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Physician-only social network surveys how physicians really feel about…

Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied Healthcare

Several social media platforms are facing public scrutiny over their role in promoting misleading health information, especially relating to the anti-vaccination movement, which many experts say has contributed to the outbreak of contagious illnesses, like measles, in areas around the country. At a time where it seems everyone (who wants one) has a platform, there is a global need for medically and scientifically accurate information from reliable sources to help inform public health knowledge. SERMO is a leading social network for over 800,000 fully verified and licensed physicians around the world. When it comes to the anti-vaccination movement, SERMO surveyed its community to find out how physicians really feel.

Physician burnout may have peaked, but it remains a healthcare crisis

Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied Healthcare

From reported record highs in 2014, physician burnout levels have fallen. Despite nearly 45 percent of physicians reporting burnout in 2017, those numbers were highest in 2014 when more than 54 percent of U.S. physicians reported they suffered from the malaise. This is according to a new study published in Mayo Clinical Proceedings and conducted jointly with the American Medical Association. Another recent report — from the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health — says doctors struggle with the "unyielding demands of electronic health record systems and ever-growing regulatory burdens."

A blood test to measure pain

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Whether acute or chronic, most of us have dealt with pain. In 2016, 20 percent of adults in the United States had chronic pain, and 8 percent had pain that limited at least one major life activity. The state of the art of pain measurement right now is a pain scale that was invented decades ago. However, a new University of Pittsburgh study shows that physicians may soon be able to quantify pain with a simple blood test. Researchers have developed a test that objectively measures pain biomarkers in the blood.

Drug combo may make organ, tissue matching unnecessary

Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied Healthcare

Tissue-matching means organ recipients have a better chance of a successful transplant, but patients will still need to take anti-rejection medications, possibly for the remainder of their lives. While effective, these drugs can cause the body's immune system to be vulnerable to infection, and they often have unpleasant side effects. However, a new study offers evidence that an antibody-drug conjugate may serve the same purpose as traditional anti-rejection drugs. Led by a Stanford University physician, the research team found that the conjugate eliminates blood-producing stem cells in mice. To this point, only anti-rejection drugs have kept the production of stem cells at bay.

How to be a better mentor to your medical residents

Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare Administration

As a teaching physician, you no doubt take the job of providing guidance to your doctors-in-training very seriously. Still, there are probably areas in which you'd like to improve the interaction you have so your young doctors glean the most professional and personal benefits — but you're not quite sure how to proceed. Good news: there's a wealth of research that covers solutions to navigate a variety of mentorship challenges with great results. Try these proven strategies.

Universal vaccine for the flu may be just around the corner

Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Influenza vaccines save lives over the years and prevent millions of additional people from getting sick from the flu. The CDC reported on Feb. 15 that the overall estimated effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine was 47 percent, which means the vaccine cuts the risk of the flu by nearly half. One of the main problems with low effectiveness is that current vaccines do not cover all influenza strains, and strains mutate quickly, so people must undergo vaccinations each year to cover strains not included in previous vaccines. The results of a new study published in the journal Nature Immunology may change all that — researchers have identified an immune cell that can protect the body from all types of influenza.

What do elder care, robots and Japan have in common?

Catherine Iste Medical & Allied Healthcare

While there is no shortage of attempts to stop or reverse it, we are all still aging. This year, for the first time in our history, there will be more of us over 65 than under 5 years old. This demographic shift, combined with our increasing longevity, will continue to exacerbate the disparities between the elderly population and those available to care for them. Japan is at the forefront of this new world; providing lessons for us all to consider.

New research shows rural hospitals remain in dire straits

Scott E. Rupp Healthcare Administration

Since 2010, 95 rural hospitals have closed in 26 states as rural populations continue to crater compared to their urban counterparts. Rural hospitals are economic engines for the small communities they serve, and there are more than 60 million people who are cared for by these organizations. Thus, the loss of these hospitals is a crisis on two fronts: people are losing much-needed access to care and they are losing high-quality and high-paying jobs not likely found or replicated in the area. According to a new study, the economic effects of a lost hospital are immediate.

New opportunities for telehealth, mHealth reimbursement that providers…

Christina Thielst Healthcare Administration

There has been pressure on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to address telehealth and mHealth reimbursement for years. The fruits of that labor by policymakers, healthcare providers, telehealth networks and information technology professionals are continuing to materialize with new reimbursement for remote patient monitoring and virtual visits. In a recent article, Eric Wicklund, a longtime reimbursement proponent and editor at mHealthIntelligence, presents survey data that finds providers aren’t paying attention. This includes that out of "280 health systems, two-thirds of those surveyed don’t know about CMS’ expanded telemedicine reimbursement opportunities."

Schools, law enforcement team up to curb new trends in drug use

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

The latest surge of drugs impacting teens is a matter of serious concern. While drug abuse has always been a problem, some of the newer ones are scary in the ways they are presented inconspicuously and innocently. This is why some law enforcement officials are teaming up with schools to warn parents of the latest teen drug trends as a part of their preventative efforts. These troubling new trends include prescription drugs, fentanyl, and heroin. Additionally, there's the risk of having entire generations addicted to nicotine. Federal, state, and local authorities want parents to be aware of all these so that they know the signs and act right away.

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