Hospitals are now investing in resources to enable hospital-level care from the comfort of a patient’s home. This model is set to solve problems such as overcrowding in medical facilities, especially during the pandemic. Perhaps surprisingly, the insurers are backing it: “If [insurers] can pay for care in a lower-cost setting than the hospital, with good outcomes, they save money.” However, is this suitable for all patients’ medical conditions?
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Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
