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Covid-19: How Will It Affect Fall Sports

September 16, 2020 By admin

Covid-19 Pandemic Affecting Fall Sports

The coronavirus pandemic has changed how Americans do business – it has also affected how we play.

Many organized sports took a hiatus during the spring and summer as players, organizers, public health officials, and fans looked for ways to play safely, and are now trying to squeeze out a fall schedule. For example, soccer is a patchwork of canceled games, limited practices, and normal seasons… at least for now, as COVID-19 flare-ups may dash the dreams of players of all ages.

The decision to play has been especially difficult at the high school level. Most states have canceled high school basketball championships and spring seasons, for example, even before the start of school. Football was a different story, though. Football is a beloved fall tradition and, for pros and amateurs alike, marks the beginning of sports season. The decision whether to nix the fall season has been a controversial and often divisive one – nearly everyone wants football to return, but many wondered how to do it safely.

Twenty-five states had already kicked off their high school football season by September 17, and nine more planned to start their seasons in the fall. By then, a number of states and the District of Columbia said they would push their seasons back to 2021. Colorado had announced they would offer football in both fall and spring. Michigan had reversed their decision twice, moving football from fall to spring on August 14 then moving it back to fall on September 3,2020.

The pandemic has also tripped up recruiting efforts, particularly for high school seniors. High school sport seasons provide athletes with an opportunity to score scholarships that could change the course of their lives. In a typical year, young athletes have several chances to impress college scouts, but 2020 is anything but typical – the pandemic prevents coaches and prospects from traveling to meet in person, and it led to the cancelation of exposure camps normally held in late summer and early autumn.

Fall Sports at the Collegiate Level

On September 22, 2020, the NCAA announced that a number of college sports would hold their 2020 fall championships in the spring of 2021. Sports included are men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross-country, women’s volleyball, field hockey, and men’s water polo. They will cap bracket sizes at 75 percent of normal capacity, predetermine championship sites, and reduce the number of preliminary-round sites to support health and safety. While the NCAA has halted most college sports for the fall season, college football goes on. Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced their return on September 25, 2020, which means all 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences are now competing in the fall. They committed to playing a 6-game conference-only schedule running from November 4^th through December 18 or 19, with the MAC championship game. To keep players safe, MAC implemented COVID-19 testing protocols that call for four COVID tests per week, starting October 5. MAC is not allowing general public attendance or tailgating; Conference protocols will guide participation of any Marching Bands, Dance, Cheer and Spirit Squads at football games according to institutional discretion and public health guidance. MAC’s announcement cited the availability of COVID-19 tests and the quick turnaround time of test results across the Conference as leading to the decision to play.

Big Ten recently announced it would start its season on October 24, 2020, prompting 90 teams to attempt playing a full schedule this fall. The ACC, Big 12 and SEC as the Power 5 conferences will also try to play this fall, as will the American, Conference USA and Sun Belt.

Pro Sports During the Pandemic

Professional football is on in full force this fall, with the NFL planning to play a complete schedule. Just one year after celebrating the NFL’s 100^th season in grand fashion, this year will feature mostly empty stadiums and canned cheers, officials and coaches in masks, the wearing of tracking devices for contact tracing, daily testing, socially distant meetings, and other protocols to keep fans and players safe. Players who test positive are placed on the reserve/COVID list. On September 26, Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell became the first player to be sidelined after a positive COVID-19 test.

It is hard to know how the pandemic will affect athletes and fans as we move from autumn to winter, but rest assured, the world of sports may never be the same.

FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI

Frank was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Designer Genomics International, Inc. The Company has accumulated a growing body of evidence that highlights a link between alterations in the immune and inflammatory systems and the development of chronic human disease. The Company is visionary and has established itself as a leader in the field of inflammatory and immune genetic DNA and RNA biomarkers that play a causative role in debilitating conditions, such as atherosclerosis/heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and cancer.
A proprietary state-of-the art data mining bioinformatics program, called ‘cluster analysis’ will be used to measure disease development susceptibility with potential for earlier diagnosis and intervention. The company is developing a healthcare program based on its proprietary genetic panels that will allow people to be their own healthcare advocate and take an active role in their health status as well as longevity.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is frankmagliochetti_FrankMagliochettiNews.jpg — **Mr. Frank Magliochetti MBA**
Managing Partner
Parcae Capital
www.parcaecapitalcorp.com
www.frankmagliochetti.com

Sources

https://www.maxpreps.com/news/qiL5GOXkFkyfJ9jwZ8wb-g/where-the-start-of-high-school-sports-stands-in-all-50-states-amid-pandemic.htm

https://www.maxpreps.com/news/ha3S_dWexUOaekUFjBMfkA/high-school-football-kickoff-dates-in-all-50-states.htm

https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/ncaa/ncaa-sports-news-schedule-changes-coronavirus-updates-all-sports

https://getsomemaction.com/news/2020/9/25/football-maction-is-back.aspx

https://www.nfl.com/news/falcons-cb-a-j-terrell-tests-positive-for-covid-19-placed-on-reserve-list

CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 IMPACTING SOCCER

Filed Under: CoronaVirus, Covid19 Virus, Featured, Frank Magliochetti, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, News, Pandemic Tagged With: CDC, CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19, FALL SPORTS, FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI, PANDEMIC

Clickstream Chooses Sem Nexus To Market The Launch Of WinQuik(TM)

August 25, 2020 By admin

ClickStream Names SEM Nexus to Market WinQuik

Clickstream hires Sem Nexus to implement a broad social and digital marketing campaign timed with the launch of WinQuik™ in September 2020.

Frank Magliochetti, CEO of Clickstream , “We believe Sem Nexus has the experience required to implement a successful digital marketing campaign and help us further brand WinQuik™ as we go to market.”

