Trained to advocate for their patients, nurses we spoke to feel called to stand up for Black lives and equality.

PORTLAND, Ore Many health care workers are among the nightly crowds of protesters.

Trained to advocate for their patients, many nurses say they feel called to stand up for Black lives and equality, and against systemic racism.

In light of George Floyd's death, registered nurse Travis Nelson couldn't sit idly by.

I realized that I could have been George Floyd. That could have been an officer's knee on my neck so it felt important to get out and bring attention to the cause of black lives matter once again, Nelson said.

More than 60 days later, he's still out there almost every single night. As a Black man and a nurse, Nelson has plenty of reasons that motivate him to do so.

Nurses become nurses because we care about people and we should care about people regardless of their skin color, Nelson said.

He stands alongside hundreds - even thousands - of other health care workers to fight back against systemic racism.

Its called systemic racism for a reason: there are systems that need to change," Nelson said. "Whether that's law enforcement and how they approach that or whether its health care and how we approach racial disparities in health care. I believe we're beginning to see some of that change but I don't want us to lose focus as a country, a state or here in Portland. We need to keep that focus on Black Lives Matter.

Over her decades-long career in ER's and ICU's, Adrienne Enghouse says she's seen inequities in access to care, health outcomes and even heard stories about employment issues.

We must fix this now and stand with our black brothers and sisters to fix it, Enghouse told KGW. That's why you see so many nurses and other health professionals doctors, techs, professionals out here because that's our training. We advocate for people all the time. And the system fails them.

Enghouse says she's looking to go a step further by using her skills as a volunteer medic at the protests, like Chris Wise.

He is using his EMT training to treat demonstrators hurt demonstrating in Portland's streets. While trying to treat people hit by tear gas, pepper spray, batons and flash bangs, he and a few other volunteer medics say they have been hit.

"Ive been shot in the leg trying to pull somebody out of tear gas. I got hit in the head last Tuesday from a tear gas canister. I still have concussion, Wise said.

They argue acts like that violate the constitution.

I believe that is in a coordinated effort to make it so we have less medics so people don't want to come out, Wise said. I'm going to be at the Justice Center as often as I can, as long as people are putting themselves in danger, as long as people are getting hurt and as long as people are firing tear gas and rubber bullets at them.

More:

Health care workers join in nightly protests on Portland's streets - KGW.com

As we move through the pandemic, regular checkups and health care visits are more important than ever. But when every trip out of the house poses the risk of infection, many individuals fear visiting the doctor.

Thats where telehealth comes in, filling a need in the health care community, according to Dr. Michael Biscaro, chief of behavioral health at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland; Denise Sadler, clinical director at Life Solutions South in Cleveland Heights; and Gregg Zolton, chief information officer at Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center in Montrose with offices across Northeast Ohio.

It has opened up the community to both providers and consumers, Sadler said. Telehealth has been around for a while, but with COVID-19, it has pushed us to do things differently on both sides. No show rates have reduced for appointments since all you have to do is get up, put on a shirt and get in front of your device.

Zolton added, The COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst for telehealth as patients have care needs, but are either unable to visit their physicians in person or have concerns about going to a medical facility. Before the pandemic, it was impractical for healthcare organizations to provide telehealth visits due to reimbursement issues and other restrictions.

Though the option has been around for some time, Biscaro said the switch to telehealth visits was particularly unprecedented for him. Just switching from a position at the VA Health System to St. Vincent in January 2020, Biscaro saw the need for telehealth services manifest only six weeks later.

At the VA, I was a service line manager there and managed an outpatient recovery program, and we were one of the first in the country to offer telehealth services, he recalled. When I came here to St. Vincent, I was so surprised how little telehealth was used and then the pandemic hit, and we needed to act quickly. Within a few days, we had things pulled together with Zoom getting our groups online for outpatient services and get treatment out to folks.

As the pandemic continues, its clear telehealth continues to be an important offering.

Despite the pandemic, patients still have other healthcare needs that must be met, Zolton said. By offering telehealth visits, we were able to expand our reach and provide a way for patients to get needed interaction with their specialist from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Especially in the mental health and addiction recovery communities, both Biscaro and Sadler said telehealth during a period of general fear and uncertainty made the difference for patients.

Early on when people were really restricted to their homes, our patients who already have poor coping mechanisms spiraled out, Sadler explained. People with substance abuse issues got worse, and some people with children were worried about how they were going to feed and educate their children. It is overwhelming and stressful for our clients. Beyond telehealth, having the ability to call and check in on them, offering a quick service helps reduce that stress and anxiety.

Biscaro added, People, especially in the addiction and mental health community, rely on those supports. The supports were quickly stripped away from them and they needed to have another option. People were used to having a lot of that connectedness and now theyre isolated, and these are illnesses that already isolate people. We needed to make sure people had access to care as a health community in general.

With the end of the pandemic nowhere in sight, the consensus is telehealth will continue to be an important healthcare option.

There will still be times in orthopedics when an in-person visit is preferred, Zolton noted. For example, during an in-person visit, the physician can feel the degree of swelling or move a patients joint to assess the range of motion or pain. While telehealth has enabled us to meet our patients needs during the pandemic, it will remain another excellent option for care.

Biscaro added, Without a doubt there is no going back. The genie is out of the bottle if you will. It has created better access and weve been able to stay in touch with people. In the mental health and addiction community, we always thought about how great it would be to be reimbursed for phone counseling. In this new time, were being paid for that, and were seeing no show rates go down and engagement go up. How can you argue with that?

See the article here:

Telehealth rises to meet health care need in pandemic - Cleveland Jewish News

A deadly virus has infected millions of people worldwide. Our President refuses to acknowledge this and refuses to take aggressive action to control the situation. Millions of people lack adequate healthcare coverage and cant afford a trip to the doctor. Hospital systems are overwhelmed with patients and essential workers are risking their lives and their families across the country, without access to proper PPE or hazard pay. Instead of protecting us, the Trump Administration is trying to strip health coverage from millions of its citizens.

It sounds like a dystopian movie plot, but this is our reality. In the midst of a pandemic and some federal and state officials are trying to slash healthcare coverage exactly when it is most needed.

Despite Trump's false statement that the virus just ...snuck up on us, epidemiologists warned of the coming disaster months ago. As other countries are on their way to containing the virus and carefully reopening their economies, the U.S. hit another record day of coronavirus cases. Despite Trumps claim that we would run 5 million tests a day in late April, were still only testing about 500,000 people a day. Because of the administrations failure to implement basic public health tools and its lies about the pandemic, we are falling further and further behind other countries in testing, tracing, and ensuring that all our people have the healthcare and financial safety net needed to weather the storm.

The pandemic is exposing the true cost of our for-profit healthcare system.

As COVID-19 disproportionately impacts communities of color, overwhelms our hospital systems, and shuts down businesses leading to an all time high unemployment rate, one thing remains clear: our ramshackle healthcare system is failing in the face of the pandemic. At the start of this pandemic, 87 million people were already uninsured or underinsured. That number has continued to grow as 5.4 million people and their families have lost their employer-sponsored insurance amid the crisis, which is more than in any other single year.

Additionally, immigrants were excluded from coronavirus relief enacted into law thus far and nearly 202,500 DACA recipients and approximately 131,000 TPS holders serve on the frontline of this crisis and lack access to healthcare.

SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

Get our best delivered to your inbox.

To make matters worse, Republicans from 20 states and the Trump administration are challenging the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in court and working to strip health insurance from millions of people, during a pandemic. President Trump asked the Supreme Court to strike down the entire ACA since the individual mandate penalty has been set to $0." The Supreme Court already dealt a serious blow to the ACAs protections this term by ruling that allows employers to refuse to include contraceptives in their health plans.

We should be working to ensure healthcare coverage for everyone, not taking away peoples health insurance or access to basic health care like contraceptives. Instead of trying to dismantle health care protections during a pandemic, Congressional Democrats are fighting to strengthen the ACA through H.R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, which passed in the House on June 29, 2020 with some key additional positive amendments. This legislation would significantly increase the ACAs affordability subsidies, negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, expand coverage, and strengthen protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Its a step in the right direction, but we must go further.

Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Mark Pocan and other progressive champions successfully added positive provisions from Reps. Jayapal and Haalands Health Equity and Access under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Women and Families Act that would expand access to healthcare for DACA recipients. DACA recipients, especially the 27,000 DACA healthcare workers, often struggle to obtain healthcare coverage and have been excluded from other relief packages. Although the Supreme Court overturned Trumps termination of DACA, hundreds of thousands of Dreamers still face a number of challenges including accessing healthcare. The HEAL Act is crucial and would provide immigrants with some of the relief and protections they deserve, including removing the restrictive 5-year waiting period to enroll in health coverage.

