Effects of Cost Sharing on Ophthalmic Care Utilization in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

PURPOSE: To determine the distribution and quantity of ophthalmic care consumed on Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, the demographics of the population utilizing these services, and the relationship between ACA insurance coverage plan tier, cost sharing, and total cost of ophthalmic care consumed. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed ACA individual and small group market claims data from the Wakely Affordable Care Act (WACA) 2018 dataset, which contains detailed claims, enrollment, and premium data from Edge Servers for 3.9 million individual and small group market lives. We identified all enrollees with ophthalmology-specific billing, procedure, and national drug codes. We then analyzed the claims by plan type and calculated the total cost and out-of-pocket (OOP) cost. RESULTS: Among 3.9 million enrollees in the WACA 2018 dataset, 538,169 (13.7%) had claims related to ophthalmology procedures, medications, and/or diagnoses. A total of $203 million was generated in ophthalmology-related claims, with $54 million in general services, $42 million in medications, $20 million in diagnostics and imaging, and $86 million in procedures. Average annual OOP costs were $116 per member, or 30.9% of the total cost, and were lowest for members with platinum plans (16% OOP) and income-driven cost sharing reduction (ICSR) subsidies (17% OOP). Despite stable ocular disease distribution across plan types, beneficiaries with silver ICSR subsidies consumed more total care than any other plan, higher than platinum plan enrollees and almost 1.5× the cost of bronze plan enrollees. CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmic care for enrollees on ACA plans generated substantial costs in 2018. Plans with higher OOP cost sharing may result in lower utilization of ophthalmic care.

Patient Cost Exposure And Use Of Preventive Care Among ACA-Compliant Individual Plans.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated coverage of common preventive services with zero patient cost sharing. However, patients may still experience high same-day costs when receiving these "zero-dollar" preventive services. Our analysis of on- and off-exchange individual-market health plans during 2016-18 revealed that 21-61 percent of enrollees experienced same-day cost exposure greater than $0 when accessing ACA-mandated free preventive services.

Attitudes and Awareness of Cornea Specialists and Oculoplastic Surgeons toward Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Decolonization.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decolonization is widely utilized in many medical subspecialities to reduce surgical site infections, but routine ophthalmic implementation has been limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes and actual practice of corneal specialists and oculoplastic surgeons toward MRSA decolonization as a preventive measure in ophthalmic surgery. Materials and Methods: A web-based survey was sent to cornea specialists and oculoplastic surgeons to assess their knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding MRSA prophylaxis and the use of MRSA decolonization to prevent post-operative infections. Results: A total of 180 surgeons participated in this study: 71% of respondents agreed that MRSA colonization plays a role in post-operative infection of the eye and adnexal structures; 65% stated that MRSA decolonization could help prevent MRSA infection. Although 41% of respondents would change their management in response to a positive pre-operative MRSA screening result, only 18% performed pre-operative screening. Seventeen percent of respondents indicated that they offer pre-operative decolonization for MRSA-positive patients; the most frequently applied technique was the use of nasal antibiotic agents such as mupirocin, followed by antiseptic baths. Peri-operative MRSA prophylaxis was used by 18% of respondents; pre-operative MRSA decolonization was used in conjunction by 8.5 % of respondents. Conclusions: Although MRSA decolonization has been validated in fields outside of ophthalmology, there has not been widespread adoption of this practice among oculoplastic surgeons and cornea specialists. Prospective MRSA decolonization ophthalmic studies are necessary if evidence-based management guidelines are to be developed.

MRSA Decolonization and the Eye: A Potential New Tool for Ophthalmologists.

PURPOSE: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause vision-threatening infections of the ocular surface, orbit, and periorbital structures. MRSA decolonization is a widespread technique employed outside of ophthalmology to reduce MRSA transmission and infection rates. Herein we explore whether decolonization protocols have a place in ophthalmology for combatting ocular MRSA infections. METHODS: We conducted a focused review of the MRSA decolonization literature using PubMed and Cochrane databases to identify key studies in ophthalmology and the broader medical literature. RESULTS: We summarize the relevance of the recent literature from an ophthalmic perspective, focusing on the clinical evidence supporting pre-operative MRSA decolonization. We also discuss current real-world decolonization practices, existing challenges, and propose recommendations for future opportunities to address these issues. CONCLUSION: Incorporating pre-operative MRSA decolonization approaches discussed herein may offer a new frontier for enhancing the ophthalmic care of patients colonized with MRSA.

