ED Docs Seek Accountability for Violence Committed by Patients
Violence rose against healthcare providers in emergency departments during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new poll showed.
Some 55% of respondents said that they had personally been assaulted in the ED, some on a weekly or more frequent basis, according to a poll conducted over the summer by the American College of Emergency Physicians. That compares with 49% in a 2018 poll. And 33% of respondents said that they were injured on the job owing to a workplace assault, up from 27% in 2018.
Why it matters: Violent incidents contribute to increased burnout, turnover, and mental health issues for emergency department professionals.
What’s being done: Congress is considering bills to address the increased violence in healthcare settings.
Innovative Ways to Get Paid Faster
A large majority of healthcare practices are exploring ways to speed up payments for services, a new report said. Some 69% of physicians have turned to alternative payment methods for patients, according to Medscape’s Physicians Rate Healthcare Access Report: Ongoing Problem for Patients.
The problem is clear: 1 in 10 Americans have medical debt, the report said. Physicians are seeking ways to ease financial pressures on patients while ensuring that a practice has stable revenue. Both are crucial to quality healthcare.
Digital solutions: Alternative payment methods include digital platforms that give patients estimates of upcoming healthcare costs, apps that allow patients to track and pay all bills in one place, and healthcare credit cards.
Payment plans: Practices can add a recurring payment feature for patients who make monthly payments or institute payment plans for others.
Pumping Iron Improves Longevity in Older Adults
Older adults who lift weights regularly show significant reductions in mortality from all causes, including cardiovascular disease, new research showed. That was true whether the iron pumping was done along with or without cardio exercise, according to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The study looked at data on participants in the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial, which began in 1993 and involved adults aged 55-74 years at 10 US cancer centers.
Big difference: Weightlifting and aerobic exercise in combination resulted in a 40% lower risk for death for older people compared with no moderate to vigorous aerobic activity or weightlifting, the study said.
Gender disparity: The benefit of weightlifting appeared stronger in women than in men.
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