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Tag: Healthcare

  • Loyola Medicine Improves Health Equity by Increasing Access to Kidney Transplants for Patients with Obesity

    Loyola Medicine Improves Health Equity by Increasing Access to Kidney Transplants for Patients with Obesity

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    Newswise — MAYWOOD, IL – Diabetes and high blood pressure are among the primary causes of renal failure. They also contribute to obesity which poses a major obstacle to qualifying for a transplant, particularly for minority communities disproportionately affected by obesity. Fortunately, minimally invasive robotic surgical technology can improve access for patients who might otherwise be ineligible for a kidney transplant. Loyola Medicine’s advanced robotic surgery program makes it one of the few hospitals in the country to offer kidney transplantation to patients with obesity.

    Raquel Garcia-Roca, MD, surgical director of the kidney, pancreas and living donor kidney transplant programs, said, “in the majority of the transplant centers, not only here in Chicago, but nationwide, there is limited access to transplantation when the patient’s body mass index is above 35, an indication of obesity.” Patients with high BMIs are typically ruled ineligible for transplantation due to the increased risk of complications that comes with obesity and its comorbid conditions, including increased infection rates.

    However, the advanced technology of robotic surgery allows surgeons to operate using keyhole surgery, which improves outcomes with faster recovery and reduced infection risk compared with open surgery. “Most transplant centers will ask potential kidney recipients to lose weight before they can get a transplant,” said Garcia-Roca. “This can be difficult for patients who already have limited dietary options due to their renal disease and whose condition often makes it hard to exercise. Loyola is one of the very few centers in the nation that has not included obesity as a limitation for transplantation.”

    Dr. Garcia-Roca says the ability to provide transplants for patients with obesity helps improve health equity in minority communities disproportionately affected by obesity. According to the CDC, non-Hispanic Black adults had the highest age-adjusted prevalence of obesity (49.9%), followed by Hispanic adults (45.6%) and non-Hispanic White adults (41.4%).

    Loyola’s ability to perform transplants for patients with obesity proved to be lifesaving for Israel Sanchez, a patient with end-stage renal failure. When Sanchez was a child living in Mexico, he developed an infection that damaged his kidneys. At age 12, he came to the United States, and at 21 years old, he was told he would need a kidney transplant and hemodialysis in the next few years.

    At 216 pounds, and having experienced lifelong symptoms, Sanchez thought there were no further options. But five years after he began dialysis, he sought treatment at Loyola Medicine. With a BMI of 42, he might have been turned away from another center, but was able to receive a transplant at Loyola. Sanchez described finding out about the transplant as one of the happiest days of his life. “I felt, this is unbelievable,” said Sanchez. “This is probably a dream. This is impossible that it’s happening to me.”

    Sanchez also said he felt most comfortable with Loyola because so many people on the transplant team spoke Spanish. More than half of Loyola Medicine’s abdominal transplant team are Spanish speakers, including surgeons, nurses, social workers and transplant coordinators of Hispanic origin. Dr. Garcia-Roca said, “we also work around a lot of the barriers to access that make it very difficult for members of the Hispanic community to reach a transplant center.”

    Since his surgery and recovery, Sanchez has lost around 30 pounds. He says he’s motivated to eat healthier and has the energy to work out and take walks outside. “It’s things that I haven’t experienced that people take for granted that I want to do,” Sanchez said. “I’m just grateful for this opportunity that I have to experience a life that I never experienced.”

    Dr. Garcia-Roca is encouraged by his progress. “Israel has made huge, huge changes in his life and lost a lot of weight. This is all super beneficial because he will maintain a very good, healthy condition for this new kidney to continue to work for a very long time.”

    To watch a video about Israel Sanchez’s journey and robotic transplant technology at Loyola, click this link. B-roll of Mr. Sanchez and Dr. Garcia-Roca is available to download here. B-roll with additional conversations in Spanish is available here.

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  • Alibaba, Dice, Arcellx, Avis, PayPal, and More Stock Market Movers

    Alibaba, Dice, Arcellx, Avis, PayPal, and More Stock Market Movers

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    This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit http://www.djreprints.com.

    https://www.barrons.com/articles/stock-market-movers-fb3791aa

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  • Mayo Clinic Expert Addresses Cancer Disparities During Black Family Cancer Awareness Week

    Mayo Clinic Expert Addresses Cancer Disparities During Black Family Cancer Awareness Week

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    Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minn. – Black people have the highest death rate and shortest survival rate of any racial or ethnic group for most cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. In Black men, prostate cancer death rates are more than double that of any other racial or ethnic group, and Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.

    These disparities are driving many efforts to raise awareness about cancer prevention and care in Black communities, such as Black Family Cancer Awareness Week, which takes place June 15–21.

    Mayo Clinic expert Kim Barbel Johnson, D.O., says culture differences, personal behaviors, genetics and health literacy all contribute to a person’s access to cancer care, routine preventive screenings and, ultimately, their cancer risk.

    “It’s important for healthcare providers to continue to educate and provide resources to members of the Black community about cancer prevention and the importance of getting screened early and regularly, especially if there is a history of cancer in the family,” says Dr. Barbel Johnson, a primary care doctor and director of Community Clinical Trials at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. “I encourage people to talk openly with members of their family to learn about the family’s health history and to stay in touch with their primary care provider who can provide support and resources about prevention, screenings and cancer care.”

    More diverse racial and ethnic participation in cancer research is also important to understand and improve outcomes for people in those groups, Dr. Barbel Johnson adds.  

    “In order to make advances in lowering the death rates for the Black community, we must reach out and encourage underrepresented populations to be part of the solution that will advance the science that brings them earlier cancer therapies,” says Dr. Barbel Johnson. “Cancer care is not one-size-fits-all, and having Black people participate in clinical trials may lead to better responsive medications, more effective medications and more effective screening tools.”

    If patients are educated about cancer, prevention, screening and care, they will feel empowered to become advocates for themselves and for others, she says.

    Dr. Barbel Johnson is available for interviews on health disparities and ways to improve access to care, how families can plan conversations about family health history, encouraging preventive screenings and ways to participate in cancer research.

    ###

    About Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is defining new boundaries in possibility, focusing on patient-centered care, developing novel treatments, training future generations of cancer experts, and bringing cancer research to communities. At Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, a culture of innovation and collaboration is driving research breakthroughs that are changing approaches to cancer prevention, screening, and treatment and improving the lives of cancer survivors.

    About Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Clinic     is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

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  • More Than 1 Million People Dropped From Medicaid As States Start Post-Pandemic Purge

    More Than 1 Million People Dropped From Medicaid As States Start Post-Pandemic Purge

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    More than 1 million people have been dropped from Medicaid in the past couple months as some states moved swiftly to halt health care coverage following the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Most got dropped for not filling out paperwork.

    Though the eligibility review is required by the federal government, President’s Joe Biden’s administration isn’t too pleased at how efficiently some other states are accomplishing the task.

    “Pushing through things and rushing it will lead to eligible people — kids and families — losing coverage for some period of time,” Daniel Tsai, a top federal Medicaid official recently told reporters.

    Already, about 1.5 million people have been removed from Medicaid in more than two dozen states that started the process in April or May, according to publicly available reports and data obtained by The Associated Press.

    Florida has dropped several hundred thousand people, by far the most among states. The drop rate also has been particularly high in other states. For people whose cases were decided in May, around half or more got dropped in Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia.

    By its own count, Arkansas has dropped more than 140,000 people from Medicaid.

    FILE – President Joe Biden speaks about his administration’s plans to protect Social Security and Medicare and lower healthcare costs, Feb. 9, 2023, at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Fl

    The eligibility redeterminations have created headaches for Jennifer Mojica, 28, who was told in April that she no longer qualified for Medicaid because Arkansas had incorrectly determined her income was above the limit.

