The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States was identified in Washington state in late January 2020. As of mid-April 2020, the number of US cases has increased to more than 800,000 with over 40,000 deaths. The limited available knowledge to guide medical decision-making combined with rapid progression of the pandemic has resulted in an urgent need to better define clinical, radiologic, and laboratory features of the disease, predictors of disease progression, predominant modes of transmission, and effective treatments. This urgency has led to a flood of manuscript submissions, which strains the scientific vetting process and leads to the spread of medical misinformation and potential for serious harm. As an example, a small observational (noncontrolled) study that used an antimalarial drug to treat COVID-19 patients was touted by several national leaders as proof of its effectiveness, despite substantial methodologic limitations.^1,2 While the article has not yet been retracted, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the publishing journal’s society sponsor, subsequently issued a statement that “the article does not meet the Society’s expected standard.”³

With these concerns in mind, we recognize the importance of addressing the current pandemic and identifying areas where we can advance the field responsibly in the face of limited evidence in a rapidly evolving situation. Hospitalists throughout the world are facing unprecedented leadership challenges, navigating ethical stressors, and redesigning their care systems while learning rapidly and adapting nimbly. In this issue, we share leadership strategies, explore ethical challenges and controversies, describe successful practices, and provide personal reflections from a diverse group of hospitalists and leaders. As a journal, we have intentionally avoided rapid publication of articles with substantial methodologic limitations that are unlikely to advance our knowledge of COVID-19 even though such articles may generate substantial media coverage. Different regions of the country are at different stages of the pandemic; some hospitals are experiencing high patient volumes and struggling with shortages of equipment and supplies, while others are weeks away from peak disease activity or have avoided periods of high prevalence altogether. These varied experiences offer an opportunity to share our learnings and perspectives as we wait for more definitive evidence on best management practices. As part of our commitment to our colleagues in healthcare and to the broader scientific community, all Journal of Hospital Medicine articles related to COVID-19 and published during the pandemic will be open access (ie, freely accessible).

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States was identified in Washington state in late January 2020. As of mid-April 2020, the number of US cases has increased to more than 800,000 with over 40,000 deaths. The limited available knowledge to guide medical decision-making combined with rapid progression of the pandemic has resulted in an urgent need to better define clinical, radiologic, and laboratory features of the disease, predictors of disease progression, predominant modes of transmission, and effective treatments. This urgency has led to a flood of manuscript submissions, which strains the scientific vetting process and leads to the spread of medical misinformation and potential for serious harm. As an example, a small observational (noncontrolled) study that used an antimalarial drug to treat COVID-19 patients was touted by several national leaders as proof of its effectiveness, despite substantial methodologic limitations.^1,2 While the article has not yet been retracted, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the publishing journal’s society sponsor, subsequently issued a statement that “the article does not meet the Society’s expected standard.”³

With these concerns in mind, we recognize the importance of addressing the current pandemic and identifying areas where we can advance the field responsibly in the face of limited evidence in a rapidly evolving situation. Hospitalists throughout the world are facing unprecedented leadership challenges, navigating ethical stressors, and redesigning their care systems while learning rapidly and adapting nimbly. In this issue, we share leadership strategies, explore ethical challenges and controversies, describe successful practices, and provide personal reflections from a diverse group of hospitalists and leaders. As a journal, we have intentionally avoided rapid publication of articles with substantial methodologic limitations that are unlikely to advance our knowledge of COVID-19 even though such articles may generate substantial media coverage. Different regions of the country are at different stages of the pandemic; some hospitals are experiencing high patient volumes and struggling with shortages of equipment and supplies, while others are weeks away from peak disease activity or have avoided periods of high prevalence altogether. These varied experiences offer an opportunity to share our learnings and perspectives as we wait for more definitive evidence on best management practices. As part of our commitment to our colleagues in healthcare and to the broader scientific community, all Journal of Hospital Medicine articles related to COVID-19 and published during the pandemic will be open access (ie, freely accessible).

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States was identified in Washington state in late January 2020. As of mid-April 2020, the number of US cases has increased to more than 800,000 with over 40,000 deaths. The limited available knowledge to guide medical decision-making combined with rapid progression of the pandemic has resulted in an urgent need to better define clinical, radiologic, and laboratory features of the disease, predictors of disease progression, predominant modes of transmission, and effective treatments. This urgency has led to a flood of manuscript submissions, which strains the scientific vetting process and leads to the spread of medical misinformation and potential for serious harm. As an example, a small observational (noncontrolled) study that used an antimalarial drug to treat COVID-19 patients was touted by several national leaders as proof of its effectiveness, despite substantial methodologic limitations.^1,2 While the article has not yet been retracted, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the publishing journal’s society sponsor, subsequently issued a statement that “the article does not meet the Society’s expected standard.”³

With these concerns in mind, we recognize the importance of addressing the current pandemic and identifying areas where we can advance the field responsibly in the face of limited evidence in a rapidly evolving situation. Hospitalists throughout the world are facing unprecedented leadership challenges, navigating ethical stressors, and redesigning their care systems while learning rapidly and adapting nimbly. In this issue, we share leadership strategies, explore ethical challenges and controversies, describe successful practices, and provide personal reflections from a diverse group of hospitalists and leaders. As a journal, we have intentionally avoided rapid publication of articles with substantial methodologic limitations that are unlikely to advance our knowledge of COVID-19 even though such articles may generate substantial media coverage. Different regions of the country are at different stages of the pandemic; some hospitals are experiencing high patient volumes and struggling with shortages of equipment and supplies, while others are weeks away from peak disease activity or have avoided periods of high prevalence altogether. These varied experiences offer an opportunity to share our learnings and perspectives as we wait for more definitive evidence on best management practices. As part of our commitment to our colleagues in healthcare and to the broader scientific community, all Journal of Hospital Medicine articles related to COVID-19 and published during the pandemic will be open access (ie, freely accessible).

A consensus statement from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) outlines recommendations for a systematic approach for the care of patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains the standard of care for patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) at PCI-capable hospitals when it can be provided in a timely fashion in a dedicated cardiac catheterization laboratory with an expert care team wearing personal protection equipment (PPE), the writing group advised.

“A fibrinolysis-based strategy may be entertained at non-PCI capable referral hospitals or in specific situations where primary PCI cannot be executed or is not deemed the best option,” they said.

SCAI President Ehtisham Mahmud, MD, of the University of California, San Diego, and the writing group also said that clinicians should recognize that cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 are “complex” in patients presenting with AMI, myocarditis simulating a STEMI, stress cardiomyopathy, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary spasm, or nonspecific myocardial injury.

A “broad differential diagnosis for ST elevations (including COVID-associated myocarditis) should be considered in the ED prior to choosing a reperfusion strategy,” they advised.

In the absence of hemodynamic instability or ongoing ischemic symptoms, non-STEMI patients with known or suspected COVID-19 are best managed with an initial medical stabilization strategy, the group said.

They also said it is “imperative that health care workers use appropriate PPE for all invasive procedures during this pandemic” and that new rapid COVID-19 testing be “expeditiously” disseminated to all hospitals that manage patients with AMI.

Major challenges are that the prevalence of the COVID-19 in the United States remains unknown and there is the risk for asymptomatic spread.

The writing group said it’s “critical” to “inform the public that we can minimize exposure to the coronavirus so they can continue to call the Emergency Medical System (EMS) for acute ischemic heart disease symptoms and therefore get the appropriate level of cardiac care that their presentation warrants.”

This research had no commercial funding. Dr. Mahmud reported receiving clinical trial research support from Corindus, Abbott Vascular, and CSI; consulting with Medtronic; and consulting and equity with Abiomed. A complete list of author disclosures is included with the original article.

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

A consensus statement from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) outlines recommendations for a systematic approach for the care of patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains the standard of care for patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) at PCI-capable hospitals when it can be provided in a timely fashion in a dedicated cardiac catheterization laboratory with an expert care team wearing personal protection equipment (PPE), the writing group advised.

“A fibrinolysis-based strategy may be entertained at non-PCI capable referral hospitals or in specific situations where primary PCI cannot be executed or is not deemed the best option,” they said.

SCAI President Ehtisham Mahmud, MD, of the University of California, San Diego, and the writing group also said that clinicians should recognize that cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 are “complex” in patients presenting with AMI, myocarditis simulating a STEMI, stress cardiomyopathy, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary spasm, or nonspecific myocardial injury.

A “broad differential diagnosis for ST elevations (including COVID-associated myocarditis) should be considered in the ED prior to choosing a reperfusion strategy,” they advised.

In the absence of hemodynamic instability or ongoing ischemic symptoms, non-STEMI patients with known or suspected COVID-19 are best managed with an initial medical stabilization strategy, the group said.

They also said it is “imperative that health care workers use appropriate PPE for all invasive procedures during this pandemic” and that new rapid COVID-19 testing be “expeditiously” disseminated to all hospitals that manage patients with AMI.

Major challenges are that the prevalence of the COVID-19 in the United States remains unknown and there is the risk for asymptomatic spread.

The writing group said it’s “critical” to “inform the public that we can minimize exposure to the coronavirus so they can continue to call the Emergency Medical System (EMS) for acute ischemic heart disease symptoms and therefore get the appropriate level of cardiac care that their presentation warrants.”

This research had no commercial funding. Dr. Mahmud reported receiving clinical trial research support from Corindus, Abbott Vascular, and CSI; consulting with Medtronic; and consulting and equity with Abiomed. A complete list of author disclosures is included with the original article.

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

A consensus statement from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) outlines recommendations for a systematic approach for the care of patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains the standard of care for patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) at PCI-capable hospitals when it can be provided in a timely fashion in a dedicated cardiac catheterization laboratory with an expert care team wearing personal protection equipment (PPE), the writing group advised.

“A fibrinolysis-based strategy may be entertained at non-PCI capable referral hospitals or in specific situations where primary PCI cannot be executed or is not deemed the best option,” they said.

SCAI President Ehtisham Mahmud, MD, of the University of California, San Diego, and the writing group also said that clinicians should recognize that cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 are “complex” in patients presenting with AMI, myocarditis simulating a STEMI, stress cardiomyopathy, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary spasm, or nonspecific myocardial injury.

A “broad differential diagnosis for ST elevations (including COVID-associated myocarditis) should be considered in the ED prior to choosing a reperfusion strategy,” they advised.

In the absence of hemodynamic instability or ongoing ischemic symptoms, non-STEMI patients with known or suspected COVID-19 are best managed with an initial medical stabilization strategy, the group said.

