The most recent new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease was approved by European regulators in May 2002, with the US FDA following suit the next year.
from The Pharma Letter
As patients, physicians and pharma firms digest the latest research, presented at last week’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), what can the pharmaceutical industry offer the estimated 50 million people living with this most burdensome of conditions?
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 utilization of technology has allowed for several advances in aphasia rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury.
from Frontiers in Neuroscience
The utilization of technology has allowed for several advances in aphasia rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury. Thirty-one previous studies that provide technology-based language or language and cognitive rehabilitation are examined in terms of the domains addressed, the types of treatments that were provided, details about the methods and the results, including which types of outcomes are reported. From this, we address questions about how different aspects of the delivery of treatment can influence rehabilitation outcomes, such as whether the treatment was standardized or tailored, whether the participants were prescribed homework or not, and whether intensity was varied. Results differed by these aspects of treatment delivery but ultimately the studies demonstrated consistent improvement on various outcome measures. With these aspects of technology-based treatment in mind, the ultimate goal of personalized rehabilitation is discussed.
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.
Some of the survey results were surprising, while others came with little shock, but all of it was very telling about therapy professions as a whole and what the future may hold.
from Evidence in Motion
Health care is often in the center ring of the modern media circus. And as a healthcare professional, I’m sure you’ve been caught in the crossfire of at least one or two debates on the subject—unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, that is. As I’ve watched this conversation unfold, I’ve noticed a concerning trend: physical therapy—and the professionals who provide it—is increasingly left out of the discussion.
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.
Knowing a few of the specifics about medical billing procedures can go a long way in assuring your patients and providing them better customer service.
by Eileen O’Shanassy
Between providing healthcare and every possible service that you can to patients, medical professionals also have to consider their billing procedures. Few would argue that healthcare billing is straightforward and easy to understand. We all know that the system is complex, but patients may be particularly curious about what they are being billed for, and regardless of your job, knowing a few of the specifics can go a long way in assuring your patients and giving better customer service.
Each patient is provided with a comprehensive breakdown of what is on their bill when they receive it, but that does not make it any easier to understand. They may even want to dispute certain charges because they are just so certain they are right about something and you are trying to rip them off. They may stick with this incorrect belief no matter how much you explain it to them, but trying to explain it may indeed save you some headaches. Familiarize yourself with common charges and help patients understand why you might need to charge for a certain procedure.
The bills sent out to patients will have information that includes the date they received a certain treatment, the name of that treatment, the doctor or medical professional who administered the treatment, the portion that insurance covers, and more. If a patient has a question about their bill you should start by looking over the bill to see what you can find within the bill regarding the various treatments that they received. It may be the case that they just overlooked something that you can point out to them.
An attorney may be called for in certain situations if an irate patient begins to bring a suit against the hospital or medical facility because of how they were billed. It is often the case that the billing is correct and that the patient just does not understand it. However, it is also true that the medical billing people can in fact be wrong as well and make mistakes. If they make mistakes, then you could be open to a lawsuit coming your way.
Someone trained in the law is called for in situations like this because they just know what the right moves to make are. They can look over the medical bills themselves and see where the issue is and try to resolve it with the patient out of court. Staying out of court is the number one goal here, and the best way to do that is to hire an experienced lawyer who knows how to defuse situations like this, and that may come up from time to time. You are definitely in the right to do this if you feel the pressure closing in from a patient.
Helping patients to understand their billing can make for a much better experience overall. Keep these things in mind when you have a patient who needs a few things explained.
Eileen O’Shanassy is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She writes on a variety of topics and loves to research and write. She enjoys baking, biking, and kayaking. Check out her Twitter, @eileenoshanassy.
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.
Areas with a higher concentration of primary care physicians have much lower spending per beneficiary, higher-quality care, better patient satisfaction, and lower mortality rates.
from Health Affairs Blog
Controlling the growth rate of health care spending is central to the success of the Affordable Care Act or any subsequent reform. Because labor represents more than 50 percent of health care costs and the clinical workforce drives use and prices, the size and composition of the health care workforce has important ramifications for spending growth. We set out to understand the trends underlying the growth in the clinical workforce and their potential implications for health care spending, health policy, and health system design.
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.
Today, there is a greater movement towards virtual Continuing Education courses and less emphasis on live seminars, which were so predominant and popular for so many years.
by Louis Lazo
Continuing Education (CE) has been highly effective at improving patient outcomes and saving lives. According to the Institute for Health Care Improvement, “CE is a vehicle for spreading best practices and how to improve patient outcomes.” In short, continuing education is a way to keep health care teams abreast of current research in the fields in which they practice. Continuing Education modes of delivery have also changed significantly throughout the past five years. Today, there is a greater movement towards computer-based courses and less emphasis on live seminars, which were so predominant and popular for so many years.
In accordance to many state boards regulating continuing education requirements for healthcare providers across the country, home study/online courses are no longer limited to a specific number of hours. All courses, however, including home study /online courses are mandated to be completed by a state- approved respiratory care provider. Live courses are still acceptable, available and are not limited, but are no longer mandatory. According to numerous state-licensing boards for healthcare providers, there are no restrictions on the number of home study courses allowed per biennium. Licensees can now obtain all continuing education requirements via computer-based offerings in many states.
There are obvious advantages and limitations relevant to all continuing education modes of delivery. A ‘perfect” system of instructional delivery is non-existent. Licensees are sometimes encouraged to participate at work-site seminars/conferences. They may also be encouraged to complete online courses/webinars that the work-site may deem of high importance. Today, there are many continuing education options and professional growth opportunities for licensees. The preferred route of instructional delivery should be, however, decided by the actual licensee.
Live seminar offerings have diminished significantly in recent years due to the advent of computer-based offerings. This is unfortunate because live seminars provide many academic benefits to healthcare licensees unlike other modes of instruction. According to the IRIS Software Group (2015), with a seminar that one can attend in person, it is a great opportunity for one to network and meet like-minded individuals that could be in similar positions. There are also no distractions at a seminar. Participants are fully engaged with the presenter(s) and their attention is dedicated to them and the taking of notes. Seminars are increasingly becoming two-way situations where organizations hosting can learn an equal amount from the people attending.
Fans of in-person education advocate that the complex, layered world of questions, spur-of-the-moment thinking, shared problem-solving and enthusiasm for learning can never be replaced by the flatter world of online learning. There is also a focused learning environment. Networking is a big advantage. Being able to ask questions and connect with like-minded practitioners and friends in person is a huge advantage of in-person learning (Brown, 2013).
Freifeld (2017) admits that e-learning has the reputation of being more convenient and cost-effective than classroom training. But is it as effective when it comes to learning “stickiness” and changing behavior? Classroom trainings are most ideal for small groups and especially in cases when interaction, team bonding, and/or nonverbal communications are vital to achieving learning objectives. Role-play and simulations, often used in sales and management trainings, are perfect activities for live classroom trainings. Live seminar advantages include a wealth of knowledge usually, presented by many speakers at one time in one place; a sense of camaraderie, where individuals can meet others with the same interests/problems/concerns that they may have in their chosen field; and being with others that “understand” individual’s problems or concerns, is usually a great morale booster (Rao, 2017).
According to the Institute of Somatic Therapy (2017), live seminars are good for people who prefer supervision and structure in their studies, where you have instant feedback and the ability to feel the work being performed on yourself from your fellow classmates. The size of the class will determine how much instructor feedback you will receive. Another consideration is the impact of comprehension and retention of the material. With a live seminar, you may have a tremendous amount of information that comes at you during a short time. Studies indicate that the retention rate can be as low as 50% in a classroom situation dependent upon the interest level of the participant; presenter delivery methodology; instructional setting; and possible distractions.
During live seminars, healthcare providers have the advantage of interacting with colleagues, networking with seminar sponsors, and learn about medical innovations that have proven to be successful at neighboring hospital sites. Seminars and conferences may also address professional growth and career initiatives with “on the scene” hospital administrators and extended health care facility managers. The ability to open doors to new opportunities makes attending a conference a worthwhile part of career development (Witt, 2011). The participants can also ask questions, provide professional insights, and debate controversial issues at the spot of the moment. Live seminars and conferences allow presenters to learn from participants. Local, state, and national representatives from respective allied health societies, boards, and organizations may also be invited to present in a live setting. Expert motivational speakers add great intuitive challenges during seminars/conferences. The human interaction of all parties involved is unique and creates a learning environment for all in attendance. This multi-sensory interaction is most needed and should not be ignored or replaced in its entirety by other modes of continuing education.
In conclusion, Morton-Rias (2017) agrees that lifelong learning, regardless of instructional delivery, can make us better providers because continued learning expands knowledge, capabilities and commitment; benefit us professionally by exposing us to new concepts and research-driven strategies, which can be reassuring to patients, and improve the quality of our professional and personal lives by expanding our professional network and resources.
Dr. Louis Lazo is President of Continuing Education Unlimited of South Florida, Inc., a state-approved provider of continuing education for respiratory therapists and clinical lab personnel. He is a registered and licensed respiratory therapist and pulmonary function technologist. Dr. Lazo has been an allied healthcare educator provider for over 35 years.
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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.
