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Landmark strategic partnership between American Hospital Dubai and Enterprise Ireland

Landmark strategic partnership between American Hospital Dubai and Enterprise Ireland

A new major strategic partnership between the UAEโ€™s leading healthcare provider, American Hospital Dubai and Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Government agency for innovation and trade, has been formed that will pave the way for increased access to world leading healthcare innovation from Ireland.

At the signing ceremony held at American Hospital Dubai, Dara Callearyย T.D.,ย Irelandโ€™s Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation,ย witnessed the signing of the partnership conducted by Sherif Beshara, Group Chief Executive Officer at American Hospital and Jennifer Melia,ย Executiveย Directorย of Enterprise Ireland.

This partnership will provide gateway opportunities for Irish companies, entrepreneurs, researchers, clinicians, and industry partners to collaborate with the American Hospital Dubai to solve health challenges and increase access to cutting edge healthcare innovation.

Focused on advancing health and life science through commercialisation, innovation and research, the partnership is designed to bolster collaboration and improvement of patient health and care experience through innovative medical devices, digital health solutions, and therapeutics. Research collaboration will focus on identifying opportunities for clinical research and clinical trial activities.

Welcoming the new strategic partnership, Minister Dara Calleary T.D. said,ย โ€œIreland is a leading developer and supplier of healthcare innovation and one of the worldโ€™s top five global medtech hubs, working with the healthcare community to help improve patient outcomes, and ultimately helping clinicians to save lives. Todayโ€™s landmark announcement by American Hospital Dubai and Enterprise Ireland will open the door to further healthcare innovation and even closer collaboration between Ireland and the UAE. Irish health innovators export to over 100 countries worldwide and are recognised for their world leading solutions.โ€

Sherif Beshara, CEO of American Hospital Dubai, welcoming the partnership, said,ย โ€œIt is a privilege to be the first private healthcare facility in the Middle East to join hands with Enterprise Ireland on this landmark partnership. As a healthcare leader, American Hospital Dubai has always invested in the power of partnerships for the greater good because we believe knowledge-sharing, education and capacity-building are the best tools to shape transformation. Our comprehensive collaboration with Enterprise Ireland will open new horizons in healthcare innovations, patient care and medical solutions, and we are excited to explore the opportunities together.โ€

Through this landmark partnership โ€“ a first for the Middle East region โ€“ American Hospital Dubai and Enterprise Ireland will work closely to collaborate in the following areas:

  • Regular and ongoing engagement to help match innovation needs by American Hospital with leading healthcare innovators in Ireland;
  • Visits to Ireland by American Hospital clinicians and executives to see first-hand the healthcare innovations in action and development;
  • Explore potential areas for co-development or commercialization of innovations between American Hospital and leading Enterprise Ireland supported healthcare companies;
  • The American Hospital will assist Enterprise Ireland supported companies seeking to partner with a healthcare provider in the UAE, where appropriate;
  • Facilitate meetings with or introductions to administrative and clinical leaders across the UAE for for Enterprise Ireland supported healthcare companies;
  • Explore opportunities to introduce and validate new products and services provided by leading Irish health innovators across the American Hospital sites; and,
  • Explore further opportunities for both parties to engage in mutually beneficial opportunities.

Eamon Sikafi, Commercial Counsellor at Enterprise Ireland MENAย leading healthcare and life sciences across MENA, noted the significance of this initiative for both the UAE and Irish healthcare communities, he said, โ€œIrish healthcare companies enjoy a good relationship with their UAE counterparts which has seen Irish innovation across the UAEโ€™s healthcare landscape continue to increase year on year. This agreement, with the American Hospital Dubai, will lead to further unlock opportunities for partnership.

In the Medtech and life sciences sectors, Ireland has forged a strong global reputation for the leading innovations from companies based there which export worldwide to healthcare providers to support better outcomes for patient care. Recognised as the home of high-tech healthcare, Ireland is one of the worldโ€™s top five Medtech hubs with nine of the top 10 Medtech businesses being based there. It also sees 18 of the top 25 medical devices manufacturers based in the country, demonstrating the strength of the uniquely collaborative ecosystem of indigenous companies at all stages or growth, multinationals complimented by a highly competitive innovation and research eco-system.

