Every year, there are more than 400,000 hospital patients who suffer from healthcare-associated problems. The sanitation and housekeeping in such facilities should be heightened to reduce the spread of disease. Existing patients could easily succumb to new infections, so medical providers and hospitals should act in unison to improve patient safety outcomes.

Patient’s health and safety will be achieved by avoiding errors, limiting harm, reducing miscommunication, and minimising the spread of bacteria internally. A hospital is the temporary habitat of sick patients whose immune system is far lower and weaker than ordinary people. Hence, it would be best if you had some helpful resource to guide you through how to maximise high-quality internal conditions in hospitals.

Here are some tips for you to keep hospitals safe and clean for patients, visitors, staff, and medical workers:

1. Clean And Disinfect

This tip comes primarily as the number one most crucial protocol for any healthcare facility. Hospital cleaning and disinfecting procedures should be a high priority and must follow a strict level of standards. When you clean a surface, chances are, bacteria may remain and lurk around. Using specialty cleaning cloths are vital to pick up dirt and germs. A more robust disinfectant solution such as bleach and safe chemicals should be diluted with water and used on high-traffic areas, hallways, handles, knobs, and other exposed surfaces.

One crucial factor to keep in mind is never to bypass hard-to-reach places because those may cause infection, and many lives will be at risk. Linens, pillows, and bed sheets in hospital rooms should also be checked continuously and changed. Be mindful of the things carried inside the rooms as they may be very harmful to the patient’s health.

2. Avoid Cross-Contamination

Many hospital workers struggle to deal with contaminants. Quick disposal of these dirty items should be stressed enough so that the bacteria won’t have any chances of spreading. Even cleaning items like mops and rags should be disposed of right as soon as they are used to clean dirty areas. One effective way to prevent cross-contamination is to use cleaning sprays, which eliminate airborne bacteria continually. Constant vacuuming and the quick disposal of contaminants are also crucial to avoid spreading viruses.

3. Use High-Quality Cleaning Solutions And Durable Equipment

One vital characteristic of cleaning solutions that you should carefully consider is their chemical composition to kill bacteria and germs efficiently. Use only the best quality solutions, components, and cleaning cloths. These may be more expensive than cheaper quality items, but ensure everyone’s safety and health in the hospital.

As for equipment related to maximising safety and health, always go for practical and durable. Superior air freshening devices, vacuum cleaners, sanitising machines, and other equipment are smart investments to avoid more immense costs of constantly changing or repairing inferior quality products. Sooner or later, more hospitals will invest in robotic technology to disinfect rooms, similarly to how some have used it to battle against the Covid-19 virus.

4. Wear Proper PPE

Personal Protective Equipment is essential when a hospital housekeeper is cleaning the facilities. This is to protect him from bacteria and diseases and avoid contamination and the spread of viruses. Using disposable gloves and protective eyewear will increase protection against contaminated surfaces.

However, hospital cleaners should also be mindful of when and where to wear and remove these PPE and gloves as, when done in wrong ways, might easily cause infection. Throwing these disposable cleaning wears should also be keenly strategised. Segregate them from other garbage appropriately.

Conclusion

You now have some critical information on how to uphold housekeeping in hospitals. Remember that hospital staff should have proper training and use the right tools and equipment to eliminate bacteria and germs on high-touch surfaces. Following all these guidelines will guarantee a cleaner and safer environment for everyone in the hospital.

A frustrated doctor should never tell you that a problem is all in your head — even if it is. The brain often causes illnesses with real-world symptoms, and some symptoms defy common medical expectations.

Try not to get angry after being told it’s all in your head. You should follow a practical approach to get to the reasons why you are having health issues by taking these steps.

”All in Your Head” Might Not Be a Value Judgment

You shouldn’t assume that an “all in your head” comment means that your doctor doesn’t believe you or thinks you’re a hypochondriac. The doctor might be considering disorders caused by conditions in your brain. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

Doctors Don’t Know Everything

Doctors often can’t diagnose conditions on the spot, so you should try to understand your doctor’s frustration. Understand that doctors don’t know everything.

Try To Work With Your Doctor

Try to work harder with your doctor to explore other options — such as mentally caused conditions and common disorders that aren’t well understood.

Get a Second Opinion

If you remain unsatisfied with your doctor’s diagnosis, seek a second or third opinion. You have every right to do so. You may even need to see a specialist.

Ask for a Psychiatric Referral

If the problem is rooted in your brain, your symptoms are still valid. Ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Choose the Doctor Who Seems Correct

You don’t have to keep working with the first doctor. If you’ve been to a specialist or had a second opinion, you can continue treatment with the doctor you think best understands your concerns.

Consult a Patient Advocate

It’s helpful to consult an unbiased third-party who only wants the best for you. Patient advocates can help you review your steps and record them to get a correct diagnosis.

Consider Special Conditions

There are many conditions that aren’t well understood, and one of these could be causing your symptoms. The following conditions are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed:

Fibromyalgia

This disorder causes pain throughout the body and generates sleep disorders, tingling in the hands and feet, fatigue and even cognitive problems — such as memory loss.

Lyme Disease

This malady is transmitted by tick bites, and the symptoms include headaches, fever, fatigue, and skin rashes. These symptoms are caused by so many disorders that your doctor is unlikely to suspect lyme disease.

Endometriosis

This condition occurs when the lining of the uterus grows outside of it. The symptoms might include only cramping, but a urinalysis can confirm an endo diagnosis.

Interstitial Cystitis

This disorder mimics a urinary infection with symptoms that include bladder pressure that makes you feel like you need to urinate constantly.

Lupus

This disorder of the immune system affects multiple organs like the lungs, kidneys, heart, skin, joints, blood cells, and general health. It’s difficult to diagnose because it requires that your symptoms meet a specific set of conditions.

Multiple Sclerosis

People with MS experience an attack on their immune system, which disrupts signals between the body and brain. The disease progresses by attacking the myelin sheath, a protective coating that surrounds nerves of the brain and spinal column.

Doctors who tell your illness is in your head cause great anxiety and affect a person’s physical and mental health negatively. Pulmonary hypertension is a condition that doesn’t make people look sick, and it doesn’t show up in standard blood work or x-rays.

Knowing When To File a Malpractice Suit

Trying to work with your doctor is the best practice, but when they tell you conclusively that it’s all in your head, you might have a case for filing a lawsuit. Examples of medical malpractice include not identifying a real condition that causes you pain and problems living a normal life.

If your doctor is unwilling to proceed further to diagnose your condition, find another doctor. If the second or third doctor diagnoses a recognized condition, you possibly have a case against the first doctor for medical malpractice.

Working Face-To-Face During The Pandemic

It’s been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. But thanks to the tireless efforts of medical front liners and researchers, the vaccine to combat the virus is beginning to roll out. As a result, countries worldwide are beginning to open their doors for travel to jumpstart the economy once again. Consequently, companies are taking advantage of this by encouraging their employees to start reporting back to the office.

But the likelihood of coming back to work may pose health risks and questions to a company’s workforce. If you’re wondering whether it’s safe to report back to the office, read on to learn more about things you should remember before coming back to in-person work.

Is It Safe To Report To Work

The first question you may be thinking of is, ‘how safe is it to go back to face-to-face work?’

There is no guarantee that it will be safe to be out in public or the workplace. And with the possibility of a new strain, COVID-19 continues to rage on. Therefore, one cannot be too sure about health and safety because the common enemy remains unpredicted.

But the good news is, following basic health protocols and proper hygiene is still one of the best ways to keep yourself safe even when your boss asks you to report to work. In fact, putting these health practices to work can be another method for health experts to measure how effective these protocols indeed are.

How To Keep Yourself Safe

Safety. That’s the most critical aspect companies and employees should consider when they begin to roll out new policies regarding going back to work. Since not everyone has received proper vaccinations yet, don’t expect everything to return to business as usual.

It’s extremely important for employers to make an effort to provide safety guidelines for their workforce to follow. If you’re a business owner, some of the essential health protocols you should include are as follows:

• Always Wear A Mask
• Practice Physical Distancing
• Disinfect Your Hands Frequently
• Practice Proper Hygiene
• Traveling Safely
• Clean And Sanitize High-Touch Surfaces And Objects
• Stay At Home When Necessary
• Familiarize Yourself With COVID-19 Symptoms

For employees, follow these protocols to ensure your and others’ safety in the workplace.