Have you ever felt days where, despite your best efforts, patients just followed their own course? Whether or not this would lead to potentially worse outcomes? These are the days when you “do what you can do.”
by Kimberly Spering, MSN, FNP-BC
Have you ever felt days where, despite your best efforts, patients just followed their own course? Whether or not this would lead to potentially worse outcomes? These are the days when you “do what you can do.”
I made my umpteenth visit to a particular patient. Chronic COPD, CHF, dementia, and medical “non-adherence” (not MY diagnosis) to boot. Which, honestly, is a way to say, “the patient doesn’t follow the prescribed therapy.”
There are reasons for that, yes. Poor (or no) insurance, misunderstandings of what these medications can do, lack of communication, side effects, etc. The list goes on.
At my last two visits, the spouse was in the hospital for a CVA and acute asthma exacerbation. She was the key person to make sure that the patient took all of his meds. Once she was hospitalized…well, it wasn’t happening.
Neighbors were coming in to pour his meds into a cup. But no one observed him taking them. No one could tell me if he was using his oxygen or not. They did tell me that he still smoked on the porch.
He said today, “I feel OK.” And he did today, despite his SpO2 of 86% on room air. After obtaining permission to go upstairs to get his oxygen, I brought it down, putting it under his nose.
“Tell me why you don’t want to wear your oxygen.”
Turns out, he doesn’t want to bother carrying it downstairs. He’s not “deliberately” forgetting, but it’s not important to him.
I take a deep breath (on the inside), steady my voice, and tell him, in all sincerity, that I am worried what may happen if he does not use his oxygen. That I have concerns that he is not using his Duo-Neb consistently. That I fear what happens because he is not taking his statin or Plavix (med bottles missing…patient post-stent/MI).
We discuss end-of-life wishes. I gave him a Spanish “5 Wishes” document & discuss end-of-life care.
He tells me that he wants resuscitation, but no breathing tube. I describe what a code looks like – including the need for an ETT tube in the majority of cases. “Well…then I want the tube, too.”
Despite his COPD, chronic combined CHF, dementia, etc. He wants full resuscitation. That’s OK. It’s HIS choice.
I describe potential scenarios of a “code blue” status. The likely futility of resuscitation, even in a witnessed environment. I talk about what life may look like after resuscitation. Truly…few patients are told about what to expect.
He looks at me, expressionless.
I tell him, I want to make sure that your wishes are followed at the end of your life. No one knows when that will be. But I will be your advocate. Slowly, he comes around and describes his wishes.
Oh, and yes, all of this is in Spanish. With a medical interpreter, who, God love her, is as patient as can be.
“I’m doing fine. I don’t need anything,” he says.
While my laser-sharp eyes and hearing look for ways that he needs additional help, I am left with the simple knowledge that, “I can only do…what I can do.”
I may not be able to prevent his exacerbations of COPD or CHF.
I may not know for certain that he iws taking his medications consistently.
I may not know for certain that he is not using his oxygen 24/7.
I may not know for certain how much he smokes.
However, I can say that I DO know that I did my best: educated him on the risks of smoking, educated him on the symptoms of a COPD/CHF flare-up, and communicated with his other health care providers about the visit and upcoming challenges.
Some days, this is all you can do. And I’ve learned to be at peace with it.
Kim Spering has been a nurse for over 25 years and worked as an NP over the past 15 years in Family Medicine, Women’s Health, Internal Medicine, and now Palliative Medicine. She serves as an editorial board member of Clinician 1 and submit blogs to the website, with a goal of highlighting both the clinician and patient experience in health care.
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.
HR investments are often overlooked in favor of focusing on patients, but a happy staff can do wonders for patient care.
by Eileen O’Shanassy
Human resource investments tend to wind up on the back burner in most businesses. The focus needs to be on the customers, right? Yes and no. Customers are the ultimate source of revenue, so they need attention. But if you have miserable, undertrained employees that half-wish your business would fail, customers will get terrible service. To help avoid that, there are some HR investments worth making.
Initial employee training is all about teaching people how you need them to do a specific job. It turns out that poor job training is one of the top five reasons new employees quit. Taking the time to train employees properly will cost something, but reduce turnover in the long run. Development is all about offering paths to ongoing educational opportunities. Employees get bored when they master their jobs. Providing a way for them to expand their skills keeps them engaged and makes them more useful to you. Even if you can’t cover total costs, getting your employees discounts on training goes a long way.
Not every business is structured in a way that allows for flexible scheduling, but it’s worth the effort if your business can do it. The benefits to the business are numerous. You’ll usually see a sharp drop off in missed days of work and tardiness. Turnover goes down and morale and engagement go up. It’s a huge selling point for recruiting new, talented staff. Your employees will benefit too. It helps them achieve substantially better work-life balance. Stress levels go down. Fewer employees suffer burnout. It also allows employees to enjoy shorter commute times.
