News

Dapoxetine (Alza/Ortho-McNeil) is a novel oral medication undergoing FDA review for premature ejaculation, one of the most common disorders of sexual dysfunction in men. Dapoxetine is a fast-acting inhibitor of the serotonin reuptake transporter. It has a short half-life and is structurally related to the antidepressant fluoxetine, allowing for on-demand dosing.

A study was conducted to determine the cost and patient adher- ence rates of lipid-lowering therapy with an extended-release niacin and lovastatin (ERNL) combination agent versus a separate extended-release niacin and statin (ERN-S) combination or statin monotherapy.

The objective of this study was to track the utilization of anti-inflammatory drugs among patients with active rofecoxib prescriptions at the time of market withdrawal through retrospective analysis of pharmacy records and to assess the need for COX-2 inhibitor therapy due to gastrointestinal risk factors.

Best practices indicate that health benefits are continued during employee and CEO transitions

In The Sprawling Surroundings of Oklahoma City sits a microcosm of what many stakeholders want for healthcare's future. The Oklahoma Heart Hospital, a 78-bed cardiac specialty hospital, offers the latest in high-tech medicine complemented by high-touch patient care.

Post-operative ileus causes significant patient morbidity and is a major contributor to patient discomfort and increased length of hospitalization post-operatively. Alvimopan (Entereg, Adolor/GlaxoSmithKline), a peripherally selective opioid mu receptor antagonist with gastrointestinal (GI) tract-specific activity, is undergoing FDA review for the treatment of post-operative ileus.

Big Picture

CEO Don Hall leads Colorado Access, a Medicare/Medicaid plan that delivers individual management for big-picture health and lifestyle solutions. Intensive care managers help bring down costs for the neediest members.

Seal of Approval

The accreditation process influences quality business improvement and has value beyond an organization seal of approval. Experts say the cost of low quality far exceeds the cost of the accreditation process.

Providers may want to be aware of changes published by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that substantially overhaul the appeals process, in part, to reduce the time frames for adjudicating fee-for-service Medicare claims appeals. A process that now exceeds 1,000 days must be reduced to 300 days.

Maybe we're encouraged by recent steps forward to harmonize our disconnected healthcare system (through proposed health information networks, for example) but there is still so much more to do.

New regulations proposed by the California state Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) that are expected to be implemented by the end of this year would require HMOs in California to cover all medically necessary prescription drugs, even if they are excluded from a plan's formulary.