Group items tagged

ECG has launched a new 'simple and straightforward' Patient Group Direction (PGD) service for pharmacists working in primary care, together with a service which offers direct access to an NHS Consultant for medical advice to offer robust safeguarding as and when needed. Taking on more clinical services with the PGDs can feel daunting and a big responsibility for healthcare professionals. ECG's new medical advice service (for anyone purchasing their PGDs) will offer pharmacists the opportunity to call and speak to a clinical member of the ECG team who will triage the calls and support them. If required, the call will be connected to an experienced NHS Consultant to offer immediate medical advice. The service will start with a Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30hrs provision with an option to increase to 24 /7 for those working out of hours. This is inclusive in the PGD pricing offer. ECG has been the market leader in providing vaccination training to pharmacists since 2004, providing robust knowledge and clinical skills to enable pharmacists to develop their private and NHS commissioned vaccination services (such as flu and covid). By developing their close working relationship with all of the multiples, many smaller chains, membership groups and independents over the years, ECG has continued to further consolidate their 'one stop shop' approach to supporting the sector. ECG wants to offer this sector choices in the level of guidance and support that the individual healthcare professionals feel they need to offer safe care to patients.

Reacting to recommendations from a UK-first independent review, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has outlined action to tackle potential bias in the design and use of medical devices. Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, professor of public health at the University of Liverpool, was appointed to lead the review, which focused on three areas - optical devices such as pulse oximeters, AI-enabled devices, and polygenic risk scores (PRS) in genomics. The DHSC commissioned the medical devices review after concerns were raised that pulse oximeters - widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor blood oxygen levels - were not as accurate for patients with darker skin tones. There were worries that this could cause delays in treatment if dangerously low oxygen levels in such patients were missed. However, no evidence was found from NHS studies indicating that this differing performance had an impact on patient care. Accepting the report's conclusions, the DHSC has committed to several actions, such as ensuring the safe use of pulse oximeter devices across a range of skin tones within the NHS and eliminating racial bias from data sets employed in clinical studies.

Veoza, a non-hormonal treatment for menopause, has been made available on the high street for the first time in the UK. British pharmacy chain Superdrug on Thursday (1st February) announced the launch of the newly approved menopause medication, expanding its comprehensive portfolio of products and services to support menopausal women. Veoza is a prescription medication that is used to manage vasomotor symptoms, specifically hot flushes and night sweats, which affect up to 80 per cent of women during menopause, as estimated by experts. It is recommended for women who prefer not to or are unable to take hormone replacement. Perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal women, aged 45-65 who are not on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or hormonal contraception, and are suffering from moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, are eligible to take the medication, the retailer said in a release.

In the fast-evolving world of medicine, staying updated with the latest research trends is crucial for healthcare professionals and researchers alike. This helps ensure that patient care is based on the best available evidence and keeps professionals at the forefront of innovations and advancements. Here are six essential tips on how to stay informed about the latest medical research trends. 1. Utilize Trusted Sources The vast amount of information available online can be overwhelming, making it essential to discern credible sources from unreliable ones. Here are some strategies to help: Identify Reputable Journals and Databases: Publications like The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and JAMA are renowned for their rigorous peer-review processes. Databases like PubMed and Google Scholar are also excellent for accessing a wide range of scientific papers. Check for Peer-Reviewed Articles: Peer review ensures that research has been evaluated by experts in the field, enhancing its credibility. Look for Author Credentials: Research conducted by established experts in the field is more likely to be trustworthy. Evaluate Institutional Affiliations: Research from reputable institutions and organizations often signifies high-quality work.

A judicial review claim launched by the British Medical Association (BMA) against the General Medical Council (GMC) has parallelly intensified Pharmacists' Defence Association's (PDA) scrutiny over the use of the term 'pharmacy professionals'. PDA has criticised the evolving definition of 'pharmacy professionals,' and the potential risks to patient safety amidst regulatory ambiguity as part of "a far wider agenda." Concerns stem from what the PDA perceives as a blurring of distinctions between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as "attempted homogenisation" by bodies like the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), NHS, and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Raising similar issue as the BMA against the GMC over its use of 'medical professionals for doctors and Medical Associate Professions (MAPs), Mark Koizol, Chairman of the PDA has said:

People are advised to be mindful of medications that may cause sun reactions, and to watch out for dodgy hay fever treatments and fake weight loss pens. For those traveling abroad, the MHRA advises considering the suitability of medicines available to reduce the risk of contracting tropical diseases. Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: "The summer is an exciting time for many of us, as we take time off to travel and enjoy the warmer weather. "But it is important to understand what this time of year means for our medicines and medical devices, and take the precautions necessary to use products safely and protect ourselves." Watch out for dodgy hay fever treatments Millions of Britons suffer from hay fever symptoms in the summer. The MHRA advises consulting a healthcare professional to find the best treatment for your symptoms. People are also warned to be cautious of medicines advertised as hay fever treatments but not approved for use in the UK, such as Kenalog. This is a prescription-only steroid injection licensed as a medicine for other conditions, but not for the treatment of hay fever.

