By David Sampson, VP of Cyber Risk & Strategy, Thrive.
In February, hackers took Change Healthcare offline in one of the most high-profile and wide-reaching cyberattacks to date. Change Healthcare serves hundreds of thousands of providers in the U.S. and processes billions of transactions every year. With Change Healthcare’s systems compromised, cash stopped flowing for hospitals and physician offices everywhere. Providers couldn’t submit new claims, pharmacies couldn’t charge appropriately for prescriptions, and prior authorizations couldn’t go through for critical procedures.
Even after Change Healthcare’s parent entity, UnitedHealth Group, paid a $22 million ransom to the group behind the attack, there’s still risk that sensitive patient data could be leaked online. More importantly, the healthcare industry saw how a cyberattack on a third-party vendor could directly interfere with patient care.
Unfortunately, cyberattacks on the healthcare industry are growing – and, like the Change Healthcare attack, can wreak havoc on everyday operations and impact patient safety. However, if hospitals take the right precautions, they can mitigate these risks and better protect themselves from hackers, ransoms, and disruptions to business.
The Importance of Evaluating Third-party Vendor Risk
Healthcare organizations often rely on third-party vendors for various services. Delivering high-quality patient care is complicated in and of itself. Building an ecosystem that includes services and solutions like telemedicine, wearables, digital electronic medical records (EMRs), patient-centered mobile apps, and other cutting-edge innovations is impossible for smaller healthcare providers.
Many times, the best way to extend the range of services offered is to work with third-party vendors. The problem is this outsourcing expands the surface area of attack for cyber criminals. Every third-party vendor relationship comes with a new IT integration and potential entry point for hackers. In other words, more third-party vendors means increased organizational risk.
Healthcare leaders must recognize this tradeoff and think intentionally about how best to strike the balance between healthcare excellence and IT integrity. Before onboarding a new vendor, providers must conduct thorough audits, identify all vulnerabilities, and work constantly to ensure systems are integrated in a safe, secure, and resilient fashion. This is not a point-in-time exercise, but one that both healthcare providers and vendors have to engage in regularly to keep intruders away from sensitive patient data.
By Janet Campbell, Chair, EHR Association Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity Task Force
A patient’s risk within social determinant of health (SDOH) domains is typically assessed by social care and healthcare professionals through either conversation, standard screening questionnaires, or validated testing instruments. The challenge is the lack of consensus on which specific domains should be assessed for patients – and how they should be assessed.
This lack of uniformity reflects the absence of a consistent, universally agreed-upon, and prioritized list of domains for assessment, the result of which is overlapping domains that complicate the exchange and interpretation of this data.
Inconsistency Inhibits Interoperability
The absence of clear guidelines for risk assessment and standardized representation of risks in EHRs also hinders effective data exchange to inform interactions at the point of care. The receiving EHR may not be able to interpret data in a way that is helpful to the user, nor can data be aggregated across multiple systems to gain insights into social risks at a broader geographical or environmental scale.
A comprehensive new survey that includes responses from more than 1,500 US patients conducted by Hyro, a leading healthcare AI-powered communications company, reveals that patients throughout the US health system are not only frustrated by poor provider support but are also experiencing tangible health setbacks as a result of these friction points.
Hyro’s “Voice of the Patient” survey and accompanying report highlight significant gaps between patient needs and the current support available through healthcare delivery channels. These care challenges are particularly glaring during appointment settings and when patients attempt to refill prescriptions.
While the survey’s findings provide a plethora of information that may impact patient engagement and patient well-being, the following points suggest providers have some important ground to cover in their service delivery outside of the exam room.
Key findings include:
21% of patients delay or forgo refilling prescriptions due to lengthy hold times and cumbersome provider-created processes
32% of patients report experiencing health complications due to postponing prescription refills
81% of patients believe there should be more self-service options for scheduling appointments with their medical provider
84% would prefer to speak with an AI assistant rather than wait on hold for a live human agent
66% of patients expect their healthcare provider to employ generative AI technologies to enable better online and phone support – this year
“Our Voice of the Patient report clearly shows that patients are ready for more advanced, AI-powered healthcare experiences to reduce their pain points and improve their experience with their providers,” said Israel Krush, CEO and Co-Founder at Hyro. “They’re demanding the same level of convenience in healthcare that they experience in other industries, and providers who fail to meet these expectations risk patient disengagement and potentially exacerbating negative health outcomes of their patients.”
