Recording Available! Virtual Convening of the 9th Low-Value Care Task Force Meeting
The 9th convening of the Low-Value Care Task Force was held on On Thursday, April 8. Watch the recording to learn from academics, payers and national thought leaders about the progress to identify, measure report and reduce low-value care.
FEHB Program Carrier Letter: No Coverage of D-rated Services
In a recent FEHB Program Carrier Letter, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Healthcare and Insurance instructs carriers not to cover USPSTF D-rated services as preventive benefits in 2022.
TRICARE Takes Steps to Reduce Low-Value Care
In the April 2021 Reimbursement Manual, the TRICARE program calls on contractors to efficiently and effectively manage low-value medical interventions and take financial risk for the provision of specified low-value medical interventions.
Reducing Low-Value Care and Improving Health Care Value
In a recent JAMA Viewpoint, authors suggest that efforts to move away from a culture in which low-value care is a default practice will require health systems and payers to promote organizational behavior change. Read more about the proposed tenants of a de-adoption approach that could lead to considerable strides in improving health care value.
An Evidence Review of Low-Value Care Recommendations: Inconsistency and Lack of Economic Evidence Considered
In a recent JGIM study, researchers examined evidence-based guidelines identifying low-value care across 5 US organizations and found that evidentiary rationales vary substantially. Researchers suggest that incorporating cost-effectiveness evidence to help refine the definition of LVC may help de-implementation efforts.
Digital Health & Low-Value Care
In the wake of COVID-19, access to digital health services has increased rapidly. In this study, researchers assert that while these services provide a multitude of opportunities to improve public health and individual wellbeing, they also carry the potential to create low-value care. Read more here.
Assessment of the Appropriateness of Antimicrobial Use in US Hospitals
A recent JAMA Network Open article discusses how standardized assessments of hospital antimicrobial prescribing quality can be used to estimate the appropriateness of antimicrobial use in large groups of hospitals. These assessments may inform evaluations of the effects of antimicrobial stewardship initiatives nationally.
Reducing Unnecessary Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Hospitalised Patients
The overuse of red blood cell transfusions is associated with increased risk of patient harm and added healthcare costs. With most countries experiencing a decrease in blood donation rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital to protect transfusion supplies. In this Practice Pointer published by BMJ, researchers examine how ‘restrictive transfusion practice’ may help to reduce waste of such precious resources.
How Payers Can Identify, Reduce Low-Value Care Spending Patterns
Identifying and eliminating low-value care will be crucial to improving overall health care spending and patient outcomes. To meaningfully reduce low-value care spending, a concerted and deliberate effort among payers and other stakeholders will be needed. Learn more from this recent feature of the V-BID Center’s work on low-value care.
Virginia Center for Health Innovation Podcast Series - Smarter Care Connections
In this new podcast series, VCHI brings industry experts from key organizations to the table to discuss important issues surrounding low-value care. Episode titles include: Influencing Clinicians to Change Their Behavior Around LVC Health Services, Health Equity and LVC, and Health Plan Actions to Address LVC. Check out all 8 episodes here.
