A new study found that Big Pharma makes more from high U.S. drug prices than it spends on research around the world.
from FiercePharma
Sure to add fuel to the fiery U.S. drug pricing debate, new work from several health policy experts showed that pharma makes more from platinum pricing in the U.S. than it spends on research around the world.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
How the GOP’s replacement of the ACA could impact healthcare providers.
from STAT
The stakes couldn’t be higher for America’s hospitals in the debate over the GOP replacement for Obamacare. Here’s a quick breakdown of the top issues to watch and how they could impact providers across the country.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Thinking about becoming a nurse? If so, here are some great points you may want to consider.
by Lisa M. Tufts, RN
So, you have decided to go to nursing school… why? Let’s see if this is the right career path for you. Whether it is your first or second career choice, there are questions you should ask yourself before you spend the time, money, and energy it takes to follow a path that leads you to a career where your job is to care for people who are acutely and chronically ill. So, ask yourself some important questions:
Do yourself a favor if you are thinking about going to nursing school, and get a job as a nursing assistant. This is a great place to start to determine if a career in nursing is for you.
Frankly, I believe being a nursing assistant should be a requirement to becoming a nurse.
If you are already in nursing school and not working as a nursing assistant, you should. You need the experience of caring for patients at the basic level. You will be surprised at how much you will learn as a nursing assistant, especially when the nurses that you work with know that you are a nursing assistant—they can and will show you things, like wound care, for example. You will get opportunities to see things as a nursing assistant that you might not see in nursing school. This will be very beneficial toward your education and experience. It also shows that you are serious about your nursing career.
Think about it; who would a Nurse Manager want to hire? The new grad with patient care experience, or the new grad who has been working at a grocery store while they are in school.
Lisa Tufts began her career in healthcare as Certified Nursing Assistant at the age of 17. Since then she has remained in healthcare in various roles from Medical Coding, Executive Assistant, Medical Assistant, and has not been a Registered Nurse for six years.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Research shows that since 1999, consumption of hydrocodone has more than doubled and consumption of oxycodone increased by nearly 500%.
I recently attended a funeral for one of my former classmates from high school who died of a heroin overdose. Tragically, there was more than one funeral that day. There had been two overdoses within my community in one week. With recent headlines such as, “21 heroin overdoses reported in Ohio in a day,” and “Maryland reports 383 overdose deaths in the first three months of 2016,” I am less surprised by such events, but increasingly alarmed.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
A few helpful and hilarious tips for rookies from a seasoned nurse.
from NurseLabs
That first day at work as a new nurse is terrifying. Not only do you feel as if you aren’t prepared to care for your patients, but you’re also the “new kid on the block.” I’m sure you gathered some standard advice in nursing school about keeping your nose clean after graduation. But here are a few unwritten rules for new nurses to help make the transition a little easier for you.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
When I was in school, being a rural PA was my dream. Now that I’m living it, I wanted to tell you a little about my experience.
from Clinician Today
I am apparently in the minority. According to the 2015 AAPA salary report, 51.7 percent of PAs work in an urban setting of more than 1 million people. Further, 12.4 percent work in an area where the closest town has a population of 20,000 people or less. I am in the remaining 2.5 percent. I serve about 2,000–3,000 people who do not live near a metropolitan area.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Jason M. Cheyney, MPAS, PA-C shares his insight of what seem to be the latest discoveries in the disease and the current treatments.
by Jason M. Cheyney, MPAS, PA-C
I was doing some recent reading on Psoriasis, and wanted to share some of my own insight of what seems to be the latest discoveries in the disease and the current treatments. Psoriasis is considered by many, including myself, to be a form of autoimmune disease. Psoriasis has a primary trigger, which to date seems to be somewhat elusive. We are beginning to understand the cascade of immune responses after psoriasis develops, but have yet to isolate a specific initiator. It seems to be a multi-factorial process to me. I suspect it is a composition of genetic factors that lead to a sensitivity to some environmental factors. Our understanding of psoriasis being an immune mediated disease began in the 1970’s when it was discovered that cyclosporine a potent modifier of immune cells called T-cells was seen to decrease psoriasis activity. Since this discovery, we have been full bore researching how modification of the immune response at more and more specific locations is the answer to psoriasis control. To date, a cure has been elusive, but it seems we are getting closer to finding the immune cells most associated with psoriasis and leaving the rest of the immune system intact.
Psoriasis therapy currently is directed at modification of the over amplification of the cutaneous immune system. Most treatments work on this immune response and cause an immune suppression; there are a few therapies that are considered non-immunosuppressive. I find in my current practice there is a genuine and well placed concern about using these immunosuppressive therapies for a disease that is non-lethal. I am excited about the therapies we have and the new ones that are in the pipeline. Psoriasis therapy is getting so specific that the bulk of the immune system is left intact enabling great control of the disease without cause harm to the patient. It is quite intimidating to most individuals and providers when you read the laundry list of side effects in the drugs product information. If you just went off the list of side effects of the current therapies and didn’t look at the real risk of developing these side effects none of these drugs would be utilized. The biologic therapies in particular are the medications I am referring to. When the side effects are broken down into the real risk, it is much more comforting and reassuring. Most of these medications have a relatively low risk compared to natural illness and malignancy rates seen in the general population. When a drug is being analyzed it does so under extreme scrutiny and any negative or even positive side effects have to be attributed to the drug during study evaluation. Unfortunately, most drugs are compared to a short period of placebo use and not what happens in the general population over time. A few companies have engaged in long term safety studies and have led to a greater understanding and confidence in safety of these drugs in a general practice setting versus a controlled study setting. So how do you find reassurance in the utilization of these drugs? I encourage you to engage in a candid and open discussion with your healthcare provider as to the real risk and side effect percentages and comparison with the general population. If your provider is not sure what those rates are, ask them too kindly point you in the direction of someone or somewhere you can get those. I am always pleased when I find individuals who are open to learning more about their disease state and treatment options. That is the target audience for my blogs. The seekers of knowledge.
See Jason M Cheyney, MPAS, PA-C speak this April in Orlando, FL at the Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts CME Conference
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Doctors are taking on some concierge clients and maintaining other clients who access their care through traditional insurance.
from Healthcare Finance
Increasing physician burnout led by reporting requirements and the need to increase care volume to meet financial needs has more doctors thinking about embracing a concierge medicine model to ease those burdens.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
Is medicine with a side of mysticism still medicine? Hospitals affiliated with Yale, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and others seem to think so.
from STAT
Modern medicine clearly can’t cure everyone. It fails a great many patients. So why not encourage them to try an ancient Indian remedy or a spiritual healing technique that’s unlikely to cause harm—and may provide some relief, if only from the placebo effect?
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
The artificial blood being developed in Dr. Allan Doctor’s lab could be freeze-dried into a powder and then mixed with sterile water when needed.
from STAT
When red blood cells are poured into the test tubes here in Dr. Allan Doctor’s lab, tiny tools measure the reaction of the rabbit aortas strung up inside, computing if and how strongly the aortas constrict. Doctor and his team are trying to make sure that when they dump in the artificial blood they’re developing, the aortas react the same way.
Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
