Hospitals and specialized health care services in rural areas and small towns have been declining for many years, and that has become a serious concern. Financial stress is the primary reason for the decline. The federal government has provided financial support for health care through various programs, but that support has now been reduced. Fortunately, […]
One hundred forty-two Americans die every day in America from drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Overshadowing that staggering statistic, however, is perhaps a greater revelation. State and local government officials are allocating billions of dollars to fight what has become a true opioid epidemic in the United States. But, the […]
The health care industry is a prime target for innovation, and improvements are being made in a wide range of areas. There are new payment models, disease management programs, flexible care models and technology-driven cost reductions. One particularly interesting trend worth noting involves community paramedicine programs that reduce costly visits to emergency rooms (ERs). Recently, […]
Industry officials report that 2016 could be one of the biggest years ever for health care technology and construction. That trend will likely continue and escalate even more in the near future. Patients have become accustomed to state-of-the-art technology, the latest medical equipment and impressive hospital facilities. Most patients won’t settle for anything less and […]
Telehealth is changing how doctors treat patients, especially in rural communities. Technology that delivers health care services and information allows patients to receive services from specialists while avoiding long-distance, time-consuming travel and some stress. Since about 16 percent of Americans live in rural regions and only about 11 percent of the country’s physicians practice there, […]
President Obama makes defeating cancer primary goal … can it be done? In what would surely be a giant leap for mankind, President Barack Obama announced an effort designed to “end cancer as we know it” during his final State of the Union address in January. The initiative is being referred to as a “moonshot […]
It is almost impossible to find an individual whose life hasn’t been touched by a cancer diagnosis. Last year, more than 1.6 million people in the United States became new cancer patients. Around the world, more than 8 million lives per year are lost to some type of the disease. For many, the treatments are […]