To Listen
We have compiled a playlist from all our shows and podcasts on our network that discuss the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Products and Technology
Alveo Technologies Awarded Grant for its be.well™ COVID-19 Test
Alveo Technologies (@AlveoTech), announced it has been awarded a grant to improve upon the performance and usability of its testing platform, and if successful, to advance the development and scale manufacturing of the company’s be.well™ COVID-19 test from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As the first of its kind platform, be.well™ is as accurate as a PCR test with all the benefits of an antigen test in terms of cost and accessibility that yields rapid test results via smartphone connectivity.
News and Noted
eTrueNorth Prepared to Meet Next Generation COVID-19 Testing Needs
eTrueNorth, the U.S.-based healthcare technology company that enables point-of-care laboratory testing at retail pharmacies and has coordinated 100% of the high-volume drive-through surge COVID-19 specimen collection sites, is prepared to facilitate point-of-care rapid COVID-19 tests around the country.
CDC seeks input on proposal to centralize COVID-19 laboratory test reporting
The American Hospital Association (@ahahospitals) reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would like to partner with one or more organizations to enable centralized reporting from COVID-19 testing entities to public health departments, the agency said this week in a request for information.
Surveys and Reports
The Rise of Health & Wellness Apps During COVID-19
With the usual means of self-care upended by a pandemic, people are turning to apps to boost their well-being at home. Take a look at the most popular fitness, food, finance, mindfulness, and sleep wellness apps as SYKES (@SYKES_Global) dives into pandemic-era data
75 Percent of Health Systems and Hospitals Will Permanently Change Revenue Cycle Organizations Due to COVID-19, According to Survey
Alpha Health (@alphahealthai), the first Unified Automation™ company for revenue cycle management in healthcare, released results of a national survey designed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on revenue cycle operations at health systems and hospitals across the U.S. Results demonstrate the majority of organizations intend to restructure their revenue cycle operations in response to shifting business dynamics driven by the pandemic.
New MGMA Research Provides Benchmarking Data for Medical Practices to Navigate through the COVID-19 Pandemic
As the healthcare industry continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, benchmarking operations through 2020 can provide a strong baseline for medical practices and their ability to survive in the coming months and along their road to recovery. Medical Group Management Association (@mgma), in conjunction with its annual MGMA DataDive Practice Operations Report, released a timely report, “Benchmarking for Patient Access in a Post-COVID-19 World,” to provide guidance and insights for medical practice administrators and physician leaders as they progress back to pre-COVID-19 levels of appointment availability and volume, and to have valuable data benchmarks to aspire to in the new normal.
New Healthcare Consumer Survey Shows Continued Rise in Demand for Digital Access and Catalytic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Fourth annual survey from Kyruus (@kyruus) shows growing consumer expectations for healthcare organizations to expand digital self-service access to both in-person and virtual care options.
AMA Report Examines Existing Inequity Driving Latinx COVID-19 Impact
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the American Medical Association (@AmerMedicalAssn) released a new report emphasizing the starkly disproportionate Latinx COVID-19 cases and fatalities—further underscoring concerns that a lack of consistent data reporting underestimates the pandemic’s magnitude on the Latinx community and illustrating how the pandemic has deepened pre-existing inequities.
Three-Fourths of Hospital Executives Concerned About Financial Viability Without Effective COVID-19 Treatment or Vaccine
Nearly three-quarters of hospital leaders are either moderately (52%) or extremely (22%) concerned about the financial viability of their organizations without an effective treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, according to a new report from Kaufman Hall (@KaufmanHall). One-third of respondents (33%) saw operating margin declines in excess of 100% in the second quarter of 2020 compared with the same period of 2019.
To Read
A Growing Crisis: Mental Health Consequences of the Pandemic from AHIP Blog (@ahipcoverage) – The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked our communities, the economy, and the health care industry. Fear, uncertainty, isolation, and other stressors are contributing to the growing impact on mental health in the U.S. In a CDC survey, 40% of adults reported struggling with mental health conditions or symptoms attributed at least in part to the pandemic. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey also found that 53% of adults reported that their mental health had been negatively impacted.
Black Hispanics at Especially High Risk for Severe COVID by HealthDay News – Hispanic Americans have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, including ending up in intensive care and dying, than non-Hispanic white people, a new study finds.
Internal Documents Reveal COVID-19 Hospitalization Data The Government Keeps Hidden from NPR – As coronavirus cases rise swiftly around the country, surpassing both the spring and summer surges, health officials brace for a coming wave of hospitalizations and deaths. Knowing which hospitals in which communities are reaching capacity could be key to an effective response to the growing crisis. That information is gathered by the federal government — but not shared openly with the public.
Debunking COVID-19 myths from Mayo Clinic (@mayoclinic) – The Mayo Clinic sets the record straight concerning various myths about the coronavirus.
Latest from HHS:
Trump Administration Distributes Incentive Payments to Nursing Homes Curbing COVID-19 Deaths and Infections
Trump Administration Producing Supply Kits to Safely Administer COVID-19 Vaccines to Americans
Readout from the Trump Administration’s 40th Governors Briefing on COVID-19 Response and Vaccine Distribution Best Practices
HHS and DOD announce $12.7 million contract with InBios International to boost U.S. production of rapid COVID-19 tests
389,000 BinaxNOW COVID-19 Tests Distributed Thus Far to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s)
Events
Actionable Intelligence Network
What: Health Data Unbound: Virtual Conference Innovation in Health Data for the COVID-19 Era and Beyond
When: November 10 – 12, 2020
Register for this event.
Twitter: @ehealthdc
Virtual Conference Innovation in Health Data for the COVID-19 Era and Beyond – The will focus on the emergent need for interoperability of all kinds, implementation of appropriate sharing of patient information, high priority use cases, value propositions, companies with enabling technologies, business models and strategies.
Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers (PRI)
What: COVID-19 Physician Peer Support
When: Mondays 8:00 p ET; Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:30 – 6:30 pm ET
Register for Monday Groups
Register for Tuesday & Thursday Groups
Twitter: @PRI_Insurance
COVID-19 Physician Peer Support – PRI has multiple weekly complimentary Virtual Support Groups on Coping with COVID-19 which your fellow physicians have been utilizing and finding great comfort and support from.
COVID-19 Resources
HealthcareNOW Radio rounded up some health IT resources being offered by companies to help healthcare professionals, American citizens and all of those affected in the fight against the coronavirus.
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The CDC is the front line for our safety and information on the Coronavirus. Keep informed about COVID-19. Sign up to get emails or text alerts from the CDC.
Health Center COVID-19 Testing
Updated weekly using data from the Health Center COVID-19 Survey, the Health Center COVID-19 Testing Dashboard provides a high-level view of total COVID-19 tests conducted and the distribution of positive COVID-19 tests by race and ethnicity.