iSpecimen Inc., an online marketplace for human biospecimens, announced the expansion of its supplier capabilities with the addition of a reference lab in New York to support commercial and government customers focused on COVID-19 research, including analyzing the Omicron and Delta variants. The reference lab, a recent addition to the iSpecimen supplier network, has the capacity to sequence hundreds of COVID-19 positive swabs per week, providing data that is crucial in the fight against the virus. This lab is sequencing the most recent swabs to identify new variants of COVID-19 as the virus continues to progress globally.

“The sequencing of nasal swabs is necessary to determine which variant a patient has tested positive for and provides variant-positive specimens for research,” said iSpecimen Founder and CEO, Christopher Ianelli, MD, Ph.D. “Through our relationship with this reference lab, we are able to quickly and efficiently support both commercial and government researchers working day and night to battle COVID-19.”

For researchers looking to validate their own variant identification assays, iSpecimen can obtain sequenced and unsequenced COVID-19 positive and negative swabs in a variety of media types. To learn more about COVID-19 specimens at iSpecimen, please visit iSpecimen’s website at https://pages.ispecimen.com/COVID-19-Samples.html.

iSpecimen has been working diligently with the research community to understand COVID-19. In early 2020, iSpecimen began sending serum samples to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) to help researchers monitor antibody development for possible guidance on immunity. iSpecimen has provided the CDC with 600 SARS-CoV-2-positive serum samples and 100 negative serum samples. In addition, iSpecimen has provided other federal agencies and private companies custom COVID-19 collections, which are often complex and complement the more immediate availability of remnant or banked samples. Overall, iSpecimen has delivered more than 15,000 specimens for more than 200 COVID-related projects since the start of the pandemic.

Mydecine Innovations Group, a biotechnology and digital technology company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health and addiction disorders, announced it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with The Newly Institute Inc., a Calgary, Alberta based company opening private inter-disciplinary mental health clinics across Canada, to collaborate on expanding psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to patients.

The Newly offers rapid access outpatient programs providing innovative mental health, addiction and trauma therapies. The Newly opened its first location last year in Calgary and intends to open additional clinics in cities across Canada beginning in 2022. Mydecine and The Newly have world-class teams of medical and scientific experts positioning their companies to provide the highest quality and most responsible care to patients. Together, the companies will create the package of resources needed for patients and practitioners to successfully gain acceptance into Health Canada’s Special Access Program (SAP).

The Newly is the first partner under Mydecine’s recently announced Special Access Support and Supply Program (SASSP). The companies will develop protocols and therapy manuals for a variety of indications. Mydecine will provide cGMP psilocybin and MDMA alongside the safety and efficacy data needed to gain acceptance into Health Canada’s SAP. The Newly will provide the clinic locations and experienced therapists needed to perform the treatments. The companies intend to enter into a revenue sharing agreement.

The Newly’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Marshall Ross said, “We believe this partnership with Mydecine brings many positives to The Newly, and more importantly, to Canadians in need. Research supports that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can break down deeply rooted psychological defenses, facilitate therapeutic breakthroughs and effect substantial improvements in long-term mental health. We will promote and exemplify safe and effective treatment techniques by implementing and studying our evidence-based protocols for the use of psychedelics in our practice.”

Mydecine Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rakesh Jetly said, “The recent changes to Canada’s SAP program are encouraging, but in order to make a significant positive impact on patients, we need to ensure these therapies are carried out safely and effectively. We are excited to work hand-in-hand with The Newly team to develop the evidence-based protocols, therapy manuals, training and other resources physicians need in order to promote the successful integration of these treatments into their existing infrastructure.”

The Newly’s President & CEO Arthur H. Kwan said, “Our goal at The Newly is to build a network of clinics across Canada that deliver innovative and leading-edge mental health treatments to individuals in need. The platform we’re developing can be very effective in enabling us to deploy new and innovative best-practice treatments and therapies. We are pleased to partner with a company like Mydecine to enhance the mental health care being provided to Canadians.”

Mydecine CEO Josh Bartch said, “We couldn’t think of a better partner than The Newly to act as the model site for our SASSP. Both companies come with incredibly talented and experienced medical and scientific teams who value treatments based on evidence and data. Collaboration is the foundation of all work processes and essential to our overall success. I believe this partnership will set the gold standard for these psychedelic-assisted therapies while making them more accessible to patients.”

