Volume XV | Issue 11 | November 2023 | |
HCI's Monthly Review of the Healthcare Industry | |
Robert J. Stilley
President, CEO
HeartCare Imaging, Inc.
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Dear Colleagues –
Each year for Thanksgiving, my daughter and I run the annual “Race for the Pies”. It is a fun tradition that entails running four miles and being rewarded with a pie at the end of the course! This tradition has been a source of joy for my daughter and me, creating lasting memories over the years. This year, the narrative took an unexpected turn as my 10-year-old nephew, Evan, decided that he wanted to run the race with us.
Now, as someone who is an avid runner, I'll admit I had a moment of hesitation at the thought of adjusting my pace to match Evan's. I thought that Evan would surely not be able to complete the 4-mile race without walking. Yet, as the race kicked off, Evan looked back at us with a mischievous grin, declaring that it was our duty to keep up with him!
To my surprise, Evan not only held his own but crossed the finish line ahead of us, proudly claiming the top spot in his age group. It was a heartening reminder that the most unexpected joys often unfold in the simplest of traditions.
As we carry the spirit of our shared triumphs into the upcoming holiday season, let's extend the warmth and joy we experience to the broader community. In the spirit of caring for one another, let's consider those in need, ensuring that the joy we find in our traditions is shared with the patients and communities we serve.
Best Regards,
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New PET radiotracer maps GI inflammation
A study in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine found a new PET radiotracer that targets the inflammatory bowel disease biomarker IL12/23p40 may provide a map of inflammation in the entire gastrointestinal tract, which could improve detection and staging of IBD. "This contribution is significant because it represents a new category of diagnostic tool that simultaneously alleviates patient burden and improves clinical value," said researcher Nerissa Viola.
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SNMMI Holds Joint Workshop with FDA on PET Drug Regulations
On November 13 and 14, SNMMI co-hosted a workshop on PET drug manufacturing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of New Drugs, Office of Regulatory Operations, and Division of Regulatory Operations for Specialty Medicine as well as the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) and the Coalition of PET Drug Manufacturers.
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PET brain study: More research needed in former NFL players
PET imaging shows high levels of brain protein activity associated with injury in a large group of young, former National Football League (NFL) players, according to a study published October 30 in JAMA Network Open.
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PET predicts chemotherapy responses in breast cancer patients
PET/CT with gallium-68 (Ga-68) FAPI radiotracer can predict responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, according to a study published November 2 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
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Downstream costs of noninvasive cardiac diagnostics revealed in data study
A large population-based study of over 2 million people evaluated for chest pain shows noninvasive cardiac imaging led to a reduction in downstream costs when compared to no testing.
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Statins Reach More Patients With Pharmacist's Orders
Researchers devised an intervention of asynchronous automated orders, a centralized approach using pharmacists to discuss and prescribe statins without a doctor's visit.
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DOAC Cuts Stroke Risk From Subclinical Afib
For patients with subclinical atrial fibrillation (Afib, AF) detected by their pacemaker or defibrillator, direct oral anticoagulation brought their already low stroke risk even lower -- but at a cost in bleeding events, the ARTESiA trial showed.
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Promising Debut for CRISPR Gene Editing Therapy for LDL Lowering
A DNA base editing therapy, intended for lifelong lowering of LDL cholesterol, passed initial tests in people with severe, advanced atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
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Pulsed Field Ablation May Bridge Gender Gap in AF Ablation
The clinical benefits and safety of pulsed field ablation (PFA) for atrial fibrillation (Afib) appeared to span both sexes in real-world practice, according to a postapproval registry from Europe.
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Neighborhood Environmental Burden and Cardiovascular Health in the US
In this cross-sectional study of US neighborhoods, cumulative environmental burden was associated with higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases, although absolute differences were small.
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Lab-grown 'small blood vessels' point to potential treatment for major cause of stroke and vascular dementia
Scientists have grown small blood vessel-like models in the lab and used them to show how damage to the scaffolding that supports these vessels can cause them to leak, leading to conditions such as vascular dementia and stroke.
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Reducing systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mm Hg reduced cardiovascular event risk
An intensive three-year intervention to lower the top blood pressure number to less than 120 mm Hg was more effective at preventing death, heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events in adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease, compared to the standard treatment target of under 140 mm Hg, according to new research.
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Any activity is better for your heart than sitting - even sleeping
Replacing sitting with as little as a few minutes of moderate exercise a day tangibly improves heart health, according to new research.
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Artificial intelligence may help predict - possibly prevent - sudden cardiac death
Predicting sudden cardiac death may be possible using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze medical information in electronic health records, according to preliminary research. Researchers analyzed electronic health records from 25,000 people who had died suddenly and 70,000 people hospitalized for cardiac arrest who did not die in Paris, France and Seattle, Washington and used AI to build personalized health equations that identified each person's risk of dying from sudden cardiac arrest.
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Do patients follow up on referrals after telehealth visits?
