[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":325},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-digital-health-and-the-ebola-epidemic-how-not-to-let-it-go-viral":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":182,"relatedBooks":324},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":32,"project_category":48,"contact_email_category":49,"yst_prominent_words":50,"class_list":56,"better_featured_image":79,"acf":117,"yoast_meta":126,"_links":129},24482,"2019-08-01T14:00:41","2019-08-01T12:00:41",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=24482&_wpnonce=0c390f6374&status=auto-draft&type=post","2023-03-09T15:22:43","2023-03-09T14:22:43","digital-health-and-the-ebola-epidemic-how-not-to-let-it-go-viral","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-and-the-ebola-epidemic-how-not-to-let-it-go-viral",{"rendered":17},"Digital Health And The Ebola Epidemic: How Not To Let It Go Viral",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2019. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd> \u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>More than 1,500 deaths\nand 2,500 people sickened – that’s the recent account of the ebola outbreak in\nthe Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) raging in the country since last August,\nand recently declared a public health emergency of international concern. Experts\nsay efforts to contain the virus are hindered by biological, public health,\npolitical, and cultural issues, but we looked around what digital health\ntechnologies could do to mitigate the spread and the devastation of the\ninfectious disease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The\nSpaghetti-like virus…\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The lethal Ebola virus first appeared in 1976 around a river in Congo – it was named after this watercourse – but its exact origins are still unclear. The tiny pathogen looks like a particular type of spaghetti under the microscope, but its behavior is merciless and bloody. \u003Cstrong>It \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fsitn.hms.harvard.edu\u002Fflash\u002F2014\u002Febola-virus-how-it-infects-people-and-how-scientists-are-working-to-cure-it\u002F\">works its ways into cells\u003C\u002Fa>, creates countless copies of itself, and destroys the connections between tissues, causing organ failure and leaky blood vessels, essentially dismantling bodies from the inside out. In its most extreme form, the viral hemorrhagic fever leads to uncontrollable bleeding and death.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals (such as fruit bats, porcupines, and non-human primates) and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids. That means Ebola is not the most infectious disease out there, however, its high fatality rate – the average case fatality rate is around 50 percent – makes it especially dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"992\" height=\"558\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Virus.jpg\" alt=\"ebola\" class=\"wp-image-24483\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Virus.jpg 992w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Virus-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Virus-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Virus-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.abcnews.go.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>…rampaging\nthrough Western Africa\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Since its first appearance, several outbreaks have decimated first of all the population of Africa. The largest Ebola epidemic to date rampaged through West Africa from 2014 to 2016, killing more than \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cdc.gov\u002Fvhf\u002Febola\u002Fhistory\u002F2014-2016-outbreak\u002Fcumulative-cases-graphs.html\">11,300 people\u003C\u002Fa>. It seemed that the virus was contained there but \u003Cstrong>a year ago it started to claim victims again in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The WHO classified the recent outbreak \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.who.int\u002Fnews-room\u002Fdetail\u002F17-07-2019-ebola-outbreak-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-declared-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern\">as a level 3 emergency\u003C\u002Fa>, the most serious, as it continues to cause casualties in the hundreds. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Unfortunately, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nationalgeographic.com\u002Fscience\u002F2019\u002F04\u002Fworlds-second-biggest-ebola-outbreak-still-raging-heres-why-hot-zone\u002F\">there are several factors\u003C\u002Fa> which hamper the fight in the current situation. The region is plagued by political conflicts and continuing violence. As distrust is deeply rooted, the locals are mistrustful towards foreign aid groups and medical teams, which makes the management or prevention of the disease very difficult\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Moreover, looking at the disease itself, the infection is spreading among an unusually high number of children and killing a large percentage of people before they’ve sought or received treatment in Ebola centers staffed by local and international aid workers. Now, teams trying to track the spread of the disease are finding fresh cases with no obvious connection to previous patients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So\nfar, the most efficient solution seems to be \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnbc.com\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F09\u002Fmercks-ebola-vaccine-helps-combat-deadly-outbreak-in-the-congo.html\">Merck’s\nexperimental rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine\u003C\u002Fa>, which is used for\nindividuals getting in contact with Ebola patients, as well as the contacts of\nthose contacts – to create a ring of immunization. So far, more than 135,000\npeople have received the vaccine in the current outbreak. However, the vaccine\nis only good for prevention and cannot be used for treating Ebola patients. So\nfar, only experimental treatments exist, while the only advice for doctors is\nto hydrate until the immune system fights off the disease. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Looking at the hardships that public health agencies as well as the local population face, we asked the question what digital health could do in this situation and whether it can offer some ways to alleviate the epidemic. Here are some promising examples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"695\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Congo.jpg\" alt=\"ebola\" class=\"wp-image-24484\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Congo.jpg 1024w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Congo-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Congo-512x348.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FILE PHOTO: Healthcare workers carry the coffin of a baby believed to have died of Ebola, in Beni, North Kivu Province of Democratic Republic of Congo, December 15, 2018.   REUTERS\u002FGoran Tomasevic\u002FFile Photo\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Monitoring\nthe Ebola epidemic through digital maps in real-time\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Monitoring and surveillance are the areas where digital technologies truly excel, especially when it comes to epidemics. \u003Cstrong>Coordinated and flexible data systems, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-maps-help-fight-epidemics\">digital maps\u003C\u002Fa>, can identify health trends, predict medicine stockouts, or detect outbreaks far faster and more efficiently than any other systems.\u003C\u002Fstrong> For example, researchers, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Ffeature\u002Fgoddard\u002F2017\u002Fusing-nasa-satellite-data-to-predict-malaria-outbreaks\">using\u003C\u002Fa> data from NASA satellites (such as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.engadget.com\u002F2016\u002F06\u002F27\u002Fgoogle-earth-maps-higher-quality-imagery\u002F\">Landsat\u003C\u002Fa> series), were able to predict malaria outbreaks three months in advance in South America by identifying areas where the soil moisture creates prime breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that transmit malaria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In\nthe DRC, the Ministry of Health partnered with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.path.org\u002Fabout\u002F\">a non-profit organization, PATH\u003C\u002Fa>,\nwhich aims to harness the power of data and digital tools, to collect and\nanalyze high-quality data about the Ebola epidemic leading to efficient,\ndata-based decisions. Using the existing National Health Information System, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.path.org\u002Farticles\u002Fdigitalizing-ebola-response\u002F\">PATH\ncreated a dashboard for monitoring Ebola cases\u003C\u002Fa>.\nUpdated daily, this dashboard provides real-time information on important\nindicators like the epidemic curve, case data, contact-tracing, treatment, and\ntimelines. \u003Cstrong>Not only PATH, but the US\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the WHO, and other partners\nworked together to create digital maps, graphs, and charts displaying different\naspects of the outbreak in real-time. All-day, data are a constant reminder of\nwhat has been accomplished and what still needs to be done. Moreover, Ebola\nexperts in Kinshasa, West Africa, and Atlanta can have direct access to the\ndata\u003C\u002Fstrong>, and more importantly, to the people at the center of the outbreak.\nAdvice, decisions, and problem-solving can happen in real-time. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In\nthe future, such a rich collection of data might be used for the creation of\nsmart algorithms generating more insights and predictions regarding the\ndisease, moreover, these analytical software programs could also be \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thelancet.com\u002Fjournals\u002Feclinm\u002Farticle\u002FPIIS2589-5370(19)30096-3\u002Ffulltext\">built\ninto apps or guidelines such as the \u003Cem>Ebola Care Guidelines\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa>.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As the government of the DRC also recognized the power of data, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.path.org\u002Farticles\u002Fdigital-congo-ebola\u002F\">the Ministry of Health in March 2019 launched a national agency for clinical information and health informatics\u003C\u002Fa> (ANICiiS). With a mission to improve management of the health care system, quality of care, and accessibility of services, the ANICiiS is the country’s first dedicated digital health agency. It promises to oversee and accelerate the use of new technologies, including telemedicine, connectivity for the health information system, and biomedical equipment. To celebrate the launch of the new agency, the Ministry brought more than 50 students together for an Ebola-focused hackathon for improving the arsenal against Ebola. While we didn’t find detailed information about their ideas, we found plenty of other digital health innovations that could support the containment of the outbreak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"362\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-WHO-512x362.png\" alt=\"ebola\" class=\"wp-image-24485\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-WHO-512x362.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-WHO-768x543.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-WHO-1536x1087.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-WHO.png 1587w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.who.int\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Keeping everyone up-to-date\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Family support matters a lot in cases of medical emergencies. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techchange.org\u002F2014\u002F10\u002F08\u002Febola-technology-ict\u002F\">Elaine Burroughs, a Save the Children staff member\u003C\u002Fa> and TechChange alumna of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techchange.org\u002Fonline-courses\u002Fmobiles-for-international-development\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Mobiles for International Development\u003C\u002Fa>, said that \u003Cstrong>during the epidemic in West Africa the medical care teams were using their local Wi-Fi network to connect patients in the isolation ward with their relatives through video calls\u003C\u002Fstrong>. In situations where such calls were not possible, they provided patients with cheap mobile phones to talk to relatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>During\nthe 2014-2016 epidemic, \u003Cstrong>various SMS\nsystems were also set up to share credible information. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.intrahealth.org\u002Fpage\u002Fmhero-updates-health-workers-on-ebola-in-real-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mHero\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\nis such a system specifically designed to share information with health workers.