Throughout the pandemic, digital health companies have seen significant growth, with one study finding that U.S.-based digital health startups surpassed $29 billion in 2021, almost twice the funding seen in 2020. When done correctly, the use of these digital innovations can help people reduce the burden of dealing with mental health challenges by providing accessible, affordable, and timely care to users. As digital mental health interventions (DMHI) continue to battle it out for a leading spot
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We Need to Use Data to Maximize Home and Community-Based Services for Our Most Vulnerable
Millions of children and adults living with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) rely on long-term services and support (LTSS) offered through the state Medicaid program to meet their complex health needs. Medicaid LTSS enables many to achieve personal goals and lead fulfilling lives. These individuals are often some of the most vulnerable, highest-cost clients in the healthcare system.
But for many, these services are not attainable, nor is the process easy to
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Nursing Facilities – A Medical Crisis in Need of a Prescription
Nursing facilities have evolved from rest homes to medical facilities over the last 20 years.
Patients are sicker, older, have more medical comorbidities, and are frailer. They require more assistance with activities associated with daily living and have much greater rates of cognitive impairment. People over 85 are the most rapidly expanding demographic and the elderly segment of the American population is expected to double in 2030 from 2010. Even with a shift to providing higher-intensity
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Non-Invasive, Precision-Based Approaches for Diagnosis and Treatment of Inflammatory Skin Conditions
Inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa and others impact a significant portion of the U.S. population. In fact, nearly half of all visits to primary care physicians include some level of dermatological indication. Many of these dermatologic conditions are accompanied by pain and severe discomfort for affected patients, and the resulting morbidity of the condition may have a negative impact on mental health, self-esteem and overall
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How Biosensing Tech Can Alleviate Dehydration in Older Adults
For most adults, the first sign of dehydration is feeling thirsty. However, as we age, our thirst sensation naturally weakens, which means older people may not know that they need more fluids until they’re typically underhydrated, putting them at a higher risk of clinical dehydration.
Other age-related physiological changes can also impact a person’s ability to remain hydrated, such as a decline in kidney function. Indeed, renal function begins to diminish around the age of 50. This is due
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The $2.8M Medicine: How Data Can Help Insurers Pay for Life-Changing Therapies Without Breaking The Bank
Advanced medical research has brought us to the point where many serious conditions can potentially be treated and even cured - with people who have essentially faced a lifetime of being incapacitated finally able to conduct normal lives. Many of these treatments are drug-based gene therapies–- but they come with an extremely high price tag. The latest example–and most expensive medication to date– is bluebird bio’s recently-approved $2.8 million gene therapy to treat a rare blood
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Should I Get Another Booster? How Doctors Can Help Patients Navigate the Next Phase of COVID-19
The general consensus is that COVID-19 in some form is here to stay. As people come to terms with this reality, primary care providers may be getting more questions from patients – especially older and immunocompromised ones – asking for advice on how to handle different situations. Should I get another booster? Can I start traveling? Is it OK to go to a wedding next weekend? How cautious do I need to be in social settings?
The answers to these questions aren’t always clear. A lot depends on
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21st Century Pregnancy Care: Unleashing The Power of RNA
While maternal mortality is on the rise in the U.S., pregnancy health has seen little innovation in understanding the underlying biology of disease and is ripe for change. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of the prediction of preeclampsia. Fortunately, with new technology on the horizon, doctors will finally be able to predict preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications before they arise by evaluating the underlying biology of each pregnancy expressed through RNA messages.
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How to Implement QR Codes Within the Healthcare Landscape
Over 90% of mobile users keep their smartphones within arm's reach 24/7. This usage supports the implementation of mobile technology in the healthcare industry for professionals, patients and caregivers.
Despite past hesitance among the healthcare system to use mobile technology — stemming from IT security and compliance concerns — many institutes recognize its value and convenience. QR codes, for example, provide safe access to information with a quick scan from a phone's camera — no
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The Common Denominators of Sustainability in Healthcare: Measurement and Transparency
The global healthcare industry accounts for roughly 5% of greenhouse gas emissions. That is about the same as the cement and chemical industries combined, and more than that of the aviation and shipping industries together. In the United States, the number is even higher: roughly 8.5% of U.S. carbon emissions emerge from healthcare.
One might argue, from a carbon-intensity perspective, that is not too bad for an industry comprising nearly 20% of U.S. economic output. But then, one might also
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