George Washington University Launches Medicaid Workforce Tracker

To improve access to high-quality Medicaid services, experts must first locate the gaps in healthcare providers available to patients who rely on this health insurance. Researchers at the George Washington University today launched an interactive online tracking system that identifies states and counties in the United States that suffer from a shortage of primary care providers who see Medicaid patients.

Physicians Should Screen Youth for Cyberbullying, Social Media Use

Researchers recommend primary care physicians screen adolescents and young adults for inappropriate or misuse of social media and cyberbullying utilizing screening tools developed for use in the health care setting. Physicians also can ask about the many symptoms that could be warning signs of cyberbullying such as sleep disorders, mood disorders, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-harm behaviors, academic problems, fatigue and headaches. They also can undergo training to detect bullying and ensure that their staff is trained appropriately.

After Nationwide Search, Three Sub-Specialty Physicians Join Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute

“We selected physicians with years of education, extensive experience and sub-specialty training to expand our services and to strengthen our existing programs,” said Sara Cuccurullo, M.D., chair, vice president and medical director of JFK Johnson. “We wanted physicians not only with the training but also with the passion to work in their specialized fields. These committed doctors made our decisions easy.”

LifeBridge Health Launches Mobile App for Patients

LifeBridge Health has launched a new comprehensive mobile app for patients and consumers. Now available for download for iPhone and Android phone users, LifeBridge Health Mobile offers convenient and immediate access to the health system’s services such the physician directory, patient portal and online scheduling. LifeBridge Health Mobile is just one piece of the health system’s overall strategy to improve the digital patient experience.

FAU Announces Formation of FAU Health Network

Three South Florida counties that collectively are home to the largest metropolitan population in the state will soon be served by an academic health network that is a true collaboration of the region’s leading public and private academic and medical leaders.

Affirmative action bans had ‘devastating impact’ on diversity in medical schools, UCLA-led study finds

In states with bans on affirmative action programs, the proportion of students from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups in U.S. public medical schools fell by more than one-third by five years after those bans went into effect.

FSMB Launches Task Force on Health Equity and Medical Regulation

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has launched the Task Force on Health Equity and Medical Regulation. The Task Force will evaluate education and training programs to assist state medical and osteopathic boards in identifying opportunities for understanding and addressing systemic racism, implicit bias, and health inequity in medical regulation and patient care.

FAU Launches New Telehealth Certification Course

A new, 20-hour telehealth certification course provides the essential knowledge to deliver skilled telehealth services. The fully online course addresses telehealth platforms and models for practice; evidence-based telehealth technology; quality improvement measures; regulation, policy and reimbursement; telehealth inter-professional practice and specialized populations; and telehealth and the future.

FAU Resident Physicians Create a Critical Pipeline for South Florida’s Healthcare Workforce

With the Association of American Medical Colleges estimating a shortage of up to nearly 122,000 physicians in the U.S. by 2032, and demand for physicians growing faster than supply, FAU’s resident physicians are creating a critical pipeline for South Florida’s healthcare workforce.

‘With This Ring,’ Scientists Hope to Predict COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers

A three-pronged approach will help to predict COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers. At the center of it all – a ring, which tracks vitals such as heart rate and temperature and alerts the user that they might be getting sick without even realizing it. The study also will determine if participants go on to develop an acute COVID-19 infection and the prevalence rate in that population. Researchers hope to better identify patterns that could predict the emergence and recovery from novel infections to prevent and contain future pandemics.

FDA Approves First At-Home Saliva Collection Test for Coronavirus

Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics received an amended emergency use authorization from the FDA late Thursday for the first SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus test that will allow people to collect their own saliva at home and send to a lab for results. The decision follows the FDA’s recent emergency approval to RUCDR Infinite Biologics for the first saliva-based test, which involves health care workers collecting saliva from individuals at testing sites.

Ultraviolet Light Exposes Contagion Spread from Improper PPE Use

Despite PPE use, reports show that many health care workers contracted COVID-19. A novel training technique reinforces the importance of using proper procedures to put on and take off PPE when caring for patients during the pandemic. Researchers vividly demonstrate how aerosol-generating procedures can lead to exposure of the contagion with improper PPE use. The most common error made by the health care workers was contaminating the face or forearms during PPE removal.

Nation’s Newest Physicians Graduate Virtually in the Midst of COVID-19

The 63 members of the class of 2020 recited the Hippocratic Oath in unison, virtually, as they were conferred the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. More than half the class will start their residency program in a state that is currently considered a hotspot for COVID-19. Seven are headed to New York; others will be going to New Jersey, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Louisiana and Texas. One of the most popular residencies among FAU’s class of 2020 is emergency medicine; eight of the 63 graduates (13 percent) will begin training in emergency medicine this July.

COVID-19 Concerns? FAU Medicine Now Offers Telehealth

FAU Medicine, a primary care practice in Boca Raton is now offering “virtual visits” (telehealth) with its physicians. These virtual visits can be related to preventive care, check-ups, follow-ups or acute illnesses, including supporting patients who are concerned about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

FAU Finds Simple Solution to Make Thousands of Face Shields for Baptist Health South Florida

A disposable face shield developed by FAU only requires clear polyester plastic, elastic fabric bands, and a laser cutter. Unlike 3D printed solutions, this process is simple and quick. FAU re-tooled their facilities to leverage the opportunity to make face shields much faster than are currently being manufactured. They plan to share the blueprint for this PPE broadly with other academic institutions as well as industry.

Public Health Leadership Paramount to Emerging Coronavirus Pandemic

In the 1960s, public health officials led the U.S. and worldwide efforts that resulted in smallpox becoming the first human disease ever eradicated from the face of the earth. FAU researchers and collaborators discuss the urgent need for public health leadership in the wake of the emerging coronavirus pandemic.

Breastfeeding Guide Aims to Help Docs Ease Moms Through Tough 1st Week

A new guide seeks to ensure healthcare providers are ready to help new mothers with the challenging first week of breastfeeding – and to address gaps in knowledge and support created in previous decades when breastfeeding was far less common.

Cause of gap in starting pay between male and female physicians still inconclusive

When taking into account factors such as work-life balance, the pay difference between new male and female physicians is still largely unaccounted for, according to findings that were published Jan. 22 ahead of print and will also appear in the February issue of the journal Health Affairs.