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\nIn response to the outbreak, UNICEF launched the Rapidpro \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.unicef.org\u002Finfobycountry\u002Fsierraleone_81144.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free source platform\u003C\u002Fa>, which provided\nSMS messaging in Sierra Leone that had no need for internet, a sophisticated\nphone or even phone credit. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fborgenproject.org\u002Fhow-sms-messaging-helped-to-combat-ebola-in-sierra-leone\u002F\">initiative\nwas widely hailed as an efficient tool\u003C\u002Fa> in combatting the\nepidemic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And finally, the use of social media has to be mentioned. Although internet penetration remains low in the DRC or West Africa, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techchange.org\u002F2014\u002F10\u002F08\u002Febola-technology-ict\u002F\">experiences from Haiti and the Philippines show that diaspora is an important information channel for people living in affected countries\u003C\u002Fa>. Very often they assume that their relatives in the US or Europe will know more, and are more credible information sources than their own governments. Thus, social media can play an important role in correcting misinformation and global agencies could use these sources to combat mistrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FDD-mVAM-respondent-in-DRC.jpg\" alt=\"ebola\" class=\"wp-image-24486\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.elrha.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Speeding up the diagnostics of Ebola\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The\ninability to quickly diagnose the fast-spreading Ebola virus and distinguish it\nfrom the malarial parasite was a major problem that contributed to the deadliest,\nWest Africa Ebola crisis, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medtechdive.com\u002Fnews\u002Frapid-diagnostic-test-detects-ebola-malaria-in-the-field\u002F544382\u002F\">according\nto researchers\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003Cstrong>However,\nexisting diagnostic tests take at least a day or two to yield results, preventing\nhealth care workers from quickly determining whether a patient needs immediate\ntreatment and isolation.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>That’s why \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medtechdive.com\u002Fnews\u002Frapid-diagnostic-test-detects-ebola-malaria-in-the-field\u002F544382\u002F\">an international team of researchers has developed a portable diagnostic test\u003C\u002Fa> to detect Ebola, malaria and other pathogens in under 30 minutes from a single blood sample\u003C\u002Fstrong>, without the need for laboratory infrastructure and trained personnel. This quick test can help doctors identify who should be quarantined immediately and who should be sent home with antimalarial medicine. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fnews.mit.edu\u002F2015\u002Ften-minute-ebola-test-0224\">Another test from MIT researchers\u003C\u002Fa>, a simple paper strip similar to a pregnancy test, also claims to diagnose Ebola, as well as other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as yellow fever, and dengue fever in 10 minutes. We hope that field workers will soon have the chance to use these amazing innovations on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Diagnostics.jpg\" alt=\"ebola\" class=\"wp-image-24487\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Diagnostics.jpg 2000w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Diagnostics-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Diagnostics-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-Diagnostics-512x342.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nbcnews.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Experimental\ntreatments and artificial intelligence\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Beyond Merck’s experimental vaccine for immunization, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnbc.com\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F09\u002Fmercks-ebola-vaccine-helps-combat-deadly-outbreak-in-the-congo.html\">four potential treatments\u003C\u002Fa> are undergoing a clinical trial coordinated by WHO to test their efficacy on those who have already been infected by the Ebola virus in the DRC. It is the first-ever multi-drug trial to find a successful treatment for Ebola. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, we believe that in the future, \u003Cstrong>artificial intelligence could speed up drug creation and the clinical testing procedure through redesigning existing medicines or pairing unique ingredients virtually that were never tested before. For example, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.atomwise.com\u002F\">Atomwise\u003C\u002Fa> uses supercomputers that root out therapies from a database of molecular structures\u003C\u002Fstrong>. In 2015, Atomwise launched a virtual search for safe, existing medicines that could be redesigned to treat the Ebola virus. They found two drugs predicted by the company’s A.I. technology which may significantly reduce Ebola infectivity. This analysis, which typically would have taken months or years, was completed in less than one day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Beni-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"ebola\" class=\"wp-image-24488\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Beni-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Beni-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-Beni.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.scmp.