Healthtech Security
Article | August 31, 2023
Smoking has a lot of consequences to one’s health. It can lead to cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—all of which are chronic diseases. This is part of the reason why the Health and Human Services agency reports that 70% of adult smokers want to quit. As a medical provider, adults looking to stop smoking will come to you for advice and treatment. One alternative smoking product you might want to recommend is an e-cigarette, given their prevalence in recent years.
In this article, let’s take a deeper look at whether e-cigarettes’ should be recommended for smoking cessation and what other treatment options to endorse to patients.
Are e-cigarettes approved for smoking cessation?
Electronic cigarettes, more commonly known as e-cigarettes, are devices that vaporize nicotine-based liquid to be inhaled by its user. It almost replicates the experience of smoking a cigarette due to the device’s shape and the vapor it produces. However, the FDA has yet to approve e-cigarettes for smoking cessation because there is currently limited research on their effectiveness, benefits, and risks for the human body.
Additionally, scientists at the University of California found harmful metals in the vapor from tank-style e-cigarettes. These e-cigarettes are equipped with high-power batteries and atomizers to store more liquid. These result in high concentrations of metals like iron, lead, and nickel in the vapor. Exposure to and inhaling metallic particles may impair lung function and cause chronic respiratory diseases. As such, medical providers should not recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.
What can medical providers recommend for smoking cessation?
Smoking cessation medication
Presently, two FDA-approved prescription medicines for smoking cessation are Bupropion and Varenicline. Bupropion is an antidepressant that decreases tobacco cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It does this by increasing the brain chemicals dopamine and noradrenaline. This comes in a pill and can be used alongside other smoking cessation aids.
Varenicline also reduces cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms. It blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, decreasing the amount of enjoyment one gets from smoking. One thing to note about this is that it will take several days for Varenicline's effects to take place. Therefore, it's best to prescribe these pills 1-2 weeks before the patient quits smoking. Like Bupropion, Varenicline may be used simultaneously with other quit-smoking products.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a treatment involving nicotine consumption at gradually decreasing levels. This reduces the patient’s desire to smoke without them having to quit cold turkey. NRT involves using nicotine alternatives that don’t produce smoke, such as nicotine pouches and nicotine gum.
Nicotine pouches are oral products containing ingredients like nicotine, flavoring, and plant-based fibers. These are placed between the lip and gum, where nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream. Different variations have different strengths. On! pouches come in different strengths: 2mg, 4mg, and 8mg. Patients may start from 8mg variants and gradually decrease this dosage as their NRT progresses. Pouches also come in a wide range of flavors—including citrus, mint, and berry—to entice users.
Meanwhile, nicotine gum is chewing gum that contains nicotine. It is chewed a few times before being parked between the gums and cheek for nicotine absorption. The nicotine gums by Lucy are a significantly better alternative for tobacco users. Like pouches, this gum comes in several flavors, such as cinnamon, mango, and wintergreen, and different strengths ranging from 2mg to 6mg.
Counseling
The recommendations mentioned above—medication and NRT—are more effective when coupled with counseling. A Primary Care Respiratory Medicine study revealed that successful smoking cessation is best attained through pharmacological treatment and counseling. Sessions typically involve a patient meeting with a counselor and they discuss their smoking habits, possible causes, and how to mitigate them. Medical providers should include counseling in addition to medication and NRT.
E-cigarettes have yet to be approved by the FDA as smoking cessation aids. For now, medical providers should provide medication, NRT, and counseling to patients who want to quit smoking.
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Healthtech Security
Article | November 29, 2023
Unleash the power of attending EHR events, empowering healthcare providers with accessible patient information for enhanced care. Stay updated with the latest trends at these top EHR summits.
Electronic health records (EHRs) have sparked a transformative revolution in the healthcare industry, empowering providers with readily accessible patient information. With technology progressing and digital healthcare solutions becoming increasingly vital, staying up-to-date with the latest EHR trends and developments has become crucial for healthcare professionals and C-suite executives.