They also said it is “imperative that health care workers use appropriate PPE for all invasive procedures during this pandemic” and that new rapid COVID-19 testing be “expeditiously” disseminated to all hospitals that manage patients with AMI.

Major challenges are that the prevalence of the COVID-19 in the United States remains unknown and there is the risk for asymptomatic spread.

The writing group said it’s “critical” to “inform the public that we can minimize exposure to the coronavirus so they can continue to call the Emergency Medical System (EMS) for acute ischemic heart disease symptoms and therefore get the appropriate level of cardiac care that their presentation warrants.”

This research had no commercial funding. Dr. Mahmud reported receiving clinical trial research support from Corindus, Abbott Vascular, and CSI; consulting with Medtronic; and consulting and equity with Abiomed. A complete list of author disclosures is included with the original article.

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

Background: Federal health system programs, including TRICARE for military personnel, spent $259 million in 2013 and $746 million in 2014 for compounded analgesic medications despite a dearth of efficacy data. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy and functional impact of this class of medications for chronic localized pain.

The primary outcome was the average pain score at 1 month follow-up, based on self-recorded arithmetic mean pain scores in the preceding week. Secondary outcomes included mean worst pain over the past week, functional improvement (assessed by validated Short-Form 36 Health Survey scores), and satisfaction (measured on a 1 to 5 Likert scale) with the individual treatment regimen.

Patients had small improvements in average pain scores at 1 month in the compounded formulation and placebo subgroups in all pain type categories. No significant differences were noted in the average pain scores compared to baseline, functional improvement or satisfaction in the compounded formulation and placebo groups of the total cohort or in any of the subgroups.

Bottom line: Compounded topical analgesics are costly and ineffective in the treatment of all types of chronic localized pain.

Citation: Brutcher RE et al. Compounded topical pain creams to treat localized chronic pain. Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(5):309-18.

Dr. Lambert is a hospital medicine clinician and addiction medicine specialist in the division of hospital medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Background: Federal health system programs, including TRICARE for military personnel, spent $259 million in 2013 and $746 million in 2014 for compounded analgesic medications despite a dearth of efficacy data. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy and functional impact of this class of medications for chronic localized pain.

The primary outcome was the average pain score at 1 month follow-up, based on self-recorded arithmetic mean pain scores in the preceding week. Secondary outcomes included mean worst pain over the past week, functional improvement (assessed by validated Short-Form 36 Health Survey scores), and satisfaction (measured on a 1 to 5 Likert scale) with the individual treatment regimen.

Patients had small improvements in average pain scores at 1 month in the compounded formulation and placebo subgroups in all pain type categories. No significant differences were noted in the average pain scores compared to baseline, functional improvement or satisfaction in the compounded formulation and placebo groups of the total cohort or in any of the subgroups.

Bottom line: Compounded topical analgesics are costly and ineffective in the treatment of all types of chronic localized pain.

Citation: Brutcher RE et al. Compounded topical pain creams to treat localized chronic pain. Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(5):309-18.

Dr. Lambert is a hospital medicine clinician and addiction medicine specialist in the division of hospital medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Background: Federal health system programs, including TRICARE for military personnel, spent $259 million in 2013 and $746 million in 2014 for compounded analgesic medications despite a dearth of efficacy data. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy and functional impact of this class of medications for chronic localized pain.

The primary outcome was the average pain score at 1 month follow-up, based on self-recorded arithmetic mean pain scores in the preceding week. Secondary outcomes included mean worst pain over the past week, functional improvement (assessed by validated Short-Form 36 Health Survey scores), and satisfaction (measured on a 1 to 5 Likert scale) with the individual treatment regimen.

Patients had small improvements in average pain scores at 1 month in the compounded formulation and placebo subgroups in all pain type categories. No significant differences were noted in the average pain scores compared to baseline, functional improvement or satisfaction in the compounded formulation and placebo groups of the total cohort or in any of the subgroups.

Bottom line: Compounded topical analgesics are costly and ineffective in the treatment of all types of chronic localized pain.

Citation: Brutcher RE et al. Compounded topical pain creams to treat localized chronic pain. Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(5):309-18.

Dr. Lambert is a hospital medicine clinician and addiction medicine specialist in the division of hospital medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

A new advocacy organization is launching on April 28 to give “every physician” a voice in decisions that affect their professional lives. But this group doesn’t intend to use the top-down approach to decision making seen in many medical societies.

Paul Teirstein, MD, chief of cardiology for Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif., and founder of the new organization United Physicians, said in an interviewit is a nonprofit group that will operate through online participation.

He said the intention is to use online voting and discussions among physicians across specialties to advocate for more and better legislation on pressing issues for their profession and, as noted on the group’s website, “protect the physician-patient relationship.”

Projects would need the support of a two-thirds majority of United Physicians’ members to proceed with any proposals. Meetings will be held publicly online, Dr. Teirstein explained.

There is a need for a broad-based organization that will respond to the voice of practicing physicians rather than dictate legislative priorities from management ranks, he said.

Dr. Teirstein said he learned how challenging it is to bring physicians together on issues in 2014 in his battles against changes in maintenance of certification rules. The result of his efforts was the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS), set up to provide a means of certification different from the one offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Teirstein has argued that the approach of ABIM unfairly burdened physicians with a stepped-up schedule of testing and relied on an outdated approach to the practice of medicine.

Physicians busy with their practices feel they lack a unified voice in contesting the growing administrative burden and unproductive federal and state policies, Dr. Teirstein said.

He cited the limited enrollment in the largest physician groups as evidence of how disenfranchised many clinicians feel. There are about 1 million professional active physicians in the United States, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. Yet, even the largest physician group, the American Medical Association, has about 250,000 members, according to its 2018 annual report

“Clearly, most physicians believe they have little voice when it comes to health care decisions,” Dr. Teirstein said. “Our physician associations are governed from the top down. The leaders set the agenda. There may be delegates, but does leadership really listen to the delegates? Do the delegates really listen to the physician community?”

On its website, AMA describes itself as “physicians’ powerful ally in patient care” that works with more than 190 state and specialty medical societies. In recent months, James L. Madara, MD, the group’s chief executive officer, has urged governors to remove obstacles for physicians who want to fill workforce gaps in COVID-19 hot spots, among other actions.

In its annual report, the AMA, which declined to comment for this article, said its membership rose by 3.4% in 2018, double the growth rate of the previous year, thanks to a membership drive.

“The campaign celebrates the powerful work of our physician members and showcases how their individual efforts – along with the AMA – are moving medicine forward,” wrote Dr. Madara and other organization leaders in the report.

What Dr. Teirstein proposes is an inversion of the structure used by other medical societies, in which he says leaders and delegates dictate priorities.

United Physicians will use meetings and votes held by members online to decide which projects to pursue. Fees would be kept nominal, likely about $10 a year, depending on the number of members. Fees would be subject to change on the basis of expenses. The AMA has a sliding fee schedule that tops out with annual dues for physicians in regular practice of $420.

“There are no delegates, no representatives, and no board of directors. We want every physician to join and every physician to vote on every issue,” Dr. Teirstein said.

He stressed that he sees United Physicians as being complementary to the AMA.

“We do not compete with other organizations. Ideally, other organizations will use the platform,” Dr. Teirstein said. “If the AMA is considering a new policy, it can use the United Physicians platform to measure physician support. For example, through online discussions, petitions, and voting, it might learn a proposed policy needs a few tweaks to be accepted by most physicians.”

No compensation

Dr. Teirstein is among physician leaders who in recent years have sought to rally their colleagues to fight back against growing administrative burdens.

In a 2015 article in JAMA that was written with Medscape’s editor in chief, Eric Topol, MD, Dr. Teirstein criticized the ABIM’s drive to have physicians complete tests every 2 years and participate in continuous certification instead of recertifying once a decade, as had been the practice.

Dr. Teirstein formed the NBPAS as an alternative path for certification, with Dr. Topol serving on the board for that organization. Dr. Topol also will serve as a member of the advisory board for Teirstein’s United Physicians.

Dr. Topol wrote an article that appeared in the New Yorker last August that argued for physicians to move beyond the confines of medical societies and seek a path for broad-based activism. He said he intended to challenge medical societies, which, for all the good they do, can sometimes lose focus on that core relationship in favor of the bottom line.

Dr. Topol said in an interview that his colleague’s new project is a “good idea for a democratized platform at a time when physician solidarity is needed more than ever.”

Dr. Teirstein plans to run United Physicians on a volunteer basis. This builds on the approach he has used for NBPAS. He and the directors of the NBPAS will receive no compensation, he said, as was confirmed by the NBPAS.

In contrast, Dr. Madara made about $2.5 million in total compensation for 2018, according to the organization’s Internal Revenue Service filing. Physicians who served as trustees and officials for the AMA that year received annual compensation that ranged from around $60,000 to $291,980, depending on their duties.

“Having volunteer leadership mitigates conflict of interest. It also ensures leadership has a ‘day job’ that keeps them in touch with issues impacting practicing physicians,” Dr. Teirstein said

Start-up costs for United Physicians will be supported by NBPAS, but it will function as a completely independent organization, he added.

In introducing the group, Dr. Teirstein outlined suggestions for proposals it might pursue. These include making hospitals secure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment ahead of health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

His outline also includes suggestions for issues that likely will persist beyond the response to the pandemic.

Dr. Teirstein proposed a project for persuading insurance companies to provide online calendar appointments for peer-to-peer patient preauthorization. Failure of the insurer’s representative to attend would trigger approval of authorization under this proposal. He also suggested a lobbying effort for specific reimbursement for peer-to-peer, patient preauthorization phone calls.

Dr. Teirstein said he hopes most of the proposals will come from physicians who join United Physicians. Still, it is unclear whether United Physicians will succeed. An initial challenge could be in sorting through a barrage of competing ideas submitted to United Physicians.

But Dr. Teirstein appears hopeful about the changes for this experiment in online advocacy. He intends for United Physicians to be a pathway for clinicians to translate their complaints about policies into calls for action, with only a short investment of their time.

“Most of us have wonderful, engrossing jobs. It’s hard to beat helping a patient, and most of us get to do it every day,” Dr. .Teirstein said. “Will we take the 30 seconds required to sign up and become a United Physicians member? Will we spend a little time each week reviewing the issues and voting? I think it’s an experiment worth watching.”

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

A new advocacy organization is launching on April 28 to give “every physician” a voice in decisions that affect their professional lives. But this group doesn’t intend to use the top-down approach to decision making seen in many medical societies.

Paul Teirstein, MD, chief of cardiology for Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif., and founder of the new organization United Physicians, said in an interviewit is a nonprofit group that will operate through online participation.

He said the intention is to use online voting and discussions among physicians across specialties to advocate for more and better legislation on pressing issues for their profession and, as noted on the group’s website, “protect the physician-patient relationship.”

Projects would need the support of a two-thirds majority of United Physicians’ members to proceed with any proposals. Meetings will be held publicly online, Dr. Teirstein explained.

There is a need for a broad-based organization that will respond to the voice of practicing physicians rather than dictate legislative priorities from management ranks, he said.

Dr. Teirstein said he learned how challenging it is to bring physicians together on issues in 2014 in his battles against changes in maintenance of certification rules. The result of his efforts was the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS), set up to provide a means of certification different from the one offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Teirstein has argued that the approach of ABIM unfairly burdened physicians with a stepped-up schedule of testing and relied on an outdated approach to the practice of medicine.

Physicians busy with their practices feel they lack a unified voice in contesting the growing administrative burden and unproductive federal and state policies, Dr. Teirstein said.

He cited the limited enrollment in the largest physician groups as evidence of how disenfranchised many clinicians feel. There are about 1 million professional active physicians in the United States, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. Yet, even the largest physician group, the American Medical Association, has about 250,000 members, according to its 2018 annual report

“Clearly, most physicians believe they have little voice when it comes to health care decisions,” Dr. Teirstein said. “Our physician associations are governed from the top down. The leaders set the agenda. There may be delegates, but does leadership really listen to the delegates? Do the delegates really listen to the physician community?”

On its website, AMA describes itself as “physicians’ powerful ally in patient care” that works with more than 190 state and specialty medical societies. In recent months, James L. Madara, MD, the group’s chief executive officer, has urged governors to remove obstacles for physicians who want to fill workforce gaps in COVID-19 hot spots, among other actions.

In its annual report, the AMA, which declined to comment for this article, said its membership rose by 3.4% in 2018, double the growth rate of the previous year, thanks to a membership drive.

“The campaign celebrates the powerful work of our physician members and showcases how their individual efforts – along with the AMA – are moving medicine forward,” wrote Dr. Madara and other organization leaders in the report.

What Dr. Teirstein proposes is an inversion of the structure used by other medical societies, in which he says leaders and delegates dictate priorities.

United Physicians will use meetings and votes held by members online to decide which projects to pursue. Fees would be kept nominal, likely about $10 a year, depending on the number of members. Fees would be subject to change on the basis of expenses. The AMA has a sliding fee schedule that tops out with annual dues for physicians in regular practice of $420.

“There are no delegates, no representatives, and no board of directors. We want every physician to join and every physician to vote on every issue,” Dr. Teirstein said.

He stressed that he sees United Physicians as being complementary to the AMA.

“We do not compete with other organizations. Ideally, other organizations will use the platform,” Dr. Teirstein said. “If the AMA is considering a new policy, it can use the United Physicians platform to measure physician support. For example, through online discussions, petitions, and voting, it might learn a proposed policy needs a few tweaks to be accepted by most physicians.”

No compensation

Dr. Teirstein is among physician leaders who in recent years have sought to rally their colleagues to fight back against growing administrative burdens.

In a 2015 article in JAMA that was written with Medscape’s editor in chief, Eric Topol, MD, Dr. Teirstein criticized the ABIM’s drive to have physicians complete tests every 2 years and participate in continuous certification instead of recertifying once a decade, as had been the practice.

Dr. Teirstein formed the NBPAS as an alternative path for certification, with Dr. Topol serving on the board for that organization. Dr. Topol also will serve as a member of the advisory board for Teirstein’s United Physicians.

Dr. Topol wrote an article that appeared in the New Yorker last August that argued for physicians to move beyond the confines of medical societies and seek a path for broad-based activism. He said he intended to challenge medical societies, which, for all the good they do, can sometimes lose focus on that core relationship in favor of the bottom line.

Dr. Topol said in an interview that his colleague’s new project is a “good idea for a democratized platform at a time when physician solidarity is needed more than ever.”

Dr. Teirstein plans to run United Physicians on a volunteer basis. This builds on the approach he has used for NBPAS. He and the directors of the NBPAS will receive no compensation, he said, as was confirmed by the NBPAS.

In contrast, Dr. Madara made about $2.5 million in total compensation for 2018, according to the organization’s Internal Revenue Service filing. Physicians who served as trustees and officials for the AMA that year received annual compensation that ranged from around $60,000 to $291,980, depending on their duties.

“Having volunteer leadership mitigates conflict of interest. It also ensures leadership has a ‘day job’ that keeps them in touch with issues impacting practicing physicians,” Dr. Teirstein said

Start-up costs for United Physicians will be supported by NBPAS, but it will function as a completely independent organization, he added.

In introducing the group, Dr. Teirstein outlined suggestions for proposals it might pursue. These include making hospitals secure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment ahead of health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

His outline also includes suggestions for issues that likely will persist beyond the response to the pandemic.

Dr. Teirstein proposed a project for persuading insurance companies to provide online calendar appointments for peer-to-peer patient preauthorization. Failure of the insurer’s representative to attend would trigger approval of authorization under this proposal. He also suggested a lobbying effort for specific reimbursement for peer-to-peer, patient preauthorization phone calls.

Dr. Teirstein said he hopes most of the proposals will come from physicians who join United Physicians. Still, it is unclear whether United Physicians will succeed. An initial challenge could be in sorting through a barrage of competing ideas submitted to United Physicians.

But Dr. Teirstein appears hopeful about the changes for this experiment in online advocacy. He intends for United Physicians to be a pathway for clinicians to translate their complaints about policies into calls for action, with only a short investment of their time.

“Most of us have wonderful, engrossing jobs. It’s hard to beat helping a patient, and most of us get to do it every day,” Dr. .Teirstein said. “Will we take the 30 seconds required to sign up and become a United Physicians member? Will we spend a little time each week reviewing the issues and voting? I think it’s an experiment worth watching.”

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

A new advocacy organization is launching on April 28 to give “every physician” a voice in decisions that affect their professional lives. But this group doesn’t intend to use the top-down approach to decision making seen in many medical societies.

Paul Teirstein, MD, chief of cardiology for Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif., and founder of the new organization United Physicians, said in an interviewit is a nonprofit group that will operate through online participation.

He said the intention is to use online voting and discussions among physicians across specialties to advocate for more and better legislation on pressing issues for their profession and, as noted on the group’s website, “protect the physician-patient relationship.”

Projects would need the support of a two-thirds majority of United Physicians’ members to proceed with any proposals. Meetings will be held publicly online, Dr. Teirstein explained.

There is a need for a broad-based organization that will respond to the voice of practicing physicians rather than dictate legislative priorities from management ranks, he said.

Dr. Teirstein said he learned how challenging it is to bring physicians together on issues in 2014 in his battles against changes in maintenance of certification rules. The result of his efforts was the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS), set up to provide a means of certification different from the one offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Teirstein has argued that the approach of ABIM unfairly burdened physicians with a stepped-up schedule of testing and relied on an outdated approach to the practice of medicine.

Physicians busy with their practices feel they lack a unified voice in contesting the growing administrative burden and unproductive federal and state policies, Dr. Teirstein said.

He cited the limited enrollment in the largest physician groups as evidence of how disenfranchised many clinicians feel. There are about 1 million professional active physicians in the United States, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. Yet, even the largest physician group, the American Medical Association, has about 250,000 members, according to its 2018 annual report

“Clearly, most physicians believe they have little voice when it comes to health care decisions,” Dr. Teirstein said. “Our physician associations are governed from the top down. The leaders set the agenda. There may be delegates, but does leadership really listen to the delegates? Do the delegates really listen to the physician community?”

On its website, AMA describes itself as “physicians’ powerful ally in patient care” that works with more than 190 state and specialty medical societies. In recent months, James L. Madara, MD, the group’s chief executive officer, has urged governors to remove obstacles for physicians who want to fill workforce gaps in COVID-19 hot spots, among other actions.

In its annual report, the AMA, which declined to comment for this article, said its membership rose by 3.4% in 2018, double the growth rate of the previous year, thanks to a membership drive.

“The campaign celebrates the powerful work of our physician members and showcases how their individual efforts – along with the AMA – are moving medicine forward,” wrote Dr. Madara and other organization leaders in the report.

What Dr. Teirstein proposes is an inversion of the structure used by other medical societies, in which he says leaders and delegates dictate priorities.

United Physicians will use meetings and votes held by members online to decide which projects to pursue. Fees would be kept nominal, likely about $10 a year, depending on the number of members. Fees would be subject to change on the basis of expenses. The AMA has a sliding fee schedule that tops out with annual dues for physicians in regular practice of $420.

“There are no delegates, no representatives, and no board of directors. We want every physician to join and every physician to vote on every issue,” Dr. Teirstein said.

He stressed that he sees United Physicians as being complementary to the AMA.

“We do not compete with other organizations. Ideally, other organizations will use the platform,” Dr. Teirstein said. “If the AMA is considering a new policy, it can use the United Physicians platform to measure physician support. For example, through online discussions, petitions, and voting, it might learn a proposed policy needs a few tweaks to be accepted by most physicians.”

No compensation

Dr. Teirstein is among physician leaders who in recent years have sought to rally their colleagues to fight back against growing administrative burdens.

In a 2015 article in JAMA that was written with Medscape’s editor in chief, Eric Topol, MD, Dr. Teirstein criticized the ABIM’s drive to have physicians complete tests every 2 years and participate in continuous certification instead of recertifying once a decade, as had been the practice.

Dr. Teirstein formed the NBPAS as an alternative path for certification, with Dr. Topol serving on the board for that organization. Dr. Topol also will serve as a member of the advisory board for Teirstein’s United Physicians.

Dr. Topol wrote an article that appeared in the New Yorker last August that argued for physicians to move beyond the confines of medical societies and seek a path for broad-based activism. He said he intended to challenge medical societies, which, for all the good they do, can sometimes lose focus on that core relationship in favor of the bottom line.

Dr. Topol said in an interview that his colleague’s new project is a “good idea for a democratized platform at a time when physician solidarity is needed more than ever.”

Dr. Teirstein plans to run United Physicians on a volunteer basis. This builds on the approach he has used for NBPAS. He and the directors of the NBPAS will receive no compensation, he said, as was confirmed by the NBPAS.