Working collaboratively will allow the companies’ experts to share common ideas and goals surrounding proper therapy protocols. The different perspectives and expertise across the teams will enable the most effective, innovative, and scalable treatment solutions. Mydecine will also support The Newly’s patients with post-therapy needs through their digital health platform called Mindleap. Additionally, both companies plan to create an exclusive research database to aid in future developments.

As a medical practitioner, handling all the workload of a clinic can be overwhelming. You may have to focus on your patients, handle administrative work, and keep up with other responsibilities to keep the clinic running.

While you may have considered getting a personal assistant, the truth is that it can be expensive to hire someone to work in-house.  

Fortunately, you can hire healthcare virtual assistants for doctors who can help relieve some of these duties at an affordable cost. Read on to discover more about who a healthcare virtual assistant is, and some of the benefits of hiring one. 

Who Is a Healthcare Virtual Assistant?

A healthcare virtual assistant is a remote employee that helps you with tasks such as patient engagement, setting appointments, replying to emails, managing the front office, answering calls, and more. 

Some healthcare VAs can also assist with IT support, manage social media accounts, and handle digital marketing.

Top 4 Reasons To Hire a Healthcare Virtual Assistant

Some of the reasons you should consider hiring a healthcare VA include:

  1. Cost Savings

Hiring a medical VA is one of the best ways to save money. You can decide to pay your assistant based on the clients handled, hourly, or however you see it fit depending on your needs. Working with an in-house assistant means you have to pay a fixed salary and other benefits like health insurance, pension, and more – all of which can be expensive in the long run.

Moreover, you don’t have to incur extra office setup costs like purchasing a computer, installing a phone line, or even a desk. A medical virtual assistant is an affordable and a cost-effective way to run your practice.  

  2. Enhance Doctor-Patient Experience

Working with an experienced virtual assistant allows you to quickly and easily set up patient follow-ups and personal calls for further medical advice. That allows you to pay attention to each patient as someone else works in the background. 

Patients dread an overcrowded environment and may be uncomfortable with too many people in your waiting area. Your VA can help you set up one-on-one conversations remotely for patients who need personal consultation, without the need to have them come to your clinic in person. That leads to improved doctor-patient experience.

  3. Boost Your Productivity

Medical VAs go through extensive training to ensure they can handle day-to-day tasks like answering phone calls, responding to emails, sending out invoices, among other tasks. Furthermore, your VA service is available 24/7 to assist. 

A medical virtual assistant takes care of all the hard background work of running a clinic, which gives you time to focus on service quality and handling patients. You can supercharge your productivity by working with a qualified assistant.

  4. Grow Your Practice

With the COVID-19 pandemic proving to be a challenge in today’s medical practices, you need something to keep you afloat and ensure your practice grows. 

Hiring an experienced medical virtual assistant not only gives you that essential work-life balance, but also reduces time wasted and increases your revenue. The result is that you get to grow your practice while keeping costs down.

Final Thoughts

Working with a healthcare virtual assistant leads to improved patient-doctor communication, boosts your productivity, allows you to save costs, and leads to greater flexibility. With a VA, you have more time to focus and grow your practice.

Substance abuse affects more than 20 million people in the USA. It leads to family breakups, financial instability, and ruined careers. Many people don’t realize how strong the addiction is until it ultimately grounds their lives.

If you’re trying to change your life, it will not be a walk in the park, but it’s worth all the effort. Discovering the problem is the first step towards overcoming drug addiction. Here are four vital decisions to make to help you get past an addiction.

Find Professional Help

Fighting an addiction is not easy, but professionals can help you through the process. Eventually, you will define goals, improve your mindset, learn healthy lifestyle habits, and be happier and healthier overall.

Addiction affects your brain, making you crave or hunger for drugs. When addicts decide to quit using, the reality and challenge of withdrawal symptoms require careful monitoring by a professional.

Make sure you’re working with reputable and highly experienced people who will help you through these difficult times. A local establishment is usually a better option. For instance, look for a Rehab in New Jersey if you reside in the area for quality care that is close to home. 

During rehab, you may experience some of the following symptoms:

• Upset stomach
• Muscle aches
• Excessive sweating or cold chills
• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Runny nose
• Hot/cold flashes
• Knock-knees and leg cramps
• Low energy or fatigue
• Irritability, mood swings, anger or sadness
• Headaches and insomnia
• Changed appetite

Depending on how intense the withdrawal symptoms are, the professionals might recommend staying at a facility and could even prescribe medications to counter the effects. The first few weeks of recovery are the hardest, but you’ll pull through with proper care and support.

