Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic proteins developed for therapeutic use in patients with a range of serious conditions, including Ebola, cancer, and COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies are produced in a laboratory setting like any other therapeutic approach or medication. However, they work to fight illness by targeting and neutralizing disease-causing antigens, just like the natural antibodies inside the human immune system.
Monoclonal Antibodies vs. Natural Antibodies
The power of monoclonal antibodies lies in the way they target a specific and essential component of the process of infection. Like the natural antibodies produced in the human immune system, correctly prescribed monoclonal antibodies can target specific antigens and efficiently neutralize them. Monoclonal antibodies can be developed by exposing white blood cells to a target virus. The resulting antibodies can then be produced on a mass scale through a cloning process. Monoclonal antibody treatment is typically administered intravenously and can be done in a clinical setting or as an outpatient procedure.
Monoclonal antibodies can be thought of as a manufactured alternative to (or supplement for) naturally occurring antibodies and are designed to mimic their natural counterparts closely. In common therapeutic applications, monoclonal antibodies are given to a patient to boost or otherwise affect their natural immune system. They may also act as a replacement for natural antibodies in persons who are unable to produce them because of an autoimmune condition.
Monoclonal Antibodies for the Treatment of COVID-19
In 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency authorization for monoclonal antibodies to be used as a treatment for COVID-19. Monoclonal antibody treatment has shown promise in reducing the risk of severe infection and hospitalization in high-risk COVID-19 patients, especially when antibody treatment begins immediately after diagnosis.
The spiky shape of the COVID-19 virus has become ubiquitous in the public consciousness through health department posters, news segments, and memes and can be attributed to the presence of spike proteins on the surface of the virus. These spike proteins make COVID-19 highly effective at attaching to human cells. It is also the feature that makes COVID-19 a suitable candidate for treatment with monoclonal antibodies.
Multiple monoclonal antibodies have been developed with the specific goal of binding to coronavirus spike proteins. They have been demonstrated to be effective in disabling the virus and undermining its ability to bind to and enter human cells. Monoclonal antibody treatment has remained effective against COVID-19 variants thus far. However, there is potential that future mutations of the COVID-19 virus could see significant changes in the shape of the spike protein structure. This could make existing monoclonal antibodies less effective, and continued research is necessary to maintain the efficacy of antibody treatment.
According to the CDC, birth injuries are a leading cause of death and disability among infants. The most common causes of birth injury include fetal distress that results in a lack of oxygen or blood supply to the brain, excess fluid around the baby during birth, prolonged labor, and breech delivery.
The birth injury rate in the U.S. is one of the highest in developed countries, with approximately seven in every 1,000 newborns experiencing birth injuries. With so many birth injuries occurring every year, it’s essential to know what birth-related accidents are and how they can be prevented.
Birth Injuries And Birth-Related Accidents
A newborn can get injured during birth or while in the hospital in several ways. Some birth injuries are due to mishaps or medical negligence. Some birth injuries are evident, but others are not. A brain injury at birth or during birth is possible, and unresponsiveness or inactivity may suggest brain damage. Meanwhile, injury to the lungs can cause cyanosis (blue skin) and trouble breathing. A newborn with any of these symptoms should be seen by a doctor immediately. Even if the parents are unaware of any issues, a doctor’s full-body check is essential after delivery. Making an appointment ahead of time to discuss what tests should be performed is recommended.
The Benefits of Technology in the Delivery Room
It’s no surprise that more and more hospitals worldwide are investing in technology during childbirth, both for new parents and medical staff. Previously, doctors had to predict how much power or traction was exerted during birth to use one of their equipment. Now, doctors can observe what’s going on within the mother’s body at all times with devices such as fetal monitors.
It’s important to note that birth injuries can occur even with the highest level of care. Technology helps doctors and medical staff provide an optimal birth experience and detect early birth injury signs. New technologies help improve birth outcomes by facilitating earlier detection of birth-related issues in pregnant women. There are different types of tech available for both expectant mothers and the medical professionals who attend the birth.