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We hope that innovations in the digital health universe can be applied on the ground very soon, and that with the concerted efforts of local and global public health agencies, medical care teams, and the innovations stemming from the digital health universe, this lethal disease can be stopped and eradicated even from our collective memory forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>More than 1,500 deaths and 2,500 people sickened – that’s the recent account of the ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) raging in the country since last August, and recently declared a public health emergency of international concern. Experts say efforts to contain the virus are hindered by biological, public health, political, and cultural issues, but we looked around what digital health technologies could do to mitigate the spread and the devastation of the infectious disease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,24489,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31],521,[33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47],134,1159,144,1325,206,1437,207,1438,209,1439,222,246,289,425,526,[],[],[51,52,53,54,55],1571,1617,1681,1883,3181,[57,14,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78],"post-24482","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-medicine","tag-ai","tag-digital-maps","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-disease-outbreak","tag-digital","tag-epidemic","tag-digital-health","tag-outbreak","tag-disease","tag-congo","tag-ebola","tag-future","tag-innovation","tag-technology-2","tag-africa",{"id":24,"alt_text":80,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":81,"media_details":82,"post":5,"source_url":116},"ebola","image",{"width":83,"height":84,"file":85,"sizes":86,"image_meta":113,"original_image":115},1569,1080,"2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-scaled.jpg",{"medium":87,"large":93,"thumbnail":98,"medium_large":102,"1536x1536":103,"2048x2048":108},{"file":88,"width":89,"height":90,"mime-type":91,"source_url":92},"Ebola-In-DRC-370x208.jpg","370","208","image\u002Fjpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-370x208.jpg",{"file":94,"width":95,"height":96,"mime-type":91,"source_url":97},"Ebola-In-DRC-768x529.jpg","768","529","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-768x529.jpg",{"file":99,"width":100,"height":100,"mime-type":91,"source_url":101},"Ebola-In-DRC-150x150.jpg","150","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-150x150.jpg",{"file":94,"width":95,"height":96,"mime-type":91,"source_url":97},{"file":104,"width":105,"height":106,"mime-type":91,"source_url":107},"Ebola-In-DRC-1536x1057.jpg","1536","1057","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-1536x1057.jpg",{"file":109,"width":110,"height":111,"mime-type":91,"source_url":112},"Ebola-In-DRC-2048x1410.jpg","2048","1410","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-2048x1410.jpg",{"aperture":114,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":114,"copyright":27,"focal_length":114,"iso":114,"shutter_speed":114,"title":27,"orientation":114},"0","Ebola-In-DRC.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F08\u002FEbola-In-DRC-scaled.jpg",{"related_posts":118,"related_posts_footer":122,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[119,120,121],21678,20658,16450,[123,124,125],21665,16309,16640,{"yoast_wpseo_title":127,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":128,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"Digital Health And The Ebola Epidemic: How Not To Let It Go Viral - The Medical Futurist","The Medical Futurist looked around what digital health technologies could do to mitigate the spread of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.",{"self":130,"collection":136,"about":139,"author":142,"replies":145,"version-history":148,"predecessor-version":152,"wp:featuredmedia":156,"wp:attachment":159,"wp:term":162,"curies":178},[131],{"href":132,"targetHints":133},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24482",{"allow":134},[135],"GET",[137],{"href":138},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[140],{"href":141},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[143],{"embeddable":26,"href":144},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[146],{"embeddable":26,"href":147},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24482",[149],{"count":150,"href":151},7,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24482\u002Frevisions",[153],{"id":154,"href":155},49925,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24482\u002Frevisions\u002F49925",[157],{"embeddable":26,"href":158},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F24489",[160],{"href":161},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24482",[163,166,169,172,175],{"taxonomy":164,"embeddable":26,"href":165},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=24482",{"taxonomy":167,"embeddable":26,"href":168},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=24482",{"taxonomy":170,"embeddable":26,"href":171},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=24482",{"taxonomy":173,"embeddable":26,"href":174},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=24482",{"taxonomy":176,"embeddable":26,"href":177},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24482",[179],{"name":180,"href":181,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[183],{"id":125,"date":184,"date_gmt":185,"guid":186,"modified":188,"modified_gmt":189,"slug":190,"status":13,"type":14,"link":191,"title":192,"content":194,"excerpt":196,"author":23,"featured_media":198,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":199,"categories":200,"tags":204,"project_category":215,"contact_email_category":216,"yst_prominent_words":217,"class_list":224,"better_featured_image":239,"acf":272,"yoast_meta":280,"_links":282},"2017-11-14T15:00:25","2017-11-14T13:00:25",{"rendered":187},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=16640","2022-05-17T19:09:59","2022-05-17T17:09:59","digital-health-supports-fight-opioids","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-supports-fight-opioids",{"rendered":193},"Digital Health Supports The Fight Against Opioids",{"rendered":195,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2017. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The widespread U.S. opioid & overdose crisis is an ever-increasing tragic concern for everyone: writhing victims, family members being fain to see their relatives suffer or die, doctors prescribing opioid pain-killers which they thought before as safe, and regulators imposed to handle a tough situation. Addiction. It’s painful to even read about the skyrocketing numbers of people suffering, thus we decided to map how digital health could help tackle the opioid crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Why is it so difficult to deal with the opioid crisis?