Always Wear A Mask

Whether you’re out in public or in the office, it’s crucial to wear a face mask or covering. Wearing a mask helps prevent respiratory droplets from coming out or going into your system. These droplets can be deadly, especially when they carry coronavirus that causes COVID-19 symptoms. So, to prevent transmission of the virus, wear a mask religiously before going outside the house.

In terms of types, there’s a variety of face masks available in the market. Here are four of the most commonly known in the market:

• N95 Masks—these are professional-grade medical masks that form a tight covering for your mouth and nose when used. If you’re not familiar with N95 masks, these usually come with a rounded shape; sometimes, they may even look like a duckbill, which can be confusing to wear. Here’s a quick guide on how to wear a duckbill mask
• Cloth Masks—these are washable and reusable masks that contain several layers of fabric that act as a protection from respiratory droplets you may breathe out. You can buy cloth masks almost anywhere online these days. Or you can easily sew one up yourself. Just make sure that the mask covers your mouth and nose and fits snugly against the side of your face, leaving no gaps.
• Surgical Masks—these are disposable masks typically worn by medical professionals for single-use during a medical procedure. Wearing surgical masks can be very useful in protecting users from large respiratory droplets that may contain coronavirus. Health experts recommend that non-medical workers skip buying surgical masks and reserve them for front liners to use.
• Face Shield—face shield is a face covering that comes with a thin sheet of clear plastic that protects your face from your forehead down to your chin. Wearing a face shield provides an additional layer of protection against respiratory droplets that may enter your system through your eyes. However, a face shield is used only to supplement face masks, not a replacement.

As you can see, wearing protective equipment such as a face mask not only protects you from coronavirus but also prevents others from acquiring COVID-19 symptoms in case you may be infected.

Practice Physical Distancing

A person with COVID-19 could easily transmit the virus through close contact. As you report back to work, maintain a distance of 6 feet between you and your co-workers. Skip the hugs, pats on the back, and close chatter by the cooler. Doing so can help make your work environment a safe place, especially for individuals with increased risk for severe illness.

It’s also important to keep in mind that microparticles of COVID-19 can spread through the air. Compared to outdoor places, indoor spaces with minimal ventilation, like an office, could pose more risk in acquiring the virus. Combining the protection of maintaining social distance and wearing a face mask is one of the best ways to protect yourself and others from coronavirus.

Disinfect Your Hands Frequently

To complete the trifecta for the best health practice to fight off COVID-19, disinfect your hands as often as you can. Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Believe it or not, your hands are the part of your body most exposed to respiratory droplets carrying the virus. Make it a habit to wash your hands first before you eat, touch your face, eyes, and mouth.

If you’re outside and have no access to a sink, you can disinfect your hands using a hand sanitizer. Carry a bottle of hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol wherever you go. Once you develop this habit, you’re not only protecting yourself but also others.

Practice Proper Hygiene

Proper personal hygiene can go a long way in terms of keeping yourself and others safe from coronavirus. Whether you’re infected or not, cover your mouth and nose whenever you cough or sneeze. Use a piece of tissue or the inside of your elbow when sneezing or coughing to avoid breathing out respiratory droplets directly on your hands. Throw used tissues right away, and make sure to wash your hands with soap and water.

Traveling Safely

Besides being inside a closed office space, transportation could also pose risks in acquiring coronavirus.

If you use your car to get to work, you may have a reduced risk of acquiring the virus. Just make sure to regularly disinfect your car’s door handles, steering wheel, and other frequently touched surfaces.

If you’re carpooling to work, make sure that you are healthy and not feeling any feverish symptoms. If you can, ask the vehicle owner if it’s possible to disinfect areas of the vehicle you’ll come in close contact with.

If you’re taking public transportation to work, such as buses, trains, or taxi cabs, make sure you keep your distance from others and follow other health and safety protocols. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently implemented that masks wearing masks is now a requirement when riding any public transportation, even on airports and planes.

Clean And Sanitize High-Touch Surfaces And Objects

At work, you can never be sure who touches whose things. To keep your workstation a safe environment, clean and sanitize every surface you or others may frequently touch, such as your:

• Desk
• Keyboard and mouse
• Office supplies

If you’re unable to use disinfectants on any of these high-touch surfaces, make sure you wash your hands or apply hand sanitizer after touching them.