Michael Kordvani, CEO of SEM Nexus states “We’re excited to partner with ClickStream in the launch of its WinQuik™ app and are looking forward to bringing our expertise to the table here. We’re very confident this app is going to be a huge success.”

FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI

ABOUT SEM NEXUS

SEM Nexus is a leading startup mobile app marketing agency. With a plethora of mobile app launches under their belt, SEM Nexus has found itself at the forefront of the mobile marketing industry by utilizing a combination of all modern and relevant digital marketing tactics to spread awareness of its clients mobile apps. SEM Nexus employs agile processes in every marketing campaign, ensuring that it is always bringing the best possible marketing strategy forward for every campaign. For more details, check out the SEM Nexus website at https://semnexus.com/, or clutch profile at https://clutch.co/profile/sem-nexus.

ABOUT CLICKSTREAM CORPORATION

ClickStream’s business operations are focused on the development and implementation of WinQuik™, a free to play synchronized mobile app and digital gaming platform. The platform is designed to enable WinQuik™ users to have fun, interact and compete against each other in order to win real money and prizes. WinQuik™ is currently in production with shows featuring celebrity hosts Joshua Dobbs, Brian Baldinger, Howie Schwab, Amber Theoharis, Mykel Hawke and Jordan Andino on subject matter ranging from sports trivia, survival, entertainment, the Bible, space and culinary. Game types are set up dynamically with non-live game shows daily and weekly live game shows. As a free-mium platform, ClickStream intends to monetize the platform with corporate sponsors and advertisers. For more information please visit Clickstream’s websites at http://www.clickstream.technology/ or http://www.winquik.com/ as well as on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ClickstreamC and https://twitter.com/winquikapp.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “plans,” “suggests,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “intends,” or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to enhance our products and systems to address industry changes, our ability to expand our customer base and retain existing customers, our ability to effectively compete in our market segment, the lack of public information on our company, our ability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business, operations, our ability to continue as a going concern, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company’s control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

Filed Under: ClickStream, Featured, Frank Magliochetti, Gaming, Media, Mobile, News Tagged With: APP DEVELOPMENT, CLICKSTREAM, DIGITAL GAMING, DIGITAL MARKETING, GAMING, SEM NEXUS, SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, SYNCHRONIZED MOBILE APP, WINQUIK

Innovations in Genetic Testing

August 16, 2020 By admin

Genetic Testing Innovations

Genetic testing is quickly becoming a cornerstone of healthcare, with new medical technologies and innovations enhancing how scientists work with genetics. Gene therapy, simplified genetic tests, and analysis of fully sequenced genomes are just some of the genetic testing innovations improving healthcare today and in the future.

The global genetic testing market hasrisen over the past few years. This rise is fueled by the increasing prevalence of genetic disorders and growing awareness about the benefits of genetic testing. In fact, the global genetic testing market will likely reach 22.834 billion USD in 2024, registering 11.50 percent CAGR throughout the assessment period (2019-2024), according to Market Research Future.

Genetic testing involves a set of laboratory tests that study the patient’s genetic makeup, and identify any gene mutations or alterations in the patient’s DNA that could potentially lead to the development of genetic disorders. Healthcare professionals can use genetic tests to confirm or rule out a suspected genetic disorder. Genetic testing can also help determine the probability that an individual will develop a genetic disorder or pass one down to the next generation.

Types of Genetic Testing and Innovations

As of August 2017, there were about 10,000 unique genetic test types, and approximately 75,000 genetic tests on the market including direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests like 23andMe – more are under development every year. The general types of genetic tests include:

Newborn testing – used just after birth to detect genetic disorders early, when they are easiest to treat

Diagnostic testing – identifies or rules out a specific genetic condition

Carrier testing – identifies people who carry one copy of a gene mutation that, when coupled with another gene with the same mutation, causes a genetic disorder; this test can help couples determine their risk for having a child with a genetic disorder

Prenatal testing – offered during pregnancy if there is a chance that the baby will have a genetic disorder, prenatal testing detects changes in a fetus’s genes prior to birth

Pre-implantation testing – used to detect changes in embryos created through in-vitro fertilization or other assisted reproductive technology to reduce the risk of having a child with a specific genetic disorder

Predictive and presymptomatic testing – detect gene mutations associated with conditions that develop after birth or even later in life; helpful for people whose family member has a genetic condition, but who have no signs or symptoms of the condition at the time of testing

Forensic testing – uses DNA sequences to identify someone for legal purposes, such as identifying victims of a crime or catastrophe, rule out or implicate a suspect in a crime, or to establish paternity or other biological relationship

Genetic Testing Delivery Systems

Innovations in genetic testing involve new delivery systems, finding new genetic variants, and finding new uses for genetic therapies. Researchers from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center recently started using gold nanoparticles as a scalable delivery vehicle for their CRISPR systems, for example, instead of the “old fashioned” approach of using electric shock or viral vectors to deliver genetic editing tools to DNA.

Another group of researchers analyzed coding genes from nearly 46,000 people to identify four genes that contained rare genetic deviations linked to type 2 diabetes. Pharmaceutical companies could use these genes and the proteins they encode as targets for new diabetes medications and treatments.

Doctors in the United States have begun using CRISPR gene-editing therapy to treat cancer patients for the first time. The University of Pennsylvania is following the first two patients in the country to undergo the new therapy – one with sarcoma and one with multiple myeloma, whose cancers did not respond to conventional treatment.