Improving annual albuminuria testing for individuals with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Annual albuminuria screening detects the early stages of nephropathy in individuals with diabetes. Because early detection of albuminuria allows for interventions that lower the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, guidelines recommend annual testing for all individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and for those with type 1 diabetes for at least 5 years. However, at the Eskind Diabetes Clinic at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, testing occurred less frequently than desired. METHODS: A quality improvement team first analysed the clinic's processes, identifying the lack of a systematic approach to testing as the likely cause for the low rate. The team then implemented two successive interventions in a pilot of patients seen by nurse practitioners in the clinic. In the first intervention, staff used a dashboard within the electronic health record while triaging each patient, pending an albuminuria order if testing had not been done within the past year. In the second intervention, clinic leadership sent daily reminders to the triage staff. A statistical process control chart tracked monthly testing rates. RESULTS: After 6 months, annual albuminuria testing increased from a baseline of 69% to 82%, with multiple special-cause signals in the control chart. CONCLUSIONS: This project demonstrates that a series of simple interventions can significantly impact annual albuminuria testing. This project's success likely hinged on using an existing workflow to systematically determine if a patient was due for testing and prompting the provider to sign a pended order for an albuminuria test. Other diabetes/endocrinology and primary care clinics can likely implement a similar process and so improve testing rates in other settings. When coupled with appropriate interventions to reduce the development of chronic kidney disease, such interventions would improve patient outcomes, in addition to better adhering to an established quality metric.

Case Report: Significant Complications of Cosmetic Iris Implantation.

SIGNIFICANCE: The complications of cosmetic iris implantation may result in irreversible vision loss. Patients who obtain these implants against general medical consensus may present to providers when sequelae develop. In symptomatic patients, providers must recognize the imminent risk to vision and mitigate further ocular damage. PURPOSE: This is an observational clinical case report of a patient with significant, progressive, vision-threatening ocular pathology from prior cosmetic iris implantation, despite medical and surgical efforts to preserve vision. CASE REPORT: A 35-year-old HIV-positive man with a history of cosmetic iris implants in India 16 months prior was referred to our center. He had a history of 4 months of steroid-refractory uveitis and secondary glaucoma, with IOP measurements of more than 50 mmHg in the outpatient setting. Slit-lamp examination revealed ciliary flush, pannus formation, corneal edema, and keratic precipitates. Optical coherence tomography suggested possible retinal nerve fiber layer loss in the left eye. He was diagnosed with uveitis and glaucoma, and after a short course of IOP-lowering medication, the implants were removed sequentially. Post-operatively, his course was complicated by IOP elevation, cataract development, and corneal decompensation. This led to bilateral Ahmed tube placement, Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty of the right eye, and pending cataract surgery because of now-dense bilateral cataracts. CONCLUSIONS: This case emphasizes the vision-threatening dangers of cosmetic iris implantation. It also demonstrates that sequelae may persist and develop despite implant removal and anticipatory management. Providers managing similar patients should carefully monitor for disease progression and maintain a low threshold for referral and/or decisive surgical intervention.

Low hospital mobility-resurgence of an old epidemic within a new pandemic and future solutions.

Low mobility during hospitalisation poses risks of functional decline and other poor outcomes for older adults. Given the pervasiveness of this problem, low mobility during hospitalisation was first described as 'dangerous' in 1947 and later described as an epidemic. Hospitals have made considerable progress over the last half-century and the last two decades in particular, however, the COVID-19 pandemic presents serious new challenges that threaten to undermine recent efforts and progress towards a culture of mobility. In this special article, we address the question of how to confront an epidemic of immobility within a pandemic. We identify four specific problems for creating and advancing a culture of mobility posed by COVID-19: social distancing and policies restricting patient movement, personnel constraints, personal protective equipment shortages and increased patient hesitancy to ambulate. We also propose four specific solutions to address these problems. These approaches will help support a culture of healthy mobility during and after hospitalisation and help patients to keep moving during the pandemic and beyond.

