I began my career in health care as a staff accountant for a nonprofit hospital. At the time the prices didn’t seem that outrageous. Prices were high, but not seize your house to pay for a hangnail high. How times have changed.
Category: Devon Herrick
NYT: Veterinary Telemedicine is Growing
When Covid began to spread in 2020 veterinary clinics were closed to walk-in traffic across the country. On one occasion we took our dog Clementine to the vet and waited in the car while they examined her inside. On another occasion we pulled into the parking lot and talked to the vet on a cellphone, who sent out a vet tech to examine Clementine who was in our backseat.
Clementine is an anxious dog. She hates being separated from us, especially when she’s away from her familiar territory at home. Besides our regular vet, we also see a veterinary behaviorist who treats Clementine’s anxious behavior. She too was closed to walk-in traffic during Covid. She conducted Clementine’s annual visit over Zoom in the spring of 2020. After that first Zoom annual, she now always meets with Clementine on Zoom. I suspect the vet does that with many of her patients. Everyone is happier with the arrangement, including Clementine.
Bacteriophages Are Supercharged Antibiotics: Why Aren’t They Available?
Bacteriophages are viruses that kill bacteria. Phages are common, found in every nook and cranny of the natural world. There are likely trillions of them. They were first used over a century ago but remain largely unknown. A French microbiologist used them to treat dysentery in children just after World War I. They have been used extensively in Eastern Europe but not in the West.
It Is Legal to Layoff Workers on Medical, Maternity and Family Leave
By now everyone should know there are both state and federal laws banning discrimination against certain classes of employees. For example, a tech firm was recently accused of posting a job notice seeking white candidates only. After an embarrassing backlash the posting was taken down. The firm later apologized and said the job was posted by a junior recruiter. The apology was later edited to say it was posted by an ex-recruiter. I don’t know whether the recruiter was an ex-recruiter before or after the discriminatory post. It could be either.