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Responding to Human Trafficking Victims
Core Competencies for Health Care Providers
Caroline Palmer, JD
Over the past decade, many states have increased their abilities to serve victims of human trafficking. For example, in Minnesota, state law and funding priorities have focused particularly on the needs of sexually exploited and trafficked youth under age 25 through the Safe Harbor program, while more recent legislation as well as federal grants have increased awareness of labor trafficking and exploitation.
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The Future of Gastroenterology: Incorporating Artificial Intelligence
By Jonathan Ng, NBBA, MPA, MBA and Sloane Allebes Phillips, MBA
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in gastroenterology is not just about gastroenterology. It has the potential to democratize a ton of knowledge that historically has only been held in the hands of specialists. For example, the expert scoring of endoscopic findings in inflammatory bowel disease can now be done automatically and placed in the hands of primary care physicians, nurses, and even patients. AI in gastroenterology is no longer limited to polyp detection–it now includes automated documentation, automated trial recruitment, and many other exciting new advances.
MINNESOTA HEALTH CARE ROUNDTABLE
The COVID-19 Pandemic: Strategies moving forward
Over 51 previous sessions, the Minnesota Health Care Roundtable was held before a live audience. In response to the pandemic we have pivoted the format of this “conference-in-print” editorial feature to bring you essentially the same information, however distilled from electronic responses vs. the transcript of a discussion. In many capacities this new process presents a superior report on any subject. It allows participants more time to prepare their thoughts and increases the range of potential participation.
Pain Management
The MinuteMan: Advances in Spinal Fusion
By R. Scott Stayner, MD, PhD
Earlier this year, Nura Pain Clinics was the first facility in Minnesota to treat patients suffering from symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis with or without mild to moderate misalignment of the lumbar spine (grade 1 – 2 spondylolisthesis) using the Spinal Simplicity Minuteman™ MIS Fusion Plate. This device was developed by Dr. Harold Hess, MD, a Board Certified Neurosurgeon, who has spent his career creating and performing cutting edge procedures..
Health Care Equity
The Minnesota EHR Consortium: A unique pandemic-born partnership
By Deepti Pandita MD, FACP, FAMIA
It was a Friday afternoon in March, already over a year ago. The scope of the pandemic was just starting to emerge, and everyone was rapidly trying to adjust to the new reality of practicing medicine with limited physical contact. Hospitalizations were rising and our emergency rooms, ICU’s and other care delivery outlets were getting challenged, not only by the gravity of the pandemic but also by lack of visibility and transparency as to what it meant for us as a state in terms of impact and magnitude.
public health
Engaging Families in Health Care: Everybody Wins
By Tai Mendenhall, Ph.D., LMFT and Aalaa Alshareef, MS, LAMFT
It is well-established that up to 40% of patients who present in primary care have a diagnosable mental illness, and that more than 70% of all clinical presentations carry some kind of exacerbating psychosocial foci (e.g., workplace stress, housing instability, unemployment, institutional racism, legal troubles, academic struggles). These statistics are arguably more diverse – and often higher – across secondary and tertiary care environments.
