Carrie Lester, a Medicare enrollee with chronic health conditions, benefits from the Chronic Care Management (CCM) program that offers regular check-ins with doctors outside of office visits. However, only a small percentage of eligible enrollees actually participate in the program due to various factors. While the program has helped reduce hospital visits and improve patient…
Total spending on pay in the Health Service Executive (HSE) increased by almost €2 billion between 2016 and 2022, reaching €5.4 billion. This includes a 50% increase in agency and overtime payments, with basic staff pay also rising by a similar proportion. The report also highlights a 29% increase in the number of health service…
A study published in Respiratory Medicine found that online resources for pulmonary inhaler therapy lack important information on proper inhaler technique, preparation, and care. The study compared information from websites with product monographs for 12 common inhaler devices. Most websites were rated as moderate quality but lacked information on preparation/first-use and post-usage/device-care. Industry websites scored…
NeuroBrave, an AI company, partners with Sourasky Medical Center’s Functional Neurology Unit in Tel Aviv to research complex neurological conditions. They aim to use AI to translate thoughts for paralyzed patients, allowing them to communicate and operate devices. NeuroBrave specializes in emotional and cognitive wearables and uses AI to decode biomarkers in real time. The…
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration compromised on heat protection rules for indoor workers, delaying relief for tens of thousands of prison and jail employees. The deal came after rejecting sweeping heat standards for workers in dangerous hot environments. State prisons will be temporarily exempt from the rules due to implementation challenges. The rules, years in…
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has been designated as a GRADE Center, making it the first organization in the U.S. to receive this recognition. GRADE, known for its rigorous methodology in developing clinical guidelines, is considered the “gold standard” in guideline development. ACP’s designation reflects its commitment to producing high-value clinical guidelines based on…
In the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were shortages of cleaning supplies like antibacterial wipes and disinfectant sprays as everyone focused on sanitizing surfaces. The World Health Organization initially stated that Covid-19 was not airborne, leading to confusion among scientists and physicians. In November 2021, the WHO updated its guidelines to recognize the…
The Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health (RCPCH) is calling for the removal of the “reasonable punishment” defence in England and Northern Ireland that allows parents to justify physical punishment of their children. This legal protection is already in place in Scotland and Wales. The RCPCH argues that children deserve the same protection from…
An innovative health care program called Integrated Virtual Care (IVC) developed by University of Ottawa researchers successfully matched residents in Renfrew County, Ontario, without family physicians to comprehensive, team-based primary care. The study addressed the shortage of family physicians in rural communities by connecting previously unattached patients to off-site physicians through virtual appointments. The program…
A recent genetic study of over 1.2 million individuals identified 95 genetic loci associated with the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study, the largest of its kind, revealed 80 previously unidentified loci and 43 genes linked to causing PTSD. The findings confirm that PTSD has a genetic component and provide new targets…
