Vince Kuraitis and Dr. Randy Williams talked with Caitlin Donovan, the Global Head of Uber Health, and Dr. Michael Cantor, the Chief Medical Officer of Uber Health, to learn more about Uber’s healthcare platform. Part I of the interview summary covered 1) how Uber Health functions and how it supports the care of populations, and 2) how Uber Health harnesses network effects. In today’s Part II, you will learn 1) why Uber launched Uber Health, and 2) how Uber Health manages opportunities and challenges presented by software and workflow integration. Continue reading to understand how Uber Health is so much…
Author: Praveen Suthrum
Court cases show that physicians continually underestimate their liability in supervising nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). Even in states that have abolished requirements that NPs be physician-supervised, physicians may still be liable by virtue of employing the NP, according to William P. Sullivan, DO, an attorney and emergency physician in Frankfort, Illinois. Indeed, the vast majority of lawsuits against NPs and PAs name the supervising physician. According to a study of claims against NPs from 2011 to 2016, 82% of the cases also named the supervising physician. Employed or contracted physicians assigned to supervise NPs or PAs are…
Newswise — The April issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology highlights new clinical science, including an examination of changes in lifestyle habits and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), practical recommendations for clinicians on the diagnosis and management of several GI conditions, discussion of the placebo or “nocebo” effect with patients in randomized clinical trials, and therapy regimens for H. pylori infection. This month we also published articles on cyclic vomiting syndrome, diverticulitis, Barrett’s esophagus, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, IBD, pancreatitis, and more. Several articles are highlighted below and access to any articles from this issue, or past issues, is available upon…
Practicing gastroenterology offers a healthy mix of patient care and research, making it an alluring option for many. Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.Question: If you had it to do over, would you choose gastroenterology as a specialty again? If not, what other specialty would you consider? Harry Aslanian, MD. Gastroenterologist at Yale School of Medicine (New Haven, Conn.): Almost all the gastroenterologists I know, myself included, continue to enjoy gastroenterology, — in particular endoscopy — and would do it all over again. Endoscopy provides the satisfaction of a visual and manual challenge that provides…
As the leading gastrointestinal procedure performed in the United States, colonoscopy is an important tool for colorectal cancer screening, post polypectomy surveillance, guidance in management of inflammatory bowel disease, and diagnosis of symptoms. High-quality colonoscopy depends on several factors, including cecal intubation and adequate inspection of the mucosa for adenomas and other pathology, which are dependent on adequate withdrawal time and bowel preparation quality. Current quality indicators recommend that gastroenterologists should strive for adequate bowel preparation in greater than 85% of exams. However, of the more than 15 million colonoscopies performed annually, approximately 20% to 25% involve inadequate preparation, which…
A subset of patients with alpha-gal allergy have gastrointestinal symptoms without skin changes or anaphylaxis, according to a clinical practice update published in the April issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Sarah K. McGill, M.D., from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues provide information relating to the presentation and management of alpha-gal syndrome in order to increase awareness among gastroenterologists. Read More
Daniel Leffler, MD, MS, AGAF, has some advice for young physicians starting out in their careers: Don’t be afraid of change. “Just because you’re a doctor doesn’t mean you have to spend the rest of your career doing patient care. We don’t teach that in medical school as well as we should,” said Dr. Leffler. “If you’re interested in a skill set and move in a different direction, that’s totally okay. Many people have major career shifts, whether it’s early, mid- or late career.” Read More
A bipartisan House bill has been introduced that would tie the Medicare fee schedule to the Medicare Economic Index, creating an annual inflation-based update. The bill was introduced by Reps. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN), Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA). According to the American Medical Association, physician payment rates have been subject to a six-year payment freeze that will last until 2026, and even experienced 2% across-the-board cuts in January. In that time, physicians had to deal with inflation, COVID-19, burnout, and the rising cost of running a practice. When the freeze ends,…
Oshi Health, a virtual care company dedicated to GI health, diagnoses and treats gastrointestinal disorders by applying a virtual layer on top of evidenced-based approaches. This is pretty important as GI issues affect tens of millions of people, adding up to billions of dollars in avoidable spending. Now the company will be able to provide its services to millions more patients thanks to a newly announced partnership with Aetna on Thursday, which will allow Aetna commercial members to have in-network access to Oshi’s platform starting in six states, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, though the companies already say…
Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) today announced it completed the acquisition of Apollo Endosurgery. The acquisition was announced in November and had an enterprise value of approximately $615 million. Apollo Endosurgery’s product portfolio includes devices used during endoluminal surgery (ELS) procedures. The ELS procedures close gastrointestinal defects, manage gastrointestinal complications and aid in weight loss. ELS procedures are a less-invasive alternative to open and laparoscopic surgery. It also provides a quicker recovery to minimize the risks of surgical complications. Read more