Genetic testing could even help scientists understand COVID-19; they currently use genetic testing known as RNA or PCR tests, to detect the disease.

genetic testing and innovations clinical trials

The tsunami of gene therapy clinical trials underway right now will create a flood of data, particularly in oncology. Oncology is an area that currently represents a quarter of Phase I and Phase II trials. Much of the push to expand genetic testing will come from the consumers themselves. Patients are currently pushing to expand genetic testing beyond its current confines of rare diseases to cover common conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease. In cases in which insurance does not cover the costs of these tests, patients may seek to enroll in clinical trials. When genetic testing is not affordable or accessible, consumers will turn to at-home genetic testing.

FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI

Genetic Industry

Frank Magliochetti News is developing Genetic Innovation News.com the site is devoted to genetic innovations; we encourage contributors – the site wants to broadcast your news, discoveries,and innovations.

SOURCES:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/genetic-testing-market-2009

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5987210

https://www.genome.gov/dna-day/15-ways/direct-to-consumer-genomic-testing

https://www.23andme.com/

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/testing/uses

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-019-0385-5

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1231-2

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/first-u-s-cancer-patients-treated-with-crispr-gene-editing-therapy/

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/sars-cov-2-spike-protein-shares-sequence-with-a-human-protein-67596

https://asm.org/Articles/2020/April/COVID-19-Testing-FAQs

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/gene-therapy-coming-of-age-opportunities-and-challenges-to-getting-ahead

Filed Under: Featured, Genetic News, Genetic Screening, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Innovations, Healthcare Trends, News Tagged With: CARRIER TESTING, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, FORENSIC TESTING, GENE THERAPY, GENETIC INNOVATIONS, GENETIC TESTING, GENETIC TESTING DELIVERY SYSTEMS, NEWBORN TESTING, PRE-IMPLANTATION TESTING, PREDICTIVE AND PRESYMPTOMATIC TESTSING, PRENATAL TESTING

Clickstream – Rich TV

July 22, 2020 By admin

Frank Magliochetti ClickStream CEO on today!

Frank Magliochetti, ClickStream CEO will appear on Rich TV Live, a financial focused digital network that has over 80,000 members and on all the popular social media and video sharing channels. The interview will air on Wednesday July 22^nd at 9:30 AM ET on https://www.youtube.com/c/RICHTVLIVE and will be available on Clickstream’s social media platforms shortly thereafter.

Frank Magliochetti will provide Rich TV Live’s audience and others with an overview of the upcoming launch of Clickstream’s multi-platform trivia gaming network called WinQuik™, as well as discussing how the in development technology has attracted the likes of Amber Theoharis, Brian Baldinger, Howie Schwab, Mykel Hawke, Joshua Dobbs and Jordan Andino as program hosts.

Clickstream is actively identifying TV and entertainment personalities for programs as the company scales to deliver programming for the world’s first synchronized mobile and digital network. The platform will feature gaming shows and content designed for users seeking the thrill of live competition in order to win real money and prizes.

ABOUT RICH TV LIVE

Rich TV Live has been sharing company news and updates on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Blogger and many other social media sites since 2017 with a community of 80,000 members and growing everyday. We have a daily show on YouTube that helps investors get access to in depth information about companies by getting access to CEO interviews, company overviews and Video press releases. Our videos are shared on 8 different social media platforms to help bring more visibility to companies that are under exposed. We take pride in bringing the best trading information and ideas through our trading academy. All the information on RICH TV LIVE is for educational and entertainment purposes. We are not licensed advisors, so all ways do your own due-diligence before investing in anything we talk about. For more information, please visit https://richtvlive.com/.

ABOUT CLICKSTREAM CORPORATION

ClickStream’s business operations are focused on the development and implementation of WinQuik™, a free to play synchronized mobile app and digital gaming platform. The platform is designed to enable WinQuik™ users to have fun, interact and compete against each other in order to win real money and prizes. WinQuik™ is currently in production with shows featuring celebrity hosts Joshua Dobbs, Brian Baldinger, Howie Schwab, Amber Theoharis, Mykel Hawke and Jordan Andino on subject matter ranging from sports trivia, survival, entertainment, the Bible, space and culinary. Game types are set up dynamically with non-live game shows daily and weekly live game shows. As a free-mium platform, ClickStream intends to monetize the platform with corporate sponsors and advertisers. For more information please visit Clickstream’s websites at www.clickstream.technology or www.WinQuik.com as well as on Twitter at @ClickstreamC and @WinQuikApp.

FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI

Frank Magliochetti owes his professional success to his expertise in two areas: medicine and finance. After obtaining a BS in pharmacy from Northeastern University, he stayed on to enroll in the Masters of Toxicology program. He later specialized in corporate finance, receiving an MBA from The Sawyer School of Business at Suffolk University. His educational background includes completion of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and the General Management Program at Stanford Business School. Frank Magliochett i has held senior positions at Baxter International, Kontron Instruments, Haemonetics Corporation, and Sandoz. Since 2000, he has been a managing partner at Parcae Capita l, where he focuses on financial restructuring and interim management services for companies in the healthcare, media, and alternative energy industries. Last year, he was appointed chairman of the board at Grace Health Technology, a company providing an enterprise solution for the laboratory environment. Most recently; Frank was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Designer Genomics International, Inc. The Company has accumulated a growing body of evidence that highlights a link between alterations in the immune and inflammatory systems and the development of chronic human disease. The Company is visionary and has established itself as a leader in the field of inflammatory and immune genetic DNA and RNA biomarkers that play a causative role in debilitating conditions, such as atherosclerosis/heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and cancer.
A proprietary state-of-the art data mining bioinformatics program, called ‘cluster analysis’ will be used to measure disease development susceptibility with potential for earlier diagnosis and intervention. The company is developing a healthcare program based on its proprietary genetic panels that will allow people to be their own healthcare advocate and take an active role in their health status as well as longevity.