There is some limited evidence that a messy environment encourages creativity, but a messy, unhygienic work environment is more likely to make people disengage or quit. Since disengaged employees are usually bad employees and replacing employees is expensive, it pays to err on the side of cleanliness. Just hiring a maid or local services for cleaning to come in a few times a week can go a long way toward maintaining a clean, productive environment.
Every business has some tasks that are tedious and, in all honesty, probably a terrible use of employee time. Look for ways to outsource or automate those tasks. This will free up your employees’ time to work on the higher-level tasks that only they can perform. They’ll be happier, which will make them more productive and profitable.
HR investments don’t get much coverage because they aren’t sexy. They’re inward-focused, rather than customer-focused, so they often seem like they’re of secondary importance. Yet, making those HR investments can go a long way toward creating happy employees that sell your business to every customer they meet. That is something worth the investment.
Eileen O’Shanassy is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She writes on a variety of topics and loves to research and write. She enjoys baking, biking, and kayaking. Check out her Twitter, @eileenoshanassy.
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.
Here are some of the developments that keep medical care at the forefront of modern technology.
by Dixie Somers
Hospitals have increasingly become not just places of healing, but innovative scientific and technical environments. As populations soar and insurance costs rise, healthcare has become a competitive field where more effective solutions are in demand. Here are some of the developments that keep medical care at the forefront of modern technology.
Medical researchers have explored and identified a large portion of our genetic makeup. They can now analyze your specific genetic condition to determine both the medicines and treatments likely to do you the most good, as well as those that could put you at risk. They can now evaluate either parent or infant genes and identify which diseases or medical conditions that the child may be at risk of as he/she grows. This allows hospitals to more effectively treat, and even prevent, many medical problems.
Electronic health records, or EHR, have transformed the way hospitals manage patient information. Hard copy files, forms, and patient care charts that could be lost or damaged are being replaced by digital versions. Hospital staff can call up your complete medical history on a computer screen or tablet with a few clicks or taps. With cloud storage and data backups, your medical files will be available permanently, and they can be made accessible over the internet from anywhere you happen to be, whether at a local clinic or vacationing in Rome. Nearly all hospitals are opting for cross-platform solutions for information archiving that allows a range of computer systems to store and retrieve the same files. If you were to get a rare virus, specialists around the world can promptly review your file and consult on a solution.
Wandering patients, intrusive visitors, errant staff, and misplaced equipment have always been a problem for busy hospitals. If a facility has only a few oxygen monitors, you need to know where they are at all times. RFID, or radio frequency ID tags, each emit a distinct radio signal that’s recorded electronically for the associated device. These signals are recorded by self-identified scanners placed throughout the hospital and stored with time stamps. Some RFID ranges are over 300 feet. Hospital personnel can determine the location of the equipment. RFID tags can be added to wearable badges or even uniforms, allowing the same system to track patients and personnel. Analyzing this data helps to suggest improvements that increase the level of patient care.
Electrical generators are used to perform some procedures with greater effectiveness, precision, and sanitation. The hospital version allows adjustments of a high-frequency current for the task at hand. This current is transmitted to the patient’s tissue via needles, bulbs, or other implements to make incisions, cauterize blood vessels, or vaporize cancerous tumors. In some cases the current is not applied directly but used to heat another surgical instrument. Mega Power electrosurgical generators are sophisticated instruments serving a variety of needs, from removing moles to internal surgery.
At one time, most prosthetic devices used to restore mobility to amputees or handicapped patients were both imprecise and expensive. They often required extended programs of physical therapy before the patient was able to effectively use the devices. It was particularly a problem with pediatric patients, as children would quickly outgrow their prostheses. Today we have 3-D printers that can produce custom-designed objects out of inexpensive plastics, often to specifications within the width of a human hair. Highly personalized prosthetics can be designed and reproduced in a day or two, making them both more effective and far more affordable that those from previous generations.
As modern technologies become tools of medicine, we’re beginning to see possibilities that were once science fiction. While medicine has had its failures, hospital care is gradually becoming a more exact science.
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.
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.
Physician Adam Kendall uses music not only to heal himself, but also to bring inspiration and purpose to those who also suffer.
from The Doctor Weighs In
My love for music began when I was a toddler, mesmerized while watching a television program that featured a violinist accompanied by a symphony orchestra. As a result of this inspiration, I began playing the violin at age 5 and, a few years later, took up the piano. Playing music to share emotion, love, happiness, and aid in consolation was a healthy ritual that had been passed on through my family’s generations, most notably by my grandmother, Edith, who also played the violin. However, it wasn’t until I became an adult that I found a clear understanding of how music could console and help bring hope.
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.