This article highlights a curated list of EHR events that gather visionaries, experts, and pioneers from diverse domains to foster knowledge exchange, collaborations, and exploration of cutting-edge EHR advancements propelling the industry to new frontiers.
1. The MedTech Conference
October 9-11, 2023 | California
This EHR conference offers attendees an opportunity to stay abreast of the latest updates and insights through an extensive program featuring over 100 sessions that showcase diverse perspectives. From examining physicians' viewpoints on value-based care to exploring the approaches of policymakers in cybersecurity and trade considerations, as well as delving into the innovative applications of AI by scientists, the conference provides a platform for knowledge exchange. With world-class speakers, comprehensive educational programming, valuable networking opportunities, and the potential for business development, this EHR summit serves as a homecoming for the global medtech community, fostering collaboration and forming partnerships that drive innovative solutions for a healthier world.
2. IEEE International Conference on Digital Health
July 2-8, 2023 | Chicago
The IEEE International Conference on Digital Health (ICDH) stands as a powerful global platform where esteemed researchers and industry practitioners converge to exchange cutting-edge advancements in digital health technologies. With a focus on both the current state-of-the-art and practical applications, ICDH facilitates discourse on emerging research themes and the future trajectory of digital health. Its overarching objective is to unite prominent researchers, community leaders, visionaries from academia and industry, end-users, and healthcare professionals in the digital health domain. It fosters the exchange of research findings, practical expertise, and forward-looking perspectives on sustainable health and social care transformations.
3. EAI MobiHealth 2023
November 28-30, 2023 | Portugal
The 12th EAI International Conference on Wireless Mobile Communication and Healthcare (MobiHealth 2023) serves as a testament to the significant growth of the healthcare industry, propelled by factors such as an aging population, the prevalence of chronic diseases, and technological advancements. The healthcare sector has been greatly influenced by wireless communication & mobile computing and is constantly evolving with new technologies like 5G, IoT, robotics, and smart buildings. The integration of these innovations, along with e-health, m-health, edge computing, software-defined networks, and network function virtualization, has further revolutionized the industry. This hybrid conference aims to unite individuals and organizations worldwide in wireless communication, mobile computing, and healthcare applications.
4. 3rd IEEE International Conference on ICT Solutions for eHealth
July 9-12, 2023 | Tunisia
e-Health has emerged as a significant research area, attracting cross-disciplinary research groups interested in deploying new ICT technologies for healthcare, particularly cloud computing, IoT, and computational intelligence. After five successful workshop editions, ICTS4eHealth, which has transitioned into an International IEEE Conference, now announced its third edition. The conference brings together researchers from academia, industry, government, and medical centers to present the latest advancements in cloud systems for connected health infrastructure and applications and the utilization of IoT and computational intelligence techniques in eHealth. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, this EHR conference aims to advance the field of e-Health and contribute to developing innovative ICT solutions for improved healthcare outcomes.
5. DigiHT 2023
October 19-20, 2023 | Virtual
The International Conference on Digital Health and Telemedicine 2023 (DigiHT 2023) will serve as a global platform for diverse participants, including academics, practitioners, technologists, application developers, students, and industry professionals. The conference will feature parallel sessions, enabling attendees to engage in knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities. It will also offer avenues for publishing research findings and host high-level forums featuring speeches from esteemed hospitals and health systems, both national and international, who will provide valuable perspectives, insights, and expertise. The central focus of the conference revolves around the theme 'Enhancing Health Equity and Improving Patient Outcomes: Empowerment Strategies for Patients to Take Control of Their Care and Well-being through Digital Healthcare.' EHR events like this one aim to increase access to health technology research and innovations while fostering collaboration and innovation among global digital health and telemedicine professionals.
6. MEDITECH LIVE 2023
September 20-22, 2023 | Massachusetts
This EHR conference aims to convene a diverse group of experienced healthcare innovators who are deeply committed to fostering collaboration amidst the ongoing transformation of health information technology. Through engaging in high-level panel discussions and specialized breakout sessions, participants will collectively explore the disruptive forces that impact the industry and brainstorm tangible solutions. EHR events like this serve as a platform for redefining the intersection of healthcare leadership and technology, focusing on making a meaningful impact on communities. Distinguished speakers at the event include Paul Keckley (Healthcare Policy Analyst and Managing Partner of Keckley Group) and Amer Kaissi, a nationally-recognized speaker, author & executive coach who will bring valuable insights to the discourse.
