Practice Management News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Early palliative care referral would benefit patients with end-stage liver disease, resulting in fewer hospitalizations and more health care proxy assignments and code status changes, according to a presenter here.

While applauding CMS’ 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for expanding Medicare coverage of colorectal cancer screening, gastrointestinal societies also voiced concerns over the reimbursement cuts to gastroenterology services.

In this edition, best practice statements for celiac disease; older patients with IBD at risk for treatment failure with vedolizumab; Follow-up surveillance for post-colonoscopy CRC and more.

The Hepatitis B Foundation has awarded Stephen Urban, PhD, the 2023 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize for his development of bulevirtide, the first drug approved for the treatment of hepatitis D.

The bacterium Clostridioides difficile tends to “cooperate” with microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, such as the pathogen Enterococcus, which can help the bacterium thrive, according to a study published in Nature.

WASHINGTON — A decentralized, integrated care model is necessary to eradicate hepatitis C virus in hard-to-reach populations, including among individuals who use drugs, according to a presenter at The Liver Meeting.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Recommended surveillance interval was the most important modifiable risk factor for post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer at 3 years, according to research presented at the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting.

In an expert review published in Gastroenterology, AGA provided updated guidance for the diagnosis and management of refractory celiac disease, including supportive and therapeutic treatment options and recommendations for monitoring.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, aka TIPS, provide investors with a return that is indexed to inflation over the life of the bond. With the sharp increase in inflation that began in 2021, many investors who own TIPS expected to see gains as a result.

PHILADELPHIA — Immunosuppressive or anti-fibrotic drugs do not appear to have any clear impact on worsening gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with early systemic sclerosis, according to data presented at ACR Convergence 2022.