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Once you become addicted, it sticks with you for a long time, if not for life, just as a chronic disease. You may overcome the lowest points, where nothing matters anymore, where there is only the vegetating shell of you and the stuff: drug, alcohol, medication, but even if you manage to battle the substance – and yourself, for that matter – the skeletal ruins of addiction will wait in a shadowy corner to take shape again due to a breakdown induced by psychological or environmental factors. In the worst-case scenario, addiction eats up lives, families, communities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It takes enormous willpower coupled with professional help, a supportive social environment, and an appropriate medical infrastructure to get out of such an unbearably deep hole. The relapse rate is between 40-60 percent, meaning that treatment and rehabilitation need to be persistent and planned for long-term. Moreover, not only the psychological, physical or social but also the financial consequences are burdening. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that for example, prescription medication abuse costs the U.S. healthcare system $26 billion in 2013.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Thus, to effectively combat a serious drug crisis, plenty of resources, long-term solutions, and wide-scale cooperation is necessary over a long period of time. That’s the reason why it is painfully difficult to effectively mitigate the consequences of a full-blown drug crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"644\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002FOpioid-Crisis-Drugs-1.jpg\" alt=\"opioid crisis\" class=\"wp-image-16644\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002FOpioid-Crisis-Drugs-1.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002FOpioid-Crisis-Drugs-1-768x568.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002FOpioid-Crisis-Drugs-1-512x379.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002FOpioid-Crisis-Drugs-1-338x250.jpg 338w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Sobering statistics\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Opium is one of the strongest addictives, and opioids – synthetic drugs derived from opium – are no less dangerous. The New Yorker notes in its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newyorker.com\u002Fmagazine\u002F2017\u002F10\u002F30\u002Fthe-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain\">breathtakingly terrifying article about the spread of opioid painkillers due to ruthless marketing tactics of the Slacker-family & Purdue Pharma\u003C\u002Fa>, that even the Romans use the poppy as a symbol of both sleep and death. The author went on to explain that for a long time, doctors had been reluctant to prescribe strong opioids except for acute cancer pain and end-of-life palliative care, because of a long-standing and well-founded fear about the addictive properties of these drugs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Yet, at the turn of the 2000s, there was a shift in the attitude towards prescribing opioids more confidently – and the consequences did not fail to follow. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.asam.org\u002Fdocs\u002Fdefault-source\u002Fadvocacy\u002Fopioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf\">The American Society of Addiction Medicine found\u003C\u002Fa> that from 1999 to 2008, overdose death rates, sales and substance use disorder treatment admissions related to prescription pain relievers increased in parallel. The overdose death rate in 2008 was nearly four times the 1999 rate; sales of prescription pain relievers in 2010 were four times higher than those in 1999; the substance use disorder treatment admission rate in 2009 was six times the 1999 rate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to The Guardian’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fsociety\u002Fng-interactive\u002F2016\u002Fmay\u002F25\u002Fopioid-epidemic-overdose-deaths-map\">truly fascinating and terrifying visualization\u003C\u002Fa>, overdoses multiplied exponentially in the last 16 years. Today, more Americans die from drug overdoses than car crashes or gun fatalities. In all, drug overdoses have killed 47,000 people in the U.S. in 2014. That’s 130 deaths per day, on average. The majority of those deaths – 29,000, or 80 per day – involved an opioid. Currently, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newyorker.com\u002Fmagazine\u002F2017\u002F10\u002F30\u002Fthe-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain\">the American Society of Addiction Medicine says that\u003C\u002Fa> more than two and a half million Americans have an opioid-use disorder. The New Yorker notes that an addicted baby is now born every half hour. In places like Huntington, West Virginia, ten percent of newborns are dependent on opioids. District attorneys in eastern Tennessee recently filed lawsuits against Purdue, and other companies, on behalf of “Baby Doe” – a collective term for babies born addicted to opioids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"nyt_video_player\" title=\"New York Times Video - Embed Player\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fstatic01.nyt.com\u002Fvideo\u002Fplayers\u002Foffsite\u002Findex.html?videoId=100000005515818\" width=\"480\" height=\"321\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>What could be done? How could digital health help?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As with any other disease, combatting addiction necessitates the appropriate treatment, in the form of medication, rehabilitation programs, and psychological guidance. As most of the victims of drug addiction often only realize the problems when they are hitting „rock bottom”, recognizing the early signs of the condition does not necessarily mean the first step towards rehabilitation. Thus, the most effective way of dealing with addiction is prevention, but if the house is already on fire, rehabilitation programs are the way to go, and in the worst-case scenario, delivering resources – for example, naloxone doses – to those in need is of utmost importance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although disruptive technologies cannot replace medical treatment or psychological guidance, it could offer help for both victims and physicians in the area of prevention, reactive treatment, and emergency care. We collected here the most useful means to aid the fight in the opioid crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"870\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fmobile-phone-with-health-application-open-with-hand.-vector-mode.jpg\" alt=\"opioid crisis\" class=\"wp-image-16642\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fmobile-phone-with-health-application-open-with-hand.-vector-mode.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fmobile-phone-with-health-application-open-with-hand.-vector-mode-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fmobile-phone-with-health-application-open-with-hand.