    She got that resolved, but was then told her 5-year-old son was being dropped from Medicaid because she had requested his cancellation — something that never happened, she said. Her son’s coverage has been restored, but now Mojica says she’s been told her husband no longer qualifies. The uncertainty has been frustrating, she said.

    “It was like fixing one thing and then another problem came up, and they fixed it and then something else came up,” Mojica said.

    Arkansas officials said they have tried to renew coverage automatically for as many people as possible and placed a special emphasis on reaching families with children. But a 2021 state law requires the post-pandemic eligibility redeterminations to be completed in six months, and the state will continue “to swiftly disenroll individuals who are no longer eligible,” the Department of Human Services said in statement.

    Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has dismissed criticism of the state’s process.

    “Those who do not qualify for Medicaid are taking resources from those who need them,” Sanders said on Twitter last month. “But the pandemic is over — and we are leading the way back to normalcy.”

    More than 93 million people nationwide were enrolled in Medicaid as of the most recent available data in February — up nearly one-third from the pre-pandemic total in January 2020. The rolls swelled because federal law prohibited states from removing people from Medicaid during the health emergency in exchange for providing states with increased funding.

    Now that eligibility reviews have resumed, states have begun plowing through a backlog of cases to determine whether people’s income or life circumstances have changed. States have a year to complete the process. But tracking down responses from everyone has proved difficult, because some people have moved, changed contact information or disregarded mailings about the renewal process.

    Before dropping people from Medicaid, the Florida Department of Children and Families said it makes between five and 13 contact attempts, including texts, emails and phone calls. Yet the department said 152,600 people have been non-responsive.

    Their coverage could be restored retroactively, if people submit information showing their eligibility up to 90 days after their deadline.

    Unlike some states, Idaho continued to evaluate people’s Medicaid eligibility during the pandemic even though it didn’t remove anyone. When the enrollment freeze ended in April, Idaho started processing those cases — dropping nearly 67,000 of the 92,000 people whose cases have been decided so far.

    “I think there’s still a lot of confusion among families on what’s happening,” said Hillarie Hagen, a health policy associate at the nonprofit Idaho Voices for Children.

    She added, “We’re likely to see people showing up at a doctor’s office in the coming months not knowing they’ve lost Medicaid.”

    Advocates fear that many households losing coverage may include children who are actually still eligible, because Medicaid covers children at higher income levels than their parents or guardians. A report last year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services forecast that children would be disproportionately impacted, with more than half of those disenrolled still actually eligible.

    That’s difficult to confirm, however, because the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services doesn’t require states to report a demographic breakdown of those dropped. In fact, CMS has yet to release any state-by-state data. The AP obtained data directly from states and from other groups that have been collecting it.

    Medicaid recipients in numerous states have described the eligibility redetermination process as frustrating.

    Julie Talamo, of Port Richey, Florida, said she called state officials every day for weeks, spending hours on hold, when she was trying to ensure her 19-year-old special-needs son, Thomas, was going to stay on Medicaid.

    She knew her own coverage would end but was shocked to hear Thomas’ coverage would be whittled down to a different program that could force her family to pay $2,000 per month. Eventually, an activist put Talamo in contact with a senior state healthcare official who confirmed her son would stay on Medicaid.

    “This system was designed to fail people,” Talamo said of the haphazard process.

    Some states haven’t been able to complete all the eligibility determinations that are due each month. Pennsylvania reported more than 100,000 incomplete cases in both April and May. Tens of thousands of cases also remained incomplete in April or May in Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico and Ohio.

    “If states are already behind in processing renewals, that’s going to snowball over time,” said Tricia Brooks, a research professor at the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. “Once they get piles of stuff that haven’t been processed, I don’t see how they catch up easily.”

    Among those still hanging in the balance is Gary Rush, 67, who said he was notified in April that he would lose Medicaid coverage. The Pittsburgh resident said he was told that his retirement accounts make him ineligible, even though he said he doesn’t draw from them. Rush appealed with the help of an advocacy group and, at a hearing this past week, was told he has until July to get rid of about $60,000 in savings.

    Still, Rush said he doesn’t know what he will do if he loses coverage for his diabetes medication, which costs about $700 a month. Rush said he gets $1,100 a month from Social Security.

    Samantha Richards looks over her Medicaid papers, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. Richards has been on Medicaid her whole life and currently works two part-time jobs as a custodian. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
    Samantha Richards looks over her Medicaid papers, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. Richards has been on Medicaid her whole life and currently works two part-time jobs as a custodian. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

    In Indiana, Samantha Richards, 35, said she has been on Medicaid her whole life and currently works two part-time jobs as a custodian. Richards recalled receiving a letter earlier this year indicating that the pandemic-era Medicaid protection was ending. She said a local advocacy group helped her navigate the renewal process. But she remains uneasy.

    “Medicaid can be a little unpredictable,” Richards said. “There is still that concern that just out of nowhere, I will either get a letter saying that we have to reapply because we missed some paperwork, or I missed a deadline, or I’m going to show up at the doctor’s office or the pharmacy and they’re going to say, ‘Your insurance didn’t go through.’”

    Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri, and DeMillo from Little Rock, Arkansas. Also contributing were AP reporters Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Arleigh Rodgers in Bloomington, Indiana. Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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  • Transgender people seen in the ER much more likely than cisgender people to be admitted to hospital

    Transgender people seen in the ER much more likely than cisgender people to be admitted to hospital

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    Newswise — Transgender people who come to the emergency room for care tend to be sicker than cisgender people who are otherwise similar to them and are much more likely to be admitted to the hospital once they visit the ER, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

    “Our findings suggest that decreasing discrimination against transgender people in society and in health care, and improving the outpatient care they are able to access in the community, may keep them healthier and help them avoid visits to the ER,” said lead researcher Daphna Stroumsa, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. “Improving access to transgender-friendly health care can improve the health of this population, and help decrease the burden on emergency rooms and hospitals.”

    More than 1.6 million people over the age of 13 in the United States are transgender and gender diverse. Because of social discrimination, they face many difficulties getting the health care they need, Stroumsa said. Fearing discrimination from some medical providers—a common experience among transgender people—they often avoid getting care until they are very sick. Transgender people may need to use emergency room services for basic services, or because their chronic conditions were not treated. The study examined ER visits unrelated to gender-affirming medical care.

    In the new study, the researchers analyzed data from a group of databases known as the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. A total of 66,382 visits were made by people identified as transgender between 2006 and 2018.

    The researchers found a rapid increase in the proportion of visits by people who identified as transgender, from 0.001% of visits in 2006 to 0.016% in 2018. There were significant demographic differences between transgender and cisgender patients. Transgender and gender-diverse people were significantly more likely to be admitted, adjusting for payment, age group, region, income and mental health condition (overall 52.4% vs. 17.3%). A large proportion of ED visits by transgender and gender-diverse individuals was associated with a chronic condition (58.2% vs. 19.2%) and/or with a mental health diagnosis (28.7%, compared with 3.9% for others). Hospital admission among transgender and gender-diverse people was much more likely to be linked to a chronic condition (67.3% vs 41.3%) or a mental health condition (37.2% vs. 5.3%).

    “The high admission rates, and the high proportion of transgender and gender-diverse people with a chronic condition or with mental health condition, may represent worse overall health due lack of primary care, or a delay in seeking emergency care among transgender and gender-diverse people,” Stroumsa said. “Discrimination and transphobia have direct consequences, worsen the health of transgender people, and lead to poor use of health care resources. There is a need for increasing access to affirming primary and mental health care among transgender and gender-diverse people.”

