Latest News — Page 94

Understanding the Growing Concern Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs) are life-saving marvels of modern medicine. However, with over 300,000 patients receiving a new CIED implantation annually in the US alone, there has been a simultaneous surge in device infections. These infections can lead to substantial morbidity, with infected patients facing over 3-fold higher mortality compared to those without infections. Moreover, the financial burden on the healthcare system is significant. The Significance of Prompt Intervention The efficacy of antibiotics as a […]

Healthcare has been on a transformative journey over the years.  Its focus has shifted from the traditional fee-for-service models to more patient-centered approaches. Michael Porter’s value based care approach has gained significant attention as it speaks to improved efficiencies. Essentially, the essence of value-based care lies in the delivery of services that improve health outcomes for patients at the lowest possible cost. Value-based care is crucial as it aligns healthcare providers’ incentives with patient outcomes. Instead of rewarding providers for […]

The Role of Transparency in Coverage Data In the realm of healthcare, the importance of transparency cannot be overstated. A recent study by Benjamin L. Chartock, PhD; Kosali Simon, PhD; Christopher M. Whaley, PhD, has shed light on how transparency in coverage (TiC) data can significantly influence prices for common healthcare services. The researchers examined TiC price data from Humana, a major national insurer in the USA, highlighting the potential uses of such data for future research. Unravelling Price Variation […]

Understanding ACO REACH and its Impact Launched in January 2023, Accountable Care Organisation Realising Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH), initiated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), has taken a strategic leap towards equity in healthcare. The model is designed to promote health equity through payment model design, data collection on social drivers of health, and financial incentives linked to equity. A key feature of ACO REACH is the Health Equity Benchmark Adjustment (HEBA). This adjustment […]

The Current Opioid Crisis and the Treatment of Post-Caesarean Pain Systemic opioids are the medication that is utilised the most frequently, despite the fact that pain management following a caesarean delivery is a complicated issue. Having said that, this method is not without its flaws. The overprescription of opioids is a key cause, and it is estimated that 1.2 million of the caesarean births performed annually in the United States result in the disposal of 12 million unneeded tablets. There […]

Comments on Rob Abbott’s piece on the HEOR Competencies Framework by ISPOR! Highlights Core competencies are essential, not just in business but also in public & non-profit sectors. ISPOR’s HEOR Framework, launch in 2020, is a pioneering tool guiding academic programs & aiding professionals in their career paths. While the universality of core competencies is commendable, how adaptable are they to the unique challenges of non-business sectors?

The healthcare industry has faced significant challenges recently which has led to escalating costs. These have also continued to expand the disparities within healthcare worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic brought these to light, with the marginalised communities experiencing higher rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality. These communities also continued to experience greater care disruptions. But what can be done about this? How could technology look to improve the outcomes and provide value? The quintuple framework proposes valuable aspects to improve healthcare […]

A New Era for African Health Startups The 2023 cohort of the Google for Startups Growth Academy: AI for Health program has been announced. The aforementioned selection comprises a total of 30 startup companies. All originating from the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Out of the selection, five African firms have been designated, namely mDoc and PharmaRun from Nigeria. The selection of these firms is based on their utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in a pioneering manner […]

A Better Understanding of the Financial Burden In the United States, roughly one in five people will struggle with some form of mental illness in any given year; yet, less than half of those people will obtain the appropriate care. The COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the absence of effective mental health services, leaving millions of people with unmet treatment needs. Untreated mental illness has consequences that reach beyond the person who suffers from it. These consequences include a decrease […]

The Importance of Developing a Brand-New Structure The field of digital health technologies (DHTs), which offers novel solutions for the delivery of healthcare, is undergoing rapid development. However, doing an evaluation of their usefulness presents a novel obstacle due to the fact that conventional frameworks for health technology such as pharmaceuticals and medical equipment cannot be directly applied to them. The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) has established a value assessment framework to guide evaluations of digital health technologies (DHTs), […]

Greek Healthcare System The Greek healthcare system is a unique blend of both public and private sectors. The National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY), established in 2011, is the sole purchaser of healthcare services for patients covered by the publicly financed National Health System (ESY). The Ministry of Health (MoH) is responsible for planning and regulating the ESY, and setting up regional health authorities (YPEs) that carry out extensive healthcare planning, organisation, and provision. The introduction of […]

COVID-19 Treatments: A Race Against Time The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an urgent need for effective treatments of this unknown disease. As of January 2023, there have been over 620 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than six-and-a-half million deaths worldwide. In the UK alone, the numbers are staggering with more than 24 million cases and nearly 200,000 deaths during this time. COVID-19 Treatments Review Various treatments have been developed and used to help people who have […]

Healthcare expenditure continues to rise, despite advances in medical training and technology. We’ve touched on this before, using an example from the US, where they have experienced these escalating costs. This was largely healthcare expenditure waste. Unfortunately, underperforming public services and poor health outcomes have been coupled with this. This, however, created the shift towards more efficient, cost-effective solutions. One such solution is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, and its role in reducing healthcare waste and cost. […]

SAHPRA Online OTC Medicines Directory The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has announced a new online directory of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Optimised for mobile use, this directory includes all registered over-the-counter medicines in Schedule 0, 1, and 2. It serves as an essential guide for the general public and medical professionals. Enhancing One’s Capability to Access Crucial Information The team first introduced the online directory on January 6th, 2021, with a planned launch in May 2021. The directory […]

For decades, North American and European nations have actively expanded their venture capital markets. In Canada, for instance, the amount of venture capital available to life sciences companies more than doubled from 2001 to 2010. While in Europe, the United Kingdom boasted the second largest venture capital market in 2009, representing 21% of all investments. In that same year, 20% of the UK’s £677 million in venture capital was invested in healthcare. So Venture capitalists in 17 EU countries typically […]

Concerning Inappropriate Use of Antibiotics In middle income countries such as Nigeria, the improper use of antibiotics poses a significant risk to the general population’s health. A recent investigation into consumers’ knowledge, perceptions, and the factors related with this usage was carried out in Ibadan, Nigeria. An alarmingly high percentage of consumers (95.9%) felt that antibiotics could prevent the growth of bacteria, and 60.7% believed that they could treat all infections using antibiotics. Unbelievably, 57.4% of respondents were not aware […]