Six studies to know from the last two weeks:
1. Payers should brace for an increase in claims related to joint pain, cardiomyopathy and diabetes, among others, this year, according to a report from health insights company Prealize. Here are the seven medical conditions insurers can expect to see a rise in claims for.
2, Nurse employment remained low while wages increased during the first 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a tightening labor market, according to a study published Jan. 4 in Health Affairs.
3. Female primary care and behavior specialists were more likely to implement virtual care early on during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with male and surgical specialty physicians, a Dec. 30 study published in JAMA Network Open found.
4. According to hospitalists, mobile technology needs a revamp to better address workflow issues at hospitals, a Jan. 4 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Human Factors reported.
5. Medicare and Medicare Advantage coverage policies resulted in more than 5.6 million claim denials between 2014 and 2019, according to a new study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
6. Replacing and augmenting regular in-person visits with virtual care results in similar health outcomes and patient satisfaction, U.S. News & World Report reported Jan. 3