In contrast, Dr. Madara made about $2.5 million in total compensation for 2018, according to the organization’s Internal Revenue Service filing. Physicians who served as trustees and officials for the AMA that year received annual compensation that ranged from around $60,000 to $291,980, depending on their duties.

“Having volunteer leadership mitigates conflict of interest. It also ensures leadership has a ‘day job’ that keeps them in touch with issues impacting practicing physicians,” Dr. Teirstein said

Start-up costs for United Physicians will be supported by NBPAS, but it will function as a completely independent organization, he added.

In introducing the group, Dr. Teirstein outlined suggestions for proposals it might pursue. These include making hospitals secure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment ahead of health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

His outline also includes suggestions for issues that likely will persist beyond the response to the pandemic.

Dr. Teirstein proposed a project for persuading insurance companies to provide online calendar appointments for peer-to-peer patient preauthorization. Failure of the insurer’s representative to attend would trigger approval of authorization under this proposal. He also suggested a lobbying effort for specific reimbursement for peer-to-peer, patient preauthorization phone calls.

Dr. Teirstein said he hopes most of the proposals will come from physicians who join United Physicians. Still, it is unclear whether United Physicians will succeed. An initial challenge could be in sorting through a barrage of competing ideas submitted to United Physicians.

But Dr. Teirstein appears hopeful about the changes for this experiment in online advocacy. He intends for United Physicians to be a pathway for clinicians to translate their complaints about policies into calls for action, with only a short investment of their time.

“Most of us have wonderful, engrossing jobs. It’s hard to beat helping a patient, and most of us get to do it every day,” Dr. .Teirstein said. “Will we take the 30 seconds required to sign up and become a United Physicians member? Will we spend a little time each week reviewing the issues and voting? I think it’s an experiment worth watching.”

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will suspend its Medicare advance payment program for clinicians and is reevaluating how much to pay to hospitals going forward through particular COVID-19 relief initiatives. CMS announced the changes on April 26. Physicians and others who use the accelerated and advance Medicare payments program repay these advances, and they are typically given 1 year or less to repay the funding.

CMS said in a news release it will not accept new applications for the advanced Medicare payment, and it will be reevaluating all pending and new applications “in light of historical direct payments made available through the Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Provider Relief Fund.”

The advance Medicare payment program predates COVID-19, although it previously was used on a much smaller scale. In the past 5 years, CMS approved about 100 total requests for advanced Medicare payment, with most being tied to natural disasters such as hurricanes.

CMS said it has approved, since March, more than 21,000 applications for advanced Medicare payment, totaling $59.6 billion, for hospitals and other organizations that bill its Part A program. In addition, CMS approved almost 24,000 applications for its Part B program, advancing $40.4 billion for physicians, other clinicians, and medical equipment suppliers.

CMS noted that Congress also has provided $175 billion in aid for the medical community that clinicians and medical organizations would not need to repay. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted in March included $100 billion, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, enacted March 24, includes another $75 billion.

A version of this article was originally published on Medscape.com.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will suspend its Medicare advance payment program for clinicians and is reevaluating how much to pay to hospitals going forward through particular COVID-19 relief initiatives. CMS announced the changes on April 26. Physicians and others who use the accelerated and advance Medicare payments program repay these advances, and they are typically given 1 year or less to repay the funding.

CMS said in a news release it will not accept new applications for the advanced Medicare payment, and it will be reevaluating all pending and new applications “in light of historical direct payments made available through the Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Provider Relief Fund.”

The advance Medicare payment program predates COVID-19, although it previously was used on a much smaller scale. In the past 5 years, CMS approved about 100 total requests for advanced Medicare payment, with most being tied to natural disasters such as hurricanes.

CMS said it has approved, since March, more than 21,000 applications for advanced Medicare payment, totaling $59.6 billion, for hospitals and other organizations that bill its Part A program. In addition, CMS approved almost 24,000 applications for its Part B program, advancing $40.4 billion for physicians, other clinicians, and medical equipment suppliers.

CMS noted that Congress also has provided $175 billion in aid for the medical community that clinicians and medical organizations would not need to repay. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted in March included $100 billion, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, enacted March 24, includes another $75 billion.

A version of this article was originally published on Medscape.com.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will suspend its Medicare advance payment program for clinicians and is reevaluating how much to pay to hospitals going forward through particular COVID-19 relief initiatives. CMS announced the changes on April 26. Physicians and others who use the accelerated and advance Medicare payments program repay these advances, and they are typically given 1 year or less to repay the funding.

CMS said in a news release it will not accept new applications for the advanced Medicare payment, and it will be reevaluating all pending and new applications “in light of historical direct payments made available through the Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Provider Relief Fund.”

The advance Medicare payment program predates COVID-19, although it previously was used on a much smaller scale. In the past 5 years, CMS approved about 100 total requests for advanced Medicare payment, with most being tied to natural disasters such as hurricanes.

CMS said it has approved, since March, more than 21,000 applications for advanced Medicare payment, totaling $59.6 billion, for hospitals and other organizations that bill its Part A program. In addition, CMS approved almost 24,000 applications for its Part B program, advancing $40.4 billion for physicians, other clinicians, and medical equipment suppliers.

CMS noted that Congress also has provided $175 billion in aid for the medical community that clinicians and medical organizations would not need to repay. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted in March included $100 billion, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, enacted March 24, includes another $75 billion.

A version of this article was originally published on Medscape.com.

A hematologist in Italy shared his personal experience addressing the intersection of COVID-19 and the care of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients during a webinar hosted by the European Hematology Association (EHA).

National Institutes of Health/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Felicetto Ferrara, MD, of Cardarelli Hospital in Naples, Italy, discussed the main difficulties in administering optimal treatment for AML patients who become infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The major problems include the need to isolate patients while simultaneously allowing for collaboration with pulmonologists and intensivists, the delays in AML treatment caused by COVID-19, and the risk of drug-drug interactions while treating AML patients with COVID-19.

The need to isolate AML patients with COVID-19 is paramount, according to Dr. Ferrara. Isolation can be accomplished, ideally, by the creation of a dedicated COVID-19 unit or, alternatively, with the use of single-patient negative pressure rooms. Dr. Ferrara stressed that all patients with AML should be tested for COVID-19 before admission.
 

Delaying or reducing AML treatment

Treatment delays are of particular concern, according to Dr. Ferrara, and some patients may require dose reductions, especially for AML treatments that might have a detrimental effect on the immune system.

Decisions must be made as to whether planned approaches to induction or consolidation therapy should be changed, and special concern has to be paid to elderly AML patients, who have the highest risks of bad COVID-19 outcomes.

Specific attention should be paid to patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia as well, according to Dr. Ferrara. These patients are of concern in the COVID-19 era because of their risk of differentiation syndrome, which can induce respiratory distress.

In all cases, autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant should be deferred until confirmed COVID-19–negative test results are obtained.
 

Continuing AML treatment

Of particular concern is the fact that, without a standard therapy for COVID-19, many different drugs might be used in treatment efforts. This raises the potential for serious drug-drug interactions with the patient’s AML medications, so close attention should be paid to an individual patient’s medications.

In terms of continuing AML treatment for younger adults (less than 65 years) who are positive for COVID-19, symptomatic and asymptomatic patients should be treated differently, Dr. Ferarra said.

Symptomatic patients should be given hydroxyurea until symptom resolution, and unless urgent, any further AML treatments should be delayed. However, if treatment is needed immediately, it should be given in a COVID-19–dedicated unit.

The restrictions are much looser for young adult asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with AML. Standard induction therapy should be given, with intermediate-dose cytarabine used as consolidation therapy.

Therapy in elderly patients with AML and COVID-19 should be based on symptom status as well, said Dr. Ferrara.

Asymptomatic but otherwise fit elderly patients should have standard induction therapy if they are in the European Leukemia Network favorable genetic subgroup. Asymptomatic elderly patients with high-risk molecular disease can receive venetoclax with a hypomethylating agent.

Symptomatic elderly patients should continue with hydroxyurea until symptom resolution, and any other treatments should be delayed in nonemergency cases.

Relapsed AML patients with COVID-19 should have their treatments postponed until they obtain negative COVID-19 test results whenever possible, Dr. Ferarra said. However, if treatment is necessary, molecularly targeted therapies (gilteritinib, ivosidenib, and enasidenib) are preferable to high-dose chemotherapy.

In all cases, treatment decisions should be made in conjunction with pulmonologists and intensivists, Dr. Ferrera noted.

Webinar moderator Francesco Cerisoli, MD, head of research and mentoring at EHA, highlighted the fact that EHA has published specific recommendations for treating AML patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of these were discussed by and are aligned with the recommendations presented by Dr. Ferrara.

The EHA webinar contains a disclaimer that the content discussed was based on the personal experiences and opinions of the speakers and that no general, evidence-based guidance could be derived from the discussion. There were no disclosures given.

mlesney@mdedge.com

A hematologist in Italy shared his personal experience addressing the intersection of COVID-19 and the care of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients during a webinar hosted by the European Hematology Association (EHA).

National Institutes of Health/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Felicetto Ferrara, MD, of Cardarelli Hospital in Naples, Italy, discussed the main difficulties in administering optimal treatment for AML patients who become infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The major problems include the need to isolate patients while simultaneously allowing for collaboration with pulmonologists and intensivists, the delays in AML treatment caused by COVID-19, and the risk of drug-drug interactions while treating AML patients with COVID-19.

The need to isolate AML patients with COVID-19 is paramount, according to Dr. Ferrara. Isolation can be accomplished, ideally, by the creation of a dedicated COVID-19 unit or, alternatively, with the use of single-patient negative pressure rooms. Dr. Ferrara stressed that all patients with AML should be tested for COVID-19 before admission.
 

Delaying or reducing AML treatment

Treatment delays are of particular concern, according to Dr. Ferrara, and some patients may require dose reductions, especially for AML treatments that might have a detrimental effect on the immune system.

Decisions must be made as to whether planned approaches to induction or consolidation therapy should be changed, and special concern has to be paid to elderly AML patients, who have the highest risks of bad COVID-19 outcomes.

Specific attention should be paid to patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia as well, according to Dr. Ferrara. These patients are of concern in the COVID-19 era because of their risk of differentiation syndrome, which can induce respiratory distress.

In all cases, autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant should be deferred until confirmed COVID-19–negative test results are obtained.
 