Researchers Pin Their Hopes On ECGi To Track Arrhythmia

There is a novel and enhanced method that has been discovered for diagnosing cardiac arrhythmia by the researchers at Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. Notably, the standard electrocardiogram, or what we commonly term an ECG, has been a go-to method to diagnose cardiac arrhythmia for around 100 years. Although ECGs are ideal in detecting pathologies but they do not help the caregivers with the right treatment plan for patients. They also happen to be somewhat uncomfortable and invasive, often requiring the use of catheters and surgery.

In the past few years, a new tech known as electrocardiographic imaging, or ECGi, has become prominent. This method allows the recording of cardiac activity in a non-invasive way. Although, it does require a CT scan to be done simultaneously, which means that its use is there for highly complex patients and that too in leading health centres only.

The UPV researchers have partnered with Corify Care to discover how ECGi can be used as a regular clinical tool. The findings are published in the Journal of Electrocardiology.

The researchers have assessed the likelihood of making use of ECGi without CT or MRI for detecting atrial fibrillation, which happens to be the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. More than 40 million people suffer from this kind of cardiac arrhythmia across the world. Post this, the researchers analysed the surface signals of 25 patients having atrial fibrillation and compared the effects of using ECGi by use of imaging techniques vis-a-vis the proposed ECGI that uses an estimated cardiac geometry that is based on the anatomical attributes of the torso of the patients.

The result put forth the fact that the non-imaging ECGi could be seen as an effective technique when it came to non-invasive diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. It was able to give out more detailed data on the electrical activity taking place in the heart in a more complete way than that of the traditional ECGs.

According to Dr. Maria Guillem, who happens to be the researcher on the project, this will go on to help in detecting as well as diagnosing the cardiac arrhythmia more precisely and also help in planning cardiac arrhythmias in the surgery room with more effectiveness and efficiency as it provides the exact location and the possible extent of the arrhythmia.

Besides decreasing a patient’s exposure to ionising radiation, which is a given when it comes to CT scans, the new methodology aids in reducing both time as well as cost. The scientists look forward that these traits shall allow the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia become more suitable as well as universal when it comes to practicing them across clinics. The technology is, as of now, under development and had already been patented before the studyโ€™s publication.

Why go for a specific pediatric EHR?

EHRs have already gained the reputation of a go-for solution for quality care provision across the US. The types of hospitals employing electronic health records span from acute care hospitals to rehabilitation and specialty clinics. Hospitals for children are not an exception.

According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey, over 86% of US childrenโ€™s hospitals adopted some EHR solution in 2019 โ€“ 2021. But does general electronic health records software fit the needs of pediatric healthcare providers andย hcc risk adjustment coders? According to the Journal of Pediatrics, less than 20% of pediatric hospitals use specific solutions.

Are those specialty EHRs necessary, or could general EHRs cope with pediatric tasks? Weโ€™ll explore pediatric EHR solutions in detail to help you make a grounded decision.

General EHR for a childrenโ€™s hospital

A general EHR is a comprehensive record-keeping solution with all the necessary functionality for valid care provision. The set of modules such solutions typically offer includes:

  • Patient management module comprising patientsโ€™ health records and medical histories, an appointment scheduling tool, and corresponsive reminders for patients
  • Doctor-facing module including customizable e-forms for handy charting and record keeping, dashboards with medical information, e-prescribing, and task trackers and reminders
  • Analytics and reporting module for clinicians to help them speed up diagnosing with automated pattern recognition tools or provide preventive care with condition forecasting solutions

General EHRs offer a rich scope of functionalities for providing due care in many specialties. So is pediatrics any different? In fact, pediatric patientsโ€™ care and security fall under a wide range of regulations not included in general care. It may affect pediatric patientsโ€™ safety, for example, in e-prescribing.

A study on EHR in pediatrics looked into the specifics of e-prescribing for pediatric patients in three clinics. The three participating facilities employed general EHRs. The researchers compared the prescriptions with the requirements for safe and effective e-prescribing for children of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). They discovered that all three clinics had medication errors in their e-prescriptions. The identified errors included incomplete prescriptions, erroneous dosage (under- or overdosing), and a wrong drug selection or administration method. As a result, such errors could negatively affect pediatric patientsโ€™ health.

The researchers came to yet another conclusion, a positive one. Over 83% of the identified errors were preventable, provided clinics enhanced the EHRs with AAP-prescribed functions. So what are the specific features needed in pediatric EHRs?

Top five specific pediatric EHR features

Weโ€™ve selected five EHR functions necessary in pediatrics to facilitate child care and the experience for clinicians, patients, and their parents or guardians.

Immunization management

Vaccination is not an exclusively pediatric task. However, the number of vaccinations children and teens should take according to the immunization calendar by 21 outnumber those for adults. For example, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), healthy children are to take 14 vaccines against various diseases by age two.

Managing individual vaccination plans is a demanding task. Therefore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a comprehensive and renewable schedule for immunization. Pediatric EHRs integrate the solution. Besides, they have an in-built immunization module that facilitates vaccination management. Planning vaccinations with a handy dashboard and timely notifications on due immunizations is more efficient and less error-prone. Besides, the system sends automated reminder letters to patients and clinicians to ensure immunization occurs in due time.

Growth and development charts

Pediatric health records provide informative growth charts showcasing a range of growth parameters — height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and others. They also offer relevant norms from authoritative resources, such as CDC or World Health Organization (WHO).

In addition, such solutions notify pediatricians of a detected abnormality in case some indexes donโ€™t fit into a growth chart. Doctors can activate the notifications both for typically and atypically developing children.

Moreover, pediatric EHRs provide growth charts for managing patients with situations and conditions affecting their growth parameters, for example, premature birth or Down syndrome.

Weight-based drug dosing support

According to the 2021 report on medication error in pediatrics, dosing errors occur annually in in- and outpatient settings. In the latter case, the dosage error rate reaches over 30% in children weighing below 35 kg. Pediatric EHRs can prevent such situations.

This functionality computes drug doses based on the dosage ranges provided by CDC and the patientโ€™s body weight and surface area. Then the tool offers clinicians the results delivered via those calculations during the prescribing process. As a result, doctors will not have to calculate the necessary dosage manually.

Well-child visits

Well-child visits are the 21 annual visits pediatric patients need to take from birth to age 21. Those appointments cover about half of the visits to pediatricians US children take. During such visits, clinicians check how a child fits into their age’s critical growth and development milestones and if any prevention measures are required.

As the visits play a vital role in children’s health maintenance and disease prevention, pediatric EHRs provide well-child visit tracking functionality. Users can set up specific alerts and reminders notifying patients and their parents or guardians about upcoming visits.

Privacy for adolescents

When adolescents reach the age of consent, which varies from state to state, they gain the right to keep their health data to themselves.

To ensure this right, providers should change privacy settings in their EHRs and disable health information sharing with parents or guardians.

Pediatric EHR systems can quickly activate confidentiality settings. If adolescents know their confidentiality is guaranteed, they will likely visit their assigned clinicians and return for follow-ups. It can be critical for visits concerning reproductive and mental health or substance abuse.

Closing thoughts

A viable pediatric EHR system needs the basic features of a general EHR and certain adjustments dictated by the specifics of patients โ€“ children. Unfortunately, the need to employ a specific EHR for pediatric care may disappoint providers: shifting electronic records solutions requires hefty investments, as a rule.

However, if a pediatric healthcare organization has already employed a general EHR in its practice, it doesn’t need a completely different pediatric EHR solution. The available EHR solution can be customized to meet pediatric needs in full. For this matter, the healthcare provider needs to contact professional health IT consultants and developers to help configure its electronic records solution to make it a perfect fit for pediatric care.

Steps You Need To Take In Case Of Medical Malpractice

Everybody needs medical treatment at some point in their lives. In a perfect world, patients would not need to worry about being injured by their doctors. Unfortunately, though this kind of thing happens with alarming regularity. Medical malpractice claims the lives of millions of people every year.

After an encounter with a negligent doctor, it is normal not to know what to do. The best thing you can do in such a situation is to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer. This post will tell you some of the other steps that should be taken.

Contacting An Attorney

As touched upon in the introduction to this post, a personal injury lawyerโ€™s help is needed. There is nobody better to help you than a trained attorney. An attorney will help you to claim damages. According to a team of medical malpractice attorneys in Rhode Island, compensation could be owed to you for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The compensation process is anything but simple, however. Only work with an experienced lawyer that has positive reviews.

Gathering Evidence Together

Before claimants can request compensation they need to gather together evidence. Proving medical malpractice is notoriously difficult. Rogue doctors are known for covering their tracks. If you suspect medical malpractice then you need a written statement from another doctor authenticating your story. If injuries were sustained during a stay in the hospital however, then making a claim will be very simple. Hospitals are staffed by thousands of people. There is no way a rogue doctor will be able to hide evidence of their malpractice in a hospital. It is only in private practice that such deceptions are possible.