    # # #

    Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

    The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

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  • Racial disparities discovered in insomnia treatment study

    Racial disparities discovered in insomnia treatment study

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    INDIANAPOLIS — In one of the first studies to investigate racial disparities in the pharmacologic treatment of insomnia, researchers from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University report that patients belonging to racial minority groups were significantly less likely to be prescribed medication following diagnosis of insomnia than White patients.

    The study found that Black patients were much less likely to have been prescribed an FDA-approved insomnia medication at any time post diagnosis than White patients. Other non-White individuals were significantly less likely to be prescribed an FDA-approved medication two, three, and four years after insomnia diagnosis but not in year one.

    “We looked at comorbidities — anxiety disorders and depression — and we looked at where individuals lived and other factors that might account for the disparity in prescriptions for medications following a diagnosis of insomnia,” noted co-author and Regenstrief Research Scientist Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH. “We found that race was the only variable that accounted for the differences in treatment.”

    The researchers reported that despite older patients and those with comorbidities being less likely to be prescribed insomnia medications regardless of race, White patients overall still had a shorter period between diagnosis and prescription than other races.

    Insomnia is a common sleep disorder involving difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good-quality sleep. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not getting enough sleep is linked with many chronic diseases and conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression.

    “We did this study to simply identify treatment trends,” said Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist Noll Campbell, PharmD, M.S., a study co-author. “Are the trends we found caused by individual patient preferences, group-based preferences, or are they the result of different approaches to nonpharmacologic options for the treatment of insomnia? Future research will be needed to discern why these trends are occurring.”

    In this study, Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC) data from about 10,000 individuals who were prescribed FDA-approved medications for insomnia was analyzed. The INPC is managed by the Indiana Health Information Exchange. Regenstrief created the INPC and provides access to data for research purposes.

    “The Indiana Network for Patient Care proved once again to be an invaluable resource for understanding clinical practice. It was only through the INPC that we obtained the demographic, diagnostic, medication, and clinical notes data necessary for analyzing racial disparities in insomnia medication prescribing,” said Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist Paul Dexter, M.D., a study co-author and clinician-informatician.

    “The systematic analysis of electronic health records data can play an important role in helping us uncover disparities that can be acted upon towards more equitable care, said Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist Arthur Owora, PhD, MPH, the study senior author. “This potential is highlighted by this study; however, given the inherent deficits of secondary data sources, a cautious interpretation is warranted, and further research is needed to better understand how and to what extent patient preferences and patient-clinician interactions may have contributed to the observed disparities in insomnia treatment.”

    The study population was 75 percent White, 69 percent female and 62 percent non-Hispanic. Average age at the time of insomnia diagnosis was 61.

    “In addition to revealing racial disparity in prescription of medications for insomnia, the data suggests that providers may be undertreating insomnia,” said study first author Emma Holler, MPH, a doctoral student and clinical epidemiologist with Indiana University School of Public Health — Bloomington.

    “Racial disparities in the pharmacological treatment of insomnia: A time-to-event analysis using real-world data” is published in the peer-reviewed journal Sleep Medicine.

    This work was supported in part by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

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  • Ochsner Health Names New Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

    Ochsner Health Names New Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

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    Newswise — NEW ORLEANS, La. – Ochsner Health has named Jim Molloy as the organization’s next Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. A leader at Citi bringing decades of extensive experience in healthcare finance, Molloy will oversee the organization’s accounting, financial planning and analysis, reimbursement and revenue cycle functions, as well as managed care contracting and treasury. He will also play a pivotal role in the continued development and execution of Ochsner’s strategy as the health system builds on its clinical excellence and spirit of innovation to evolve the future of healthcare delivery.

    In his current role as the Managing Director and Head of Municipal Banking at Citi, Molloy has been a key advisor to Ochsner for several years and has spent more than 16 years overseeing banking for all municipal-related activity, including public finance, healthcare, higher education and public-private partnerships.

    “I’ve had the great fortune to work with Ochsner Health for more than 20 years in various strategic and financial advisory roles and have always been awed by their dedication to providing high-quality care to millions of patients and families. I look forward to being able to dedicate all of my future efforts to help Ochsner further expand its impact on the communities it serves and am honored to have the opportunity to join such an amazing team of clinicians and employees,” said Molloy.

    Molloy brings 30+ years of healthcare experience, working with some of the largest health systems in the country. He has expertise in capital structure and strategic planning and has led the promotion of transparency and communication between non-profit health systems and the investor community. Prior to joining Citi, Molloy worked in senior positions in the consulting division of a Big 6 accounting firm and a rating agency.

    Molloy will join Ochsner in July 2023 and work side-by-side with Ochsner’s current CFO, Scott Posecai, who will retire as CFO in December 2023, following a 36-year career with Ochsner. Through a variety of financial and leadership roles, Posecai has been instrumental in Ochsner’s ability to serve more patients across the Gulf South region. The leaders will work together through the end of the year to ensure a seamless transition.

    “We are so excited to welcome Jim to the Ochsner family. He is the right person to lead Ochsner Health from a financial perspective as we work to transform healthcare for the communities we serve. We are confident our organization will benefit from his talents, expertise and passion for our mission,” said Ochsner Health Chief Executive Officer Pete November. “We also want to express our profound gratitude for Scott Posecai’s decades of leadership at Ochsner as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, in addition to his impactful work to advance Ochsner’s value-based care initiatives through insurance product development, risk-based contract performance, Ochsner Health Network support and the recent start-up of the Ochsner Health Plan.”

    About Ochsner Health

    Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating more than 80 years of service, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and kidney transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities through its Healthy State by 2030 initiative, a bold and collaborative plan to realize a healthier Louisiana. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including 4,000 patients enrolled in 685 clinical studies in 2022. It has more than 37,000 employees and over 4,700 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2022, Ochsner Health treated more than 1.4 million people from every state and 62 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator of physicians, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.

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  • Racial justice in counselor training the focus of journal special issue

    Racial justice in counselor training the focus of journal special issue

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    Newswise — June 13, 2023 (Alexandria, Virginia) — Many people of color live in areas devoid of mental health services. Those fortunate enough to find a therapist may receive treatments that fit poorly with their cultural values or complicate their racial trauma.

    A critical response to this inequity is better anti-racism education for counselors in training, educators say. In a special issue of Counselor Education and Supervision, a journal of the American Counseling Association, scholars offer ideas on how counseling educators and supervisors can add advocacy and social justice curriculum to counselor training programs.

    “By reflecting on our own educational system, we can better understand how we have influenced and can influence counselor awareness related to inequities present in mental healthcare delivery,” guest editors Amanda C. La Guardia and Linwood Vereen write in the opening editorial for the issue. 

    La Guardia is an associate professor and counseling programs coordinator at the University of Cincinnati. Vereen is a clinical associate professor at Oregon State University.

    The special issue highlights some efforts and ideas designed to make counselor education training more inclusive:

    • Michael Hannon of Montclair State University, Ebony White of Drexel University and Halston Fleming of Rutgers University cite the need to continue bringing more leaders of color into the field to help topple racist policies.
    • Hannah B. Bayne of University of Florida and colleagues discuss the need to train counseling students in cultural empathy—the ability to genuinely empathize with the experience of clients from different racial backgrounds. In a separate article, Bayne serves as lead author on a report about a social justice training program involving counseling trainees and student activists.
    • Sam Steen, George Mason University, and Priscilla Rose Prasath, University of Texas at San Antonio, examine Black doctoral students’ participation in scholarly publishing.
    • Ahmad R. Washington of the University of Louisville, Joseph M. Williams of University of Virginia and Janice A. Byrd of Pennsylvania State University write about the importance of incorporating anti-racist training models into clinical supervision.
    • Kok-Mun Ng of Oregon State University and six other counselor educators from diverse cultural backgrounds discuss how they incorporate their own identities and experiences in their instruction.
    • Kaprea F. Johnson of The Ohio State University and colleagues report on a school counseling internship program that shows trainees how to recognize and address systemic racism in school systems.