7. Electronic Medical Records Boot Camp
August 21-22, 2023 | Virtual
'Electronic Medical Records Boot Camp: Biostatistical Methods for Analyzing EMR Data' is a comprehensive two-day virtual event that offers seminars and interactive analytical sessions, providing participants with an in-depth understanding of electronic health data opportunities, statistical challenges, and the latest techniques. The widespread implementation of EHRs and EMRs in US hospitals has resulted in vast amounts of patient information, enabling cohort-wide investigations and personalized medicine. However, analyzing such extensive and diverse observational data poses technical difficulties. This intensive workshop addresses the potential of EMR/EHR data for health studies, statistical challenges, and advanced techniques through hands-on computer lab sessions and case studies. Participants will learn about data integration, addressing biases and missing data, comparative effectiveness studies, and predictive analysis. By the end of the boot camp, attendees will be well-versed in harnessing the power of EMR/EHR data for transformative healthcare research.
8. eClinicalWorks National Conference
October 20-22, 2023 | Tennessee
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville will host electronic health records events like eClinical Works National Conference. This EHR summit will be an engaging and informative event for healthcare professionals. Attendees can delve into the latest enhancements and developments related to the V12 and Healow products for three days. The event will showcase these products' cutting-edge features and functionalities, demonstrating their potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry.
9. 2023 GSA Conference Workshop
November 8-12, 2023 | Florida
At the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting in November, multiple principal investigator Vincent Mor, Ph.D., and colleagues will conduct a workshop titled 'The Long-Term Care Data Cooperative: Leveraging Nursing Home Electronic Health Records for Research.' Funded by National Institute of Aging, this initiative aims to enhance care quality in skilled nursing facilities by compiling comprehensive electronic health records data from over 2,100 nursing homes nationwide. The workshop will allow attendees to explore sample data, understand the core data model, and learn how to request access for research purposes. Additionally, interested participants can apply for 'real-world data scholars' training grants to leverage this valuable resource further.
10. International Conference on Global Healthcare
November 16-18, 2023 | France
The 10th edition of the upcoming scientific conference (Global Healthcare 2023) will be held in Paris. With a central theme of 'Fostering the Endeavors to Enhance Global Healthcare, ' this EHR summit aims to be the largest and most comprehensive event in the worldwide healthcare industry. The conference will focus on various aspects such as clinical best practices, research advancements, innovation, discoveries, and emerging trends in healthcare. Attendees can expect an enriching scientific program featuring symposiums, seminars, keynote addresses, oral presentations, and poster presentations showcasing the latest global best practices, research findings, industry regulations, and technological breakthroughs. EHR events like this one are held to empower attendees by providing comprehensive insights and fostering knowledge exchange in electronic health records and beyond.
Final Analysis
These electronic health records events offer medical professionals a comprehensive conference track that is tailored to their specific needs and interests. Attendees can engage in face-to-face conversations, access high-quality programming focused on current hot topics, and benefit from unparalleled networking with industry leaders, making these EHR events a must-attend! Furthermore, the conference track provides medical professionals with specialized sessions, workshops, and presentations that delve deep into the practical aspects of implementing, optimizing, and utilizing electronic health record systems. By actively participating in these sessions, medical professionals can gain practical skills, learn best practices, and acquire valuable insights that can directly impact their daily routine and patient care.
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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare
Article | August 16, 2023
© 2019 American Cranes & Transport Magazine.
Night moves
Moving over-sized, over-dimensional loads during the day is no easy task. Adding darkness and poor visibility to your trip adds numerous hazards that must be thoroughly identified and mitigated.
When planning a specialized transportation project, there are three primary objectives:
Ensure the safety of the transport crew and the general public.