Making A Formal Claim for Compensation

Once a suitable lawyer has been found you can make a formal claim for compensation. The claim process involves sitting with your chosen lawyer and explaining the details of your case. During this meeting, you will need to hand over any evidence. In addition to signed statements try to take photographs of your injuries. It can be a lot easier to get compensation when there are photos of the injuries that have been caused by the negligent doctor. Insurance companies will be less inclined to argue if there is hard photographic evidence. The same is also true for video evidence.

Seeking Alternative Treatment

Legal advice is not the only thing people need after an encounter with a rogue doctor. It is also important to seek secondary medical care. Medical malpractice can result in serious injuries, especially if it takes place during an operation or surgical procedure. The cost of your secondary treatment will be covered as part of your compensation payment. It is important to know that you will also get extra money to compensate you for emotional and physical damages. Lots of people worry that they will only get paid for medical bills. The largest component of most compensation payments is usually emotional damages, not medical bills.

Advertising Your Injuries

Rogue doctors are usually fired as a result of their medical malpractice. However, sometimes their employers keep them around on a consultancy basis. It is important to advertise your injuries and make as big a deal as you can if the doctor responsible for hurting you is kept in employment. It is unacceptable for hospitals and doctorsโ€™ surgeries to continue employing doctors guilty of medical malpractice. Rogue doctors are a big problem in society today. The sooner healthcare providers start punishing them the better. Advertising your injuries will hopefully motivate the doctorโ€™s employer to fire them.

Building Your Confidence Back Up

As referenced earlier, everybody will need medical treatment at some point in their life. After medical malpractice, it can be hard to trust healthcare providers again. An encounter with a rogue doctor can be very scary. However, it is important for you to know that not all doctors are negligent. The vast majority of doctors are passionate, enthusiastic, and educated. Spend some time researching and looking for a qualified and respectable doctor in your area before you choose another one. As with attorneys, reviews are a good way of determining a lawyerโ€™s quality and level of experience.

Having Some Patience

Claims for compensation are rarely dealt with overnight. Most of them take months and sometimes even years to resolve. You will not get compensation for quite a while. Until you do remain patient and if you are unable to work ask your lawyer to help you with applying for disability benefits.

Medical malpractice can be a killer. Because of how serious it has the potential to be, doctors responsible for it need to be punished. The best way to punish them is to take legal action and claim compensation from their employers. More often than not, this will drive their employers to fire them. Potential unemployment is a good deterrent for negligence and malpractice.

What Is a Vasectomy and How Is It Completed?

A vasectomy is a highly effective surgical procedure that makes men infertile. It is a highly effective form of birth control for men and is considered to be a permanent method. This blog post will explore what it really is, how it is completed, and what to expect during and after the procedure.

What Is A Vasectomy?

This is a type of procedure that makes men infertile. Most people who decide to get a vasectomy in Sydney first get well-informed about it so that they can make an informed decision. A vasectomy is a minor surgery that involves closing or blocking the vas deferens, which are two tubes running from each testicle to the seminal vesicles.

During ejaculation, sperm passes through these tubes and mix with fluid from the seminal vesicles and other glands to form semen. It’s known to be a very effective method for birth control, about 99.85% effective when done correctly.

A vasectomy is a procedure in which the vas deferens are cut and blocked off to prevent sperm from entering semen during ejaculation. In most cases, it’s a simple outpatient procedure that only takes about 30 minutes and requires only local anesthesia (injection of numbing medicine around the vas deferens).

Consultation

You should always have a long talk with your doctor to determine the right time to get a vasectomy. During the consultation, they will explain the pros and cons of having the procedure done.

Your session should include a discussion about any potential risks, complications, or side effects associated with the surgery. Youโ€™ll also be asked to discuss any underlying medical problems that may increase your risk of complications after getting a vasectomy.

Preparation

There are a lot of things that go into preparations for the vasectomy. These are the following:

  • Schedule an appointment
  • Discuss the risks associated with vasectomy
  • Have a physical examination
  • Discuss the implications of having a vasectomy
  • Make sure you are healthy enough to go through with it.

It is important to understand that preparation for the procedure is just as important as the actual surgery itself. Your doctor will be able to give you more detailed information regarding preparation and what exactly is involved in the procedure.