Filed Under: ClickStream, Featured, Frank Magliochetti, Gaming, Media, Mobile, News, Software Development Tagged With: CLICKSTREAM, GAMING, MEDIA.SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, RICH TV, WINQUIK, YOUTUBE

Hereditary Cancer Testing: Prostate Cancer

July 16, 2020 By admin

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States, behind only lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer of the prostate is a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it – early detection and personalized treatment saves lives. Doctors currently use tests, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA), to detect and diagnose prostate cancer, but hereditary cancer screening may hold the key to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.

Some people inherit a genetic mutation from their mother or father. This damaged gene puts them at greater risk for developing certain forms of cancer, including prostate cancer. In fact, hereditary prostate cancer accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all prostate cancer. Having a brother or father with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk for having the disease. Hereditary cancer testing helps men understand their inherited risk of developing cancer within their lifetime. This type of testing can also help reduce or eliminate unnecessary prostate biopsies completely in men suspected of having prostate cancer.

Hereditary cancer testing works by looking for specific changes, or mutations, in specific genes, chromosomes, and proteins. These mutations can change the way the gene works; in some cases, gene mutations can cause the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that characterize cancer.

Most commonly, hereditary cancer testing for prostate cancer looks for mutations in BRCA2 and BRCA1 genes, and in other genes associated with prostate cancer.

Hereditary Cancer Testing is Gaining Traction as a Way to Provide Earlier Diagnosis and More Effective Treatment for Prostate Cancer

While hereditary cancer testing can help inform treatment and management approaches to prostate cancer, genetic testing of men for prostate cancer is relatively uncommon, largely because of inconsistent guidelines covering the testing and challenges in implementing genetic counseling services. There is a lot of confusion regarding when men should undergo hereditary testing for prostate cancer, the genes that should be tested, understanding the impact genetic results will have on personalized treatment programs, and the effect hereditary testing for prostate cancer can have for men and their families.

Healthcare professionals and genetic testing companies are working hard to change that, though, and are making advances to bring hereditary cancer testing for prostate cancer to the men who need it. A group of healthcare professionals recently published key recommendations in Journal of Clinical Oncology, for example. The group, made of oncology, urology, genetic counseling, primary care, and Veterans Affairs experts along with patient stakeholders, strongly endorsed genetic testing in men with metastatic (spreading) prostate cancer to help guide treatment and to determine the patient’s eligibility in clinical trials. They also recommended this type of testing to screen men whose family history suggests an increased risk of prostate cancer and other types of cancer.

The researchers also addressed the impact hereditary cancer testing can have on the treatment of prostate cancer in its early stages. The group recommended BRCA-2 testing for screening and for helping men and their doctors make decisions about treating early-stage prostate cancer.

The researchers also reviewed cancer screening strategies, such as the age men should begin screening for prostate cancer and which genes to test. The group recommended testing BRCA2 and another gene, HOXB13, for screening and early detection. Furthermore, the panel recommended that BRCA2 carriers begin PSA testing early; doctors may recommend early screenings beginning at age 40 or about 10 years prior to the youngest prostate cancer diagnosis in the patient’s family.

Because hereditary testing may uncover inherited cancer risk, the researchers also discussed genetic testing for both male and female relatives of those men who test positive for genetic mutations, depending on the patient’s family history of cancer and other factors.

Hereditary cancer testing for prostate cancer is growing increasingly common because of the important role it plays in the screening, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

To View Frank Magliochetti Press Releases Please CLICK HERE

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is GRACE-HEALTH-TECHNOLOGY_Frank-MAgliochetti.jpg

Mr. Frank Magliochetti MBA
Managing Partner
Parcae Capital
www.parcaecapitalcorp.com
www.frankmagliochetti.com

Sources

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html#:~:text=Deaths%20from%20prostate%20cancer,do%20not%20die%20from%20it.

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/risk-assessment-screening/hereditary-genetics/genetic-counseling/inherited-risk-prostate

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html

https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.20.00046

Filed Under: Cancer Testing, Featured, Frank Magliochetti, Genetic Screening, Healthcare Innovations, Hereditary Cancer Testing, News Tagged With: AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, CANCER SCREENING, HEREDITARY CANCER TESTING, PROSTATE CANCER TESTING, RISK ASSESSMENT

Immunotherapy- What You Should Know

July 5, 2020 By admin

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Unlike traditional treatments that use chemotherapy and radiation to stop the growth of cancer – or to kill cancer cells outright – immunotherapy unblocks the immune system to allow the body to target and destroy the cancer.

The immune system detects and destroys abnormal cells. In fact, the immune system most likely prevents or slows the growth of many types of cancer cells. Immune cells are often found in or near tumors, for example. These cells, known as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), are often a sign that a person’s immune system is fighting the cancer. The National Cancer Institute notes that patients whose tumors contain TILs often fare better than those people whose cancer does not contain these lymphocytes.

While the immune system can prevent or slow the spread of cancer, cancer cells can avoid destruction by the immune system in a number of ways. Cancer cells may undergo genetic changes that make them harder for the immune system to detect, for example, or the surface of cancer cells may have proteins that turn off immune cells. In some cases, cancer cells can even cause the cells around the tumor to interfere with the immune system and prevent the destruction of cancer cells. Immunotherapy helps the immune system fight cancer.

Immunotherapy: Then and Now

Immunotherapy has its roots in 19^th century medicine, when two German scientists independently noticed that patients’ tumors shrank after suffering a common skin infection. Bone surgeon William Bradley Coley first attempted to harness the immune system for treating bone cancer in 1891. Discoveries of T cells, interleukins, and other components of the immune system accelerated the research that led to cancer immunotherapy used today.

