Vaginal yeast infection is very common, and most women contract it at some point in their lives, especially during their childbearing age. Around 75% of the female population is estimated to suffer from this infection at least once. The origin is an increase in fungi of the candida type in the vagina. These yeasts are naturally present in the body, but a bacterial imbalance can cause them to overgrow.
Although it is a situation that can become very uncomfortable, today, there is a wide variety of treatments and measures to prevent these infections from occurring. It is not a serious infection, but it can be very annoying, so it is highly recommended to take precautions to take care of your health, and here are some tips you can follow.
Many center on the proposed implementation timeframes associated with various concepts included in HTI-1, as well as ONC’s failure to sufficiently consider the burden compliance will place on provider organizations and health IT developers. Specifically, health IT developers need more time than allotted in HTI-1 to deliver safe, compliant, and high-quality versions of their certified products. Providers will also need sufficient time to implement and become proficient with that upgraded software.
We also encourage ONC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to work more closely together to address the misalignments that frequently occur between when ONC tells software developers to deploy new certified versions and when CMS requires providers to be using them. There are also proposals in HTI-1 that create a dependency on collaboration with healthcare provider organizations for developers to be successful in meeting their obligations, but CMS has included in rulemaking no corresponding incentives for them to do so – making compliance for vendors significantly more challenging.
We have also identified issues with four specific provisions of HTI-1: Insights Condition, USCDI v3, Decision Support Interventions (DSI) and Predictive Models, and Patient Requested Restrictions.
Veterans are the brave individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving their country. They have made immense sacrifices, risking life and limb to protect our freedoms. However, transitioning back to civilian life can be challenging for many veterans, especially when accessing the care they need.
Fortunately, technological advancements have opened up new avenues to support and empower veterans throughout their healthcare journey. From telehealth solutions to wearable devices, technology is revolutionizing the way veterans navigate qualifying for disability, receive care and enhance their overall well-being.
Robotics and Prosthetics for Enhancing Mobility
Advancements in robotics and prosthetics have significantly improved the quality of life for veterans with limb loss or mobility impairments. Cutting-edge prosthetic limbs, equipped with advanced sensors and actuators, closely mimic natural movements, allowing veterans to regain their independence and engage in daily activities more easily.
Additionally, robotic exoskeletons support and assist individuals with spinal cord injuries, enabling them to stand, walk, and even participate in rehabilitative exercises. These technological innovations restore physical abilities and boost veterans’ confidence and mental well-being.
Telehealth for Remote Access
One of the significant challenges veterans face is limited access to healthcare, especially in rural areas. Many veterans live far away from medical facilities, making it difficult and time-consuming to receive necessary care. However, technology has bridged this gap through telehealth solutions. Telehealth enables veterans to consult with healthcare professionals remotely, eliminating the need for extensive travel. Through video conferencing and virtual appointments, veterans can receive timely medical advice, access mental health counseling, and monitor chronic conditions without leaving their homes.
FutureRx (FRx) announced today the appointment of Eric Grossman as its chief commercial officer, tasked with all aspects of the commercial strategy related to its innovative FRx cloud-based healthcare platform and FRx Marketplace for health plans and pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs). Grossman will oversee FRx product and partner development, marketing, sales, and customer service strategies to build market share and maximize revenues.
Eric Grossman
“Eric brings to FutureRx a remarkable track record of developing highly effective commercial strategies for healthcare technology companies that deliver innovative SaaS solutions to the payer market,” said Anil Kottoor, CEO of FutureRx. “He will be an exceptional asset as FutureRx embarks on an aggressive growth strategy focused on providing health plans and PBMs with access to a highly unique suite of technology tools and services that lets them reclaim control over their pharmacy benefits programs.”
Grossman has more than 20 years of leadership experience with innovative health IT organizations in roles that span strategy, sales, product management, and corporate business development.
Before joining FRx, he was chief commercial officer of Softheon, where his commercial strategies and sales team and processes netted double-digit recurring revenue growth. He joined Softheon following its 2021 acquisition of NextHealth, the market-leading analytics platform he founded and ran to help health plans measure and optimize clinical interventions for more than 25 million U.S. beneficiaries.
By Rob Falbo, vice president of healthcare solutions, Imperva.
In most industries, an IT service outage can lead to lost revenue. In the healthcare industry, disruption of network or application services impacts critical patient care. In the past year, non-human web traffic spiked dramatically, a trend that should be concerning for any healthcare organization.
Research conducted by cybersecurity company Imperva found that, in 2022, 35.8% of all US healthcare website traffic came from bad bots. These are malicious, automated software applications capable of high-speed abuse, misuse, and attacks. What’s more concerning is that 27.1% of bad bots were classified as “advanced.” This breed of bot is capable of using the latest evasion techniques, closely mimicking human behavior to avoid detection.
With bad bot traffic continuing to rise across the globe, it’s critical for healthcare organizations to understand the potential threat bad bots pose and the steps they can take to mitigate it.
How Attackers Are Hitting the Healthcare Industry
In February 2023, the US healthcare industry was put on edge as a spade of denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks were carried out against various healthcare organizations by the Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet.
