In This Week’s Issue:
1. The Hill: Personalized Interactions Are The Future of Health Care, click here to read the op-ed.
2. STAT: Making Health Research Relevant — and Less Feared — In the Mississippi Delta, click here to read the article.
3. Health Affairs: Do Value Frameworks Fully Capture The Value Of Innovation? Click here to read the article.
4. FierceHealthcare: Independence, Comcast Partner on New Patient-Centered Technology Platform, click here to read the article.
5. Medical Economics: Use EHRs as Tool to Improve Communication, Build Trust With Patients, click here to read the article.
6. IFPA White Paper: The ICER Myth, click here to read the white paper
7. Request for Nominations: PCORI Board of Governors, click here to apply
8. Webinar: CMS Quality Measures — How They are used and How You Can Be involved, see details below.
9. Upcoming Events and Webinars, see details below.
10. Medical Journal Articles, see details below.
11. AHRQ Effective Program Updates, see details below.
1. The Hill: Personalized Interactions Are The Future of Health Care, click here to read the op-ed.
2. STAT: Making Health Research Relevant — and Less Feared — In the Mississippi Delta, click here to read the article.
3. Health Affairs: Do Value Frameworks Fully Capture The Value Of Innovation? Click here to read the article.
4. FierceHealthcare: Independence, Comcast Partner on New Patient-Centered Technology Platform, click here to read the article.
5. Medical Economics: Use EHRs as Tool to Improve Communication, Build Trust With Patients, click here to read the article.
6. IFPA White Paper: The ICER Myth, click here to read the white paper
7. Request for Nominations: PCORI Board of Governors, click here to apply
8. Webinar: CMS Quality Measures — How They are used and How You Can Be involved, see details below.
9. Upcoming Events and Webinars, see details below.
10. Medical Journal Articles, see details below.
11. AHRQ Effective Program Updates, see details below.
1. The Hill: Personalized Interactions Are The Future of Health Care
In an op-ed for The Hill, Mazi Rasulina stresses the importance of a personalized approach in health care that puts the patients first. ”Among the many persisting problems the veteran population faces, they are largely suffering from chronic health conditions — much like America’s aging and rural populations. These conditions are increasingly common and range from arthritis to cancer to depression and beyond. And the truth is, a large portion of Americans have trouble finding the right information, motivation, and resources to get a handle on their health. As we look to the future and for ways to improve healthcare for all Americans, including our veterans, technology will play a significant part in bridging these gaps. But technological advances alone are not enough; we must also invest in solutions that are personalized and patient-centered to improve the health of millions.” Click here to read the op-ed.
2. STAT: Making Health Research Relevant — and Less Feared — In the Mississippi Delta
Freddie White-Johnson discusses the impact of PCORI research in the Mississippi Delta for STAT News. “...In the rural Mississippi Delta, where poverty is overwhelming and far too many people die prematurely, I've seen firsthand how African-Americans automatically associate health research with the most high-profile example of that shameful history, the Tuskegee syphilis study. Many simply don't see the benefits of participating in research — or fear it. One effort to change this perception is through patient-centered outcomes research, a way of doing health research that involves patients and their communities as equal partners in all parts of the process.” Click here to read the article.
3. Health Affairs: Do Value Frameworks Fully Capture The Value Of Innovation?
In a blog post for Health Affairs, Anupam Jena, Lauren Neves, and Randy Burkholder questions the validity of value frameworks in determining overall value of care. “Measuring the value that new medical therapies bring to society is complex and not easily summarized by a single measure. A failure to do this in a comprehensive manner risks underinvesting in therapies that create value for society. The evaluation of value from a societal perspective, as recommended by the Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine, is critical. Without this perspective, myopic decision making that leaves long-term benefits unrealized or underincentivizes future innovation is likely. Now is the time, while value frameworks are in their nascent stages, to cast a wide net to ensure that the societal value of therapies is accurately measured and recognized.” Click here to read the article.
4. FierceHealthcare: Independence, Comcast Partner on New Patient-Centered Technology Platform
Mike Stankiewicz reports on a new healthcare initiative between Comcast and Independence Health Group in a post forFierceHealthcare. “The venture between Comcast and Independence Health Group, announced this week, will focus on building a "patient-centered technology and communications platform" that will begin as a pilot in the Philadelphia area before going national in late 2019. An independent licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Independence Health Group serves nearly 8.5 million members across 24 states and the District of Columbia. The goal of the platform is to provide patients with remote healthcare content and information related to their treatment. Getting more healthcare information into the hands of consumers and patients has been a major policy goal of the Trump administration as well.” Click here to read the article.