Biologics have revolutionized the field of medicine, offering advanced treatments for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, autoimmune disorders, and genetic conditions. These therapies, which include complex molecules such as monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins, are produced using living cells.
As a result, the development and optimization of cell lines are critical steps in the production of biologics. This article delves into the importance of cell line development for biologics, highlighting the key components and the role of specialized services in ensuring the success of biologic therapies.
Understanding The Role Of Cell Line Development
Cell line development involves creating and optimizing cell lines that can produce the desired biologic product efficiently and consistently. These cell lines serve as the foundation for the production of biologics, making them a crucial component of the entire manufacturing process. The cells used in biologics production are often derived from mammalian sources, such as Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, due to their ability to produce complex proteins with human-like post-translational modifications.
Key Steps In Cell Line Development
The development of a cell line for biologics production involves several critical steps, including:
— Gene Insertion: Introducing the gene of interest into the host cells to produce the desired therapeutic protein.
— Selection: Screening and selecting cell clones that exhibit high productivity and stability.
— Expansion: Scaling up the selected cell line to produce larger quantities of the biologic product.
— Characterization: Conducting thorough testing to ensure the cell line’s genetic stability, productivity, and safety.
The Importance Of Cell Line Development For Biologics Ensuring Consistent And High-Quality Production
One of the primary reasons why cell line development is crucial for biologics is its role in ensuring consistent and high-quality production. The stability and productivity of the cell line directly impact the efficiency of the manufacturing process and the quality of the final product. A well-developed cell line can produce the biologic product at high yields and with the necessary purity and potency required for therapeutic use.
Organizations specializing in cell line development services provide the expertise and infrastructure needed to develop and optimize cell lines that meet the stringent requirements of biologics manufacturing. These services play a critical role in maintaining the consistency and quality of biologic therapies.
Losing weight can really make a difference in daily life. However, changing attitudes and habits is very difficult for many people, and often seems even impossible.
Fortunately, with the help of specialists and doctors, it is possible to achieve the figure of your dreams in a safe, healthy and effective way.
How to effectively lose weight?
Medical weight loss – what is it and how can it be helpful?
How can you effectively shed excessive pounds? Let’s find out more about this topic.
How to effectively lose weight?
To lose weight, if it is not the result of disease but an inadequate lifestyle, you need primarily diet and physical activity. Many people try to change their habits on their own.
However, this is very difficult. It should be remembered that self-prepared diets are very often ineffective. Many people make numerous mistakes when trying to plan a healthy menu with a caloric deficit. As a result, food cravings, feelings of hunger, fatigue often make it easy to break the resolutions made. As a result, a hungry, tired person throws himself on food, wasting all the effort made.
According to one report, business executives mentioned Artificial Intelligence (AI) more than 30,000 times in earnings calls at the end of 2023. AI, and debates around fears, capabilities and ethics have dominated discussions in both the board room and at the water cooler in most industries. I’ve experienced several major technology shifts and innovations throughout my career but the buzz around AI is groundbreaking.
In behavioral health, we’re talking about AI every day and uncovering how it can be a great complement to other technologies used in treatment centers and practices. Our provider clients have reported it boosts note-taking and documentation processes with improvements in accuracy and efficiency. Data produced by Eleos shows providers have reported that documentation time has been reduced up to 50%, allowing clinical teams to spend more focused time with patients.
Providers leveraging AI also said they have 90% of their notes submitted within 24 hours, reducing documentation backlog and avoiding denials due to late submissions. Another key benefit is care teams indicate they’re able to use AI insights to deliver evidence-based best practices, which is excellent for improving patient outcomes.
Testing the waters
Our colleagues at All Points North (APN), a multi-site, 77-bed Behavioral Health system based in Colorado, decided to move ahead with an AI solution. APN was already using Kipu’s EMR, so they chose to go with Eleos, which is integrated with the Kipu EMR. Eleos focuses on supporting documentation and note taking in therapeutic sessions through their AI solution, which was a key area APN was hoping to improve.
