Page 178 - Mployee Wellness Programs News Today

The CDC recently issued an advisory about a bacteria called shigella due to a nationwide increase in infections resulting from drug-resistant strains. The easily transmissible bacteria causes an infection called shigellosis that is uncomfortable and unpleasant but rarely life-threatening — the main symptom is inflammatory diarrhea.

Many large health systems and provider practices continue to be restrictive, routinely assigning  tasks like ordering preventive services such as referrals for annual eye exams or mammograms to overburdened physicians, rather than utilizing nurses who are credentialed for these services. The result is dissatisfied nurses, strained physicians, and frustrated patients.

Homeward will be serving BCBS Minnesota’s Medicare Advantage members in 24 counties. The company provides primary and specialty care in the home, virtually and in the community through mobile clinics. It leverages cellular-based remote monitoring to track patients’ health in-between visits. The company also partners with existing providers in the area for this care. 

Lucira Health now has the first FDA authorized diagnostic that detects the novel coronavirus and influenza in a single test. But the regulatory decision comes too late for the diagnostics developer, which has filed for bankruptcy protection.

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans increased by 5.5% this year, or by 1.5 million beneficiaries, according to The Chartis Group. But in 2020, 2021 and 2022, enrollment rose by 1.9 million, 2.2 million and 2.3 million, respectively.

Fulcrum Therapeutics offered few details about the clinical hold the FDA placed on its Phase 1b test of its sickle cell disease drug. Graphite Bio, Intellia Therapeutics, and Sangamo Therapeutics also encountered setbacks to their sickle cell programs.

FDA approval of Sanofi hemophilia A drug Altuviiio provides patients with a therapeutic option that lasts longer than most other products available, including one already marketed by the French pharma giant. Altuviiio also gives Sanofi a way to better compete against blockbuster Roche drug Hemlibra.

Ambience Healthcare's new product, AutoScribe, embeds into the electronic medical record and works in real-time. When clinicians use AutoScribe, they speak to their patient as they normally would while the software listens in the background. Immediately after the visit, the physician gets a draft of the medical notes from the meeting, and then they can edit the notes if needed.

The proof is here: a survey done by the American Medical Association (AMA) reported that 80% of physicians they surveyed believed that telehealth provided patients better access to care since using telehealth. People of all ages also find telehealth to be beneficial.

Thanks to continued advances in technology and laboratory information systems (LIS) that fully support a lab’s operational and financial operations, and a growing trend of consumerism in healthcare, clinical labs now have the opportunity to increase revenue and expand into other areas of the care continuum.