Stay At Home When Necessary

Because symptoms for COVID-19 may or may not manifest, be cautious about your current health status. If you have or think you may have symptoms, get tested right away or stay at home.

If you tested positive, report to your supervisor about your condition. If you’re feeling fine, you can ask to work remotely, but don’t push yourself too hard.

Staying at home and undergoing quarantine is the best way to stop the virus from spreading at work and in your home.

In case you are healthy but a member of your household falls ill, notify your supervisor as well. Make sure to seek your doctor’s advice and follow quarantine precautions.

Familiarize Yourself With COVID-19 Symptoms

In order to stay on top of your health, it’s also crucial to familiarize yourself with COVID-19 symptoms. Individuals infected with COVID-19 may manifest some of these symptoms with mild to extreme severity:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

These signs may manifest 2-14 days after being exposed to the virus. Anyone experiencing one or more of these symptoms may have COVID-19.

Prioritize Safety First

Going back to work can be an exciting experience, especially after months of home quarantine. However, it can also cause great anxiety for those with a higher risk of acquiring illnesses. The good news is, strictly following health guidelines, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and washing your hands religiously, can minimize the threat of spreading COVID-19 in the workplace.

How do you solve a problem like on-site medical waste treatment?

Until now, hospitals have almost exclusively opted for off-site solutions for their RMW (Regulated Medical Waste) treatment, as existing on-site solutions have not been good enough.

Most countries still use incinerators, which are giant off-site unsustainable, high energy consumers with dramatically high carbon footprints rather than traditional existing on-site solutions which are based on heat treatment.

The Envomed 80 however, is about to change all that. Bringing to market a scientifically-driven, on-site solution capable of treating up to 80 liters of sharps and infectious medical waste in under 20 minutes, the Envomed80 is starting to revolutionize the world of medical waste treatment.

Why is effective medical waste treatment so challenging?

At the root of the problem is the fact that RMW includes both solid and liquid phases and the mix and volume of each varies from batch to batch. This makes the sterilization process impossible to validate.

Liquids present some unique challenges. Liquids take longer to sterilize than other media since they have a high heat capacity. As opposed to solids, liquids take a lot longer to heat up and cool down, and as a result the total cycle time is increased dramatically.

Autoclaves, for example, need to remove all air due to possible hollow spaces inside a load. In the case of solids, steam is the sterilization medium and must penetrate inside the load and make contact with all surfaces, which is why all air must be removed. If air were to remain inside the load that would compromise the steam’s ability to reach all surfaces of the load.

Liquids, which have no hollow spaces, are sterilized as the steam causes their temperature to rise. Therefore, while there is no significance to the chamber air removal where liquids are concerned, they instead require a longer treatment duration to ensure they reach at least 135°C for 20-30 min. Such long durations (>20min) at a peak temperature of 130°-141°C and under pressure cannot be supported by on-site autoclaves.

The fact that the liquid quantity is unpredictable and can vary from batch to batch necessitates a longer sterilization program time. (Not 10-30 min sterilization). Additionally, as autoclaves do not offer a temperature indication of the liquid phase, the user has no real confirmation of the actual liquid phase temperature during the sterilization cycle.

Other problems associated with current treatment solutions such as autoclaves and microwave processes include:
• Slow cycle time (30-60 minutes)
• High unit and/or installation costs
• No validated treatment of the waste liquid phase
• High energy consumption
• High maintenance costs
• Load decomposition that can generate toxic fumes
• Unpleasant odors
• Normally require large floor space and a dedicated infrastructure

How does the Envomed 80 solve these problems?

The Envomed 80 solves these issues completely, by performing the entire disinfection process in a liquid phase, using a liquid disinfection solution diluted in water.

The solid waste is shredded to a confetti shape which is mixed vigorously with the disinfecting solution together with the waste liquid phase.

Therefore:
• Liquids pose no problem
• There is no need to remove the air from the chamber
• No extreme temperatures, pressure and vacuum are used
• There is no pause in between cycles – the next cycle may start immediately
• The Envomed 80 offers fully validated and reproducible sterilization results.

Envomed offers fully comprehensive validation results of both infectious waste solids and liquids in the presence of protein, hemoglobin, carbohydrate, lipids and insoluble fibers. Envomed’s technology is the only solution on the market that presents comprehensive validation results by utilizing the real RMW conditions, hospitals and regulation authorities are being challenged with on a daily basis.

