Virtual Doctor Visits Are Getting More Popular, But Questions Remain About Who Pays

Provisions within the federal budget law Congress passed this year expands the use of telemedicine, which could go mainstream within 5 to 10 years. Read more

Study: More Practices Employing Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants 

According to a study reported in JAMA Internal Medicine, more practices are employing nurse practitioners or physician assistants. Read more

With fall upon us and Halloween fast approaching, we need to be aware of the potential for a number of unique accidents that can require a quick trip to the ER. Yes, it's that time of year when all of the spooks and spirits come out to play. And sometimes they get hurt.

Luckily, in 2015, the most recent revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) was released by the World Health Organization (WHO). The updated lists holds more than 14,000 codes, and 16,000 with optional sub-classifications of diseases, symptoms, complaints and external causes of injury or disease.

We have narrowed this down to the top eight potential codes that our clinicians may need to know during the month of October, particularly on the 31st.

The Night Doctor is in: Why 'Nocturnalists' Are Replacing Some On-Call Physicians

More hospitals are hiring experienced "nocturnalists" to improve patient safety and prevent calls to tired on-call physicians, according to an article in the Boston Globe. Read More  

Healthcare Hiring Momentum Leads to another 38,500 Jobs in June

Healthcare added 38,500 jobs in June and a total of 234,600 jobs in the first six months of 2016, according to initial seasonally adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read More  

Family Caregivers Become More Crucial as Elderly Population Grows

Strain on family caregivers is alarming many lawmakers and social-service providers. Read More   

Anti-depressants Carry Much Higher Fall Risk than Anti-psychotics, Study Finds

Nursing home residents with dementia who take antidepressants are at significantly higher risk of falls and fractures than those on anti-psychotics, new research shows. Read More  

Nursing Homes Starting to Offer More Individualized Menus

On a recent Thursday, the staff at Sunny Vista Living Center in Colorado Springs bustled in the kitchen.  

AHRQ Reports Continued Gains in Health Care Quality

Health care quality is improving overall, especially in hospitals, and more people have health care coverage and a usual source of medical care since the Affordable Care Act took effect, according to a new report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Read more.  

 "We must distinguish ourselves on the quality of CARE we provide, the FUNCTION we restore or maintain, the COMPASSION we show our patients and each other, and the PHYSICIAN we work with and support. Kindred must provide SERVICE and a patient experience that is second-to-none."  

This is the message Dr. Marc Rothman, Chief Medical Officer of Kindred Healthcare, conveys in his recent video addressing Kindred's company-wide commitment to improving the quality of the care they provide day in and day out.

AHA Issues Guide for Improving the Patient Experience through the Physical Environment

One way for hospitals to improve patient satisfaction is to focus on their physical environment, according to a new guide by the AHA's Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence initiative and American Society for Healthcare Engineering. Read More    

Hospitals Eye Community Health Workers to Cultivate Patients' Successes

Donnie Missouri, 58, doesn't have medical training. He started his health career in the linens department in Johns Hopkins Hospital. Read More

Do you know what to do if you receive a phishing e-mail or lose a mobile device? What types of events qualify as HIPAA violations? Reporting security and privacy events when they happen can significantly reduce their impact. Phishing e-mails can be blocked and mobile devices can be wiped. The exposure from misdirected faxes and other PHI disclosures can be limited if you act quickly. Do your part  to protect Kindred, your coworkers and our patients by being aware of threats and reporting them when you see them. 

Number of Seniors Who Need Personal Care Help Increasing, CDC Says

A "significantly" increasing number of adults over age 65 need help with personal care, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More 

With today's abundance of digital toys and devices, children of this generation are exposed to technology from the day they are born. Many of these devices are connected to the Internet, which brings the world to their fingertips, provides them with educational opportunities, entertainment and connections to friends and family through social media. Just like the physical world, however, cyberspace has its dark alleys and shifty characters. Limit your children's access to the seedy side of the net by following a few best practices: