VA Choice: Not what the doctor ordered
February 8th 2016The VA Choice program wasn’t designed to bring VA patients to community physicians; rather, it was designed to turn community physicians into VA doctors. And that does not work, says Henry Rosevear, MD. Dr. Rosevear shares his experience with the VA Choice program and shares what he sees as its limitations and what needs to change.
Competition-stifling facility regulations scrutinized nationwide
February 8th 2016A 2016 study of certificate of need laws showed at least 20 states restrict the technology used for MRI, CT, and PET scans. Many states are now weighing proposals to reform the process by which health facility projects are reviewed, writes the AACU's Ross E. Weber.
How the economy predicts PCa diagnosis, management
February 1st 2016Researchers hypothesized that during a time of resource scarcity, the incidence of PSA-detected prostate cancer would decrease and the use of noncurative management strategies would increase, reports Urology Times SUO internship program member Ryan Hutchinson, MD.
Smoking associated with greater risk of urolithiasis
February 1st 2016Two-thirds of patients attending a urology clinic for the management of urolithiasis failed to meet physical activity guidelines. In addition, patients with recent symptomatic urolithiasis were significantly more likely to be current smokers than those without recent symptomatic urolithiasis, according to a recent study.
Prognostic factors identified in patients taking PCa Tx
February 1st 2016Analyses of overall survival rates among subgroups of men who received radium-223 dichloride (Ra 223; Xofigo) as part of an expanded access program suggest factors that may have prognostic significance, including effects of prior and concomitant treatments.
Meaningful use: Pros and cons of attesting
February 1st 2016According to the AUA, CMS began applying penalties in 2015 for the 2013 reporting period for providers who did not attest or failed to achieve meaningful use. While the law allows for a hardship exemption for the 2015 reporting period/2017 adjustment year, it offers no protection for 2016/2018.
Meaningful use's directional shift
February 1st 2016The federal government’s aggressive timeline for full Stage 3 implementation of meaningful use in 2018 seemed to derail on Jan. 11 when Acting CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt declared that the program would come to an end this year. Now that the news has settled, urologists are among those who think meaningful use is very much alive, but evolving, and urologists and other physicians should not change EHR course, just yet.