The Envomed 80 Sterilization process consistently demonstrates a 6 LOG10/ml bacterial spores’ reduction, which complies with STAATT level IV, according to the ISTAATT guidelines (both in the liquid and solid phases).

Envomed gaining momentum

Currently, the global deployment of the Envomed 80 is gaining momentum as the new benchmark in on-site RMW treatment technology.

Envomed’s parent company, Maabarot Metal Works Ltd (MMW) gained regulatory approval in South Korea for theEnvomed 80 back in December 2020, with the first 10 units set to be installed in the region in the coming weeks.

Similarly, the first Envomed 80 units recently landed in Finland, after the country’s largest hospital – HUS Helsinki University Hospital – chose the Envomed 80to treat their medical and infectious waste on-site. It is expected that the move will save the hospital at least 30% in waste treatment costs going forward.

About Envomed

With global headquarters in Israel and a network of distributors all over the world, Envomed has a truly global outlook. Building on Israel’s reputation for driving engineering excellence, Envomed is backed by over 30 years of experience and engineering know-how gained by parent company Maabarot Metal Works Ltd. In

fact, the technology behind the Envomed 80 has already been approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health. Following its debut at the world’s largest medical trade-fair, MEDICA, in 2019, Envomed will continue to be present at all major medical tradeshows around the world. The Envomed 80 is already beginning to revolutionize the world of on-site medical waste treatment with pilots in APAC, South America and in Israel which is Envomed’s local market.

egnite, a digital healthcare company, launched with the goal to improve care for structural heart disease patients by delivering actionable insights through intuitive digital health platforms, proprietary artificial intelligence (A.I.) powered analytics and deep clinical expertise.

egnite’s flagship solution, CardioCare, was developed at Edwards Lifesciences, and achieved several key innovation milestones and commercial successes over the past six years. Now, egnite has been established as a standalone company to develop digital technologies and apply data science with focus, speed and agility.

Led by CEO Joel Portice and chief growth officer Martha Thorne, egnite has a tenured executive leadership team with deep experience in data analytics and digital health technology.

“We have an extraordinary opportunity to use our advanced technologies and big data to solve a significant undertreatment problem for patients with structural heart disease. The health care ecosystem of the future will be centered around precision medicine, displaying and utilizing a 360-degree view of patients,” said Portice. “Our vision is to create an evolved healthcare landscape in which data, technology, patients and clinical expertise are at the intersection of digital transformation to reduce the cost of care and improved outcomes for patients.”

Edwards remains committed to the success of egnite with significant investment and seats on the Board. Abundant Venture Partners, a digital health-focused investment and venture creation company, will be a strategic partner and take a seat on the Board, as well.

The CardioCare program is a leading solution in structural heart disease data analytics and clinical process improvement, focused on reducing variability in diagnoses and ensuring more patients receive appropriate care. The CardioCare program has partnered with over 50 hospitals and systems across the United States and recently achieved a milestone of processing more than 1 million echocardiograms in the company’s cloud database. This proprietary echo database serves as the foundation for insights that support health care systems and result in a higher standard of patient care. The program’s industry leading A.I. applies machine learning algorithms to interpret echo reports at scale to uncover undertreatment of structural heart disease.

“We recognize that the acceleration of digital health has provided patients, doctors and health systems with tools that can significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of structural heart disease while providing our customers with higher quality and differentiated patient care,” said Donald E. Bobo, Jr., corporate vice president of strategy and corporate development at Edwards Lifesciences. “We have also seen the positive impact of the CardioCare program to strengthen structural heart programs and drive meaningful improvements in the patient’s experience. We are enthusiastic about egnite’s opportunity to accelerate this patient impact as a standalone company.”

About egnite

egnite is a digital healthcare company dedicated to improving structural heart patient care by delivering actionable insights through intuitive digital health platforms, proprietary A.I. powered analytics, and deep clinical expertise. egnite’s charter is to spark transformation in fragmented healthcare systems by delivering integrated solutions that help elevate the standard of care for patients with structural heart disease.