-vector-mode-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fmobile-phone-with-health-application-open-with-hand.-vector-mode-512x512.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fmobile-phone-with-health-application-open-with-hand.-vector-mode-250x250.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1) Data analytics & IBM Watson\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Several states launched so-called \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhealthtechmagazine.net\u002Farticle\u002F2017\u002F06\u002Fhealth-it-s-role-curbing-opioid-crisis\">prescription-drug monitoring programs (PDMP), which tap into databases to identify patients\u003C\u002Fa> that may be seeing multiple doctors for the same drug. The NarxCare tool goes one step further: it connects the PDMP with electronic medical records in order to aid doctors to identify those at risk of addiction or overdose by providing visuals, such as graphs and risk scores, alongside a quick summary of the patient’s prescription history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Recently, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthisismap.com\u002F\">MAP Health Management\u003C\u002Fa>, which aims to leverage on unstructured and isolated healthcare data – in electronic medical records, paper charts, and conversations with no standardized mechanism – to deliver better treatment, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ibm.com\u002Fblogs\u002Fthink\u002F2017\u002F05\u002Ftackling-substance-abuse-watson\u002F\">partnered with IBM Watson\u003C\u002Fa>. In May 2017, the company said their partnership with the artificial narrow intelligence program would help tackle a gap in addiction treatment by using data and technology to understand which patients are at the greatest risk of relapse. MAP Health Management can then empower its platform users with relevant treatment and intervention resources, with the goal of ultimately helping treatment experts, care managers, and others take action before addiction victims relapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"336\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fibm-watson.jpg\" alt=\"Opioid Crisis\" class=\"wp-image-16643\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fibm-watson.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fibm-watson-768x297.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fibm-watson-512x198.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fibm-watson-458x177.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2) Digital maps\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In order to somehow make sense of the devastating phenomenon, the Washington\u002FBaltimore High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area decided to create a tool that would give law enforcement and health officials the data they need to respond to the public health crisis as swiftly as possible. The result was a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fbaltimore-built-an-app-to-map-opioid-overdoses-in-real-time\u002F\">web app called ODMAP\u003C\u002Fa> that combines street-level data with tools from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.esri.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fhome\">Esri, the digital mapping company\u003C\u002Fa>, to help public health officials, police departments, and first responders track and respond to overdoses in real time. While there are many apps tracking the opioid crisis, ODMAP is particular as it tracks specifically overdoses and does so throughout the entire U.S.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The app visualizes the geographic correlations of overdose cases, what also led to useful conclusions. For example, it turned out that overdoses happen in a similar manner as epidemics spread around. Thus, if overdoses happen in one community, officials get a tip-off from ODMAP where the “epidemic” could spread in the next 8-10 hours. So, health, as well as law enforcement officers, get the chance to prevent tragedies. The tool is so powerful and spreads so quickly that since its launch in January 2017, 70 counties across 19 states have been actively contributing data to the system. And that’s just the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fesri_digital-map.jpg\" alt=\"Opioid Crisis\" class=\"wp-image-16645\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fesri_digital-map.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fesri_digital-map-768x373.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fesri_digital-map-512x248.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fesri_digital-map-458x222.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3) Electronic prescriptions\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The widespread adoption of electronic prescriptions—as opposed to the old-school, hand-written note —for certain painkillers \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Ffortune.com\u002F2017\u002F03\u002F20\u002Fopioid-addiction-digital-health\u002F\">could prevent Americans from falling prey to addictive drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin\u003C\u002Fa>, writes Dr. Atul Gawande, revered surgeon, healthcare thinker, and journalist, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fjournals.lww.com\u002Fannalsofsurgery\u002FFulltext\u002F2017\u002F04000\u002FIt_s_Time_to_Adopt_Electronic_Prescriptions_for.12.aspx\">in a new article\u003C\u002Fa> published in the medical journal \u003Cem>Annals of Surgery. \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This system of prescribing could “prevent duplicate and forged prescriptions by using 2-factor authentication; reduce dosing errors; cross-reference prescription monitoring program databases; and simplify the prescription process for doctors and patients”, Gawande says. Furthermore, “electronic prescribing would make it far easier for surgeons to write smaller prescriptions that meet the needs of 80 percent of patients, or even 50 percent, knowing they could remotely order an additional supply if a patient needed it.” Moreover, the use of electronic prescriptions would limit the possibility for doctors running so-called „pill mills”, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newyorker.com\u002Fmagazine\u002F2017\u002F10\u002F30\u002Fthe-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain\">pain clinics that thrive on a wholesale business of issuing, for example, OxyContin prescriptions\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, in the case of patients with serious drug abuse symptoms, the widespread use of electronic prescriptions could backfire if not applied thoughtfully. If these patients will not have the chance to receive their medications legally through prescriptions, they could end up buying substitutes on the black market – such as cheaper heroin. Thus, electronic prescriptions should be coupled with careful patient management and follow-up, offering effective help – even if sometimes the harsh reality only allows preventing overdose cases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fdoctor-holding-prescription-bottle-with-laptop.jpg\" alt=\"opioid criis\" class=\"wp-image-16646\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fdoctor-holding-prescription-bottle-with-laptop.