Medical professionals now refer to immunotherapy as the “fifth pillar” of cancer therapy, joining surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy. Because it has become such an important approach to cancer treatment, and because of an increasing number of FDA approvals for immunotherapy drugs, a growing number of pharmaceutical companies are now offering immunotherapy drugs. In fact, Grand View Research, Inc. predicts the global cancer immunotherapy market will likely reach $126.9 billion by 2026. This growing market will help more patients get the immunotherapy drugs they need to treat cancer.

Doctors now use immunotherapy to treat a variety of cancers, including:

Lung cancer
Melanoma and some other types of skin cancers
Kidney cancer
Bladder cancer
Head and neck cancers
Lymphoma, which is cancer of the infection-fighting cells of the immune system

“Immunotherapy” is an umbrella term that covers several types of treatment for cancer, which can include:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors – Natural proteins, known as immune checkpoints, prevent the immune system response from being too strong, but they may prevent the immune system response from being strong enough to fight cancer; immune checkpoint inhibitors blocks these checkpoints to allow the body to mount a very strong immune response to cancer cells

T-cell transfer therapy – T-cells are a part of the immune system that recognize and kill viruses and abnormal cells; T-cell transfer therapy involves taking immune cells from the tumor, reproducing them in a lab, and then reintroducing them into the body through a needle in the vein

Monoclonal antibodies – Created in a lab, monoclonal antibodies bind to specific targets on cancer cells, thereby marking the cells for destruction by the immune system

Treatment vaccines – Boosts the body’s immune response against cancer

Immune system modulators – These drugs enhance the immune system’s response to cancer

Clinicians can administer immunotherapy in a variety of ways, including intravenous (IV) through a needle in a vein, oral, and topical preparations in cream form. In cases of bladder cancer, immunotherapy can be delivered via intravesical administration of immunotherapy fluid directly into the bladder.

For more information on immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer, consult with a physician or cancer care specialist.

To View Frank Magliochetti Press Releases Please CLICK HERE

Mr. Frank Magliochetti MBA
Managing Partner
Parcae Capital
www.parcaecapitalcorp.com
www.frankmagliochetti.com

Sources

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6928196/

https://www.cancerresearch.org/immunotherapy/timeline-of-progress

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-cancer-immunotherapy-market

Filed Under: Cancer Treatment, Featured, Frank Magliochetti, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Trends, Immunotherapy, News Tagged With: CANCER TREATMENT, FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI, IMMUNOTHERAPY, NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

Inflammation: Autoimmune Disease and COVID-19

June 27, 2020 By admin

People with autoimmune disease face a number of challenges – their condition can cause pain, skin problems, digestive issues, weakness, muscle aches, stiff joints, and more. Autoimmune diseases and their treatments can weaken immune systems to leave patients vulnerable to infections. These conditions can also cause inflammation around the body, and even in vital organs, such as the lungs. In patients with COVID-19, an unhealthy immune response can damage the lungs to cause serious complications, including severe breathing problems.

Autoimmune Diseases and Inflammation

The immune system protects the body from disease and infection. In people with autoimmune disorders, though, the immune system can attack healthy body cells by mistake. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, according to the National Library of Medicine. Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, Sjogren’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto’s disease, Celiac disease and type 1 diabetes.

Some autoimmune diseases target just one organ, such the pancreas; other autoimmune conditions affect the entire body. Many of autoimmune diseases share similar symptoms. A large number of autoimmune conditions cause inflammation, characterized by redness, heat, pain and swelling. In fact, inflammation is the classic sign of an autoimmune disease.

COVID-19 and Inflammation

The virus, known as SARS-CoV-2 or simply “coronavirus,” causes a wide variety of symptoms associated with COVID-19 disease. Most notably, the virus causes cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Coronavirus is highly contagious, already infecting at least 2 million people in the United States by the middle of June 2020, and claiming the lives of 113,000. While people with autoimmune disorders are not more likely to contract coronavirus than are the rest of the general population, they are more likely to develop severe complications if they do contract COVID-19 if they have a suppressed immune system due to their autoimmune disease or treatment for their autoimmune disorder. One of the most serious complications of COVID-19 is severe inflammation throughout the body, including the lungs, heart and brain. The body reacts to the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with a robust inflammatory response; health professionals now regard this excessive inflammatory response as a hallmark symptom of COVID-19.

The excessive immune response triggered by SARS-CoV-2 can cause hyper-inflammation of the lungs and of other organs. Severe inflammation of the lungs can prevent the proper exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, which makes it difficult for patients to get the oxygen they need.

How Autoimmune Diseases Cause Inflammation

Special receptors cover the exterior surface of body cells. Proteins bind to these receptors to change the way the cell works. A specific type of protein, known as cytokines, binds to certain receptors to regulate the body’s immune response. Cytokines are mediators, which mean they trigger and control a body response. Specifically, cytokines mediate the inflammation response to tissue injury or infection. In other words, cytokines promote inflammation as a response to tissue injury or infection. There are several types of cytokines, and each type can work alone, work together, or work against each other to regulate the immune response. A special type of cytokine, known as interleukin or IL, may play an important role in the immune response in COVID-19 patients. There are 40 interleukins, IL-1 through IL-40, and each performs a function. Interleukins normally help the immune system fight off viruses and bacteria in the body, but an overactive immune system can cause interleukins to attack the body instead. This can lead to chronic inflammatory conditions.

