with advanced cancer. CER priorities of managed care-based clinicians may be valuable as reflections of both payer and provider research interests. ⋯ Head-to-head treatment comparisons remain a major evidence need among community- based oncology clinicians, and CER/PCTs are highly valued methods to address the limitations of traditional randomized trials, answer questions of cost-effectiveness or noninferiority, and inform data-driven dialogue and decision making by all stakeholders.
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To determine whether participation in a value-based insurance design (VBID) program was associated with improved medication adherence in 8 drug classes 2 years after implementation and to examine whether adherence changes varied by baseline adherence. ⋯ Population-based implementation of VBID can improve adherence to medications to treat cardiometabolic conditions, particularly for previously nonadherent patients. VBID guidelines being developed in response to healthcare reform should account for the heterogeneity in patient response to VBID programs.
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Patients and relatives have varying preferences for genetic testing and interventions related to hereditary cancer syndromes. We examined how the impact of these services on quality of life (QoL) affects the cost-effectiveness of screening for Lynch syndrome among probands newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer and their relatives. ⋯ Screening for Lynch syndrome in the population is likely to yield long-term gains in life expectancy that outweigh any short-term decreases in QoL, at acceptable costs. Counseling for individuals should aim to mitigate potential negative impact of genetic testing and risk-reducing interventions on QoL.
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Relative to more abundant neoplasms, endocrine cancers have been historically neglected, yet their incidence is increasing. We therefore sought to build interest in endocrine cancers, improve physician experience, and develop innovative approaches to treating patients with these neoplasms. ⋯ The development of subspecialty tumor groups for uncommon malignancies represents an effective approach to building experience, increasing patient volumes and referrals, and fostering development of increased therapeutic options and clinical trials for patients afflicted with otherwise historically neglected cancers.
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Among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, adherence to prescribed medications has been reported to be as low as 60%, meaning that many patients may not be following the treatment plan that has been prescribed for them. The importance of treatment adherence is intuitive: better adherence would promote better outcomes. Data show this to be the case: for every 25% increase in medication adherence, a patient's glycated hemoglobin (A1C) is reduced by 0.34%. ⋯ Patients who are nonadherent are far more likely to require hospitalization and to incur significantly higher healthcare costs. The lesser costs of lower medication utilization in nonadherent patients are more than compensated for by the increased costs arising from poorer glycemic control, as multiple studies employing large managed care databases have demonstrated. Improvements in outcomes and reductions in costs related to the management of diabetes require focused efforts toward facilitating treatment adherence, efforts that should be undertaken by third-party payers in addition to physicians and patients.