-
Who to refer your young patient to if he or she has a lazy eye
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcarePrimary care physicians (and especially pediatricians) are often the first to see conditions in patients that ultimately need to be referred out to a specialist for treatment. If your patient has amblyopia (lazy eye), the specialist he or she will need is a pediatric ophthalmologist. And even though amblyopia affects about 2-4 percent of children in the U.S., it’s likely your young patient’s caregiver has never heard of this pediatric vision condition. If you are familiar at all with amblyopia, you probably know this eye condition by its more common name of lazy eye; not to be confused with crossed eyes (strabismus).
-
How to help improve your surgeons’ job performance
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare AdministrationAs a hospital administrator, you want your surgeons to do a peerless job when it comes to the health and safety of every single patient. A great way to make this happen: improve their sense of job satisfaction. Research shows that the happier surgeons are in specific aspects of their work lives, the higher their rates of skill and patient safety can be. Try these science-tested tips to get a fresh start when it comes to helping your doctors do their very best.
-
Private patient advocates can help dentists, too
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareEvery dentist knows there are certain types of patients who tend to have trouble managing their oral healthcare. The largest group is aging seniors. As the aging population in America continues to grow, the term "senior orphans" has come to describe elderly patients without family. To meet this growing need, a segment of the healthcare population is growing as well. Private patient advocates exist to help patients navigate an increasingly complicated (and ever-changing) healthcare system by providing the extra support they need. But they also offer many benefits to dentists, too.
-
Exercise training for patients with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular…
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareThe World Health Organization estimated that 9 percent of the world's population had diabetes in 2014, and over 90 percent of these suffered from Type 2 diabetes. Moreover, Type 2 diabetes already causes 5 million deaths per year, mostly from cardiovascular diseases. According to a recent position paper, patients with Type 2 diabetes should be prescribed physical activity to control blood sugar and improve heart health. According to Dr. Hareld Kemps, a cardiologist in the Netherlands, diabetes doubles the risk of mortality, but the fitter patients become, the more that risk declines. Unfortunately, most patients do not engage in exercise programs.
-
HHS proposes rule to improve interoperability of electronic health information
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its proposed new rules during the first day of the annual Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference to "support seamless and secure access, exchange and use of electronic health information." According to the release supporting the announcements, the rules, issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), are designed to increase "choice and competition" while "fostering innovation that promotes patient access to and control over their health information."
-
The importance of relationships to healthcare delivery
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareWhen a patient walks through the door of a physician's office, the success of that visit is largely predicated upon the relationship between the doctor and the patient. If a nurse is readying an anxious patient for surgery, the nurse's ability to connect with that individual and provide compassionate care is crucial. And when a school nurse tends to a disabled child's tracheostomy, the previously established trust between child and adult is central to comfort and a sense of mutuality. Healthcare is built upon a foundation of relationships; without those links, the provision of such care can feel sterile, lifeless, and devoid of any deeper meaning.
-
HIMSS releases report forecasting healthcare trends for 2019
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareIn late January, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) announced the availability of a new report, "2019 Healthcare Trends Forecast: The Beginning of a Consumer-Driven Reformation." The paper features commentary and analysis from leaders across HIMSS, Healthbox, Health 2.0 and PCHAlliance, each of whom have a bird's-eye view of industry trends and the levers of change. The report is organized around four key trends: digital health implications and applications, consumer impact, financial and demographic challenges, and issues of data governance and policy.
-
Chicago hospital makes American medical history with back-to-back triple-organ…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareLate last year, a Chicago man and Detroit woman underwent back-to-back triple-organ (liver-kidney-heart) transplants. The two surgeries lasted more than 17 and 20 hours, respectively, from Dec. 19 to 21. It was the first time a U.S. hospital has performed more than one liver-kidney-heart transplant within one year. Teams of surgeons at University of Chicago Medicine performed these two most recent triple-organ transplants. The procedures marked the 16th and 17th liver-kidney-heart transplants performed in the country since 1989, according to a Department of Health and Human Services database.
-
Detecting hidden anxiety, depression in children
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareAs many as 1 in 5 children suffer from anxiety or depression, starting in preschool years. Early diagnosis and appropriate services for children and their families can make a difference in the lives of children with mental disorders. However, when children suffer in silence because they never exhibit the disruptive behaviors that would lead to a referral for diagnostic assessment, how can parents be sure their child is anxious or depressed? Ryan McGinnis, a biomedical engineer at the University of Vermont, led a team to develop a tool that could help screen children who were internalizing disorders to catch them for early treatment.
-
5 new ways to protect your heart
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareKeeping your ticker healthy should be a priority for everyone. That's why new research on cardiovascular health can help us all take fresh, proactive steps to safeguard our hearts and feel a lot better, too. This piece will outline science-based advice we can put into practice right away.
All Healthcare Administration Articles