5. Medical Economics: Use EHRs as Tool to Improve Communication, Build Trust With Patients
Jeff Bendix covers the benefits of electronic health records as a trust-builder for doctors and patients in a post for Medical Economics. ”Doctors and patients complain about EHRs, and often for the same reasons. Both say that doctors who use EHRs spend too much time typing and looking at their computer screens, rather than on focusing on the patient’s needs. But with a little planning and forethought, EHRs can actually improve doctor-patient communication and cause both parties to see them as a valuable tool for improving care.” Click here to read the article.
6. IFPA White Paper: The ICER Myth
The Institute for Patient Access (IFPA) has published a white paper outlining the flaws in ICER’s value-based analyses. “Amid widespread debate about pharmaceutical prices, ICER has made a name for itself by generating the unicorn of health care economic analysis: the price at which an innovative drug provides value. The group has come under scrutiny for its methodology and calculations. Critics have also made an issue of ICER’s funding, some of which comes directly from health insurers or from nonprofit foundations supported by health insurers. But perhaps the organization’s biggest drawback is its suggestion that the value of life-altering drugs for individual patients can be lumped into a “one-size-fits-all” calculation. ICER’s “value-based price” is a fallacy, and a dangerous one. In the hands of health plans, these prices can become negotiation tools.” Click here to read the white paper
7. Request for Nominations: PCORI Board of Governors
PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho urges patients, people with disabilities and other stakeholders to take advantage of this great opportunity to nominate candidates for the PCORI Board of Governors! The GAO is accepting nominations for the PCORI Board of Governors. “GAO is accepting nominations in the following categories required in statute: A physician, a nurse, a representative of patients and health care consumers, a representative of private payers, a representative of a state or a federal health program or agency, and a representative of pharmaceutical, device, or diagnostic manufacturers or developers. Nominations should be sent to the email or mailing address listed below. Acknowledgement of submissions will be provided within a week of submission.” Click here to apply. Deadline: May 4, 2018.
8. Webinar: CMS Quality Measures — How They are used and How You Can Be involved
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is hosting a series of webinars that will provide education on quality measures. “We are offering an Introduction to CMS Quality Measures webinar series available to the public. On April 26th, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM, Eastern Time, CMS will host the first of a two-part series that covers an introduction to quality measures, overview of the measure development process, how the public can get involved, and the new Meaningful Measures initiative. If you are unable to attend during that time, the same session will be offered again on May 2nd, from 4:00 - 5:00 PM, Eastern Time. CMS is looking for your feedback and participation in the quality measurement community, so please join us during the webinar to learn what we are doing and how you can be a part of the process!” Click here to register for April 26; here for May 2.
9. Upcoming Events and Webinars
PCORI Online: Cycle 1 2018 Application Submission Webinar
April 24, 2018
Click here for details.
2018 Patient Centered Outcomes Research Symposium
April 25, 2018
Click here for details.
PCORI Board of Governors Meeting
April 30, 2018
Click here for details
Advisory Panel on Clinical Trials Spring 2018 Meeting
May 7, 2018
Click here for details
Webinar: Connecting the Dots in the Real World: A Future Perspective of Real World Evidence
May 8, 2018
Click here for details
NPC @ ISPOR 23rd Annual International Meeting
May 19-23, 2018
Click here for details
DIA 2018 Global Annual Meeting
June 24-28, 2018
Click here for details.
10. Medical Journal Articles
Comment & Response: Measures of the Burden of Medical Expenses, click here to view.
A New Framework for Patient Engagement in Cancer Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Studies, click here to view.
Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs): Identifying Challenges and Solutions to Support Engagement in Research, click here to view.
Missing Data in Trial-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: An Incomplete Journey, click here to view.
Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin, Stratified by Stroke Risk in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation, click here to view.
Patient-Centered Recruitment and Retention for a Randomized Controlled Study, click here to view.
Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers, Brand-Name Drug Prices, and Patient Cost Sharing, click here to view.
Frequency and Magnitude of Co-Payments Exceeding Prescription Drug Costs, click here to view.
Factors Contributing to Higher Health Care Spending in the United States Compared With Other High-Income Countries, click here to view.
PCORnet's Collaborative Research Groups, click here to view.
Increasing Uptake of Comparative Effectiveness and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Among Stakeholders: Insights from Conference Discussion, click here to view.
Comparative Effectiveness and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research: Enhancing Uptake and Use by Patients, Clinicians and Payers, click here to view.
Comparative Effectiveness Research Requires Competitive Effectiveness, click here to view.
What Parents of Children With Complex Medical Conditions Want Their Child’s Physicians to Understand, click here to view.
PCORnet's Collaborative Research Groups, click here to view.
Guidelines for Patient-Reported Outcomes in Clinical Trial Protocols, click here to view.
Ensuring the Patient Voice in Quality: An Educational Program for Patient Groups and Advocates, click here to view.
Patient-Reported Outcomes: Design with the End in Mind, click here to view.
11. AHRQ Effective Program Updates
Role of Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Asthma, click here to view.
