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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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Research paper: Small businesses lose big in COVID-19 closures
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementSocial-distancing restrictions have been nothing nice for mom-and-pop shops during the pandemic. In the Journal of Economic Management and Strategy, professor Robert Fairlie takes a deep dive into the harm that COVID-19 unleashed on U.S. small-business owners. "These findings of early-stage losses to small businesses have important policy implications and may portend longer-term ramifications for job losses and economic inequality," he wrote.
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How colleges are spreading COVID-19
Patrick Gleeson EducationMost of the attention and controversy over school attendance in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic these past couple of months has been focused on K-12 classrooms. Less attention has been paid to college policies. That’s too bad, because it’s now becoming clear those same policies are likely to spread COVID-19 back into many of those students’ home communities.
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How are educators coping with various teaching methods this school year?
Amanda Kowalski EducationCOVID-19 has left school districts scrambling to provide education and keep kids safe since March. The worldwide pandemic shut down in-person classes for the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and districts worked all summer to come up with a plan for 2020-21. Those plans have varied from district to district and state to state, ranging from all virtual to all in-person and a combination of the two. But which is better? What are the differences? And what do the teachers think?
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National task force encourages Congress to maintain telehealth support,…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareFew subjects in healthcare have gained more attention than the meteoric rise in the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Doctors of all stripes turned to telehealth to keep their heads above water. Hospitals and health systems, too, implemented the technology in much the same manner: anything to keep revenue coming in and the lights on. However, nearly 60% of physicians interviewed as part of a recent survey said they remain leery about the quality of care they can provide remotely.
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Special education is a challenge during COVID-19
Bambi Majumdar EducationThere have been numerous debates on the pros and cons of e-learning during the pandemic. The school year has started, and a large portion of the nation's K-12 children are learning virtually. It is not an ideal situation, but it seems to be the best way to keep them safe from the virus. However, providing the same services to students with disabilities has been quite a challenge. Special education administrators across the nation are struggling to get their online learning programs off the ground.
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Study finds 61% of Americans aren’t comfortable returning to the…
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementAs the country struggles to return to normal — or adjust to the new normal — navigating the world of work is particularly problematic. Some employees consider working from home an added stressor. On the other hand, other employees actually find solace in work, as it provides a respite from the daily deluge of COVID-related headlines. But there’s one thing these employees agree on. A new study by Qualtrics finds that the majority of employees who have been working from home would prefer to continue that arrangement.
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Heathrow’s airlines must pay for failed expansion plans
Matt Falcus Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementA clash has recently developed between British Airways owners IAG and London Heathrow Airport after it was revealed that the airport can pass on the bill for the money it spent on its failed third runway proposal to its airlines. Plans to expand Heathrow with a third runway have been in the works since the 1970s, but in recent years a major push to gain approval was undertaken; so much so that early preparation and investigation works, not to mention the planning and legal work behind the bid, amounted to $650 million.
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Report: Was there enough oversight for federal virus aid?
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentA new report on recipients of federal pandemic aid from the CARES Act asks if there was adequate congressional oversight before tax dollars went out the door as the economy closed to slow the spread of COVID-19 in March. "The revelation that tens of thousands of CARES Act recipients have records of misconduct — including some cases of a criminal nature — raises the question of whether the eligibility criteria for the grant and loan programs were strict enough," according to Philip Mattera, research director at Good Jobs First, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group.
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Pandemic pod craze touches public education
Sheilamary Koch EducationThe micro-schooling, homeschool or pandemic pod craze in education has exploded. At least six New York Times articles have been written on the topic since July 22, with many focusing on families and which ones can or can’t afford to hire private teachers and tutors. While families are leading the trend, some districts and schools are forming their own version of learning pods.
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