ICYMI: AR-15 wounds, opioid addiction prevention, readmission rates

There’s a lot happening in medicine and health care. Catch up on some of the top stories you might have missed. Interested in more news about the osteopathic profession? Check out our Newsbriefs.

1. What I saw treating the victims from Parkland should change the debate on guns

A south Florida radiologist, who treated victims from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, explains how bullet wounds from an AR-15 vastly differ from typical handgun wounds. The AR-15 wounds are fatal because of the irreversible damage they cause.

Heather Sher, MD, hopes the deadly wounds from an AR-15 she just witnessed from the Parkland shooting are the last.  —The Atlantic

2. You’ve prescribed an opioid: Now what? 5 key strategies to prevent addiction

As the opioid crisis continues, it’s necessary for physicians to understand the factors that put patients at a higher risk of addiction, before they are even prescribed.

Caroline Carney, MD, chief medical officer at Magellan Healthcare in Arizona, gives providers five practical tips. —KevinMD

3. Lay-health workers reduce readmission rates in new study

Medicare, under the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program, has been penalizing hospitals for excess readmission rates since 2013. In 2017, hospitals paid $528 million in penalties, roughly $108 million more than in 2016.

A new study reports lay-health workers, who act as a bridge between formal health services and patients, can reduce those rates drastically, especially with vulnerable patient populations.

Learn more about how lay-health workers can save hospitals money and keep patients healthier. — Healthcare Finance