Reports: Cost of birth defects for U.S. families in billions

Hospital costs for birth defects total more than $2.5 billion a year, according to the first national studies to estimate the financial toll of birth defects on U.S. families. The studies showed bills for birth defects can range from $3,800 (for babies who often die within days of birth due to anencephaly), to average bills of $200,000 for babies born with hypoplastic left heart (in which the infant is almost or completely missing the two left chambers of the heart). San Diego Union-Tribune/Associated Press

Editors Note: This article supplies the first researched-based statistics for case managers who have a role in prenatal education to help prevent birth defects. This information can be utilized during the evaluation phase of the case management.

First of truck stop “medical depots” opens in Tennessee

The first in a planned chain of “medical depots” for long-haul truck drivers has opened at a Petro Stopping Center trucking complex near Knoxville, Tenn. The clinics, run by Professional Drivers Medical Depots, will offer everything from Department of Transportation physicals to drug screening to personal illness treatments to flu shots. The Tennessean (Nashville)

Editors Note: As they say, healthcare is local. This story show how one company is making healthcare more accessible to long-haul truck drivers by placing clinics at rest stops.

Study: Cancer much more likely in dense breast tissue

Women with extremely dense breast tissue have a cancer risk that is five times greater than that of women with the most fatty tissue, according to a new study. Dense tissue appears light, like tumors, on mammograms, making tumors harder to identify; and the study shows cancers are also more frequent in women with dense breasts. Experts said faster, more accurate tools for measuring breast density are needed. Forbes/Associated Press (Article will appear after a brief advertisement display.)

Editors Note: As many involved in case management are women, I wanted to share this story with you. Take the time to talk to your doctor about this issue. Many times ultrasound or other types of studies are used to exam the breast if the tissue is dense.

Study: E-records improve efficiency but cause clinics financial losses

A review of the use of electronic health records at six community health clinics in six states concludes that the clinics can see long-term improved efficacy from the records, but the revenue benefits were negligible. Such clinics usually operate on flat-rate payments from Medicaid and lump-sum payments from the Bureau of Primary Health Care, and the investment in e-records resulted in substantial net financial losses at all but one clinic. Healthcare IT News

Editors Note: As you read this article, you will note that this is an excellent opportunity for case managers who work in Medicaid to change this story. Positive outcomes that can be linked to cost savings need to be part of the process when IT is implemented.

Electronic prescription system aims to cut drug errors

A national patient-safety group launched a plan to avoid prescription errors by having doctors use a free Web-based system to issue their prescriptions. Backers of the project noted a report last year that more than 7,000 people die each year from preventable medication errors. The Washington Post/Reuters

Editors Note: Just do it! All payers need to insist their providers implement electronic medical records with an e-prescribing function. It is a matter of OUR lives and deaths.

State requirements for HPV shots for girls meet resistance

At least 10 states are considering a requirement that all girls entering middle school be vaccinated against HPV, but they are encountering objections by many conservative groups. The groups say parents should have the right to decide whether their children are vaccinated. No state has yet to enact the requirement. Time Magazine

Editors Note: If you have a daughter or granddaughter or have a neighbor with daughters, share this story.

Indianapolis clinic offers prepaid health plan

Inspired by prepaid phone cards and gift cards, a new medical clinic in Indianapolis is offering patients basic care through a prepaid health plan. The fee for the plan, offered at Indy Urgent Care, is $25 per month per patient and $25 per visit, and the staff, including two nurse practitioners, offers care for everything from the flu to sprained ankles. The Indianapolis Star

Editors Note: As many states have recently installed new governors, we are seeing many different approaches to improve access to care for those who are un- or under-insured. Let me know what your state is doing to improve access in your state. As case managers, getting involved on the state or local level regarding healthcare legislation is important. You will be viewed as an expert because you see the issues firsthand and can provide important information that can help focus your legislative representatives on the issues they should be addressing.

Study: Calcium lowers risk of colon polyp formation

The use of calcium supplements for four years seems to protect against recurrent formation of colon polyps for up to five years after the treatment stops. A study suggests calcium reduces the risk of colorectal adenomas by forming a complex with bile acids and preventing potential carcinogens from contact with the colon’s inner mucosal lining. Reuters

Editors Note: More evidence of why calcium supplements are important.

Firm offers Web access in provider waiting rooms

A North Carolina company wants to do away with the age-old practice of skimming through magazines in providers’ waiting rooms and replace it with surfing the Web and checking e-mail. The company, WiSpots, has developed a WiPad designed to allow patients and visitors to medical providers’ offices to go online for free. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)

Editors Note: This is an exciting innovation that would help those who have to wait in physicians offices. As an FYI, Dorland Healthcare Information has recently introduced the Dorland’s Healthcare Website Guide. These Guides provide evidence-based sites for consumers to visit to learn more about various diseases. I will keep you posted when the site is live as this will be an important resource that case managers can utilize as well as share with their patients.