Andrea Boorse, senior manager of operations at APN, shared that their clients have two individual therapy sessions each week, rather than one—which means double the documentation. When they became aware of AI solutions that could listen in on sessions and help with that documentation, they decided to test the waters with Eleos’s Scribe solution, which automatically transforms raw conversations into progress note suggestions.
APN found that the tool started to understand and recognize therapists’ style and language, making the notes get more specific and tailored to each client. This has been a big help for APN since it now takes an average of 11 minutes to complete a note, compared to the industry standard of 15 minutes.
Embarking on AI implementation
With benefits like APN has experienced, I’ve seen a shared, cautious excitement across our industry that continues to suffer from provider and staffing burnout and attrition. By removing some of these administrative burdens, they hope to combat staffing issues and improve patient reach and care.
And while there is good reason to remain cautious, I think providers can confidently move towards AI solutions by focusing on three key areas.
The prior authorization process has evolved in complexity as the healthcare industry transitions from fee-for-service to value-based care. At the same time, payers are expanding the number of services subject to prior authorization to establish medical necessity and appropriateness. It’s a one-two punch that leaves providers and provider organizations struggling under the weight of a prior authorization burden that, left unaddressed, can have long-term revenue cycle impacts.
Today’s prior authorization process involves time-consuming steps, including gathering and submitting medical documents to insurance companies and waiting for approval. It also often involves dealing with denials and appeals – all while guidance around required documentation becomes stricter.
The number of procedures subject to authorization is also expanding, creating new challenges for staff who must understand the clinical documentation and office notes necessary to support the authorization. This also means the addition of new administrative requirements with far-reaching impacts on finances, operations, and patients. Additionally, when establishing a centralized prior authorization team is infeasible, expanded prior authorization needs exacerbate the problem of competing priorities for staff tasked with obtaining authorizations amidst other core responsibilities, including patient care.
Prior Authorization Challenges
The impact of today’s challenging prior authorization environment is felt in three key areas: financial, operational, and the patient experience.
On the financial front, the administrative burden of prior authorization has increased steadily over the years, leading to additional costs and workload. Among the most significant financial impacts are higher administrative costs and reduced or lost revenues due to denials, which can be difficult to overturn. The prior authorization process can also delay cash flow.
Life after a traumatic brain injury can be challenging. It can result in severe cognitive and physical limitations. While it’s possible to recover, you may experience sensory issues, cognitive impairment, and other challenges. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims may require additional assistance to perform their daily life activities. This is where assistive devices and technologies come in. They enhance a TBI survivor’s quality of life while boosting their independence. Discussed below are several assisted devices and technologies for traumatic brain injury victims.
Mobility aids
Traumatic brain injuries happen due to various incidents or accidents, such as falls, auto crashes, or sports-related injuries. These injuries can cause severe, lasting disabilities like physical limitations that need the use of mobility devices. These aids include:
Walking stick: It’s a one-legged cane or stick with a gripped handle for supporting and holding an individual. They’re perfect for TBI victims who can walk with little help
Rollator frames: They’re four-wheeled frames that users push along as they walk. They’re suitable for balance defects or limited mobility but can still walk unaided
Wheelchairs: They’re best for those who cannot move unaided
Quad stick: It’s suitable for those who can move freely without help
Electric wheelchair: It’s electric motor powered and perfect for those who want to travel long distances but can’t move without help
With the help of physical therapists and specialists from trusted TBI care facilities, you can select a mobility aid suitable for your loved one’s needs.
By Janet Campbell, Chair, EHR Association Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity Task Force
A comprehensive new survey that includes responses from more than 1,500 US patients conducted by Hyro, a leading healthcare AI-powered communications company, reveals that patients throughout the US health system are not only frustrated by poor provider support but are also experiencing tangible health setbacks as a result of these friction points.
Losing weight can really make a difference in daily life. However, changing attitudes and habits is very difficult for many people, and often seems even impossible.
Life after a traumatic brain injury can be challenging. It can result in severe cognitive and physical limitations. While it’s possible to recover, you may experience sensory issues, cognitive impairment, and other challenges. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims may require additional assistance to perform their daily life activities. This is where assistive devices and technologies come in. They enhance a TBI survivor’s quality of life while boosting their independence. Discussed below are several assisted devices and