-
The care and humanity of caregiving
Carina Oltmann Medical & Allied HealthcareDaniel leans over and gently kisses Sara's head as she lays in the hospital bed. She is in the final few hours of life and her breathing has grown agonal and labored. "I'm here with you, Sara, and you are not alone," Daniel assures her tenderly. For 10 years now, he has been by her side through all of the ups and downs of her journey with breast cancer. Daniel is just one of the close to 40 million Americans providing care to a loved one. At any given time, 16.6% of all U.S. adults are actively serving as a caregiver to a person living with a disability or long-term illness like cancer or dementia.
-
A look at the ways virtual and augmented reality can improve patients’…
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareVirtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are becoming unstoppable trends in medicine. According to research from Fortune Business Insights, the global VR healthcare market is projected to reach over $30 billion by 2026. That doesn't even account for AR. The possible applications for VR and AR treatments are numerous and incredibly promising. The possible applications for VR and AR treatments are numerous and incredibly promising. Consider these VR and AR options your hospital or facility could conceivably employ.
-
Infographic: How better supply chain management leads to cost savings for…
Lisa Miller Healthcare AdministrationIn 2019, the cost of healthcare in the U.S. rose to $3.8 trillion, and hospital expenses accounted for one-third of all spending. Yet, 1 in 5 hospitals are at risk of closure due to financial pressure. This infographic outlines why that is and how better supply chain management can help.
-
The 3 C’s of healthcare communication: Compassion, clarity, and coherence
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareIn healthcare, it can generally be agreed that one of the central pillars of the delivery of high-quality patient care is communication. It can also be readily agreed that communication is a central pillar of both inter- and intra-team cohesion and relationships. If this is truly the case, then why does communication break down so often and what can we do about improving it in the interest of staff satisfaction and retention, as well as the satisfaction of patients and their loved ones?
-
Health IT regulators to continue push back against ‘bad actors’
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe healthcare hubbub that Epic Systems started in January with an email from its CEO and founder, Judy Faulkner, to several of its hospital and health system clients has continued in February. The tactic did not go unnoticed, and scathing responses were handed down by two of the industry’s leaders and several other industry insiders, including Microsoft, Google and Cerner. Still, more than a month on, the piling on continues. The latest comment is from Donald Rucker, M.D., head of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
-
Recommit to ‘health’ in healthcare
Lisa Cole Medical & Allied HealthcareFor many of us in healthcare, clinical practice is no picnic. Long hours, clipped patient visits, staffing shortages, electronic glitches and myriad insurance issues often curtail our ability to provide preventive patient education and counseling. Over and over again, research has demonstrated that our lifestyle hugely impacts our wellness and longevity. Yet, typically, we do a suboptimal job addressing this area with our patients — and ourselves. How can we, even with all the constraints that currently constrict us, amp up our game and be the change we wish to see?
-
The brain on nature: The why behind biophilic design
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesNatural environments and the presence of nature in built environments have been found to produce beneficial effects on occupants. Those findings have given rise to the growing use of biophilic design strategies, which seek to improve occupant health and well-being through the incorporation of nature views and natural elements into interior environments. Now, scientists are learning more about how and why we respond to natural stimuli in certain ways — research that can help designers to refine their application of biophilia to have greater impact.
-
Minimalism: A shifting of our priorities or an empty, fashionable trend?
Victoria Fann Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesHave you caught the decluttering bug yet? From Marie Kondo to websites based on minimalism, from tiny homes to van life, from the rise of the sharing economy to co-working, it appears that this trend is here to stay. But why is the desire to scale down and purge suddenly so inviting? One possibility is that it’s a reactive pendulum swing away from decades of unbridled materialism.
-
Why self-care is a must for educators
Savanna Flakes EducationTeaching is hard work. Period. Being in a supportive role to students who are managing the impacts of trauma and teaching social-emotional learning can be challenging and can result in compassion fatigue. Self-care is vital. Having a proactive self-care routine helps prevent burnout. Self-care is more than bubble baths, long walks to the park, and buying luxurious items. For educators, it begins with a positive school climate and integrates with our proactive and deliberate practices aimed to keep supporting mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
-
How blockchain technology can benefit your patients
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare AdministrationAs a physician or administrator, it's crucial that you keep patient transactions and data easily shareable and totally secure. Blockchain technology may be just the right way for your organization to do it. In a blockchain system, data is linked in a segmented system that makes for ease of sharing, eliminates the risk of inaccurate data being kept in a patient ledger, and automatically distributes to a set network of recipients. Blockchain is currently being used most in healthcare payment applications. However, as it matures further, it is being adapted for virtually every healthcare need.
All Mental Healthcare Articles