Procedure

The process of a vasectomy procedure is quick, simple, and minimally invasive. The procedure typically begins with the patient receiving local anesthesia that numbs the area around the scrotum. Using sterilized surgical instruments, a tiny incision is made on one or both sides of the scrotum.

Then, one or two small cuts are made in the vas deferens to open it. The physician isolates and cuts a small segment of the vas deferens then seals the ends with sutures or cauterizes them (burning). The procedure may be performed on one or both sides of the scrotum, depending on your doctor’s preference.

Recovery

After the vasectomy, recovery is the next step. Itโ€™s important to take it easy and follow your doctor’s instructions for a successful recovery. You may experience some discomfort, swelling, or bruising in the area of the procedure, but that’s quite normal. Some doctors recommend taking over-the-counter pain medication if needed.

Most men are able to return to their regular activities within a few days. However, itโ€™s important to avoid strenuous activity such as heavy lifting or contact sports for at least seven days after the procedure. It’s also important to wear snug underwear and an athletic supporter when engaging in physical activity.

After-care

Coming home after a vasectomy is the first step in after-care. During after-care, it’s important to stay aware of your body and look out for any signs of infection or complications from the procedure. Avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting, running, or any other activity that would increase pressure on your abdomen for at least two days after the procedure.

It’s also important to keep the area around your scrotum clean and dry. Avoid taking long baths and swimming for at least a week after the procedure, as it can increase the risk of infection. Wear loose-fitting underwear or shorts to help with air circulation.

Follow-up

You should frequently follow up with your healthcare provider after having a vasectomy. Follow-up visits may include semen analysis, which is used to determine whether or not the procedure was successful in preventing sperm from traveling through the tubes. Depending on the results of follow-up testing, additional follow-ups may be recommended.

During follow-up visits, you should discuss any questions or concerns you may have about the procedure. Your healthcare provider can also provide information and advice on follow-up care, lifestyle changes to consider, and any potential risks associated with a vasectomy.

Vasectomy is a very useful procedure that can make your life a lot easier. It’s recommended to consult with your doctor and go through the preparation process. The procedure is fairly simple but recovery and after-care are very much a must. Finally, make sure to go for follow-ups with your physician!

Why Your Mental Health May Spiral Out of Control and How to Get Better

Your mental health is important. It’s how you think, feel, and behave. It also affects your ability to cope with the demands of day-to-day life. Unfortunately, mental health problems are common. For many people, these problems can be severe and lead to unhealthy behaviors and even thoughts of suicide.

Many might not even realize their mental health is struggling. Sometimes these signs come on gradually, but they can also occur suddenly or seem to have no clear cause. If you’re unsure, we’re here to help. Let’s go over why your mental health may spiral out of control and how you can better it.

Signs your mental health is spiraling out of control

If youโ€™re struggling with your mental health, there are certain signs to watch for that can give you early insight into possible trouble. Physical symptoms such as disturbed sleeping and eating habits, changes in mood or outlook, withdrawal from normally enjoyed activities or people, fatigue, or sluggishness can all be telltale signs of a mental health spiral.

Further warning signs may include unusually aggressive behavior or irritability, difficulty concentrating on tasks, feeling overwhelmed by stress or emotions, unexplained aches and pains, or changes in self-esteem. These are all things to pay attention to if you begin to feel like your mental health is slipping away.

Why your mental health may spiral out of control

There are many reasons why your mental health can spiral out of control. When life isn’t going as planned, it can be difficult to stay positive. Unfulfilled goals or daily struggles can lead you to feel frustrated and discouraged. Over time, if those feelings are left unchecked, your mental health can take a toll.

Growing stress and exhaustion can leave you feeling overwhelmed and out of control, causing your mental well-being to spiral downwards. To make matters worse, this constant feeling of being overwhelmed and losing control can develop mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Things you can do to get better

Taking back control of your mental health can be daunting, but the great news is that you can do plenty of practical things to improve. From monitoring your diet and exercise to seeking out counseling or talking with a trusted friend, taking care of yourself and practicing self-care can make a huge difference.

You can also incorporate creative hobbies. Creative hobbies allow you to express yourself and can bring moments of joy and peace. Whether it be art, music, or journaling, you want to find a creative outlet to express your emotions.

Similarly, relaxation techniques used for overall stress management can have a major impact. There are many things people do to relax. You just have to find what works for you. The key is to ensure it doesn’t cause you more harm. For instance, you shouldn’t resort to drinking alcohol as a way to relax if you’re struggling with an anxiety disorder. Instead, you might do something like get a massage for anxiety management.