Continuing AML treatment

Of particular concern is the fact that, without a standard therapy for COVID-19, many different drugs might be used in treatment efforts. This raises the potential for serious drug-drug interactions with the patient’s AML medications, so close attention should be paid to an individual patient’s medications.

In terms of continuing AML treatment for younger adults (less than 65 years) who are positive for COVID-19, symptomatic and asymptomatic patients should be treated differently, Dr. Ferarra said.

Symptomatic patients should be given hydroxyurea until symptom resolution, and unless urgent, any further AML treatments should be delayed. However, if treatment is needed immediately, it should be given in a COVID-19–dedicated unit.

The restrictions are much looser for young adult asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with AML. Standard induction therapy should be given, with intermediate-dose cytarabine used as consolidation therapy.

Therapy in elderly patients with AML and COVID-19 should be based on symptom status as well, said Dr. Ferrara.

Asymptomatic but otherwise fit elderly patients should have standard induction therapy if they are in the European Leukemia Network favorable genetic subgroup. Asymptomatic elderly patients with high-risk molecular disease can receive venetoclax with a hypomethylating agent.

Symptomatic elderly patients should continue with hydroxyurea until symptom resolution, and any other treatments should be delayed in nonemergency cases.

Relapsed AML patients with COVID-19 should have their treatments postponed until they obtain negative COVID-19 test results whenever possible, Dr. Ferarra said. However, if treatment is necessary, molecularly targeted therapies (gilteritinib, ivosidenib, and enasidenib) are preferable to high-dose chemotherapy.

In all cases, treatment decisions should be made in conjunction with pulmonologists and intensivists, Dr. Ferrera noted.

Webinar moderator Francesco Cerisoli, MD, head of research and mentoring at EHA, highlighted the fact that EHA has published specific recommendations for treating AML patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of these were discussed by and are aligned with the recommendations presented by Dr. Ferrara.

The EHA webinar contains a disclaimer that the content discussed was based on the personal experiences and opinions of the speakers and that no general, evidence-based guidance could be derived from the discussion. There were no disclosures given.

mlesney@mdedge.com

A hematologist in Italy shared his personal experience addressing the intersection of COVID-19 and the care of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients during a webinar hosted by the European Hematology Association (EHA).

National Institutes of Health/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Felicetto Ferrara, MD, of Cardarelli Hospital in Naples, Italy, discussed the main difficulties in administering optimal treatment for AML patients who become infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The major problems include the need to isolate patients while simultaneously allowing for collaboration with pulmonologists and intensivists, the delays in AML treatment caused by COVID-19, and the risk of drug-drug interactions while treating AML patients with COVID-19.

The need to isolate AML patients with COVID-19 is paramount, according to Dr. Ferrara. Isolation can be accomplished, ideally, by the creation of a dedicated COVID-19 unit or, alternatively, with the use of single-patient negative pressure rooms. Dr. Ferrara stressed that all patients with AML should be tested for COVID-19 before admission.
 

Delaying or reducing AML treatment

Treatment delays are of particular concern, according to Dr. Ferrara, and some patients may require dose reductions, especially for AML treatments that might have a detrimental effect on the immune system.

Decisions must be made as to whether planned approaches to induction or consolidation therapy should be changed, and special concern has to be paid to elderly AML patients, who have the highest risks of bad COVID-19 outcomes.

Specific attention should be paid to patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia as well, according to Dr. Ferrara. These patients are of concern in the COVID-19 era because of their risk of differentiation syndrome, which can induce respiratory distress.

In all cases, autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant should be deferred until confirmed COVID-19–negative test results are obtained.
 

Continuing AML treatment

Of particular concern is the fact that, without a standard therapy for COVID-19, many different drugs might be used in treatment efforts. This raises the potential for serious drug-drug interactions with the patient’s AML medications, so close attention should be paid to an individual patient’s medications.

In terms of continuing AML treatment for younger adults (less than 65 years) who are positive for COVID-19, symptomatic and asymptomatic patients should be treated differently, Dr. Ferarra said.

Symptomatic patients should be given hydroxyurea until symptom resolution, and unless urgent, any further AML treatments should be delayed. However, if treatment is needed immediately, it should be given in a COVID-19–dedicated unit.

The restrictions are much looser for young adult asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with AML. Standard induction therapy should be given, with intermediate-dose cytarabine used as consolidation therapy.

Therapy in elderly patients with AML and COVID-19 should be based on symptom status as well, said Dr. Ferrara.

Asymptomatic but otherwise fit elderly patients should have standard induction therapy if they are in the European Leukemia Network favorable genetic subgroup. Asymptomatic elderly patients with high-risk molecular disease can receive venetoclax with a hypomethylating agent.

Symptomatic elderly patients should continue with hydroxyurea until symptom resolution, and any other treatments should be delayed in nonemergency cases.

Relapsed AML patients with COVID-19 should have their treatments postponed until they obtain negative COVID-19 test results whenever possible, Dr. Ferarra said. However, if treatment is necessary, molecularly targeted therapies (gilteritinib, ivosidenib, and enasidenib) are preferable to high-dose chemotherapy.

In all cases, treatment decisions should be made in conjunction with pulmonologists and intensivists, Dr. Ferrera noted.

Webinar moderator Francesco Cerisoli, MD, head of research and mentoring at EHA, highlighted the fact that EHA has published specific recommendations for treating AML patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of these were discussed by and are aligned with the recommendations presented by Dr. Ferrara.

The EHA webinar contains a disclaimer that the content discussed was based on the personal experiences and opinions of the speakers and that no general, evidence-based guidance could be derived from the discussion. There were no disclosures given.

mlesney@mdedge.com

With a few notable exceptions, the majority of fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of thyroid nodules should be delayed until the risk of COVID-19, and the burden on resources, has lessened, according to expert consensus.

copyright/Sebastian Kaulitzki/Fotolia

“Our group recommends that FNA biopsy of most asymptomatic thyroid nodules – taking into account the sonographic characteristics and patients’ clinical picture – be deferred to a later time, when risk of exposure to COVID-19 is more manageable and resource restriction is no longer a concern,” said the endocrinologists, writing in a guest editorial in Clinical Thyroidology.

All elective procedures have been canceled under guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction with the U.S. surgeon general, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, thyroid nodule FNAs, though elective, fall into the category of being considered medically necessary and potentially prolonging life expectancy

Yet, with approximately 90% of asymptomatic thyroid nodules turning out to be benign and little evidence that early detection and treatment affects disease outcomes, there is a strong argument for deferral in most cases, stressed Ming Lee, MD, and colleagues, of the endocrinology division at Phoenix (Ariz.) Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS), who convened a multidisciplinary meeting to address the urgent issue.

Patients should instead be interviewed by an endocrinologist (preferably via telehealth) to collect their clinical history as well as assess their perception of the disease and risk of malignancy, senior author S. Mitchell Harman, MD, chief of PVAHCS, said in an interview.

“The principal guiding factor should be the objectively assessed likelihood of malignancy of the individual patient’s nodule(s),” he said.

“In my opinion, we should also factor in the patient’s level of anxiety, since some patients are more sanguine about risk than others and our goal is to provide relief of anxiety as well as to determine need for, and course of, subsequent treatment,” Dr. Harman added. 

Vast majority of malignant thyroid nodules are DTC, which is ‘indolent’

Dr. Lee and colleagues noted that, even of the 10% of thyroid nodules that do prove to be malignant, the vast majority of these (90%) are differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC). In general, patients with DTC “follow an indolent course and have excellent outcomes.”

“There is little evidence that early detection and treatment of DTC significantly alters disease outcomes as the overall mortality rate for DTC has remained low, at around 0.5%,” they wrote.

They also noted that ultrasound features of thyroid nodules can help guide priority for the future timing of an FNA procedure, but should not be the sole basis for deciding on immediate thyroid FNA or surgery.

Exceptions to the rule

Exceptions for considering FNA include more urgent thyroid disease diagnoses, including those that are symptomatic:

Suspected medullary thyroid cancer

“Regarding medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), early diagnosis and surgery do significantly improve outcomes, therefore, delaying FNA of nodules harboring MTC could be potentially injurious,” the authors said.

They suggested, however, measuring calcitonin levels instead, which they noted “is still controversial” in the United States, but “we feel it would be justified in patients with thyroid nodules that would usually be indicated for FNA.”

Those with a family history of MTC, or nodules located in the posterior upper third of lateral lobes (the usual location of MTC), should have calcitonin levels measured.

If calcitonin levels are above 10 pg/mL, “FNA should be offered as early as possible.”

“Significantly elevated serum calcitonin levels (e.g., > 100 pg/mL) should be considered an indication for surgery without cytologic confirmation by FNA,” they added.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer, though rare, “is one of the few occasions when thyroid surgery should be performed on an urgent basis, as this condition can worsen very rapidly.

“Patients typically present with a rapidly enlarging thyroid mass that is associated with compressive symptoms, such as dysphagia and dyspnea,” they observed.

In this instance, although FNA is part of the preoperative work-up, it is often nondiagnostic and could require additional sampling.

“At the time of this pandemic, it is reasonable that after a multidisciplinary discussion, such patients with the appropriate clinical scenario be referred for thyroid surgery, with or without prior FNA, based on the team’s judgment,” the authors recommended.

Long-standing thyroid masses

These are usually large and/or closely associated with vital structures, such as the trachea and esophagus, and when such masses cause compressive symptoms, thyroid surgery typically is warranted.

And although prior FNA is helpful to obtain a cytologic diagnosis, as this may change the extent of surgery, it may not always be essential.

Broadly, symptomatic patients with compressive symptoms threatening vital structures can be directly referred to a surgeon, with the timing for surgery jointly decided based on the severity of symptoms, rapidity of disease progression, local COVID-19 status, and available resources.

“During the pandemic, we believe that the vast majority of thyroid FNAs should be considered optional, and extent of surgery can be determined by pathological analysis of frozen sections intraoperatively,” they wrote.

“The value of FNA in these situations is less compelling in the current COVID-19 setting, as the basis of decision for surgery has been already determined,” the authors explained.

If urgent FNA needed, screen patient for COVID-19 and use PPE

Should the need for an urgent thyroid FNA occur, patients should be screened and tested for COVID-19 by a clinician wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), said Dr. Lee and colleagues.

“It is crucial to carefully weigh the risks of COVID-19 exposure, availability of resources, and urgency of these procedures for each patient in our individual practice settings,” they noted.

As restrictions eventually loosen, precautions will still be necessary to some degree, Dr. Harman said.

