Top Three Reasons to Continue Mask Mandates for Patients and Staff
As COVID-19 case numbers start to drop nationwide, there’s a tendency to want to ease up on the precautions taken over the last 15 months. But regulators are continuing to insist on the wearing of masks in healthcare facilities.
Coronavirus Pandemic Drives Growth of Hospital at Home Programs
In addition to the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program, another driver of hospital at home growth during the pandemic has been the launch of virtual programs to monitor coronavirus patients outside the hospital setting. Denver Health has served more than 1,000 patients in its Virtual Hospital at Home program.
OSHA Outlines New Emergency Temporary Standard on COVID-19 Safety for Healthcare Workers
Some elements of the emergency standard will be effective as quickly as 14 days from when it is published in the Federal Register and 30 days for the rest of it, according to fact sheets posted by OSHA. A publication date is said to be soon, but it is unclear how soon.
Coronavirus Pandemic Has Eroded Physician Trust in Several Areas, Survey Finds
The recent national survey, which was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for the Philadelphia-based ABIM Foundation, is based on information collected from 600 physicians nationwide.
COVID-19 Long-Haulers: Neuroplasticity and Treating Chronic Illness
Some theories believe that it’s excess mass cell activation, or an allergy causing cells to react. Others posit the virus is hiding out in the brain or body, waiting for an opportunity to create further issues. Still others believe the condition reflects long-term damage to the lungs. Ashok Gupta hypothesizes that it is due to a conditioned response.
Ongoing Delayed Healthcare Increases Risk
In a nationwide study conducted by The Martec Group, many consumers reported feeling insecure about reengaging with U.S. healthcare systems. Concerns identified include misgivings about both in-person and telehealth care. The findings also draw a road map for healthcare providers looking to regain consumer trust and optimize capacity levels.
Study: Non-COVID-19 Emergency Department Visits Fell for All Acuity Levels During Pandemic
The new research article, which was published this week by Health Affairs, examined data from more than 1.2 million ED visits for non-COVID-19 conditions at BJC HealthCare from January 2018 to June 2020. The research included assessing whether decreases in ED visits were associated with insurance status or race.
Nearly Half of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Discharged in Declining Shape
Nearly half of COVID-19 patients left the hospital with significant functional decline post-discharge, a new study from Michigan Medicine found. Of those survivors who suffered functional decline, 80% were referred for additional therapy after discharge. Nearly 20% of all patients declined to the point that they were no longer able to live independently.
California HHS Rebuffs CDC, Extends Mask Guidance Through Mid-June
California state health officials announced this week that they will extend a mask mandate through June 15, despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that lifted many of the restrictions for fully vaccinated people.
Conducting Field Visits During COVID-19
Shannon Ford, senior manager of human-centered design with Alluma, spoke at Health Experience Design 2021 recently to discuss how her team used technology and adaptability to conduct field visits when in-person observation became untenable. The field visits were part of in-context observation, shadowing, and interviews, all meant to help put together an application and implementation enrollment process for a healthcare coverage system.