Healthcare disparities are a growing concern, leading to a focus on creating a healthcare system that promotes health equity. This concept has far-reaching implications, impacting not only individual patients but entire communities. The key pillars for achieving health equity are awareness and education, equal access to care, advocacy, response and promotion, and technology. Language access…
In February, four voluntary hospice providers in Ireland will be redesignated to section 38 agreements with the HSE, ensuring full State funding for adult hospices. The Government will provide a total of €18.6 million to support sustainable care for adult specialist palliative services. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly sees this as a significant step towards universal…
The EnPlace surgical device offers a minimally invasive treatment option for women suffering from pelvic organ/uterine prolapse. Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when muscles and tissues of the pelvic floor become weak and organs sag into the pelvic cavity, and transabdominal sacrocolpopexy has been the traditional treatment. However, due to complications, mesh repair is no longer…
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Ophthalmologists should track whether they attract patients through SEO or word of mouth to gauge the success of their online presence and marketing company. In a Healio Video Perspective, Cynthia Matossian, MD, FACS, and David Evans, PhD, MBA, discuss the difference between attracting patients through successful SEO vs. their practice’s existing brand. They emphasize the…
STAT is now publishing selected Letters to the Editor in response to First Opinion essays to encourage discussion on difficult issues. The letters include one from a former FDA associate commissioner who strongly disagrees with an article casting doubt on the agency. A patient advocate in Canada provides a different perspective on advocating for treatment…
England’s health and social care secretary, Victoria Atkins, has urged junior doctors’ leaders to end their latest round of strikes and resume talks with the government over a pay dispute. Atkins stated that many junior doctors would be uncomfortable with the timing of the strikes due to the impact on services and colleagues. The latest…
A new variant of COVID-19 called JN.1 is responsible for a sudden increase in infections in the United States. This variant has evolved from another variant called BA.2.86. It is likely either more transmissible or better at evading the immune system. However, the updated COVID booster shot should provide protection against this variant. Despite this,…
Microglia, small immune cells in the brain, play a significant role in regulating the body’s response to general anesthesia. The understanding of how different anesthetics block consciousness is still not fully comprehended, but researchers uncovered that microglia impact the effectiveness of anesthesia and regulate brain network activity in a region-specific manner. This discovery was unintentionally…
Many people are torn between wanting to spend time alone and fearing the risk of loneliness. Memes on social media capture this dilemma, with some people begging for alone time while others struggle with the negative emotions that come with it. Researchers have found that the relationship between time spent alone and loneliness varies by…
