American Medical Association (AMA)

The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. The AMA mission is to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. The association represents physicians with a unified voice in courts and legislative bodies across the nation, removing obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading efforts to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in healthcare.

AMA brainstorms on key topics impacting healthcare

"With significantly strengthened penalties, standardized reporting requirements and unprecedented enforcement commitments, the regulatory landscape has dramatically shifted," the AMA wrote. 

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Marijuana use linked to blood vessel damage—impact seen with smoking and edibles

"As cannabis legalization increases, it is crucial to understand the public health and clinical implications of marijuana use," researchers wrote in JAMA Cardiology.

Cuffless blood pressure measurement devices: Convenient, but not ready for clinical use

Cuffless BP measurements could potentially provide significant value for clinicians and patients alike. It is still too early, however, for these technologies to be used in a clinical setting; too many unanswered questions remain.

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Society of Interventional Radiology joins others in urging Medicare payment for high-cost disposables

The resolution urges the AMA to advocate for separate payment for certain services using supplies priced above $500, as well as those containing high-cost equipment. 

Imaging for chest pain: CT- and ICA-first strategies linked to similar long-term health status

These findings present additional evidence that invasive imaging tests are not necessarily more effective when it comes to evaluating patients for chest pain.

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Gastric bypass surgery linked to lower heart attack risk than gastric sleeve

Both operations can help obese patients lose weight, researchers noted, but gastric bypass surgery "may be associated with greater cardiovascular benefits."

Newsweek ranked the 50 best heart hospitals in the world

Proactive CAD strategies fueled by calcium scores lead to benefits for intermediate-risk patients

Up to 50% of all patients face an intermediate risk of developing CAD, and the optimal treatment strategy for that population remains unclear. For this study, researchers explored data from more than 400 intermediate-risk patients with a family history of premature CAD.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]

Quality of care for heart patients does not improve in first year of ACO participation

Researchers tracked patient outcomes through the use of 15 performance measures related to hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.