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fdoctor-holding-prescription-bottle-with-laptop-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fdoctor-holding-prescription-bottle-with-laptop-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fdoctor-holding-prescription-bottle-with-laptop-375x250.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4) Smartphone apps\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As health officials, victims’ family members and the U.S. press voiced alarm, regulations on opioid painkillers started to tighten. As a consequence, it is more difficult for patients to buy opioids legally, but on the other hand, it is also \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpharmaphorum.com\u002Fnews\u002Fsmartphone-app-opioid-crisis\u002F\">more challenging for medical professionals to know what to safely prescribe their patients\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The US-based company, Avella wants to address exactly this challenge with its new Pain and Addiction Management Mobile App, offering U.S. health providers crucial information about opioids. This includes changes to regulations, clinical information about pain medication as well as addiction medication, prescribing guidelines from bodies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the latest industry news. The app also \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpharmaphorum.com\u002Fnews\u002Fsmartphone-app-opioid-crisis\u002F\">has an ‘opioid converter’ function\u003C\u002Fa> which can inform providers how to transition a patient from one medication to another best while maintaining the safety and efficacy of the treatment. It is truly a resourceful aid for medical professionals! In the future, we hope to see \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fchatbots-health-assistants\u002F\">chatbots and digital assistants doing similar tasks\u003C\u002Fa>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Favella-drug-app.jpg\" alt=\"opioid crisis\" class=\"wp-image-16647\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Favella-drug-app.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Favella-drug-app-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Favella-drug-app-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Favella-drug-app-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Favella-drug-app-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5) Wearables\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Beyond tackling the current opioid crisis with tightening regulations for prescriptions, offering a wider selection of treatment options and strengthening emergency care, regulators, industry players, and patients are looking for ways to relieve chronic pain without opioids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>One of the most effective solutions is the wearable device, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.quellrelief.com\u002F\">Quell\u003C\u002Fa>, produced by NeuroMetrix. Scientists, experts and techologists have spent over 15 years developing patented diagnostic technology and innovative wearable therapy solutions for people suffering from chronic pain and sleep disorders. With Quell, you can snap in the electrodes, wrap the band around your calf, click the button, and there you go: feel the healthful impact of the equipment without the need for any medication. The device can be worn 24 hours a day \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techrepublic.com\u002Farticle\u002Fces-2015-six-cool-new-wearable-tech-devices\u002F\">to help better manage chronic pain, neurological diseases and sleep disorders\u003C\u002Fa>. It uses non-invasive neurostimulation technology to provide relief from pain, particularly neuropathic pain due to diabetes, fibromyalgia and sciatica. Wearables are one important way to cut back the use of opioid painkillers and provide something completely different than medication for chronic pain. We hope to see more innovations like Quell soon on the market!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fquell-pain-relief.jpg\" alt=\"Opioid Crisis\" class=\"wp-image-16648\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fquell-pain-relief.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fquell-pain-relief-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fquell-pain-relief-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Fquell-pain-relief-375x250.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>6) Virtual Reality\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The use of virtual reality represents another out-of-the-box solution for managing chronic pain and an effective prevention of the use of prescription opioids. Brennan Spiegel and his team at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center are \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fvirtual-reality-used-clinical-practice\u002F\">experimenting with the technology and they found a significant drop in pain scores in case of VR therapies\u003C\u002Fa>. In \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fmental.jmir.org\u002F2017\u002F1\u002Fe9\u002F\">a recent clinical trial,\u003C\u002Fa> out of 100 people who self-reported persistent, daily pain, half had the chance to play a VR game called Bear Blast. The other half got to watch 2-D relaxation videos of lakes and babbling brooks. While they \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fopioids-havent-solved-chronic-pain-maybe-virtual-reality-can\u002F\">experienced a small bit of relief, the VR group reported feeling 25 percent less pain than when they started.