My first feeling after entering a hospital is anxiety. If I am not worried about my own procedure or a family member’s test, I am thinking about all the germs in hospitals. I’ve never had a panic attack, but if I did, it would be in a hospital. Worrying about myself is bad enough but […]
The world is changing fast for medical device companies and it’s becoming an evolve or die moment for big companies and small ones. In this month’s MedCity News Google Hangout, I will be talking with four people who working on new and innovative devices. Each person’s work is designed to help patients or make treatment […]
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Doctor as Designer Joyce Lee, MD, MPH, has a fantastic chart series on her blog. #Healthdesignviz is up to #5 in a collection of simple and striking illustrations that show the disconnect in healthcare between the system and the patient. The latest graphic is at the top of this post. Here are the rest: #Healthdesignviz […]
I have only been in the hospital twice (knock on wood) when I had my two sons. I’ve never had to drag an IV pole around with me (crossing all my fingers and toes that my luck continues) so I can’t tell if this new design is good or goofy. I am all about ergonomics […]
My husband recently had to have his appendix out. His care was mostly good: The surgeon was excellent and he knew better than to accept the lunch that food service tried to feed him a few hours before his surgery. One bad part of his experience was his roommate. The man monopolized the bathroom, left […]
Today, the ongoing Ebola crisis in West Africa is turning attention to the strategies hospitals use to contain infectious diseases. How do emergency departments serve and treat highly contagious patients while keeping other patients, clinicians, and the community at large safe? Are U.S. hospitals prepared for outbreaks of highly contagious diseases? Many of the answers […]
Our government wields both reach and influence. It has a strong voice in the national health conversation, writing healthcare policies that impact the nation. But the government has a weak connection to the community it serves. While the information it provides is important, it often feels disconnected from our day-to-day lives. Our medical institutions also […]
By Christine Horan and Allan Cameron Electrosurgical instruments are used to cut through soft tissue and bone but they also are used to control the bleeding that, consequently, occurs during orthopedic procedures. The problem is that the power that cuts tissue so effectively is actually over-powered for blood vessel sealing and can burn tissue, leaving behind […]
Mealtime. Naptime. Bath time. Bedtime. Everything is on a schedule for residents in a traditional nursing home, leaving little flexibility for personal decision making. But LaVrene Norton is working to change that. Norton is founder and president of Action Pact, a national consulting firm. It specializes in helping retirement communities and nursing homes train staff […]
I write about digital health all the time, but my doctor visits have been mostly low-tech – no email, no telemedicine, no online chats. Over the last 18 months, however, I have seen my healthcare providers – eye doctor, pediatrician, family doc – make the transition from paper records to EMRs. The first change I […]
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
The lattice-like design of a 3D-printed cast is cool enough, but adding more technology to the device to help a broken bone heal faster is a true advance. CNET Australia reported on a possible enhancement to the Cortex 3D-printed cast, designed by Jake Evill. The cast can be printed to fit an individual, it is […]
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is hoping that many “small flips” can build to a big flip and change the culture of healthcare. Its latest project – Flip the Clinic – launches today and is meant to redesign the average doctor visit to make it satisfying instead of frustrating. Flip the Clinic is similar to […]
