ABQAURP News March 2023
Don’t miss this year’s annual conference! Join ABQAURP as we develop strategies to integrate technology, disruptive delivery models, and service excellence into practice to address the challenges of social determinants of health, improve the population health of communities served, and expand opportunities and patient outcomes for providers.
Should a Pharmacist Be Allowed to Deliver Primary Care Services?
Primary care providers are under a lot of stress these days. Pharmacists can help them. That was the takeaway from an intriguing panel at last week’s HIMSS 2023 conference and exhibition in Chicago.
The Exec: Healthcare’s Workforce Shortage Prevents Patients From Getting Needed Care
Besides obvious staffing issues, healthcare’s workforce shortage is preventing patients from receiving the care they need due to the lack of providers, Leonardo Seoane, MD, executive vice president and chief academic officer at Ochnser Health, testified during a recent U.S. Senate hearing on the workforce shortage in the healthcare sector.
California Hospital Reinstates Masking Policy After COVID-19 Outbreak Among Staff, Patients
A California hospital has reinstated its masking policy after more than a dozen staffers as well as some patients were diagnosed with COVID-19, according to a statement from the hospital’s parent company, Kaiser Permanente.
Gun Violence Costs U.S. Healthcare $1B+ Annually
Gun violence in the United States was responsible for nearly 49,000 deaths in 2021, about 30,000 inpatient hospital stays, and 50,000 emergency department visits, generating more than $1 billion in medical costs, according to a new report from the Urban Institute.
What Workplace Violence Prevention Can Learn From Emergency Management
The survey found that most respondents believed that their organizations are extremely or very well prepared for incidents like a fire (75%) and severe weather or a natural disaster (64%). By comparison, 40% believed that their workplace is extremely or very well prepared for an active assailant incident.
Wastewater Surveillance System Looks to Offer Early COVID Detection
One federally funded program is the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). Launched in September 2021, the program works to coordinate and improve the nation’s capacity to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) in wastewater samples across the country.
The Critical Role of Predictive Analytics in Addressing SDoH and Health Inequities
While access to timely and affordable healthcare for all is a founding principle of the American ideal, disparities in health outcomes by population paint a starkly different picture. These data points highlight inequalities in care availability, quality, and outcomes.
Improving Care Through AI One Zip Code at a Time
A new health equity AI tool is able to aggregate clinical and social data across 4,500 factors to provide a more granular view of health disparities in varying communities. The tool, Radian, was created by Lightbeam Health Solutions to provide a no-cost health equity solution for healthcare organizations and leadership.
Healthcare Workplace Violence Legislation Introduced in Congress
The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Worker Act was introduced by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT). The bill has bipartisan backing in the House of Representatives, with support from Don Bacon (R-NE), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).