by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 17, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight, Miscellaneous Musings
The AP (2/7, Stobbe) reported, “The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years.” According to the AP, “one indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms.” Two weeks...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 14, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight
On January 30th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Journavx (suzetrigine) 50 milligram oral tablets, a first-in-class non-opioid analgesic, to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults. Journavx reduces pain by targeting a pain-signaling pathway...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 12, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
EDIT: Thank you to the medical sales rep who sent me my smile for the day with this message. “Would love to apply but the apply button does not work. Former [redacted] employee and medical equipment rep. Let me know or send me a link.” Thank you...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 11, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight, Healthcare Payment Policy, Medicare Audits
The Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST. If you and your organization provide wound care to Medicare beneficiaries, are you prepared for the important policy updates for 2025 implemented by...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 10, 2025 | Fight the Good Fight
JAMA has just published the results of the WHIST Randomized Clinical Trial, Effect of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy vs Standard Wound Dressing on Deep Surgical Site Infection After Surgery for Lower Limb Fractures Associated With Major Trauma. You should...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 5, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Skin substitutes and possible danger: Is patient harm happening in wound care? Jeanne Pinder from Clear Health Costs has posted a powerful follow up article on the use of Cellular Tissue Products (CTPs) / skin substitutes. Ms. Pinder interviewed Dr. Danielle...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Feb 3, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitute Arrests, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Office of Public Affairs | Arizona Couple Pleads Guilty to $1.2B Health Care Fraud | United States Department of Justice The Department of Justice (DOJ) office of public affairs has announced that on October 24, 2024, Alexandra Gehrke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 31, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitute Arrests
A lot is being said about the way that the new LCD(s) around Cellular Tissue Products (CTPs) / skin substitutes might impact access to care. A big issue is around product choice and ensuring that there is a large enough suite of covered products from which physicians...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 29, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
The delay of the LCD(s) is good news for many manufacturers since it will continue to enable unlimited use of amniotic products, some of which are priced around $5,000 per sq cm. (That’s more than a 3,000% increase in cost with no data to indicate any improvement in...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jan 27, 2025 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes
Check out this article by investigative reporter Jeanne Pinder, CEO of Clear Health Costs, who set out to understand the cost of “skin substitutes.” Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through...