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory are recruiting patients in a fully virtual, in-home, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of famotidine, or PEPCID, for the outpatient treatment of COVID-19 in adults. Sold over-the-counter as PEPCID, famotidine is a histamine 2 blocker used to decrease stomach acid and this clinical trial will assess its use as a COVID-19 therapy.

This is the first time an entirely virtual clinical trial has been initiated by CSHL and Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system, which has treated more than 100,000 COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The trial is recruiting patients across the greater New York area who have tested positive for COVID-19, but are experiencing only mild to moderate symptoms that do not require hospitalization.

For those who qualify, and once consented, patients will be trained to use a cellular activated Apple iPad from their home, along with a Bluetooth enabled scale, thermometer, fitness tracker, spirometer (to study air flow in and out of the lungs), thermometer and pulse oximeter (to measure blood oxygen levels). Placebo or famotidine at 240 mg per day will be prescribed, and taken orally, for a maximum of 14 days. Northwell’s Home Lab program will be utilized for required blood draws and COVID-19 diagnostic nasal swabs tests. This trial is designed to keep trial participants completely out of the hospital throughout the course of their treatment.

“From the comfort of these patients’ own homes, we are taking the traditional clinical trial completely digital to study the efficacy and safety of a potential COVID-19 therapy,” said Tobias Janowitz, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist, principal investigator of the trial, assistant professor at CSHL, and adjunct professor at the Feinstein Institutes. “From assessment, to enrollment and daily data collection, we hope this study’s model will be an example for future clinical trials, and will provide high quality data as we assess candidate treatments, like famotidine, to curb this disease.”

For those interested to learn more about the outpatient famotidine clinical trial, please email ClinicalTrials@northwell.edu.

Famotidine is a common, safe over-the-counter drug used to treat heartburn and assist with healing gastrointestinal ulcers. In April 2020, the Feinstein Institutes started the nation’s first famotidine clinical trial, which enrolled more than 230 patients. The initiation of the clinical trial was based on anecdotal reports from China that patients taking the drug had better outcomes from COVID-19.

“It’s been more than a year since this pandemic has spread across the globe, and there is only one fully-authorized COVID-19 therapeutic,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes. “This innovative clinical trial of patients in their own homes should provide important data to determine if a safe and inexpensive drug may be useful for COVID-19 patients.”

At the start of the pandemic the Feinstein Institutes established a COVID-19 Clinical Trial Unit, a 200-member rapid-response clinical trial group of scientists, physicians, administrators and staff to review and launch clinical trials. Since March, the CCTU has enrolled patients in more than seven clinical trials and programs – including famotidine, remdesivir, sarilumab and convalescent plasma. Overall, more than 1,200 patients were enrolled into COVID-19 research trials across the health system, resulting in more than 200 manuscripts published, providing guidance to clinicians worldwide.

Why Consider Online Education in Healthcare?

In these uncertain times, one thing remains to be true, the healthcare industry is essential and is one of the largest sources of employment around the world.

Society’s evolving medical needs has sustained the growth of healthcare career opportunities, behavioral & mental health disorders that are only recently being brought to light, the increase in chronic diseases, and technological advancements in patient care delivery.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for healthcare employees of all kinds is to increase by 15% in the next 10 years, enticing students to explore medical degrees. There has been a surge of popularity in online healthcare degrees among college freshmen, non-traditional learners, and medical professionals looking to expand their careers.

Various online healthcare programs have different requirements & lengths depending on the career. The advantage of opting for a degree online is that you can find out more information on the endless options from the comfort of your own home. While healthcare providers, administrators, and technicians commonly need advanced medical degrees, healthcare support workers on the other hand can enter the labor pool with an associate degree or specialized postsecondary training.

5 Popular Online Healthcare Degrees

1.   Physician Assistant Studies

Physician assistants can enter the healthcare sector quicker than doctors, even though they pretty much provide several similar services, just by accomplishing a master’s degree in 2 years. Employment increase is projected at 31% until 2028 and is the highest amongst other medical fields. Tuition for this program is quite high ranging from $80,000-$90,000 but the financial investment is well worth it as a graduate can earn an average salary of $112,260.

2.   Healthcare Administration

Healthcare administrators are essential in a majority of medical facilities. They are responsible for coordinating financial operations, non-clinical services, and human resources. A bachelor’s degree in healthcare/public health administration or business administration is a minimum requirement for these positions. Tuition varies widely depending on the degree level, ranging from $9,000-$34,000. With an 18% job growth, healthcare administrators can look forward to an average salary of $100,980.

