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How is the ‘new NAFTA’ different?
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingThe idea of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was very controversial when first proposed during the Clinton administration and signed in 1994. It was the first North American trilateral trade bloc representing Mexico, Canada and the United States. NAFTA’s successor, called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), was signed by all three participating countries’ leaders at the G20 Summit on Nov. 30. The legislatures of all three countries must ratify the agreement before it goes into effect. We know USMCA is intended to make up for NAFTA’s shortcomings. But will it?
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CMS: US healthcare spending slows in nearly every corner of the market
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareHealthcare spending slowed in 2017 for the second consecutive year in the United States, with a limited growth rate of 3.9 percent — almost one percentage point lower than in 2016 — according to new statistics released by the federal government this month. Healthcare’s share of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) is 17.9 percent with total spending emerging at $3.5 trillion — the equivalent of $10,739 per person — but growing slower than the overall GDP. Why the slowing growth?
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Study shows link between opioid prescription and later use, abuse by young…
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareThe abuse of opioids is a public health crisis in the United States. Dentists continue to be a leading source of opioid prescriptions for children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, primarily due to third molar extractions (wisdom teeth). Young people who develop opioid abuse problems may be first exposed to the drug while receiving dental treatment. This, according to a new study released earlier this month by JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Help your doctors get more rest on duty
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareSleep deprivation: it's a fact of life for both practicing physicians and residents alike. As a hospital administrator, you know this, but there's no doubt you wish you could help your doctors get a least a little more shuteye. You're in luck: cutting-edge research has identified strategies that physicians can use to rest more efficiently while performing their duties during shifts or prior to procedures. Help your doctors by employing the following science-based tips.
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At last, a roadside screening test for THC
Dave G. Houser Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityNovember’s midterm elections added three states — Michigan, Missouri and Utah — to the growing list of 34 states that have legalized cannabis for medical and/or recreational use. That means that about 90 million Americans live where pot is legal, so the ramifications — good and bad — affect almost a third of our nation’s population. Aside from the fact that marijuana is still classified as an illegal controlled substance by federal law — subjecting those who partake to potential criminal prosecution — the use of pot is posing a more immediate and vexing problem concerning public safety.
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‘Waterfall’ shifts improve flow of patients in the emergency…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareShift change can be a dangerous time for emergency department (ED) patients. This is especially true for pediatric patients in busy EDs. Now, there is evidence that a new approach using "waterfall" shifts can improve the flow of patients through a pediatric ED. Officials at Seattle Children’s Hospital created overlapping shifts for ED physicians five years ago, and it dramatically reduced patient handoffs. Researchers analyzed 43,835 patient encounters. They discovered a 25 percent reduction in the proportion of patient encounters ending in patient handoffs immediately after implementation of the new shifts.
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How to improve your patient disclosure practices
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareAs a physician, you know that communicating the right information to disclose to your patients at the proper time is critical. Not only does doing so properly cut down on confusion for your patients, it can also reduce informed consent claims against your hospital or practice. Yet many doctors don't provide their patients with enough information when it comes to crucial safety and risk factors regarding treatment. So how do you determine the difference between providing useful knowledge versus giving out unhelpful information?
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Health IT receiving much-needed attention from the government
Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied HealthcareTechnological advances are by definition supposed to advance that portion of an industry they exist to serve. To make things easier, more intuitive, less burdensome. But all too often, it seems, just the opposite is true. Healthcare providers know all about the hurdles associated with electronic health records (EHRs). The cumbersome system — one that should be designed to streamline the information-gathering process — is broken, in the opinion of many American healthcare providers.
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International beauty trends and their impact on the spa industry
Elizabeth Donat RetailOur spa clients can be heavily influenced by the latest and greatest prevailing topics in the beauty world. As of late, it seems like many of the current trends consist of imported beauty routines from all around the globe. K-Beauty, J-Beauty and G-Beauty are all the rage and our clients are just as intrigued as we are. These international beauty care paradigms are shaking up what it means to take care of our skin and actually align quite well with many of the spa practices that we hold near and dear to our hearts.
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New benefits to incorporating a nurse practitioner for your practice
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareNurse practitioners are a boon for both patient outcomes and administrative progress. They can relieve a physician's workload and provide patients more extensive care in terms of both time and information. Interested in incorporating a nurse practitioner into your office? Consider the following research to understand the advantages further.
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