In recognition of the expanding field of precision medicine and the desire to give the right person the right medicine at the right time, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine took up the task of making recommendations about molecular biomarkers. The consensus committee met throughout 2015 and released the report ‘‘Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies: Key ...

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is one of many new developments within the expanding field of regenerative medicine. Specialists in areas such as orthopedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and rheumatology have been exploring the benefits of this novel therapy. Although PRP therapy remains controversial and has minimal clinical trial support, the use of orthobiologics such as PRP continues t...

n most hospitals in the United States, Medicare patients make up a substantial portion of the total number of patients treated. As a result, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), which manages the Medicare program, reimburses for its share of certain expenses associated with the training and education of health care professionals. Medicare reimbursement must therefore be considered d...

Biomedical science is experiencing a reassessment of its practices healthcare management where more appropriate cost-benefit profiles are being combined with improvements in knowledge, effectiveness, and safety diagnostic/therapeutic procedures to drive the advances medicine. This review aims assess: (a) possible biases scientific literature research, (b) clinical value cost-effectiveness princ...

There are interesting differences between the practice of Nuclear Cardiology in Japan and that in the United States and associated unique challenges. Differences in patient body habitus and the perceived importance of limiting patient radiation dose have resulted in different radiopharmaceutical and imaging protocol preferences. Governmental approval and reimbursement policies for various radio...

T he Future of Family Medicine project was initiated in 2002 with the goal of transforming and renewing the specialty of family medicine to meet the needs of people and society in a changing environment. The initial project report, based on the work of five different task forces, was published in March 2004 and included 10 specific recommendations “intended to provide a framework to guide a ...

The 3Rs for a good education are "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic." The basis for good health care solutions for the emergent field of cell therapy in the future will also involve 3Rs: regulation, reimbursement, and realization of value. The business models in this new field of cell therapy will involve these 3Rs. This article brings forth realities facing this new industry for its approaches ...

Despite the pervasiveness of laboratory tests and their importance to medicine, evidence for their appropriate use often is very limited. In this article, we argue for a fundamental restructuring of the process by which laboratory tests are evaluated and reimbursed. We present an approach that would promote more evidence- based appraisals for laboratory tests. In addition, we urge that coverage...

A few preventive activities were recorded in Croatian family medicine (FM) from 1995 until 2003, and then in 2004, additional fee-for-service reimbursement for general check-ups for people aged 45 to 65 years was introduced. The aim of this study was to investigate the trends in preventive activities before and after the introduction of those measures by using the Croatian Health Service Yearbo...