By Navin Balakrishnaraja, practice director for healthcare IT Services, All Covered (IT services division of Konica Minolta).
Technology continues to advance the healthcare industry, providing more precision and improved delivery of care. However, it’s more important and even more challenging than ever for organizations to secure patient information and keep health data safe.
Advancements in cybersecurity measures need to go hand in hand with privacy and still a necessity. The frequency of data breaches in the healthcare industry has been on the rise and healthcare is now the most targeted sector by cybercriminals.
According to the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of a healthcare breach resulted in $7.13 million, a 10% increase from 2019. Healthcare has been a primary target in recent ransomware attacks, as you’ve probably seen the headlines and continue to hear it all over media.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have received “credible information of increased and imminent cybercrime threats” aimed at hospitals and healthcare providers in the United States. They released an advisory of this targeted activity to all healthcare networks and that it appears that targeted attacks are only going to escalate.
Because of the immutable, high-value nature of electronic patient health information (ePHI), health data is a gold mine to cybercriminals. On the dark web, the cost of one record averages around more than $400 per record. A large shift in ransomware deployment operations has taken place. Cybercriminals are like psychologists, staying one step ahead of tools and user sophistication. Many of them depend on malware, but the focus has been on gaining privileged access and exploring target networks to disable security processes.
Loaders start the infection chain by distributing the payload; they deploy and execute the backdoor from the command and control (C2) server and install it on a victim’s machine. This example shows what organizations are running up against, making cyberattacks more intricate in nature.
Almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the stress surrounding the rising number of cases and the ensuing economic recession reminds high. Nearly half a million Americans have been hospitalized due to coronavirus, putting untold stress on patients, their families and hospital staff. Healthcare and health insurance costs are likely to rise after an unprecedented year, while millions struggle to meet their basic needs.
On top of that, surprise medical billing can quickly spiral into large amounts of debt and even bankruptcy. Routine tests alone can result in thousands of dollars in uncovered charges; some hospitalized patients have received bills upward of $400,000. While the situation absolutely harms patients, it also negatively impacts health providers, insurers and the industry at large.
Just as we’ve reevaluated the way we conduct nearly every aspect of daily life, we’ve also had to take a hard look at whether our healthcare systems are actually working. In order to make informed decisions about their physical and financial health, consumers need greater transparency throughout the healthcare experience.
After years of mounting demand for a better consumer experience in healthcare, we’ve reached a tipping point. Transparency is no longer optional.
Patients need to choose providers based on quality and cost
Consumers have long been frustrated with the status quo because it doesn’t provide them with a source of truth about healthcare costs and healthcare quality. It’s baffling that healthcare is the only consumer experience that doesn’t encourage shopping for the best option at the best price. We have a suite of easily available tools to help us shop for most items, evaluate their quality and compare price. Why isn’t our healthcare—which is much more important than the latest gadget—the same?
For example, even when patients know to search for an in-network provider, they struggle to select the right one. Many insurance carriers have some aspect of price or force ranking of providers on the ‘Find a Provider’ section of their website—but these aren’t exactly intuitive user experiences (perhaps by design).
Netwrix, a cybersecurity vendor that makes data security easy, released predictions about key trends that will impact organizations in 2021 and beyond. Most of them arise from the digital transformation and new workflows required by the rapid transition to remote work in 2020.
Ilia Sotnikov
Ilia Sotnikov, cybersecurity expert and Netwrix vice president of product management, recommends that IT and security professionals refine their risk management and business continuity strategies with these seven predictions in mind.
Ransomware will do more damage to motivate payments
Next-gen ransomware will be designed to do damage that is more difficult to recover from in order to force organizations into paying the ransom. One example is “bricking” devices by modifying the BIOS or other firmware. Cybercriminals will also be expanding to new targets, such as operational technology and IoT devices, which may have a much more visible impact on the physical world.
Cloud misconfigurations will be one of the top causes of data breaches
A lack of clear understanding of the shared responsibility model due to the rapid transition to the cloud will backfire in 2021. The speed of transition coupled with prioritizing productivity over security has made misconfigurations inevitable, resulting in overexposed data.
Hackers will increasingly target service providers
The shortage of cybersecurity experts will lead more organizations to turn to managed service providers (MSPs). In response, hackers will conduct targeted attacks on MSPs in order to get access to not just one organization but all of the MSP’s customers.
The rapid digital transformation in 2020 will have a delayed impact on cybersecurity in 2021
In 2020, organizations were forced to quickly adapt to new ways of working and implement new technologies; and through their own admission via the upcoming Netwrix survey with little experience and nearly no time for planning and testing. In 2021, the security gaps caused by the inevitable mistakes during this rapid transition will be exploited, and we will see new data breach patterns like the recent Twitter hacks.