Protect the integrity of the cargo and transport equipment.
Protection of Infrastructure – roads, bridges, traffic control devices, utilities and the like.
For the most part, specialized carriers perform night transports to reduce the impact on day-time commuter traffic. Route challenges – construction, road closures, lane crossovers, bridges and other obstacles – are often better solved at night. Police and utility support are often more readily available at night.
Night transport hazards include employee fatigue, slowed reaction time and poor visibility for both the transport crew and motorists. Decreased visibility increases potential for trips, falls, runovers, back overs and equipment strikes.
It can’t be emphasized enough how critically important it is to ensure that all transport crew members have had adequate rest for these projects. Workers need complete rest before the transport takes place. A fatigued worker is a danger to himself as well as his fellow crew members. And while impaired drivers can be out on the streets during the day, there is often an increased number of these drivers on roadways at night.
Limited visibility is a given when it comes to night-time transports. Limited visibility increases the chance of going off route and striking objects, and the transport driver’s maneuverability and reaction time maybe be reduced. Road conditions can abruptly change during a night-time transport. Therefore, it is critically important to know the route and to have drivers run it in advance. Statistically speaking, accident frequency increases when the transporter goes off route and attempts to correct itself. While providing the necessary lighting to make night transport is important, artificial lighting can pose visibility hazards, especially to the drivers. Other hazards may include bright work lighting that produces glare.
OSHA has identified the “Focus Four” accident events that make up the most serious injuries and fatalities in the construction business. They are also known as the “Fatal Four.” Many carriers have had employees injured in the past as a result of one of these four incidents.
Caught-in-between hazards are injuries resulting from a person being squeezed, caught, crushed, pinched or compressed between two or more objects or between parts of an object. This is also referred to as “pinch points or entrapment.” As the transporter navigates its designated route the landscape is continuously changing. It is imperative that all ground crew members maintain situational awareness and not place themselves between the moving transporter and fixed objects such as guardrails, parked vehicles, buildings, etc.
Struck-by hazards are injuries produced by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment. There are many potential struck-by hazards. Guide wires that must be raised can snap and strike workers on the ground. Tag lines should be used to control loads. The primary purpose of using tag lines is to control the load but more importantly give the worker a safe buffer distance away from suspended and the uncontrolled movement of these loads.
Fall hazards are anything that could cause an unintended loss of balance or bodily support and result in a fall. To prevent fall hazards all workers should have either fall prevention or a means of fall protection in place. As a rule, 100 percent tie off is required when using a fall arrest system (FAS). FAS’s should be thoroughly inspected before each use.
Electrocution hazards result when a person is exposed to a lethal amount of electrical energy. Maintaining minimum approach distances (MAD) is a critical safety practice. As everyone knows, equipment does not have to physically make contact with energized equipment or lines to cause serious injuries and even death. Electrical energy can “jump” from lines into equipment that has encroached the Minimum Approach Distance based on its voltage.
As noted above, it is critically important to ensure that crew members have had adequate rest and are not fatigued. Night transports are difficult enough, and the last thing you want to introduce are tired and fatigued workers. Being fatigued creates a risk for anyone who undertakes an activity that requires concentration and a quick response.
All companies should have an “Hours Worked Policy” that clearly spells out the number of hours allowed to work before a mandatory rest period. This policy should ensure that the transport crew has had adequate rest during day, that a fatigue assessment is conducted on all team members, that crews are never allowed to work double shifts and that employees are prohibited from driving long distances to return home.
Dealing with darkness
Visibility and slowed reaction times should be a part of the project planning. A limited amount of ambient light that only projects upward and outward impedes vision and increases blind spots for drivers. Lights cast shadows, increasing the potential for slips, trips and falls.
All transport moves should establish pre-planned Emergency Action Plans. When an emergency occurs, time is of the essence and can mean the difference between life and death. If it is a long-distance move the emergency numbers and first responder information can change. Crews should know when it’s time to seek emergency “safe harbor.”
