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The Newest Weapon Against Covid-19: AI That Speed-Reads Faxes

Tom Simonite

December 22, 2020 |

Wired |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Contra Costa County, California

Researchers from Stanford University have developed a software that uses machine-learning algorithms to identify and flag urgent faxes about COVID-19 cases. While the project doesn't have complete accuracy, it has helped overwhelmed and overburdened health care workers at the health department in Contra Costa County, California work more efficiently.

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How a program to support Latino caregivers may have discovered a new wave of patients

Natalia Rodríguez Medina

December 07, 2020 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago-based Latino Alzheimer's and Memory Disorders Alliance (LAMDA) has helped connect "Latinos who have memory diseases with clinical support" by focusing on creating connections and using memory-health surveys. The program relies on bicultural community health promoters who are embedded within the community and visit places such as health fairs, nursing home lobbies and churches to offer resources and "conduct memory tests and evaluations on at-risk elders."

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Rural Hospitals Are Dying. This One Saved Itself—And Its Community

Max Blau

November 09, 2020 |

Time Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Clinch County, Georgia

Rural hospitals across the country often struggle to stay open in states where Medicaid has not been expanded, but a method known as "swing beds" has helped two critical-access hospitals in Georgia to avoid this fate. This method, which allows hospitals to swing beds from "only patients in need of acute care to those who no longer require the emergency department but still needed more treatment before a nursing home," allowed for the hospitals to pay off debt and expand services.

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COVID-19 delays, but doesn't stop Albert Lea, Minnesota, from replacing lost hospital services

Lyle Muller

October 16, 2020 |

IowaWatch |

Podcast |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Albert Lea, Minnesota

During the coronavirus pandemic, leaders and administrators of small hospitals have learned through their failures about the limitations of their facilities. While some of these hospitals have relied on streamlining and efficiency to maximize the quality of care, it has impacted their ability to react to less predictable events.

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Public Health Workers Stand Behind Contact Tracing

Chris Rudisill

September 18, 2020 |

QNotes Carolinas |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

The Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative (CCTC) is the first statewide coordinated care network that contact traces new COVID-19 cases and electronically connects people to community resources. Investigators interview newly diagnosed patients, provide information about appropriately isolating, and identify people who were potentially exposed, all of whom are also contacted and connected to resources. Information is entered into a secure online system at each stage and individuals are followed up with. It is not clear that CCTC has successfully tracked the origins of many widespread COVID-19 infections.

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What the U.S. can learn from Australia's hybrid health care system

William Brangham Jason Kane

September 03, 2020 |

PBS NewsHour |

Broadcast TV Programs |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Australia, Sydney

Australia's health care system combines public and private health insurance to create a hybrid model that caters to every citizen. Although there is some uncertainty surrounding the future of the private health care program due to the younger generation's tendency to choose the public option, overall, "the outcomes for both systems have been quite good," especially when compared to America's system.

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How Switzerland delivered health care for all -- and kept its private insurance

William Brangham Jason Kane

September 02, 2020 |

PBS NewsHour |

Broadcast TV Programs |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Switzerland, Oberhofen am Thunersee

Switzerland is home to the world's lowest avoidable mortality rate and residents of the country live longer lives and are healthier than those who live in the United States. Health policy experts credit the Swiss health care system for playing a significant role. Despite the high cost and the penalty for not carrying insurance, the system is praised as guarateeing access to quality health-care and "unlike the U.S., people rarely go bankrupt from medical bills."

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Hope, the Senegalese app that saves lives by optimizing blood donations

Morgane le Cam

August 30, 2020 |

Heidi.news |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Senegal, Thies

An app developed by a two telecommunications design engineers in Senegal is helping to connect hospitals with blood donors. The app alerts donors in nearby areas when blood is needed and sends "messages of thanks and donation reminders," which has helped to decrease the regional stigma about donating blood. Although the technology has not achieved widespread adoption, where it has been used, blood donations have significantly increased.

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Flu was all but eliminated in South Africa this year. Coronavirus is to thank.

Lesley Wroughton Max Bearak

August 18, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa

When South Africa's government implemented measures to protect its citizens from the spread of COVID-19, it also drastically reduced its flu cases down to 1 single case for its winter season as a side effect. Stringent mask requirements and complete school closures, along with a sharp increase in people getting flu vaccines, contributed to South Africa's record-low flu season, despite being one of the countries with the highest recorded cases of coronavirus.

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How to save a life: Easing grief from inside COVID ICUs

Joan van Dyk

August 03, 2020 |

Bhekisisa |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: South Africa, Cape Town

To combat the grief, trauma, and frustration caused by COVID-19 hospitalizations where families are cut off from loved ones and from most information about their care and condition, the staff at Vincent Pallotti Hospital created a new way of capturing doctors' updates on patients that improved the flow of information. Instead of recording their observations and treatments on paper charts, doctors enter the information on an online system. Volunteer counselors with access to that information then update families daily, relieving some stress and bringing solace to families and patients alike.

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