Let Loved Ones Know Your Decision

You have to let loved ones know about your decision to quit drugs and find help. You’ll need all the support you can get to overcome the challenges ahead. Understand that addiction also affects how your loved ones relate to you. Some might even cut you off, while others may not believe you, especially if you have tried to quit in the past. However, others will be ready to support you. Make this a chance to rebuild relationships with those close to you. 

The fact that you are making the decision to get help indicates your willingness to change. If your loved ones understand the efforts you are making, they can support you by not doing or saying some things in your presence. For instance, when struggling with alcoholism, they will avoid getting you a drink or urging you to attend parties where alcohol will be a part of it. 

Find Activities That Occupy Your Time

Quitting drugs is never easy. It will be hard at the beginning as your willpower will be tested. However, when you’re busy or your mind is occupied, you’re less likely to think about drugs or withdrawal symptoms.

Look for activities that improve your life, mood and well-being. For instance, exercising not only builds muscle fitness and helps you relax, but it will also make you feel better about yourself. Other activities include going back to school or starting a new physically intensive job.

Cut Off Some People

When you’re determined to change your life, you have to cut off everyone who slows down your progress. They include friends who do drugs, negative people, and anyone who doesn’t care or understand your struggles and determination.

Focus instead on the people who inspire you to be better. Join support groups that connect you with other recovering addicts. You can freely talk about your problems and get guidance in the process. When you cut certain people from your social circles, you may have to stop going to certain places where they will be present, such as nightclubs you used to frequent. 

Rebuild Your Life

As you overcome drug abuse, focus on rebuilding your life. Addiction can ruin your financial well-being, your relationships, your mental health, and your physical longevity in general. Make gradual steps to reclaim what addiction stole from you. Aim to build a new social network and identity. It’s not always easy, but it is possible if you put your mind to it.

Grillz are mainly worn for fashion by the people in a busy buzzy world. Grillz are fun to wear, eye-catching and can have numerous designs like the famous Ryan Lochte’s American flag from 2012.

But not every fashionable accessory is comfortable to carry. Neither you can be sure about it’s safety. Especially when you are wearing something on your teeth, it’s natural for you to be a little suspicious about its safety.

But don’t worry, you are in the right place with your query. To know if grills are safe for your teeth or not, we have to get an overall idea about this jewellery. So let’s begin with that.

What are grills?

Grillz are mainly diamond or gold made fake teeth that are worn onto your teeth surface. They can be made from many metals or stones other than diamond or gold, but as seen, these two are the most popular of the lot.

Grills are a replacement for broken teeth.

Grillz can be worn as both temporary covers or a permanent teeth replacement. The visual representation from the outside is very different from how they look on your teeth though.

Why do rappers wear grills?

Grillz are basically a symbol of status invented by the ancient Mayans who would drill jade into their teeth. Hurts! Isn’t it? Dentists place the grillz around the teeth instead of drilling them.

Rappers wear grills to:

1. To replace broken teeth.
2. To make a unique style statement.
3. Or, to flaunt wealth?
4. Or as per their choice. Can’t argue!

History of grills

Grillz derived this popularity in recent times, but is nothing out of the world. It has been part of the culture for decades since 1980’s when famous rappers like Raheem the Dream or Kilo Ali used them. It was first brought up in the sound and later being brought to New York by the jeweler Eddie’s Gold Teeth and rappers like Slick Rick and Afrika Bambaataa started using them.

Grillz was not so popular before. The trend started to fade out in many countries but is still found in Houston and Memphis. The explosion of Dirty South rap from the likes of Ludacris and Lil’ Jon brought grillz back into fashion.

In 2005 an ode to grillz was a mega hit by Paul Wall titled “Grillz” which had many rappers featured like Nelly, Ali and Big Gipp and brought back the fashion.

Through many years, grillz gained a lot of popularity. Many female rappers, actresses and models, like Rhianna, Rita Ora, and Cara Delevigne started using them and made it famous.

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte started using grillz which was designed like the American flag in 2012 on national TV and it increased the trend.

Are grills good for your teeth?

People usually get tense about whether the grillz are safe for use or not. It usually depends on how you keep them and handle them.

So, it is a yes if you want grills for your teeth but with a few caveats.