Mental health is an integral part of a healthy and happy life. According to a research by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), almost one in every five Americans experiences mental health issues.
As your mental health is responsible for your emotional, psychological, and social well-being, you need to pay as much attention to it as possible. Where therapy has shown positive results in the past, with the spread of coronavirus, it is becoming quite difficult for mental health patients to reach their therapists.
Where on one side, the current pandemic is the cause of loneliness, depression, and anxiety in people, teletherapy has seen a huge rise. According to a local survey at Southern Cross University, a poll suggested that almost 98% of respondents agreed that the pandemic had taken a toll on their mental health. So, as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, so does the need to talk to your therapist over the internet.
Like every other industry in the world, the health sector has also transformed itself to fit the current needs. Where you once had to travel miles to your therapist’s office, all you have to do now is boot up your computer, and you are good to go. Most therapists are saying that people are starting to get used to the idea of online therapy.
“I think that people have started to get used to the idea of doing therapy over the video, even if it’s not ideal for either party. I do think that video will stay consistent for some time to come, even if COVID numbers go down, for the sheer usefulness of the platform,” said Jason Fierstein, a licensed professional at Phoenix Men’s Counseling.
Benefits of Online Therapy
Online therapy isn’t only feasible during the pandemic, but it offers benefits that surpass the traditional form of therapy.
Diabetic neuropathy occurs because of diabetes, a disease that can seriously harm your health. Although it is not a fast-developing disease, it is a painful complication to live with. High levels of blood sugar for a long time can put you at the risk of this complication, which may take years to show symptoms.
Diabetic Neuropathy is of four types:
Peripheral
Autonomic
Proximal
Focal
If you have diabetes and feel either; numbness, a prickling sensation on your skin, pain, and/or weakness in your hands or feet, you should immediately visit your doctor. All of these are signs of peripheral neuropathy. However, these are just the early signs. In the last stage of neuropathy, you may develop an ulcer on your foot and grow numb to pain. Diabetic neuropathy treatment must be sought after the first few signs of this complication.
The Signs and Symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy:
When your nerves get damaged due to prolonged and ill-managed diabetes, it’s known as Neuropathy. Diabetic Neuropathy has the chance to lessen if treated at the right time and if these signs and symptoms are not ignored. The symptoms are below:
Sweating
Sensitivity or complete loss of sense of touch
Difficulty walking
Nausea
Indigestion
Bloating
Numbness/pain in parts of the body
Lightheadedness
Burning sensation or prickling sensation in feet
Diarrhea
Constipation
Problems urinating; frequent urination, or trouble emptying a full bladder.
You can no longer tell when your glucose level is low.
If you have any of these symptoms, visit your doctor. Prescription medicines can help ease your pain, but this condition does not have a permanent solution as of yet. Damaged nerves cannot regain their original form since your body has no such mechanism to repair such nerve tissues. For frequent urination or incontinence, a temporary solution can be women’s pads or men’s external catheter kit. However, it is still vital that you get your diabetic neuropathy treatment done in time.
How to manage your symptoms:
We can suggest precautions and aftercare if you are at risk of this disease. They are down below:
Lower your blood sugar level:
Keep your blood sugar level in check. Go on a strict diet and do not consume food that may risk increasing your blood sugar level because this will worsen your condition. Drink healthy and eat clean. You cannot consume food rich in sugar and take your insulin shots or oral medicines regularly. Monitor your blood sugar level every few hours.
Treat the nerve pain:
Your doctor will most likely prescribe you with medicines to help control the symptoms and pain. Other than that, you can also take OTC medicine to help you with your pain.
Keep extra care of your feet:
Always keep a check on your feet to ensure that they do not have any type of injury or infection. When you suffer from Diabetic Neuropathy, your ability to feel damage or injury on your feet or legs can weaken, so you may never even realize if you accidentally cut yourself or hurt yourself. Always keep strict foot hygiene by regularly clipping your toenails and washing your feet with body soap. Do not walk barefoot.
Use OTC pain medication:
There are many OTC medicine options available to help ease your pain. No medicine is available to vanish the pain entirely, but aspirin, ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen work well enough to soothe mild to moderate pain faced in diabetic neuropathy.
Get tons of Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is the easiest vitamin to get a hold of since the sun is the biggest source of Vitamin D. According to studies, Vitamin D has been known to help ease the pain that is caused by nerve damage, i.e., Diabetic Neuropathy. People with low levels of Vitamin D may feel more pain than people with high Vitamin D levels.
