Vital Signs: October 29th, 2024
🦠 American man dies from Ebola-like virus contracted in West Africa; 🍔 E.Coli Outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders; 🖥️ How AI is transforming clinical work; and much more...
Welcome to Vital Signs, a quick weekly update on the most relevant global health news.
Top Diagnosis
Top Story of the Week
🦠 American man dies from Ebola-like virus contracted on a trip to West Africa. Read Here.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported the death of a man caused by an Ebola-like virus. The CDC confirmed that the man had recently returned from a trip to West Africa, possibly coming in contact with rodents, from which this disease originates. Researchers claim that around 100,000 to 300,000 contract this disease annually primarily in West Africa, where it is endemic.
Doctor’s Note: ℞ - Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus primarily found in West Africa. The virus is transmitted to humans mainly through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or feces of infected multimammate rats. Human-to-human transmission can also occur. Early treatment with antivirals like ribavirin can be used to improve symptoms. other endemic diseases in the region include those such as monkeypox. Following the COVID operation, the need for surveillance of this disease and those similar to it, like Tuberculosis has to be on the public health radar permanently.
Pulse Check
The latest on Healthcare and Public Health
🍔 E.Coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers Read Here.
The CDC has linked 75 cases of new E.Coli outbreak across 13 US states to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers. 22 hospitalizations have been reported and at least 1 related death as of October 26th.
Doctor’s Note: ℞ - One of the significant E. coli outbreaks in the U.S. was in August 2022, linked to the fast food industry as well. This outbreak affected over 100 people across several states, and contaminated romaine lettuce was used in sandwiches as a possible source. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a diverse group of bacteria, most strains of which are harmless and reside in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. However, certain strains, like E. coli O157, are pathogenic and can cause serious infections. E. coli can be highly infectious, requiring as few as 10-100 bacteria to cause illness. This low infectious dose means that even minor contamination in food, water, or surfaces can lead to an outbreak. Young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible to severe E. coli infections. Proper food handling, cooking meats thoroughly, handwashing, avoiding cross-contamination, and using treated water are critical to preventing E. coli transmission.
Credit: Stephanie Rhee on Unsplash 💊 Walgreens plans to close 1200 stores across the U.S. Read Here.
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreens’s parent company, announced its plan to close 1200 stores across the United States. The company says it is planning on closing 500 stores within the fiscal year in an attempt to shift operations to suit consumer needs.
Doctor’s Note: ℞ - The medical dynamics are shifting rapidly, it seems that the medical industry has inevitably changed toward a more personalized approach. Drugstores that once snapped up prime retail space in towns and cities across the country are in retreat. Persistent theft, rising costs, and consumers who have strayed to online retailers or competitors with better prices. If you don’t have insurance or have high deductible plans, you know that even the most basic medications can cost a fortune. Many people are spending insane amounts of money each month just to stay healthy.
The new modality of prescription medication delivery systems is over the Internet and direct-to-home delivery models are starting to be preferred by patients. Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs Company, for example, has set out to disrupt the pharmaceutical market. Integrating the entirety of the pharma supply chain within the company’s services.
The company’s integrated process cuts out the Pharmacy Benefit Manager middleman in a direct-to-consumer platform. Manufacturing, Wholesaling, and Pharmacy services all in one. For this reason, they have more price control. Models such as these are transforming the commercialization of pharmaceutical products. It will be interesting to see how the established models will adjust towards the future.
Future Prognosis
Upcoming news, updates, trends, and developing stories to follow
🖥️ Google Cloud AI-backed Health Search tool available for general use. Read Here.
Google Cloud’s AI medical records search tool, seeks to relieve administrative burden on providers. The tool ‘Vertex AI Search’, Google mentions, will allow providers to search multiple aspects of a patient’s medical record and ease clinical workflow.
Doctor’s Note: ℞ - AI tools such as the one mentioned above are undoubtedly transforming clinical work. As a practicing physician, I can attest that AI facilitates clinical workflows, allowing for more dynamic patient attention. Technologies such as these will take the practice of medicine to the future. The market for technologies of this type has grown exponentially and is set to grow further in the next 8-10 years.
Credits: market.us
Generative AI particularly in its clinical applications represents the larger part of its implementations. According to market.us data clinical applications represented 65% of the market for these technologies as of 2022, and it seems that this trend will continue into the future. Streamlining these key processes in medical and even drug delivery systems will open the door to lower cost of care for patients.
FIN
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