“I do not consider FNA a ‘high-risk’ procedure in the era of COVID-19, since it does not routinely result in profuse aerosolization of respiratory fluids,” he said in an interview.

“However, patients do sometimes cough or choke due to pressure on the neck and the operator is, of necessity, very close to the patient’s face. Therefore, when we resume FNA, patients will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 infection and both the operator and the patient will be masked,” Dr. Harman continued.

“We routinely wear gloves, [and] whether the operator will wear a surgical or an N95 mask, disposable gown, etc, will depend on CDC guidance and guidance received from our VA infectious disease experts as it is applied specifically to each patient evaluation.”

The authors have reported no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

With a few notable exceptions, the majority of fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of thyroid nodules should be delayed until the risk of COVID-19, and the burden on resources, has lessened, according to expert consensus.

copyright/Sebastian Kaulitzki/Fotolia

“Our group recommends that FNA biopsy of most asymptomatic thyroid nodules – taking into account the sonographic characteristics and patients’ clinical picture – be deferred to a later time, when risk of exposure to COVID-19 is more manageable and resource restriction is no longer a concern,” said the endocrinologists, writing in a guest editorial in Clinical Thyroidology.

All elective procedures have been canceled under guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction with the U.S. surgeon general, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, thyroid nodule FNAs, though elective, fall into the category of being considered medically necessary and potentially prolonging life expectancy

Yet, with approximately 90% of asymptomatic thyroid nodules turning out to be benign and little evidence that early detection and treatment affects disease outcomes, there is a strong argument for deferral in most cases, stressed Ming Lee, MD, and colleagues, of the endocrinology division at Phoenix (Ariz.) Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS), who convened a multidisciplinary meeting to address the urgent issue.

Patients should instead be interviewed by an endocrinologist (preferably via telehealth) to collect their clinical history as well as assess their perception of the disease and risk of malignancy, senior author S. Mitchell Harman, MD, chief of PVAHCS, said in an interview.

“The principal guiding factor should be the objectively assessed likelihood of malignancy of the individual patient’s nodule(s),” he said.

“In my opinion, we should also factor in the patient’s level of anxiety, since some patients are more sanguine about risk than others and our goal is to provide relief of anxiety as well as to determine need for, and course of, subsequent treatment,” Dr. Harman added. 

Vast majority of malignant thyroid nodules are DTC, which is ‘indolent’

Dr. Lee and colleagues noted that, even of the 10% of thyroid nodules that do prove to be malignant, the vast majority of these (90%) are differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC). In general, patients with DTC “follow an indolent course and have excellent outcomes.”

“There is little evidence that early detection and treatment of DTC significantly alters disease outcomes as the overall mortality rate for DTC has remained low, at around 0.5%,” they wrote.

They also noted that ultrasound features of thyroid nodules can help guide priority for the future timing of an FNA procedure, but should not be the sole basis for deciding on immediate thyroid FNA or surgery.

Exceptions to the rule

Exceptions for considering FNA include more urgent thyroid disease diagnoses, including those that are symptomatic:

Suspected medullary thyroid cancer

“Regarding medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), early diagnosis and surgery do significantly improve outcomes, therefore, delaying FNA of nodules harboring MTC could be potentially injurious,” the authors said.

They suggested, however, measuring calcitonin levels instead, which they noted “is still controversial” in the United States, but “we feel it would be justified in patients with thyroid nodules that would usually be indicated for FNA.”

Those with a family history of MTC, or nodules located in the posterior upper third of lateral lobes (the usual location of MTC), should have calcitonin levels measured.

If calcitonin levels are above 10 pg/mL, “FNA should be offered as early as possible.”

“Significantly elevated serum calcitonin levels (e.g., > 100 pg/mL) should be considered an indication for surgery without cytologic confirmation by FNA,” they added.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer, though rare, “is one of the few occasions when thyroid surgery should be performed on an urgent basis, as this condition can worsen very rapidly.

“Patients typically present with a rapidly enlarging thyroid mass that is associated with compressive symptoms, such as dysphagia and dyspnea,” they observed.

In this instance, although FNA is part of the preoperative work-up, it is often nondiagnostic and could require additional sampling.

“At the time of this pandemic, it is reasonable that after a multidisciplinary discussion, such patients with the appropriate clinical scenario be referred for thyroid surgery, with or without prior FNA, based on the team’s judgment,” the authors recommended.

Long-standing thyroid masses

These are usually large and/or closely associated with vital structures, such as the trachea and esophagus, and when such masses cause compressive symptoms, thyroid surgery typically is warranted.

And although prior FNA is helpful to obtain a cytologic diagnosis, as this may change the extent of surgery, it may not always be essential.

Broadly, symptomatic patients with compressive symptoms threatening vital structures can be directly referred to a surgeon, with the timing for surgery jointly decided based on the severity of symptoms, rapidity of disease progression, local COVID-19 status, and available resources.

“During the pandemic, we believe that the vast majority of thyroid FNAs should be considered optional, and extent of surgery can be determined by pathological analysis of frozen sections intraoperatively,” they wrote.

“The value of FNA in these situations is less compelling in the current COVID-19 setting, as the basis of decision for surgery has been already determined,” the authors explained.

If urgent FNA needed, screen patient for COVID-19 and use PPE

Should the need for an urgent thyroid FNA occur, patients should be screened and tested for COVID-19 by a clinician wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), said Dr. Lee and colleagues.

“It is crucial to carefully weigh the risks of COVID-19 exposure, availability of resources, and urgency of these procedures for each patient in our individual practice settings,” they noted.

As restrictions eventually loosen, precautions will still be necessary to some degree, Dr. Harman said.

“I do not consider FNA a ‘high-risk’ procedure in the era of COVID-19, since it does not routinely result in profuse aerosolization of respiratory fluids,” he said in an interview.

“However, patients do sometimes cough or choke due to pressure on the neck and the operator is, of necessity, very close to the patient’s face. Therefore, when we resume FNA, patients will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 infection and both the operator and the patient will be masked,” Dr. Harman continued.

“We routinely wear gloves, [and] whether the operator will wear a surgical or an N95 mask, disposable gown, etc, will depend on CDC guidance and guidance received from our VA infectious disease experts as it is applied specifically to each patient evaluation.”

The authors have reported no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

With a few notable exceptions, the majority of fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of thyroid nodules should be delayed until the risk of COVID-19, and the burden on resources, has lessened, according to expert consensus.

copyright/Sebastian Kaulitzki/Fotolia

“Our group recommends that FNA biopsy of most asymptomatic thyroid nodules – taking into account the sonographic characteristics and patients’ clinical picture – be deferred to a later time, when risk of exposure to COVID-19 is more manageable and resource restriction is no longer a concern,” said the endocrinologists, writing in a guest editorial in Clinical Thyroidology.

All elective procedures have been canceled under guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction with the U.S. surgeon general, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, thyroid nodule FNAs, though elective, fall into the category of being considered medically necessary and potentially prolonging life expectancy

Yet, with approximately 90% of asymptomatic thyroid nodules turning out to be benign and little evidence that early detection and treatment affects disease outcomes, there is a strong argument for deferral in most cases, stressed Ming Lee, MD, and colleagues, of the endocrinology division at Phoenix (Ariz.) Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS), who convened a multidisciplinary meeting to address the urgent issue.

Patients should instead be interviewed by an endocrinologist (preferably via telehealth) to collect their clinical history as well as assess their perception of the disease and risk of malignancy, senior author S. Mitchell Harman, MD, chief of PVAHCS, said in an interview.

“The principal guiding factor should be the objectively assessed likelihood of malignancy of the individual patient’s nodule(s),” he said.

“In my opinion, we should also factor in the patient’s level of anxiety, since some patients are more sanguine about risk than others and our goal is to provide relief of anxiety as well as to determine need for, and course of, subsequent treatment,” Dr. Harman added. 

Vast majority of malignant thyroid nodules are DTC, which is ‘indolent’

Dr. Lee and colleagues noted that, even of the 10% of thyroid nodules that do prove to be malignant, the vast majority of these (90%) are differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC). In general, patients with DTC “follow an indolent course and have excellent outcomes.”

“There is little evidence that early detection and treatment of DTC significantly alters disease outcomes as the overall mortality rate for DTC has remained low, at around 0.5%,” they wrote.

They also noted that ultrasound features of thyroid nodules can help guide priority for the future timing of an FNA procedure, but should not be the sole basis for deciding on immediate thyroid FNA or surgery.

Exceptions to the rule

Exceptions for considering FNA include more urgent thyroid disease diagnoses, including those that are symptomatic:

Suspected medullary thyroid cancer

“Regarding medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), early diagnosis and surgery do significantly improve outcomes, therefore, delaying FNA of nodules harboring MTC could be potentially injurious,” the authors said.

They suggested, however, measuring calcitonin levels instead, which they noted “is still controversial” in the United States, but “we feel it would be justified in patients with thyroid nodules that would usually be indicated for FNA.”

Those with a family history of MTC, or nodules located in the posterior upper third of lateral lobes (the usual location of MTC), should have calcitonin levels measured.

If calcitonin levels are above 10 pg/mL, “FNA should be offered as early as possible.”

“Significantly elevated serum calcitonin levels (e.g., > 100 pg/mL) should be considered an indication for surgery without cytologic confirmation by FNA,” they added.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer, though rare, “is one of the few occasions when thyroid surgery should be performed on an urgent basis, as this condition can worsen very rapidly.

“Patients typically present with a rapidly enlarging thyroid mass that is associated with compressive symptoms, such as dysphagia and dyspnea,” they observed.

In this instance, although FNA is part of the preoperative work-up, it is often nondiagnostic and could require additional sampling.

“At the time of this pandemic, it is reasonable that after a multidisciplinary discussion, such patients with the appropriate clinical scenario be referred for thyroid surgery, with or without prior FNA, based on the team’s judgment,” the authors recommended.

Long-standing thyroid masses

These are usually large and/or closely associated with vital structures, such as the trachea and esophagus, and when such masses cause compressive symptoms, thyroid surgery typically is warranted.

And although prior FNA is helpful to obtain a cytologic diagnosis, as this may change the extent of surgery, it may not always be essential.

Broadly, symptomatic patients with compressive symptoms threatening vital structures can be directly referred to a surgeon, with the timing for surgery jointly decided based on the severity of symptoms, rapidity of disease progression, local COVID-19 status, and available resources.

“During the pandemic, we believe that the vast majority of thyroid FNAs should be considered optional, and extent of surgery can be determined by pathological analysis of frozen sections intraoperatively,” they wrote.

