Today’s NewsStand

Today’s NewsStand

By Iowa Hospital Association|
|November 18, 2020

Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and the web.

Iowa news

With 40 COVID-19 deaths reported, Iowa sees largest one-day increase so far

With record hospitalizations and nearly 300 patients in ICUs, Iowa on Wednesday reported its largest one-day increase in reported deaths. At 10 am Wednesday, the state was reporting 2,064 COVID-19-related deaths, an increase of 40 deaths since the state’s tally at 10 am Tuesday, according to the state’s Coronavirus.Iowa.gov website. (Des Moines Register)

AARP reveals new data showing staffing, PPE shortages at Iowa long-term care facilities

A lack of staff and personal protective equipment is a major concern in Iowa’s nursing homes as cases continue to climb statewide. According to a new analysis by the AARP and data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, major improvements need to be made to save lives. (KGAN)

Opinion: This Thanksgiving, the best thanks you can give a health care worker is to wear a mask

With Thanksgiving next week, it is the time of year we express our gratitude for the blessings in our lives. This year, we offer special praise to our care giving teams for their tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to caring for Iowans during this COVID-19 pandemic. Statewide, cases are surging, and our teams are fighting hard to care for all patients, but the obstacles are mounting. There are a fixed amount of beds and resources available, which means more non-emergency procedures are being delayed in some locations. (Des Moines Register)

National news

Pfizer-BioNTech to seek COVID-19 vaccine approval ‘within days’ as trial shows 95% efficacy

A leading coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by Pfizer and BioNTech will be submitted for regulatory approval “within days,” the companies announced Wednesday, after their final analysis suggested the drug was even more effective than previously thought. The US pharma giant and its German partner said their Phase 3 trial was now complete and that it found the vaccine was 95% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 — up from the 90% announced last week. (NBC News)

Where telehealth is headed in 2021

The telehealth industry saw demand rise incredibly quickly this spring as COVID-19 started sweeping through the country. Telehealth appointments, of course, are ideal for a pandemic: patients can get an informed opinion on their symptoms, and receive a referral for a diagnostic test without having to physically go into an office and endanger others. (Forbes)

What doctors need from telemedicine; health care use down despite virtual visits

Well before the telehealth explosion, doctors were experiencing what neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley called a “cognition crisis,” with excess screen time and corresponding information overload leading to digital fatigue and stress., Although physicians have grown more comfortable with telehealth, many remain wary of virtual care and the potential for adding to their already weighty technological and administrative burdens. (MedPage Today)

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