When approaching overhead obstructions such as guide wires, electrical lines, communication lines and overpasses, travel speed is of utmost importance. Again, pre-route surveys provide advance knowledge of obstructions. At night, visual identification of roadway obstructions is reduced and delayed and last second reactions to oncoming hazards can lead to accidents. Support personnel in bucket trucks also have the challenge of reduced visibility.
In darkness, overhead hazards often require more utility support for height clearances, which means the need for raising energized lines, lifting traffic control devices, trimming tree limbs, releasing tension on guide wires, removing highway signs, repositioning street lights and raising railroad crossing arms.
Traffic control can also create hazards. The general public may ignore pilot car lights at night, so it’s often advisable to also use police escorts. All support vehicles and trucks should be properly marked and equipped with strobe lights.
The configuration of the transport system can also be a hazard. Navigating sharp turns or crossovers is greatly reduced based on the length of transporter. Snake-like maneuvers of trailers pose an increased risk.
It’s important to never allow personnel to take shortcuts by walking through or under transporter while it’s in motion. Stop or have the worker go around.
Situational awareness
The transport crew must always maintain “situational awareness” to prevent being in line of fire or entrapped between moving and fixed objects.
All the equipment used in the transport must be deemed safe. You should have procedures to conduct thorough assessment of all new equipment.
Ensure machine guard devices are in place especially around moving components.
Provide secured areas using catwalks/railing system.
All steps should be designed with slip resistant material.
Ensure that all deck openings are properly protected and covered.
Components that hydraulically extend and retract should be clearly posted with DANGER signs.
Roadway conditions are always a bigger concern at night. Assess weather conditions prior to start of the project and don’t take chances. A “Go – No Go” criteria should be developed for each project. Once the decision is made to transport the load there is no turning back. Changing weather can cause the transporter to lose traction. Underpasses that are shaded during the day will likely freeze up more quickly. If the temperatures drop significantly during the move, equipment performance may be affected – especially those with hydraulics.
Because the reaction time of the transport crew is reduced, speeds are often reduced, causing potential for curfew violations. Boarding and deboarding the transporter increases risk for slips and falls. Other potential road condition hazards include grade of road, width of road, shoulder surfaces, railroad crossing clearances and bottoming out, overpasses, tight and narrow turning lanes, parked vehicles and frequent grade changes.
Crew prep is essential and should be a part of the job plan and job training. The team should be briefed each day to identify the responsibilities of all crew members. The crew should know it is empowered; everyone has the authority to stop the transport if something looks unsafe or when someone is unsure. In the event of a complication, crews should be informed of how to regroup and formulata mitigation plan. There should be an established means of communication that is limited only to transport issues. Most importantly, crew should embrace these words: When in doubt, call time out!
A Task Hazard Analysis (THA) should address all scope of work activities, identify hazards and have a mitigation plan for each, clear channels of communication, the traffic control plan and an “Emergency Preparedness Plan.” And finally: Know the route; ride the route and expect the unexpected.
Edwards-Moving_Faktor-5 (2).jpg
Edwards Moving performs a night move using it’s Goldhofer Faktor-5 transport system.
Keys to a successful night transport
Early planning and attention to detail. Anticipate roadway hazards such as guardrails, poles & hydrants that pose obstruction with travel path or turning radius.
Preparing a detailed traffic control plan.
Thorough due diligence throughout scope of work.
Established contingency plan for equipment.
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AI
Article | December 21, 2021
COVID-19 has been a catalyst for change, with the diagnostics industry taking centre stage and rising to the challenge of a global pandemic. One of the silver linings of this mammoth task has been the unprecedented time and focus dedicated to finding new technologies and solutions within the sector.
The lessons learned from the pandemic now need to be taken forward to improve breast and cervical cancer detection, prevention and treatment across the UK over the coming years.
In the more immediate term, the diagnostics industry, alongside public health leaders, faces a daunting backlog as screening programmes for breast and cervical cancer were put on pause for months. These two life-saving tests have been some of the most overlooked during the pandemic and getting back on track with screening is critical as we start to turn the corner. We believe innovation in diagnostics, particularly artificial intelligence guided imaging, is a key tool to tackle delays in breast and cervical cancer diagnosis.