Telehealth has been a boon for modern-day patients, allowing people who might have difficulty accessing in-person appointments to continue seeing their physicians. But how many patients actually follow through on their physician’s recommendations afterward?
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The Early Verdict on Flu Season Is Here. What to Expect.
Cases are ticking up in parts of the country, but it might not be so bad this year.
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How Dogs Help Us Lead Longer, Healthier Lives
Research shows that canine companions can help with stress, allergies and even cardiovascular disease, in part by giving us a reason to focus on the future.
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2 deaths, 28 hospitalizations linked to salmonella-tainted cantaloupes as recalls take effect
The Centers for Disease Control announced Friday that two people have died and 28 more people have been hospitalized in a salmonella outbreak in cantaloupes across 32 states.
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US men die 6 years before women, as life expectancy gap widens
We've known for more than a century that women outlive men. But new research shows that, at least in the United States, the gap has been widening for more than a decade.
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Evolving Overdose Crisis Shakes Previously Effective Treatments
Commonly administered doses of buprenorphine have proven less effective against fentanyl.
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What to Know About Ongoing Eye Drop Recalls
Advocates are cheering FDA's recent actions around problematic over-the-counter (OTC) eye drop products, arguing the issue has been neglected far too long.
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Long COVID brain fog may originate in a surprising place, say scientists
Scientists have uncovered a possible explanation for one of COVID-19's most vexing legacies: the stubborn neurological symptoms of long COVID, such as brain fog, memory loss and fatigue.
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How Young Is Too Young For Botox?
Cosmetic treatments such as Botox are now increasingly popular among younger patients, especially with greater exposure to them on social media. But how young is too young for such treatments?
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WHO asks China for more information about rise in illnesses and pneumonia clusters
Chinese officials say they did not detect any “unusual or novel diseases” in the country, the World Health Organization said Thursday, following an official request by the U.N. health agency for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children.
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Health Care Industry News | |
Average per-worker cost of health benefits rose by 5.2% in 2023: survey
Inflation is a contributor to the increase, but rising prescription drug costs are likely to have a longer-term impact, according to the Mercer report.
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AHA letter backs Medicare programs extension bill for rural hospitals
The American Hospital Association is throwing support behind the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act, which would extend for five additional years the Medicare-dependent hospital program and enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment.
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AstraZeneca creates digital health unit, with big-name partnerships already in place
Called Evinova, the unit will operate as a separate business within AstraZeneca, which sees digital health solutions as a market primed for growth.
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Hot Healthcare Hiring Bolsters Cooling U.S. Labor Market
Aging population, Covid-19 could fuel years of growing demand for healthcare services and workers.
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Cleveland Clinic, Canon to establish medical imaging research center
Joint research projects will focus on pre-clinical imaging, human imaging and image analysis in cardiology, neurology and musculoskeletal medicine.
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Most rural hospitals no longer deliver babies, report finds
Financial challenges at rural hospitals — driven by reimbursement problems — are leading facilities to shutter labor and delivery wards, according to a new report.
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Linking Stress to Comfort Food Cravings: A Brain Chemical’s Role
Researchers uncovered a brain molecule’s role in triggering comfort food cravings after experiencing stress. Their research reveals that the molecule Proenkephalin, located in the hypothalamus, is crucial in inducing overeating following a stressful event.
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Internet Usage and Mental Health
A comprehensive study analyzing data from two million individuals across 168 countries, challenges the widely held belief about the negative psychological impact of internet technologies.
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Alzheimer’s Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Linked to Brain Inflammation
Researchers discovered that the neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease, such as irritability, agitation, and depression, primarily stem from brain inflammation rather than amyloid and tau proteins.
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Pioneering Stem Cell Therapy for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Shows Promise
An international team has conducted a groundbreaking study on stem cell therapy for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).
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Brain implant may enable communication from thoughts alone
A speech prosthetic developed by a collaborative team of neuroscientists, neurosurgeons and engineers can translate a person's brain signals into what they're trying to say. The new technology might one day help people unable to talk due to neurological disorders regain the ability to communicate through a brain-computer interface.
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Senate subcommittee signals support for permanent telehealth flexibilities
Lawmakers showed bipartisan support for making pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities permanent in Medicare during a Senate subcommittee hearing.
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Biden administration finalizes rule requiring nursing homes disclose ownership
The rule comes amid growing concerns about the role of private equity firm ownership in nursing homes.
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Senators Call for Investigation of Health Insurers’ Role in Driving Up Drug Costs
Request follows Wall Street Journal article reporting high markups on certain generic drugs for cancer and multiple sclerosis.
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New York Plans Cyber Rules for Hospitals
String of hacks at medical facilities prompts focus on security.
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CMS finalizes 2024 Medicare hospital, doctor payments, 340B fix and price transparency requirements
Regulators finalized a number of rules Thursday with sweeping implications for providers in the Medicare program, including rates for next year that doctors and hospitals slammed as insufficient.
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HeartCare Imaging, Inc. | Phone: 561-746-6125 | Fax: 561-741-2036 | info@heartcareimaging.com | | | | |
