Rosemary Frei, MSc

Treatment with tadalafil can significantly improve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED) as well as lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH), according to a new analysis (Roehrborn C, et al. BJU Int. 2016 Jan 13. Epub ahead of print). Tadalafil is indicated for the treatment of patients with ED or BPH and for those with the 2 conditions combined. Read More ›

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) continues to echo the sentiment of the American Medical Association that the expansion of Physician Compare by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may not lead to the outcomes the CMS hopes for. Read More ›

A new study suggests that boosting the consumption of flavonoid-containing foods, such as blueberries, may help stave off erectile dysfunction Read More ›

After the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) significantly increased physician fees for office-based minor cystoscopic procedures in 2005, there was a spike in this type of procedure. Read More ›

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health has released a 19-page plan to address health equity gaps for underserved Medicare beneficiaries, improve their access to care, and measure the success of this undertaking. Read More ›

It is valid to predict survival using tumor stage after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), said Peter Black, MD, Senior Research Scientist, Vancouver Prostate Centre, British Columbia, Canada. Read More ›

Inventive Korean researchers are testing an app that plays the sound of running water to help men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) to “let go and let it flow.” Read More ›

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)’s planned reimbursement of advance care planning services in 2016 is being greeted with enthusiasm by the oncology community. Advance care planning comprises the discussion of options for palliative care, end-of-life care, and advance directives. Read More ›

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health has released a 19-page plan to address health equity gaps for underserved Medicare beneficiaries, improve their access to care, and measure the success of this undertaking. The CMS Equity Plan for Improving Quality in Medicare was presented in early September at the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid conference and the 30th anniversary of the “Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health.” The plan represents the first-ever equity program to be developed by CMS. Read More ›

The good news for physicians seeking a place of employment is there is a shortage of rheumatologists, urologists, and other specialists in the United States. The bad news is the landscape is dominated by large health systems and, therefore, there is usually little wiggle room in contract negotiations. Read More ›

It is an exciting and challenging time to be a female urologist, according to information from 3 senior executives of the Society of Women in Urology (SWIU) and other sources. Read More ›

In recent years, according to the FDA, testosterone agents are increasingly used for older men for what the FDA calls “age-related hypogonadism.” Late last year, the FDA discussed this issue and the increasing evidence for increased risk for cardiovascular disease associated with testosterone therapy. Read More ›

Stakeholders in the healthcare system are making an effort to ensure that people are not squeezed out of the practice of medicine by insufficient time and support to comply with ICD-10. Read More ›

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took the first step toward the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) on July 8 with the release of a proposed rule on payment policies and rates, as well as quality provisions, under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). Read More ›

A paper by Hernandez and colleagues recently published in the Journal of Arthroplasty blames the Medicare 3-day rule for lengthier hospital stays among some patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared with others. Read More ›

Stakeholders in the healthcare system are making an effort to ensure that people are not squeezed out of the practice of medicine by insufficient time and support to comply with ICD-10. Read More ›

The American Urological Association (AUA)’s second set of Choosing Wisely recommendations, released June 11, 2015, incorporates feedback from the organization’s membership, which is a new approach for the group. Read More ›

The sound that is getting impossible to ignore is the clock ticking down to the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) at 12:01 am on Thursday, October 1, 2015. Read More ›

How can the high cost of healthcare be spread among all stakeholders to produce the biggest patient-care bang for the buck? Read More ›

Future studies should seek to determine whether and to what extent cancer care is impacted by the PPACA, as a recent study found that patients with testicular, stomach, and cervical cancers are more likely to be uninsured. Read More ›

According to a recent study, 63.6% of oncologists surveyed favor the establishment of an independent panel of health experts to decide which treatments Medicare will pay for based on a cost-benefit analysis. Less than 50% of patients and members of the general public think this is a good idea. The United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is one model for such a panel. Read More ›

Three of the main factors currently influencing patient support services are population health management, patient engagement, and shifting perspectives in biopharma, Tracy Foster told a roomful of attendees recently at the 2015 Patient Assistance & Access Programs meeting held in Baltimore, MD. Read More ›

