Interviews & Features

Colorado is one of 40 U.S. states that does not require any formal education or credentials for its surgical technicians. In fact, surgical technologists are the only members of the surgical team not required to meet certain educational standards or hold a certification. This comes as a surprise to many, considering that these medical professionals have access to supplies like drugs and equipment in medical centers.

As we begin to return to normal, it’s time to think about shedding the extra pounds we may have put on during the quarantine. We talked to nutritionist Richelle Rada to break down the main causes of weight gain over the pandemic so that we can understand how to reverse its effects.

For nearly 100 years, the US has been the global leader in scientific research, a position predicated upon its ability to pull in the greatest minds from across the world. Between 1901 and 2015, over 40 percent of all Nobel Prizes have gone to Americans, nearly a third of whom were foreign-born.

Each day, over 4.5 million nursing assistants provide 80 to 90 percent of the direct care received by residents and clients in America’s long-term care facilities. This may include taking vital signs and helping residents with skincare, eating, bathing, and other daily activities; in certain states, it may involve dispensing medication.

ONC’s Advancing Standards for Precision Medicine Project has focused on two areas of standards of current importance: mobile health, sensor, and wearable data; and social determinants of health (SDOH) data. Presenters shared progress on two different use cases in these areas, walking attendees through what it takes to put a new data standard into practice for the collection of patient data outside of the clinic, for inclusion in patients’ electronic health records (EHRs).

In honor of National EMS Week (May 16-22, 2021), we spoke with Murphy about her journey to becoming an EMT, what she wishes the public knew about life as a first responder, and her advice to those who are considering the profession.

May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Supported by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), it’s set to coincide with the peak season for people with asthma and allergies, and it seeks to educate patients, family, friends, and advocates about these diseases. It’s also an opportunity to recognize the evolving role that respiratory therapists and other health professionals in treating asthma.

This year’s Patient Experience Week (PX Week) takes place from April 26-30, 2021. It’s a time to celebrate how healthcare staff impact the patient experience, and an opportunity to re-energize the conversation around what constitutes a positive patient experience. Healthcare administrators, clinicians, support staff, and patients are all stakeholders when it comes to the concept of patient experience, and PX Week is a chance to bring them together.

Across the country, certain pockets are experiencing hardship. Almost a quarter of Pennsylvania’s EMS agencies shut down between 2012 and 2018 due to budget and staffing shortfalls. Similar situations have arisen in New York and New Hampshire.

The significance of your data privacy can easily become convoluted in day-to-day life. We have become accustomed to not reading terms agreements when we download a new app or enter a website with cookies. We do it without thinking. But the consequences of your personal data getting into the wrong hands are very real—especially when it comes to data on your personal health.