    The special issue — and other articles on this topic appearing in future issues of the journal — respond to rising concerns among counselors about the need for diversity-focused and anti-racist education for counselors entering the profession, La Guardia said.

    “Understanding systems of oppression can only occur when we listen to and value the voices of those who have experienced systemic wrongs, including racism,” La Guardia said. “This starts with ourselves and extends to the classroom, the supervisory relationship, and the mentoring relationship.”

    Spencer Niles, the journal’s editor and a professor at The College of William & Mary, said publication of this special issue was his top priority.

    “The need to support counselor educators and supervisors in their efforts to create anti-racist pedagogical strategies for counselor education clearly continues,” Niles said, “and it is my hope that this special issue stimulates additional publications in this important area.” 

    See the special issue at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15566978/2023/62/2

    NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact ACA at [email protected].

    Founded in 1952, the American Counseling Association (ACA) is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. ACA represents nearly 60,000 members and is the world’s largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings. Driven by the belief that all people can benefit from the power of counseling, ACA’s mission is to promote the professional development of counselors, advocate for counselors, and ensure that ethical, culturally inclusive practices protect our members’ clients and all people who seek counseling services.

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  • Cancer: Balancing certainty and probability

    Cancer: Balancing certainty and probability

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    Newswise — An LMU study reveals: Whether patients are able to correctly assess risks depends partly on how physicians convey statistical information to them.

    Medical results are not always easy to understand – and the risk statements that come with them perhaps even less so. Communicating statistical information to patients is no easy task.

    A team of scientists from the domains of medicine, medical education, and mathematics education at LMU has published a study in the journal PLOS ONE investigating how communication between doctors and patients about actual risks can be made more effective.

    After all, it is not always easy to grasp what certain numbers really mean. “Even doctors sometimes have difficulties in determining the right predictive value. And if the data is difficult for the doctor to interpret, it’s even harder to communicate the information accurately to patients in a way they will understand,” says mathematics educationalist Karin Binder one of the authors of the study.

    The following case will serve as an example: A patient has just received a conspicuous sonographic finding of his thyroid. Does this mean he has thyroid cancer? Not necessarily, because there is a certain probability that the result of the examination will be positive even though the patient does not have thyroid cancer.

    To explain to patients what the statistical picture looks like after such a positive test result, there are two approaches. One of them requires some lateral thinking, while the other is much easier to interpret from the patient’s perspective, as the researchers were able to demonstrate.

    Bayesian vs. diagnostic information

    The commonly used Bayesian approach proceeds from the number of patients who actually have the disease. First of all, the doctor explains how frequently the disease occurs overall – for example: “out of 1,000 patients, 50 have thyroid cancer.” Then the doctor lays out: a) for how many of these patients with thyroid cancer, the test result is positive (20 out of 50) and b) how many people who do not have thyroid cancer nonetheless have a positive test result (110 out of the remaining 950).

    This is generally the information the doctor either knows or can easily research. Positive tests as a proportion of people with the disease is also known as sensitivity – a term we may be familiar with from the Covid-19 pandemic, when it was used, for example, as a quality criterion for rapid tests. Unfortunately, however, positive tests as a proportion of people with the disease is often confused with people with the disease as a proportion of positive tests! And these two percentages can greatly differ depending on the situation.

    So what do the numbers quoted above mean in relation to a person with a positive test result? How many people who test positive actually have the disease? If for you the answer is not immediately apparent, you are not alone: Without further information, only 10% of participants were able to calculate how many people with positive results actually had the disease.

    “Diagnostic” communication of information proceeds very differently: First of all, the doctor explains how many patients have positive test results, irrespective of whether they actually have the disease or not. In our example, this would be 130 people with a conspicuous thyroid ultrasound (out of 1,000 people examined). Next, the doctor explains how many of these people with positive tests actually have the disease (20 out of 130) and how many of the people with negative test results have the disease (30 out of 870).

    The relevant information is contained here directly and without the need for mental arithmetic: If my result is positive, then the probability is a 20 out of 130 that I actually have thyroid cancer. When communicated in this form, 72% of study participants were capable of arriving at this conclusion, compared to 10% with the Bayesian approach.

    What is the best way of communicating statistical information?

    “With Bayesian communication, moreover, participants were considerably slower in reaching the correct result, if they got there at all,” says Karin Binder. “And in busy doctor’s offices and hospitals, this time is often not available.” The team of authors therefore calls on doctors to use diagnostic information communication more readily in future. This would go some way to avoiding confusion, misinterpretation, and wrong decisions.

    It would be even better, however, to take the time to give patients a full picture of the situation, containing both diagnostic and Bayesian information. Only this can explain the surprising phenomenon whereby even a medical test with outstanding quality criteria can have very limited predictive power under certain circumstances (e.g., routine screenings).

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  • Study: After appendicitis, routine post-op labs expensive, often unnecessary

    Study: After appendicitis, routine post-op labs expensive, often unnecessary

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    Newswise — A new study from Yale School of Medicine finds for patients without comorbidities, routine lab work performed after appendectomy for acute appendicitis (AA) significantly increases costs without impacting the course of treatment.

    In a study of 3,711 patients with AA, postoperative labs increased average length of stay from 14.15 hours to 48.28 hours and increased costs by $472.12 per patient. Researchers say routine post-operative labs are likely an unnecessary driver of costs in AA treatment.

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    Yale School of Medicine

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  • LGB adults at risk of suicide and self-harm

    LGB adults at risk of suicide and self-harm

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    Newswise — Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people are more than twice as likely than their straight peers to experience suicidal thoughts or self-harming behaviours, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

    The study, published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, is the first ever to analyse nationally representative data on sexual orientation and suicidality in England whilst being able to compare individual sexual minority groups. The researchers analysed data combined from two household surveys of 10,443 English adults (aged 16 and over), representative of the population, sampled in 2007 and 2014.

    As well as finding an increased probability of past-year suicidal thoughts among lesbian or gay adults when compared with heterosexuals, and of lifetime non-suicidal self-harm among bisexual, lesbian or gay people, they also found that depression, anxiety, and experiences of discrimination or bullying may contribute in part to these increased risks.

    Concerningly, the researchers found no improvement in these inequalities in suicidal thoughts and self-harm between the two time points.

    Lead author Dr Alexandra Pitman (UCL Psychiatry) said: “While national surveys of British attitudes towards same-sex relationships suggest that society has become more tolerant of people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual, there is clearly a long way to go, as the mental health outcomes we were studying did not improve across our study period.

    “People with sexual minority identities continue to face more discrimination and bullying than heterosexual people and are also more likely to experience common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Our study suggests that these experiences of discrimination and bullying may have some role to play in increasing the risk of suicidality and this requires further research.

    “Clinicians should be aware of these issues, so that we can best support the mental health of LGB patients, while society as a whole also has a role to play in helping to reduce discrimination. Government bodies, schools, workplaces and individuals should all consider their own cultures and attitudes towards people from sexual minority groups and challenge discriminatory behaviour.”

    The researchers had previously found, when analysing the same dataset (see note*), an increased probability of depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse and drug misuse among LGB adults compared with their heterosexual peers**. In the current study they found that half of lesbian or gay adults had experienced bullying and one in five had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation within the past year. For bisexual adults, almost half had experienced bullying and one in ten had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation within the past year.

