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Millennials at the forefront of healthcare

Keith Carlson Medical & Allied Healthcare

As of 2018, millennials (those born between approximately 1979 and 1994) are now the pre-eminent generation within the American workforce. According to the Pew Research Center, a full third of American workers are members of the millennial generation, and this demographic shift is worthy of our attention, both inside and outside of healthcare. Every outgoing generation speaks negatively of the younger generations replacing it, and the baby boomers are no exception.

Cardiologists may benefit from augmented reality

Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied Healthcare

It may seem more like an episode of "Grey’s Anatomy" in the year 2050 but it’s not; it’s real. Soon cardiologists and possibly other medical specialists will be able to plan and perform complex medical interventions and procedures with the help of augmented reality (AR). AR is an amazing technology that superimposes computer-generated information on the user’s view of the real world. And it offers a new platform to help doctors better visualize complex medical information, especially before and during complicated medical procedures.

New study measures lesions, other health problems during routine kidney…

Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Kidney transplantation is the best treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). But because of the limited availability of deceased donor organs, only a minor percentage of the patients with ESRD receive the kidney transplants they need. Living donor transplants help meet this need. Screening helps determine medical suitability for donation, of course, and many transplant centers use computed tomography (CT) as part of their donor assessment. In a new study, researchers aim to measure the number incidentally detected lesions and other health problems found on screening CTs.

HPV vaccine gains support of ADA

Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 50,000 new cases of oral cancer in 2018. And between 70 to 80 percent of these cases will be attributed to the human papillomavirus virus (HPV), a virus that has types associated with oropharyngeal cancer. These staggering numbers call for action; action the American Dental Society is willing to take. Why? Because the HPV vaccine could prevent the vast majority of these new cases, but compared to other vaccines in the U.S., it is underutilized.

New nursing survey shows trends in employment, compensation

Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied Healthcare

Medscape recently released the results of its RN/LPN Compensation Report for 2018, featuring the feedback of 10,282 nurses who reflected upon their salaries and pay from 2017. Based on the findings, the hospital continues to be the primary employer for RNs (52 percent), with 39 percent in inpatient settings and 13 percent in hospital-based outpatient settings. Earnings continue to be attractive for those in the field. Full-time registered nurses (RNs) earned $81,000, while licensed practical nurses (LPNs) earned about half that at $46,000.

Pharmacists gear up for the heart of flu season

Jason Poquette Pharmaceutical

Last winter, there were nearly twice the number of deaths from the flu as are typically expected during a "bad" year. The reason for the significant increase in deaths last year is likely due to the fact that the strain appears to have mutated just prior to the flu season, making the available vaccine only about 40 percent effective. Pharmacists and pharmacies are gearing up, ordering in supplies of the influenza vaccine along with other antiviral medication, like Tamiflu.

Digital health tech has a bright future, but is slow to burn

Scott E. Rupp Healthcare Administration

Digital health solution technologies are the thing of dreams for physicians and patients, who expect digital technologies will "reshape healthcare" in the future, but we’re not yet to the point where intent and adoption can meet, according to the preliminary results from a new Ernst & Young (EY) global survey. EY surveyed 6,000 consumers and 500 physicians in Australia, England and the Netherlands to gauge their support for and use of digital health tools. The technology is being billed as capable of improving outcomes and even enhancing communication between physicians and their patients.

Help your patients comply with getting vaccinated easily

Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied Healthcare

As a primary care physician, you know the importance of making sure all of your patients are properly immunized — but in today's healthcare climate, compliance is sometimes tough to come by. Some patients don't remember they need to come in for a shot; other patients question the safety and necessity of vaccinations due to media reports. The good news: there are simple and highly effective steps you can take to ensure your patients understand the medical purpose of their essential vaccinations, and comply with receiving them.

Physician burnout may affect patient care

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Physicians are at high risk for burnout, which is marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a lack of sense of personal accomplishment. The Minimizing Error, Maximizing Outcome (MEMO) study found that more than half of primary care physicians felt stressed because of time pressures and other work conditions. For physicians, the emotional exhaustion of burnout can have professional and personal consequences. For patients, being examined and treated by a physician dealing with burnout, manifesting in lack empathy or agitation, may result in dissatisfaction or unwillingness to comply with treatment recommendations.

Safer strategies for patient care transitions

Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare Administration

Patient handoffs at every hospital are a constant fact of life — as an administrator, your aim is, of course, to make them as seamless as possible. Yet so many elements can go awry during any care transition. If your healthcare workers don't utilize proper communication and procedural protocol, confusion and medical errors can occur, unfortunately. Great news, though: the following research-proven strategies can protect your patients physically as they move from one provider to another, ease their stress levels regarding medical instructions, and improve comprehension of their treatment.

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