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ONC aims to expand Blue Button reach
Pamela Lewis Dolan Healthcare AdministrationAn initiative aimed at getting more patients to access, download and share their patient data is expected to go live later this month. The Blue Button Connector, a website launching by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, was initially scheduled to go live Jan. 15. The launch has been delayed, reportedly to give the ONC time to improve the user experience and build momentum surrounding the Blue Button movement. It is banking on the Blue Button to become the gold standard of patient data access.
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MHPAEA: What is new under the final rules?
Jessica Belle Healthcare AdministrationThe Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires that certain private and public healthcare insurance plans that offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits apply the same type of financial requirements and treatment limitations that the plan applies to medical and surgical benefits.
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The role of P2X receptors in the treatment of status epilepticus
Dr. Afsaneh Motamed-Khorasani Mental HealthcareStatus epilepticus is a neurological condition due to a state of prolonged seizures. Status epilepticus might result from metabolic disturbances, infection, drug toxicity or noncompliance with antiepileptic drug taking. Since the current treatments are not really successful in dealing with seizure suppression, novel targets must be identified for status epilepticus.
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Food for thought: Resilience in the face of adversity
Karen Childress Healthcare AdministrationTo be human — especially given the complex times in which we live — is to be occasionally faced with adversity, hardships and challenges. One day, you're happily minding your own business, and then out of the blue you're given a diagnosis you never expected, or you're named in a malpractice case, or your trusted practice manager or spouse suddenly announces his/her departure.
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The costly impact of workplace violence
Tracy Stevens Civil & GovernmentViolence in the workplace has a significant impact on an organization, its employees and its customers. The effect can be very costly to a company through absenteeism, job performance, employee replacement and training. Health insurance premiums may also increase, and the company may incur serious legal costs.
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Cannabis craze: A pharmacist’s take on medical marijuana
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalIt is no exaggeration to say our nation is presently obsessed with the issues surrounding availability and access to marijuana. Presently, 20 states allow for the medical use of marijuana. Two states, Colorado and Washington, allow for the purchase of marijuana for recreational use. Nine more states have legislation pending on the matter. As a pharmacist, I am concerned about the issue on a practical level.
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A long day’s night: Winter can affect the body’s natural sleep…
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Mental HealthcareWe are deep into winter and past the longest nights of the season. But with long nights come short days, and seemingly endless nights for some. Dec. 21 was the shortest day of year for the northern hemisphere. Despite the lack of sunlight, humans do not require additional hours of sleep to correspond to the additional hours in the night during the winter. But it is normal for the changes in weather and season to slightly influence activities and sleep habits.
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Brainstorming: When should I sign off on my claim or settlement?
Colleen Butler Mental HealthcareColleen Butler, author of "Concussion Recovery: Rebuilding the Injured Brain," is offering practical advice to help with the recovery from brain injury. In the sixth edition of Brainstorming, readers have asked about signing off on legal claims or settlements and about when to return to work.
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New contractor for insurance exchange website faces quite a challenge
Pamela Lewis Dolan Healthcare AdministrationAfter its three-year contract to build the federal health insurance exchange website culminated in a launch full of glitches and bad press, CGI Federal did not receive a contract renewal. Instead, the federal government is putting its faith — and more than $45 million — in Arlington, Va.-based Accenture Federal Services to oversee the HealthCare.gov website.
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Unreliability of blood pressure measurements with manual readers
Dr. Afsaneh Motamed-Khorasani Medical & Allied HealthcareThere have been intensive universal efforts to promote appropriate techniques to measure blood pressure. However, the quality and accuracy of blood pressure measurement is under question in clinical settings. Several studies have been conducted on the routine, manual office blood pressure readings, where inconsistent readings were frequently observed. Some of the factors affecting these imprecise readings included: poor measurement techniques, conversation with patients during the readings and patient anxiety.
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