All these methods together could help put you back in the driverโ€™s seat of your own life so that you’re handling your mental health instead of letting it handle you.

Final thoughts

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health. By recognizing the signs, issues, and stressors in your life that are negatively affecting your mental health and taking steps to address them, you can manage or improve your mental state.

Whether it’s through therapy, regular exercise, mindful activities such as journaling, or other forms of therapy, resources are available to those who need help addressing their mental health issues. With the right professional help combined with some of these self-help techniques, you can regain control of your life and improve every day.

How To Support A Loved One Suffering From Arthritis

Someone with arthritis needs a lot of support because they can experience difficulty handling daily activities. Being there for them can make a substantial positive difference.

People with arthritis experience stiffness and pain, limiting their ability to function and move properly. The pain from arthritis can prevent your loved one from walking correctly, using their arms and hands, and enjoying their usual hobbies and activities. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to help your loved one manage and care for their condition. It’ll help them continue to function independently for as long as possible.

While there’s nothing you can do to remove your loved one’s discomfort from arthritis entirely, here are some things you can do to support them.

  1. Understand Their Condition

You must first understand their condition to help guide you on how best to support and care for them. Find out which arthritis they’re suffering from. For instance, if your loved one struggles with rheumatoid arthritis, it affects their upper apex movements and hands. Therefore, they may need help cooking or taking medication.

On the other hand, they may be suffering from osteoarthritis if they struggle to walk and climb stairs. Osteoarthritis is frequently felt in the hips and knees, decreasing mobility. However, it manifests differently with each patient. Visit https://www.orthospecialistsofidaho.com/services/joint-disease/arthritis/ to learn more about osteoarthritis.

It’s easier to provide the correct care and support if you know what your loved one is going through. Here are some of the things you should know.

  • The main signs and symptoms of arthritis they have
  • The treatment options
  • How the condition impacts their livesโ€”whether short-term, medium, or long-term

Your loved one might be willing to describe their symptoms, and coupled with their physician’s report, you can have important information on their condition. Notably, the stiffness and pain can vary from time to time, making it necessary to keep updated with the current situation and tweak your support approach accordingly.

  1. Communicate With Them

Talking to your loved one about their condition is an excellent opportunity for you to understand its impact. Feel free to share your feelings and concern towards them, as this may encourage open communication with each other. This way, you and your loved one can understand how the other person feels.

Besides, you need to establish a way to work together. This is to allow them to feel free to ask for help whenever needed. However, you respect the wishes of your loved one with arthritis. Being domineering, even when you mean well, can hurt their self-esteem. Start conversations as gently, kindly, and sincerely as possible, and try your best not to appear overbearing. They will most likely appreciate that.

Consistent and proper communication will also help you evaluate how your loved one feels so you can respond meaningfully. They’ll want to feel reassured and supported.

  1. Respect Their Boundaries And Independence

Most people with arthritis donโ€™t want to be seen as vulnerable. They usually want to be seen as independent as individuals. Stepping in and assisting with walking, putting them to bed, or with routine tasks is commendable. However, ensure that your loved one is comfortable with this, as they may want to be independent in the movements they can do.

Ask them what their boundaries are and what they need assistance with. This will allow for a better working relationship between the both of you.

  1. Help Them With Their Medication

Having arthritis often means taking multiple medications, such as painkillers. If your loved one has a problem taking the correct dosages or is physically challenged to handle drugs, be readily available to assist.

You could help them keep a list of all the medication and prescription treatments and their other supplements. It would help to note down what the drugs are for. You must also know the directions on when to take them, and when the medicines need to be refilled.

  1. Encourage Them To Sleep Well

When someone is living with arthritis, they must get enough consistent sleep. Regular sleep helps minimize fatigue and pain. Hence, help your loved one develop healthy sleeping habits, such as putting them to bed early and waking up at the same time every day.

Keep their room comfortable and cool, and prevent them from taking caffeine and using their phones before sleeping. Additionally, if your loved one has medication they must take before bed, ensure they take them on time.

  1. Help Them With Exercise

Doing exercise has been verified to be fruitful for many people with arthritis. Hand, leg, and body movements help keep the joints mobile and keep the muscles healthy. Additionally, exercise helps sustain or enhance flexibility.

However, exercising can be painful or daunting for people with arthritis. Encouraging exercise and helping your loved one to do their workouts properly is a great way to offer support for individuals with arthritis. Moreover, if your loved one needs joint surgery, you can assist with the post-operative exercises.

Small sets of frequent exercises may reduce pain and stiffness and improve their mood. You can also get active together even when you’re not there physically. There are multiple home exercise guides online and free videos for gentle exercises like yoga. You can arrange to do these exercises on particular days in person or online via video call.

  1. Help With Managing Their Assistive Devices

Most people with arthritis may require assistive devices, like walkers or canes, to move around. Using these assistive devices can sometimes be challenging, especially the technologically advanced ones. You can help your loved one with arthritis by learning how the machine works and how to use it correctly.

  1. Attend Doctor’s Appointments With Them

Accompanying your loved one to their doctor’s appointment is one thoughtful way to support them. And if they want to, you could take them for coffee or lunch afterward. For some, doctorโ€™s appointments can be intimidating or anxiety-inducing, so being there for your loved one can help them feel more comfortable.

Conclusion

Seeing a loved one go through arthritis pain can be challenging, so figuring out ways to offer support can ensure that your family member or friend will have the help they need.

Remember, there’ll be times when your support and care are appreciated and periods when they wish to be more independent. Attempt to understand their feelings and remain flexible in your support by offering help when it’s truly needed and appreciated.

Waivers In The Telehealth Landscape Extended To Two Years

Although the federal government has extended the telehealth waivers for another two years, the current rate of reimbursement, which is higher, will be in place only by the end of this year.

At the time of public health emergency, the centres for Medicare and Medicaid services gives back to the providers at the non-facility rate which develops a payment parity both among the in-person as well as a telehealth visit.

Originally, the telehealth flexibilities received an extension for 151 days and thereafter a 2-year addition after the end of the public health emergency. If, as projected, the public health emergency concludes in mid-April, other providers as well as the health systems can anticipate waivers on telehealth to continue by the end of 2024.

Although the current reimbursements shall last only till 2023 as per American Telemedicine Associations senior vice president for public policy, Kyle Zebley. Post which the rates could re-enter the pre-pandemic levels that were lower. It is anticipated that more about this will be known once the annual physician fee schedule is released by CMS.

Based on the physician fee schedule, there is a good chance it will go down next year, as per Zebley.

When the COVID-19 lockdown was at its peak, many of the health systems as well as hospitals relied upon telehealth. The investments were already made by executives in infra and technology for telehealth as the number of individuals using online care surged. One of the big hurdles as far as its use is the question related to payment parity.

Many regulatory as well as legislative hurdles were taken care of by the recently-passed omnibus bill; however, there was a silence on the reimbursement issue, according to Zebley.

There has been a dearth of legislative action on this issue since the authority to take care of the reimbursement happens through CMS authority. The biggest change, as per Zebley, that has occurred across the pandemic for CMS is a higher reimbursement interest rate.

The payment decision is made by the CMS during the annual physician fee schedule. The providers will be able to get the notice around July 4, as the draft proposal with regard to rates and other policies is released by the agency. There will then be a period of 90 days which the stakeholders shall get to respond before the CMS gets on with its final rule which will be up and running from January 1, 2024.

Apparently, Medicare has already added more than 100 billing codes for the duration of the public health emergency. As of now, the telehealth visits that are billed to Medicare are paid on the basis of a fee-for-service rate just like an in-person visit.

It is well to note that the payment parity is based on the facility rates. Before the pandemic, there was limited reimbursement for telehealth, such as when the person getting the service happened to be in a designated rural area and also when the person left home to go to the clinic, medical facility, or any other hospital to get the service.

Throughout the pandemic, the CMS put forth high reimbursements at non-facilities like from home of the patient. Zebley confirms that CMS will continue to go ahead with the higher rate of medical reimbursement this year.

The commercial insurers happen to be regulated by state law. Zebley says that half of the states have already passed parity laws on payments. In the next half, the commercial plans happen to vary pretty widely as to what will be covered and the rate at which the reimbursement will be done. This is going to be the same for the same insurers across states.

As per Zebley, even major players shall vary largely from one state to another. CMS has already removed restrictions on Medicare for providing services across state lines; however, that doesnโ€™t negate the state law. As and when CMS decides on reimbursements after 2023, telehealth will be there. There is immense positive momentum as the providers look forward to delivering it and the patients want to continue having it.

During 2020, there was a heightened telehealth use in the medical settings and it still happens to be 65% higher than what the numbers were before 2020.

