Orthopedic care is moving rapidly toward outpatient delivery models, greater cost accountability and increased demand for measurable outcomes.
Employers, health plans and patients are placing more pressure on the health care system to deliver efficient, accessible and financially sustainable care without compromising quality.
The transition is accelerating the growth of ASCs and creating new opportunities for physician-led organizations that are built to adapt quickly and stay closely connected to patient care.
Independent orthopedic practices are uniquely positioned for this moment. When

Health officials in Michigan reported the deaths of two people who had cyclosporiasis — the first deaths linked to the ongoing outbreak of the diarrheal illness that has impacted at least nine states.
The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services said Monday that the two people who died “had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration.”
The department did not release any other details of the patients.
According to the CDC, there have been at least 1,947 cyclosporiasis cases and 98 hospitalizations in the outbreak since May 1.

Editor’s note: This is a developing news story. Please check back soon for updates.
Yesafili, an interchangeable biosimilar to Eylea 2 mg, is now commercially available in the United States, according to a press release from Biocon.
The FDA approved Yesafili (aflibercept-jbvf) in May 2024. It is indicated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, macular edema following retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy.
In the phase 3 INSIGHT study, researchers compared Yesafili with Eylea 2 mg (aflibercept, Regeneron) in patients with DME. There were no differences

The recent Andes virus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship provided an important reminder for clinicians, according to Loukas Kakoullis, MD, PhD, MPH.
“High-consequence infectious diseases are out there and an ongoing threat, so being vigilant and prepared for the possibility of facing such a patient will keep people safe,” Kakoullis told Healio.
Andes virus is endemic to South America and the only hantavirus known to be transmissible between people. The hantavirus that is endemic to North America, Sin Nombre virus, spreads to people mainly through contact with rodents, especially their

The FDA has expanded approval for a radioligand therapy that nearly doubles the number of men with advanced prostate cancer eligible to receive the treatment, according to a Novartis press release.
Men with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer can now use lutetium Lu-177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto, Novartis) in combination with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) and androgen deprivation therapy after randomized phase 3 trial data demonstrated significantly improved outcomes compared with ARPI and ADT therapy (standard

Chemical hair relaxers to straighten textured or curly hair, primarily used by Black women, may bring risks for several hormone-sensitive cancers, whereas alternative products without harmful chemicals may still cause scarring alopecia.
Dermatologists are uniquely positioned to discuss the potential risks of chemical hair relaxers with patients to support informed hair care decisions, and the growing data suggesting harms underscore the importance of asking patients about their hair care in the clinic, Rebecca Fliorent, DO, a second-year pathology resident at New York-Presbyterian/Weill

An eye drop containing ectoine, a hydrophilic molecule not approved by the FDA, led to improved dry eye signs and symptoms within weeks in a single-arm study, according to a study presented at the European Dry Eye Society Congress.
“Ectoine, an osmoprotectant, is naturally secreted by extremophiles, bacteria that live in extremely harsh conditions,” study author Omur Uçakhan-Gündüz, MD, of Ankara University School of Medicine in Turkey, told Healio. “It binds very strongly to water molecules. Ectoine water complexes come together to form a net-like structure that covers the macromolecules and

Medication burden for patients on dialysis has increased significantly between 2003 and 2024, according to study data published in Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Higher medication burden is linked to increased risks for adverse drug reactions, worsened adherence and higher hospitalization and mortality rates, according to Harold J. Manley, PharmD, FASN, FCCP, senior pharmacy director at Dialysis Clinic Inc., and colleagues. Previous research on medication burden in dialysis populations has been limited by short study timeframes, the researchers wrote.
“Knowledge of

Switching to oral antibiotics after at least 24 hours of IV therapy was noninferior to 5 days of IV therapy for treating young children with severe community-acquired pneumonia, according to study data published in The Lancet.
WHO currently recommends treating children with severe pneumonia with 5 days of IV antibiotics, during which the children typically have to remain hospitalized, according to Julia A. Bielicki, PhD, MPH, professor of pediatric infectious diseases at City St. George’s, University of London, told Healio.
“Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of childhood

The use and misuse of GLP-1 receptor agonists were “common” among patients with eating disorders, according to a research letter published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Some patients with eating disorders also have used compounded and illicit drugs, Nicholas C. Peiper, PhD, MPH, a professor in the department of epidemiology and population health at the University of Louisville, and colleagues wrote.
“GLP-1 drugs have been around for a little over 20 years,” Peiper told Healio. “But when the indications opened up to weight management for certain products, that really increased prescribing.”
Peiper noted