UVC is known to disinfect air, water, and nonporous surfaces and has been used for decades to reduce the spread of tuberculosis, influenza, and Legionnaires’ disease. According to the CDC, UVC is the only recognized technology for effective germicidal treatment against airborne pathogens.

Many older adults’ main wish is to be able to live in their own home for as long as possible, but major safety issues have long been an understandable concern. In fact, every 19 minutes an older adult in the U.S. dies from a fall, and one in four U.S. adults will fall each year, according to data from the National Council for Aging Care. It’s no surprise, then, that falls are the leading cause of injury and death among elderly Americans. 

The index was designed to measure how rapidly COVID-19 has accelerated the trend of telehealth adoption across the country, and measures data from several million claim records from January 1, 2020, through January 25, 2021. However, it’s also now providing insight into how health systems and physician groups might create a more cohesive telehealth offering going forward.

With chronic conditions accounting for seven of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and 90% of $3.8 trillion in U.S. annual healthcare costs, employers are wise to pay attention to this opportunity and look for ways to incorporate coaching into benefits packages.

During the Health Experience Design 2021 conference, Dennis Mihale, MD, chief medical officer for Upward Health, discussed lessons learned not only as an early adopter of telehealth in general, but also by having that advance familiarity when COVID-19 forced healthcare organizations across the world to reconsider their approach to telehealth.

Eliminating the technology that has complicated patient care is not an option, so health systems are searching for strategic technology deployments to address some of the challenges that have emerged. The results aim to bring physicians, nursing staff, and patients back into the realm of more meaningful interaction.