In June, Democrats in the House passed the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion dollar relief package that will provide people with continued unemployment benefits, direct cash assistance, housing protections, relief for immigrants, voting rights, and more. Instead of taking up the Heroes Act or the HEAL Act, the Republican-led Senate is pushing for more corporate bailouts, resisting continuing expanded unemployment insurance, and trying to give corporations immunity from lawsuits if they recklessly endanger their workers and customers.

The pandemic is exposing the true cost of our for-profit healthcare system. As a nation, we will only be healthy if everyone has access to healthcare. The only comprehensive solution is Medicare for All. People of color are dying at disproportionate rates due to COVID-19 and although the virus does not discriminate, our healthcare system does. Dreamers and immigrants are left behind, people are unable to afford testing and treatment, and the pandemic is only getting worse. With the expiration of expanded unemployment insurance, millions facing evictions as layoffs continue, and cases, hospitalizations, and deaths surging nationwide, we need to do more, not less. Congress must take immediate action to help those in need during this crisis, and then we must build a system that could have prevented many of the issues we face today. That means fighting to achieve Medicare for All.

Go here to read the rest:

We Should Be Fighting For Healthcare For Everyone, Not Taking It Away - Common Dreams

At the HIMSS APAC Malaysia Digital Health Summit session titled Digital Health - From Innovation to Adoption by guest speakers Wilson Choo (Chief Executive Officer of Sunway Medical Centre Velocity) and Dr Ng Xin Jun (Manager of Sunway Group Healthcare), both shed light on the various technological healthcare advancements made at Sunway Medical Centre Velocity (SMCV) as a case study.

At SMCV, an integration project between its patients monitoring devices and electronic medical record was developed in order to achieve a seamless and wireless transfer of patients vital signs with Early Warning Scores.

A key feature of the new implemented EMR at SMCV is its Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) which allows doctors to order medicine or laboratory/ radiology services via the system whilst being able to check the status of these orders. Similarly, nurses would also be able to key in their orders for medication as well as the respective procedures which they have carried out on each patient.

Clinical Decision Support is another feature embedded within the EMR which allows healthcare providers to gain access to the drug allergies as well as medications administered to patients. This results in better healthcare decisions and effectively prevents any medication errors. A system aptly named Early Warning Score was developed for scoring the physiological measurements of patients and routinely recorded at the patients bedside. Its purpose was to allow for early identification of acutely ill patients and recorded information such as a patients temperature, systolic blood pressure and urine output.

A key success factor underlying the success of this integration project was due to the efforts of a governance committee. Frequent meetings were held every month to discuss any ambiguities or to resolve any issues within the system. Priority was given to resolve issues pertaining to patient safety and system enhancements. Relevant key stakeholders such as management personnel or members of the clinical team and vendors were brought into these meetings whenever necessary.

Digitalization and innovation was also amalgamated within the hospitals daily operations as well. Sunway Medical Centre was one of the earliest companies who adopted tele-consultation during Malaysias Movement Control Order (MCO) period (a form of countrywide lockdown due to COVID-19), which allowed patients to continue to consult doctors even when they were at home. A patient portal was also developed which facilitated the booking of appointments and retrieval of radiology results online.

Patients were also encouraged to download the hospital app on their mobile devices which allowed them to check the queues at the hospital to reduce their waiting times at the medical facility. Insurance integration is also in the works, which will enable patients to make electronic payment, billing and payment integration with major insurers. This will also provide greater transparency to patients as they will also be able to track the status of their insurance applications.

A long term direction for the hospital was also put in place with plans to include progressive initiatives to make crucial patient information more accessible and timely, even allowing doctors to have real time visibility of vital signs on their mobile devices.

Link:

Digital health - From innovation to adoption - Healthcare IT News

Lost on the frontline is a collaboration between the Guardian and Kaiser Health News that aims to document the lives of healthcare workers in the US who die from Covid-19, and to understand why so many are falling victim to the pandemic.

Each week, were documenting new cases of healthcare workers who have died on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are their stories:

Chantee Mack, 44A good soul who followed her mother into healthcare

Occupation: Disease intervention specialistPlace of work: Prince Georges county health department in Cheverly, MarylandDate of death: 11 May 2020

Chantee Mack was a second mom to her younger brother Roland Mack.

Chantee, Roland and their brother Aric grew up in Prince Georges county, Maryland. Their single mother, Sue Ann Mack, a nurse, sometimes took Chantee to work, inspiring a love of healthcare.

For 19 years, Mack served the community in the county health department, where one of her jobs was to tell people the results of tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

Mack considered her mother her best friend and lived with her into adulthood, caring for her when Sue Ann became paraplegic. When her mother died a decade ago, Mack sank into a depression, but she remained committed to helping people. She hoped eventually to follow her mother into nursing.

She was a good soul, Roland said.

Family and friends believe she contracted Covid-19 from a co-worker in March when, according to union officials, personal protective equipment was not widely used and people were not routinely social distancing. Health department leaders wouldnt discuss Macks death but said the safety of workers was a top priority and workplace protections now include PPE and social distancing.

Laura Ungar

Sally Lara, 62Lab assistant spoke out about employee safety

Occupation: Lab assistant Place of work: Riverside community hospital in Riverside, CaliforniaDate of death: 8 June 2020

Sally Lara was so supportive of her daughters childhood dream of becoming an astronaut that, one summer, she took her to Kennedy Space Center, where they ate astronaut food and rode a flight simulator.

Vanessa Campos, who works in a nursing home, said that when Covid-19 hit, her mother picked up extra shifts. She pressed management about employee safety and PPE practices, encouraging her daughter to do the same.

Lara developed symptoms on Mothers Day. Campos recalled driving with her husband, tears streaming down their faces as they prayed for a miracle. The hospital staff tried everything, she said.

Riverside community hospital said in a statement it was devastated by the loss of Lara and that its focus has been on protecting our caregivers and colleagues and ensuring they have enough personal protective equipment.

Nearly a month after Lara became ill, Campos called and spoke her final words to her mother: If its your time, go peacefully. If its not your time, I need you to fight. I love you so much; thank you for fighting.

Christina Jewett

Paul Moise, 50Father of three juggled multiple jobs

Occupation: Subacute unit manager and licensed practical nursePlaces of work: Various nursing homes in New JerseyDate of death: 12 April 2020

Paul Moise had been taking online classes to further his career when the coronavirus emerged in New Jersey. Moises wife, Rose, recalled that one of the facilities where he worked, Alameda center, did not have sufficient masks. He was ordering his own, she said.

The Alameda center did not respond to requests for comment.

By early April, Moise began experiencing shortness of breath and stayed home from work without paid sick leave. His wife said he was unable to access a Covid-19 test, but the coroner confirmed the virus as his cause of death.

Rose, also a nurse, fell ill too, making it hard to care for their three, school-age children.

Moise, who was born in Haiti and loved playing soccer, worked at three assisted living centers. He was a good worker, Rose said, because he was a good team leader.

Jessica Klein

Nicanor Nick Baltazar, 60A nurse with boundless energy, he advocated for patients

Occupation: Director of nursingPlace of work: Long Island care center in Queens, New YorkDate of death: 31 March 2020

Nick Baltazar loved to sing, even when no one was around. His wife, Grace, and daughter, Abigail, often joined in. He even brought a karaoke machine to the nursing home where he worked, and he and Abigail once serenaded patients there with Endless Love.

Nick had boundless energy too. He exercised twice a day and walked to work. He was a tireless advocate for patients and his employees, often taking novice nurses under his wing.

He was known to stay up late to bake treats, like cassava cake, for co-workers, and when Abigail was studying nursing in Buffalo, her parents would pack the car with groceries and meals hed prepared for her. I would tell him, you know, there are grocery stores in Buffalo! Abigail said.

Avid gardeners, Nick and Graces last harvest was so abundant that he invited co-workers to pick peppers, tomatoes and bitter melon.

After 40 years in nursing, he planned on retiring in two more.

On 20 March, he developed a cough and fever. He tested positive for Covid-19 and died two weeks later as he waited to be admitted to the hospital.

His employer did not respond to requests for comment.

Natalie Mufson, Columbia Journalism School

Kettely Desire, 64Grandmother worked extra hours at nursing home ravaged by Covid-19

Occupation: Certified nursing assistantPlace of work: Alliance Health at West Acres in Brockton, MassachusettsDate of death: 11 April 2020

Kettely Desire had been planning a party for her granddaughters high school graduation when the coronavirus swept through the nursing home where she worked.

