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Understanding how millennial nurses view their prospective employers
Amanda Ghosh Medical & Allied HealthcareOut of the four generations in today’s workforce, the millennial generation is the largest. They’re also the future of healthcare. Although the delayed retirement of older nurses has provided a buffer against low retention rates among new nurses, it’s only a matter of time before this buffer wanes. It’s time to tailor our work environments to meet their needs. Is your organization ready to attract and retain new nurse grads from the millennial generation? We can start by understanding what they want.
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Brain circuit implicated in cocaine relapse
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareRepeated use of cocaine rewires the brain and changes the brain’s reward circuitry, which leads to dependence and addiction. An initial, short-term effect — a buildup of the neurochemical dopamine — leads to euphoria and a desire to take the drug again. Researchers are seeking to understand how cocaine’s many longer-term effects produce the persistent cravings and risk of relapse. Researcher Peter W. Kalivas, Ph.D., a university professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and colleagues have identified a type of neuron that is critical for cocaine-seeking behaviors in rodents.
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New study: Hepatitis C-negative patients may safely receive positive hearts,…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareA group of transplant surgeons at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston decided to investigate whether organs from donors with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) could be safely transplanted into recipients without the virus. They reported their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. Hearts and lungs from donors infected with HCV are usually discarded out of concerns of spreading the viral infection, despite the immediate need for such organs. Organs for donation increasingly carry the hepatitis C virus, as people who use inject drugs and share needles are at high risk of HCV infection.
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Podcast: How to convert a prospective patient calling your out-of-network…
Jarod Carter Healthcare AdministrationThis episode features my interview with Jerry Durham, co-owner of San Francisco Sport and Spine Physical Therapy, who transitioned his three-clinic practice completely out of network with all third-party payors except Medicare. This episode dives into the details of the initial phone conversation with a prospective patient when your clinic is not in network with any insurances. He goes into so many important details, I actually recommend listening to this one twice and taking notes if you are serious about transitioning your practice out-of-network.
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6 ways your hospital can reduce patient anxiety
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareIn a hospital, you're always trying to improve patient satisfaction — but you might be overlooking the most crucial area that needs fixing. Anxiety is a well-established issue at varying levels for many patients facing a procedure, extensive treatment, or just waiting for test results. However, many physicians don't see the importance of systematically addressing it. It's important to do so, though. Implement these scientifically proven strategies to provide more calm and ensure better feedback for your organization.
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Why understanding the time pyramid is critical for healthcare administrators
Catherine Iste Healthcare AdministrationEverything that falls under the auspices of healthcare administration is complex. From budgets to billing and policy to care management, healthcare administrators at any level must understand, manage, and optimize complicated systems. As such, the actions of one healthcare administrator can impact a significant number of departments, teams and employees. Because of this, it is critical for administrators to become familiar with and embrace the time pyramid.
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New study suggests levetiracetam for epileptic seizures in children when…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareEmergency department (ED) clinicians typically treat status epilepticus with benzodiazepines, followed as necessary with phenytoin, but this approach often leads to intubation and ventilation. Now, the results of a study from researchers in New Zealand and Australia suggest there is a better way to treat severe epileptic seizures in children, and the results of the study will likely change how ED doctors around the world manage status epilepticus in pediatric patients.
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Is your boss planning to fire you?
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWith jobs, we often go for the salary and stay for the boss — that is, until the boss starts acting weird. We have all either experienced or seen the relationships between managers and employees deteriorate. What follows is a constant stream of awkward interactions, unnecessarily tense discussions and an edgy undercurrent. Here are a few ways to tell whether the boss is considering termination.
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Improving guidance to patients, family caregivers on care facilities
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationFamily caregivers and patients struggle with choosing quality care facilities. This includes both those who have not yet been hospitalized and those who are being discharged to a lower level of care. Unfortunately, sometimes they find their choice isn’t the best fit or safety concerns arise. Delays in choosing a facility increase the risk of discharge for hospitalized patients. Choosing the wrong facility can also strain resources with an unnecessary hospitalization or re-hospitalization. A recent Kaiser Health News article addresses the need for smarter decisions on where to recover after a hospitalization, starting with better guidance from hospitals themselves.
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Despite controversy, HHS releases conscience protection rule for healthcare…
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights has released a new final rule designed to protect individuals and healthcare entities in HHS-funded programs from discrimination on the basis of their exercise of conscience. It will take effect in approximately two months. The "conscience rights" rule will allow healthcare workers to refuse care based on religious or moral objections and will grant protections to healthcare workers who refuse to provide services such as abortion or transition care for transgender individuals.
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