CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
CDC: Stroke ‘very unlikely’ in seniors who receive updated COVID vaccine booster
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 18, 2023
The CDC is investigating bivalent booster shot safety after one of its monitoring systems flagged a potential risk of stroke among seniors.
Shortest possible antibiotic therapy protects UTI-prone patients, researchers report
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 18, 2023
Seven to 10 days of antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infection is an effective duration for preventing recurrence, a new study finds.
Hearing aid use linked to lower dementia prevalence, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 16, 2023
Moderate-to-severe hearing loss was associated with a 61% higher prevalence of dementia, while hearing aid use was tied to a 32% lower prevalence in a nationally representative population.
Listen up: Lockdown study reveals music’s role in modulating chronic stress
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 17, 2023
Music listening was linked to lower stress levels and improvements in mood during pandemic lockdowns. The researchers recommend music interventions to foster resilience during psychologically demanding...
Study: Falls rate nearly 50% for U.S. seniors with dementia; 3 factors raise risk
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 13, 2023
Nearly half of American seniors with dementia had one or more falls in the preceding year, according to a new analysis of 2016 data. Risk factors differed between seniors with and without dementia, investigators...
Clinical briefs for Friday, Jan. 13
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 13, 2023
COVID-19 pneumonia requires longer ventilation, but outcomes similar to other pneumonias … Six daily minutes of intense exercise vs. fasting could delay dementia onset: study … Protein may be biomarker...
U.S. vaccine acceptance grows by 20 percent from 2021 to 2022: survey
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 12, 2023
“Vaccination remains a cornerstone of the COVID-19 pandemic response, but broad public support remains elusive,” the researchers said.
Cannabis-related issues sending more seniors to the ED, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 12, 2023
Cannabis-related ED visits for older adults shot up by a whopping 1,800% between 2005 to 2019 in California, investigators say. The state’s experience mirrors national trends.
Amyloid brain plaques not a sure sign of Alzheimer’s, researchers find
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 12, 2023
A new study challenges the theory that an increase in brain amyloid protein signals Alzheimer’s disease. The findings may be especially relevant to clinicians as amyloid-targeting drugs such as Leqembi...