-
Prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine (PATCH) trial
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareHydroxychloroquine (HCQ), or Plaquenil, is used to prevent and treat malaria in areas where malaria remains sensitive to chloroquine and is also used to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and porphyria cutanea tarda. Importantly, as recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there is no high-quality evidence demonstrating efficacy of HCQ or its chemical cousin, chloroquine, to treat COVID-19. Consequently, a new trial (NCT04329923), led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, will test whether HCQ can treat or prevent COVID-19.
-
Healthcare’s furloughs continue even as parts of the US begin to…
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe cratering of the healthcare job market has continued as COVID-19 spreads across the United States. In all sectors, more than 22 million people have filed for unemployment benefits as of April 17, with the virus, for now, wiping out a decade of job gains. The United States has not seen this level of job loss since the Great Depression. Healthcare, long seen as an untouchable career field — safe from the ups and downs of the economy — is among the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.
-
Infographic: The promise of digital therapeutics
Brian Wallace Science & TechnologyBy 2025, the market for digital therapeutics is expected to reach $7.8 billion. This infographic outlines various technologies in this field, such as video games to treat multiple sclerosis and autism, apps for addiction treatment, and even ultrasound tech to treat Parkinson's.
-
Associations face a new advocacy landscape
Jeb Ory Association ManagementAs many people in Washington know, the COVID-19 crisis launched an advocacy boom. What they may not realize is that it is far from over. As Congress considered a $2 trillion stimulus bill — the largest in U.S. history — hundreds of organizations scrambled to ensure that lawmakers understood and addressed their needs, whether that meant safety equipment, financial support, tax relief or other necessities. Trade associations led that charge.
-
COVID-19 casualties rise among law enforcement officers
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityAs COVID-19 continues to spread, social distancing and stay-at-home orders have remained in effect across the vast majority of the country. Law enforcement personnel in police departments and sheriffs' offices remain at risk. They have been hit hard by the pandemic and are witnessing increases in infections and fatalities within their ranks. More than 50 law enforcement officers have died after contracting the virus; the numbers are rising each week.
-
Does workers’ compensation cover coronavirus?
Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThough we still have much to learn about the novel coronavirus, symptoms range from mild to severe and can lead to death. In response, lawmakers and industry leaders have been implementing relief for impacted individuals — such as paid leave, additional unemployment benefits, and free COVID-19 testing. A common question among employees is whether relief extends to workers' compensation, also known as workers' comp. Long story short, if you're exposed to COVID-19 on the job, you might have a hard time getting workers' compensation — unless you’re a healthcare provider or first responder.
-
Do face masks prevent COVID-19 transmission? Results of a small study
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareCiting concern about asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread of COVID-19, the CDC has now released recommendations that all Americans should wear cloths masks in public where distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Recently, a small study from South Korea questioned the effectiveness of surgical or cotton face masks to prevent dissemination of COVID-19 from the coughs of infected patients. Sung-Han Kim, MD, of the University of Ulsan College of Medicine in Seoul and colleagues examined data from four COVID-19 patients.
-
Infographic: How epidemics spur innovative thinking
Brian Wallace Science & TechnologyBy now, many of us have heard that Shakespeare wrote "Antony and Cleopatra" while under quarantine from the plague, but there are many other innovations for which we have pandemics to thank. This infographic outlines some of the historical innovations that have taken place during epidemics as well as some of the innovations happening now.
-
Telehealth is keeping doctors, patients connected in the days of COVID-19
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcareAs the world grapples with the mitigation efforts required to navigate a global pandemic, healthcare practices of every type are getting up to speed and rolling out telehealth services, online chat, virtual appointments and all kinds of remote services. If telehealth is new to your practice and you’re concerned about complicated billing processes, tricky reimbursement issues and even technology challenges, don’t be! The transition is not as difficult as it might appear to be.
-
Health systems scrambling for federal cash amidst coronavirus pandemic
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareHospitals, many of which are hamstrung under near-fatal cash shortages brought on by the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus, are slated for another round of federal stimulus funding. The funding from the first round of stimulus money designated to hospitals was aimed at fighting the coronavirus front in some of the nation's most troubling hot spots. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma told reporters on April 15 that cash-strapped hospitals should expect details about a second wave of emergency funding in a matter of days.
All Medical & Allied Healthcare Articles