HHPR Editor James Jolin interviewed Dr. Marcela del Carmen, the Chief Medical Officer for the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and Gynecologic Oncologist at the Center for Gynecologic Oncology. They discussed the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the Massachusetts General Hospital System, lessons learned, health equity and vaccine distribution.
Read MoreAs we move forward through the COVID-19 pandemic and look ahead to new epidemics that the future will inevitably bring, computational researchers should remember the value provided by domain experts. The interface between algorithms and socio-technical problems will never be straightforward to navigate. Scientific teams which leverage a complete spectrum of expertise are our best hope for developing algorithmic approaches which meet the needs of complex medical and public health challenges.
Read MoreIn 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, and clinicians scrambled to find effective treatments for their patients. Through unprecedented rates of research and collaboration across disciplines, several therapies were demonstrated to show promise, while others fell short. In this piece, we argue clinical trials can—and, indeed, must—be done during a pandemic to identify safe and effective therapeutics and that these trials must be completed free of political pressures. For optimal treatments, we ought to prepare clinical trials before—not during—public health emergencies.
Read MoreIn order achieve vaccine equity, change must occur. Broadening the concept of health equity to include shifting decision-making power to marginalized communities, creating demand, and requiring accountability with regard to data is necessary and will improve vaccine uptake and overall health well beyond this pandemic.
Read MoreThe Global Health Security Index (GHSI), published in 2019, ranked the United States first among nations in its pandemic preparedness. This paper uses the GHSI framework to explore how systemic racism resulted United State's failure to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic adequately.
Read MoreCOVID-19 can cause heart rhythm disorders, acute heart attacks, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death, with higher rates in racial minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status. The uptick of telehealth and digital strategies has enabled the provision of clinical care during the pandemic, but it has also deepened the digital divide and further accentuated preexisting health inequities.
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