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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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Study: Back-to-school strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareOne of the most debated and important issues concerning COVID-19 is the reopening of schools. A recent study shows that children carry high levels of the virus even without falling ill, which may impact the spread of the virus to others, especially those at high risk. One important strategy that school administrators can consider about opening schools is cohorting or forming pods, in which groups of students and sometimes teachers or staff stay together throughout the school day to minimize exposure.
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Healthcare providers, trauma, and the science of resilience
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareIt is widely agreed that all healthcare providers can be exposed to all manner of work-related trauma. Whether it’s a pandemic, a serious disaster, witnessing a child’s suffering, or a grieving family’s pain, it can all add up to trauma. The terms secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization can often be used interchangeably, and one thing can be deduced from much of the literature: developing resilience is one bulwark against the ravages of such intensely impactful stress.
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Artificial intelligence finds a purpose in healthcare because of COVID-19
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareArtificial intelligence is having a bit of a moment in healthcare. Per countless reports, AI is seeing rapid adoption throughout healthcare to identify solutions to protect against the pandemic and gain an advantage against the seemingly unmitigated spread of the virus. Work on the technology is taking place at every level — from startups to tech goliaths and health systems and payers.
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How far can employers go with COVID-19 testing?
Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued guidelines on COVID-19 testing in the workplace. Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the EEOC says that employers can administer viral tests to employees before they enter the workplace, so as to determine whether they have COVID-19 — as an employee with the virus "will pose a direct threat to the health of others."
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The 5 best practices COVID-19 has created for the spa industry
Elizabeth Donat RetailIt's important to see how adapting to the challenges of a pandemic has actually strengthened our industry in many ways. Pat yourself on the back if you have had to make serious changes to your business; it hasn't been easy, I know. However, as time goes on, we become accustomed to these new and improved measures to keep our customers and staff safe during these novel and demanding times. As a result, we should note the best practices that have evolved from this time.
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How a new study can help identify patients at risk for COVID-19 due to…
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareAs a healthcare professional, you understand the importance of testing and treating at-risk patients for COVID-19 as quickly as possible. A new study from Carnegie Mellon University could change the way you ID these patients. Professor Sheldon Cohen's article reports that unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, avoiding exercise, and avoiding all social contact during the pandemic may make patients more susceptible to respiratory infections like COVID-19 and put them at risk for the worst outcomes.
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Despite pandemic, health system and payer profits up due to less utilization
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareSecond-quarter headlines reporting the financial windfalls of payer organizations and health systems have been copious recently, despite what experts and analysts predicted would be devastating hits to the ledger because of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Even as many health systems treated only virus cases and most others shut down all elective surgeries, all of the nation's largest for-profit hospital chains saw a rise in profits.
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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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Trump administration throws additional support behind telehealth
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcarePresident Donald Trump signed a new executive order Aug. 3 to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, notably in rural areas. The Trump administration also is extending some telehealth services even after the pandemic public health emergency ends. The order is meant to improve connectivity and directs the government to create a joint initiative within 30 days to improve health communication infrastructure and expand rural healthcare services.
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