Virtual services have now become the new normal with telehealth being a prime example. Now if we want an annual checkup or consultation, we can talk to a doctor from the comfort of our own home. But why haven’t we always taken advantage of this virtual alternative?
Until the pandemic highlighted the need for more digital services and flexibility, the healthcare industry had been hesitant to embrace virtual alternatives like telehealth. Traditionally, both patients and doctors have (understandably) preferred in-person visits and consultations. Patients believed in-person visits were more thorough, personal, and safe, while providing an opportunity to become more comfortable with their providers.
In the height of the pandemic, physicians and healthcare professionals worked hard to mitigate exposure by avoiding unnecessary contact with others. Sometimes, in-person follow-up appointments just weren’t necessary. Rather than risk unnecessary exposure, doctors and healthcare facilities began embracing telehealth — virtual visits leveraging telecommunications technology.
During this time, patients were also worried about their access to quality healthcare as less and less in-person visits were possible. This inevitably fostered the rise of telehealth as a safe and effective way to address patient concerns without the physical risk. Since then, many physicians have become so dedicated to telehealth that they refuse to see patients exclusively in-person. Furthermore, it has spawned an entirely new medical practice with companies like Covenant Health Virtual Care, now employing doctors solely to provide virtual telemedicine services.
However – as many physicians and patients have learned – telehealth brings new challenges, and those problems are exacerbated in underserved communities with limited and unreliable Internet infrastructure. These communities tend to be far (the edge) from major cities where hospitals and medical practices are often located (the core), resulting in an even greater need for access to reliable telehealth services.
The COVID-19 pandemic jumpstarted digital health innovations accelerating the adoption of new technologies. Daniel Kivatinos, co-president and co-founder of DrChrono, an EverCommerce solution that is developing an essential platform and services for modern medical practices, shares his healthcare technology trends and predictions for 2022.
The Internet of Things (IoT) will become more common inpatient monitoring. As patients are seeking more remote medical care, IoT and wearables that can stream data to the provider and care team, this new breakthrough will allow the providers to get paid for remote monitoring but also enable patients to keep track of their own data. One simple example is an Internet connected weight scale at home, it will make a patient accountable and allow the provider to also track the patients progress.
Telehealth. Like last year, we are going to see more and more adoption of telehealth among patients and other specialties in 2022. Physicians, medical practices, urgent care clinics and care teams are turning to more virtual healthcare experiences. An Updox survey reported that 51 percent of respondents say that they would continue using telehealth services after the pandemic has ended because they like the convenience it offers.
Furthermore, a recent report from McKinsey indicates that “telehealth use increased 38X from the pre-COVID-19 baseline” further supporting that telehealth is here to stay. Daniel added, “Telehealth will become the norm in healthcare. I foresee it might even overtake normal in person visits in specific areas like mental health and physical remote therapy.”
By Travis Schneider, co-founder & co-CEO, PatientPop.
Developing a top-tier practice requires doctors to be more than great practitioners. If you do not have a loyal patient base and a positive reputation, you will only be facing an uphill battle in your path to success.
Your ability to attract and retain patients will depend on how well you and your staff understand your patients’ needs, especially with patients having more choices for healthcare than they ever have. Healthcare practices may feel the same pressures that brick-and-mortar retailers face now. Look no further than Walmart’s Health Center Program and Amazon Care to see what the future portends.
To gain attention and stay competitive, you will need to position your practice as a top-of-mind option for prospective patients. At PatientPop, we regularly survey patients to identify what they care about most concerning their healthcare experiences. Our 2021 Patient Perspective Survey results underscore the obvious: All private practices must consider patient feedback and nurture patient relationships to attain meaningful and consistent growth.
Fortunately, the blueprint for achieving this is straightforward. With the right technology and workflows in place, you can respond to patient feedback and deliver personalized patient experiences in a way that sets your practice up for success.
Cover Website Fundamentals and Claim Your Online Profiles
Today’s patients will turn to the Internet first when researching a physician’s capabilities and reputation. Our survey found that 74.5% of patients have done just this while looking for care or selecting a primary care physician or specialist. Therefore, your practice needs to have the proper online marketing fundamentals to capitalize on this trend. This process starts with tailoring your website and marketing channels to satisfy your ideal patients’ needs.
