COVID VACCINE TO RECEIVE OMNICRON UPDATE SOON: COVID-19 boosters that have been reformulated to oppose the omicron variant could be available in Europe and the United States in September, ScienceInsider reports.
There is already a Moderna vaccine booster in production for the UK that is designed to oppose the subvariant omicron BA. 1, the article says.
Chicago’s Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday that the two brands of mRNA vaccines in the U. S. U. S. consumers may get approval for an even more updated update later this week.
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech said last week they had sent information to Food.
ScienceInsider reports that with limited knowledge about updated boosters, there will be many questions, adding what the new boosters contain, how upgraded boosters can be approved without clinical trials, and whether the updates are more successful in preventing infections or serious consequences.
While Arwady said he expects to see updated vaccines very soon, he lamented the fact that there is still no federal money to help public fitness officials implement new vaccine booster campaigns.
NORTHWESTERN TO STUDY APPLE WATCH AS A PORTABLE AFib MONITOR: In an effort to prevent patients with traumatic atrial inflammation (AFib) from taking non-stop blood thinners for life, Northwestern University and Johns Hopkins University will examine the effectiveness of a heartbeat app on an Apple Watch to tell patients when to temporarily use blood thinners.
Northwestern, as the primary research site, will award a $37 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a seven-year trial of the use of a “pill in pocket” method to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to a study. Associated establishments come with Johns Hopkins, Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco.
Using the app on Apple Watch and an attached app on iPhone, patients in the trial will aim to use blood-thinning drugs for a limited time and only in reaction to a prolonged episode of AFib, according to the statement. Currently, the maximum number of patients with traumatic atrial inflammation use continuous doses of anticoagulants to decrease the threat of stroke.
“If proven effective, this new remedy paradigm will fundamentally replace the popular care of the millions of Americans living with atrial fibrillation,” lead researcher Dr. Rod Passman, director of the Arrhythmia Research Center and a professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology. to Feinberg said in the statement. “Many of those patients take blood thinners for the rest of their lives, even though they have rare episodes of atrial fibrillation,” Passman said. “If we can show that this strategy also protects unlike stroke and reduces bleeding, it can save lives, reduce costs and improve quality of life. “
The trial, called Rhythm Evaluation for AntiCoagulation (REACT-AF), is a collaboration between Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the American Heart Association, with Apple offering Apple Watches to patients in the trial, according to the statement.
Some patients with traumatic atrial inflammation have rare episodes of abnormal heartbeat, and evidence suggests that the threat of stroke increases in the weeks following an episode of traumatic atrial inflammation and then returns to baseline. This evidence of periods of increased threat raises the option of intermittent anticoagulant therapy, according to theArray
ABBOTT’S HEART PUMP CAN PROLONG THE LIFE OF HEART FAILURE PATIENTS BY 5 YEARS: Abbott said this week that data from a study shows that its HeartMate 3 central pump prolongs the survival of patients with complex heart failure for at least five years.
Data from the Momentum 3 trial provides “a transparent, life-saving option for others suffering from complex diseases,” he said.
The knowledge comes from the world’s largest randomized clinical trial to assess long-term outcomes in other people receiving a left ventricular device, according to the release. The trial studied more than 1,000 patients as part of a clinical trial, according to the statement.
“The Momentum study demonstrates that the HeartMate 3 central pump particularly changed the needle in terms of characteristics to increase the life expectancy of our patients with maximum complex central failure,” said Dr. Schoen. Divya Gupta, medical director of complex central failure and central transplantation at Emory Healthcare. This study shows that great attention is paid to this treatment that prolongs the lives of thousands of other people with complex central insufficiency and responds to the indications of HeartMate 3. “
“Thousands of other people with complex central failure die each year because they don’t get a central pump, in large part because their doctors know about the option or all of its benefits,” Keith Boettiger, abbott’s vice president of central failure business, said in the statement. . . ” There are too many patients who do not have the opportunity to be screened for a central pump, such as patients with obesity, diabetes, certain cancers and blood types, or those from underserved communities in the United States. With broader awareness and With advanced access to a central pump, we can give those patients the chance to live longer and better. ”
THE FIRST CASE OF WEST NILE IN ILLINOIS LEADS TO THE FIRST DEATH OF THE VIRUS HERE: A user in the ’70s in Cook County contracted West Nile virus and died, and the virus contributed to the death, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Tuesday.
