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Mashup Score: 4Make America healthy again? A moment of reckoning for healthcare - 6 hour(s) ago
Next week the US president elect, Donald Trump, will take office with a mandate to make radical changes to the government’s approach to medicine and public health. Health insurance coverage in particular faces massive, potentially harmful, reform (doi:10.1136/bmj.q2801).1 Republicans in Washington plan to shrink Medicaid, the programme for people on low incomes, potentially leaving millions of Americans uninsured. Traditional Medicare (for people over 65 and those with disabilities) could also reduce to the point that it covers only a small fraction of the current Medicare population. In the meantime, public frustration with insurers has been evident after the murder of Brian Thompson, chief executive of UnitedHealthcare (UHC) (doi:10.1136/bmj.q2879).2 It has exposed the healthcare giant’s high rate of insurance coverage denial and the misery this has caused. The fact that Luigi Mangione, …
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet
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Mashup Score: 6NHS emergency department pressures are not because of a single point of failure, it’s the whole system that’s struggling - 7 hour(s) ago
Luke Craddock describes what it’s like working in an emergency department as winter pressures bite I’ve only been working as a foundation year 2 doctor in an emergency department for six weeks and already I’m physically and mentally exhausted. Our department has far too few staff to match the ever increasing demand—a familiar story that is playing out across the country.1 Every day I see colleagues working tirelessly to offer the best care they can for their patients, but the current provision doesn’t let us deliver the gold standard care I was taught to give and aspire to provide. As doctors, we’ve had years of practice interacting with patients under our care to hone our empathy. In this dystopian system, however, it’s not only doctors empathising with patients but also patients empathising with doctors. I’ve had patients commiserate with me over the relentless conditions …
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
"I’ve only been working as a FY2 doctor in an emergency department for six weeks and already I’m physically and mentally exhausted." @DrLukeCraddock describes what it’s like working in A&E as winter pressures bite https://t.co/A6XD5v1UMV
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Mashup Score: 1High cost of colonoscopy deterring young Americans from testing—and raising cancer risk - 10 hour(s) ago
The cost of colonoscopies and increasingly strict US insurance company policies are driving down rates of colorectal cancer detection in an age group that experts say is at particular risk. Paige Huffman reports Kristina Kelly of Atlanta, Georgia, struggled with haemorrhoids and bleeding after bowel movements for the first year after the birth of her daughter. Her doctor ordered a colonoscopy. The day before the procedure, Kelly found out that she would have to pay $600 for the test, even though she had good, private insurance. She thought about cancelling. “Did I want to spend $600 on that? No. Are there a lot of other things I could have been spending money on? Yes,” says Kelly. She decided to go ahead with the colonoscopy. The decision might have saved her life. At age 36, Kelly received a diagnosis of stage III colorectal cancer that had spread to one of her lymph nodes. In the United States, insurance companies often deny people like Kelly, who are younger than 45, sufficient cove
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
The cost of colonoscopies and increasingly strict US insurance company policies are driving down rates of colorectal cancer detection in young Americans https://t.co/tmRPEy4tgE
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Mashup Score: 0What “dose” of anxiety is needed to awaken transformative action on climate change? - 12 hour(s) ago
“Eco-anxiety” is growing worldwide, especially among young people.1 Considerable anxiety about the climate crisis is rational, particularly for young people, for whom even 2100 is a tangible date. Deep concern for future human and ecological wellbeing is justified among all ages, not only because of the disturbing evidence of climate breakdown, but also because of the apparent climate change policy paralysis, especially in so-called developed countries—the global North. Climate policy paralysis and hypocrisy are stark given the disturbing evidence of rising global temperatures in the last 18 months. The primary responsibility for climate change lies with the lifestyles and intransigence of the world’s most affluent people, most of whom live in high-income nations including Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia. Although these populations have, to date, been comparatively insulated from the harm caused by climate change, more extreme climate related weather events are becoming increasin
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
"Even though awareness of danger is inherently painful, the alternative—ignorance—is surely worse." @RaoMala and @ColinDavdButler look at whether climate anxiety is helpful to promote action on climate change https://t.co/3N5l0a6IGT
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Mashup Score: 5Halting medical doctor degree apprenticeships is a sensible decision - 12 hour(s) ago
Medical apprenticeships were scrapped to avoid creating a two tiered system in medical education, writes Rob Tucker The government has reportedly ceased further funding of the controversial doctor apprenticeship programmes.1 The scheme has faced considerable opposition from the medical community and lobbying by the BMA from the start. Proponents initially argued that these programmes would widen access into medicine, but this argument began to fall apart as further details emerged. Medical doctor apprenticeships would not have delivered on the aim of expanding access into medicine, instead we need effective widening participation schemes in medical education. The timelines to deliver the medical apprenticeships were always tight. In 2022, NHS England set out a tender for medical schools to develop a new programme offering the use of the apprenticeship levy funding for the first time to medical degrees. The pilot medical schools were confirmed in January 2023. NHS England then needed to
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, Hem/OncsTweet-
Halting medical doctor degree apprenticeships in UK is a sensible decision https://t.co/Zd3AzLkacc via @RobTucker_ https://t.co/C3mYqOiQT2
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Mashup Score: 1UK needs national strategy to tackle alcohol related harms - 13 hour(s) ago