Medical coding is a job for intelligent readers. Doctors forward the diagnosis and treatment details to the medical billing service companies. Medical coding staff interprets those healthcare jargons, for instance, the names of diseases and assign them medical codes according to a universally accepted coding system. The billers send those claims with codes to the insurance companies for reimbursements. A claim might end up in acceptance or denial depending on the accuracy of the bill.

Professional medical billers working for a medical billing service or a medical facility have different responsibilities than the institutional medical billers. Learn how their duties are different from one another.

The decision of whether or not to outsource a medical billing service for your medical facility is a very complicated one. Medical billing requires a lot of expertise and a very specialized set of skills. A medical billing service consists of all those specialties that are required to perform specific billing tasks.

If right now you outsource your revenue cycle management, you realize that the performance of your medical billing service provider is central to your medical practice's financial success. Repayment keeps on declining, and the movement towards value-based will keep on jeopardizing your medical revenues if your medical billing company is not working as expected.

Medical billing is a complicated issue. There is a great deal that goes on in the back end to make it successful. Medical billing services help medical facilities to make billing a success. Watchful and tedious tasks are required and then executed by specialists in the field. So, if you possess or run a small practice and are thinking about in-house medical billing for it, then read further to understand the different variables.

Here are ten steps of claims submission via medical billing services to speed up the medical billing and coding process. Take notes and improve your revenue cycle management.

Here are ten steps of claims submission via medical billing services to speed up the medical billing and coding process. Take notes and improve your revenue cycle management.

Medical coding is a rapidly growing field, and students are adopting it as a serious career option. To make things simpler, medical coders bridge the gap between providers and the payers. When you pay a visit to the doctor, the doctor prepares notes about diagnosis and treatment. This information goes out to the medical billing services department where the medical coders convert it into a language understood by the payers.

Emerging and advancing medical technologies reached new heights in 2020 and show no signs of stopping marching into 2021. The COVID crisis has led to many innovations and advancements, and it seems this trend isn't over yet. Full Article: https://www.hospitalrecruiting.com/blog/7111/advancing-medical-technology-2021/?fbclid=IwAR0cWYQgV0I2_7aut2mPwQn24fcrIEAveGkrWV2JYy9ee10F5zB_nnXUfJk #physician #EmergingTech #emergingtechnologies #medicaltechnology

Medical billing audits are a way to look for potential errors in a billing and coding process for a streamlined workflow & high reimbursement rate. Learn why such audits are important for any medical practice.

Medical billing audits are a way to look for potential errors in a billing and coding process for a streamlined workflow & high reimbursement rate. Learn why such audits are important for any medical practice.

Medical billing services are one of those topics that can never be discussed enough if you are related to the healthcare industry. Hence, laying down opportunities for students to adapt and see themselves in the role of a medical biller and coder is a process we all should know.

Medical billing services are one of those topics that can never be discussed enough if you are related to the healthcare industry. Hence, laying down opportunities for students to adapt and see themselves in the role of a medical biller and coder is a process we all should know.

Medical billing process relies on efficient medical billing and coding services. It is an intricate activity that requires a lot of concentration and precision.  Medical billers and coder need to be professional and capable enough of handling multitasking.

The financial health of the medical industry is weakening due to inefficient medical billing and coding processes. There is a need to take extraordinary steps to mitigate the inefficiency in medical services. For this reason, the physicians can focus on the following aspects to generate exceptional medical billing services.

The average US residency graduate has accumulated $250k in debt from their medical education. Suffice to say, a high student loan burden is a near certainty for almost all who take the road of a physician. In this post Dr. Laura Gilroy outlines the established methods for resolving medical education debt.

Approximately 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are utilised each year for self-treatable illnesses. If these individuals chose to self-treat using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, the potential savings for NHS could amount to at least £1.7 billion annually, according to a research commissioned by Proprietary Association of Great Britain. The study, conducted by analysts at Frontier Economics, revealed that embracing self-care could bring an additional economic benefit of £350 million annually, as employees would avoid unnecessary time off from work for medical appointments. Apart from the savings resulting from the increased OTC medicine use, the report emphasises the potential benefits of reclassifying more prescription-only medications (POMs). A mere 5 per cent reduction in NHS prescribing levels and spending could lead to an annual cost-saving of £1.4 billion, encompassing both prescription costs and GP appointments, it said. "This substantial amount could greatly alleviate financial pressures on the NHS and offer essential resources for recruiting and training much-needed healthcare professionals."