‘But Will It Hurt?’ Empowering Patients With Empathetic, Intelligent Virtual Assistants

Automated phone menus and rudimentary chatbots (only capable of providing maddening yes-or-no answers) are being replaced by next-generation intelligent virtual assistants (IVA) that leverage natural language. These bots provide a more human-like experience that is personalized, immediately accessible, and empathetic—while also being secure and HIPAA compliant.

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Decentralizing Clinical Trials Through Disruption

Clinical trials are expensive, take significant time, and can run into any number of challenges and delays. The average drug study will see a 30% patient dropout rate. What is needed, according to Virginia-based Jeeva Informatics, is more diverse patient enrollment, better engagement, and increased evidence generation.

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Healthcare Workforce Rescue Package Targets Well-Being During Pandemic

Healthcare worker burnout was significant before the pandemic and it has reached crisis proportions, according to national healthcare worker well-being expert Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, RN, APRN-CNP, chief wellness officer of The Ohio State University and dean of the university’s College of Nursing. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare worker burnout rates ranged from 30% to 50%; now, burnout rates range from 40% to 70%, Melnyk says.

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OSHA Urges Action on Spike in Healthcare Injuries, Illnesses

There was a 38.3% increase across private industry cases in days away from work (DAFW) in 2020, the BLS reported in its Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), the bureau’s annual tally of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. The BLS also compiles an annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).

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Quality’s Impact on Sustainability and the Future

Chartered Quality Institute recently celebrated World Quality Week, which focuses on the quality management profession, concentrating on quality’s role in better sustainability as well as its environmental, social, and governance impact. In a healthcare landscape that is growing ever more complex, quality’s impact on sustainability and how the industry reacts and responds to changing regulations is more important than ever.

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A Collaborative Effort to Improve Antimicrobial Stewardship and Beyond

Pharmacies need a streamlined clinical and operational option to integrate data and deliver actionable analytics in one place rather than across disparate sources. This is particularly important in infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship programs, where providers need to identify indications, treatment options, resistance considerations, potential drug interactions, and pharmacology.

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