3.   Physical Therapy

A graduate degree from a program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education is needed to become a physical therapist. While a 3-year physical therapy degree may be a huge investment at $75,000, a profession in physical therapy can be rewarding at an employment increase of 22% in the next decade. Supplementary certifications in geriatrics, sports, and cardiovascular specialties can push your earnings to over $89,440.

4.   Registered Nursing

An associate degree in nursing (ADN) or diploma program can be accomplished in only 2-3 years, while a bachelor of science degree would take 4 years. Necessary clinical experience and the required NCLEX-RN is already included in an ADN at a much more affordable cost.
A constantly aging population fuels the demand for registered nurses, projecting a 12% rise in employment. A registered nurse’s average annual salary is $73,000.

5.   Medical Laboratory Technology

While a more advanced clinical laboratory technologist position requires a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory technology that will set you back around $60,000, clinical laboratory technicians on the other hand only need to accomplish a 2-year associate program which costs as little as $2,500. A foreseen 11% rise in employment is quite promising with an average salary of $53,120, definitely a good return on investment.

Online Healthcare Degree Application

Admission requirements vary depending on which online healthcare degree you want to apply for. Programs that lead to the highest-paying positions require a bachelor’s degree in the medical field. Many graduate programs require you to submit letters of recommendation, GPA & GRE scores, and a personal statement. As for programs in technical and healthcare support, there are fewer requirements depending on the career. Interested high school graduates can enroll in associate, diploma, or bachelor’s programs. Aspiring students should inquire about specific requirements, as they vary from school to school.

One example of personal injury case is medical malpractice. The victims and their families suffer much because of fear, financial burden, and the tedious legal process they need to face. But, suspected cases of medical malpractice should not be kept in silence. Equip yourself with the right information about medical malpractice to guide you if you or a loved one experiences it.

Learn what cases qualify as medical malpractice by reading below.

Actions Deviated From Accepted Medical Standards

Firms like Raphaelson Levine explain that medical malpractice happens when a licensed medical professional, such as a doctor, nurse, or anesthesiologist, commits an error, harming the patient’s health. Medical malpractice occurs when the actions of the healthcare professional deviate significantly from accepted medical standards. Because malpractice claims are difficult to prove, it’s important to seek legal help from a malpractice lawyer.

Check the following examples of malpractice claims resulting from actions that deviated from medical standards:

• Incorrect or delayed diagnosis
• Ignoring or misreading laboratory results
• Failure to treat
• Prescription medication errors
• Childbirth injuries
• Surgical or procedural mistakes
• Premature discharge
• Poor follow-up care

Injury Caused By Negligence

Medical professionals are governed by the law and are expected to deliver quality patient care consistent with the standard of care. If proven that the medical worker fails to follow the standard, then there’s negligence involved.

Besides the violation of the standard of care, the presence of injury must be proven to consider a medical malpractice claim valid. Moreover, that the healthcare worker’s negligence caused the injury must be established. Otherwise, there’s no valid medical malpractice case.

Injury Caused Significant Damage 

Pursuing a medical malpractice case against a surgeon, nurse, or any other medical professional can be expensive. For this reason, it’s advised that cases constituting minor damages be amicably settled instead of going to court. Serious forms of medical malpractice, such as surgical errors, can make the practitioner liable for huge damages.

A patient who wants to pursue a medical malpractice case must be able to prove that the case resulted in the following:

• Disability: The injury led to temporary or permanent disability, hindering the patient from returning to work and providing needs for the family. One good example is amputating a patient’s leg that could have otherwise been saved if not for an incorrect diagnosis.
• Loss Of Income: A patient can prove that the injury makes it impossible for him to earn money, entitling him to proper compensation. For instance, a patient can file a medical malpractice claim upon sustaining an allergic reaction to injected antibiotics that prevented him from working for several days because the nurse failed to conduct a skin test before administering the drug.
• Unusual Pain: Chronic and debilitating pain may result because of negligence. A patient can raise a medical malpractice claim because of a painful surgical operation due to the incorrect dose of anesthetic given by the anesthesiologist, resulting in pain and suffering and emotional trauma.
• Suffering And Hardship: The patient must prove the negligence resulted in significant suffering and hardship. One example is experiencing financial difficulties by paying costly medical bills and expenses as caused by the incident. For instance, a cosmetic surgeon can be sued for medical malpractice if the patient lapses into a protracted coma after a liposuction procedure because of too much blood loss, resulting in huge hospital bills.