But a couple of these common risk factors arise when you decide to wear a grills on your teeth:

1. Some allergic reaction cases do pop up dealing with material of grills, or cavities, gum disease and bone loss. This usually happens when a non-professional dentist manufactures the grillz instead of a professional dentist.
2. If your grills are not properly fitting your teeth, or they keep knocking, then there are quite good chances that you are going to peel off the enamel of your teeth.
3. Next, if you don’t remove your grills before meals and bedtime, then the leftovers of food items are definitely going to cause bacterial growth and tooth infection. This is one of the most common reasons why people who wear grills complain of bad breath.
4. Plus, if your grills are too tight, then you will invite headache and migraine too.

But in the end, all these concerns come down to your maintenance of dental health and hygiene.

How well are you taking care of your oral health? Are you wearing your grills properly? Do you know the correct technique of cleaning your grills?

All these things play a vital role in the final decision of whether or not girls are safe to wear.

And if you’ve decided to wear grills on your teeth, let’s check how to wear them the right way:

How to Wear Grillz the Right way?

1. Make sure that you have cleansed your mouth thoroughly. The cleaning process should involve brushing, flossing, and tongue cleaning. Plus you should be maintaining a habit of brushing your teeth twice a day.
2. The next step would be to ensure that your grills are properly cleaned and free from germs. You can boil your grills in hot water, clean it with a brush, and gently rub it with a soft cloth to pat dry and give it a mild polish. If you are using a cleanser, then make sure it is a non abrasive cleanser.
3. Position your grills on the right spot of your teeth line. Do not rush and hurt yourself while fixing the grills. Make sure that the fit is comfortable.

How Much Does Grillz Cost?

The cost of Grills can be as low as a few hundreds, and it can go up to dozens of thousands.

The cost basically depends on the quality of the metal or the stone that you are using. For example an 18k gold grillz is going to cost more than a 14k gold grillz.

Just like other branded items, even grills can be pricey, just because they belong to a top notch brand, whereas only time will tell if the quality is top notch or not.

The price of your grills also depends on whether you are purchasing custom made grills or mass-produced grills. Basically, a custom-made grillz would be moulded after taking the measurement of your teeth. It would be uniquely designed for you in a very personalized manner. The fit is going to be perfect because the manufacturer has taken a note of your measurement.

Whereas if you go on picking up from the mass produced grills, it would be difficult for you to find the right fit for yourself.

The pandemic affected many businesses in unimaginable ways. Thus, several companies have modified their operational practices to accommodate the changes resulting from the pandemic. Those who couldn’t successfully adapt to the new business climate had to downsize or go out of business entirely.

Aside from manufacturing products and delivering services to their customers, businesses also have to devise strategies to help them thrive beyond the pandemic. The healthcare industry is not left out here. Healthcare businesses, just like every other business, must implement strategies that’ll not only keep them afloat during the pandemic but also empower them to outlive the pandemic.

Do you run a healthcare business and seek steps to extend your business’s lifespan beyond the pandemic? The following steps will enable you to achieve this goal:

1. Acquire Working Capital Loans

Working capital loan agencies provide short-term funding to businesses to cover day-to-day operational expenses. They provide immediate assistance for businesses that need extra working capital.

Working capital loans can be used for various purposes such as purchasing inventory, paying employees, and covering overhead costs. Unlike traditional bank loans that are rigid and difficult to qualify for, working capital loans are fast, flexible, and intuitive.

More so, small business working capital loans interest are moderate, and they have shorter payment periods and flexible usage, making it easier for businesses to pay back the loan in due time. The loan company sets up repayment plans so healthcare business owners can focus on managing the business.

2. Adopt Telehealth Services

Telehealth refers to delivering medical care, health education, or information concerning health and well-being through digital devices and formats such as phones and telecommunication devices.

Furthermore, healthcare businesses can facilitate patients’ appointments with healthcare givers and provide training to health workers remotely with telehealth services. This online solution allows patients to access healthcare services with ease and convenience. Also, it ensures patient safety due to its adherence to covid protocols.

Lastly, the ability of telehealth services to make life and work easier for both patients and healthcare givers makes the whole experience inclusive and sustainable. Being inclusive and sustainable makes a company more flexible—allowing it to operate beyond the pandemic.

3. Initiate Effective Marketing Campaigns

Marketing is at the heart of doing business. Businesses need marketing to connect with existing customers and attract potential customers that can bring in more profits.

Therefore, healthcare businesses that seek to outlive the pandemic must be ready to launch new marketing campaigns and initiatives that’ll increase their visibility and translate into increased business opportunities. Beyond traditional and prevalent marketing strategies, healthcare businesses must leverage innovative strategies to get their business in the face and memories of as many customers as possible.