This year, the first batch of mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile virus was collected on May 17 in Will County, according to the IDPH statement.
Last year, the first human case of the virus in Illinois was reported on Aug. 3, 2021, and there were 65 human cases, totaling five deaths, the IDPH said.
“This unfortunate first death of the year from West Nile virus in Illinois reminds us that this disease poses a risk, especially for those with weakened immune systems,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in the statement. “While it’s hot and mosquitoes are breeding, we all want to take precautions against mosquitoes and the viruses they bring using insect repellent and getting rid of the standing water around our homes where mosquitoes breed. “
ACQUISITION OF TWO CHICAGO OBSTETRIC PRACTICES: North Shore Associates in Gynecology
The MSO now operates 14 locations for more than 60 providers in any of the states. North Shore operates two offices in Wilmette and Glenview, while Northwestern is on Chicago’s Near North Side with a partnership with Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, however, MSOs like TWH invest in a provider and manage business operations, where the practice’s physicians get a stake in TWH and operate independently on the clinical side. All clinical staff operate within a TWH medical organization. in condition. Doctors are well hired and paid through the medical organization and all profits are shared between the medical organization and MSO, which manages all business operations and investments.
“As the health care landscape continues to evolve, personal practice style in OB/GYN is a must-have. We know patients feel the difference and prefer this option when seeking care,” said Bonnie Wise, Ph. D. wife of Northwestern Specialists. and the new medical director of Together Women’s Health.
TWH CEO Anthony Ahee told Crain’s that the organization has gotten higher reimbursement rates from Michigan insurers because of its size. READ MORE.
MEDICAL RESIDENTS MAY FIND RELIEF IN BIDEN LOAN FORGIVENESS, SAYS AMA: The executive order signed by President Joe Biden calling for student loan forgiveness would not help many physicians who exceed income source eligibility limits, but citizens and scholars could find the loan forgiveness language would possibly apply to them, according to an article on the American Medical Association website.
Individual student borrowers earning less than $125,000 consistent with the year and married couples with incomes under $250,000 are entitled to $10,000 in federal student loan debt forgiveness under the Council Order. In addition, borrowers qualified for the Pell Grant program, designed for low-income academics. Income history, they would be eligible for an additional $10,000 loan forgiveness.
The AMA said that, according to information from the “Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2022,” specialty physicians earn far more than the individual income source threshold of $125,000 per year. However, some doctors whose wife has a very low or no source of income may qualify under the $250,000 circle income source threshold.
And since the average salaries of first-year citizens were just under $59,000 a year in a 2020-2021 Association of Medical Schools (AAMC) report, loan forgiveness is possible, according to the message.
AAMC’s knowledge estimates that nearly three-quarters of physicians graduate with education-related debt, and the median debt is about $200,000.
HOSPICE PROVIDER EXPANDS PEDIATRIC PROGRAM: Lightways, a nonprofit palliative and critical illness provider, is expanding its pediatric program to incorporate 8 new staff members and 80 critically ill youth who were previously cared for through the recently dissolved JourneyCare in Barrington.
“There is no doubt that palliative and palliative care at home improves the quality of life for critically ill and terminally ill youth and their families,” said Mary Kay Sheehan, executive director of Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care, founded in Joliet. “These facilities lessen the suffering and quality of time families can spend together. “
Lightways is now the palliative care and palliative care provider in northern Illinois offering specialized pediatric care and the addition of JourneyCare’s younger patients triples the duration of its pediatric program, according to the release.
