Hospital emergency codes are used to swiftly alert staff to something requiring a quick response, but a recent study suggests many health care workers can’t accurately identify them. To learn more, researchers focused on five Georgia health care facilities. The study included 304 employees and codes for 14 emergencies. On average, participants could correctly identify…  read on >  read on >

While appendicitis is a common emergency, Black people experiencing its symptoms more often have a delayed diagnosis. But that doesn’t happen in lower-quality hospitals that serve more Black patients, according to new research. There, Black people are diagnosed more quickly. “There is clearly a benefit to patients being treated in predominantly minority-serving hospitals when they…  read on >  read on >

The number of Americans who had trouble paying their medical bills dropped precipitously between 2019 and 2021, and funds from the American Rescue Plan and other federal pandemic relief programs may have been a reason why. Overall, 10.8% of Americans responding to a federal survey in 2021 said they had had problems covering medical bills…  read on >  read on >

Not all prescription drugs and dietary herbal supplements work well together. It’s important to be aware of possible drug/supplement interactions that could be harmful, according to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a part of the National Institutes of Health. The organization offered tips on six potential issues. The supplement St.…  read on >  read on >

Whether your job is remote or takes you to an office, you’ll feel better and offset joint pain by having a workspace that’s designed to work for you instead of against you. The biggest problem isn’t sitting itself but holding a single position for long periods often with a posture that causes strain, such as…  read on >  read on >

Fires started by people account for a majority of premature deaths related to inhalation of tiny smoke particles in the United States, a new study reveals. These blazes, which are increasing, led to 20,000 premature deaths in 2018. That was 270% more than in 2003, according to researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge.…  read on >  read on >