The scale of the backlog in missed appointments is vast. In the UK, an estimated 600,000 cervical screening appointments were missed in April and May 2020. And an estimated 986,000 women missed their mammograms, of which an estimated 10,700 could be living with undiagnosed breast cancer. It is clear that hundreds of thousands of women have been affected as COVID-19 resulted in the reprioritisation of healthcare systems and resource allocation.
Both cervical and breast cancer screening are well suited for digital technologies and the application of AI, given both require highly trained medical professionals to identify rare, subtle changes visually –a process that can be tedious, time-consuming and error prone. Artificial intelligence and computer vision are technologies which could help to significantly improve this.
What does AI mean in this context?
Before examining the three specific areas where digitisation and AI can help, it is important to define what we mean by AI. It is the application of AI to medical imaging to help accelerate detection and diagnosis. Digitisation is the vital first step in implementing an AI-driven solution – high quality images demand advanced cloud storage solutions and high resolution. The better the quality of the input, the more effectively trained an AI system will be.
The first area where AI-guided imaging can play a role is workflow prioritisation. AI, along with increased screening units and mammographers, has the potential to increase breast cancer screening capacity, by removing the need for review by two radiologists. When used as part of a screening programme, AI could effectively and efficiently highlight the areas that are of particular interest for the reader, in the case of breast screening, or cytotechnologist when considering cervical screening.
Based on a comparison with the average time taken to read a breast screening image, with AI 13% less time is needed to read mammogram images, improving the efficiency with which images are reviewed. This time saving could mean that radiologists could read more cases a day and potentially clear the backlog more quickly.
For digital cytology for cervical cancer screening, the system is able to evaluate tens of thousands of cells from a single patient in a matter of seconds and present the most relevant diagnostic material to a trained medical professional for the final diagnosis. The job of a cytotechnologist is to build a case based on the cells they see. Utilising these tools, we are finding that cytotechnologists and pathologists are significantly increasing their efficiency without sacrificing accuracy to help alleviate the backlog of cervical screening we are seeing in many countries.
Prioritising the most vulnerable patients
Another key opportunity is applying AI to risk stratification, as it could help to identify women who are particularly at risk and push them further up the queue for regular screening. Conversely, it would also allow the screening interval for those women at lower risk to be extended, creating a more efficient and targeted breast screening programme.
For example, women with dense breast tissue have a greater risk factor than having two immediate family members who have suffered from breast cancer. What’s more, dense breasts make it more difficult to identify cancerous cells in standard mammograms. This means that in some cases cancers will be missed, and in others, women will be unnecessarily recalled for further investigation.
A simple way to ensure that those most at risk of developing breast cancer are prioritised for screening and seen more regularly would be to analyse all women on the waiting list with AI-guided breast density software. This would allow clinicians to retrospectively identify those women most at risk and move them to the top of the waiting list for mammograms.
In the short term, to help tackle the screening backlog, prior mammograms of women on the waiting list could be analysed using the breast density software, so that women at highest risk could be seen first.
Finding new workforce models
Being able to pool resources will allow resource to be matched to demand beyond borders. Globally, more than half a million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and the majority of these occur where there is a lack of guidance to conduct the screening programme. The digital transformation of cervical screening can connect populations that desperately need screening to resources where that expertise exists. For example, developing countries in Africa could collect samples from patients and image these locally, but rely on resources in the UK to support the interpretation of the images and diagnoses. Digital diagnostics brings the promise of a ‘taxi-hailing’ type model to cervical cancer screening – connecting groups with resources (drivers with cars) to those who are in need (passengers): this is an efficient way of connecting laboratory professionals to doctors and patients around the world.
It’s going to take many months to get cancer screening programmes up and running at normal levels again, with continued social distancing measures and additional infection control impacting turnaround times. But diagnostic innovation is on a trajectory that we cannot ignore. It will be key to getting cancer screening programmes get back on track. AI is a fundamental piece of the innovation puzzle and we are proud to be at the forefront of AI solutions for our customers and partners.
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