“The value of FNA in these situations is less compelling in the current COVID-19 setting, as the basis of decision for surgery has been already determined,” the authors explained.

If urgent FNA needed, screen patient for COVID-19 and use PPE

Should the need for an urgent thyroid FNA occur, patients should be screened and tested for COVID-19 by a clinician wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), said Dr. Lee and colleagues.

“It is crucial to carefully weigh the risks of COVID-19 exposure, availability of resources, and urgency of these procedures for each patient in our individual practice settings,” they noted.

As restrictions eventually loosen, precautions will still be necessary to some degree, Dr. Harman said.

“I do not consider FNA a ‘high-risk’ procedure in the era of COVID-19, since it does not routinely result in profuse aerosolization of respiratory fluids,” he said in an interview.

“However, patients do sometimes cough or choke due to pressure on the neck and the operator is, of necessity, very close to the patient’s face. Therefore, when we resume FNA, patients will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 infection and both the operator and the patient will be masked,” Dr. Harman continued.

“We routinely wear gloves, [and] whether the operator will wear a surgical or an N95 mask, disposable gown, etc, will depend on CDC guidance and guidance received from our VA infectious disease experts as it is applied specifically to each patient evaluation.”

The authors have reported no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

Like you, I’m not sure when this weird Twilight Zone world of coronavirus will end. Even when it does, its effects will be with us for a long time to come.

But in some ways, they may be for the better. Hopefully some of these changes will stick. Like every new situation, I try to take away something of value from it.

As pithy as it sounds, I used to obsess (sort of) over the daily mail delivery. My secretary would check it mid-afternoon, and if it wasn’t there either she or I would run down again before we left. If it still wasn’t there I’d swing by the box when I came in early the next morning. On Saturdays, I’d sometimes drive in just to get the mail.

There certainly are things that come in that are important: payments, bills, medical records, legal cases to review ... but realistically a lot of mail is junk. Office-supply catalogs, CME or pharmaceutical ads, credit card promotions, and so on.

Now? I just don’t care. If I go several days without seeing patients at the office, the mail is at the back of my mind. It’s in a locked box and isn’t going anywhere. Why worry about it? Next time I’m there I can deal with it. It’s not worth thinking about, it’s just the mail. It’s not worth a special trip.

Sleep is another thing. For years my internal alarm has had me up around 4:00 a.m. (I don’t even bother to set one on my phone), and I get up and go in to get started on the day.

Now? I don’t think I’ve ever slept this much. If I have to go to my office, I’m much less rushed. Many days I don’t even have to do that. I walk down to my home office, call up my charts and the day’s video appointment schedule, and we’re off. Granted, once things return to speed, this will probably be back to normal.

My kids are all home from college, so I have the extra time at home to enjoy them and our dogs. My wife, an oncology infusion nurse, doesn’t get home until 6:00 each night, so for now I’ve become a stay-at-home dad. This is actually something I’ve always liked (in high school, I was voted “most likely to to be a house husband”). So I do the laundry and am in charge of dinner each night. I’m enjoying the last, as I get to pick things out, go through recipes, and cook. I won’t say I’m a great cook, but I’m learning and having fun. As strange as it sounds, being a house husband has always been something I wanted to do, so I’m appreciating the opportunity while it lasts.

I think all of us have come to accept this strange pause button that’s been pushed, and I’ll try to learn what I can from it and take that with me as I move forward.

Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. He has no relevant disclosures.

Like you, I’m not sure when this weird Twilight Zone world of coronavirus will end. Even when it does, its effects will be with us for a long time to come.

But in some ways, they may be for the better. Hopefully some of these changes will stick. Like every new situation, I try to take away something of value from it.

As pithy as it sounds, I used to obsess (sort of) over the daily mail delivery. My secretary would check it mid-afternoon, and if it wasn’t there either she or I would run down again before we left. If it still wasn’t there I’d swing by the box when I came in early the next morning. On Saturdays, I’d sometimes drive in just to get the mail.

There certainly are things that come in that are important: payments, bills, medical records, legal cases to review ... but realistically a lot of mail is junk. Office-supply catalogs, CME or pharmaceutical ads, credit card promotions, and so on.

Now? I just don’t care. If I go several days without seeing patients at the office, the mail is at the back of my mind. It’s in a locked box and isn’t going anywhere. Why worry about it? Next time I’m there I can deal with it. It’s not worth thinking about, it’s just the mail. It’s not worth a special trip.

Sleep is another thing. For years my internal alarm has had me up around 4:00 a.m. (I don’t even bother to set one on my phone), and I get up and go in to get started on the day.

Now? I don’t think I’ve ever slept this much. If I have to go to my office, I’m much less rushed. Many days I don’t even have to do that. I walk down to my home office, call up my charts and the day’s video appointment schedule, and we’re off. Granted, once things return to speed, this will probably be back to normal.

My kids are all home from college, so I have the extra time at home to enjoy them and our dogs. My wife, an oncology infusion nurse, doesn’t get home until 6:00 each night, so for now I’ve become a stay-at-home dad. This is actually something I’ve always liked (in high school, I was voted “most likely to to be a house husband”). So I do the laundry and am in charge of dinner each night. I’m enjoying the last, as I get to pick things out, go through recipes, and cook. I won’t say I’m a great cook, but I’m learning and having fun. As strange as it sounds, being a house husband has always been something I wanted to do, so I’m appreciating the opportunity while it lasts.

I think all of us have come to accept this strange pause button that’s been pushed, and I’ll try to learn what I can from it and take that with me as I move forward.

Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. He has no relevant disclosures.

Like you, I’m not sure when this weird Twilight Zone world of coronavirus will end. Even when it does, its effects will be with us for a long time to come.

But in some ways, they may be for the better. Hopefully some of these changes will stick. Like every new situation, I try to take away something of value from it.

As pithy as it sounds, I used to obsess (sort of) over the daily mail delivery. My secretary would check it mid-afternoon, and if it wasn’t there either she or I would run down again before we left. If it still wasn’t there I’d swing by the box when I came in early the next morning. On Saturdays, I’d sometimes drive in just to get the mail.

There certainly are things that come in that are important: payments, bills, medical records, legal cases to review ... but realistically a lot of mail is junk. Office-supply catalogs, CME or pharmaceutical ads, credit card promotions, and so on.

Now? I just don’t care. If I go several days without seeing patients at the office, the mail is at the back of my mind. It’s in a locked box and isn’t going anywhere. Why worry about it? Next time I’m there I can deal with it. It’s not worth thinking about, it’s just the mail. It’s not worth a special trip.

Sleep is another thing. For years my internal alarm has had me up around 4:00 a.m. (I don’t even bother to set one on my phone), and I get up and go in to get started on the day.

Now? I don’t think I’ve ever slept this much. If I have to go to my office, I’m much less rushed. Many days I don’t even have to do that. I walk down to my home office, call up my charts and the day’s video appointment schedule, and we’re off. Granted, once things return to speed, this will probably be back to normal.

My kids are all home from college, so I have the extra time at home to enjoy them and our dogs. My wife, an oncology infusion nurse, doesn’t get home until 6:00 each night, so for now I’ve become a stay-at-home dad. This is actually something I’ve always liked (in high school, I was voted “most likely to to be a house husband”). So I do the laundry and am in charge of dinner each night. I’m enjoying the last, as I get to pick things out, go through recipes, and cook. I won’t say I’m a great cook, but I’m learning and having fun. As strange as it sounds, being a house husband has always been something I wanted to do, so I’m appreciating the opportunity while it lasts.

I think all of us have come to accept this strange pause button that’s been pushed, and I’ll try to learn what I can from it and take that with me as I move forward.

Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. He has no relevant disclosures.

For patients diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis (AP) in the ED, an observation pathway may significantly reduce hospitalization rate and associated costs without compromising patient safety or quality of care, according to investigators.

Over a 2-year period, the observation pathway at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, reduced hospitalizations by 31.2%, reported lead author Awais Ahmed, MD, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues.

“AP carries a significant burden on the health care system, accounting for the third most common reason for gastrointestinal-related admissions in the United States,” the investigators wrote in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. “As such, streamlining care for AP patients to reduce admissions can reduce the associated financial burden.”

The investigators’ efforts to reduce admissions for patients with AP began in 2016, when they first implemented an observation pathway at Beth Israel. This 6-month pilot study demonstrated proof of concept because it reduced admissions by 22.2% and shortened average length of stay without negatively affecting rates of mortality or readmission.

Based on these encouraging results, the hospital implemented the observation pathway as a standard of care. The present study analyzed 2 years of data from patients diagnosed with AP following the end of the pilot study. The primary outcome was hospitalization rate. Secondary outcomes included health care utilization, 30-day mortality rate, 30-day readmission rate, and median length of stay.

Patients with mild AP entered the observation pathway at the discretion of the supervising clinician, as well as based on absence of exclusion criteria, such as end organ damage, chronic pancreatitis, cholangitis, and other considerations.

Over 2 years, 165 patients were diagnosed with AP in the ED, of whom 118 (71.5%) had mild AP. From this latter group, 54 (45.8%) entered the observation pathway, while 64 (54.2%) were admitted as inpatients, primarily (n = 58) because of exclusion criteria. Within the observation group, 45 out of 54 patients (83.3%) successfully completed the pathway and were discharged. Six of these patients were readmitted within 30 days. Among the 9 patients who did not complete the pathway, 6 failed to meet discharge criteria, resulting in admission, whereas 3 patients left the hospital against medical advice.

Combining data from this 2-year period and the pilot study, the hospitalization rate for mild AP was reduced by 31.2%. In the present study, hospitalization was reduced by 27% for patients with AP of any severity. This figure was steady over a 3-year period, at 25.8%.

Median length of stay for patients with mild AP was significantly shorter in the present study’s observation pathway than in a historical cohort (19.9 vs. 72.0 hours); this remained significant when also including patients from the pilot study (21.2 vs. 72.0 hours). Compared with the historic cohort, patients in the observation had significantly fewer radiographic studies, and more patients were discharged in less than 24 hours. Meanwhile, 30-day readmission and mortality rates remained unchanged.

“In summary, our long-term data of a single center emergency department–based observation management pathway for mild AP demonstrates durability over more than 2 years in maintaining its objective of reducing hospitalization,” the investigators concluded. “This is associated with a [shorter] length of stay, and reduced health care resource utilization, suggesting a possible decrease in financial cost of managing mild AP, without affecting readmission rates or mortality.”