She became ill in late March after working a double shift, according to her son. She was hospitalized and put on a ventilator before succumbing to complications from Covid-19.

By late April, 23 staff members had tested positive for Covid-19, and 22 of the facilitys patients had died, according to the Boston Globe.

An Alliance Health spokeswoman, Kate Kahn, said the facility started having staff wear protective gear before it was mandated by the state. She added that Desire was well respected for her compassionate caregiving and professional demeanor.

Desires Facebook page reveals an enduring love for music from her native Haiti and devotion to her Brockton church, where congregants are shown dancing and singing during holiday celebrations.

JK

Norman Einhorn, 69 Brilliant eye specialist liked to party

Occupation: OptometristPlaces of work: Central New Jersey rehabilitation centersDate of death: 6 June 2020

He could talk with anybody, about anything. He could sing. He loved wine, Italian dinners and concerts: Springsteen, Madonna, Diana Ross. Always with his wife, Joy Einhorn.

He was brilliant, she said, and he also liked to party.

Norman had an optometry practice since 1983 but also worked in neuro-optometry, helping people whose illnesses or injuries impair their vision. He treated stroke patients, Special Olympic athletes and trauma victims. Its like physical therapy, Joy said, but for the eyes.

He shuttered his office in March, following state orders, but continued to see patients at three rehabilitation centers. His family believes he contracted the coronavirus at one of the centers.

Norman lost his appetite and started coughing in May. Other family members got sick, too. Norman died in the hospital about two weeks after his diagnosis.

Norman thought he had been protecting himself, Joy said, but its just so contagious.

Maureen OHagan

See the original post:

A lively nursing director, an outspoken phlebotomist: US healthcare workers who died from Covid-19 - The Guardian

BELOIT Healthcare staff charged with caring for vulnerable populations put in long hours, risked their own health and have drawn upon boundless creativity to care for others during the pandemic.

Autumn Lake Healthcare Midwest Regional Director Josh Davis commended staff at the Autumn Lake facility in Beloit, 2121 Pioneer Drive, and The Suites at Beloit, Assisted Living, 2122 Pioneer Drive.

These people left their homes and came in to take care of other peoples loved ones, Davis said.

Davis singled out Autumn Lake Administrator Sue Viken and Director of Nursing Jennifer Geske for leading up the effort to keep residents cared for and staff scheduled. They also kept up to date with all the regulations, procedures and guidelines.

It was more than a full-time job. They put in tremendous amounts of hours and communicated with residents and family members, David said. They handled it like superheroes and never did they say no.

Viken said Activity Director Leanne Sullivan came in on the weekends and off hours in order to set up video chats with residents family members and came up with creative activities. Residents did everything from sing handwashing songs, to playing Bingo and enjoying the annual picnic in their rooms.

Viken commended those at Autumn Lake as well as many in the long term care industry who came up with systems to keep people safe while continuing to admit and care for people.

During the pandemic, Beloit Health Systems At-Home Healthcare divisions workers continued to venture into peoples homes to provide a variety of medical care. Patient Care Coordinator Nancy Fiege said that with the increasing trend of more outpatient surgeries more at-home healthcare is being performed.

We all love home healthcare. Its such a unique opportunity to see patients personally and see what barriers and support they have, Fiege said. Patients can learn better ways to improve their health in their home environment.

At-Home Healthcare workers had to take safety precautions not only to keep themselves safe but to ensure they didnt transmit anything to the next five to six people they would see a day. Some home spaces were a bit small, and there were unexpected surprises sometimes. Fiege recalled one windy day in April when all the personal protective gear was flying out of a workers trunk.

Because Beloit Health Systems At-Home Healthcare is licensed in counties on both sides of the state line, workers had to keep track and learn each states rules.

Not only did workers have to attend to their patients medical needs, but had to help them emotionally.

People were more lonely because they werent getting other visitors, Fiege said.

See the article here:

Healthcare workers help at homes and nursing facilities - Beloit Daily News

In the fourth installment of McDermottsHPE Europe Summer Webinar Series 2020: Whats the Impact of Recent Regulation and Government Measures on Investments in Healthcare and Life Sciences in Europe?moderator and McDermott partner Dr. Stephan Rau and industry experts Karthic Jayaraman of TPG Capital, Max Mller of Bayer, Ben Faircloth of L.E.K. Consulting and Dr. Ulrich Wandschneider, former CEO of Asklepios AG, currently at Trilantic Capital Partners and Supervisory Board member of BioNTech SE, the Nasdaq-listed developer of COVID vaccine, headquartered in Germany, discussed the impact that COVID-19 and the government measures to address it have had on investments in healthcare and life sciences in Europe.

I think its about as interesting a time as any in my last 20 years investing, said Jayaraman. People are beginning to focus a lot more on innovation, the speed of innovation and how innovation is brought to market. I think the question is, How can we continue to reward innovation, both by simplifying the process by which its made possible and how we value it?

New developments in digital health have become more and more attractive as people have had faster access to care and governments have understood that some of their regulations needed to be adjusted, added Mller.

Jayaraman agreed. There has been an acceleration of the provision of care through telehealth services and any kind of remote administration of care. Its probably been an acceleration of two-plus years collapsed into months. I also think were going to see some vigorous conversations about supply chain disruption in the political arena, and also corporate boardrooms, as we think about where we want to place our supply chains moving forward. And currently there is great interest in R&D. If you have a COVID vaccine, everybody is running to invest in it. But we need to find a way to sustain that in other areas as well, predicted Faircloth, Regulators, I think, will want to try to embed some of the lessons learned around accelerating the clinical trial process and taking some of the cost out, which will be to the advantage of e-clinical players that have technology that addresses the clinical trial process. Weve seen a significant slowdown in trial activity for trials not obviously linked to COVID-related therapeutics and potential vaccines, because trials sites such as DP clinics, hospital sites and academic sites have been inaccessible or closed. What youve seen as a result of these access problems is a move by regulators toward being more positive about technologies that encourage virtual interaction. Though it is still rather vague, there is a gradually emerging concept of virtual clinical trials.

Structurally, when it comes to investing right now, you look at it missing pieces, the gaps: physician capacity, ICU capacity, PPE, etc., Jayaraman suggested. How do we invest to make sure we have the necessary structural investments made so that we can actually respond to a pandemic if it happens again?

Beyond investment in new technologies, Faircloth also predicted an uptick in incremental M&A for some provider businesses. We see some of the older owner-manager practitioners coming out of this first element of the pandemic and perhaps deciding that now is a good time to bring forward retirement plans by a year or two. So we think there will probably be some incremental M&A opportunities for some of the stronger platforms in the more fragmented provision markets across Europe, he said.

We have to separate out some of the temporary effects of what were going through and isolate them when making any investment decisions right now, Jayaraman cautioned. And that plays itself out in a number of different ways, whether there is a level of support for provider businesses, whether businesses have more private exposure, like dentistry in the UK or outpatient centers in Germany, which are being more adversely impacted you have to isolate whats temporary and take that out of the equation, or at least you need to have an understanding and an expectation as to what that recovery will look like, whether its likely to be U-shaped, V-shaped, etc.

From the overall view, I must say that since this industry in general is also part of the solution, we will come out sooner than other industries and wont have to contend with issues and problems like those faced by the automotive or retail sectors, for example, predicted Wandschneider. We will have scenarios through which we can get out of the current economic situation. Since nobody was prepared, its very impressive how science, how business, how governments are working together to find ways out of the situation.

Its important to take measures to reduce national egoisms and be prepared to help each other more, stressed Rau. I see some tendencies there, but I dont know whether they would hold up under the types of pressures that we had some months ago.

Mller emphasized, Once we have overcome this particular crisis, we cannot fall back into old habits. It is our responsibility as industry to make sure that the lessons learned will remain in focus. But Im cautiously optimistic that the new role of science and the new way of looking at medicine and pharmaceuticals as a whole will give this sector the value it has lost over the last years, during which we talked only about cost.

See the original post:

Govt Investments in Healthcare and Life Sciences in Europe - The National Law Review

Titled Prevalence of unprofessional social media content among young vascular surgeons, it appears in the August 2020 edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery (and online in December). Six of the seven listed authors have ties to Boston Medical Center, including Dr. Alik Farber, chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at Boston Medical Center.

The clinical research study drew so much scrutiny that by Friday afternoon its authors had apologized and in an extraordinary move called for a retraction of their own work, according to a statement from BMC.