However, it is impossible to get the recommended amount through the sun and food. If you need a kickstart, start taking a Vitamin D supplement.
Diabetic Neuropathy treatments:
There may be no permanent treatment to end this complication but your doctor will still give you treatments that will help lessen your symptoms:
Anti-Seizure prescription medication:
There are many various medicines available to treat disorders like epilepsy that can also be used to lessen nerve pain.
Antidepressants:
Antidepressants are prescription drugs used to treat depression, but they have also proven to work to ease Diabetic Neuropathy pain. For moderate nerve pain, the tricyclic classed antidepressants like; desipramine, imipramine, and amitriptyline may help.
If needed, your doctor will combine your anti-seizure medicine with your antidepressant drug. You may also use both these medicines alongside OTC medication and/or painkillers.
Complications you may face:
With this painful disease, you may face several complications, which are all listed below:
Frequent Urinary tract infection or problems:
All the medicines you take have side effects too. Some drugs may affect your bladder’s normal function. If this happens, consult your doctor because they may suggest changing or stopping the medication. You may note your urination timing or go on a strict schedule where you only urinate after a few hours.
Digestive problems:
You may develop digestive problems like indigestion, bloating, and gastroparesis. For this, it is best to eat smaller portions in a more systematic manner. Your doctor may encourage some changes in your diet and also switch or stop your medication.
Low blood pressure:
If you have been facing this problem or feel like everything goes black when you suddenly stand up, you need to make some lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes like cutting back on alcohol, high water consumption, and slowly getting up will make a significant impact on your low blood pressure.
Conclusion:
Diabetic Neuropathy is a condition that only gets worse with time if its symptoms are not spotted and controlled early on. Scientists are working on a solution to reverse tissue damage caused by this disease, but there is nothing that can officially be a permanent solution. It is only smart to make lifestyle changes, monitor your blood pressure, and visit your doctor religiously.
Head injury is any harm to the brain, skull, scalp in the form of swelling, broken blood vessels, or nerve damage. These injuries range from minor injuries such as bumps to severe injuries like traumatic brain injury (TB1), depending on the extent of the damage caused by an object.
A head injury can either be closed or open (penetrating). In closed head injury, there is no impairment to the skull, while in open head injury; the damage penetrates into the skull, thus entering the brain.
Did you know?
In case of serious brain traumatic injuries, doctors perform surgeries to repair the skull. After surgery, mostly people need to spend some time in rehabilitation to get back to their normal life.
Let’s dig into the details.
Causes of head injury:
There can be numerous causes of head injury. The most common injuries occur due to accidents in automobiles, on bikes, or while crossing roads. Likewise, you may experience a head injury when you fall or when you are playing sports. Generally, these injuries are caused due to blows to the head. On the other hand, some head injuries occur due to violence or child abuse––head shaken. In all cases, early treatment is crucial, therefore keeping small travel kits in the car for administering first aid in an emergency when you are out and about could be a wise move.
Falls and car accidents are common causes of injuries. Dealing with the aftermath of these events can be overwhelming. A person suffers from physical illness, but emotional trauma such as flashbacks of an auto wreck can be worst of all-cause ongoing pain and distracting attention to perform daily activities. To come out of this, you should seek professional medical care.
Types of Car Accident Wounds and Injuries
Abrasion
When your skin rubs against a rough surface, for example, road rash, an abrasion occurs. The victim not usually bleeds, but the wound needs to be cleaned on time to avoid infection.
In decades past, when people had tooth decay or suffered from a toothache, dentists would simply pull teeth out. Anesthesia wasn’t as strong, so the process of pulling teeth was painful. Fortunately, the dental industry has changed over the years, providing less painful processes when it pertains to oral health and surgeries.
Furthermore, advanced dental technology has made it easier to take impressions, create dentures and extract teeth. Today, we’re looking at the top five technologies used in dentistry. We’ll discuss what digitized dentures are and the process behind robotic surgeries. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Robotic Surgery
Artificial intelligence (AI) is paving the way for the dental industry. Dental robots are now able to perform tasks such as filling cavities, and cleaning or extracting teeth. This is a major perk for dental practices with high foot traffic, as robots can work much faster than humans. This should also be a welcome change to patients who won’t have to wait as long for appointments.
What’s more, AI works with the utmost precision, so there will be limited mistakes when doing dental work. Fortunately, dental insurance will still cover the charges whether you get your dental work done by a human or robotic practitioner.