    The researchers found that even after accounting for the increased risk of common mental health problems (depression and anxiety), lesbian and gay adults were still more than twice as likely as heterosexuals to report past-year suicidal thoughts, and lesbian, gay and bisexual adults were more than three times as likely to report lifetime non-suicidal self-harm than heterosexuals. The findings were similar for both men and women, and these inequalities had not changed between 2007 and 2014.

    When investigating the comparative likelihood of past-year suicide attempt, the researchers found an increased risk for bisexual adults when compared with heterosexuals, but this was no longer apparent when taking into account the increased risk of common mental health problems. The researchers caution that as the proportions with past-year suicide attempt were relatively low, their findings do not necessarily rule out an elevated suicide attempt risk among the sexual minority group as a whole.

    Further analysis suggested that experiences of bullying may contribute to the increased probability of suicidal thoughts among lesbian or gay adults, and that experiences of discrimination and bullying (both categorised as minority stress factors) may each contribute to the increased risk of self-harm among lesbian, gay and bisexual adults.

    First author Garrett Kidd, who worked on the study as his dissertation for a Clinical Mental Health Sciences MSc in UCL Psychiatry, said: “Our findings add to a concerning picture of health inequalities experienced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

    “Our health services need to be improved to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ people, as some people may not feel comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation, which can hamper an understanding of their health and social needs. We also need to offer more mental health services specifically catered to LGBTQ+ people, ideally alongside community-based support.”

    The researchers say that further research is needed to fully understand the reasons why sexual minority groups are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or self-harm, such as how victimisation, family environment or stigma might be contributing factors, and in order to develop public health interventions that could reduce suicidality and potentially save lives.

    The lead researchers were supported by the NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre.

     

    * The dataset, the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) for England, included questions on sexual orientation but not gender identity. The next survey in the APMS series will include questions about gender identity, so that future analyses will be able to look at both gender and sexual identity, and therefore investigate mental health in LGB groups as well as transgender and gender diverse groups.

    ** UCL News, 2021: Mental health disorders and alcohol misuse more common in LGB people. See also evidence that LGB youth are more likely to experience depressive symptoms from as young as age 10 and these symptoms persist at least into their early 20s (UCL News, 2018: Depressive symptoms higher for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth from age 10); the UCL researchers also studied to how reduce LGBTQ+-targeted discrimination and bullying in schools (Video explanation, full study)

    Notes to Editors  

    Garrett Kidd, Louise Marston, Irwin Nazareth, David Osborn, Alexandra Pitman, ‘Suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-harm amongst lesbian, gay and bisexual adults compared with heterosexual adults: analysis of data from two nationally representative English household surveys’ will be published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology on Friday 9 June 2023, 00:01 UK time and is under a strict embargo until this time.

    The DOI for this paper will be 10.1007/s00127-023-02490-4.

    Garrett Kidd has also written a blog about the study, which will be published at https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/mental-health/2023/06/07/examining-the-relationship-between-sexual-orientation-and-suicidality/ (embargoed copy available on request).

    About UCL – London’s Global University

    UCL is a diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry links, external partners, and alumni. Our powerful collective of individuals and institutions work together to explore new possibilities.

    Since 1826, we have championed independent thought by attracting and nurturing the world’s best minds. Our community of more than 50,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries and makes a positive impact on real world problems.

    We are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation and the broadest research impact.

    We have a progressive and integrated approach to our teaching and research – championing innovation, creativity and cross-disciplinary working. We teach our students how to think, not what to think, and see them as partners, collaborators and contributors.  

    For almost 200 years, we are proud to have opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge.

    We were the first in England to welcome women to university education and that courageous attitude and disruptive spirit is still alive today. We are UCL.

    www.ucl.ac.uk | Follow @uclnews on Twitter | Read news at www.ucl.ac.uk/news/ | Listen to UCL podcasts on SoundCloud | Find out what’s on at UCL Minds

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  • Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Commencement 2023: Ceremony Sends Graduates Into Residencies

    Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Commencement 2023: Ceremony Sends Graduates Into Residencies

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    Newswise — June 8, 2023, Nutley, NJ – Eighty-five students from the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine have received their medical degrees – and will now start their careers. 

    The medical students came from the 2019 cohort of the medical school (56 students) who graduated after four years; and also the 2020 cohort (29 students), who completed their education in three years. 

    The commencement’s keynote was delivered by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who commended the school for its continuing commitment to medical education in the state.

    “It is a great honor to have the Governor deliver the speech at our first commencement as a fully-accredited institution,’’ said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “It further validates what our medical school is doing for the health of all New Jerseyans.”

    “The Governor’s words, as usual, are inspirational as we continue our mission to train the best, most compassionate doctors anywhere,” said Jeffrey Boscamp, M.D., dean and president of the School. 

    Fifty-seven percent of the Class of 2023 (48 students) will train in New Jersey for the first year of residency. Of these, 39 of the students matched into a Hackensack Meridian Health program. Other states where students matched for residency include New York (20 students) and California, Florida, and Pennsylvania (with three doctors apiece), among other states. 

    Residencies where this class has matched include: Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital; Montefiore Medical Center, Einstein Campus; New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center; New York University, Grossman School of Medicine; Tufts University Medical Center; Vanderbilt University Medical Center; and many others.

    The specialties the students matched into include: Internal Medicine (21); Psychiatry and Psychiatry-Neurology (13); General Surgery (6); and Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, and Pediatrics (5 each), Neurology (4),

    Obstetrics and Gynecology (3), Internal Medicine – Pediatrics (2) Radiology – Diagnostic (2)

    Dermatology (1) ,Ophthalmology (1) Otolaryngology (1),Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (1), Plastic Surgery (1), Radiology – Diagnostic (2). 

    Applications and enrollments have increased since its founding. The School of Medicine’s inaugural class in 2018 included 60 students. The latest incoming class numbers more than 160, admitted from greater than 6,000 applicants.

    ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 

    The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its first class of students in 2018 to its On3 campus in Nutley and Clifton. Hackensack Meridian Health assumed its independent operation in July 2020. The school achieved full accreditation in February 2023. The school’s vision is that each person in New Jersey, and in the United States, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, will enjoy the highest levels of wellness in an economically and behaviorally sustainable fashion. The School’s unique curriculum focuses on linking the basic science with clinical relevance, through an integrated curriculum in a team-oriented, collaborative environment. The school prides itself on outreach, through programs like the Human Dimension, which is active in communities across New Jersey. 

    ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

    Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit healthcare organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations, and a fitness and wellness center. With more than 35,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy and committed to the health and well-being of communities throughout New Jersey. To learn more, visit www.hmsom.org.

    The network’s notable distinctions include having more U.S. News-ranked hospitals than any other health system in New Jersey, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2022-23. Hackensack University Medical Center is nationally-ranked by U.S. News & World Report in four specialties, more than any other hospital in New Jersey. Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, are ranked #1 in the state and top 20 in the Mid-Atlantic Region by U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-23 Best Children’s Hospital Report. Additionally, their combined nephrology program ranks in the top 50 in the United States. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.  