In a significant physiological event, known as a cytokine storm, can cause the release of a flood of interleukin that leads to widespread and dangerous inflammation. Research shows that COVID-19 can cause a cytokine storm that releases IL-6, IL-1, IL-12, and IL-18. The excessive number of cytokines can damage tissue and could lead to the breakdown of the protective lining in the lungs and blood vessels. The breakdown and weakening of this protective lining can allow fluid and proteins to leak from blood vessels and into the tiny air sacs of the lungs. This fluid displaces air, which prevents the air sacs from filling with oxygen. The resulting lack of oxygen causes the patient to experience shortness of breath, and puts the patient at a higher risk for complications and a more severe case of COVID-19. Inflammation related to autoimmune disease can have serious consequences for patients. This is especially true for those who contract COVID-19. To View Frank Magliochetti Press Releases Please CLICK HERE Frank Magliochetti owes his professional success to his expertise in two areas: medicine and finance. After obtaining a BS in pharmacy from Northeastern University, he stayed on to enroll in the Masters of Toxicology program. He later specialized in corporate finance, receiving an MBA from The Sawyer School of Business at Suffolk University. His educational background includes completion of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and the General Management Program at Stanford Business School. Frank Magliochett i has held senior positions at Baxter International, Kontron Instruments, Haemonetics Corporation, and Sandoz. Since 2000, he has been a managing partner at Parcae Capita l, where he focuses on financial restructuring and interim management services for companies in the healthcare, media, and alternative energy industries. Earlier this year, he was appointed chairman of the board at Grace Health Technology, a company providing an enterprise solution for the laboratory environment. Most recently; Frank was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Designer Genomics International, Inc. The Company has accumulated a growing body of evidence that highlights a link between alterations in the immune and inflammatory systems and the development of chronic human disease. The Company is visionary and has established itself as a leader in the field of inflammatory and immune genetic DNA and RNA biomarkers that play a causative role in debilitating conditions, such as atherosclerosis/heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and cancer.
A proprietary state-of-the art data mining bioinformatics program, called ‘cluster analysis’ will be used to measure disease development susceptibility with potential for earlier diagnosis and intervention. The company is developing a healthcare program based on its proprietary genetic panels that will allow people to be their own healthcare advocate and take an active role in their health status as well as longevity.

Mr. Frank Magliochetti MBA Managing Partner Parcae Capital www.parcaecapitalcorp.com www.frankmagliochetti.com

SOURCES:

https://medlineplus.gov/autoimmunediseases.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499840/https://www.medscape.com/answers/2500114-197455/what-is-the-role-of-interleukin-il-inhibitors-in-the-treatment-of-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

Filed Under: Autoimmune Disease, Covid19 Virus, Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Inflammation, News Tagged With: AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, COVID19, FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI, HEALTHCARE NEWS, INFLAMMATION, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

Managing Lab Protocols During the Pursuit of a Covid-19 Vaccine

May 26, 2020 By admin

Pursuit of Vaccine and Managing Lab Protocols during the Covid19 Pandemic

On April 22, 2020, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said, “To be clear, WHO’s advice is to find and test every suspected case, not every person in a population.”

While testing every person is not essential to controlling COVID-19, finding and testing every suspected case is. As the COVID-19 outbreak sweeps across the globe, the world turns to laboratories for answers. Laboratory scientists are responding by providing doctors with ways to diagnose COVID-19 and by pursuing the development of a vaccine that could someday stop the pandemic in its tracks. Until a vaccine is found, social distancing and testing are the best ways to control the spread of the disease.

The 2019 novel coronavirus, now named SARS-CoV-2, has sickened millions of people with COVID-19. By the end of April 2020, the United States had by far the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Testing is the only way to determine the case fatality rate (CFR), which is the ratio between confirmed deaths and confirmed cases. Testing is also the best way to assess the overall effectiveness of preventive measures and vaccines. Determining the CFR requires time and reliable data to confirm cases and deaths based on trusted laboratory testing. Strict adherence to proven and accepted laboratory protocols provides the most accurate data possible.

Managing Laboratory Protocols during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Managing laboratory protocols during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is challenging because, as with the outbreak of any novel virus, researchers are entering uncharted territories. Virologists had a limited understanding of transmission patterns, clinical features, severity, and risk factors for COVID-19 infection at the start of the pandemic. To address those unknowns, WHO established Four Early Investigation Protocols, which are now known as the WHO Unity Studies.

The protocols rapidly and systematically collect and store data that will be critical in refining recommendations for case definition and surveillance, and for characterizing the key epidemiological features of COVID-19. The protocols will also help the medical community gain a greater understanding of the spread, severity and spectrum of the disease, as well as its impact on the community. Information gained from the data will help guide countermeasures, such as case isolation and contact tracing.

Rapid detection of COVID-19 cases is essential for controlling the emergence of this rapidly spreading illness and for understanding the key epidemiological features of the disease, but rapid detection requires wide availability of diagnostic testing.

Within a month of the first outbreak in China, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test that can diagnose COVID-19. The CDC provides instructions for the use of real-time rT-PCR assays for the in vitro qualitative detection of coronavirus in sera and respiratory specimens. FIND also maintains a list of SARS-CoV-2 tests in development or commercially available for COVID-19, and WHO maintains a list of COVID-19 in-house PCR protocols assays.

Challenges of managing laboratory protocols

Even with reliable assays, managing laboratory protocols during COVID-19 is challenging. The pandemic has disrupted the supply chain for many laboratories, for example. Personal protection equipment (PPE) is scarce, for example, and there have been shortages of SARS-CoV-2 PCR reagents.

Biosafety is also a major concern, as keeping lab workers safe is a high priority. The CDC has released biosafety guidelines for labs working with Coronavirus: Interim Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines for Handling and Processing Specimens Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). These guidelines include essential information on virus isolation, waste management, and decontamination. The EPA also released an expanded COVID-19 disinfectant list on March 13,2020, but social distancing is far more effective than disinfection for controlling viral transmission. Unfortunately, social distancing is much more difficult than disinfection in a typical laboratory, where technicians work side by side and in close proximity to specimens.

