Consulo Indicium 12/12/17
Information for your Consideration...
Another Cup Of Joe, Please - You can imagine how excited I was when I read that a group of researchers reported that caffeine can block some of the effects of UV radiation. First, a little education. UVA or, ultraviolet A (long wave) rays tend to penetrate the skin quite deeply and affect the dermis or, the layer below the epidermis. These are the types of waves that case the skin to become wrinkled and aged. UVB or, ultraviolet B (short wave) rays generally only end up penetrating the epidermis or top layer of the skin and are known to be the major factor in the cause of skin cancers. So, what does this have to do with coffee? A new study was reported in the International Journal of Cancer that found the regular consumption of coffee could significantly lower men's risk of skin cancer. The researchers claim that drinking coffee could, in fact, have one major health benefit for men. The researchers studied over 500,000 people to uncover the link between a standard old cup of Joe and skin cancer! And, the results were not just by a small margin. In fact, the men who drank caffeinated coffee were 70% less like to develop melanoma (one of the most lethal forms of skin cancer). Now, that is protection!! What is not well understood is why? Women and decaffeinated coffee drinkers did not have the same reduction in risk. The contributions of coffee to health are quite remarkable. Not only has it now been shown to reduce skin cancer in some people (i.e. men), it also has been found to help your body burn off its fat layer, reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, keep your brain healthier for longer and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Now this doesn't mean you can stop using the sunscreen. It does mean that a double shot latte with 100+ SPF sunscreen fosters an extremely low chance of skin cancer. So, don't worry about your coffee intake. Just apply sunscreen...
The Coming Age of Robotic Medicine - I've been a big proponent on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning as a core capability for enhancing health care delivery. In fact, I've dubbed the use of these technologies as "clinically augmented intelligence" on the notion that the technology will assist clinicians in making decisions better, faster, more efficiently. And, I still hold to that premise. But, earlier this month, the Chinese medical robot - Xiaoyi or, "little doctor" - accomplished something that some physicians fail to achieve. The "robot" received a passing score of 456 on the Chinese medical licensing examination where only 360 out of 600 is needed. The robot uses machine learning to link natural language processing with information derived from medical textbooks, medical records and journal articles. But, the docs don't have to worry yet. The robot has only learned to pass the medical examination. It still can't talk with people, hold their hand, administer medications, perform surgery, do procedures or essentially take care of them. Aside from that; however, the technology could clearly "augment" the clinician. It's the type of capability that I predict will be ubiquitous over the next 10 years (or, sooner) in healthcare - just as radiographs, pathology slides and other technical support systems are in place today. Note that the robot did not get a perfect score. It fell down when it had to review actual patient cases and integrate information with actual case presentations. Now that is a real doctor...
Coming In At #5 - Telehealth - The Cleveland Clinic conducts an annual listing of the top innovation for the year. The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2018 touted telehealth as its "#5" on the list noting that there are now 7 million regular users of telehealth services - a 19 fold increase from 2013. In addition, over 19 million users are involved in using remote care management devices. Furthermore, several recent surveys have shown that the overwhelming number of health care delivery organizations are involved in developing telehealth programs. Coupling the users with the remote devices with the providers of health care seems to be a logical next step. In fact, it is an area that is replete with possibilities for further development.
Failing By Falling - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the contribution of falls to the demise of our elder citizens is one of the biggest overlooked problems in health care. Falls are one of those incidents that affect one in three older adults each year - or, a $31 billion dollar cost problem for our nation's Medicare program! In 2014 - the latest year for which good data is currently available - there were more than 2.8 million people over the age of 65 whose falls were treated in emergency rooms across the nation. Of those elders, 800,000 were hospitalized and 27,000 died from the falls. In fact (scary statistic), falls are the leading cause of death among adults over 65 and the death rate has been increasing over the prior decade. Now for the policy impact. In 2014, the elders represented about 14% of the USA population or 46 million people. By 2030, the number of elders will grow to more than 20% over the age of 65. So, the financial and social impact of falls will balloon over the coming decade. Why? It relates to balance and mobility. Researchers at the Institute for Aging Research have been studying the issue and how to foster prevention for more than 30 years. They recently reported on a new finding that - on the face of it - makes a lot of sense. Tai chi is being used in a study by the Institute in an effort to enhance balance and improve mobility among elders. What they have discovered is that in addition to improving balance, flexibility, and mental agility, the exercise program involved in Tai chi also reduces the incidence of falls. The researchers have noted that adherence to the programs enhances the elder's muscular control, coordination, equilibrium, and also improves brain function. The idea of using Tai chi to deal with a major, major problem seems simple. And, it is!! It's so simple and it's easy. So, I'm on it...
Getting The Right Care At The Right Time - Since I'm blogging about elders, let me point to another study by The Commonwealth Fund. They recently reported out their annual International Health Policy Survey which compares the experiences of elders across various countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the USA. The survey is now in its 20th year. The disturbing results from the USA respondents were that 23% of the USA elders cited costs as the reason for not seeking care with a physician when they were sick, for not filling a prescription or skipping a dose, or for not obtaining a recommended test or medical treatment. In France, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom that figure fell to 5% or less. Another contributing factor was that one in four USA elders (22%) spent more than $2,000 in out-of-pocket expenses for health care last year versus only 10% in all of the remaining countries except for the Swiss. In Switzerland, 31% of the seniors reported spending more than $2000 in health care expenditures.