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  • Hospital Infection Control Experts Question Validity of Public Reporting Metrics, New Study Finds

    Hospital Infection Control Experts Question Validity of Public Reporting Metrics, New Study Finds

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    Newswise — Infections spread in hospitals and other healthcare settings cause over 680,000 infections and 72,000 patient deaths in the U.S. every year. Surveillance and reporting of these infections to government entities has become a key part of hospital infection control programs, yet infection control experts question the effectiveness of these measures at protecting public health. That is the finding of a new survey led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Results were recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

     

    The UMSOM researchers analyzed results from survey respondents from 43 U.S. hospitals that are part of the Healthcare Epidemiology Research Network, a consortium focusing on research in infection control and antibiotic misuse. The respondents reported that many metrics, such as surgical site infections and antibiotic-resistant (MRSA) bloodstream infections, were important measures of infection control that should be reported to the federal government. The vast majority of respondents, however, said that two metrics — related to sepsis management and ventilator-associated infections — were not useful measures of infection control efforts.

    “These infection control metrics are intended to reflect the quality of care at each institution, but some of the metrics don’t take into account the complex care provided by academic institutions as compared to community hospitals,” said study lead author Gregory Schrank, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at UMSOM. “Some have infections that can’t be prevented, while other metrics we are required to report aren’t indicative of an infection and don’t lead to an improvement in the quality of care that patients receive. Our survey found that tracking these metrics can detract from other important infection prevention work.”

    Even more surprising, 84 percent of respondents said they believed hospitals and staff “intentionally manipulate” hospital-associated infection rates publicly reported on the government’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Care Compare website. The federal government sets reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid patients based on these metrics. The data are also used in hospital rankings published by US News & World Report and others.  Survey respondents stated that they feel pressure to find ways to avoid reporting cases.  

    “We found that survey respondents did not believe the metrics reported on these websites were well understood by the public,” said study co-author Daniel Morgan, MD, Professor of Epidemiology & Public Health at UMSOM. “They also did not think reimbursements should be tied to these metrics, given all the caveats to collecting and reporting them.”

    While the study researchers pointed out that reporting of hospital-acquired infections has led broadly to an improvement in care, they concluded that the survey highlighted the need for adjustments to these metrics to create less of an incentive for hospitals to game the system.

    “While requirements to collect and report hospital metrics were implemented with the best of intentions, improvements clearly can be made to the system,” said UMSOM Dean, Mark T. Gladwin, MD, who is also Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “For example, there is a need for a more robust use of risk adjustment tools in these models to create national benchmarks for hospitals that treat the most complicated cases and sickest patients.”

    Other co-authors on this study who were UMSOM Epidemiology & Public Health faculty members include Surbhi Leekha, MBBS, Jonathan Baghdadi, MD, Lisa Pineles MA, and Anthony Harris, MD. A researcher from VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School was also a study co-author.

     

    About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

    Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world — with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.3 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic, and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has nearly $600 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System (“University of Maryland Medicine”) has an annual budget of over $6 billion and an economic impact of nearly $20 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies. In the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2021, the UM School of Medicine is ranked #9 among the 92 public medical schools in the U.S., and in the top 15 percent (#27) of all 192 public and private U.S. medical schools. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu

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  • Why Healthcare Professionals Need These 9 Business Skills | Entrepreneur

    Why Healthcare Professionals Need These 9 Business Skills | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Combining an entrepreneurial background with a medical career can unlock a world of innovative opportunities to improve patient care, transform healthcare systems and drive positive change. By leveraging your entrepreneurial skills, creativity and business acumen, you can bring a unique perspective to the medical field.

    In this article, we will explore practical ways to integrate your entrepreneurial background into medicine, with specific examples showcasing how these skills can be applied in various aspects of healthcare.

    1. Identify unmet needs and innovate

    Entrepreneurs excel at identifying gaps in the market and developing solutions. In medicine, apply this skill by observing the healthcare system and identifying areas for improvement.

    For example, you may notice a lack of accessible healthcare services in underserved communities. Using your entrepreneurial mindset, consider innovative solutions such as telemedicine platforms or mobile clinics to provide care to those in need. Collaborate with healthcare professionals and community organizations to bring these ideas to life.

    Related: Making the Move from Medicine to Entrepreneurship

    2. Embrace technology and digital health

    Entrepreneurs understand the transformative power of technology. In medicine, leverage your technological know-how to improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare processes. For instance, you could develop a mobile app that allows patients to easily access their medical records, schedule appointments and receive reminders.

    Alternatively, you could explore the application of artificial intelligence in medical diagnostics to enhance accuracy and efficiency. By embracing technology, you can revolutionize how healthcare is delivered and make a tangible impact on patient care.

    3. Pursue healthcare startups and innovation

    Entrepreneurs thrive in startup environments, and the healthcare industry offers numerous opportunities for entrepreneurial ventures. Consider joining or creating a healthcare startup that addresses a specific need or problem. You could launch a digital health platform that connects patients with specialized doctors for remote consultations.

    By leveraging your entrepreneurial background, you can navigate the challenges of building a startup, securing funding and scaling the business while improving healthcare access and quality.

    Related: Why Medical Schools are Pumping out Entrepreneurs

    4. Enhance operational efficiency

    Entrepreneurs are skilled at optimizing processes and maximizing efficiency. Apply this expertise in healthcare by identifying inefficiencies in healthcare systems and streamlining operations.

    For instance, you could develop a software solution that automates administrative tasks, reducing paperwork and freeing up time for healthcare providers to focus on patient care. By improving operational efficiency, you can enhance the healthcare experience for both patients and providers while optimizing resource utilization.

    5. Promote patient engagement and education

    Entrepreneurs prioritize customer engagement and satisfaction. In medicine, focus on empowering patients through education and engagement. You could create an online platform that provides patients with reliable medical information, personalized health recommendations and tools to track their progress. Promoting patient engagement enables individuals to take an active role in their healthcare, leading to better health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.

    6. Advocate for policy changes

    Entrepreneurs are catalysts for change, which can influence healthcare policy. Utilize your entrepreneurial skills to advocate for policy changes that improve the healthcare landscape. For instance, you could join forces with other healthcare entrepreneurs to lobby for increased funding for medical research or implement regulations that promote healthcare innovation. You can contribute to an environment that fosters entrepreneurship and advances patient-centered care.

    7. Collaborate with healthcare institutions and professionals

    Entrepreneurs understand the power of collaboration and partnerships. In medicine, forge alliances with healthcare institutions, professionals and organizations. For example, you could partner with a hospital or clinic to pilot-test a new healthcare solution or collaborate with researchers on cutting-edge medical technologies. By building strong networks, you gain access to the expertise, resources and support necessary to bring your entrepreneurial ideas to fruition.

    Related: How Entrepreneurs Can Capitalize on the Digital Healthcare Revolution

    8. Seek mentorship and continued learning

    Successful entrepreneurs often have mentors who guide and inspire them. In medicine, seek mentorship from experienced physicians or healthcare entrepreneurs who can provide valuable insights and advice. Continue your education by enrolling in courses or programs focusing on healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship. This ongoing learning will deepen your understanding of the industry, keep you updated on emerging trends and equip you with the necessary skills to drive entrepreneurial endeavors in medicine.

    9. Embrace failure and adaptability

    Entrepreneurship is accompanied by the possibility of failure. Embrace failures as learning opportunities and adapt your strategies accordingly. Medicine is no different, and setbacks may occur. Learn from these experiences, iterate on your ideas and persist in the face of challenges. Embrace a growth mindset, continuously improve your skills and remain adaptable in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

    Related: Why Success Makes No Sense Until You Embrace Your Failures

    Integrating your entrepreneurial background into medicine opens up possibilities to revolutionize patient care, improve healthcare systems and drive innovation. You can make a tangible impact in the field by identifying unmet needs, embracing technology, pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, enhancing operational efficiency, promoting patient engagement, advocating for policy changes and collaborating with healthcare professionals. With determination and creativity, you can leverage your entrepreneurial skills to shape the future of medicine and positively impact patients’ lives.