Aftermarket effects of cenegermin for neurotrophic keratopathy in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE: Neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) is a rare condition characterized by poor corneal sensation and healing. Cenegermin (topical recombinant nerve growth factor) has gained traction as a medical therapy for NK in recent years, and is FDA-approved for patients over two years old. However, no major trials have demonstrated the drug's efficacy in children. This study reviews the outcomes of cenegermin therapy in a pediatric patient population. METHODS: Retrospective case series of patients from three tertiary referral institutions who 1) initiated an 8-week course of cenegermin therapy, and 2) were 18 years or less at time of treatment initiation. RESULTS: Eight pediatric patients, with a total of nine affected eyes, underwent cenegermin therapy. All eight patients had previously trialed other NK-specific treatments, none of which had been entirely successful. Five patients (63%) completed the full eight-week therapy course. Five patients (63%) experienced clinical improvement not attributed to another treatment, through improved corneal ulcer stage (n = 5) and best-corrected visual acuity (n = 2). Clinical improvements persisted through a mean recurrence-free period of 10 months. Adverse effects reported during therapy included ocular pain, difficulty sleeping, and continued corneal thinning. CONCLUSION: The results provide modest support for the use of cenegermin in pediatric patients with neurotrophic keratopathy. The primary benefit was an improvement in corneal epithelial stability. Clinicians should be aware that pre-existing corneal scarring in NK may significantly limit the ability of cenegermin alone to improve visual acuity, and should closely monitor the corneal epithelial status during therapy in pediatric patients.

Improving the assessment and documentation of patient mobility using a quality improvement framework.

OBJECTIVE: To implement a system for assessing and documenting patient mobility in an inpatient geriatric unit using a quality improvement framework. METHODS: Whiteboards incorporating the Johns Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility scale were placed on each door of the unit. Staff were trained to assess and document patient mobility, and documentation compliance was measured. Nurses were surveyed to assess perceived burden of the system. Fall rates were calculated and analyzed for change from baseline. RESULTS: Median daily documentation rates reached 79% by the end of the project. Surveys indicated a low perceived burden of the system. Fall rates did not increase when compared to the previous year baseline (p = 0.80) and the analogous time frames during the previous two years (p = 0.84). CONCLUSION: A quality improvement framework may be used to improve mobility assessment and documentation in a geriatric unit without increasing patient falls or nursing burden.

Obesity is Associated with Longer Survival Independent of Sarcopenia and Myosteatosis in Metastatic and/or Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: Obesity (body mass index 30 kg/m2 or greater) is associated with better overall survival in metastatic prostate cancer. Conversely, low muscle mass (sarcopenia) and low muscle radiodensity (myosteatosis) are associated with worse overall survival in many cancers. This study seeks to evaluate the relationship of sarcopenia, myosteatosis and obesity with overall survival in men with metastatic or castrate-resistant prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of men with metastatic or castrate-resistant prostate cancer and computerized tomography of abdomen/pelvis presenting to the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Clinic from 2012 to 2017 was performed. Demographic, pathological and survival data were described, with sarcopenia and myosteatosis determined from abdominal skeletal muscle area and skeletal muscle radiodensity, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests estimated the effect of body composition on survival. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were performed adjusting for age, Charlson comorbidity index, race and clinical stage. ANOVA was used to compare obese and nonobese men with and without sarcopenia or myosteatosis. RESULTS: Of 182 men accrued, 37.4% were obese, 53.3% sarcopenic and 59.3% myosteatotic. Over a median followup of 33.9 months, body mass index was associated with reduced mortality (HR 0.93, p=0.02), as was visceral adiposity (HR 0.99, p=0.003). Men with high body mass index without sarcopenia/myosteatosis lived significantly longer than men with high body mass index with sarcopenia/myosteatosis or normal body mass index men (F[3,91]=4.03, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both high body mass index and visceral adiposity in metastatic or castrate-resistant prostate cancer are associated with reduced mortality, independent of sarcopenia and myosteatosis. Therefore, routine clinical workup should include calculation of body mass index and measurement of waist circumference. Morphometric analysis of computerized tomography imaging can identify patients at risk for poor prognosis.