First, refine and optimize your website to ensure it is user-friendly and mobile-ready. To see where your website currently stands and uncover other improvement opportunities, PatientPop has created a “competitive scanner” that any practice can use to determine their online performance in their market, compared to others in their specialty. Within moments, the scanner offers a closer look at your Google rank, online reputation, overall web presence, as well as your website’s speed, searchability, and more. You can use your report as inspiration to make changes to improve your digital footprint and searchability.
Once you are comfortable with your website’s appearance and performance, optimizing your site to engage with prospective patients using Google is essential. The search engine giant currently owns an 88% market share of the online search sector, and we have found that it remains the search engine of choice for patients seeking new providers.
If you’re looking to reach your fitness goals in 2022, you might want to adopt the latest trends that will define next year’s fitness culture. From losing weight to gaining muscle mass, emerging technology is making it easier for you to reach your goals.
There’s a lot to expect as 2022 rolls by with new tools and approaches to keeping fit. It pays to know how you can make the most of these as you update your wellness regimen for the new year. Let’s check out a few tech-driven fitness trends you can leverage.
Widespread use of wearable tech
If you haven’t invested in a smartwatch yet, now is the best time to do so. Wearable technology has become almost prevalent in people’s fitness routines. Using a smartwatch like FitBit or Apple Watch, you can monitor your fitness gains and your overall condition during an intense workout.
As new models and updates roll in, wearable technology can help take your fitness routines to a whole new level. Manufacturers are now working on more sophisticated wearable devices that can measure vital signs and detect symptoms of serious illness, so keep an eye out for smartwatches with such functionalities.
Working out at home is the new normal
Things are looking up for the fitness industry as restrictions are gradually being lifted. However, many people have gotten used to working out at home through online fitness courses. If you want to focus on cardio or train for better flexibility, these courses allow you to work out at your own convenience so you won’t have to travel anywhere. You can subscribe to fitness classes and watch them through a smart TV or your mobile device. If you don’t want to spend money on these classes, you can check out fitness channels on YouTube.
Providing telehealth solutions for your patients is one of the best ways for you to increase your patient’s health outcomes. Today, it’s easier for you to provide healthcare services to your patients with the advancement in telehealth technology. However, maintaining telehealth services for your healthcare organization is not as easy as it sounds. It needs a good workflow system that can help you handle the patient’s requests each day. Here are 4 best practices for building a long-term telehealth workflow:
Get Updated on the Staff Appointment Availability
First, you need to understand that the success of your telehealth services will depend on your staff availability. In your healthcare organization, you need to have some staff ready for telehealth appointments, whether via live video conferencing or instant messaging, and you need them to handle the patient’s requests right away. It’s important for you not to let your patients wait for too long just to get them connected to one of your healthcare professionals.
It’s no secret that dental technology has improved in leaps and bounds over the past few centuries, dramatically changing the landscape of both our oral health and prosthetic restoration options. We’ve come a long way from trying to replace our own teeth with improvised dentures made out of animal bones and trying to treat an area of decay with a makeshift stone drill and a small dollop of tar. While these archaic techniques once served a purpose, the need for improved restorations is long overdue.
Fortunately, science has risen to the challenge, paving the way for brand-new techniques and devices. While it can sometimes seem as though we’ve finally reached the limitations of what it can do for us, dental researchers and innovators never cease to amaze us with their new technology and methods of treating a wide variety of oral health concerns. Indeed, some of the more incredible discoveries have occurred even in the past decade, opening the doors to a myriad of fresh and exciting techniques and tools for maintaining a healthy smile.
From advanced methods of performing routine diagnostic tests, to custom-fitted restorations crafted through the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing, there’s no shortage of ways dental healthcare providers are transforming the way we care for our teeth. And with these four incredible and highly beneficial inventions now made commonplace and used in dental clinics around the world, having a winning smile no longer has to be an impossible goal reserved for just the noble elites and royalty among us.
