What Does the Future of Population Health Management and Data Analytics Look Like in the ‘New Normal’ of Healthcare?

For years, researchers and policyholders have tried to come up with suitable options to offer high-quality healthcare to the people. Though the concept of population health management looked promising, there were a few barriers, which hindered its implementation. At the start of 2020, the COVID pandemic hit us and sent a long list of sick people to the hospitals and broke the backbone of an already weak healthcare system.

COVID affected the finances of several hospitals and taught them an important lesson- they don’t have enough resources to help COVID patients. Until the vaccine comes out, hospitals will continue to get a combination of COVID and general cases. To be better prepared, governments and health care organizations have to work together to adopt the use of data analytics and come up with suitable population health management strategies.

How can population health management and data analytics prove to be useful in the long run?

Population health management takes the help of artificial intelligence to collect the data of people and compress it into a single and actionable patient record. This largely helps healthcare organizations to identify sick people and get them the necessary care. With the advancement of technology, organizations can use the improved AI to its advantage and build up the healthcare system to meet their needs.

Here is a list of four data analytics and population health management trends that the organizations around the globe should follow to survive the ‘New Normal in healthcare-

·         Data collection via wearable technology

Smart devices (bands, rings, and watches) are very popular these days. Initially, these devices were launched to track the number of steps and calories burnt by a user. But with the latest advancements, these devices can now track sleep patterns, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen pressure, etc. If you think about it, a user can track his/her health over time and get accurate records when needed.

With people’s permission, organizations can collect this data to analyze it further. As per Cedars Sinai’s founding, Fitbits can track the effectiveness of chemotherapy in cancer patients. Imagine what all health systems can do with this kind of data. It’s quite possible to improve population health outcomes, treatment success rates, and more.

·         Association with community organizations

Community organizations were created to offer support to the low socioeconomic sections of society. Partnership with them can prove to be useful for health systems. Community organizations know where help is needed. Health organizations can identify those areas and provide the necessary aid. This way, areas that aren’t in reach of regular healthcare will receive better care.

·         Vaccination at the right price

Vaccination is the building block of the population health strategy. One of the key population health goals is to raise the vaccine rates under-immunized population. Those who don’t choose to get vaccinated are at a greater risk of getting sick. Health care providers need to identify and connect with such people. With the help of healthcare CRM, providers can target vulnerable populations (who aren’t patients yet but share the similar traits of the existing patients) and get them the necessary care.

If and when the COVID vaccine comes out, health and wellness marketing campaigns should educate the importance of vaccination to the patients and encourage them to get vaccinated. This way, providers can eliminate the disease and put less pressure on the healthcare system by selling vaccination at the right price in densely populated areas.

·         Cultural Change

COVID pandemic has ushered a new age of analytics use and it’s safe to assume that more health care providers will join the movement. This will require a change in culture. Instead of coming up with hypothetical decisions, providers need to use the data to generate insights. Acceptance regarding this will grow as providers see the power of early impact.

Health care organizations need to support cultural change in three key areas.

1.    Hospital staff needs to understand the insights from the decision engine and should be able to explain it to the patients.

2.     To gather and analyze data, hospitals will require appropriate equipment and facilities.

3.     Workable data strategy.

The COVID pandemic made us realize how under-prepared and weak our health care system is. More such crises are right around the corner. Instead of getting beaten by them, it’s better to make the cultural shift at the earliest. Countries and their health care systems should encourage the widespread use of AI, which will reduce costs and improve patient care.

My First Haircut After Lockdown

Yesterday, I went for a haircut. After 4 months of cutting my own hair and making an absolute disaster of my hairstyle, it was high time to give special attention to my hair. 

So, I called up my barber and booked an appointment. When I reached his shop, I was impressed by the arrangements. There were sanitizers at the entry and exit doors, proper temperature checks with boards shouting- 'Please wear mask at all times'. 

Before I sat on the seat, my barber sanitized it and gave me disposable sheets to cover my upper body. He sanitized all the equipment and was himself covered in a PPE kit. 

10 minutes into my haircut, I asked him how the business was going, how many people were coming and his answers portrayed the pain caused by COVID-19. 

