Patients who have an adnexal mass with benign ultrasound morphology are at low risk for acute complications and can be treated conservatively, researchers reported in The Lancet Oncology. Ultrasound and clinical follow-up at three and six months after identification of a new mass and annually thereafter were deemed safe based on low cumulative incidence of invasive malignancy at surgery, borderline tumor, cyst rupture and torsion.

Five technology tools for health care zero in on patient experience, engagement and safety, and helping patients and clinicians manage chronic disease. Brian Kalis of Accenture said some of the tools have a clinical evidence base and are being developed by health systems, "demonstrating that they are solving problems that systems have en masse."

Health care services face three key challenges in countering cyberattacks, writes Gary Alterson. To secure patient data and keep systems running, health care security teams must recognize they are a prime target for ransomware, overcome the fear that security measures with hamper care and prevent systems from going rogue.

Researchers said that an unhealthy lifestyle can increase the risk of long-term chronic inflammation, which was found to lead to a decline in memory and thinking skills among older adults. The findings were published in Neurology and based on more than 12,300 people with an average age of 57.

Data from a French study indicated that a decreased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality among adults with chronic hepatitis C virus infection was linked to the use of direct-acting antivirals. Details of the study were reported in the journal The Lancet.

CDC researchers found that newborn screening policies for critical congenital heart disease had been implemented in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., in 2018. However, the findings in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed that not all states had data systems for monitoring the results and outcomes of screenings.

A review of 2013 to 2017 data from the National Health Interview Surveys found that about 45% of 6,160 US adults under the age of 65 with cardiovascular disease struggled financially due to health care expenses, and nearly 20% said they were unable to pay their medical bills at all, according to research in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. People experiencing financial distress are more likely to skip medications, said Dr. David Himmelstein, who was not involved in the study.

US legislators are continuing efforts to repeal the medical device tax, with Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., issuing a letter to fellow House lawmakers urging them to cosponsor a bill for a full repeal. AdvaMed President and CEO Scott Whitaker thanked the House for its efforts. Meanwhile, Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., are said to be planning to cosponsor a repeal bill.

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