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Mental Health Dangers for the Front Lines During COVID-19
On this episode, we speak with the coauthor of a paper looking at the mental health stressors facing first responders and health care workers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The paper found that a sizable number of these frontline workers are at risk for psychiatric illnesses at severity levels higher than other national disasters, including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
Since the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in the United States in late winter and early spring last year, health care workers and first responders have reported extreme amounts of stress. Journal of Psychiatric Research recently published a study conducted in 2 counties in Utah and Colorado in April and early May 2020, before that region experienced its first surge of cases.
The survey of first responders, including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and health care workers, found that they are at risk for psychiatric illnesses at severity levels higher than other national disasters, including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. On today’s episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Andrew Smith, PhD, a coauthor of the paper and a faculty member at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He is the founder and director of the Occupational Trauma Program and holds a joint appointment at the VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System as a health psychologist.
In addition to the University of Utah researchers, other scientists on the paper include those from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; University of Colorado, Colorado Springs; Central Arkansas VA Health Care System; Salt Lake City VA Healthcare System; and the National Institute for Human Resilience.
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Collaborative Care Model Offers Success in Reducing Suicide Risk, New Report Finds
April 10th 2025A report published today by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention underscores the potential of the collaborative care model to lower suicide risk across diverse patient populations and health systems.
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Navigating Sport-Related Neurospine Injuries, Surgery, and Managed Care
February 25th 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Arthur L. Jenkins III, MD, FACS, CEO of Jenkins NeuroSpine, to explore the intersection of advanced surgical care for sport-related neurospine injuries and managed care systems.
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Varied Access: The Pharmacogenetic Testing Coverage Divide
February 18th 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the author of a study published in the February 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® to uncover significant differences in coverage decisions for pharmacogenetic tests across major US health insurers.
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Organizational Factors Associated With Variation in Primary Care Providers in ACOs
April 8th 2025A higher percentage of accountable care organization (ACO) primary care providers was associated with physician leadership, upside financial risk, and financial compensation of physicians tied to performance measures.
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