In the end, he said one line- Sir, yeh COVID kuch nahi hai. Normal fever hai bas. Government ne aaise hi dara rakha hai. 

Thanks to this 'Chalta Hai' attitude, India has recorded close to 1 million cases in the last 15 days. 

If 135 crore Indians keep up with this attitude, our country will never see the end of COVID-19. 

My Addiction Story

Since childhood, I was addicted to sugar. Candy, ice cream and cake were regulars in my diet.

My grandfather used to get me 2 birthday cakes because 1 was not enough for me.

 

A drawer full of candies and chocolates made me happier rather than scoring 1st division.

 

All was well until I reached the 9th standard. My skin started to break and my weight was whopping 90 Kg.

 

So, I decided to do something about it. I consulted a doctor and she advised me to avoid sugary food/drinks.

 

It took me 2 years to completely kick off sugar from my diet. It was hard at first, but it had to be done.

 

Fast-forwarding to 2020...

It's been 9 years since I quit sugar. Outcome? My skin is healthy and I feel strong every day. 

 

Moral of this post- you just need a reason and willpower to beat addiction. If I can do it, you can too.

Why Did I Choose Writing As A Career?

Recently, I read a blog where a known writer talked about her love for words and why she started writing in the first place. 

Being inspired, I want to share my side of the story- Why did I start writing? 

My answer is divided into 3 pointers. Let's take a look at it. 

1. To express my views- 

For those of you who are reading my post for the 1st time, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Agrim Ahluwalia and I'm an introvert. I find it hard to enjoy the perks of public speaking. 

So, when I learned about content writing, I just embraced it. I love the freedom to express myself on a digital podium without making eye contact with numerous people. 

2. To keep me sane- 

Whenever I hear a piece of bad news or can't make sense of things, I open my laptop and start writing. I try to jot down my thoughts, which gives me peace and helps me to stay positive. 

3. To earn money- 

Well, this is a bonus for me. I never started writing with the intention to earn money. It just happened gradually. And I'm glad it did.

What Mistakes Did I Make As A Newbie Freelancer?

I started freelancing without doing a background check. I had no idea how to pitch clients or ask for payments.  

Because of it, I made several blunders. Here are the top 3 mistakes I made initially- 

Mistake 1- Adopted a free sample policy

Outcome- Clients told me that I was not good and uploaded my write-ups on their websites. 

Mistake 2- I never asked for advance payments and followed a monthly payment cycle without an agreement. 

Outcome- I was conned several times and there is no way to hold the clients responsible for it. 

Mistake 3- Accepted low-pay projects just to have some work. 

Outcome- Worked tirelessly to earn a small income and got frustrated with the idea of freelancing. 

Now, I'm much more aware and alert while communicating with potential clients. 

Advice to all the newbie freelance writers- Learn from my mistakes and be better. 

My Burnout Story

I took a 3-day break from writing. I uninstalled LinkedIn and extended my deadlines. Why?

I was a victim of burnout, thanks to my busy schedule. I wrote 18,000 words, attended 15 skype calls and replied to over 70 emails, all in 1 week.

I ignored my 8 hours of beauty sleep, ate unhealthy food and failed to take breaks in between. 

Outcome? I was tired, cranky, and just wanted to lay in bed all day. 

And that's what I did. My past 3 days were consumed by the following activities- 

1. Sleeping

2. Eating healthy food

3. Watching movies and tv series

Not even a single day, I felt like writing or replying to my clients. 

What did I learn from this?

While working, we often forget the scare of burnout. I could have lost a considerable amount of business, all because of me trying to be super productive. 

Moral of this post- Burnout is not a joke and shouldn't be treated like it. During the productive journey, it's important to take adequate rest. 

ReplyForward

Father's Day Special

I'm a tech nerd and like to switch phones every year.

My dad is the total opposite. He still carries his iPhone 6 and is quite vocal about its performance, even though it hangs a lot.

This father's day, I decided to gift him a new phone. I logged on to Amazon and placed an order.

 

Luckily, the package arrived this morning. When my dad saw it, he was furious with me for spending money, like all fathers are.

