GTMRx News Brief Archive

Practice Transformation Technology, pharma connect for better outcomes As technology takes on a larger role in development and delivery of new medications, the strength of collaboration between two formerly distinct worlds is critical. Shared goals and genuine mutual respect form the nexus of success, say panelists at the Health 2.0 conference in Helsinki last week. “Building partnerships is the way to start meeting real patient needs instead of pharma needs. … Now it is about getting the right drugs to…

Practice Transformation Past ONC chiefs support proposed health IT regs Six people who formerly served as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology unanimously support proposed new regulations for better health IT interoperability and simpler patient access to their records. In an open letter published in HealthAffairs, they endorse rapid advancement of application programming interfaces (APIs) and an API framework to enable standardized, safe, easier data extraction. Such a framework will boost development of software to support care coordination across the health…

Practice Transformation VA on path to cure 100,000 of Hep C Dr. David Shulkin, former secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, counts the successful program to cure hepatitis C in the veteran population as one of the VA’s big successes. The program used a team approach with clinical pharmacists in the lead to identify, proactively reach out to and treat more than 100,000 veterans with a new medication therapy. (Medium; VA announcement) Vigilance required to manage meds for older patients…

Practice Transformation Prescription use drops slightly The percentage of Americans who take any prescription drug has dropped slightly, according to new numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers say the slight drop—from 48.3% to 45.8%--may represent a “decline in the use of inappropriate or ineffective therapies.” Prescription drug use varies by gender and age; while boys are more likely to take prescriptions than girls when they’re under age 12, adult women are more likely to take…

Practice Transformation Med school will emphasize data-driven care Kaiser Permanente’s high-tech school of medicine will emphasize team-based care informed by data. The school, planned to open in 2020, will incorporate the latest 3-D and touch-interface simulation technology, but students will also begin hands-on experience the first year in clinics, community health centers and hospitals. "Teaching physicians new and collaborative ways to practice medicine is critical to ensuring high-quality care in the future," says Edward Ellison, executive sponsor and board member…

Practice Transformation 250,000 vets will get genetic testing  Individual patients may break down or metabolize medications differently, affecting how certain ones work in some people and don’t work well in others. Genetic tests reveal those factors precisely, pointing doctors to the best medication or treatment regimen. The Department of Veterans Affairs will start offering veterans who are cancer patients the tests to inform their treatment, thanks to a $25 million grant from Denny Sanford and matched by Sanford Health. Up…