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Dental guidelines limit aerosol-generating procedures during pandemic
R.V. Scheide Oral & Dental HealthcareLast month, the World Health Organization recommended delaying "routine nonessential oral health care … until there has been a sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission rates from community transmission to cluster cases." But the American Dental Association was quick to "respectfully yet strongly disagree" with the WHO’s call to delay "routine" care now, as many dental offices have successfully reopened. "Millions of patients have safely visited their dentists in the past few months for the full range of dental services," ADA President Chad P. Gehani said the day after the WHO’s announcement.
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Survey: COVID-19 has limited access to needed care
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareFor many individuals — real people with real health conditions — the pandemic has had a profound impact on their lives. People continue to report that the pandemic has led to a reduction in access to medical care. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Research and Development Survey (CDC RANDS) published recently, as many as 40% of people said they had reduced access to medical care because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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3D printing: Making biocompatible, sterilizable plastic and metal components…
Micah Chaban Medical & Allied HealthcareThe medical industry is changing quickly. While there have been major advances, medical device manufacturers still need viable options for manufacturing devices and equipment both to patients and healthcare providers in an efficient, low-cost manner. Many device manufacturers still use traditional production methods, but 3D printing is making it possible to create biocompatible and sterilizable components at a pace that is fast and inexpensive.
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Getting grounded: Implications for business
Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe may all be ready to be done with the coronavirus, but the virus isn’t ready to be done with us. As a result, some of the short-term changes to how and where we work may turn out to be more longer-term than we ever expected. Not only do we need to maintain social distance and wear masks when out and about near others, but we also have to face the fact that for the most part, we’ve all been grounded. What do you need to do to be as effective as possible given these constraints?
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4 ways healthcare tech has been impacted by COVID-19 and what the future…
Amanda Ghosh Medical & Allied HealthcareCOVID-19 forced most healthcare institutions to offer more telehealth services. Now that patients have a taste for home-based care, they will expect more of such services in the future. In essence, COVID-19 has pushed the idea of a healthcare system built on consumerism to the forefront of the discussion in medical circles. Here are four ways COVID-19 is having an impact on healthcare, and a glimpse of what the future may hold for patients and practitioners.
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Uninsured during a pandemic? A homegrown epidemic
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareThe tentacles of the COVID-19 pandemic have reached into every aspect of U.S. society. As so many struggle to make ends meet and keep themselves and their loved ones afloat as best they can, we've learned that, as of early July, more than 5 million people have lost their health insurance since the pandemic-related recession began. How can we allow so many citizens to fall through the cracks when we face such an existential threat that makes us all vulnerable to critical illness?
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More than 300 healthcare groups encourage Congress to maintain telehealth…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareIn a step that's reminiscent of the old adage, "We're mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore," American healthcare organizations and lobbying groups are warning Congress not to cut off current reimbursements for care offered through telehealth capabilities, which have exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was sent to Congress’ leaders from 340 groups and organizations, including some of the most well-known in the country. These groups are concerned that Congress will roll back telehealth's gains when the public health emergency ends.
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Study reveals surprising connection between asthma, oral health
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareWhat in the world could asthma have to do with gum disease? Apparently, a lot. A recent study published in the Journal of Periodontology reveals that people with asthma are one-fifth more likely to experience gum disease than people who do not have asthma.
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The new study on COVID-19 transmission that can help convince every patient…
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareAs a healthcare professional, you know the critical importance of face masks for stopping the spread of COVID-19. You no doubt also know that some of your patient population is not in compliance with doing so, which is a very worrisome issue. However, a brand-new study from researchers Renyi Zhang, Yixin Li, Annie L. Zhang, Yuan Wang, and Mario J. Molina, "Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19," can offer you the informational support your physicians and staff need to communicate the importance of mask-wearing to these patients.
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Care specialties most affected by COVID-19 revealed
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareAs COVID-19 continues to ravage the U.S. healthcare system, reaching its viral hands into nearly every specialty, some are reeling more than others, a new study points out. The study, published in mid-June by FAIR Health, estimated the drop in healthcare utilization for nonhospital providers. As expected, elective procedures have cratered. To that end, oral surgery experienced the most significant reduction in usage in March 2020, declining 80% compared to a similar period in 2019. Gastroenterology was the second largest decline, with a 73% drop in March and a 77% decline in April.
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