A spokesman said the paper was ill-conceived, poorly executed, and reinforces biases about professionalism and gender and doesnt represent the values of the hospital.

This paper highlights that we have so much more work to do to eliminate gender bias among our medical community, our training programs, and especially in the care we provide to our patients and the communities we serve, the statement said.

In their paper, the authors wrote that they set out to evaluate the extent of unprofessional social media content among recent vascular surgery fellows and residents by sifting through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter profiles using incognito accounts.

The study concluded that one-half of recent and soon-to-be graduating vascular surgery trainees had an identifiable social media account, with nearly one-quarter of these containing either clearly unprofessional or potentially unprofessional content.

It described potentially unprofessional content as holding or drinking alcohol in photos; posting controversial political and religious comments or controversial social topics; and sharing images in inappropriate attire such as underwear, provocative Halloween costumes, and provocative posing in bikinis/swimwear.

Young surgeons should be aware of the permanent public exposure of unprofessional content that can be accessed by peers, patients, and current [and] future employers, the authors wrote. They argue it could also be harmful to the institutions they work for or affect a patients hospital choice.

But a growing chorus of people who identified themselves as working in the medical field both men and women came out against the papers methodology and conclusions Friday, calling it misogynistic, demanding it be retracted, and spawning the hashtag #MedBikini.

Among the numerous pictures shared Friday were physicians, doctors, and nurses clad in two-piece bikinis and swimsuits, sitting in inflatable tubes in the pool or standing on the beach. Others were sipping or holding alcoholic beverages. Some did both.

My body is my temple, and treating it as such sets a good example for my patients. Drinking a cocktail while on a well-deserved vacation is not unprofessional, one reply to the study said.

While many of the posts led to people sharing photos of themselves in bathing suits or out for drinks combined with pithy responses others rebuffed the idea that health care professionals should tamp down on sharing personal opinions about certain major public health issues, like gun control and abortion, which the study called controversial social comments.

This paper is a perfect example of unconscious bias. By labeling things such as provocative Halloween costumes,' bikinis and opinions on abortion and gun control unprofessional, who do you think they are primarily targeting? one person wrote.

Another doctor called the article ridiculous.

I support #MedBikini, but more importantly I would also ask [the authors] to justify the suggestion that physicians shouldnt speak out about abortion and gun control, the person wrote.

Farber did not immediately return a request for comment. The Globe also reached out to the Journal of Vascular Surgery but did not receive a response.

But at least two of the studys authors, including Dr. Jeff Siracuse, a vascular surgeon at BMC, apologized for the papers content on social media Friday.

Siracuse, in a series of tweets, said the intent was to empower surgeons to be aware and then personally decide what may be easily available for our patients and colleagues to see about us online.

This was clearly not the result, Siracuse said in a thread. We realize that the definition of professionalism is rapidly changing in medicine and that we need to support our trainees and surgeons as our society changes without the appearance of judgment.

Siracuse also admitted that the design had the potential for significant gender bias, particularly with male authors assessing the appropriateness of womens as well as mens clothing, but that the so-called inappropriate attire category that particularly rocked the medical world looked at both women and men in swimsuits.

However, we were wrong not to have considered the inherent gender bias and have certainly learned from this experience, he said. We will do better in the future and teach others from our experience.

Steve Annear can be reached at steve.annear@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @steveannear.

Read more:

#MedBikini: Heres why health care professionals are posting photos of themselves in bathing suits - The Boston Globe

This week, I met with doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville who have been on the front line of saving lives during this coronavirus pandemic. They were tired and stressed, but their work makes me grateful for their services and sacrifice. Today Id like to talk about the need to find more people such as those to enter the field. I am hopeful that the sight of their heroic service will inspire others to choose a career in health care.

The numbers of those in the health care profession nationally and in Arkansas have been declining for years. This worldwide health crisis has highlighted the shortfall and the urgent need to correct it. There never has been a greater need for young people to enter the health care profession.

The reasons for the decline are many, but the result is that as health care professionals retire, there arent enough people to replace them. Americans are living longer, which means the number of people in need of medical care is growing as the number of providers shrinks. In the rural areas of Arkansas, the situation is even more challenging.

As the coronavirus has billowed across our nation like a toxic fog, the illness has illustrated the complicated nature of our health care system. We have seen how various medical specialties intersect, and that each is essential: Medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine. Paramedics. Emergency room doctors and registered nurses. Respiratory therapists and licensed practical nurses. Home health caregivers. Researchers. Medical technicians. That is a very short list of the many important jobs in the health care field.

A health care career offers many benefits. You can find a job almost anywhere you want to live, and the jobs pay well.

But there is more to it than the personal benefit. Health care is a higher calling, much like any other public service. Those who choose that path often are called upon to put the good of others before personal comfort and convenience, as thousands have done during the pandemic. The hours are long, the work can be difficult. But there are the bright moments when someone saves a life or a homebound patient rewards a health aide with a smile of gratitude.

Arkansas is growing and in need of more people who are willing to commit to that level of service. Our state needs young professionals with fresh perspectives to help us figure out new and better ways to deliver health care. We need tech-savvy professionals who elevate our health care system, which benefits all Arkansans: A tech-savvy health care system attracts high-quality business and industry and enhances Arkansass general quality of life.

COVID-19 has changed everything about our lives. We have no idea how long we will be fighting the current battle, but the health care professionals who are guiding us through this time inspire confidence and hope. My hope is that their inspiration will attract a new generation of professionals to accept the call.

WebReadyTM Powered by WireReadyNSI

Read this article:

Governor addresses the 'higher calling of health care' - ktlo.com

Would you pull into a gas station and fill your tank if you couldnt know the price of gas? What if the attendant said he didnt know the price either, but recommended you go ahead and fill up, and his company would send you a bill later? Of course not. No consumer would tolerate this behavior in any industry, but in health care its the norm.

In these uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when concerns about needing health care and worries of how to pay for it are top of mind, the need for health care price transparency has never been more urgent. Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King have a chance to make health care price transparency happen for us and for all Americans. The U.S. Senate recently introduced The Health Care PRICE Transparency Act (SB 4106), which would require all hospitals to reveal their cash prices and secret, negotiated rates with insurers in an easy-to-read online format by Jan. 1. This is information that 90% of Americans want, but that hospitals and insurance companies have been aggressively fighting because they dont want to kill their golden goose.

We need them to not only support this bill, but also to join with lawmakers in the effort to include the bill into the next COVID-19 stimulus package and make it the law.

As more Mainers go without insurance or choose high-deductible health plans, they need the ability to shop for health care based on price and quality. Without price transparency, they will continue to be targets for surprise, after-the-fact medical bills in amounts far greater than is reasonable. Knowing how often this happens, many consumers delay seeking necessary medical attention, hoping their problem will just go away. This can lead to patients not getting care until they are in critical condition or worse. The fear of facing bankruptcy due to outrageous medical bills often motivates consumers to roll the dice. However, if they could know the price of health care ahead of time they could compare prices and be in control of their health care dollars, not blindsided by bills they could not see coming.

Besides helping patients find health care at the lowest cost, complete price transparency in health care would also spur competition, which would drive down prices, spur innovation and lead to better quality and access.

Those fighting the price transparency law claim that health care is too complex to respond to the same free market principles that govern every other market. Notably, these are the same players who profit most from the opaque status quo.

Dont buy their argument. Todays technology can synthesize huge amounts of data and put exact real-time prices for airline tickets and automobiles at our fingertips in seconds. The same can happen with health care prices. Thats why a law that would require every hospital, medical office and clinic to post their prices cash and secret, negotiated rates in a way that is easy to search and accessible is so needed.

As a Direct Primary Care physician in greater Portland, my staff and I strive to find transparent pricing for our price-conscious patients. It isnt easy. We know that the price for the same blood test can cost anywhere from $3 to $60, depending on where you go, but most patients dont find out until its too late.

Price transparency would fix that, which is why we need to make SB 4106 law. We need to hold our lawmakers accountable to Americans, not to the powerful health care lobby, which is paying lawmakers handsomely to vote otherwise. Health care price transparency is not a red or blue issue. Its a widely bipartisan issue. This law would bring tremendous financial empowerment to American households and would cost taxpayers nothing.

Please urge Sens. Collins and King to vote for the price transparency bill and to move to include it in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. It is what Americans want, need and deserve.

Michael A. Ciampi, M.D., is a family physician in South Portland, and a member of the Association of Independent Doctors.

