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A healthcare facility’s magic wand
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationFor healthcare facilities — hospitals, nursing homes, surgical centers, etc. — there are plenty of issues that impact the financial bottom line and an organization’s overall well-being. If you were a healthcare executive with a magic wand, what are the things you would want to pull out of the proverbial magic hat in order to ensure your organization’s survival and success? Here are some ideas to consider.
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Looking both ways at the significant dangers to pedestrians in wheelchairs
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Transportation Technology & AutomotiveA recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) estimated that close to 6,000 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. The report discusses factors contributing to the increasing numbers of fatal pedestrian injuries, including the legalization of marijuana and growth in the use of smartphones as contributors. Those pedestrians using wheelchairs suffer fatal injury when hit by a vehicle at a rate that is close to 40 percent greater than the general population. More than half of fatal injuries to wheelchair users occur in intersections.
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Older mothers and the risk of heart disease in their children
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareThe average age of first-time mothers is increasing because more women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to start having children, and fewer women are having their first child during their teens and 20s. The vast majority of all births are still to women under 35 (about 85 percent). However, rates for all births, not just of a first child, to women over 35 have been rising over the past 20 years, while birth rates for younger women are stable or declining, especially in developed countries. However, waiting until one’s 30s to have children may pose health risks to both mother and child.
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Is the sky falling for pharmacist salaries?
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalThey say what goes up must come down. But for a long time, that hasn’t been true when it comes to pharmacist salaries. Median hourly wages have continued to increase for pharmacists over the past couple decades. But the 2018 Pharmacy Compensation Survey, a few details of which are available for free on the PharmacyWeek blog, shows at least some evidence that pharmacist salaries have hit a ceiling and might be heading downward in the days to come.
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Successful strategies to cut patient readmissions
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare AdministrationAs a hospital administrator, there's no doubt that you're seeking to avoid readmissions in any way you can. You want your patients to do well health-wise after discharge, first and foremost, and you also want to avoid any financial penalty from Medicare for especially high readmission rates at your institution. This can be hard to accomplish, however. The good news? There are concrete steps you can take to reduce this issue, improve your patients' outcomes and strengthen your staff members' collaborative efforts as they work to make the post-care transition as safe and seamless as possible.
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New law makes it easier for veterans to access healthcare
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareOur nation’s veterans certainly deserve the spotlight all the time. But in the month of July, the spotlight shines a little brighter as, collectively, we recognize and honor our nation’s veterans as we celebrate the birth of the United States of America. Just in time for this year’s Fourth of July festivities, a new law has passed that will make it easier for all veterans to receive needed health care and will also benefit the dentists and physicians who work for Veterans Affairs facilities.
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Is entering all information needed if it isn’t critical? Absolutely
Frank R. Myers Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityIf you have a job task that requires you to fill out and process forms, do you really need to complete all fields? If you want to be thorough and eliminate continued questions or follow-ups due to lack of information, the answer is "yes." Recouping service funds also can be expedited in some circumstances! Besides filling in "all the boxes," it is important to be as detailed as possible to provide a clear picture. The report or form needs to explain the necessary information clearly in lieu of face-to-face communication for the next person down the line.
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Osteoporosis patients who take ‘drug holidays’ may suffer increased…
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareOsteoporosis affects nearly 200 million women worldwide, and the prevalence of bone diseases is expected to increase significantly as the population ages. In the U.S., the number of people age 65 and older is expected to rise to 86 million in 2050 from 35 million in 2000. Fractures, which are common and can be quite debilitating, are by far the biggest problem caused by bone disease and are often the first sign of the disease in patients. Worldwide, osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually, resulting in an osteoporotic fracture every three seconds.
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Pharmacists forge an expanded role in patient-centered care
Sheilamary Koch PharmaceuticalComplex patients see their pharmacist an average of 35 times each year — that’s 10 times more than most will visit their primary care physician, according to claims data from the state of North Carolina’s Medicaid care coordination network. As the provider who directly interfaces with the patient most — no one is better positioned to regularly monitor the patient than the pharmacist. Yet while it’s logical that pharmacists perform other vital tasks to manage patient care in addition to dispensing medicine, this not yet the norm in the U.S. healthcare system.
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Skin cancer study improves use of sun protection measures in transplant…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareLong-term immunosuppressive therapy can significantly increase the risk and mortality of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients (OTRs). Previous research shows that specific educational interventions can boost the use of sunscreen and other sun protection measures in OTRs. A new research letter shows that merely participating in a skin cancer research study for at least a year — even one without specific educational interventions — can increase the practice of multiple sun protection behaviors in recipients.
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