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Medicare payments come in short for practices that rely on them
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationMedical practices that live and die on the gyrations of Medicare payments might find themselves near death’s door in 2019 if feedback is any sign of their viability and longevity. Medicare reimbursements simply may not be cutting it for as many as two-thirds of practices that receive the federal payments. Per responses, Medicare payment rates for 2019 will not cover the basic cost of their delivering care to patients, an MGMA Stat poll points out.
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5 easy ways to boost your heart health
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareMaking positive changes to help your cardiovascular system doesn't necessarily always mean grueling exercise and eating even more kale. Sometimes, the simplest moves are just the ticket for seeing meaningful improvements in your numbers. For example, a study from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta found that drinking just one milkshake made with whole milk, ice cream and whipped cream was enough to turn healthy red blood cells into spiky cells, which are a key risk for a cardiovascular event like a heart attack.
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New study evaluates presentation of chronic fatigue syndrome in the ED
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is poorly understood, but proposed mechanisms include biological, genetic, infectious, and psychological. This disease is characterized by profound fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, sleep abnormalities, autonomic manifestations, pain, and other symptoms that are made worse by exertion of any sort. For years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended two controversial treatments for CFS — a program of steadily increasing activity and a specific form of cognitive behavior therapy. However, few medical professionals are aware that the CDC has dropped the exercise and psychotherapy recommendations. How do patients with CFS get the healthcare and treatment they deserve to deal with their symptoms?
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FDA issues warning letter to companies on dangerous, unapproved stem cell…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareAfter 12 people were hospitalized for infections associated with unapproved stem cell treatments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to Genetech, Inc. about the umbilical cord blood-derived cellular products distributed by Liveyon, LLC. The FDA warned Genetech for processing umbilical cord blood into unapproved human cellular products and for significant deviations from current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) and current good tissue practice (CGTP) requirements.
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Are hospitals compliant with patient access to medical records?
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationAre U.S. hospitals compliant with federal and state regulations in their medical records processes? That is the central question in a cross-sectional study of 83 hospitals featured in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital Rankings for 2016-2017. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act establishes the patient’s right for access of their protected health information within 30 days and in the format they prefer. In the study, researchers attempted to conduct scripted interviews (simulating a patient experience) with each medical records department, but three were deemed nonresponsive.
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Bringing a stop to nurse cannon fodder syndrome
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationNurses are virtually irreplaceable as the vital lifeblood and connective tissue of any healthcare organization or facility. From the emergency department and the ICU to home health and dialysis, nurses do the highly skilled work that keeps the healthcare engine humming. When nurses are treated as so much cannon fodder thrust on the front lines without appropriate support from an enlightened and forward-thinking leadership, things can go terribly awry. Being thrown under the metaphorical bus is unpleasant in any circumstance, but when nurses are left to fend themselves while healthcare outcomes and patient safety are compromised, such circumstances are morally and ethically unacceptable.
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Getting clever to beat the flu
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareWe all dread the flu. From late fall to early spring, from mild to severe to even deadly varieties, the flu is anticipated and discussed every year. Since 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) have recommended routine annual influenza vaccinations for all persons 6 months of age or older who don’t have contraindications. However, the flu virus is a moving target, and it is often difficult to study the exact number and locations of proteins on any individual virus, and scientists have always known that a flu virus in our bodies can be a lot different than viruses grown in the lab petri dish where viruses are uniform and spherical. In our bodies, these viruses vary in shape and composition.
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Study supports fasting as a means of improving overall health
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcareIt's the new year. Many people are integrating new habits into their lives to help them reach their health and wellness goals. The rise in popularity of intermittent fasting as part of an overall wellness plan has people researching, Googling and seeking out information on fasting more than ever before. In a University of California, Irvine-led study, researchers found evidence that fasting affects circadian clocks in the liver and skeletal muscles, causing them to rewire their metabolism, which can ultimately lead to improved health and protection against aging-associated diseases.
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How empathy training for your doctors will benefit your patients
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare AdministrationCompassion is a key quality that every physician should demonstrate — and when they don't, patients notice. Research from Massachusetts General Hospital found that patients who have a good relationship with their doctor can benefit as much as they would from taking a daily aspirin to prevent a cardiac event. What's more, research from the Loyola University Health System found that residents who scored high on emotional intelligence and empathy also demonstrated better impulse control and more social responsibility — making for safer and more humane care as a whole.
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New study: Donated kidneys from marijuana-using donors seems safe
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareLive kidney donation by marijuana smokers seems safe for donors and recipients, according to the results of a new study published in Clinical Kidney Journal. The study also finds no difference in post-operative kidney function between patients who received kidneys from pot smokers and those who received kidneys from donors who did not use marijuana. The National Kidney Registry recommendations exclude marijuana users and other substance abusers from donating kidneys. Transplant centers may refuse donors who have used marijuana in the past. Before this study, though, there were no studies investigating the effect marijuana use may have on transplant outcomes.
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