 

But when he opened the package, he saw a small gift card with a message on it.

 

For the past 27 years, a small token of thank you. Happy Father's Day.

 

I could see his angry face slowly turning into an emotional one.

 

Now, let’s answer the question- why I did it?

 

He is the kind of guy who barely spends any money on himself. He ignores his needs and tries to save every penny for his family.

 

So, I decided to be his sponsor. Just kidding

 

Moral of this post- look after your parents’ needs, because they won't.

A Note On Mental Illness

Since childhood, we are taught to exercise daily and enjoy a healthy diet. 

We do this to improve our physical fitness, which helps us to fight off diseases (if we meet them face to face). 

But what about mental health? Why don't we address mental issues?

On a personal note, I have 2 active depression cases in the family.

And still,

My parents haven't had a serious discussion on depression with me or my sibling. 

By now, we all have heard about Mr.Sushant Singh Rajput. 

It's sad to hear about a successful chap taking his own life due to depression. 

May he rest in peace

Instead of expressing our sympathies, it's time to take the fight with depression. 

I would request all of you to take an extra step to help people surrounding us battling depression. 

Go talk to them, listen to their problems and help out in every way possible. 

And don't forget to take care of yourself. 

Remember- humans are designed to work together. That's where our strength lies. 

iPhone SE 2020- Apple’s Knockout Punch To Budget Android Phones

It’s quite rare when Apple comes out with a product that rattles the cages of consumer technology. The company first did it in 2016 and now, they have done it again. In April 2020, Apple launched the new iPhone SE. It is the successor to 2016’s iPhone SE that took the market by storm. The latest device promises to carry its torch by providing amazing performance for a fraction of the price (when compared to $1000 phones). Let’s find out more details about the product.

Design

2020 calls for a modern design and Apple didn’t fail to disappoint us. Wait, not so easy. iPhone SE  is a glass sandwiched body that comes in at 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches. It is a sleek device that won’t pop out of your pocket. It carries a smaller footprint like iPhone 8, which makes one-hand navigation a delight. However, huge and chunky bezels are visible from a foot away, which are not so appealing when compared with other $399 smartphones. Thankfully, the iconic touch id sensor is back, which also acts as a home button.

Display

It rocks a 4.7 inch LCD display with 1334 x 750 pixels. It can shine at 625 nits and comes with true tone and haptic touch. Yes, the figures are not so exciting on paper, but it gets the job done. You will get a decent experience while viewing content, but Pubg/Call Of Duty players will have a hard time to locate their targets because of the smaller screen. Perhaps, their money is better spent on a larger AMOLED display.

Camera

iPhone SE is equipped with a 12-megapixel shooter in the back and 7-megapixel shooter in the front. It is the same configuration that is found on iPhone 8, but it comes with a twist. The A13 Bionic processor leads to better image processing, which allows iPhone SE to click good pictures. They are clean, vibrant and colour-accurate, all that you would expect from an iPhone. 

Apart from it, you can make full use of portrait mode and 4K video recording at 60 frames per second whenever the need be.

Processor

This is perhaps the most talked-about feature of iPhone SE. Apple has armed the device with A13 bionic processor, which is found on the iPhone 11 series. According to the company, it is the fastest chip available in a smartphone to date. So, iPhone SE will allow you to edit a video or play a graphic intensive game without breaking a sweat.

Battery

With 1821mAh in the bank, iPhone SE is not designed for power users. If you are someone who likes to game or watch loads of content, you will have to charge this device more than once in a day. Luckily, iPhone SE supports 18W fast charging, which will give you 50% battery within 30 minutes of charge. However, you have to buy a fast charger separately, which is a bummer.

Audio

A small phone like iPhone SE is not expected to deliver a great audio experience. Wait, let’s correct this statement. To our surprise, this device managed to fill the entire living room with enough bass and hip-hop beats that forced us to jump on the dance floor. If you rock the old iPhone SE, you will definitely feel a huge difference in the audio quality.

Price

With a starting price of $399, iPhone SE will go head to head with Pixel 3a and other budget-friendly phones. In India, the device will cost Rs.42,500 for 64 GB variant.