Impact of High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy Training via Telehealth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to demonstrate the efficacy of a telehealth training course on high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for gynecologic cancer treatment for clinicians in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: A 12-week course consisting of 16 live video sessions was offered to 10 cancer centers in the Middle East, Africa, and Nepal. A total of 46 participants joined the course, and 22 participants, on average, attended each session. Radiation oncologists and medical physicists from 11 US and international institutions prepared and provided lectures for each topic covered in the course. Confidence surveys of 15 practical competencies were administered to participants before and after the course. Competencies focused on HDR commissioning, shielding, treatment planning, radiobiology, and applicators. Pre- and post-program surveys of provider confidence, measured by 5-point Likert scale, were administered and compared. RESULTS: Forty-six participants, including seven chief medical physicists, 16 senior medical physicists, five radiation oncologists, and three dosimetrists, representing nine countries attended education sessions. Reported confidence scores, both aggregate and paired, demonstrated increases in confidence in all 15 competencies. Post-curriculum score improvement was statistically significant (P < .05) for paired respondents in 11 of 15 domains. Absolute improvements were largest for confidence in applicator commissioning (2.3 to 3.8, P = .009), treatment planning system commissioning (2.2 to 3.9, P = .0055), and commissioning an HDR machine (2.2 to 4.0, P = .0031). Overall confidence in providing HDR brachytherapy services safely and teaching other providers increased from 3.1 to 3.8 and 3.0 to 3.5, respectively. CONCLUSION: A 12-week, low-cost telehealth training program on HDR brachytherapy improved confidence in treatment delivery and teaching for clinicians in 10 participating LMICs.

Pressure-Induced Alterations in PEDF and PEDF-R Expression: Implications for Neuroprotective Signaling in Glaucoma.

INTRODUCTION: Alterations in neuron-glia signaling are implicated in glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. Pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) is a secreted protein with potential neuroprotective qualities in retinal disease, including chronic ocular hypertension. Here we sought to determine whether moderate, short-term elevations in IOP alter PEDF signaling and whether pressure-induced PEDF signaling directly impacts RGC apoptosis. METHODS: In retina from naïve mice and mice with unilateral, microbead-induced glaucoma, we examined expression and cell type-specific localization of PEDF and its receptor (PEDF-R), using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Using primary cultures of purified RGCs and Müller cells, we examined cell type-specific expression of PEDF in response to 48 hours of elevated hydrostatic pressure, using multiplex ELISA and immunocytochemistry. We also measured pressure-induced apoptosis of RGCs in the presence or absence of atglistatin, a potent and selective inhibitor of PEDF-R, and recombinant PEDF, using TUNEL assays. RESULTS: PEDF and PEDF-R are constitutively expressed in naïve retina, primarily in the ganglion cell and nerve fiber layers. Elevated IOP increases PEDF and PEDF-R expression, particularly associated with RGCs and Müller cells. Elevated pressure in vitro increased PEDF secretion by 6-fold in RGCs and trended towards an increase in expression by Müller cells, as compared to ambient pressure. This was accompanied by changes in the subcellular localization of PEDF-R in both cell types. Inhibition of PEDF signaling with atglistatin increased pressure-induced apoptosis in RGCs and treatment with recombinant PEDF inhibited pressure-induced apoptosis, both in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that moderate, short-term elevations in IOP promote PEDF signaling via up-regulation of both PEDF and PEDF-R. Based on in vivo and in vitro studies, this PEDF signaling likely arises from both Müller cells and RGCs, and has the potential to directly inhibit RGC apoptosis.