Functional balance is a critical health metric. One-quarter of seniors – about 36 million – will fall each year in the U.S. and more than 36,000 of them will die as a result. That translates into one fall every second of every day. The problem is growing, as fall-related deaths among seniors in the U.S. have more than doubled over the past 20 years, according to a research letter in JAMA Open. It is also an expensive problem. According to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatric
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4 Tips to Alleviate Burnout, Quell the Great Resignation in Nursing
When it comes to the Great Resignation, forget office workers – the real wave of resignation is coming from nurses. For many months post-COVID, nearly every headline, or so it seemed, was about office employees, their career paths, and the return to the office. What was underreported then – and continues to be – is that the Great Resignation came in full force for nurses. The dynamics in healthcare are always complicated: Costs are going up, margins and reimbursements are shrinking, and
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Digital Capabilities & Emerging Tech Hold The Keys to Surviving Healthcare’s “Silver Tsunami”
The rapid growth of America’s senior population presents unique challenges for the healthcare industry. There are more than 56 million Americans currently over the age of 65, and approximately 85% of them have at least one chronic condition. Caring for these seniors accounts for more than one-third of all medical expenditures in the U.S. and nearly 40% of all in-patient hospital encounters. But the real challenge is that there will be 45% more 60-90 year-olds by 2033 than there are now, and 30%
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How To Fight Candida Auris/Fungal Infections In Hospitals
Concerns about deadly fungal infections are growing nearly as fast as the outbreaks themselves. From popular television shows to recent articles in the Wall Street Journal and Fast Company, the attention has been swift and breathless. Unfortunately, lost in the scramble to highlight their potency and develop a cure has been any agreement on an effective strategy for cutting into their spread. Over centuries of fighting diseases, humanity has developed a
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Why Avoiding Costly Coding Mistakes Is More Critical Than Ever
In May 2022, a California doctor was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison for his involvement in a $12 million Medicare fraud scheme. His crime: performing unnecessary vein ablation procedures on patients, and using incorrect billing codes to receive larger reimbursements. He received $4.5 million in reimbursements from Medicare over a three-year period. Compared to this example, most instances of “upcoding” and “overcoding” are not as malevolent or expensive. But even an
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Innovation Key to Tackling Medicaid Redetermination Challenge
As a result of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), Medicaid programs were required to keep citizens continuously enrolled through the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). These continuous enrollments ended on March 31, 2023, resulting in what many call the unwinding of Medicaid. In June, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimated that between 8 million and 24 million people will lose Medicaid coverage during the unwinding of the continuous enrollment provision. The
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Enterprise Imaging: What is the Market Opportunity Beyond Radiology?
The concept of an enterprise imaging strategy was coined over a decade ago, however, it’s only in recent years that the expansion beyond “enterprise radiology” has truly begun. The total market for IT across those nine specialties included in Signify Research’s report reached $6.6 billion in 2022; however, only 20% of market revenue was associated with enterprise deals. When digging deeper into which specialties led the enterprise trend, radiology represented 71% of the total enterprise imaging
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No More Surprises: Automation Ensures Compliance, Mitigating Penalties
The No Surprises Act (NSA) is a bipartisan effort to protect patients from unexpected healthcare expenses. This law is good news for patients, with a KFF poll showing that 1 in 3 insured adults between 18 and 64 received an unexpected medical bill in the prior two years. The NSA aims to make the cost of care more transparent and minimize surprise billing, which can cause significant financial burdens through higher out-of-pocket expenses and denied claims. Under the NSA, patients now receive
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Ozempic: From Diabetes Management to Potential Weight Loss Miracle
You've probably heard about Ozempic, especially if you're one of the millions who regularly scroll through TikTok or browse other social media platforms. It's the drug that influencers are lauding as a revolutionary aid for weight loss, making it a hot topic of conversation. While Ozempic was initially developed to manage Type 2 diabetes, its emerging potential for weight loss is captivating medical professionals and the public alike. How Ozempic Works: The Basics Ozempic is a
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Embracing a Forward-Thinking Vision to Address the Senior Care Crisis
A demographic shift is looming, and we aren’t as prepared as we think. Colorado has long been revered for its stunning landscapes and outdoor pursuits, earning a reputation as a state with a youthful and active population – but, we are aging. By 2050, Colorado’s number of older adults is expected to more than double to 1.7 million, second only to Alaska in the U.S. for the fastest-growing population of people over 65. Nationwide, the 85 and older population is projected to more than double
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