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Infographic: The psychology of isolation fatigue
Brian Wallace Mental HealthcareAmidst the COVID-19 pandemic, 2 in 3 Americans have felt anxious, depressed, lonely, or hopeless at least once a week. Panic buying was just the first step in dealing with the psychologically overwhelming nature of the pandemic. This infographic outlines the psychology to help us deal with these trying times as well as healthier ways to cope.
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What we say in healthcare matters
Lisa Cole Medical & Allied HealthcareThe next time I teach a group of healthcare professionals, I think I'm going to sprinkle glitter on them. You know how hard it is to limit its reach — glitter ends up everywhere! This exercise would not be a lesson in germ transmission (although it sure could be). The purpose would be a visible reminder that our impact as providers spreads far and wide. I'd hone in on communication, that what we say matters. To ourselves, our colleagues and in our personal lives.
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Infighting continues over healthcare pricing transparency rule
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareThe healthcare price transparency argument continues. The latest battlefront came with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) adding a new element to its policy, saying it plans to collect data on hospital median payer-specific negotiated rates. That information could be used to set Medicare payment rates. Hospitals immediately returned the volley. It’s not a new development that health systems and some payers loathe the idea of making their pricing models and negotiated rates public.
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AR, VR show promise as innovative ways to control pain, reduce opioid prescriptions
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcarePain management is a major sector in healthcare. The problem has always been there, and it always will be. As long as we have diseases, injuries and major surgeries, pain management will be an area healthcare providers grapple with. But unlike disease, which can be cured in some cases, pain can only be managed. And the opioid crisis that was making headlines before the world health pandemic took center stage has spotlighted the need for alternative means of effectively treating pain.
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Telemedicine, webside manner, and barriers to care
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareTelehealth and telemedicine have been gaining in popularity for a number of years, and medical providers' ability to be effective in these very 21st-century roles has truly become a new expectation of practice. In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for positive patient outcomes vis-à-vis telemedicine has never been so important, or so crucially put to the test. And when social and economic disparities loom large in terms of telemedicine reaching those most in need, we can experience a perfect storm of telehealth’s promises remaining largely unfulfilled.
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Increased telehealth use creates calls for its continued expansion among…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareLong seen as a pariah of sorts, the practice of telemedicine is here to stay. Blame COVID-19 and social distancing for breaking the outdated resistance. Telemedicine continues to expand because of the pandemic, including the use of telehealth, remote monitoring technologies, and wearables. Experts say that the use of these technologies is now a way of life for patients and will likely replace some in-person care.
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Nurses: The professional progeny of Florence Nightingale
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareFlorence Nightingale, the founder and progenitor of the modern nursing profession, lit a spark several centuries ago that burns within millions of nurses to this day. The lamp that she literally — or metaphorically — lit during the Crimean War continues to illuminate nurses’ paths forward, and her legacy is one that strengthens with age as her offspring continue to advance the profession. And in difficult times such as the current coronavirus pandemic, nurses fight the good fight around the clock.
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Infographic: Trusting remote workers amid the new normal
Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementRemote work has become the new normal for many workers. Unfortunately, this uncharted territory has caused many managers to become overzealous. This infographic outlines the psychology behind why it's so important to trust remote workers.
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When someone is dying, what can we do?
Lisa Cole Medical & Allied HealthcareIn the throes of the uptick of the COVID-19 pandemic, my son sent me a text from a colleague of his lamenting that while thousands are and will be dying, the public is only hearing from scientists, politicians and economists. He implored experts grounded in the humanities speak directly about death before it arrives. My kid said, "Mom, do it." And proceeded to ask me a question that ripped my heart right open. "What if I had been healthy last week and today I am dying. I'm still coherent; what would you say to me? It's happening to people everywhere."
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Being kind in the time of COVID-19
Lisa Cole Mental HealthcareAt the time of this writing, I'm stuck between states, self-isolating and social distancing at a friend’s home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being in the "vulnerable" category, it's not feasible for me to do what I naturally would — love and serve in whatever way I could. One could go south really quick these days if we let ourselves. Most of us have never experienced a pandemic that’s killing so many, including our healthcare providers who are struggling to keep us alive.
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