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Study: Patients experiencing high trauma from hospitalizations had more…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareHospitalization can be traumatizing for patients. Previous research shows that one in three patients who survived an ICU stay for an acute lung injury suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Disturbances in patients’ sleep, nutrition, mobility, and mood are common in medical inpatients, and these disturbances can be traumatic for patients. Traumatic hospitalization can also increase the risk of readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits. The results of a new study, published in JAMA, show that patients who experience high trauma of hospitalization may have a greater risk of an ED visit or readmission within 30 days compared with patients with low trauma exposure.
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Financial world weighs in on new CMS price rule
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationThe Motley Fool is a media channel dedicated to helping the world invest for a better financial future. It is no surprise, then, that it has addressed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) new Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule, which requires hospitals to publish their standard charges online in a machine-readable format. In The Fool’s words, "hospitals are now required to list prices for all of their services, thereby giving patients a clearer notion of what to expect. But while it's a good idea in theory, so far, the rule is only adding to consumers' confusion without in any way alleviating the cost burden for patients."
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When healthcare and politics intersect
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareHealthcare consumers and providers may not always speak of politics and healthcare in the same breath; however, these two powerful cultural and societal forces are often inextricably linked in multifaceted ways. For healthcare providers who want to have an impact in this regard, understanding politics and the political nature of medicine and patient care is paramount. A large swath of Americans may not be aware of the fact that many healthcare providers serve in local, state, and federal governments in a variety of positions.
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Psychological stress in midlife may be a risk factor for dementia
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareVital exhaustion, a kind of emotional collapse, is further defined as excessive fatigue, feelings of demoralization, and increased irritability. Vital exhaustion has been identified as a risk factor for cardiac events. In a previous study, probabilities of adverse cardiac events over time were significantly higher in people with high vital exhaustion compared to those with low exhaustion. A recent study suggests that vital exhaustion, or psychological distress, is also a risk factor for future risk of dementia. Currently, an estimated 2 million people in the United States suffer from severe dementia, and another 1 to 5 million people experience mild to moderate dementia.
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Is retirement bad for your health?
Patrick Gleeson Medical & Allied HealthcareFloating out there somewhere in the vast Sargasso Sea of unexamined opinion is an idealized conception of retirement — that most Americans plan on retiring; that there will be enough money for retirement when the time comes and that it will be a fulfilling and happy time of life. No short article can hope to treat the full complexity of the subject, but some of these opinions are simply wrong. Recent research suggests that continuing to work past retirement age isn't a bad idea: that it may positively affect both your mental well-being and your physical health. Among other possibly surprising benefits: those who continue working live longer.
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Medicare payments come in short for practices that rely on them
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationMedical practices that live and die on the gyrations of Medicare payments might find themselves near death’s door in 2019 if feedback is any sign of their viability and longevity. Medicare reimbursements simply may not be cutting it for as many as two-thirds of practices that receive the federal payments. Per responses, Medicare payment rates for 2019 will not cover the basic cost of their delivering care to patients, an MGMA Stat poll points out.
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5 easy ways to boost your heart health
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareMaking positive changes to help your cardiovascular system doesn't necessarily always mean grueling exercise and eating even more kale. Sometimes, the simplest moves are just the ticket for seeing meaningful improvements in your numbers. For example, a study from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta found that drinking just one milkshake made with whole milk, ice cream and whipped cream was enough to turn healthy red blood cells into spiky cells, which are a key risk for a cardiovascular event like a heart attack.
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New study evaluates presentation of chronic fatigue syndrome in the ED
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is poorly understood, but proposed mechanisms include biological, genetic, infectious, and psychological. This disease is characterized by profound fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, sleep abnormalities, autonomic manifestations, pain, and other symptoms that are made worse by exertion of any sort. For years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended two controversial treatments for CFS — a program of steadily increasing activity and a specific form of cognitive behavior therapy. However, few medical professionals are aware that the CDC has dropped the exercise and psychotherapy recommendations. How do patients with CFS get the healthcare and treatment they deserve to deal with their symptoms?
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Bringing a stop to nurse cannon fodder syndrome
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationNurses are virtually irreplaceable as the vital lifeblood and connective tissue of any healthcare organization or facility. From the emergency department and the ICU to home health and dialysis, nurses do the highly skilled work that keeps the healthcare engine humming. When nurses are treated as so much cannon fodder thrust on the front lines without appropriate support from an enlightened and forward-thinking leadership, things can go terribly awry. Being thrown under the metaphorical bus is unpleasant in any circumstance, but when nurses are left to fend themselves while healthcare outcomes and patient safety are compromised, such circumstances are morally and ethically unacceptable.
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Study supports fasting as a means of improving overall health
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcareIt's the new year. Many people are integrating new habits into their lives to help them reach their health and wellness goals. The rise in popularity of intermittent fasting as part of an overall wellness plan has people researching, Googling and seeking out information on fasting more than ever before. In a University of California, Irvine-led study, researchers found evidence that fasting affects circadian clocks in the liver and skeletal muscles, causing them to rewire their metabolism, which can ultimately lead to improved health and protection against aging-associated diseases.
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