Medical Malpractice Claims In The New Normal 

The pandemic has brought tremendous impact on public health and economies in the world. Vaccination has started, but doubts, concerns, and questions are being raised.

According to a trusted source, 37% of adults in the United States refuse to get a vaccination, which could be attributed to the long history of Black Americans’ medical malpractice. Questions have been raised about who will be responsible for untoward effects of experimental COVID-19 vaccines, such as the following:

• Who will be responsible for any allergic reaction or untoward emergency arising from COVID vaccination?
• Will medical professionals not be liable for the potential problems caused by COVID vaccines?
• How will a patient or his family prove that a complication or death is due to COVID vaccination?
• Will the vaccine manufacturers provide compensation to the families of people who will be harmed or die due to COVID vaccine adverse reactions?

A qualified medical malpractice lawyer can answer these questions. If you have questions about a malpractice claim arising from the COVID-19 vaccination, talk to a medical malpractice lawyer today.

Conclusion

Healthcare professionals follow a certain code of ethics and standard operating procedures approved by respected medical organizations. If a patient complains of harm because of a medical procedure, medication, or treatment, it will warrant prompt investigation. Medical malpractice constitutes negligence, violation of care, and significant injury and damage.

Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Montefiore Health System announced a new agreement focused on improving the access to quality healthcare for people throughout New York City, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. This latest multi-year agreement continues the longstanding relationship between the two organizations. It features several new community outreach initiatives including health events, a partnership to support nutrition services for at-risk populations, and a mobile health unit to deliver essential testing and screening focused on improving the health of the community.

“We are on a mission to materially and measurably improve the health of all New Yorkers, and we know there are many critical healthcare needs in the Bronx, which ranks 62 out of New York’s 62 counties for health outcomes.i Today, as part of our mission, we signed a new agreement with Montefiore Health System that solidifies our commitment to protect affordability and access to quality care for our members. In these extraordinary times, it’s critical we build a more meaningful partnership that focuses on improving the health of the communities we jointly serve,” said Alan Murray, president, Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

“As we continue to face the challenges of the pandemic, innovative arrangements with insurers enable us to provide the best quality healthcare. Our new agreement with Empire BlueCross BlueShield is built on our mutual commitment to the communities we serve, and sets us on a continued path forward, together, to serve our patients,” said Colleen Blye, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Montefiore Health System.

This new deal builds on Empire’s mission and existing commitment to improving health outcomes in the Bronx. Empire’s work in the Bronx has included events that keep the community healthy, including mask and sanitizer distribution and flu pop-up clinics earlier this year, as well as grants for City Harvest’s Mobile Market Program and NYC Parks’ Shape Up program through Empire’s Foundation. Additionally, Empire is partnering with BronxNet Community Television and is a sponsor of the Go Bronx podcast.

The Bronx was the epicenter of the first wave of COVID-19, and Montefiore increased its bed capacity by 100% to treat COVID-19 patients, initially without federal or state funding. As part of its rapid response, Montefiore spent upwards of $350 million to procure personal protective equipment (PPE), establish seven COVID-19 testing sites throughout the Bronx and Westchester and hire additional out-of-state frontline staff. Montefiore’s ongoing investments include funding a robust telehealth program, establishing a COVID vaccine trials unit, and creating a research and care clinic, offering treatment for COVID patients with long-term chronic symptoms and related health issues. Montefiore serves a population of approximately three million people. Between March and June of 2020, the height of the pandemic, Montefiore treated and safely discharged more than 8,000 patients back to their homes.

About Empire BlueCross BlueShield in New York

Serving New Yorkers for 80 years, Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) is on a mission to materially and measurably improve the health of New Yorkers. Empire is the largest health insurer in New York supporting more than four million members and more than 38,000 business, union and small employers in New York. Empire is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, serving residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State.

About Montefiore Health System

Montefiore Health System is one of New York’s premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families.