Continued here:

Forum: Patients need to see health care prices to shop for better value - Press Herald

Kara Odom Walker Published 5:00 a.m. ET July 26, 2020

As we continue to confront the worst public health crisis in our lifetime, health systems are prioritizing emergency care while other essential care hangs in the balance. In many ways, Delaware has been preparing for this moment. During the pandemic, health centers across our state have continued to ensure women have access to birth control, no exceptions. Delaware spent years investing in a new womens health infrastructure, and now we are seeing those efforts pay off.

Ten years ago, Delaware had the highest rate of unplanned pregnancies in the U.S. 57% of pregnancies were unintended. A decade later, Delaware has transformed its health care system and reshaped contraceptive access across the state. By integrating reproductive care into primary care, were empowering Delawareans to become pregnant only if and when they want to.

From 2014 to 2017, unplanned births dropped 25% in Delaware, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At the same time, Delaware saw a 37% decline in the abortion rate, the most significant drop of any state in the country and more than four times the national decline.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

This remarkable progress is linked to our comprehensive effort to increase access to birth control for all Delawareans. The state of Delaware under Governors Jack Markell and John Carney partnered with the nonprofit Upstream USA and our Division of Public Health and the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance to work with thousands of providers across the state. Rather than limiting or banning contraceptives or abortions, we ensured access and care for all patients, one health center at a time.

The status quo was not working. Patients were not regularly asked about their pregnancy intentions or reproductive life goals when they went to see a doctor. Doctors were not always providing adequate counseling on the full range of birth control methods. And when women decided they wanted an IUD or implant considered the most effective forms of birth control they often had to schedule unnecessary additional appointments. This is a huge burden that could require taking time off work or arranging child care. In fact, one study found that about half of women who requested an IUD did not attend the follow-up appointment to place it.

During my time as Cabinet Secretary, Ive heard many stories about how our work with Upstream and providers across our state has changed the lives of women and their families. Brittanys is one of those stories. During college, she didnt have a lot of extra money for an IUD and told herself, I guess Ill have to get better at taking the pill. After checking with her health care provider, she learned that Delaware had a program to cover the cost of the IUD and she made an appointment. Today as a nurse, she has big career goals. My IUD lets me plan my life, she says.

Her story illustrates the importance of integrating reproductive and primary care and making all forms of contraception available in a single visit at low or no cost. And thats exactly what we did in Delaware. Notably, this did not involve building something new, but instead working within our existing infrastructure to provide training and technical assistance to medical providers both in our hospital systems and in private practices. This may not sound momentous, but training staff at every level at practices of all sizes from doctors and nurses to receptionists is crucial and worth the time and investment.

When you put all of these pieces together, it translates to patients receiving best-in-class care in one visit and thats a game-changer. Just as important, we implemented a sustainable model, changing the foundation of how health centers operate so that they can continue to provide this patient-centered care going forward. And surveys indicate that over 99% of patients either made their own decisions about contraceptive methods or shared decision-making with their provider.

Its important to note that this work doesnt happen in isolation, nor is it a singular solution. Delawares commitment to improving outcomes for women and families does not start and end with contraceptive access. Delaware, like the rest of the country, must prioritize improving maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women, people of color, transgender individuals, and those with lower incomes. As health care providers, we all must address our own biases, particularly when it comes to ensuring patient autonomy. That is why a key component of our training is ensuring that all staff in the health care setting can recognize bias and avoid coercive practices.

Karen Odom Walker(Photo: Special to the USA TODAY NETWORK)

Over the course of five years, we created systemic change throughout Delawares health care system. We made sure that family planning and reproductive health are a regular part of conversations between patients and their providers. We made sure that no matter what, women have access to all forms of birth control in a single visit. By investing in more equitable health care, we have laid a foundation of care that has proven resilient and accessible during the COVID-19 crisis.

As I prepare to leave my position as cabinet secretary at the end of July, I know this critical work will be in good hands going forward. Gov. John Carney has nominated DHSS Deputy Secretary Molly Magarik as the new cabinet secretary, and her appointment was confirmed by the Delaware Senate. Our incoming DHSS Secretary knows the importance of our partnership with Upstream and health care providers across the state. And she understands the difference it is making in the lives of Delaware women and their families.

During a pandemic, it is clear to me as a family physician that we cannot afford to put off essential health care. In an age of uncertainty for reproductive health care, Delawares common-sense solution has made birth control access a reality for tens of thousands of women. We encourage other states and communities to do the same.

Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a practicing family physician, is the Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Services. She will be leaving her position at the end of July to begin a new position with Nemours in Washington.

Read or Share this story: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/2020/07/26/delaware-transformed-its-health-care-system-women-heres-how/5503932002/

Follow this link:

Delaware transformed its health care system for women here's how | Opinion - The News Journal

Posted: Jul 25, 2020 / 09:30 AM CDT / Updated: Jul 25, 2020 / 09:30 AM CDT

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson held his daily COVID-19 briefing from the University of Arkansas-Cossatot Friday, holding up De Queen and Sevier County as examples to the rest of the state of a success story in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. (Source: KTAL/KMSS Staff)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (News release) This week Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson talks about the future of health care and what can be done to help aid its growth.

Read the full address below:

This week, I met with doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville who have been on the front line of saving lives during thiscoronavirus pandemic. They were tired and stressed, but their work makes me grateful for their services and sacrifice. Today Id like to talk about the need to find more people such as those to enter the field. I am hopeful that the sight of their heroic service will inspire others to choose a career in health care.

The numbers of those in the health care profession nationally and in Arkansas have been declining for years. This worldwide health crisis has highlighted the shortfall and the urgent need to correct it. There never has been a greater need for young people to enter the health care profession.

The reasons for the decline are many, but the result is that as health care professionals retire, there arent enough people to replace them. Americans are living longer, which means the number of people in need of medical care is growing as the number of providers shrinks. In the rural areas of Arkansas, the situation is even more challenging.

As the coronavirus has billowed across our nation like a toxic fog, the illness has illustrated the complicated nature of our health care system. We have seen how various medical specialties intersect, and that each is essential: Medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine. Paramedics. Emergency room doctors and registered nurses. Respiratory therapists and licensed practical nurses. Home health caregivers. Researchers. Medical technicians. That is a very short list of the many important jobs in the health care field.

A health care career offers many benefits. You can find a job almost anywhere you want to live, and the jobs pay well.

But there is more to it than the personal benefit. Health care is a higher calling, much like any other public service. Those who choose that path often are called upon to put the good of others before personal comfort and convenience, as thousands have done during the pandemic. The hours are long, the work can be difficult. But there are the bright moments when someone saves a life or a homebound patient rewards a health aide with a smile of gratitude.Arkansas is growing and in need of more people who are willing to commit to that level of service. Our state needs young professionals with fresh perspectives to help us figure out new and better ways to deliver health care. We need tech-savvy professionals who elevate our health care system, which benefits all Arkansans: A tech-savvy health care system attracts high-quality business and industry and enhances Arkansass general quality of life.

COVID-19 has changed everything about our lives. We have no idea how long we will be fighting the current battle, but the health care professionals who are guiding us through this time inspire confidence and hope. My hope is that their inspiration will attract a new generation of professionals to accept the call.

More here:

Governor Hutchinsons Weekly Address: For the higher calling of health care - KARK

I dont personally know Dr. Jami Chisdak, but I am disappointed that she supports Daines in a TV ad and says Bullock would be responsible for closing hospitals and would work to establish government care at cost of $30 trillion.

Actually, when running for president he said he would improve ACA (Affordable Care Act) at the margins along with a public option. We all know that, working with the Republican Legislature, Bullock got Medicaid for over 90,000 Montanans. There are roughly 160 towns in Montana under 1,000 people, over 70% elderly.

In 2018 nine counties were without a physician, and their hospitals and nursing homes are dependent on Medicare-Medicaid for survival.

Daines spouts caring for pre-existing conditions (133 million people), yet has voted to dismantle ACAnot perfect but covers 20 million citizens and includes pre-existing conditions -- and offers no good alternative. He is tied to Trumps hip all the way (Trump, besides failing the nation on the coronavirus pandemic, wants to destroy a womans right to make decisions about her own body).

Comprehensive insurance programs are not affordable for most American families. A system like EU countries would be less costly than current American medical care.

To see what else is happening in Gallatin County subscribe to the online paper.

Go here to read the rest:

Bullock best choice to sort our health care issues - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

SOUTH PORTLAND Would you pull into a gas station and fill your tank if you couldnt know the price of gas? What if the attendant said he didnt know the price either but recommended you go ahead and fill up, and his company would send you a bill later? Of course not. No consumer would tolerate this behavior in any industry, but in health care its the norm.

