Making every health care dollar count is important in the best of times. In a pandemic, you want to pay even closer attention to your health care spending. Faced with uncertainty, our customers are raising questions about how they can use dollars set aside for medical, dental and vision expenses. Employers and employees are asking […]
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Many teams from across academia, government and the health industry have joined the race to predict the next wave of COVID-19. And when it comes to disease forecasting, this kind of friendly competition is quite healthy. That’s because it takes large amounts of data from a variety of sources and locations to build the most […]
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Should you go to physical therapy during a pandemic? What if a recent layoff means you may not be able to afford diabetes testing supplies? What’s a better option than seeking care at an emergency room? These are just some of the questions from concerned callers who have reached out to Optum nurse case managers […]
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Routine medical care became anything but when the COVID-19 crisis caused closures and cancelations. The changes went into effect so quickly, people were left with questions and concerns. Since then, nurses, clinicians, counselors and other health care workers have been fielding calls from patients and members. They’ve found ways to make life a little better […]
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A triage reboot: Using technology to strengthen health care’s front door Grouping patients by severity of symptoms — also known as triaging — is not a new concept. Its early uses can be traced back to the late 1700s. Since its beginnings in battlefield medicine, triaging has become a key component of modern-day health care. […]
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David Calabrese, Senior Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer, OptumRx No one should ever have to worry about access to prescription medication, especially not during a global pandemic. That’s what David Calabrese, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer at OptumRx, and his entire team think. So, they have been working to ensure all members […]
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Lenny Driscoll, Senior Client Executive, Optum Lenny has worked with leadership from the Medicaid and Health Connector business lines on the Mass Health Exchange since January 2015. COVID-19 triggered a race against time. As the health emergency unfolded, it threatened economic and food security across populations already struggling. Without quick decisive intervention by state governments, […]
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When the survey results came back, one statistic stood out. Productivity was down across the board. Blame it on barking dogs, distance learning, crowded houses or plain old cabin fever. For more than 40% of the respondents, working during the COVID-19 pandemic was admittedly less productive. But when researchers studied the numbers more closely, they […]
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For nurses and clinicians who care for the oldest among us, final goodbyes are part of the job. It’s never easy. Right now, due to COVID-19, it’s particularly tough, especially when you’re caring for vulnerable seniors in nursing homes. “You can’t imagine what it’s like to do this job until you’ve done it,” says Traci […]
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Javier Guzman, an on-site employee assistance program (EAP) consultant, remembers how depressed Daniel* was when he came in for his first session. Between caring for his elderly father and managing his own health issues, he felt overwhelmed … and that was before he was laid off due to COVID-19 closures. Guzman worried about his patient. […]
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