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    Adam Ramsey, MD

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  • 400 People Mistakenly Told They Have Cancer in Biotech Mishap | Entrepreneur

    400 People Mistakenly Told They Have Cancer in Biotech Mishap | Entrepreneur

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    Biotech company Grail announced on Friday that hundreds of patients were mistakenly informed they may have cancer after purchasing one of its products, Galleri.

    According to the company, Galleri scans for and detects “common cancer signals” of more than 50 types of cancer through a simple blood draw, the results of which then inform further diagnosis. It’s only available through a prescription from a healthcare provider and while cost may vary depending on coverage, the Galleri test kit has a listing price of $949.

    Grail attributed the mishap to one of its vendors, PWNHealth, saying it was the result of “software configuration issues,” which have since been resolved, the company told Entrepreneur. On May 19, Grail was notified by PWNHealth that inaccurate form letters were sent to about 400 individuals between May 10 and May 18.

    Related: The Career Rise and Fall of Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes

    Upon notification of the software incident by PWNHealth, Grail reached out to the 400 patients who had received incorrect letters by telephone or email until Grail could confirm that every affected individual was informed of the mistake.

    The company also said the letters with incorrect results were “in no way related to or caused by an incorrect Galleri test result” and more than half of the individuals who received false test results hadn’t even had their blood drawn yet for the Galleri test.

    Since using Galleri requires a formal blood draw, Grail works with a series of independent telemedicine vendors, like PWNHealth, to administer and review blood tests for Galleri and then subsequently deliver results to the individuals.

    Entrepreneur has reached out to PWNHealth for comment.

    Related: The 9 Biggest Bookkeeping Mistakes Small Businesses Make (and How to Avoid Them)

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    Madeline Garfinkle

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  • Researchers Find Major Link Between Cardiovascular Health and Disorders Such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

    Researchers Find Major Link Between Cardiovascular Health and Disorders Such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

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    Newswise — People with higher risks of cardiovascular disease are significantly more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and rotator cuff tendinitis, according to a new study involving researchers at the University of Utah and the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health.

    The findings of the study, published June 2 in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, have implications for the prevention and treatment of these common musculoskeletal disorders, which affect tens of millions of Americans each year and result in annual costs of more than $6 billion. 

    The lead author of the study is Kurt Hegmann, M.D., a University of Utah professor and the director of the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, a partnership between the University of Utah and Weber State University. He said the strength of the associations the researchers discovered between cardiovascular disease risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders is staggering.

    “It’s rare that you see 17-fold risks of diseases,” Hegmann said. “These results tell us that prioritizing cardiovascular health is a key to preventing these musculoskeletal disorders, which can have a debilitating impact on people’s quality of life. This is something we and other researchers and medical professionals need to be paying a lot of attention to.”

    The authors based their research on data from a nine-year prospective cohort of 1,224 workers across various employment sectors in three states. Baseline data were collected at the beginning of the study, including from interviews, physical exams, anthropometric measurements, and nerve conduction studies, with follow-ups conducted monthly to track the development of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. The authors compared the development of musculoskeletal disorders to cardiovascular disease risk through a method based on the Framingham Heart Study model, a widely used tool to assess a person’s 10-year risk for cardiovascular disease. They adjusted their analyses for a number of factors that could skew the results, such as body mass index and the physical strain of participants’ jobs. 

    The findings suggest that poor cardiovascular health contributes to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Participants at 15% or higher risk of cardiovascular disease were:

    • at four times greater risk of developing one or more musculoskeletal disorders than those at low risk of cardiovascular disease
    • at 17 times greater risk of developing four or more musculoskeletal disorders than those at low risk of cardiovascular disease

    “The importance of heart health is obviously no secret,” said Matthew Thiese, PhD, a co-author from the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. “We know that people need to engage in healthy behaviors so they don’t develop diseases that can shorten their lives. But this study shows that bad outcomes related to musculoskeletal disorders may also be waiting for people who aren’t taking care of their cardiovascular health.” 

    The musculoskeletal disorders the researchers examined are common among Americans and can impair a person’s quality of life. Previous research estimates that up to 5% of the population suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, for instance, with much higher prevalence among workers whose jobs require forceful movements, while up to 41% of people experience tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis. Up to one-third of people develop rotator cuff tears.

    According to the authors, the study prompts questions regarding whether these kinds of conditions are a potential “early warning” signal for cardiovascular disease. Musculoskeletal disorders may occur in a person with poor heart health years or decades before symptoms of cardiovascular disease emerge.

    The findings align with a growing body of evidence that systemic risk factors contribute to developing musculoskeletal disorders. Limitations of the research include that the study was not a randomized control trial. Randomized studies are the gold standard in proving causality, though these types of exposures cannot be randomized.

    The other co-authors associated with the University of Utah included Eric Wood, MD, and Richard Kendall, MD. They conducted the study in collaboration with researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Infinity Healthcare in Wisconsin, and the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Wisconsin.

    About University of Utah Health

    University of Utah Health  provides leading-edge and compassionate care for a referral area that encompasses Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health has a $458 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah’s physicians, and more than 1,670 scientists and 1,460 health care providers at its Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Schools of Dentistry and Medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and five hospitals. U of U Health is recognized nationally as a transformative health care system and provider of world-class care.

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    University of Utah Health

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  • Multiple Sclerosis More Prevalent in Black Americans Than Previously Thought

    Multiple Sclerosis More Prevalent in Black Americans Than Previously Thought

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    Newswise — Multiple sclerosis has traditionally been considered a condition that predominantly affects white people of European ancestry. However, a new analysis conducted by a North American team led by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers suggests that the debilitating neurological condition is more prevalent in Black Americans than once thought. It is also far more prevalent in Northern regions of the country including New England, the Dakotas, and the Pacific Northwest.

    Findings from the new study were recently published in the journal JAMA Neurology.

    “We found a much higher prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Black Americans than previously thought,” said study corresponding author Mitchell Wallin, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Neurology at UMSOM. “This helps to confirm the profound impact that healthcare inequities and lack of representation in clinical research have had in terms of driving misconceptions about the prevalence of this disease on historically underserved and underrepresented populations.”

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes the immune system to attack the central nervous system, specifically the protective layer of myelin that insulates nerve fibers. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory problems, pain, fatigue, and, in severe cases, blindness or paralysis. In 2019, Dr. Wallin led a team that found the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. to be nearly 1 million people, twice as many as previous estimates.

    In the current study, he and his colleagues evaluated three years’ worth of de-identified health insurance claims of 96 million adults to locate adults living with multiple sclerosis. They estimated in more detail how many individuals who are age 18 or older are living with MS in various states and the MS prevalence among people of different races or ethnicities living in specific regions.

    The study found strong evidence of a higher prevalence of MS in northern regions of the U.S. compared to southern regions. “Although we don’t know for certain why this is the case, it may have something to do with the spread of viruses in colder climates where people remain indoors more or lower vitamin D levels from less sun exposure,” said Dr. Wallin.

    Numerous observational studies have linked low vitamin D levels with an increased risk of MS and with more progressive disease. Other landmark research published in Science found that the common Epstein-Barr virus infection greatly increased the risk for developing MS with a new study out this week demonstrating that antibodies made by the body against the virus attack a vital protein in the brain and spinal cord.

    In terms of prevalence of MS within certain sub-groups of Americans, the researchers found a higher prevalence of MS in white people, followed by Black people, “other races,” and then people with Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity. MS occurs in about 4 in 1,000 white people, about 3 in 1,000 Black people, about 2 in 1,000 people of “other races” including Asians, Native Americans, Alaska natives and multi-race individuals, and about 1.5 in 1,000 people of Hispanic/Latinx origin.

