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Remote patient monitoring expected to explode, but at what cost?
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationLike most aspects of healthcare, mobile technology seems to be soaring up, up and away, like one of our favorite superheroes. No birds, no planes, just the projected rise of connected medical devices — the use of which is supposed to sharply increase in the next half-decade, according to a new report.
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New guidelines on lower back pain from a therapist’s point of view
Heidi Dawson Medical & Allied HealthcareLast week, the American College of Physicians updated its guidelines on the treatment of patients with "non-specific lower back pain." A review study was published online in The Annals of Internal Medicine that looked at research carried out up until November 2016 and included only randomized, controlled trials and systematic reviews. The findings led the ACP to promote the use of therapeutic aids and stress reduction techniques, more so than the prescription of painkilling and anti-inflammatory medications.
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Nurse practitioner hospitalists in the 21st century
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareNot long ago, nurse practitioners seemed mostly to be employed in physician offices, community and university health centers, and so-called "minute clinics." In the midst of a growing shortage of primary care physicians, there is much in the news these days about NPs moving even more deeply into primary care. Concurrently, the growing presence of APRNs in the acute care setting is raising eyebrows among physicians and providing patients with more opportunities to receive hospital-based care from highly qualified nurse practitioners.
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Researchers discover brain changes in social anxiety disorder
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareNo one enjoys making mistakes, looking bad, feeling embarrassed or being humiliated in front of others. But everyone has had such an experience at least once. An excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations, however, may signal a social anxiety disorder (SAD), and a lack of social skills may not help. People with SAD suffer with distorted thinking — false beliefs about social situations and the negative opinions of others — which interferes with normal daily routine, including school, work, social activities and relationships. SAD may be linked to other mental illnesses, such as panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression, which are often among the initial reasons for visiting a physician.
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‘Dripping’ adds new level of risk to e‑cigarettes
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareUnlike with regular cigarettes, the nicotine in electronic cigarettes comes in liquid form, and the device electrically heats the solution to vaporize it into an inhalable mist. But some users have found a way to bypass the heating system and drip the liquid directly onto the exposed heating coil.
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Controlling anemia in kidney transplant recipients
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareKidney transplant recipients re-entering hemodialysis (HD) with a failing allograft are frequently more anemic than are patients just starting HD. Chronic rejection can lead to a more anemic, catabolic and inflammatory state in patients re-entering hemodialysis.
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Could marijuana be the key in curbing the opioid epidemic?
Katina Hernandez Medical & Allied HealthcareIt's no secret the legalization of medical marijuana has been a controversial subject as of late. But what if medical marijuana could help curb the epidemic of opioid addiction that affects more than 2.5 million Americans and was responsible for more than 30,000 overdose deaths in 2015? A growing number of experts in the medical community are starting believe medical marijuana has the potential to do just that — and their beliefs are increasingly being backed by science.
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Study: Any amount of calcified plaque raises risk of heart disease
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareEven a small amount of calcified coronary plaque in people under the age of 50 is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease over the following decade, according to a new study led by a Vanderbilt research team. The researchers found that even small amount of calcified coronary plaque — also known as coronary artery calcium (CAC) — increases the risk of heart disease. The study, appearing in this month's issue of JAMA Cardiology, shows that individuals with the highest coronary artery calcium scores had a greater than 20 percent chance of having a fatal heart event in the years to follow.
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The moonshot money: Investors pour into healthcare
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe "moonshot" movement is the goal of finding a cure for cancer, conceived by former Vice President Joe Biden in a speech at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center in January 2016 following the loss of his son to brain cancer. The concept has remained popular since, and as such, the year of 2016 was defined by it.
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Science needs to lead, not fear
Joan Spitrey Healthcare AdministrationAs the United States settles into a new era of policymaking under a new presidential administration, hot topics are sure to rise as advocates push to support their causes. One such fiery topic continues to be the link between autism and vaccinations.
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