Practice Management News

Orphan Europe announced that Health Canada has authorized the sale of Carbaglu as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of acute hyperammonemia or as maintenance therapy for chronic hyperammonemia due to the deficiency of N-aceytlglutamate synthase, a liver enzyme, in pediatric and adult patients, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

With another school year here, the Internal Revenue Service reminds parents and students that now is a good time to see if they will qualify for either of two college tax credits or other education-related tax benefits when they file their 2015 federal income tax returns.

Readmission rates were an ineffective measure of a hospital’s quality because they did not take into account readmissions from different hospitals, resulting in a large number of unaccounted for readmissions, according to recent research.

Presbyterian/St Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colo., announced they have expanded their transplant services by adding a liver transplant and liver disease program, according to a press release from the center.

The AGA has proposed an alternative pathway to recertification, called The Gastroenterologist: Accountable Professionalism in Practice, or G-APP, which replaces the high-stakes testing of the current maintenance of certification process with “active, adaptive, self-directed learning modules that allow for continuous feedback,” according to a press release.

The FDA has recently issued a number of gastroenterology-relevant communications, including bariatric and esophageal ablation device approvals, orphan drug designations for several cholangiocarcinoma treatments, fast track designation for a familial adenomatous polyposis drug, a draft guidance on clinical evaluation of gastroparesis drugs, and additional safety measures for ERCP duodenoscope reprocessing.

The FDA sent warning letters on August 12 to Pentax, Olympus and Fujifilm following inspections of their facilities which were prompted by the recent outbreaks of infections linked to duodenoscopes manufactured by the companies.

Genetic abnormalities affecting the synthesis or catabolism of metabolic enzymes can lead to the development of serious hepatic disorders. Although individually rare, the 2012 Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network report states that, collectively, metabolic liver diseases account for approximately 9% of pediatric liver transplantation cases in the United States. Because of the rare nature of these disorders, the nondescript symptoms at initial presentation, and provider unfamiliarity, many patients are easily misdiagnosed or unrecognized. In this activity, prominent clinicians will lead a discussion on the pathophysiology, symptomology, and differential diagnosis of pediatric hepato-metabolic disorders to assist providers in achieving appropriate diagnosis and effective disease management.

A new screening and diagnostic testing program for hepatitis C virus infection at an urban ED showed that the infection was prevalent among those with a history of injection drug use and many lacked general knowledge of the infection, according to published findings in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Sirtex Medical Inc. announced its dose sales for SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres have increased by 21.2% in the U.S. for the second quarter of 2015 compared to the second quarter of 2014, according to a press release.