Sustained funding is needed for screening and care, but industry must also shoulder costs Alcohol is widely available and drunk by around 80% of adults in the UK. No safe level of alcohol consumption has been established,1 and the physical and mental health harms increase (at different rates) with the amount consumed.2 Alcohol is well recognised as a leading preventable cause of cancer.3 The health and social harms of alcohol are higher in socially disadvantaged groups4 despite lower rates of use than in more advantaged groups. This “alcohol harm paradox” means that alcohol consumption has the greatest detrimental effect on the most vulnerable in society and is a significant contributor to health inequalities and premature death.567 The challenges faced during the covid-19 pandemic89 resulted in an increase in the number of people drinking alcohol at increased and higher risk levels.1011 Deaths from alcohol specific causes in England also rose by 42.2% between 2019 and 2023, the highes
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
The UK needs an overarching national strategy to tackle alcohol related harms, argue experts in The BMJ today, as deaths from alcohol in England reach their highest level on record. @bmj_latest. Link: https://t.co/GRyyTTnJME https://t.co/ZoPuQb2WRa
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Mashup Score: 9Winter viruses: we can do more to prevent a surge in cases - 13 hour(s) ago
An extended flu vaccine rollout would benefit public health and the economy, writes Lindsay Broadbent Every year, as the weather turns colder, we can’t go far without hearing someone cough or sniffle. The “cold and flu” season is nothing new, but we need to do more to tackle winter illness. The end of 2024 saw a “quademic,” with high incidence of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), covid-19, and the winter vomiting bug (norovirus) all putting pressure on the NHS. The number of hospital admissions with influenza rose from 1190 to 5074—more than 300%—from the end of November to the end of December.1 This was triple the number of admissions recorded at the same point last year. As hospitals throughout the UK declare critical incidents, we shouldn’t be surprised by the demand on healthcare services during winter. High rates of hospital admissions with flu aren’t unprecedented: we saw a similar peak in the 2022-23 winter season.2 But we should be doing more to tackle the winter vi
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
"We should be doing more to tackle the winter viruses that in our ageing population can range from inconvenient to life threatening." An extended flu vaccine rollout would benefit public health and the economy, writes @LindsayBbent https://t.co/OeYOrbCCwH
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Mashup Score: 14Tackling drug shortages must be an urgent priority for the NHS - 16 hour(s) ago
In recent years, the NHS has faced numerous drug shortages, with serious consequences for both patients and healthcare professionals.12 These ongoing shortages have affected a wide range of drugs, including antibiotics, diabetes medicines, ADHD medications and hormone replacement therapy.34 As the NHS grapples with drug scarcity, it is necessary to understand the causes and prioritise solutions to tackle this recurrent problem. Medicine shortages doubled between 2022 and 2024, with 101 drug supply disruption notifications in February 2024 compared to 52 in the same month in 2022.567 In 2023, healthcare providers received an average of 137 monthly notifications about supply disruptions, signalling a worsening crisis which is affecting patient care.7 The current drug shortages in the UK arise from global and local factors.2 Disruptions in worldwide supply chains—triggered by events such as the covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine war and increased energy costs—have impacted the manufacturing a
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
In recent years, the NHS has faced numerous drug shortages, with serious consequences for patients and healthcare professionals. Tackling drug shortages must be an urgent priority for the NHS, write @MohammadRazai and colleagues https://t.co/FyKeGUuByx
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Mashup Score: 0Improving maternity provision for incarcerated women in the UK - 16 hour(s) ago
Laura Abbott and colleagues highlight gaps in clinical care for pregnant women in prison and consider how best to meet their needs Two newborn babies died in UK prisons in 2019-20 and another died in transit to hospital in 2017.12 The unique challenges faced by women in detained settings were highlighted in the Corston report in 2007,3 but these deaths drew widespread attention to the serious shortcomings and substandard care for perinatal women in prison.4 The systemic problems need tackling urgently to protect the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and babies while in criminal justice settings. Women constitute about 4% of the overall prison population in England and Wales and tend to receive shorter sentences than men, usually for non-violent crimes.3 The decision to incarcerate pregnant women is a political one, with 11 countries, including Spain, Mexico, and Italy, prohibiting or severely limiting it. Research on care of pregnant women in prison in the UK is sparse, despite ev
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
Laura Abbott and colleagues highlight gaps in clinical care for pregnant women and say the systemic problems need tackling urgently to protect the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and babies while in criminal justice settings in @bmj_latest today. https://t.co/wwrlN5mtd9 https://t.co/bpQW5EEO9E
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Mashup Score: 7UK needs national strategy to tackle alcohol related harms - 17 hour(s) ago
Sustained funding is needed for screening and care, but industry must also shoulder costs Alcohol is widely available and drunk by around 80% of adults in the UK. No safe level of alcohol consumption has been established,1 and the physical and mental health harms increase (at different rates) with the amount consumed.2 Alcohol is well recognised as a leading preventable cause of cancer.3 The health and social harms of alcohol are higher in socially disadvantaged groups4 despite lower rates of use than in more advantaged groups. This “alcohol harm paradox” means that alcohol consumption has the greatest detrimental effect on the most vulnerable in society and is a significant contributor to health inequalities and premature death.567 The challenges faced during the covid-19 pandemic89 resulted in an increase in the number of people drinking alcohol at increased and higher risk levels.1011 Deaths from alcohol specific causes in England also rose by 42.2% between 2019 and 2023, the highes
Source: www.bmj.comCategories: General Medicine News, General HCPsTweet-
The UK needs an overarching national strategy to tackle alcohol related harms, argue @drjmas and colleagues, as deaths from alcohol in England reach their highest level on record https://t.co/84n2k8sm6E
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Next week Donald Trump will take office with a mandate to make radical changes to the US government’s approach to medicine and public health. Health insurance coverage in particular faces massive reform, writes @rebeccacoombes in Editor's Choice https://t.co/q9PnMppG7P