Library of Common Data Definitions: Atrial Fibrillation, click here to view.
Library of Common Data Definitions: Asthma, click here to view.
Patient or Participant Generated Registries, click here to view.
Effects of Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake on Chronic Disease Outcomes and Related Risk Factors, click here to view.
Prioritization and Selection of Harms for Inclusion in Systematic Reviews, click here to view.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment in Children and Adolescents, click here to view.
A Framework for Conceptualizing Evidence Needs of Health Systems, click here to view.
Nonsurgical Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: A Systematic Review Update, click here to view.
Drug Therapy for Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review Update, click here to view.
Effects of Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake on Chronic Disease Outcomes and Related Risk Factors, click here to view.
Management of Insomnia Disorder - Consumer and Clinician Summaries, click here to view
Harms of First-Line Depression Treatment in Older Adults, click here to view.
Management of Renal Masses and Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current State of the Evidence - Clinician Summary, click here to view.
In an op-ed for The Hill, Mazi Rasulina stresses the importance of a personalized approach in health care that puts the patients first. ”Among the many persisting problems the veteran population faces, they are largely suffering from chronic health conditions — much like America’s aging and rural populations. These conditions are increasingly common and range from arthritis to cancer to depression and beyond. And the truth is, a large portion of Americans have trouble finding the right information, motivation, and resources to get a handle on their health. As we look to the future and for ways to improve healthcare for all Americans, including our veterans, technology will play a significant part in bridging these gaps. But technological advances alone are not enough; we must also invest in solutions that are personalized and patient-centered to improve the health of millions.” Click here to read the op-ed.
2. STAT: Making Health Research Relevant — and Less Feared — In the Mississippi Delta
Freddie White-Johnson discusses the impact of PCORI research in the Mississippi Delta for STAT News. “...In the rural Mississippi Delta, where poverty is overwhelming and far too many people die prematurely, I've seen firsthand how African-Americans automatically associate health research with the most high-profile example of that shameful history, the Tuskegee syphilis study. Many simply don't see the benefits of participating in research — or fear it. One effort to change this perception is through patient-centered outcomes research, a way of doing health research that involves patients and their communities as equal partners in all parts of the process.” Click here to read the article.
3. Health Affairs: Do Value Frameworks Fully Capture The Value Of Innovation?
In a blog post for Health Affairs, Anupam Jena, Lauren Neves, and Randy Burkholder questions the validity of value frameworks in determining overall value of care. “Measuring the value that new medical therapies bring to society is complex and not easily summarized by a single measure. A failure to do this in a comprehensive manner risks underinvesting in therapies that create value for society. The evaluation of value from a societal perspective, as recommended by the Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine, is critical. Without this perspective, myopic decision making that leaves long-term benefits unrealized or underincentivizes future innovation is likely. Now is the time, while value frameworks are in their nascent stages, to cast a wide net to ensure that the societal value of therapies is accurately measured and recognized.” Click here to read the article.
4. FierceHealthcare: Independence, Comcast Partner on New Patient-Centered Technology Platform
Mike Stankiewicz reports on a new healthcare initiative between Comcast and Independence Health Group in a post forFierceHealthcare. “The venture between Comcast and Independence Health Group, announced this week, will focus on building a "patient-centered technology and communications platform" that will begin as a pilot in the Philadelphia area before going national in late 2019. An independent licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Independence Health Group serves nearly 8.5 million members across 24 states and the District of Columbia. The goal of the platform is to provide patients with remote healthcare content and information related to their treatment. Getting more healthcare information into the hands of consumers and patients has been a major policy goal of the Trump administration as well.” Click here to read the article.
5. Medical Economics: Use EHRs as Tool to Improve Communication, Build Trust With Patients
Jeff Bendix covers the benefits of electronic health records as a trust-builder for doctors and patients in a post for Medical Economics. ”Doctors and patients complain about EHRs, and often for the same reasons. Both say that doctors who use EHRs spend too much time typing and looking at their computer screens, rather than on focusing on the patient’s needs. But with a little planning and forethought, EHRs can actually improve doctor-patient communication and cause both parties to see them as a valuable tool for improving care.” Click here to read the article.
