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The meaning of the healthcare podcast revolution
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareWhen podcasts began appearing around 2004, capitalizing on the presence of MP3 players like the iPod, little did we know that they would eventually become a driving force in the wider culture, let alone in healthcare, nursing, medicine, and related fields. Podcasts have emerged as a leading technology for disseminating opinion, entertainment, and information. Through the expanding podcast sphere, laypeople and professionals are leveraging the power of digital audio to create content covering most every aspect of human endeavor.
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How common oral and nasal rinses might reduce COVID risk in the dental…
R.V. Scheide Oral & Dental HealthcareThe results of two recent peer-reviewed studies that found Listerine and an array of cosmetic and therapeutic mouthwashes kill the novel coronavirus in the laboratory should be approached cautiously. The studies are in vitro, in glass, in the test tube, in the petri dish, and we won’t know if these compounds work on actual living organisms, in this case human beings, until in vivo studies are done. Nevertheless, for dentists, dental hygienists and other dental healthcare providers, there’s plenty to celebrate in the studies, since they both validate some practices already put in place by dental offices when the pandemic took off in the United States last March and point the way forward for future research.
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Study: A substantial number of patients have deferred care during the COVID-19…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareRoutine patient care received a devastating blow earlier this year as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged healthcare facilities, countless communities across the country and shut down elective procedures. According to a new study on patient care's impact during the pandemic, almost half of all U.S. employees deferred care because of the pandemic, Willis Towers Watson said. The global advisory firm surveyed a statistically valid 4,898 workers reporting that as many as 44% deferred medical care at some point during the pandemic.
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Fiction and fact: The undermining of science and society
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareIn these days of a tumultuous and politically divided country and a raging pandemic taking scores of lives each day, research is a cornerstone of the bedrock of public health, evidence-based science, and healthcare delivery. However, when determined efforts are made to undermine the importance of the truth of scientific inquiry and discovery, our society itself is lamentably and powerfully undermined. The very notion of how we as humans accept or reject the concept of facts has changed remarkably in the course of the first two decades of the 21st century.
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Algorithm could help keep consumers safe from illegal online pharmacies
Gail Short PharmaceuticalThe National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) reported this year that it identified dozens of illicit online pharmacies (IOPs) selling drugs marketed as treatments for COVID-19, drugs that would normally require a prescription. "Rogue internet pharmacy networks are run by criminal opportunists, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has provided the perfect opportunity for illegal online drug sellers to prey on fearful consumers," the NABP says in its "Rogue Rx Activity Report." But now, researchers at Penn State University have developed an algorithm that may be able to identify which online pharmacies are legitimate and which ones are not. They wrote about their findings in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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A ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ promise holds you hostage to another’s…
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe recently discussed the real hazards of stamping "lifetime warranty" on your products. A close corollary to that is promising "satisfaction guaranteed" on your professional services. You might make that offer because you are proud of the quality of your services — so confident that your work will be above reproach that you are implicitly claiming that you’ll redo the work or refund to make the customer happy. Think about that outrageous promise. How can you possibly guarantee another’s happiness? Why hold yourself hostage to that?
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How to choose a health insurance plan for a small business
Amanda Kowalski Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementRunning a small business has a lot of demands, including everything from perfecting your products to fixing an overflowing toilet. But one of the trickiest parts can be finding the right health insurance for you and your employees. Under the Affordable Care Act, companies with 50 or more full-time employees or the equivalent in part-time employees have to provide health insurance to employees and their dependents or pay a fine. Smaller businesses with fewer employees, however, are exempt. So, should your small business provide insurance? That depends on several factors.
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How dentists can cope with the broken personal protective equipment supply…
R.V. Scheide Oral & Dental HealthcareAlmost half of the nation's dentists are back to work and open for "business as usual," according to a recent survey by the American Dental Association. But when it comes to the supply chain for personal protective equipment necessary to provide full-service dentistry, business is anything but usual as the coronavirus pandemic lingers on. According to the ADA’s ongoing survey, "COVID-19: Economic Impact on Dental Practices," as of Sept. 7, just 60% of all dentists had a two-week supply of N-95/K-95 masks.
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How to setup your telemedicine workspace
John Allen Healthcare AdministrationDespite having been around since the 1970s, many healthcare providers have yet to embrace telemedicine. Fortunately, if you’re reading this article, you’ve taken a step in the right direction. The COVID-19 global pandemic has made telemedicine more important than ever. People are stuck in a paradox. They are more aware and concerned about their health, but less willing and comfortable to visit their doctor for fear of catching coronavirus. Telemedicine solves this issue perfectly.
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Has telehealth had its day? It depends on who you ask
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareAccording to some new studies, telehealth use has plummeted from its COVID-19 peak in April and May when the pandemic was in full swing and much of the economy was shuttered. However, some reports suggest that its use continues to soar. Despite the possible carving out of virtual care from the traditional face-to-face models, significant issues remain. Primary among them is reimbursement for virtual services.
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