Although 12 million Americans have insurance under the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) insurance marketplace, some of them may not have enough access to specialists, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study shows that nearly 15 percent of the plans lacked in-network physicians for at least one specialty.… Continue reading Some Insured Patients Lack Access to Specialists
Category: Medical Care
Medication Errors & Adverse Drug Events in 1 out of 2 Surgeries
The first study to measure the incidence of medication errors and adverse drug events during the perioperative period – immediately before, during and right after a surgical procedure – has found that some sort of mistake or adverse event occurred in every second operation and in 5 percent of observed drug administrations. The study of… Continue reading Medication Errors & Adverse Drug Events in 1 out of 2 Surgeries
Patients’ Preferences for Receiving Test Results
The results of common medical tests are sometimes delivered to patients by email, letters or voice mail, but are these the most preferred methods? According to one of the first studies to look at this question, the answer is no. The Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) survey, published October 31st 2015 in the Journal of… Continue reading Patients’ Preferences for Receiving Test Results
Magnet Hospitals = Nursing Excellence & Better Patient Experiences
A study published in October 2015 in Health Services Research shows that Magnet hospitals nationally that are accredited for nursing excellence have higher patient ratings of care than other hospitals. The study, led by Dr. Witkoski-Stimpfel at New York University College of Nursing and the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes… Continue reading Magnet Hospitals = Nursing Excellence & Better Patient Experiences
How Elephants May Help Treat Cancer
Researchers may have found the answer to a chronically puzzling question: why do elephants rarely get cancer? The scientists were led by researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah and Arizona State University, and included researchers from the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation. According to the results, published in the… Continue reading How Elephants May Help Treat Cancer
Four in 10 Older Adults Burdened by Demands of Health Care System
Nearly four in ten older adults say that managing their health care needs is difficult for them or their families, that medical appointments or tests get delayed or don’t get done, or that all of the requirements of their health care are too much to handle, according to a research done at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg… Continue reading Four in 10 Older Adults Burdened by Demands of Health Care System
Good Bone Health Essential for Independence
Good nutrition can make a difference in your bone health and affect your ability to live an independent life, according to a new scientific review. The conclusion is true no matter what age you are. The review was published in the journal Osteoporosis International by leading bone and nutrition experts, in anticipation of World Osteoporosis… Continue reading Good Bone Health Essential for Independence
Hospital Practices Can Make Patients Sicker
Up to half of seriously ill patients are sickened further by avoidable and risky bouts of food and sleep deprivation, according to a Johns Hopkins surgeon and prominent patient safety. researcher is calling on hospitals to reform emergency room, surgical and other medical protocols that sicken up to half of already seriously ill patients —… Continue reading Hospital Practices Can Make Patients Sicker
Good Communication in the OR Prevents Patient Complications
In a study by psychologists and surgeons concerning elective, open abdominal surgeries conducted in 167 patients, communication by the surgical team that was relevant to the procedure was linked with a reduced risk of the development of surgical site infections. On the other hand, irrelevant communication during the closing phase of the procedure was linked… Continue reading Good Communication in the OR Prevents Patient Complications
Information Handling by Some Health Apps Not as Secure as It Should Be
Some health apps that have been clinically-accredited may not have been complying with principles of data protection, according to research published in September 2015 inthe open access journal BMC Medicine. In some instances health apps were found to be sending unencrypted personal and health information, which means users of these apps may have had their… Continue reading Information Handling by Some Health Apps Not as Secure as It Should Be
Drug Allergies: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor
At one time or another, you or someone you know has probably had some sort of allergic reaction. But how can you tell if you’re allergic to a medication or if the “weirdness” you’re feeling is a side effect? The first step is to try to understand the difference between an allergy versus side effect… Continue reading Drug Allergies: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor
ICU Is Best for Older, Low-Risk Patients With Pneumonia
Among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with pneumonia, intensive care unit (ICU) admission of patients, which appeared to be discretionary, was associated with improved survival and no significant differences in Medicare spending or hospital costs compared with patients admitted to general wards. That is the finding of a University of Michigan study published in the September 22/29… Continue reading ICU Is Best for Older, Low-Risk Patients With Pneumonia
Are We Close to a Better Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis?
Experts are optimistic about a one-step ulcerative colitis treatment that uses an oral drug consisting of microparticles and natural herbal molecules that target the colon. The treatment was developed by researchers from the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University and Southwest University in China. The findings, published in the journal Colloids and Surfaces… Continue reading Are We Close to a Better Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis?
Intestinal Bacteria Could Be Clue to Aging
Analyzing intestinal bacteria may help predict health outcomes of aging people – and lead to treatments that could help delay physical decline. Researchers from UCLA discovered changes within intestinal microbes that precede and predict the death of fruit flies. The findings were published in the journal Cell Reports. “Age-onset decline is very tightly linked to… Continue reading Intestinal Bacteria Could Be Clue to Aging
What Vaccinations Should You Get?
As we get older, it’s more important than ever to keep up with the immunization shots we need. Here, from the federal Centers for Disease Control and the SeniorHealth division of the National Institutes of Health, is a helpful list for adults 50 and over: An annual flu shot. Over 60 percent of seasonal flu-related… Continue reading What Vaccinations Should You Get?
Electronic Health Records Should Meet the Needs of Physicians
When physicians prepare for patient visits, one of their first steps is to review clinic notes or health records that recap their patients’ medical history. Since the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, approximately 78 percent of office-based physicians have adopted electronic health records (EHR). However, previous research found… Continue reading Electronic Health Records Should Meet the Needs of Physicians
Teaching Clinicians Safe Opioid Prescribing
Educating clinicians on how to prescribe opioids safely can help decrease opioid misuse among chronic pain sufferers. That’s the finding of research done at Boston University Medical Center and published online in August 2015 in the journal Pain Medicine. The study confirms that education can empower clinicians to make more informed clinical decisions about initiating,… Continue reading Teaching Clinicians Safe Opioid Prescribing
New Sepsis-Treatment Guidelines Can Help Save Patients
University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed guidelines that will help health care facilities comply with tough new regulations on treating sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It occurs in more than 230,000 U.S. patients every year, with most initially… Continue reading New Sepsis-Treatment Guidelines Can Help Save Patients