JourneyCare purchased through the publicly traded Addus HomeCare for $85 million earlier this year.
Lightways said it has created a Little Lights fund for donors who want to make sure young people and families who want palliative care and palliative care can get it. The fund will be used to cover approximately $750,000 to $1,000,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. related to Lightways’ pediatric program, according to the statement.
The program will get some relief when state law begins requiring personal insurers and Medicaid plans to include pediatric palliative care and palliative care. The mandate takes effect January 1, 2023 for Medicaid and January 1, 2024 for personal insurers.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF SPUTTERS HOSPITALS: The latest lightning report on Chicago-based Kaufman Hall National Hospitals that U. S. hospitals are in the world. U. S. companies are experiencing some of the worst margins since the pandemic began.
Poor monetary functionality is advanced through federal CARES or other stimulus funds, Hall said.
Kaufman Hall’s average operating margin index to date -0. 98%, for the seventh consecutive month of negative real operating margins, according to the statement. The average operating margin percentage in July -63. 9% from June 2022 and -73. 6% from July 2021, he said.
“Chicago is one of the most productive cities in the world for tourists, and with more and more services available in the ADA, it is vital that visitors know all the sites at their disposal,” said U. S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. said in the statement. ” With this federal support, we will showcase some of Chicago’s many attractions available while supporting jobs in the region’s tourism sector. I will continue to push for Americans of all grades to enjoy our country’s long-term attractions. “. »
SURPRISE BILLING ARBITRATION IN A ROCKY START: Insurers accuse providers of filing every imaginable arbitration claim through federal law without surprises, even when they know that some instances are not eligible for mediation. transparent and comprehensive reporting, reports Crain’s sister publication, Modern Healthcare.
The latest recently published rule on the procedure through the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury is to solve all those problems.
“I’m a positive person. But not so much,” said Dr. Lisa Maurer, M. D. , of Emergency Medicine Specialists in Milwaukee and medical director of the medical control facilities organization ConsensioHealth.
The striking law, which took effect Jan. 1, requires insurers and providers who can’t agree on rates for out-of-network care to engage in independent dispute resolution overseen by arbitrators. The Centers for Medicare
Mediators have only 1,200 of the 46,000 disputes submitted to the portal as of Aug. 11, according to the latest in recent federal data. CMS has won “many more” instances to review than originally planned, the firm reported this month. Three of the 11 independent dispute resolution entities no longer accept new instances, according to CMS.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
• Alethia Jackson has been named Walgreens Boots Alliance’s senior vice president of environment, society and governance and of diversity, equity and inclusion for the United States, the Deerfield-based company said in a statement.
Jackson Maximum recently served as vice president of the federal government and will assume the new position on Oct. 1, according to the statement. He will report to Holly May, Walgreens’ executive vice president and global chief human resources officer.
“As evidenced through her leadership in developing our COVID-19 vaccine equity initiatives, Alethia understands the urgency of physical justice, as well as the effect that carbon emission reductions, product sustainability and recycling can have on our planet, as well as our overall fitness. ” May said in the statement.
Jackson joined Walgreens in 2011 as a member of the government team.
• Dr. Vikram Bakhru has been appointed as the new CEO of Innovista Health Solutions, an Oak Brook-based physician company.
Bakhru, a practicing physician, most recently served as director of fitness for an insurance company run by Medicaid, according to Innovista’s statement. headquartered at Bright Health Group.
Bakhru is the founder and chairman of the board of the Foundation for International Medical Assistance to Children, according to the statement.
• Michelle Spellerberg has been named Chief Marketing Officer and Leadership Member of Millennium Trust Company.
Spellerberg joins the Oak Brook-based company after more than 8 years with Alliant, a national virtual credit union, where she served as vice president and chief marketing officer, according to a millennium trust report.
The new lease follows the acquisition of PayFlex by Millennium Trust, a leading provider of physical activity savings accounts and other customer solutions, from CVS, according to the statement.
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