Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1446582
To view the full list of CME events, please go to longisland.mdnews.com. Prior Authorization = Employee Absenteeism? P H Y S I C I A N S M AY H AV E a new ally against prior authorization requirements: employers. The AMA is encouraging companies to scrutinize any prior authorization requirements in insurance plans before adopting them, noting that delays in care while waiting for approval for insurance coverage increase employee absenteeism rates. The AMA suggests employers ask carriers questions including, "How long is the average wait for authorization?" and "What percentage of denied prior authorizations actually do get approved?" If wait times are long and rates of denial or overturned denials are high, employers should look elsewhere for coverage. Struggles to get authorization may especially impact employees with chronic health conditions like diabetes, leading to repeated absenteeism that affects a company's bottom line. n — Cari Wade Gervin Myocarditis, COVID-19 and Athletes A C C O R D I N G T O N E W research published in JAMA Cardiology, a past COVID-19 infection appears to increase the danger of myocarditis in competitive athletes — specifically, those in the Big Ten Conference. The study confirms research from 2020, although the prevalence of myocarditis after infection was found to be 3%, compared to the more alarming 15% rate earlier studies had found. One key takeaway is that myocarditis often did not present visible symptoms but only showed up after cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. As myocarditis is one of the top causes of sudden death in athletes, an increase in CMR for athletes may be warranted. Researchers will continue to follow athletes who experienced COVID-19 and myocarditis with the goal of identifying any long-term effects. n — Cari Wade Gervin Sound Waves Take on Arterial Plaque W H E N A R T E R I E S B EC O M E clogged with calcified plaque, physicians have traditionally relied on either high pressure balloons or atherectomy for breaking the plaque up; however, both options present risks. The new Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy technology, which recently received premarket approval from the FDA, will offer a new alternative for physicians and patients. It had already been approved to treat peripheral arterial disease, but the coronary approval came in 2021. Similar to lithotripsy for kidney stones, the device uses sound waves to break up calcified plaque prior to a stent insertion. This causes minimal trauma to normal arterial tissue and reduces the risk of perforations and distal embolization. The technology has been used in 50 countries since 2018, with an estimated 30,000 patients successfully treated. n — Cari Wade Gervin 1 8❱❱❱❱❱ T H A T ' S N E W S