The rhetoric around vaccinations often revolves around infants and children, which is why adults commonly believe they’re off the hook when it comes to vaccines. But that’s not true. Vaccines are an essential component of life-long health, from birth to old age. For, unfortunately, infectious...
Tag: virtual care
Access to careDigital HealthDoctorsMedicareMedicineMinority HealthMinority Health MonthUncategorizedVirtual Care
How technology helps healthcare reach the underserved
Those underserved by our existing healthcare system are all around us. Forty-four million people, or 13% of all Americans, live in a county with a primary care physician shortage, according to a report from one of the largest U.S. insurers, UnitedHealthGroup. Two things are evident...
Are minorities more likely to be sick?
The short answer to this question is probably, but it might not be for the reasons you think. Minority populations in the U.S. are more likely to suffer from certain chronic illness compared to non-minority populations, and the real issue lies in access to healthcare....
Bringing better eyesight to a world in desperate need
One of the many things that distinguishes HealthTap from traditional healthcare is its global reach - the ability to provide access to healthcare from anywhere in the world. In a similar way, a nonprofit called Orbis is taking flight to bring better eyesight to millions...
Top 5 heart health questions answered by HealthTap’s doctors
February marks American Heart Month. To celebrate, we’re rounding up the top 5 heart-health questions our users have asked our doctors. 1. Are skipped heartbeats dangerous? Usually, skipped heartbeats aren’t a cause for too much concern. According to cardiologist Dr. Peter Banitt, “If you...
A.I. shows promise assisting physicians
The collective wisdom of doctors, combined with the power of machine learning (also known popularly as artificial intelligence, or A.I.), is greater than the sum of its parts. For several years, millions of doctor-answered questions have been contributed to teach our AI-powered symptom checker. This...
The way to a healthy heart is through your stomach
Time for a heart-to-heart, about your heart. Over 84 million Americans are impacted by some form of heart disease. The good news is the power to reduce your risk is largely in your hands. Eating a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet is one of the most effective...
Bad air drives sufferers to HealthTap for answers
HealthTap is helping those suffering from grey skies full of bad air. Ever since Camp Fire erupted earlier this month, the air quality in the San Francisco Bay Area has gotten so poor that merely being there for a day is the equivalent of smoking 10...
Here comes the augmented patient
David Lazarus is the consumer affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He also has Type 1 diabetes. So he is the perfect person to keep on top of augmenting patients such as himself in innovative ways. In June, Lazarus wrote a column about cutting-edge...
Diabetes sees telemedicine accelerate treatment
Chronic diseases such as diabetes are taxing our healthcare system and the broader economy as well. A new Milken Institute report states that U.S. health care costs for chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease totaled $1.1 trillion in 2016. Diabetes...