News in brief - Oct 3, 2011

Real-time biosurveillance could help diagnose outbreak cases

Access to real-time biosurveillance data could help physicians improve the accuracy of their diagnoses, according to a study published in the Sept. 20 Annals of Internal Medicine.

For the study, researchers from Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard University analyzed the records of 82,000 patients who visited CVS MinuteClinics in six states and complained of having a sore throat.

The study found that knowing whether there was an outbreak of strep throat in a particular area would be a strong enough predictor of the infection to help physicians decide whether to test for strep throat or to start treatment right away.

Guidelines dictate that physicians should not order a test or prescribe antibiotics unless the patient has several specific symptoms. The prevalence of an outbreak could count as a symptom.

The authors concluded that incorporating real-time biosurveillance, which could be delivered online, could reduce missed cases of disease.

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California Blues to send rebates

Following its pledge to limit its profits to 2% of revenue, Blue Shield of California has sent letters listing premium credits to its members and employer customers.

The credits will be used to offset customers' October bills and average $80 for individual customers and $250 for a family of four who are subscribed as individuals.

Fully insured employers in the middle and large group markets who sponsor coverage for their workers will be credited 30% of one month's premium, equal to about $110 to $130 per employee.

Self-insured employers will get a 10% credit. Small-business subscribers' credits will average $125 per employee.

The company announced in June that it will limit profits and return any net income above 2% of revenue back to its 3.3 million members and the community.

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Report tells where pediatric subspecialists are

A study in the Sept. 12 Pediatrics tracked the settings where pediatric subspecialists are practicing.

Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed a random national sample of 1,696 pediatric subspecialists. A total of 65% worked in university-owned hospitals or outpatient centers. About 16% were in community hospitals; an additional 12% were in private outpatient practices; and 7% were in other settings.

Neonatologists were the least likely among pediatric subspecialists to work in an academic setting, with only 49% doing so. About 38% practiced in a community hospital; 2% had a private outpatient practice; and 13% were working in other settings. Sixty-four percent of pediatric cardiologists were in academia, with 5% in the community hospital setting and 27% in a private outpatient practice. The remainder worked in other settings.

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