Social frailty is a corollary to physical frailty, a set of vulnerabilities shown to increase the risk of falls, disability, hospitalization, poor surgical outcomes, admission to a nursing home, and earlier death in older adults. Those who are socially frail lack close relationships, can’t rely on others for help, aren’t active in community or religious groups, or live in neighborhoods that feel unsafe.
Prior authorization, or pre-certification, was designed to prevent doctors from ordering expensive tests or procedures that are not needed, with the aim of delivering cost-effective health care. Health insurers now commonly require prior authorization for many mundane medical encounters, including basic imaging and prescription refills. This can lead to critical health care delays.
Doctors and their patients have found some real-world success in deploying smartphones as medical devices, but the overall potential remains unfulfilled and uncertain. Phone apps have the power to help assess people for concussions, watch for atrial fibrillation, and conduct mental health wellness checks. And the 350,000 digital health products available in app stores highlight their earning potential.
As of Jan. 1, health insurers and employers that offer health plans must provide online calculators for patients to get detailed estimates of what they will owe taking into account deductibles and copayments for a range of services and drugs. It's the latest effort in an ongoing movement to make prices and upfront cost comparisons possible in a business known for its opaqueness.
In March, a passenger stopped breathing on a Frontier Airlines flight that was headed from Phoenix to Las Vegas. Such incidents raise questions about airlines' readiness for medical emergencies because of incomplete or insufficient medical kits and the training of flight crews, who often rely on other passengers in emergencies.