DDoS attacks are designed to overload a network with traffic, making it difficult, even impossible, for patients to access essential services. The attacks are carried out by a collection of bots or hijacked machines, known as a botnet. This enables the attackers to harness the power of many machines and obscure the traffic source. Since traffic is distributed, it is difficult for security tools and teams to detect that a DDoS attack is occurring until it is too late.
In the previous articles, we discussed the importance of healthcare interoperability and the factors hindering its progress. In this final part, we will explore potential solutions and future directions to accelerate the advancement of interoperability in healthcare.
Standardization and Data Exchange Frameworks
One of the key solutions for promoting interoperability is the adoption of standardized data formats and exchange frameworks. Implementing widely accepted standards, such as HL7 FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), can facilitate seamless data exchange between different systems. Embracing common standards ensures that healthcare organizations can effectively communicate and share information, regardless of the systems they use.
Enhancing Data Governance and Consent Management
To address privacy concerns and build trust, robust data governance frameworks and consent management mechanisms need to be established. Patients should have control over their health data, allowing them to provide informed consent for data sharing and specify their privacy preferences. Implementing strong security measures, ensuring data integrity, and promoting transparent data handling practices are vital for fostering patient confidence in interoperability initiatives.
In our previous article, we discussed the importance of healthcare interoperability and some of the challenges that impede its progress. In this second part, we will delve deeper into the factors that hinder the advancement of healthcare interoperability.
By understanding these barriers, we can work towards overcoming them and achieving a more interconnected healthcare system.
Fragmented Health IT Landscape
The healthcare industry operates within a fragmented landscape, with various electronic health record (EHR) systems, medical devices, and health information exchange (HIE) platforms in use. These systems often lack standardized data formats and interoperability capabilities, making it challenging to exchange information seamlessly.
The lack of a unified approach leads to data silos, where patient information becomes trapped within specific systems and organizations.
Proprietary Systems and Vendor Lock-In
Proprietary EHR systems and vendor lock-in practices can hinder interoperability. When healthcare organizations heavily invest in a particular vendor’s system, it may restrict their ability to share data with other systems or switch vendors.
This limited interoperability can impede the seamless exchange of patient information and hinder collaboration between healthcare providers.
Information Blocking Practices
Information blocking refers to practices that intentionally impede the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information. Although regulations such as the 21st Century Cures Act in the United States discourage information blocking, instances of such practices have been reported. Some vendors or healthcare organizations may restrict data sharing for competitive or financial reasons, hindering the free flow of information necessary for interoperability.
There’s nothing wrong with carrying devices that help you in your tasks better, be it hearing aids or walking canes; however, they make many individuals feel self-conscious. Consequently, gadgets like hearing aids have undergone a remarkable transformation, combining fashion, convenience, and functionality to create devices with innovative designs. In this article, we’ll discuss these in detail.
The latest trends in hearing aid designs are revolutionizing how hearing loss patients perceive their devices. Devices now have sleek designs that sit in the ear discreetly without attracting much attention. Let’s explore five key trends in hearing aid design that empowers individuals to embrace their hearing aid with confidence and pride.
Discreet and Invisible Solutions
One of the most significant trends in hearing aid designs is the move towards discreet and virtually invisible solutions. Modern hearing aids are designed to be sleek, compact, and blend seamlessly with the wearer’s natural appearance. The following four types of hearing aids offer these amenities:
Behind the Ear (BTE)
Behind-the-ear hearing aids sit behind the ear and consist of a transparent tube connected to the earmold. Advanced miniaturization technologies have created smaller components, making the BTE models more discreet than ever. These devices are easy to clean and use, even recommended for children, offer minimal feedback, and are suitable for mild to profound hearing loss.
In-the-Canal (ITC)
Advancements in custom earmold manufacturing and 3D printing techniques have led to the development of completely-in-canal (CIC) or invisible-in-canal (IIC) hearing aids. ITC devices are made of invisible plastic shells placed inside the ear canal. The deep placement allows them to be minimally visible and small. However, patients find it difficult to handle considering its size. It is prone to earwax build-up and is inappropriate for profound hearing loss.
In-the-Ear (IEA)
In-the-ear hearing aids are more prominent than the other options, comprising parts within a shell placed in the ear’s outer part. They are made to appear discreet by customizing them in colors that match your skin tone. IEA hearing aids work well with directional microphones and telecoils. The cons of this style include earwax build-up, feedback issues, and unsuitability for profound hearing loss.
Receiver-In-Canal (RIC)
Receiver-in-canal hearing comprises a tiny receiver inside the canal and an invisible tube. This hearing aid also sits inside the ear canal, virtually invisible. They also utilize an open-fit concept preventing the canal from being entirely blocked. They are also prone to wax buildup and are inappropriate for profound hearing loss.
In the previous articles, we discussed the importance of healthcare interoperability and the factors hindering its progress. In this final part, we will explore potential solutions and future directions to accelerate the advancement of interoperability in healthcare.
There’s nothing wrong with carrying devices that help you in your tasks better, be it hearing aids or walking canes; however, they make many individuals feel self-conscious. Consequently, gadgets like hearing aids have undergone a remarkable transformation, combining fashion, convenience, and functionality to create devices with innovative designs. In this article, we’ll discuss these in detail.