In the past decade, heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as an intriguing parameter for interrogation of autonomic nervous system functioning. It relies on the physiologic phenomenon of changing heart rate with respiration, a process heavily reliant on input from…
In today’s world with the intersection of healthcare and economics in the spotlight, there is huge pressure on hospitals to reduce spending. With sometimes uncertain reimbursement, keeping costs low is vital to maintain both healthy patients and a healthy budget.…
Every so often, a curious patient will ask how the drugs they receive work exactly. Seeing as “No one knows for sure” is hardly a reassuring response, I typically go into a simplified discussion of intravenous agents and their known…
A new study suggests that direct-to-consumer telehealth may increase access to care but does not decrease spending. Direct-to-consumer telehealth offers patients access to a physician via telephone or videoconferencing. Health plans and employers generally view telehealth as a way to…
Much of what makes modern anesthesia carry a lower risk than the anesthetics of yesteryear relates to consistency: standard monitors, evidence based guidelines, the ready availability of equipment and personnel to be able to respond to an emergency. Few things…
In recent decades, chronic pain has increasingly been diagnosed, resulting in many patients seeking medical attention. Both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies are used to treat chronic pain, and an individualized approach tends to be based on trial and error. Irrespective…
There are two major methods by which companies provide health coverage for their workers – fully insured health plans and self funded health plans. Each kind of plan has advantages and disadvantages, and employers are careful to select the best…
A growing number of leaders in the healthcare industry are looking to blockchain technology as a means of increasing the accessibility and interoperability of medical information. First used to record trades of the online crypto-currency Bitcoin, blockchain technology documents online…
Smaller-scale inpatient facilities, termed “micro-hospitals”, have emerged as an alternative to traditional health care facilities and seem to be growing in popularity nationwide. Already in 19 states, according to a recent US News & World Report, micro-hospitals serve as a…