tech

Research Reveals Health Tech Industry Primed for a Pendulum Swing from Consumer-facing Technologies to Backend Solutions

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New research released today by Allison+Partners, a global marketing and communications agency, examines the impact of the record-breaking boost in digital health investment and tech adoption during the pandemic for health tech brands. The research also uncovers the barriers and opportunities for marketing and communications professionals charged with telling their stories across the healthcare ecosystem.

After conducting a meta-analysis of existing trend reports, interviews with health tech founders and private equity firms, and surveying 500 senior and C-suite health leaders about the seismic shifts taking shape across the sector, Allison+Partners’ Health practice concluded the health tech industry is primed for a pendulum swing from B2C to B2B solutions. read more

hospital bed

What to Do if the Hospital Is Discharging You Too Soon

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“The doctor just wrote your discharge orders – you’re ready to leave the hospital and go home.” That’s great to hear if you’re actually prepared.

Smiling senior man talks with a friendly nurse in a hospital hallway. The nurse is pushing the man in a wheelchair.

However, what if you’re stunned at the notion that you’re well enough, or well-prepared enough, to leave? You had surgery yesterday and there’s no one to change your bandage at home. You’re confused about which medications to take, or why. You don’t have a follow-up appointment, you’re not sure who to call if problems arise and you feel sick, weak and helpless. read more

pills

Teva Pharmaceutical Will Pay Over $4 Billion in Opioid Settlement

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Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. said it had agreed to pay more than $4 billion to resolve thousands of lawsuits filed against the drugmaker by state and local governments over its highly addictive opioid painkillers.

The Israeli drugmaker said Tuesday it reached a tentative deal to pay $3 billion in cash and $1.2 billion in donated overdose-fighting drug Narcan to resolve the claims. Native American tribes would also receive $100 million. The company said the total included $650 million it had committed in previous settlements. The deal would be paid out over 13 years, if finalized. read more

healthcare

Pharmacy students’ law a game changer for patient care

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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington State University pharmacy students were on the frontline, helping to test for the virus thanks in part to legislation they helped pass in 2019.

A new study in the Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice describes the impact of the legislation, which enables students studying to become pharmacists, nurses, and physicians to be precepted by professionals across these disciplines. read more

nurse

Nursing homes are suing friends and family to collect on patients’ bills

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Lucille Brooks was stunned when she picked up the phone before Christmas two years ago and learned a nursing home was suing her.

“I thought this was crazy,” recalled Brooks, 74, a retiree who lives with her husband in a modest home in the Rochester suburbs. Brooks’ brother had been a resident of the nursing home. But she had no control over his money or authority to make decisions for him. She wondered how she could be on the hook for his nearly $8,000 bill. read more

instagram

Kentucky parents file lawsuit accusing Instagram of causing daughter’s eating disorder, mental illness

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Two lawsuits were filed this week accusing Instagram’s parent company Meta of causing and contributing to the growing mental health crisis among children and teens in the United States.

Candace Wuest and her daughter Cece live in Independence, Kentucky. They are both plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits filed Monday.

Cece first began using Instagram when she was 12 years old. Her mother said the app was used as a way for them to communicate when she spent weekends with her dad. read more

excercise

These Are the Best Places for a Healthy Lifestyle

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Thousands of Americans are reaping the benefits of remote work, but their home state may affect their lifestyle and wellbeing.

According to a recent survey, California, Arizona, and Florida were ranked as the best states for health and wellness, while Alabama, Oklahoma, and Louisiana had the lowest wellness scores.1

The scores were based on the states’ access to national parks, Google search trends, and health data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Top performers generally had more national parks and fewer numbers of CDC-reported chronic diseases than those who scored poorly. read more

doctor

Employer- and Worker-Led Efforts To Lower Health Insurance Costs

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About half of Americans receive health coverage through employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI). While satisfaction with employer-sponsored insurance is generally high, premiums for that coverage have risen faster than workers’ wages over the past five years. Cost sharing is also increasingly placing a financial burden on workers and their families. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The Los Angeles Times, 2 in 5 adults enrolled in employer-sponsored coverage reported difficulty affording health care or insurance costs. Half of those who struggle to afford health care costs reported delaying their or a family member’s needed care or medication due to cost. read more

hospital

Report details problems at UNC hospital that put patients in ‘immediate jeopardy’

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A 53-page report detailing the results of a two-week inspection of UNC Medical Center shows why federal regulators in late June threatened to cancel the hospital’s Medicare contract if the facility failed to fix major problems that put patients at risk.

Much of the report, obtained by The News & Observer through a Freedom of Information Act Request this week, centers on the case of 29-year-old Troy Simoncelli. Not named in the report, he took his life about an hour after he was discharged from the emergency room in April — over the objections of his family. read more

heat website

New federal government website highlights health risks from extreme heat

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July 26 (UPI) — The federal government launched a website Tuesday aimed at reducing the health risks of extreme heat.

The site, heat.gov, provides a “one-stop hub on heat and health for the nation,” reads a release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Tuesday afternoon, the site showed more than 39.1 million Americans were under National Weather Service extreme heat advisories, watches, and warnings. read more