\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Josh Sackman, President of \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fappliedvr.io\u002F\">applied VR\u003C\u002Fa>, a Los Angeles-based company offering patients a non-drug escape route out of pain or panic through virtual reality, told The Medical Futurist that VR can help increase access to a low cost, yet effective pain management resource. He added that according to the CDC, even a one-day prescription medication resulted in a 6 percent chance that the patient would still be taking opioids a year later, with a 30-day initial prescription increasing that addiction percentage to 45 percent. That would completely be absent in the case of VR. Spiegel even believes the future will be VR pharmacies with specialists prescribing the appropriate VR treatment to patients. We cannot wait to be able to offer VR treatment instead of medication!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Virtual Reality | Cedars-Sinai\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FzpcNhnU-Aaw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While digital health technologies cannot offer help in themselves, they provide viable alternatives for preventing the development of addiction (virtual reality, wearables), they show new ways of following patients and preventing them from relapse, the progression of their dependence (data analytics, IBM Watson), they represent an effective means for tackling emergency situations (digital maps) or managing prescriptions. All-in-all, we hope that new emerging technologies will help exchange the use of opioids or other addictive substances in painkillers for materials or devices free of addictives, and can effectively contribute to mitigating the impact of the current opioid crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthemedicalfuturist.us8.list-manage.com\u002Fsubscribe?u=5b42ebb547c75ff669a6572d3&id=efd6a3cd08\">\u003Cb>Subscribe To The Medical Futurist℠ Newsletter\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>News shaping the future of healthcare\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Advice on taking charge of your health\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Reviews of the latest health technology\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":197,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>The widespread U.S. opioid & overdose crisis is an ever-increasing tragic concern for everyone: writhing victims, family members being fain to see their relatives suffer or die, doctors prescribing opioid pain-killers which they thought before as safe, and regulators imposed to handle a tough situation. Addiction. It’s painful to even read about the skyrocketing numbers of people suffering, thus we decided to map how digital health could help tackle the opioid crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",16649,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[201,202,203],511,494,514,[45,205,206,207,208,209,46,210,211,33,35,212,213,44,214],765,313,766,356,767,445,453,196,522,677,[],[],[54,218,51,52,219,220,221,222,223],3037,1631,1723,1725,1841,1857,[225,14,58,59,60,61,62,226,227,228,76,229,230,231,232,233,77,234,235,64,66,236,237,75,238],"post-16640","category-bioethics","category-telemedicine","category-virtual-reality","tag-opioid","tag-medicine","tag-opioid-crisis","tag-pharma-2","tag-data-analytics","tag-virtual-reality","tag-wearables-2","tag-data-2","tag-gc3","tag-drugs",{"id":198,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":81,"media_details":240,"post":125,"source_url":271},{"width":241,"height":242,"file":243,"sizes":244,"image_meta":269},870,373,"2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis.jpg",{"medium":245,"large":250,"thumbnail":255,"medium_large":259,"large_old_512x220":260,"medium_old_458x196":265},{"file":246,"width":247,"height":248,"mime-type":91,"source_url":249},"fight-opioid-crisis-370x208.jpg",370,208,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis-370x208.jpg",{"file":251,"width":252,"height":253,"mime-type":91,"source_url":254},"fight-opioid-crisis-768x329.jpg",768,329,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis-768x329.jpg",{"file":256,"width":257,"height":257,"mime-type":91,"source_url":258},"fight-opioid-crisis-150x150.jpg",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis-150x150.jpg",{"file":251,"width":252,"height":253,"mime-type":91,"source_url":254},{"file":261,"width":262,"height":263,"mime-type":91,"source_url":264},"fight-opioid-crisis-512x220.jpg",512,220,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis-512x220.jpg",{"file":266,"width":267,"height":212,"mime-type":91,"source_url":268},"fight-opioid-crisis-458x196.jpg",458,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis-458x196.jpg",{"aperture":114,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":114,"copyright":27,"focal_length":114,"iso":114,"shutter_speed":114,"title":27,"orientation":114,"keywords":270},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F11\u002Ffight-opioid-crisis.jpg",{"related_posts":273,"related_posts_footer":276,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[121,274,275],16497,16433,[277,278,279],15664,16189,16269,{"yoast_wpseo_title":281,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":27,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":191},"Digital Health Supports The Fight Against Opioids - The Medical Futurist",{"self":283,"collection":288,"about":290,"author":292,"replies":294,"version-history":297,"predecessor-version":301,"wp:featuredmedia":305,"wp:attachment":308,"wp:term":311,"curies":322},[284],{"href":285,"targetHints":286},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F16640",{"allow":287},[135],[289],{"href":138},[291],{"href":141},[293],{"embeddable":26,"href":144},[295],{"embeddable":26,"href":296},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=16640",[298],{"count":299,"href":300},20,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F16640\u002Frevisions",[302],{"id":303,"href":304},45761,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F16640\u002Frevisions\u002F45761",[306],{"embeddable":26,"href":307},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F16649",[309],{"href":310},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=16640",[312,314,316,318,320],{"taxonomy":164,"embeddable":26,"href":313},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=16640",{"taxonomy":167,"embeddable":26,"href":315},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=16640",{"taxonomy":170,"embeddable":26,"href":317},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=16640",{"taxonomy":173,"embeddable":26,"href":319},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=16640",{"taxonomy":176,"embeddable":26,"href":321},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=16640",[323],{"name":180,"href":181,"templated":26},[],1788949241589]