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Health data groups urge Senate to adopt unique patient identifiers
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationHealthcare lobbyists made their way back into the limelight recently when several major groups took to the U.S. Senate to speak passionately about removing the two-decade-old ban on unique national patient identifiers. These health information management leaders told members of Congress that the use of federal funds to adopt such a nationwide identifier would allow collaboration between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the private sector. Additionally, the groups assert that this federal funding is crucial for identification solutions that may reduce medical errors and protect patient privacy.
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5 ways to attract millennial patients to your healthcare organization
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare AdministrationAs a healthcare professional, you understand that millennials are seeking traditional healthcare less frequently than previous generations — but do you really understand why? Researchers have been making fascinating inroads when it comes to determining how millennials really approach their healthcare. Understand the way they think and how they want to be served and you'll be able to attract them to your practice and/or hospital. Use these science-based strategies to make it happen.
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For well-being, natural is almost as good as nature
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesNumerous research studies have shown that people experiencing stress, fatigue, trauma, and recovery from illness respond positively to natural settings, natural elements (such as indoor plants and water features), and views of nature. But what of nature imagery or patterns similar to those found in nature? Does exposure to sensory stimuli that remind us of being in a natural setting produce a similar effect? Several recent studies indicate that they do.
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Anticipatory grief: Break on through to the other side
Lisa Cole Medical & Allied HealthcareI received news about a friend recently — his seizures have now collided into a diagnosis of glioblastoma. A strong and steady man, trustworthy through and through, reliable, and ever-so-devoted is suddenly facing a life-limiting illness. His life has forever changed; and, so has ours. While grief will have its way with us, through feeling, caring and with gratitude, we can "break on through to the other side." Most often we focus on all that our people must deal with when tragedy strikes. Yet, those of us who care about this person find that, with such news, the very nature of our relationship is impacted as well.
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Infographic: Opioids and the American workplace
Brian Wallace PharmaceuticalThe opioid crisis has started to affect workplaces, where 31% have already seen an overdose, injury, or arrest related to opioids. Getting people the help they need is about more than just being compassionate — it can also make a workplace safer. Employees who are suffering from addiction can often feel their job would be threatened if they were to come forward and seek help. Providing employees with a path to rehab and then back into the workplace can address the opioid crisis head-on.
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Knowing when our timing is off in healthcare
Lisa Cole Medical & Allied HealthcareAs healthcare providers, we know all too well that when the timing is off, people can suffer. Asynchronous heart rhythms, unchecked cellular growth and medication mistakes all can lead to death. Less tragically, blood sugar spikes and dips, sleep anomalies, and bowel disturbances can make folks miserable. "Sequencing affects outcome," my dear deceased friend would often quote me from the yoga sutras. So it is with each of us emotionally. Consider all the "could ofs, should ofs, might ofs, if onlys" of our lives.
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Are you feeling stressed all the time? You may have Complex PTSD
Victoria Fann Mental HealthcareMost of us have heard of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is associated with a traumatic event that often gets triggered by some experience that brings up the intense emotions associated with that trauma. Symptoms include agitation, anxiety, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, and obsessive thinking. But what if there is ongoing or chronic stress? It may be what is called Complex PTSD. Complex PTSD typically arises when the trauma has happened over a significant period of time.
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When clinicians become politicians
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareIt’s often been said that if you don’t have a seat at the table, you'll end up on the menu, and this could not be more accurate when speaking of nurses, doctors, and other clinicians vis-á-vis local, state, or federal government. So, what happens when healthcare workers run for public office, and who benefits in the end?
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New ways to communicate better with your critical care team
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare AdministrationAs a healthcare administrator, you value the incredible skill and work ethic of your critical care physicians and nurses — but do they know that? A study from the American College of Chest Physicians found that up to 71% of critical care doctors and 86% of critical care nurses experience some form of work-related burnout. When a healthcare organization communicates appreciation for the physical and emotional health of their best and brightest through concrete and helpful strategies, it can make a huge difference in terms of bringing those numbers down.
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Health data breaches continue despite firms’ confidence in their…
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationHealthcare data is collected continuously, and new uses are found for this data nearly every day. In fact, almost all U.S. healthcare organizations collect, store or share data and sensitive information within technologies and cloud platforms, but less than 40% of these organizations actually encrypt data in such environments. This is according to a new report by French security company Thales and research and analysis firm IDC.
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