Severe urinary hesitancy may be associated with increased risk of bladder cancer, according to data analysis of more than 30,000 men. Researchers suggest that voiding dysfunction leads to extended contact time between potential carcinogens and the cells lining the bladder. Read More ›

n analysis using the IMS LifeLink Health Plan Claims Database has shown that patients who undergo minimally invasive robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy experience a shorter hospital length of stay and somewhat better postoperative outcomes than patients who undergo open radical prostatectomy, albeit with a higher price tag, according to a study that was published recently in Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Disease. Read More ›

A new analysis suggests that adherence to guidelines for follow-up care in patients who have undergone a radical cystectomy may standardize care but may also increase expenditures compared with the cost of most current approaches, which are more conservative and deviate from existing guidelines. Read More ›

Criteria for stage 3 of Meaningful Use was announced and published recently, detailing benchmarks that eligible providers and hospitals will have to meet to qualify for certain incentive payments and avoid reimbursement penalties. Read More ›

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released an official position statement on biosimilars, on the heels of the first biosimilar approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Filgrastim-sndz (Zarxio, Sandoz) was approved on March 6, 2015. Read More ›

Criteria for Stage 3 of Meaningful Use was announced and published at the end of March, detailing benchmarks that eligible providers and hospitals will have to meet to qualify for certain incentive payments and avoid reimbursement penalties. Read More ›

Rules surrounding implementation of 340B Drug Pricing, a government program that allows certain qualifying healthcare organizations to purchase reduced price outpatient medications, are in flux, according to a presentation at the recent Association of Community Cancer Centers 41st Annual Meeting in Arlington, VA. Read More ›

Criteria for Stage 3 of Meaningful Use was announced and published at the end of March, detailing benchmarks that eligible providers and hospitals will have to meet to qualify for certain incentive payments and avoid reimbursement penalties. The proposed ruling by the US Department of Health & Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlines a framework that is in some ways more flexible and in others more rigid than Stage 1 and Stage 2. Read More ›

Big data has the power to significantly speed up the process from discovery to clinical adoption, according to a presentation at the Association of Community Cancer Centers 2015 Annual Meeting in Arlington, VA. Amy Abernethy, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Oncology, Flatiron Health, New York, NY, and Director, Duke Cancer Care Research Program, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC, first described an encounter she had in 2009 while working in a melanoma clinic with an emergency department nurse named Janet, who presented with Stage IIIB melanoma. Read More ›

The FDA has announced that it will require prescription testosterone product labels to include a warning about a possible increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients using the medication, as well as require manufacturers of these products to change the labeling so that approved uses of the medications are clear. Read More ›

The announcement in February of a new Oncology Care Model has brought a lukewarm response by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center and announced through the US Department of Health & Human Services, the new care delivery model encompasses a multipayer structure as well as incentivized and monthly per beneficiary payments to participating practices. Read More ›

The announcement in February of a new Oncology Care Model has brought a lukewarm response by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center and announced through the US Department of Health & Human Services, the new care delivery model encompasses a multipayer structure as well as incentivized and monthly per beneficiary payments to participating practices (see article on this page). Read More ›

A novel gene panel is showing promise for determining which treatment-naïve patients with prostate cancer could benefit from intensified treatment. Read More ›

Electronic medical records represent unfulfilled promise for identifying patients who are at elevated risk for osteoporosis and fragility fractures, according to a survey of the situation in Ontario, Canada. Read More ›

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hoping that its December 4, 2014, final rule on pregnancy and breastfeeding labeling for prescription drugs and biological products1 will be helpful to patients and providers. Clinicians are also optimistic about the changes but are waiting to see whether sufficient data will be available to truly clarify the risks of using each medication during conception, pregnancy, and lactation. Read More ›

Rheumatology managers re­cently received expert tips and updates on Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) compliance standards, as well as how to prepare a medical practice for an OSHA inspection. Bill Fivek, President and CEO of Total Medical Compliance, discussed these government-mandated requirements at the National Organization of Rheumatology Managers (NORM) annual conference, held September 12-13, 2014, in Louisville, KY. Read More ›