In these uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when concerns about needing health care and worries of how to pay for it are top of mind, the need for health care price transparency has never been more urgent.

Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King have a chance to make health care price transparency happen for us and for all Americans. The U.S. Senate recently introduced the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act (S.4106), which would require all hospitals to reveal their cash prices and secret, negotiated rates with insurers in an easy-to-read online format by Jan. 1. This is information that 90 percent of Americans want, but that hospitals and insurance companies have been aggressively fighting because they dont want to kill their golden goose.

We need them to not only support this bill, but also to join with lawmakers in the effort to include the bill in the next COVID-19 stimulus package and make it the law.

As more Mainers go without insurance or choose high-deductible health plans, they need the ability to shop for health care based on price and quality. Without price transparency, they will continue to be targets for surprise, after-the-fact medical bills in amounts far greater than is reasonable. Knowing how often this happens, many consumers delay seeking necessary medical attention, hoping their problem will just go away. This can lead to patients not getting care until they are in critical condition, or worse. The fear of facing bankruptcy because of outrageous medical bills often motivates consumers to roll the dice. However, if they could know the price of health care ahead of time, they could compare prices, and be in control of their health care dollars, not blindsided by bills they could not see coming.

Besides helping patients find health care at the lowest cost, complete price transparency in health care would also spur competition, which would drive down prices, spur innovation and lead to better quality and access.

Those fighting the price transparency law claim that health care is too complex to respond to the same free-market principles that govern every other market. Notably, these are the same players who profit most from the opaque status quo.

Dont buy their argument. Todays technology can synthesize huge amounts of data and put exact real-time prices for airline tickets and automobiles at our fingertips in seconds. The same can happen with health care prices. Thats why a law that would require every hospital, medical office and clinic to post their prices cash and secret, negotiated rates in a way that is easy to search and accessible is so needed.

As a direct primary care physician in the Portland area, I strive with my staff to find transparent pricing for our price-conscious patients. It isnt easy. We know that the price for the same blood test can cost anywhere from $3 to $60, depending on where you go, but most patients dont find out until its too late.

Price transparency would fix that, which is why we need to make S.4106 law. We need to hold our lawmakers accountable to Americans, not to the powerful health care lobby, who are paying lawmakers handsomely to vote otherwise. Health care price transparency is not a red or a blue issue. Its a widely bipartisan issue. This law would bring tremendous financial empowerment to American households, and would cost taxpayers nothing.

Please urge Sens. Collins and King to vote for the price transparency bill and to move to include it in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. It is what Americans want, need and deserve.

Invalid username/password.

Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

See more here:

Maine Voices: Patients need to see health care prices to shop for better value - Press Herald

A business refusal to serve people based on their race, political beliefs, religion and gender affiliation is considered strictly off limits even illegal but what about the denial of service to medical professionals and first responders who have had recent contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19?

Dayle Morningstar Laird was shocked to learn she would not be given her scheduled pedicure Wednesday afternoon at Spaaah Shop & Day Spa in Durango after she answered the spas questionnaire saying she had recent contacts with people who have tested positive for the pathogen.

Morningstar Laird, a paramedic based in Pagosa Springs with the Upper San Juan Basin Health District, fairly frequently transports COVID-19 patients from Pagosa Springs to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango.

Antoinette Whidden, co-owner of the Spaaah Shop, said denial of service to people who have had recent contact with people testing positive for COVID-19 was and remains the proper procedure for her employees to follow. She said her employees denial of service to Morningstar Laird or anyone with recent contact with COVID-19-positive patients is common sense.

As you can understand, for a spa, where our services are up close and personal, you cant take chances. ... I cant expose my employees. Its just common sense, she said. If we were to expose our employees, then we would be required to shut down. It doesnt matter if theyre a paramedic, or if theyre a school teacher, or if theyre a housewife or whatever they are it doesnt matter. If they answer yes to that question, then it is our job, its our responsibility to make sure that our customers in the back as well as our employees are not exposed. I mean, it sucks. I would love to be able to give them a service. But, you know, in this day and age, you just cant. Youve got to be careful.

Claire Ninde, director of communications with San Juan Basin Public Health, said the state requires personal service businesses to screen customers for COVID-19 symptoms when receiving a high-contact service like a massage, haircut or spa treatment, but they dont have to screen for past exposures.

Businesses must follow required state guidance to protect their employees and customers according to their industry standards. SJBPH has not added to these requirements or provided other detailed recommendations, aside from the self-certification requirement for establishments in La Plata County, Ninde said in an email to The Durango Herald.

Guidelines for personal service providers to follow while operating in a COVID-19 environment are spelled out on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environments website, she said.

EMTs and other health care providers use elevated protective strategies and equipment when interacting with potential or confirmed COVID-19 patients, and SJBPH does not consider them exposed or close contacts as long as these procedures are followed, Ninde said.

SJBPH, she said, realizes complex challenges faced by businesses and customers as they navigate new situations posed by COVID-19.

We acknowledge that most businesses are doing their best to protect the health of both their employees and customers. This includes self-certification using our online infection-control checklist and continually practicing things like physical distancing, face covering and elevated sanitization, she said. We also know that most customers and even patrons are acting in a responsible way by monitoring their own symptoms, wearing face coverings and following businesses requirements.

SJBPHs recommendation to personal service businesses like the Spaaah Shop, Ninde said, would be that they follow state guidance which is specifically: conduct symptoms check for all customers of services with close personal contact and decline to provide services to anyone who has symptoms.

Morningstar Laird said paramedics with Upper San Juan Basin Health are required to wear personal protective equipment from head to toe. After transport she said, paramedics clean like crazy, are required to shower and the ambulance is flooded with ultraviolet light to disinfect the vehicle all procedures she believes any reasonable person would take into account before denying service to a paramedic.

The precautions we take at work are very, very extreme, so Im not worried about giving it to other people, she said. But I filled out the form correctly, and before I even filled out the rest of the questionnaire, she said, You have been in contact. And I said, Well, yes, Im a paramedic. And she started yelling at me and told me that I had to get out.

Wade Whidden, co-owner of the Spaaah Shop, said if the business is responsible for a confirmed case of COVID-19 it will be required to close for 14 days, and the business is put in a tough place because it looks bad if the spa is overly cautious by turning away clients or if it is identified as a business responsible for a COVID-19 transmission.

What would you suggest we do? he said. Do you think we want to turn people away that have exposure to COVID? Our business is down 50% from last year. The last thing we want to do is turn anybody away for a service. But we cannot put our employees at risk. We cant put our back staff at risk. I know its a tough situation. I know its brutal to have to turn anybody away.

Charles Spence, an attorney and a partner in the Durango firm Maynes, Bradford, Shipps and Sheftel, said litigation for small businesses based on COVID-19 incidents is such a recent development, it is too early to say whether the Whiddens are acting too excessively in their denial of service to Morningstar Laird.

Several class-action lawsuits have been filed, but they have yet to be adjudicated, he said.

The liability exposure is somewhat unclear at this point, he said. I dont think weve seen the true fallout from all of that yet. And its going to be pretty dire in some cases. Theyre trying to protect themselves from these possible claims. It gets difficult, and I dont know if theres a clear answer right now.

parmijo@durangoherald.com

Link:

Fearful of virus, business denies health care worker pedicure in Durango - Pine River Times

VCU Health will occupy the building at 332 North Henry St. Located near campus, the new clinic will be equipped with patient rooms and imaging technology and will be accessible to anyone, not just the university community. Services at the North Henry St. location will be available once renovations are complete. (WYDaily/Erin Zagursky, W&M News)

William & Mary recently announced a long-term, strategic partnership with VCU Health to significantly increase its capacity to provide access to health care on campus starting this fall. Included in the agreement is management of an extensive, university-wide COVID-19 testing program for students, faculty and staff.

The partnership will also expand the universitys health care in several unique categories for students, including general care support, mental health services and comprehensive orthopedic and sports medical coverage.

This agreement greatly expands our services and allows William & Mary to closely align with a leading university health center, said W&M President Katherine A. Rowe. Our partnership with VCU Health will support immediate needs during the pandemic while also providing the W&M community long-term access to a broad network of exceptional medical and mental health services. This is a terrific example of the kind of innovative collaboration that is essential to the success of a world-class university.

William & Mary and VCU Health are in the process of finalizing a 10-year contract with two five-year renewal options. The contract was awarded following a competitive bidding process conducted by a university selection committee with representatives from student affairs, athletics, human resources, and university operations.

The alliance with a third-party health care provider is the first of its kind at W&M. This is also the first partnership with another university for VCU Health, which boasts a vast network of providers that offer a wide range of health care services.