While the protocols are far from perfect, and disruptions in the supply chain can slow testing, laboratory protocols will continue to play an important role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 until a vaccine is found.

Pursuit of a COVID-19 Vaccine

The best way to defeat COVID-19 is to develop a vaccine, of course, but vaccine development can often take 10 to 15 years. Vaccines for respiratory viruses are also elusive. Two toddlers died in 1966 from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), for example, and vaccines for the parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) and metapneumovirus (MPVs) are still not available.

There are 120 projects working towards a vaccine; only five have received approval for clinical trials in humans. University of Oxford researchers began Phase I human trials of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 in late April. In this trial, half of the roughly 1100 participants receive ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, while the control group receives the common meningitis vaccine, MenACWY. The first two volunteers, one from the test group and one from the control, received their inoculations on April 23, 2020.

Fast tracking the development of this vaccine or others could potentially save thousands or millions of lives, providing the vaccine undergoes sufficient testing to ensure its safety and efficacy. It is possible to get a licensed vaccine in one and a half to two years, and even possible to get a vaccine into use much sooner. Reliable laboratory testing will help researchers determine if their vaccines are working.

Many of the battles against the COVID-19 outbreak will be fought in laboratories in the United States and around the world. Widespread testing will play an important role in reducing deaths associated with coronavirus and improving the health and well-being of people across the globe.

To View Frank Magliochetti Press Releases Please CLICK HERE

Mr. Frank Magliochetti MBA
Managing Partner
Parcae Capital
www.parcaecapitalcorp.com
www.frankmagliochetti.com

SOURCES:

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19–22-april-2020

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/early-investigations

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/index.html https://www.finddx.org/covid-19-2/pipeline/

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/whoinhouseassays.pdf?sfvrsn=de3a76aa_2

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fhcp%2Fhealthcare-supply-ppe.html

https://asm.org/Articles/Policy/2020/March/ASM-Expresses-Concern-about-Test-Reagent-Shortages https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/lab-biosafety-guidelines.html https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2

https://www.labconscious.com/blog/2020/3/17/laboratory-sustainablity-in-the-coronavirus-crisis https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/vaccine-development-testing-and-regulation

https://cvi.asm.org/content/23/3/189 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4547785

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-vaccine-covid-19-human-clinical-trial-oxford-england/

http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-04-23-oxford-covid-19-vaccine-begins-human-trial-stage https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB15656

Filed Under: CoronaVirus, Covid19 Virus, Featured, Frank Magliochetti, Healthcare Industry News, Laboratory Management, News, Vaccines Tagged With: COVID-19.VACCINE, COVID-190, LAB PROTOCOL, PANDEMIC

Covid19 The Pandemic (Almost) Nobody Saw Coming

April 23, 2020 By admin

Of all the changes 2020 had brought, almost nobody saw coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) coming.

First reported in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the newly discovered coronavirus (2019-nCoV) quickly made its way around the globe, killing thousands and sickening hundreds of thousands more. There is quite a bit of information out there to disseminate we felt it time to give an overview and a few thoughts on Covid-19; as this situation is fluid we do expect to add more information in future posts.

On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, meaning the disease had spread to multiple continents around the globe. Like other pandemics, COVID-19 seemed to move swiftly, taking governments, healthcare providers and citizens by surprise.

Not everyone was blindsided, though – a handful of experts in global health, the biosciences, national security, emergency response and economics got together in October 2019 to talk about what would happen if a global pandemic suddenly hit the world’s population. The experts discussed how Americans and others around the world would fare if a novel and highly transmissible coronavirus outbreak reached pandemic proportions.

Just as its real-life counterpart did, the fictional coronavirus jumped between countries and continents via international air travel. In both accounts, the virus caused problems for health care systems, economies, and political leaders. The fictional scenario assumed governments would first try closing borders and banning travel, but by the time authorities enacted border closures and travel bans, carriers would have unknowingly transmitted the disease to others before developing symptoms. The experts also projected the travel bans would disrupt trade and worsen international cooperation.

The simulation provided a shocking glimpse into the near future, but in today’s rapid-fire news cycle, very few people took notice. When the predictions began to come true in the form of COVID-19, many people regarded the threat somebody else’s problem because it was occurring in another country and could never reach the shores of our nation. Others thought COVID-19 was nothing more than a seasonal influenza. They were wrong on both counts.

COVID-19 is Here, and it is More than Just a Flu

The first patient with COVID-19 walked into a U.S. emergency department on January 19, 2020. Today, thousands of Americans have tested positive for novel coronavirus.

COVID-19 is similar to the flu in many ways, and is significantly different in other ways. Both are infectious illnesses, for example, and both cause a dry cough and fever. Influenza causes aches, chills, fatigue, and headache and chills; these symptoms are less common with COVID-19. Flu symptoms come on suddenly, getting worse over a day or two. Symptoms of COVID-19 develop gradually, worsening over the course of several days.

COVID-19 is different from the flu in other ways:

Difficulty breathing and shortness of breath are the hallmarks of COVID-19 – they are also signs to seek immediate medical attention; flu does not cause shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
COVID-19 is more likely to kill than the flu – about 3.4 percent of people with COVID-19 have died and seasonal flu generally kills far fewer than 1 percent of those infected
Unlike the flu, there is no vaccine for COVID-19, and it will probably take a year to develop one
There is no treatment for COVID-19
Children, who are typically at high risk of contracting flu, are at lower risk for COVID-19 than are older adults

With a higher basic reproduction number, which is the number of infections one infected person can cause COVID-19, is more infectious than the flu. COVID-19 seems to have a basic reproduction number somewhere between 2 and 2.5, so the average person infected with the coronavirus spreads the disease to 2 to 3 other people. The basic reproduction number of seasonal influenza varies from year to year, but is often about 1.28.

COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on nearly every segment of the population, but it presents special danger to some. Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine Dawn Brown reported an increase in calls to the NAMI hotline. Callers expressed a wide variety of concerns, including feelings of depression and loneliness from social isolation, worries about job stability and income, fears of getting sick, grief over the death of a loved one, and homelessness. “Right now, the bigger concerns are around anxieties about the unknowns, you don’t know what you don’t know, and the people we serve tend to be a little more vulnerable to anxiety and panic.”

What Happens in the Future Depends Largely on What We Do Today

Arguably late to the situation, the U.S. government issued The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America, which directs citizens to listen to state and local authorities, stay home when sick, self-isolation measures, and good hygiene. States have issued a variety of public health emergency declarations, including the activation of National Guards, school and business closures, and limits on event sizes.

The medical community geared up quickly in response to the pandemic. Hospitals began enacting preparedness plans, clinicians developed treatment plans for critically ill patients, and researchers immediately turned their attention to developing a vaccine. Mayo Clinic announced the development of a new test that provides results in 24 hours.

The actions of individuals, families, businesses and communities will have the greatest influence in how the pandemic ends – they will also bear the brunt of its consequences. In even the best case scenario, hundreds or thousands of people in the United States could perish; new research suggests the number of deaths in the nation could exceed 2 million.

While nobody knows exactly how COVID-19 will change our lives, almost everyone can agree that the changes will be profound.

To View Frank Magliochetti Press Releases Please CLICK HERE

Mr. Frank Magliochetti MBA
Managing Partner
Parcae Capital
www.parcaecapitalcorp.com
www.frankmagliochetti.com

SOURCES:

http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/news/news/2020/3/who-announces-covid-19-outbreak-a-pandemic

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19—3-march-2020

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200306-sitrep-46-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=96b04adf_2

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265345236_Estimates_of_the_reproduction_number_for_seasonal_pandemic_and_zoonotic_influenza_A_systematic_review_of_the_literature

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf

https://www.nga.org/coronavirus/#stateshttps://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/COVID19/Documents/COVID-19%20Healthcare%20Planning%20Checklist.pdf

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762996

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/03/12/new-mayo-clinic-test-could-speed-detection-of-covid19

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf

Filed Under: CoronaVirus, Covid19 Virus, Featured, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, News Tagged With: CORONA VIRUS, COVID19, FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI, HEALTHCARE NEWS, PANDEMIC

Top 3 Challenges in Healthcare in 2020

January 14, 2020 By admin

1. Cybersecurity

The medical and healthcare sector collects highly sensitive patient information, which puts the industry in the crosshairs of cybersecurity attacks. There were 2,546 healthcare data breaches involving more than 500 records in the United States between 2009 and 2018, resulting in the in the exposure and theft of 189,945,874 healthcare records – this equates to more than 59 percent of the nation’s population. In 2017 alone, the medical and healthcare sector experienced more than 350 data breaches that exposed 4.93 million patient records.

While experts are still finalizing the breach figures for 2019, it looks to be the worst year yet. Today, the healthcare industry accounts for four out of every five data breaches, according to HIPPA Journal. The cost of these breaches to the industry will likely reach $4 billion in 2020.

Black Book Market Research LLC recently surveyed 2,876 security professionals from 733 provider organizations to identify the reasons healthcare organizations continue to experience data breaches and cyber attacks. They found that budget constraints prevented the replacement of legacy software and devices, which left them more vulnerable to attack. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for hospitals to find the dollars to invest in an area that does not produce revenue,” said the founder of Black Book, Doug Brown, in a press release. Ninety percent of hospital representatives in the survey said that their IT security budgets have remained unchanged since 2016.

2. Transparency

Transparency has been a hot topic for several years, and will continue to be a burning issue into 2020 and beyond. A 2016 survey by Accenture found that 91 percent of consumers wanted to know their out-of-pocket costs before they received care.

Triggered by the Executive Order on Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare to Put Patients First issued in June of 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new rules to increase price transparency.

The first rule, Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) & Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Price Transparency Requirements for Hospitals to Make Standard Charges Public Final Rule, requires that hospitals provide patients with easily accessible information about standard charges for services and items offered. Standard charges must be available in a single data file that other computer systems can read. Hospital websites must display “shoppable services” information in a consumer-friendly format. This rule takes effect on January 1, 2021.

CMS’s second proposed rule, the Transparency in Coverage rule, would impose price transparency requirements on insurers.

3. Patient-friendly Payment Models

Patient financial responsibility for outpatient, and emergency department care is on the rise, with out-of-pocket costs increasing by 12 percent in 2018, according to TransUnion.

This shift towards patient financial responsibility could bog down invoice and payment processing, particularly for practices that do not have an in-house invoicing and payment processing system geared towards accepting payments from patients. These practices will need to build patient portals, secure payment processing, and other infrastructure to handle such payments and fund administrative costs of maintaining these technologies. Furthermore, they will need to ensure their payment portals and processing systems are compliant with guidelines that protect patient information.

Unfortunately, 90 percent of healthcare providers still use paper and manual payment processes, according to a 2018 InstaMed survey. To make matters worse, 70 percent of consumers said they were confused by medical bills. Not surprisingly, 77 percent of providers said it takes more than a month to collect a payment. To be paid on time, providers must overcome the obstacles of upgrading their payment processing systems and clarify billing.

With a little planning – and a bit of luck – those in the healthcare industry can overcome these challenges and put themselves in a great position for the rest of the decade.

To View Frank Magliochetti Press Releases Please CLICK HERE