    The study was funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

    William J. Culpepper, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology at UMSOM and Associate Director of the Department of Veteran Affairs Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, was a co-author of the study. Faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, University of Manitoba, and University of Alabama also served as co-authors on this study.

    “The findings could have a significant impact on public policy makers to help them determine a more equitable allocation of resources towards populations that have been historically under-represented in MS research, and under-recognized when targeting prevention methods and treatment options,” said UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “Considering the very diverse patients that we care for across Maryland and in Baltimore, we also have a unique opportunity through the new UM Institute for Health Computing to bring new advances in MS treatment to African American patients who are eligible for the many new biological therapies available.”

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    University of Maryland School of Medicine

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  • American Tinnitus Association elects Wayne State researcher as new chair

    American Tinnitus Association elects Wayne State researcher as new chair

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    Newswise — DETROIT – The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) has elected Jinsheng Zhang, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in Wayne State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as the new chair of its board of directors. With decades of experience in tinnitus research and work with the ATA, Zhang aims to assist with proactive recruitment of scientists to the field of tinnitus and engage more researchers in ATA grant opportunities that will spur progress toward more effective treatments and cures.

    Tinnitus is a common auditory condition that affects millions of people in the United States and can present as a variety of sounds — including ringing, buzzing or clicking — that can be heard only by the person with the condition. Whereas some habituate quickly to the sound, others find it difficult to ignore, which can lead to insomnia, increased anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. Evidence-based interventions are available to alleviate the negative effects of tinnitus, but access to care remains an obstacle, as does consistent care within the health care industry. 

    “I’ve been affiliated with the ATA for nearly two decades, as a seed grant recipient early in my career, chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee in more recent years and board member,” said  Zhang. “I believe in the work of the ATA and want to lead the way toward more significant investment in cutting-edge research and attracting new talent to the field.”

    It is often difficult to retain researchers in the field of tinnitus research because of limited funding and the challenge of understanding the underlying mechanisms of a condition with no objective measure, which can be caused by numerous factors such as hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, stress and noise exposure. Zhang emphasized that the ATA seed grant he received in 2005 was pivotal in his decision to stay in the field.

     Zhang currently leads an $8.6 million Department of Defense-funded multicenter clinical trial to develop a pharmaceutical treatment for tinnitus, which is the leading disability among veterans. Along with his department chair role, he also serves as research director in the Department of Otolaryngology in Wayne State’s School of Medicine and as director of laboratories for tinnitus and auditory neuroscience research.

    “We’re thrilled to have Dr. Zhang as our new board chair as of July 1, at a time when the ATA has sufficient funds for research grant investment. Thanks to individual donors and the generosity of Texas Roadhouse — which has hosted two extraordinary fundraisers for the ATA in honor of their late founder, Kent Taylor, who struggled with severe tinnitus the last year of his life — we’re able to review grants throughout the year, not just once a year,” said David Hadley, current chair of the board of directors.  

    The ATA’s Innovative Grants Program fills a critical need for researchers pursuing novel investigations that require funds to test a theory and, if successful, produce data that can be used to apply for funding from larger institutions. The ATA funding model enables individuals to contribute directly to research and encourages researchers to explore the boundaries of what is currently known.

    The ATA Board of Directors guides the organization in its mission and efforts to meet the needs of the public, including educating physicians on how tinnitus can be managed, helping patients find qualified health care providers, and providing seed funding for research that could lead to breakthroughs.

    The ATA operates the Tinnitus Advisors Program call line, a free, one-time 15-minute consultation intended to help callers understand management strategies, direct them to appropriate health care providers and answer questions. The ATA does not provide medical guidance, and always recommends that people be properly evaluated by their physician when tinnitus develops or changes, since that can indicate an underlying medical issue, which, when addressed, may result in the elimination or reduction of the sound. To speak with an ATA advisor, call 1-800-634-8978, ext. 3. If tinnitus symptoms are causing severe distress, call 911 or the 988 crisis hotline for immediate help.

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    About the American Tinnitus Association

    The core purpose of the American Tinnitus Association is to promote relief and to prevent and find cures for tinnitus, as evidenced by its core values of compassion, credibility, and responsibility. The leading cause of tinnitus is exposure to loud sound that damages an individual’s auditory system; the second leading cause is head or neck trauma. Tinnitus also is the leading service-connected disability for U.S. veterans. The ATA is funded by individual donors and a handful of companies to fulfill its critical mission. Please donate and/or consider becoming a member so the ATA can continue to improve the quality of life for those living with tinnitus and to educate the public on prevention of the condition. To learn more, visit ATA.org.  

     

    About Wayne State University

    Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.

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    Wayne State University Division of Research

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  • Close to 300 Healthcare Providers Graduated from PCOM Georgia

    Close to 300 Healthcare Providers Graduated from PCOM Georgia

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    Newswise — (SUWANEE, GA) PCOM Georgia held its annual commencement ceremony on May 23, this year graduating 283 physicians, pharmacists, physical therapists, physician assistants, biomedical scientists and medical laboratory scientists.

    The pomp and circumstance were elevated as students processed into the auditorium to the accompaniment of a bagpipe and snare drum.  The grand ballroom at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth was filled with loved ones who witnessed their students crossing the stage to receive their diplomas and hoods.

    Julie Ginn Moretz, the chief experience officer and the assistant vice president of patient- and family- centered health care at the Augusta University Health System, delivered the keynote address. The sister of PCOM Georgia Chief Campus Officer Bryan Ginn, Moretz received the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, as part of the ceremony.

    Moretz asked the graduates “what would health care look like if patients designed it?”

    Once the self-described scared young mother of a newborn diagnosed with three major life-threatening heart defects, Moretz has worked tirelessly to transform the culture of health care so that the hospital experience is more patient-and family-centered.

    As the first volunteer chair of the Patient/Family Advisory Council at AU Health, Moretz partnered with hospital leaders to develop a nationally recognized patient- and family- centered program which led to a position as a hospital director.

    “It’s about keeping patients and families together and including them in the care plan and decision-making process,” she said.

    Moretz reminded the students that “words matter. Your patients will memorize the words you say.”

    A final lesson Moretz conveyed to the graduates is that “you can’t save everyone but you can always share your passion and compassion.”

    Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81, president and CEO of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, addressed the graduates. He said, “As you leave here today, you are poised to lead in a world of continuous change. You are empowered to effect change and to grow from it.”

    “I encourage you to harness the power of change. Commit to leaving things better than you found them. There is no limit to your capacity for greatness,” he said.

    The Honorable James “Jimmy” Burnette, Jr., who serves as the mayor of Suwanee, offered greetings from the city and thanked the graduates for the volunteer service they provided to the community during their years at PCOM Georgia. He noted their participation in health fairs, food banks, Relay for Life activities, and their service during the pandemic to include providing vaccinations and groceries for the vulnerable.

    In addition to their volunteer work and academics, many of the students also had active family lives. Provost Kenneth J. Veit, DO ‘76, noted that 39 graduates were engaged while in school, while five became betrothed to a fellow classmate. In addition, 30 students were married during school and class members as a whole have 36 children, of which 20 children were born while their parents were students at PCOM Georgia.

    The Class of 2023 is made up of 109 DOs, 76 pharmacists, 39 physical therapists, 30 physician assistants, 27 biomedical scientists and two medical laboratory scientists.

    To watch a live stream of the ceremony, click here.

     

    About PCOM Georgia

    Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Georgia, campus is affiliated with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied history. PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and physical therapy and graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science, and physician assistant studies. Emphasizing “a whole person approach to care,” PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the wider community. For more information, visit pcom.edu/georgia or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.

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    Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

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