Becker's Hospital Review

56 INNOVATION 'We're in the messy adolescence of this experience': How the annual physical visit is shifting to virtual By Jackie Drees M ayo Clinic, University of California San Francisco and Geisinger are among the health systems working to digitally transform the traditional, yearly physical visit into an ongoing virtual relation- ship with providers, e Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 6. Nine things to know: 1. anks to an explosion of advances in digital technology, imaging, gene sequencing and artificial intelligence, Michael Blum, MD, a cardiologist and chief digital transformation officer at UCSF, told the publication that in the next five to 10 years, he will "be able to do the same quality of phys- ical exam out of the office as if you were right in front of me in the office." 2. About one in five U.S. adults gets a routine physical in a physician's office each year, according to the report. Health data the physician collects us- ing a stethoscope during the visit only provides a snapshot of the patient's everyday life. 3. Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic has started sending lab kits to patients so they can get blood drawn and analyzed by the lab before their physicals and then talk with their physicians about their results during the appointments. 4. Mayo said it plans to eventually collect patient information remotely via smartphone and smartwatch apps, wearable sensors and blood pressure cuffs, which support monitoring for health indicators such as blood pres- sure, blood oxygen and heart rate. 5. UCSF created a digital stethoscope technique using a smartphone cam- era and flashlight that can detect a biomarker of diabetes in patients with- out a blood draw. "We're in the messy adolescence of this experience." Dr. Blum said. "e technology in 10 to 20 years' time will look nothing like the technology we have now." 6. DNA also is expected to take on a bigger role in the routine physical; as part of its blood analysis, Mayo will soon offer liquid biopsy tests that look for evidence of cancer in DNA fragments that early-stage tumors shed into the bloodstream, according to the report. 7. Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger is piloting a DNA screening test in routine physicals that targets about 60 known disease-causing mutations, including the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes linked to breast cancer and other cancers. 8. With the new digital innovations, the physical will take on a more dy- namic approach in which physicians will provide monthly electronic re- ports to patients on metrics such as blood pressure, heart function and weight based on the data stream from digital devices, Geoffrey Tison, MD, a cardiologist at UCSF told the publication. 9. With the constant stream of data analysis, in-person exam physicals could be set for every two to three years as opposed to the current one-year standard if no abnormal signals come up, Dr. Tison said. n Debunking COVID-19 vaccination card misinformation: 5 things to know By Jackie Drees A s the country continues its push to get COVID-19 shots into the arms of the un- vaccinated, misinformation about the vac- cines, HIPAA and verification cards has flourished. Here are five common questions related to COVID-19 vaccines and verification cards, plus their answers, according to CBS affiliate WUSA. 1. Can private businesses ask customers for proof of COVID-19 vaccination? Yes; according to HHS, HIPAA only applies to covered entities in- cluding health plans, most healthcare providers and healthcare clearinghouses. Organizations that do not have to follow HIPAA include most schools, most law enforcement agencies and employers. 2. Do federal employment laws prevent em- ployers from requiring COVID-19 vaccines? No; there are no federal laws in place stopping an employer from requiring employees to be vacci- nated as long as the employer makes reasonable accommodations to comply with the American Disabilities Act. On Sept. 9, President Joe Biden unveiled a mandate that federal workers and con- tractors be vaccinated against COVID-19. 3. Are there any other options besides the paper COVID-19 vaccination verification card? Yes; some states including New York, have launched digital COVID-19 vaccine record options through their health department websites. COVID-19 vac- cine providers such as CVS, Walmart and Sam's Club have also rolled out digital options for users to store their vaccine records online. 4. Are vaccine cards on their own protected un- der HIPAA? No; HIPAA only applies when med- ical information is in the hands "of a covered en- tity," which HHS defines as healthcare providers, health plans and healthcare clearinghouses. HI- PAA also applies to business associates of these covered entities. 5. Are fake vaccine cards illegal? Yes; two New Jersey women were charged with offering a false instrument for filing and conspiracy for al- legedly selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to hospital employees and other healthcare workers, according to the Manhattan district attorney's office. n

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