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CMS aims to bolster emergency preparedness
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationHealthcare is increasingly being delivered outside of hospitals in widely diverse settings. However, the level of preparedness for disasters and emergencies varies — even though disasters stress the entire system. The latest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule establishes consistency with requirements for all who participate in Medicare and Medicaid. The regulations will lead to increased patient safety during emergencies and more coordinated responses to natural and man-made disasters.
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The fight against sugar taxes across the globe
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageThe South African government's proposed tax on sugary drinks has had the local beverage industry boiling, leading them to pour money into fighting the regulations. While this is not the first time a sugar tax is the focal point of a heated debate, it's interesting to note the ripple effect this causes to the beverage industry worldwide.
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Hepatitis A outbreaks popping up across US
Rosemary Sparacio Medical & Allied HealthcareHepatitis A is a rare, highly contagious liver infection that is treatable and for which there is a vaccine. In 2014 — the latest year for which data is available — there were about 2,500 cases of hepatitis A in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Nanoengineered proteins may be the key to fighting superbugs
Joan Spitrey Medical & Allied HealthcareAs many in healthcare are well aware, the rise of drug-resistant organisms is becoming a growing public health concern. Just last week, the United Nations met to discuss this "fundamental threat" to global health, demonstrating the urgency.
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Study connects eye movement to Alzheimer’s disease
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareThe manner in which the eyes scan during a reading-related task may be an indicator of Alzheimer's disease. This was demonstrated in a recent study in the Alzheimer's Disease and Associated Disorders Journal using a test called the King-Devick.
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Matching your genes to your prescription
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalRichard Dawkins, the British biologist, once said "DNA neither cares nor knows. DNA just is. And we dance to its music." If, by dancing, he includes the way in which individual people metabolize drugs, then clearly as pharmacists we need to be thinking about the music going on inside our patients' cells.
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Study: Blocking donor’s dendritic cells may prevent organ rejection
Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied HealthcareA recent study in the journal Nature Communications suggests blocking organ donors' dendritic cells may help prevent organ rejection. The project, led by doctors at the University of Pittsburgh, looked at whether targeting dendritic cells in mice who received either a heart or kidney transplant would decrease the rate of organ rejection. Tests of this nature have not been conducted on human organ recipients.
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Study: Extended primary care hours linked to fewer ED visits
Lynn Hetzler Healthcare AdministrationExtending primary care practice hours at night and over the weekend may reduce emergency department (ED) visits in patients with minor injuries and illnesses, according to a new study in PLOS Medicine.
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More research connects vaping to health hazards
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareDespite often being considered a healthy alternative to smoking, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are increasingly being connected to health hazards. Now, a study published Sept. 15 in Tobacco Control of the British Medical Journal reports newly identified health hazards for "vaping."
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How do we concentrate? New insights into the brain
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareFormer President George H.W. Bush's "Decade of the Brain" has come and gone, but many mysteries remain. And scientists continue to help the world better understand the brain's role in both health and behavior. For example, research has shown it takes one part of the brain to start concentrating and another to be distracted. Our brains pay attention in one of two ways — either willfully, which is goal oriented; or reflexive, which may be in response to sensory information (think bright lights or loud noises).
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