Rheumatology managers recently received practical advice on how to cultivate optimal interpersonal working conditions as well as maintain healthy and productive relationships while working in medical group practices. Read More ›

Anew guideline for systemic therapy in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is based on a literature review of recent publications and outlines the survival and quality-of-life benefits/toxicity effects of each recommendation. Read More ›

As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues its efforts to ensure that those who are enrolled in the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace (FHIM) meet eligibility requirements, the ripple effects of these efforts may be felt at medical practices nationwide. Read More ›

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently took initial steps toward regulating laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Used to select appropriate treatment for individual patients, LDTs are designed, made, and used within a single laboratory, and include genetic tests and tests used by clinicians to guide their patients’ treatment. Read More ›

As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues its efforts to ensure that those who are enrolled in the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace (FHIM) meet eligibility requirements, the ripple effects of these efforts may be felt at medical practices nationwide. Read More ›

The US Food and Drug Ad­­ministration (FDA) recently took initial steps toward regulating laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Used to select appropriate treatment for individual patients, LDTs are designed, made, and used within a single laboratory, and include genetic tests and tests used by clinicians to guide their patients’ treatment. Read More ›

An expert recently shared the pitfalls of noncompliance with breach-reporting provisions that came into effect last year under the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. Read More ›

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently took initial steps toward regulating laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Used to select appropriate treatment for individual patients, LDTs are designed, made, and used within a single laboratory, and include genetic tests and tests used by clinicians to guide their patients’ treatment. Read More ›

Melissa Francisco of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) does not mind taking time after regular working hours to help office managers who are confused about points of compliance with the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). The head of registries at the ACR, Ms Francisco knows that part of her job means offering 24-hour support for the hundreds of ACR members’ practices who use the organization’s electronic PQRS reporting support. Read More ›

The challenges involved with the start of implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s insurance exchange program are evident in the responses to an April 2014 survey by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Read More ›

Urology practices in hospital and community settings can increase patient volume and revenue with the efficient use of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs), according to a presentation at the 2014 American Urological Association Practice Management Conference. Read More ›

The challenges involved with the start of implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s insurance exchange program are evident in the responses to an April 2014 survey by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Read More ›

A recent retrospective study of 114 patients with hypogonadism has led to the conclusion that men with this condition should be screened with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) for low bone mineral density (BMD). Read More ›

The challenges involved with the start of implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s insurance exchange program are evident in the responses to an April 2014 survey by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Read More ›

A recent retrospective study of 114 patients with hypogonadism has led to the conclusion that men with this condition should be screened with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) for low bone mineral density (BMD). Read More ›

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, managers and administrators of urology practices have a constant they can rely on. For 14 years, the Practice Managers’ Network (PMN), a resource offered through the American Uro­logical Association (AUA), has offered support to management teams across its spectrum of membership. Read More ›

As the clocked ticked down to midnight on March 31, many Americans rushed to enroll in health in­surance plans made available to them through the Afford­able Care Act (ACA). Ap­proxi­mately 4.2 million people had selected a Market-place plan as of March 1, 2014, less than half of the 8.8 million who have been deemed eligible, and 60% of the 7 million people the Congress­ional Budget Office projected for this timeframe. Read More ›

Several prominent physicians are pushing to increase physician awareness of cancer overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Read More ›

Community oncology clinics are disappearing at a rate of about 20% a year... In their stead, the number and size of hospital systems are increasing. Read More ›

In September, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report, “Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis,” which included recommendations aimed at ensuring that there is accessible, affordable, and high-caliber oncology care in the United States for the foreseeable future. Read More ›

The recent decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to broaden coverage of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging in patients who have been treated for tumors has been welcomed by many in the oncology community, although the decision is not without its critics. Read More ›

The December 31 deadline is rapidly approaching for the repeal of Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and avoiding an automatic 24.4% across-the-board reduction in physician payments in 2014. Read More ›

Dutch researchers have peered into the minds and wallets of a group of men aged 55 to 75 years to determine what they are willing to trade for a reduced risk of prostate cancer–related death or to avoid unnecessary procedures and treatment. Read More ›