6. IFPA White Paper: The ICER Myth
The Institute for Patient Access (IFPA) has published a white paper outlining the flaws in ICER’s value-based analyses. “Amid widespread debate about pharmaceutical prices, ICER has made a name for itself by generating the unicorn of health care economic analysis: the price at which an innovative drug provides value. The group has come under scrutiny for its methodology and calculations. Critics have also made an issue of ICER’s funding, some of which comes directly from health insurers or from nonprofit foundations supported by health insurers. But perhaps the organization’s biggest drawback is its suggestion that the value of life-altering drugs for individual patients can be lumped into a “one-size-fits-all” calculation. ICER’s “value-based price” is a fallacy, and a dangerous one. In the hands of health plans, these prices can become negotiation tools.” Click here to read the white paper
7. Request for Nominations: PCORI Board of Governors
PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho urges patients, people with disabilities and other stakeholders to take advantage of this great opportunity to nominate candidates for the PCORI Board of Governors! The GAO is accepting nominations for the PCORI Board of Governors. “GAO is accepting nominations in the following categories required in statute: A physician, a nurse, a representative of patients and health care consumers, a representative of private payers, a representative of a state or a federal health program or agency, and a representative of pharmaceutical, device, or diagnostic manufacturers or developers. Nominations should be sent to the email or mailing address listed below. Acknowledgement of submissions will be provided within a week of submission.” Click here to apply. Deadline: May 4, 2018.
8. Webinar: CMS Quality Measures — How They are used and How You Can Be involved
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is hosting a series of webinars that will provide education on quality measures. “We are offering an Introduction to CMS Quality Measures webinar series available to the public. On April 26th, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM, Eastern Time, CMS will host the first of a two-part series that covers an introduction to quality measures, overview of the measure development process, how the public can get involved, and the new Meaningful Measures initiative. If you are unable to attend during that time, the same session will be offered again on May 2nd, from 4:00 - 5:00 PM, Eastern Time. CMS is looking for your feedback and participation in the quality measurement community, so please join us during the webinar to learn what we are doing and how you can be a part of the process!” Click here to register for April 26; here for May 2.
9. Upcoming Events and Webinars
PCORI Online: Cycle 1 2018 Application Submission Webinar
April 24, 2018
Click here for details.
2018 Patient Centered Outcomes Research Symposium
April 25, 2018
Click here for details.
PCORI Board of Governors Meeting
April 30, 2018
Click here for details
Advisory Panel on Clinical Trials Spring 2018 Meeting
May 7, 2018
Click here for details
Webinar: Connecting the Dots in the Real World: A Future Perspective of Real World Evidence
May 8, 2018
Click here for details
NPC @ ISPOR 23rd Annual International Meeting
May 19-23, 2018
Click here for details
DIA 2018 Global Annual Meeting
June 24-28, 2018
Click here for details.
10. Medical Journal Articles
Comment & Response: Measures of the Burden of Medical Expenses, click here to view.
A New Framework for Patient Engagement in Cancer Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Studies, click here to view.
Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs): Identifying Challenges and Solutions to Support Engagement in Research, click here to view.
Missing Data in Trial-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: An Incomplete Journey, click here to view.
Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin, Stratified by Stroke Risk in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation, click here to view.
Patient-Centered Recruitment and Retention for a Randomized Controlled Study, click here to view.
Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers, Brand-Name Drug Prices, and Patient Cost Sharing, click here to view.
Frequency and Magnitude of Co-Payments Exceeding Prescription Drug Costs, click here to view.
Factors Contributing to Higher Health Care Spending in the United States Compared With Other High-Income Countries, click here to view.
PCORnet's Collaborative Research Groups, click here to view.
Increasing Uptake of Comparative Effectiveness and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Among Stakeholders: Insights from Conference Discussion, click here to view.
Comparative Effectiveness and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research: Enhancing Uptake and Use by Patients, Clinicians and Payers, click here to view.
Comparative Effectiveness Research Requires Competitive Effectiveness, click here to view.
What Parents of Children With Complex Medical Conditions Want Their Child’s Physicians to Understand, click here to view.
PCORnet's Collaborative Research Groups, click here to view.
Guidelines for Patient-Reported Outcomes in Clinical Trial Protocols, click here to view.
Ensuring the Patient Voice in Quality: An Educational Program for Patient Groups and Advocates, click here to view.
Patient-Reported Outcomes: Design with the End in Mind, click here to view.
11. AHRQ Effective Program Updates
Role of Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Asthma, click here to view.
Library of Common Data Definitions: Atrial Fibrillation, click here to view.
Library of Common Data Definitions: Asthma, click here to view.
Patient or Participant Generated Registries, click here to view.
Effects of Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake on Chronic Disease Outcomes and Related Risk Factors, click here to view.
Prioritization and Selection of Harms for Inclusion in Systematic Reviews, click here to view.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment in Children and Adolescents, click here to view.
A Framework for Conceptualizing Evidence Needs of Health Systems, click here to view.
Nonsurgical Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: A Systematic Review Update, click here to view.
Drug Therapy for Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review Update, click here to view.
Effects of Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake on Chronic Disease Outcomes and Related Risk Factors, click here to view.
Management of Insomnia Disorder - Consumer and Clinician Summaries, click here to view
Harms of First-Line Depression Treatment in Older Adults, click here to view.
Management of Renal Masses and Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current State of the Evidence - Clinician Summary, click here to view.