I am proud of this unique partnership that brings VCU Healths comprehensive services to the William & Mary community and residents of Williamsburg, said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Health System. I look forward to serving the William & Mary and Williamsburg communities in a more robust way. Especially in these unusual times, we are better together.

VCU Health will provide enhanced support services in conjunction with the on-campus Student Health Center and for the Counseling Center, including mental health services to the student population and medical options for staff and faculty.

Additionally, it will administer sports medicine and orthopedic care to the universitys athletics department, as well as club sports, intramural sports and other related areas of the Universitys Health and Wellness division.

The new partnership takes William & Marys health care to a new level, said Kelly Crace, W&Ms associate vice president for health & wellness. It blends W&Ms existing resources with those of a top-notch university health organization in VCU Health, he added.

This is a very unique hybrid where we are developing a collaborative partnership to really enhance the breadth and depth of our resources for the health and safety and wellness of our community, said Crace.

VCU Health will also manage the universitys COVID-19 testing program that expects all students to be tested before returning to campus. VCUHS will continue prevalence testing among students and employees throughout the semester in order to track positivity results and modify operations, if warranted. During the semester, William & Mary will provide dedicated housing for quarantine and isolation for residential students who require it. In addition, employees will also have access to optional testing, partially subsidized by the university, if desired. Finally, all students and employees will be able to sign up for exit testing as they leave campus in November, as an additional precaution for their home communities.

We are finalizing the details on a long-term arrangement that will provide VCU Health with quality clinical space in close proximity to the campus, William & Mary contracts manager Bill Vega said.

As part of this partnership, VCU Health will occupy the building at 332 North Henry St. The facility is owned by the W&M Real Estate Foundation and leased by the university. The university will extend a long-term sublease to VCU Health as part of this arrangement. Located near campus, the new clinic will be equipped with patient rooms and imaging technology and will be accessible to anyone, not just the university community, Vega said. Services at the North Henry St. location will be available once renovations are complete.

It will be available to the Williamsburg community as an outpatient center, Vega said. So it will not only serve William & Mary, but it helps the community as well.

Until that facility is available, VCU Health will have temporary sites available on campus to support COVID testing.

The William & Mary-VCU Health partnership comes at a time where health care needs are heightened because of COVID-19.

Were going to be good thought partners on how to best respond to the continued health and safety guidelines for those in our campus community and the greater Williamsburg area, so VCU Health is going to partner with us in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of those who are managing the virus, Crace said.

VCU Health is also going to be a really important part of us recognizing that during this time of pandemic conditions and during this time of social unrest, theres increased anxiety and theres a lot of chronic uncertainty that really causes a level of mental strain and emotional strain among our community members. Our behavioral health partnership with them is going to really help us tend to the mental health needs of our community that are going to be more amplified this year than they have been in the past.

Crace said VCU aligns completely with William & Marys mission to provide integrative wellness, which includes many dimensions emotional/mental, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual.

Having a collaborative partner to help us manage the demand that we have is really exciting, Crace said. VCU Health really understands our mission of integrative wellness, and they really want to be a part of that vision with us.

Nathan Warters is a communications specialist at William & Mary.

YOU ALSO MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT THESE STORIES:

Always be informed. Click here to get the latest news and information delivered to your inbox

Read more:

William & Mary partners with VCU Health to expand university health care - WYDaily

This article was originally published here

Cancer Med. 2020 Jul 25. doi: 10.1002/cam4.3333. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Concerns have been raised about the accessibility and quality of cancer-related care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, there is limited insight into cancer incidence and the utilization of cancer care at the ID population level to inform targeted cancer control strategies. Therefore, we aimed to examine differences in the utilization of cancer-related care between people with and without ID, identified through diagnostic codes on health insurance claims.

METHODS: In a population-based cohort study, Dutch individuals of all ages who received residential care through the Chronic Care Act due to an ID (n = 65 183) and an age and sex-matched sample of persons without ID (1:2 ratio), who were cancer-free at enrollment in 2013 were followed through 2015. Incidence rates (IRs) of newly started cancer care and IR ratios (IRRs) with 95% CIs were used to compare groups. Separate analyses were performed per cancer type.

RESULTS: Individuals with ID received less cancer-related care than individuals without (IRR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.62-0.66). Differences increased with age and were larger for females than for males. Utilization of care for cancers within the national screening program (female breast, cervical, and colon cancer) was lower for people with ID compared to people without ID.

CONCLUSION: Cancer may be underdiagnosed and/or undertreated in people with ID, or cancer is truly less prevalent in this population. In particular, the differences detected between males and females with ID, and the potential underutilization of national screening programs, require urgent follow-up investigations.

PMID:32710528 | DOI:10.1002/cam4.3333

See the rest here:

Disparities in cancer-related healthcare among people with intellectual disabilities: A population-based cohort study with health insurance claims...

Editors note: Emergency room physician Dr. Russell Hill is on the front lines locally of the fight against COVID-19. In the following column, he shares his thoughts about the decision to reopen schools this fall.

Back to school usually signals relief for parents, but dismay for teens and younger children. Traditionally, it marks the end of lazy summer days and the beginning of a more scheduled lifestyle. But not this year. This year, it is a time of significant uncertainty for parents and children, healthcare providers and policymakers, school administrators and teachers.

Like other activities and events, COVID-19 has upended seemingly simple and accepted practices, stirred more debates, and created quandaries for parents, physicians, and policymakers about whether reopening schools is the right thing to do.

Whats to be done? When adults need to work to provide for their families, they may have few options for either school or caregivers or worry that any option could put their children at risk. COVID-19, once thought to strike mostly those over 65 or persons with compromised health conditions, now seems to sicken young adults and children as well. And even if they are not ill themselves, asymptomatic children can be carriers who infect other unsuspecting parents, grandparents, or neighbors.

Parents, schools and communities are faced with seemingly impossible choices. Hastily constructed school distance learning plans were implemented in the spring with hopes that summer and fall COVID-19 infections would be controlled. Are their plans better today? Areas in the state and the country that appeared unscathed previously now face critical health threats. Have some locations become what infectious disease experts are calling superspreaders? Are schools likely to become superspreaders if reopened? The answer is we dont know. There is so much about this virus that we simply dont know at this point.

Given what is unknown about COVID-19 and its transmission and treatment, whats a reasonable course of action for schools and parents in East Tennessee to keep children safe and still meet educational goals?

First of all, as a physician, it remains unclear how staggered starts, small groups, and separation will limit transmission. For instance, recently a rural Missouri summer camp that took all of the expected precautions masks, social distancing, temperature checks still had 82 young campers become infected with COVID-19 after only a few days and the entire camp was soon closed.

Second, can we expect elementary school children to practice social distancing at all times, wear a mask at all times, and wash their hands each time they touch their face while at school? As a father of four children ages 4 to 10, this seems unlikely. Despite stressing these health habits, my kids forget. It only takes a few forgetful children for the virus to spread. Thankfully, children are the least likely to be affected severely by this infection. However, they may serve as a vector by increasing the risk to parents, grandparents, and neighbors.

The bigger questions of how this affects teachers and administrators at schools remain unanswered as well. The Centers for Disease Control has established some broad guidelines that advise schools not to reopen when infection rates in an area are in a red zone. Currently, Hawkins, Greene, Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties are all in the red zone.

While some European countries have successfully implemented rules when sending children back to school, it is too soon to say how effective these rules actually are in preventing the spread of COVID-19. In Korea, despite strict social isolation policies, required masks, and available hand sanitizer, infection rates have recently surged and consequently delayed school reopenings.

A group of doctors, healthcare workers, and teachers in Tennessee recently formed a coalition called ProtectMy Care and cautioned against reopening schools too soon. Dr. Amy Gordon Bono, a primary care physician, spoke on behalf of the group at a July 22 press conference and offered this perspective: We should not rush to reopen our schools without a cautious and comprehensive community plan to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. More than half of Tennessee counties have an unacceptable rate of coronavirus transmission. Our state is now experiencing the worst we have experienced under the coronavirus crisis. ... To reopen schools is insane and irresponsible.

National and local leaders fearing economic losses should evaluate carefully their priorities. Public health guidelines should protect the innocent and most vulnerable, including our children, their teachers, and their caregivers. In medicine, our primary goal is to save lives and prevent or end illness. While it could be argued that at times doctors do this to a fault, it is the historic, prevailing public opinion. Lets not jettison it too soon or too quickly. While we would all like to get back to normal as soon as possible, reopening schools too soon is both bad medicine and risky public health policy.

