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Explanation from DeAunne Denmark, MD, PhD : And just to clarify for all, since all of the testing jargon and landscape can be *extremely* confusing, especially now: The FDA has currently relaxed regulations for COVID diagnostics under "Emergency Use" (EUA). This authorizes, not approves, test kits, machines and devices to run those kits, and all other aspects involved in diagnostic testing. Authorize vs approve are very different animals under FDA. And you will see this repeatedly emphasized on the FDA site. But most often neglected, skipped over, mistaken in the wider press. Many articles and press releases use "approve" which is technically wrong - they mean authorize, or "grant use", or "use will not be objected to by FDA." If you have the stamina, I highly recommended reading as much of this as you can: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/faqs-diagnostic-testing-sars-cov-2 "Validation" is yet an additional aspect that is probably the grayest zone of all, since it is left to each company/testing entity how exactly this is done. Validation can range from excellent to pretty cruddy science and still meet FDA "standards". These will be the devilish details we need to sort out re: collaborating with partners. And will unfortunately likely be a big mess for many outpatient Drs trying to figure out which test to order.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: BJ Miller, MD @ UCSF Palliative Medicine - one of the foremost experts and innovators in the field. "You don't have to spend much time there (Zen Hospice) to realize that the most crucial, and distinctive, piece of the operation is its staff of volunteers. Freed of most medical duties by the nursing staff, the volunteers act almost as existential nurses. They sit with residents and chat, offering their full attention, unencumbered by the turmoil a family member might feel. The volunteers are ordinary people: retired Macy's executives, social workers, bakers, underemployed millennials or kibitzing empty-nesters. Many are practicing Buddhists. Many are not. (Miller isn't.) But Buddhism informs their training. There's an emphasis on accepting suffering, on not getting tripped up by one's own discomfort around it. "You train people not to run away from hard things, not to run away from the suffering of others," Miller explained.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: "Most people who need palliative care are not dying. They are living, and often for a very long time with serious illnesses.... They have a tremendous burden of suffering and caregiver distress, but they are not dying. Palliative care was an answer to that gap. It was recognizing that living with a serious illness nowadays is almost always a chronic disease. No matter how long people have to live, they deserve the same attention to quality of life, treatment of symptoms, management of depression, support for their families, and support for social issues like financing and housing. It should be based on need, not prognosis." -- Diane Meier, MD

DeAunne Denmark, MD, PhD: "To date, the FDA has granted EUA for only these 4 companies: Cellex, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Chembio Diagnostic Systems and the Mount Sinai Laboratory. Really looking forward to the validation and head-to-head comparison data promised here from the FDA, Chan Zuckerberg (supposedly this week?), and others. That should be telling... "

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark, Phd, MD

Recommended by Tyler Orion, Endorsed by DeAunne Denmark, MD, PhD :This is an example of the high quality and thoughtful study design needed to accurately and meaningfully interpret real-world tracking data. This prediction signal would not have been detected in the larger (inconsistently reporting) group, or in those who hadn't tracked enough before getting sick. Which relates to the importance of creating a baseline health timeline and consistently collecting robust, standardized pre-intervention contextual data. And another illustration re: why I keep circling back to these in all of our n-of-1 discussions :)

Recommended by: DeAunne Denmark, MD, PhD "It's important for the public to be aware of what's available to them in the world of genomics and precision medicine. Various resources are available that provide general and disease-specific information about genomics and precision medicine. A list of some resources available to the public is provided below, but additional resources are likely available through your health provider or other groups such as the US National Institutes of Health."

The resource index in this article is incredible.

DeAunne Denmark MD, PhD; Very interesting developments. Really hope this will start pointing toward more effective, targeted treatments. "Evidence is growing that self-attacking 'autoantibodies' could be the key to understanding some of the worst cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection."

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD Phd: "...the immune system is very complicated. Arguably the most complex part of the human body outside the brain, it's an absurdly intricate network of cells and molecules that protect us from dangerous viruses and other microbes. These components summon, amplify, rile, calm, and transform one another: Picture a thousand Rube Goldberg machines, some of which are aggressively smashing things to pieces. Now imagine that their components are labeled with what looks like a string of highly secure passwords: CD8+, IL-1β, IFN-γ. Immunology confuses even biology professors who aren't immunologists"

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: "The Human Connection of Palliative Care: Ten Steps for What To Say and Do"

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: "Enhancing the experience of caregiving by teaching mindfulness and compassion" Zen Caregiving Project is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, California with over 30 years of experience in practicing and teaching mindfulness-based, compassionate caregiving. We offer courses, workshops, and training for professional, family, clinical, and volunteer caregivers. Through our work, we provide a context for public discussion of caregiving, loss, and death.

This resource is especially meaningful for me. Thank you for sharing it!

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: This is a touching personal narrative that helps us understand the origins of Dr. Meier's compassion.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: " How did it come to this? A virus a thousand times smaller than a dust mote has humbled and humiliated the planet's most powerful nation. America has failed to protect its people, leaving them with illness and financial ruin. It has lost its status as a global leader. It has careened between inaction and ineptitude. The breadth and magnitude of its errors are difficult, in the moment, to truly fathom.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: Virtual Conference - On Demand - June 16 - November 17, 2020 A wide range of topics will be covered, but all relate to how compassionate care can support goals like workforce well-being, patient experience, safety, quality and innovation, as well as additional content to support caregivers and leaders during this challenging time.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: Our Mission To put compassion at the heart of healthcare through programs, education and advocacy. Our Vision: A world where all who seek and provide healthcare experience compassion.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD PhD: Serious Illness Digital Ecosystem (SIDE) is the intentional aggregation of disparate digital and mobile health technologies into a single system that connects all of the actors involved in serious illness patient care. The 5 pillars of a SIDE are: Identification, Education, Engagement, Service Delivery, and Remote Monitoring. To me, this is just a preliminary and pragmatic first step(s). It also misses or misrepresents large care gaps, e.g. framing as the need for education/engagement of patients vs directing to physicians/providers. That said, I think there are still some useful constructs for us here for digital infrastructure.

Discovered by DeAunne Denmark, MD. Phd, with the statement "It isn't clear to me how this information was collected." A new survey conducted by Public Opinion Strategies in partnership with Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock examines some of the critical questions facing America's health care delivery system... (including) What will be required to ensure Americans are once again comfortable and safe in a hospital or health care setting? The Executive Summary of the online survey of 1,000 adults was conducted nationally on April 16-20, 2020.

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD Phd. "New data showed black patients have less trust in COVID-19 mitigation, underscoring decades of racial health disparities and limited patient trust."

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark MD Phd, "At Cell Press, we recognize the urgent need to quickly share information about SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. On this hub page, curated by members of our editorial team, you'll find the latest content about the outbreak as it appears in Cell Press journals."

Recommended by DeAunne Denmark, MD, PhD: "Consumer genetic testing for health conditions has always been viewed with some skepticism by healthcare professionals. For many, direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing was synonymous with 23andMe, whose health-related products are perceived as having little to no value for health care. But the landscape for consumer-initiated genetic health testing has changed dramatically in just the last year."