That said, the utilisation of telehealth has dipped by almost 4% as per the October 2022 figures according to FAIR Health’s monthly regional telehealth tracker.

The question of reimbursement is critical, and as per Zebley, there are still central and state impediments that need to be worked out. The ATA is pushing for a continued rate of non-facility reimbursement and is also supporting flexibility between the providers of services as well as the payers.

APAC Opens The Gateway To Gratifying Healthcare Investors

As per a report from Bain, healthcare private equity investors that have a bent towards portfolio diversification by getting into new sectors will be rewarded even though there is an uncertain outlook this year.

The report states that there is a likelihood of spread of potential outcomes for HCPE for 2024. There are some signals that point out that there is going to be a global economic slowdown this year. It may be a possibility that the funds might as well consider their downturn playbook.

Globally, healthcare private equity activity was strong even though there were instances of rising geopolitical tensions, high inflation, slumps in the stock markets, and interest rate spikes, and it is estimated that the year that has gone by will be the highest year on record when it came to disclosed deal count, deal value, etc.

The number of deals are anticipated to fall in the 20%-30% from 2021 that saw an all-time high deals numbering 515 to almost 400 deals last year which was roughly related to what had taken place in 2020.

The macrotrends of rising labour costs and interest rates in Asia Pacific as well as tight credit have country-specific issues, and central banks based out of India, China, Australia, and Japan have all responded in a different way.

Although every country goes through short-term challenges, Asia pacific region healthcare private equity investors have gained from healthcare tailwinds that are long-term, large stores containing dry powder that are specific to region and also a market that is turning mature with a robust pipeline of assets that are investable.

Some of the HCPE funders have been diversifying their concentrations from China to Southeast Asia, Japan, and India amidst COVID-19 lockdowns and policies that are evolving as well as geopolitical dynamics. ย Activities across China are still anticipated to be robust now that interest is growing from large buyout firms and also venture capital.

It is expected that the scenarios for the sector across the region could change quickly in 2023 and 2024 and that the activities could take a U-turn in no time.

Investors will have to work hard to get their proactive strategies in place and also get in touch with the management teams so that there is both speed as well as confidence, especially when credit markets open the backup in the case of large-check financing.

Artificial Intelligence- A Healthcare Landscape Blessing

As the ChatGPT model takes the online space by storm, the commotion around AI has surged. The model has already passed the US medical licencing exam, has been mentioned in numerous scientific papers, and is also effectively being used in appealing insurance denials, which itself hints at real-world applications for algorithms.

That said, the actual usage of AI based tools across the healthcare spectrum happens to be low. This is despite the many research benefits that one can get out of this technology. In one of the new paper, the researchers have forecasted that the adoption of AI in a broader way can give out savings anywhere between 5% to 10% when it comes to healthcare expenditures. This stands equivalent to a figure of $200bn to $360bn in an entire year. These estimates are completely based on the AI making use of present technologies, which happen to be attainable in the forthcoming 5 years, without compromising access or quality.

As far as hospitals are concerned, the cost savings mostly come from enhanced clinical operations, their safety, and quality, such as identifying untoward events and optimising operating rooms. The advantages match for the physician groups too, which could boost AI for continuity in care such as referral management.

Health insurers can also go on to witness savings from the use cases which go on to improve management of claims such as automating the prior authorization, besides relationship management of healthcare and providers which also includes prevention of readmissions.

On the basis of the AI-driven use cases, private players can go on to save almost 7%โ€“9% of the total cost incurred, which amounts to a whopping amount of $80bn-$110bn in annual savings in the next 5 years. Apart from this, the physician groups may save 3% to 8% of the total cost, which touches a figure of anywhere between $20bn-$60bn per annum in terms of savings.

In addition to the above, the hospitals can also expect savings of 4%โ€“11%, which, as per the report, amounts to roughly $60bn-$120bn every year.

Although there are immense benefits to AI in healthcare, which is also witnessing a surge in funding in the space, the usage of AI by doctors in clinical cases is still erratic. One of the recent studies published in JAMA found a paucity of robust evidence that supported claims that AI was elevating clinical outcomes.

In spite of that, the FDA has been speeding up approvals of medical AI tools and had already authorised more than 520 devices by November last year. Experts are of the opinion that 2023 can be an inflection point when it comes to embracing as there is more evidence around the efficacy of AI in the real-world.

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