These findings encourage further research, the investigators suggested, while noting that the observation pathway may not be appropriate for all treatment centers.

“The generalizability of the pathway is limited, given its single center location, and tertiary environment,” the investigators wrote. “Smaller hospitals, lacking multidisciplinary support for complications of AP, may find it challenging to implement such a pathway, and thus triage these patients for inpatient admission at their facility or to nearby tertiary centers.”The investigators reported no conflicts of interest.

SOURCE: Ahmed A et al. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2020 Apr 14. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000001354.

For patients diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis (AP) in the ED, an observation pathway may significantly reduce hospitalization rate and associated costs without compromising patient safety or quality of care, according to investigators.

Over a 2-year period, the observation pathway at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, reduced hospitalizations by 31.2%, reported lead author Awais Ahmed, MD, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues.

“AP carries a significant burden on the health care system, accounting for the third most common reason for gastrointestinal-related admissions in the United States,” the investigators wrote in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. “As such, streamlining care for AP patients to reduce admissions can reduce the associated financial burden.”

The investigators’ efforts to reduce admissions for patients with AP began in 2016, when they first implemented an observation pathway at Beth Israel. This 6-month pilot study demonstrated proof of concept because it reduced admissions by 22.2% and shortened average length of stay without negatively affecting rates of mortality or readmission.

Based on these encouraging results, the hospital implemented the observation pathway as a standard of care. The present study analyzed 2 years of data from patients diagnosed with AP following the end of the pilot study. The primary outcome was hospitalization rate. Secondary outcomes included health care utilization, 30-day mortality rate, 30-day readmission rate, and median length of stay.

Patients with mild AP entered the observation pathway at the discretion of the supervising clinician, as well as based on absence of exclusion criteria, such as end organ damage, chronic pancreatitis, cholangitis, and other considerations.

Over 2 years, 165 patients were diagnosed with AP in the ED, of whom 118 (71.5%) had mild AP. From this latter group, 54 (45.8%) entered the observation pathway, while 64 (54.2%) were admitted as inpatients, primarily (n = 58) because of exclusion criteria. Within the observation group, 45 out of 54 patients (83.3%) successfully completed the pathway and were discharged. Six of these patients were readmitted within 30 days. Among the 9 patients who did not complete the pathway, 6 failed to meet discharge criteria, resulting in admission, whereas 3 patients left the hospital against medical advice.

Combining data from this 2-year period and the pilot study, the hospitalization rate for mild AP was reduced by 31.2%. In the present study, hospitalization was reduced by 27% for patients with AP of any severity. This figure was steady over a 3-year period, at 25.8%.

Median length of stay for patients with mild AP was significantly shorter in the present study’s observation pathway than in a historical cohort (19.9 vs. 72.0 hours); this remained significant when also including patients from the pilot study (21.2 vs. 72.0 hours). Compared with the historic cohort, patients in the observation had significantly fewer radiographic studies, and more patients were discharged in less than 24 hours. Meanwhile, 30-day readmission and mortality rates remained unchanged.

“In summary, our long-term data of a single center emergency department–based observation management pathway for mild AP demonstrates durability over more than 2 years in maintaining its objective of reducing hospitalization,” the investigators concluded. “This is associated with a [shorter] length of stay, and reduced health care resource utilization, suggesting a possible decrease in financial cost of managing mild AP, without affecting readmission rates or mortality.”

These findings encourage further research, the investigators suggested, while noting that the observation pathway may not be appropriate for all treatment centers.

“The generalizability of the pathway is limited, given its single center location, and tertiary environment,” the investigators wrote. “Smaller hospitals, lacking multidisciplinary support for complications of AP, may find it challenging to implement such a pathway, and thus triage these patients for inpatient admission at their facility or to nearby tertiary centers.”The investigators reported no conflicts of interest.

SOURCE: Ahmed A et al. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2020 Apr 14. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000001354.

For patients diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis (AP) in the ED, an observation pathway may significantly reduce hospitalization rate and associated costs without compromising patient safety or quality of care, according to investigators.

Over a 2-year period, the observation pathway at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, reduced hospitalizations by 31.2%, reported lead author Awais Ahmed, MD, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues.

“AP carries a significant burden on the health care system, accounting for the third most common reason for gastrointestinal-related admissions in the United States,” the investigators wrote in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. “As such, streamlining care for AP patients to reduce admissions can reduce the associated financial burden.”

The investigators’ efforts to reduce admissions for patients with AP began in 2016, when they first implemented an observation pathway at Beth Israel. This 6-month pilot study demonstrated proof of concept because it reduced admissions by 22.2% and shortened average length of stay without negatively affecting rates of mortality or readmission.

Based on these encouraging results, the hospital implemented the observation pathway as a standard of care. The present study analyzed 2 years of data from patients diagnosed with AP following the end of the pilot study. The primary outcome was hospitalization rate. Secondary outcomes included health care utilization, 30-day mortality rate, 30-day readmission rate, and median length of stay.

Patients with mild AP entered the observation pathway at the discretion of the supervising clinician, as well as based on absence of exclusion criteria, such as end organ damage, chronic pancreatitis, cholangitis, and other considerations.

Over 2 years, 165 patients were diagnosed with AP in the ED, of whom 118 (71.5%) had mild AP. From this latter group, 54 (45.8%) entered the observation pathway, while 64 (54.2%) were admitted as inpatients, primarily (n = 58) because of exclusion criteria. Within the observation group, 45 out of 54 patients (83.3%) successfully completed the pathway and were discharged. Six of these patients were readmitted within 30 days. Among the 9 patients who did not complete the pathway, 6 failed to meet discharge criteria, resulting in admission, whereas 3 patients left the hospital against medical advice.

Combining data from this 2-year period and the pilot study, the hospitalization rate for mild AP was reduced by 31.2%. In the present study, hospitalization was reduced by 27% for patients with AP of any severity. This figure was steady over a 3-year period, at 25.8%.

Median length of stay for patients with mild AP was significantly shorter in the present study’s observation pathway than in a historical cohort (19.9 vs. 72.0 hours); this remained significant when also including patients from the pilot study (21.2 vs. 72.0 hours). Compared with the historic cohort, patients in the observation had significantly fewer radiographic studies, and more patients were discharged in less than 24 hours. Meanwhile, 30-day readmission and mortality rates remained unchanged.

“In summary, our long-term data of a single center emergency department–based observation management pathway for mild AP demonstrates durability over more than 2 years in maintaining its objective of reducing hospitalization,” the investigators concluded. “This is associated with a [shorter] length of stay, and reduced health care resource utilization, suggesting a possible decrease in financial cost of managing mild AP, without affecting readmission rates or mortality.”

These findings encourage further research, the investigators suggested, while noting that the observation pathway may not be appropriate for all treatment centers.

“The generalizability of the pathway is limited, given its single center location, and tertiary environment,” the investigators wrote. “Smaller hospitals, lacking multidisciplinary support for complications of AP, may find it challenging to implement such a pathway, and thus triage these patients for inpatient admission at their facility or to nearby tertiary centers.”The investigators reported no conflicts of interest.

SOURCE: Ahmed A et al. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2020 Apr 14. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000001354.

The Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Therapy status to sotatercept for treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Approval for sotatercept, “a selective ligand trap for members of the TGF-beta [transforming growth factor-beta] superfamily which rebalances BMPR-II [bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II] signaling,” was based on two types of research. It was based on results of preclinical research indicating “reversed pulmonary vessel muscularization and improved indicators of right heart failure,” as well as results of the phase 2, placebo-controlled PULSAR study, in which sotatercept showed positive results, meeting primary and secondary endpoints.

Adverse events during PULSAR “were consistent with previously published data on sotatercept” in other diseases. The drug is also under investigation in the phase 2 SPECTRA trial, which includes patients with PAH.

“We believe that sotatercept has the potential to shift the current treatment paradigm and provide significant benefit to patients with PAH on top of currently available therapies. Thus, we’re thrilled that the FDA has granted this Breakthrough Therapy designation – a first for an Acceleron-discovered medicine and for a therapeutic candidate in PAH – as it supports and aligns with our mission to deliver novel therapeutic options to patients in need as quickly as possible,” Habib Dable, president and CEO of Acceleron Pharma, said in the press release.

lfranki@mdedge.com

The Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Therapy status to sotatercept for treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Approval for sotatercept, “a selective ligand trap for members of the TGF-beta [transforming growth factor-beta] superfamily which rebalances BMPR-II [bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II] signaling,” was based on two types of research. It was based on results of preclinical research indicating “reversed pulmonary vessel muscularization and improved indicators of right heart failure,” as well as results of the phase 2, placebo-controlled PULSAR study, in which sotatercept showed positive results, meeting primary and secondary endpoints.

Adverse events during PULSAR “were consistent with previously published data on sotatercept” in other diseases. The drug is also under investigation in the phase 2 SPECTRA trial, which includes patients with PAH.

“We believe that sotatercept has the potential to shift the current treatment paradigm and provide significant benefit to patients with PAH on top of currently available therapies. Thus, we’re thrilled that the FDA has granted this Breakthrough Therapy designation – a first for an Acceleron-discovered medicine and for a therapeutic candidate in PAH – as it supports and aligns with our mission to deliver novel therapeutic options to patients in need as quickly as possible,” Habib Dable, president and CEO of Acceleron Pharma, said in the press release.

lfranki@mdedge.com

The Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Therapy status to sotatercept for treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Approval for sotatercept, “a selective ligand trap for members of the TGF-beta [transforming growth factor-beta] superfamily which rebalances BMPR-II [bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II] signaling,” was based on two types of research. It was based on results of preclinical research indicating “reversed pulmonary vessel muscularization and improved indicators of right heart failure,” as well as results of the phase 2, placebo-controlled PULSAR study, in which sotatercept showed positive results, meeting primary and secondary endpoints.

Adverse events during PULSAR “were consistent with previously published data on sotatercept” in other diseases. The drug is also under investigation in the phase 2 SPECTRA trial, which includes patients with PAH.

“We believe that sotatercept has the potential to shift the current treatment paradigm and provide significant benefit to patients with PAH on top of currently available therapies. Thus, we’re thrilled that the FDA has granted this Breakthrough Therapy designation – a first for an Acceleron-discovered medicine and for a therapeutic candidate in PAH – as it supports and aligns with our mission to deliver novel therapeutic options to patients in need as quickly as possible,” Habib Dable, president and CEO of Acceleron Pharma, said in the press release.

lfranki@mdedge.com