4. Improve Cash Flow Management

An excellent way to keep a business in existence is by ensuring an adequate and effective flow of cash. Healthcare businesses must ensure a stabilized cash flow with enough liquidity to maintain operations to outlive the pandemic. Money must be invested wisely in the most essential and profitable ventures. They need to streamline the cash flow to ensure the effective allocation of resources to the right aspects of the business.

5. Embrace Hybrid Work and Communication For Team Members

Organizations across the world have responded to the pandemic by offering their workers alternative work schedules. The schedules range from work-from-home options to part-time and flexible working schedules. The remote work option is beneficial to both the organization and its team member as it saves operational costs and improves the work experience. By adopting the work model, healthcare businesses can achieve an increased level of efficiency and benefits despite restrictions that have been enacted due to the pandemic.

6. Increase Operational Flexibility

Before the pandemic struck, businesses had their usual way of doing things. However, the level of disruption created by the pandemic makes it necessary for companies to integrate innovative methods, processes, and frameworks. Healthcare businesses will outlive the pandemic if they can adopt operational flexibility.

Rather than stick to old ways of delivering their healthcare services, which may no longer be optimal due to changes caused by the pandemic, they should adopt innovative healthcare strategies. They should also implement business models that will enable them to provide improved care and give them an advantage in the case of any unforeseen circumstance in the future.

Conclusion

Like other industries, healthcare businesses are also operating through uncertain times. Nevertheless, uncertain times call for innovative responses. Healthcare businesses must seek to outlive the pandemic; however, they will need to adopt the strategies outlined above. The integration of these strategies will increase the operational effectiveness of businesses and improve both their competitive advantage and sustainability.

Orthofix Medical Inc.  a global medical device company with a spine and orthopedics focus, and nView medical, a Salt Lake City-based company developing surgical imaging and guidance systems enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), announced a partnership and investment agreement to jointly develop and co-market the innovative nView systems with Orthofix cervical spine and pediatric limb deformity correction procedural solutions.

The novel nView s1™ system with insta-3D™ technology is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration 510(k) cleared imaging system that features the unique ability to instantly capture 3D images with very low-dose radiation. This approach makes the 3D images available throughout surgery, enabling real time visualization. The nView s1 doubles up as a surgical guidance system with GPS-like technology that uses the true representation of the anatomy as maps and incorporates AI technology to augment the surgeon’s understanding of the surgery.

As part of the collaboration, Orthofix will utilize an nView s1 imaging and navigation system in its Lewisville, Texas training facility where they will conduct joint educational programs for surgeon customers. Orthofix and nView medical will work together to gain 510(k) clearances for Orthofix pediatric limb deformity solutions navigated with the nView s1 system. Additionally, the companies will pursue the development of an application of the technology for adult cervical spine procedures utilizing Orthofix’s comprehensive portfolio of cervical solutions.

“The nView s1 system’s insta-3D imaging technology complements Orthofix’s pre-planning and post-operative software platforms. It is an innovative digital solution aimed at better streamlining the surgery by reducing radiation exposure and decreasing OR time, which is so important for pediatric surgeons and their patients,” said Orthofix President and Chief Executive Officer Jon Serbousek. “We also look forward to working with nView to expand application of this technology for use in cervical spine procedures, utilizing Orthofix cervical solutions.”

“We are very excited to partner with Orthofix, who has a long history in pediatric limb deformity correction, and deep expertise with adult cervical spine procedures,” said nView medical Founder and Chief Executive Officer Cristian Atria. “As we continue the initial commercial rollout of our technology in pediatrics, we look forward to bringing our value proposition to more patients and surgeons, who are also served by Orthofix.”

Max Healthcare plans to invest $450 million in the next four years to add capacity to India’s health care system as the Covid-19 pandemic hit it. “We want to double our capacity in cities like Mumbai and New Delhi,” Abhay Soi, Chairman and Managing Director of Max Healthcare.

The investment will boost capacity at existing hospitals and increase the firm’s landholdings. Max Healthcare will continue focusing on medical tourism. The expansion plans came after the pandemic as a country with around 1.4 billion people who suffered due to the healthcare system. The corona wave in April and May flooded hospitals and left many Indian citizens pleading for medical resources.

Indian hospitals and the government said that the pandemic has led to improvements in the health care system, with many facilities like oxygen plants switching rapidly between Covid medical care and non-Covid treatments during the next Covid-19 wave.