Other Add-ons

iPhone SE comes loaded with wireless charging, Bluetooth 5, IP67 water resistance, WiFi 6 support, NFC, three colour options (black/red/white) and Gigabit-LTE, which will allow the device to regain its position of ‘Budget King’.

In the end...

iPhone SE was never meant to be the ‘Star’ of the smartphone industry. Superb camera, massive battery and the bezel-less display are not its cup of tea. If you are someone who wants to buy a small phone with the latest internals at a wallet-friendly price, iPhone SE will bring a smile on your face.

AirPods 2- Everyone wants it, but everyone doesn’t need it

In 2016, Apple retired the famous ‘headphone jack’ and replaced its memory with AirPods- a device that instantly connects with your iPhone with the help of Bluetooth. The idea behind it was to step in the era of wireless earbuds, which can kick away the pain of tangled earphones. For a while, Apple faced the heat of the standard earphone lovers who were just not ready for the change. But soon as the dust settled, AirPods became the fashion statement. Even though they were pricy and had a sluggish design, almost every pocket was a home for it. After witnessing such a response, Apple decided to make some tweaks and launched AirPods 2 in 2019.

If AirPods and AirPods 2 were in the same room, 90% of the people won’t be able to recognize the elder brother. Why so? Well, there are no significant changes to the design of AirPods 2, but we do seem to witness a few interior changes. Let’s take a look at it.

AirPods Design

Coming in at 0.7 x 0.7 x 1.6 inch and 0.14 ounce, there are no visible changes to the design of AirPods 2. It is the same plastic long stem in glossy white colour. Here, Apple has followed a simple ideology- what isn’t broken shouldn’t be fixed. But yes, Apple did bring a new wireless charging case, which is a little heavy than the standard AirPods 2. To differentiate the two, you can find a small led light in the front of the wireless charging case.

AirPods Pairing

With Apple’s new H1 chip, AirPods 2 can connect with your iPhone in 3.2 seconds, surpassing its younger brother’s pairing connection (5.1 seconds). And that’s not its only superpower. Now, AirPods 2 have longer talk time, greater battery life and faster switching between Apple devices (2.8 seconds vs 4.3 seconds).

AirPods Love for Siri

In winters, it is pain for your hands to leave the shelter of your pockets and reach your iPhone to launch Siri. That’s about to change with AirPods 2. With the help of hands-free Siri, you can launch Apple’s digital assistant without touching your iPhone. That’s neat and comfortable.

AirPods Sound

Let’s just accept a simple fact- sound quality is not AirPods strong suit. Don’t get me wrong. AirPods 2 delivers a decent sound, but there are way better options out there that deliver a great mixture of bass and lows which AirPods 2 can’t seem to master. In short, music junkies will be disappointed with this product.

AirPods Bluetooth 5.0

AirPods 2 comes with Bluetooth 5.0 technology which increases the range to 50 feet. In layman terms, you can leave your phone in one room and roam around the house (within 50 feet of distance) with a solid connection of AirPods 2.

AirPods Battery

Thanks to H1 chip, the AirPods roughly provide 4 hours 50 minutes of playback on a single charge. That means four episodes of Grey’s Anatomy (40 minutes each) and a 45 minutes call with your friend will still leave some charge in the Airpods. And to top it up, the case itself offers 24 hours of additional charge. That’s too much generosity from Apple.

AirPods Call Quality

Apple has done wonders with the call quality of AirPods 2. With dual mics and H1 chip, the receiver can clearly hear your voice in a busy environment. For example, the call from the metro ride was so clear that my friend was able to detect a baby crying who was sitting 5 seats away from him. That’s weird but brilliant.

To sum it up...

Apple products are not known to offer great battery life and value for money. Sadly, AirPods 2 are not so different. But people buy Apple products for their superior performance and high level of comfort. AirPods 2 come at a starting price of $159 and can go up to $199 for the wireless charging case. They are not cheap from any angle but with the twin package of comfort and brilliant features, AirPods 2 is here to stay in the market for a long time.