See the original post here:

A physician's thoughts on reopening school | Health Care | timesnews.net - Kingsport Times News

The results of the most recent survey showed that 46% of patients have experienced a decline in their financial security and ability to pay for their care, and nearly 25% worry that they may lose their insurance as a result of the pandemic.

BY Len Lichtenfeld, M.D.

Increased awareness, practicing precautions such as social distancing, keeping our hands clean and wearing masks represent a few of the measures many of us are taking to stay well. Yet, even as we follow these new rules for preserving our health, were finding that other crucial protections have been compromised. We have seen a dramatic decline during the pandemic in hospital and outpatient visits for screening and nonurgent cancer care. The delay of these procedures has led experts to raise concerns that an increase in deaths from cancer may be part of our future. Potentially adding to that trend will be the loss of health insurance that has accompanied job termination for many during the pandemic. The reality is that, without insurance, cancer care is not affordable.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network recently completed surveysasking patients with cancer about the experiences and concerns they are confronting. The results of the most recent survey showed that 46% of patients have experienced a decline in their financial security and ability to pay for their care, and nearly 25% worry that they may lose their insurance as a result of the pandemic. Mental health is also affected: Because of the combined medical and financial stress, nearly half the respondents have perceived a major or moderate effect on their mental well-being.

These are not minor considerations. The reality is that most of us dont have an effective safety net when it comes to paying medical bills. One day you are employed and have health insurance, and the next you are unemployed and worried about whether you can afford food and rent, let alone an insurance extension from your employer if one is available. And lets not forget that even with insurance, cancer care is expensive, far beyond the means of many of us.

The pandemic has taught us a lot. It has shown us the weaknesses in our system at many levels. We need solutions that will protect us in times of need. Options could include reopening insurance exchanges or providing help with paying premiums. Inevitably, some will argue that the time has come for us to rethink how we as a nation pay for health care.

No matter the solutions, I suspect we can all agree on one thing: No one should have to forgo cancer care, particularly during an infectious pandemic and an economic disaster, because they cant afford it. If we can solve that dilemma, then perhaps something good will come out of a moment in time that has been so frightening for so many of us.

Read more:

Losing Health Insurance Due to Job Interruption During Pandemic Could Jeopardize Cancer Care for Many Patients - Curetoday.com

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telehealth and there is a general consensus, including from White House leaders, that virtual care is here to stay.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration has opened up access to telehealth with sweepingbuttemporarychanges to reimbursement policies.

"Rather than just wholesale transformation, we have experienced an acceleration around transformations that were already underway," saidRyan Smith, chief information officer, Intermountain Healthcare, during a virtual event hosted by media company Protocol.

"With telehealth expansion we havetransitionedfrom it being adisruptive technology and care delivery model to overnightbeing almost a normal part of healthcare delivery," he said.

It's expected that an upcoming Medicare payment rule will include proposals outlining how the Trump administration plans to permanently expand reimbursement for telehealth services. Legislators also have taken steps topermanently open up access to telehealth services for Medicare patients.

It's understood that there are some healthcare visits that must be done in person and virtual care will not completely replace in-office care. What remains up in the air is where telehealth volume will land going forward.

So what will the future of virtual care look like in a post-pandemic healthcare industry? During several onlineevents in the past week, healthcare leaders weighed in onwhat's next for the industry's digital revolution.

RELATED:HHS official: 'Cat out of the bag' on telehealth but unclear what changes will stick

"Havingintegration between virtual care and in-office care makes each much more effective," said Kimber Lockhart, chief technology officer at tech-enabled primary care groupOne Medicalduring the event hosted by Protocol.

"I think well start seeing the connection between what was largely disparate provider groups providing either virtual care or in-office care and well start to see more blended models, where, depending on the needs of patients, care can move between virtual and in-person channels seamlessly," she said.

Mario Schlosser, co-founder and CEO ofhealthinsurance company Oscar Health, said patients seeking care for behavioral health issues as well as chronic conditions largely shifted to virtual services during the pandemic.

"What that shows you is that there is a big chunk of healthcare that you can virtualize and members want to see it virtualized," he said during an Axios virtual event.

"We need tomake sure that this shift to digital doesnt create more utilization, but shifts utilization that should not have otherwise happened," Schlosser said."I think there will be a blended approach and for as much care as possible it will be virtual first and then carefully orchestrated through the rest of the system for those things that need to happen in person," he said.

"From the time you arrive to the facility to conducting the encounter to being discharged, there is so much physical touch involved everywhere. I think that entire touchless experience is a highly valuable asset to work on to enable that consumer experience to make it safer. We have technology to do that today. Unlocking that touchless experience is a huge opportunity and were working to enable that," saidBharat Sutariya, Cerner's chief medical officer of population health, during the Protocol event.

Intermountain's Smith said the health system is thinking through how to redesign spaces for ambulatory care to leverage touchless technologies to minimize the number of people in waiting rooms.

RELATED:More than 300 organizations, physician groups push Congress to take action on telehealth policies

One Medical wants to use technology to direct patients to the right venue of care, whether it's virtual or in-person.

"We're working on using machine learningand other strategies to understand what patients needs are and route them to the right place to get care," Lockhart said.

In the next five years, healthcare will move from a transactional experience to a continuous experience where patients have an ongoing dialogue with providers, Cerner's Sutariya said.

"The technology around us, ambient technology and the Internet of Things, using that to positively impact lifestyle,create healthy behavior and take care of chronically ill, that will pick up significant momentum. We have the advantage of Big Data, machine learning and artificial intelligenceto help us with that and get it right," he said.

During the pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established payments for telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits.

Schlosser, for one, does not believe that payment parity is sustainable once the emergency period is over.

"I think this is going to be the battle to come.There is a huge opportunity to bending the cost curve in this shift toward digital and virtual, without a question. If we dont use that window then a big opportunity of bending the cost curve goes away," he said during theAxios event.

RELATED:Patients want to keep using virtual care after COVID-19 pandemic ends, survey finds

He added, "That will either mean that telemedicine will get reimbursed lower than in-person care, which would, unchecked, bankrupt a bunch of providers. Or it could mean that in the shift toward digital you also have a similar shift towards at-risk care delivery. So, providers who have been at-risk during the pandemic, their business has held up pretty well."

At the same time, health systems and hospitals have made significant investments in telehealth infrastructure during the pandemic and these organizations want to ensure a return on that investment, said Tom Leary, vice president of government affairsat the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) .

CMS and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will take a hard look at how the expansion of telehealth has impacted healthcare costs, industry leaders said.

"Clearly CMS doesnt want to increase their spend. They are going to dig intoto see what the current rate is going forward and the impact on outcomes and healthcare spend," saidDomenic Segalla, principal, healthcare advisory services at accounting firm Withum during a recent virtual event hosted by HIMSS.

RELATED:Tech experts: Widespread adoption of telemedicine, remote monitoring 'here to stay'

With the shift to virtual care, larger health care systems are concerned about what to do with their large brick-and-mortar footprints,Segalla said.

"Something weve been hearing from CFOs is we went through outpatient expansion and now with many of these E/Mlevel visits and the potential expansion of services that can be done virtually, what do we want to do with this large footprint or large amount of real estate that we have?," he said.

"With the shift towards virtual care, if we didnt pause to think about the role of physical space in our strategy that would be a mistake," One Medical's Lockhart said.

"As we are evaluating how we expand, we dobelieve in-person care is incredibly important and isnt going away. There are many things for which in-person care is the only way to provide the examination or care that a patientneeds," she said."On the other hand, we have discovered there are some things for which virtual care may in fact be better. There are some conversations that are best had in a situation where patients are in a comfortable setting, such as behavioral health conversations."

Telehealth is now poised to take a bigger share of the healthcare market, according to McKinsey and Company. Up to $250 billion, or 20%of all Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial outpatient, office, and home health spend could be done virtually, according to the company's analysis.

"I think we absolutely see telehealth staying," Intermountain's Smith said. "Will it continue at the current rate that it is? Alot of that depends on the continued relaxing of reimbursements and it's also going to be highly dependent on the stage of the individual health systems maturity, especially at it relates to value-based care."

The expansion of virtual care dovetails with trends around consumerization and transparency in healthcare, he noted.

"Everything is accelerated. Those organizations that havent evolved their models will be in peril. Certain provider organizations will fail. Were going to be back to broader mergers and expansions again by virtue of those not able to make that shift from fee-for-service to fee-for-value," he said.

Link:

Here is how execs from Oscar Health, Intermountain and Cerner say the telehealth boom will change healthcare - FierceHealthcare