Seeking solace, finding resilience in a pandemic
Adam Stern, MD of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), highlighted a landmark study on happiness and how its findings can help us understand how people have coped during the pandemic. (Harvard Health Publishing, February 25, 2021)
What the latest Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine data really means
According to new trial data, Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine appears to provide more protection against worrisome virus variants than initially reported. The vaccine was developed in a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), led by Dan Barouch, MD, PhD of BIDMC. (ABC News, February 25, 2021)
‘Future of Health Care’ panel: Pandemic drives system integration, anti-racism efforts
Kevin Tabb, MD, President & CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health, joined leadership from local hospitals on the ‘Future of Health Care’ panel and noted health care is moving beyond the four walls of a hospital to any place it’s needed including physician’s offices, community health centers, or a patient’s home. (Boston Business Journal, February 25, 2021)
Mass. hospitals to resume offering COVID-19 vaccine
Beth Israel Lahey Health announced it will resume offering limited new appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine to patients who are eligible under the current phase of the state’s distribution plan. (Boston Globe, February 24, 2021)
Some COVID-19 tests available on the market could miss a majority of cases
A research team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), led by James E. Kirby, MD of BIDMC and Ramy Arnaout, MD of BIDMC, has developed a mathematical model to estimate the false negative rate for COVID-19 tests. (Healthcare IT News, February 23, 2021)
COVID-19 makes it harder to stay sober
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a test for many people with substance use disorder. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Division of Addiction Psychiatry is using telehealth and other evidence-based care to support patients with substance use disorder during the pandemic. (Boston Globe, February 22, 2021)
Mass. doctor on COVID-19 case, hospitalization drop
Sharon Wright, MD, MPH of Beth Israel Lahey Health, spoke about the latest COVID-19 headlines, including the pace of the vaccine rollout, what the FDA Advisory Committee takes into consideration as they consider a vaccine candidate for emergency use authorization, whether COVID-19 could be a season virus, as well as the sobering milestone of 500,000 lives lost during this pandemic. (WCVB, February 22, 2021)
Pandemic done by April?
Robin Colgrove, MD, Interim Chief of Infectious Diseases at Mount Auburn Hospital, discusses a recent theory on herd immunity achieved through vaccines signaling a potential end to the pandemic in the spring. (Boston 25 News, February 22, 2021)
Some hospitals offered high-risk groups early access to COVID vaccine
Some hospitals in Massachusetts received special state approval to vaccinate certain high-risk groups. BILH has allowed solid organ or bone marrow transplant patients to receive the vaccine early. (Boston Business Journal, February 19, 2021)
Seeded amid the many surprises of COVID times, some unexpected positives
The Gazette recently contacted experts to ask about a few surprising, unanticipated positives that have emerged midst pandemic. In the area of health care delivery, almost 90 percent of the visits at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s primary care practice had to switch to telephone or video interviews which makes for fully open and transparent communication even more important. (Harvard Gazette, February 18, 2021)
Do I qualify? Vaccine confusion for patients with multiple serious medical conditions
As Massachusetts and several other states prioritize vaccine distribution to residents with cancer, heart disease, obesity and other medical concerns, many are still trying to figure out if they qualify as criteria with these diseases remain unclear. Sean Levy, MD of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, noted some eligible risk factors like smoking are open to interpretation. (WBUR, February 18, 2021)
There are new all-stars at Fenway Park, carrying syringes of vaccine and doses of hope
The state has been criticized for its inoculation work, absorbing complaints about logistical hurdles and cumbersome technology. Edward Ullman, MD of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, noted the only way to address those complaints is to take the criticism, listen to it and figure out how to make it better. (Boston Globe, February 17, 2021)