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Telehealth has pluses and minuses

Telehealth can save money and healthcare resources, but only when it’s used for certain types of illnesses, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Texas-Austin’s McCombs School of Business found that telehealth didn’t significantly reduce costs or the number of future visits to emergency rooms or specialists for circulatory, respiratory, and infectious diseases. Other medical issues fared much better, however.

Telehealth is the term for patient-doctor visits or consultations via video chats by computer or phone, instead of the more traditional in-person appointments.

“People believed that telehealth would be the next big thing, the future of healthcare,” said Indranil Bardhan, a professor of information, risk and operations management who co-authored the study. “But our research shows that its impact is not as straightforward as people might think. It’s more nuanced.”

In the study that was published in the journal Information Systems Research, Bardhan and co-authors Sezgin Ayabakan of Temple University and Zhiqiang Zheng of the University of Texas-Dallas examined telehealth through the theory of replacing physical interactions with virtual ones. Based on a separate study of patient visits across all hospital-based outpatient clinics in Maryland from 2012 to 2021, the new study revealed that telehealth visits reduced the overall number of future outpatient visits within 30 days of a telehealth encounter by 14 percent, saving $239 in total outpatient costs per patient.

Behavioral health, metabolic disorders, dermatology, and musculoskeletal disorders saw the greatest positive impacts from telehealth. But for diseases of the heart or lung, or involving infection, symptoms are more difficult for patients to communicate and for doctors to observe in a video consultation. These limitations resulted in no benefit from virtual care, Bardhan said.

Bardhan said he hopes the new research can help enable more efficient use of resources by encouraging healthcare professionals to focus telehealth on treating specific diseases and conditions where it can do the most good.

“The effectiveness of telehealth is really a function of the type of disease that it’s used to treat,” he said.

srmedia by — August 30, 2023 in Health & Fitness
A lifetime of note

Puyallup Tribal Elder Ramona Bennett, one of the honored individuals for Lifetime Achievement, spoke to the audience during a Tacoma City of Destiny Awards ceremony in June. The city hosts the event every year to recognize outstanding volunteer work and service. Tacoma Deputy Mayor Kristina Walker welcomed Bennett to the stage at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall. Bennett’s roles have included advocacy of social welfare and Indian fishing rights. She also served on the Puyallup Tribal Council and once testified before the U.S. Senate leading up to passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. She is currently writing a book on Puyallup Tribal history.

srmedia by — August 29, 2023 in News
The world’s 10 most photographed landmarks

The most popular global landmarks have been revealed, with tourists being told where to head for iconic picture perfect snaps. 

The photography experts at ParrotPrint have researched the world’s most photographed landmarks to see which famous locations have and haven’t made the cut. 

The top ten comprises those landmarks with the most hashtags on Instagram since it’s launch in 2010, with all landmarks being in existence for the life of Instagram including the Burj Khalifa which was also opened in 2010. 

To some, the list will come as little surprise – these ten iconic landmarks are instantly recognisable to millions of people all over the globe. 

However, there are some notable absences with The Great Wall of China, Sydney Opera House, Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu not making the cut.  

No matter how incredible these sites are, for a landmark to be one of the the most photographed it has to be highly accessible and it is no surprise to see London and Paris with two landmarks each in the top ten. 

But attractions in countries further afield such as Australia and Peru will naturally receive fewer visitors and so be photographed less despite their iconic status. 

The Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab have risen rapidly up the list in recent years as Dubai has grown to be one of the world’s most important travel hubs with the Burj Khalifa expected to take the number one spot from the Eiffel Tower in the years to come. 

A spokesperson for ParrotPrint said: “Millions of us flock to these iconic landmarks every year to try to capture the perfect image of them so it is fascinating to see which make the top ten and which miss out.  

“The Burj Khalifa may soon take the number one spot from the Eiffel Tower, while London’s Big Ben and London Eye are sure to keep their place in the top ten for years to come with thousands visiting and posting images of these UK sites everyday. 

“It is perhaps surprising not to see the Sydney Opera House in Australia or the Great Wall of China in the top ten but with smaller visitor numbers due to their locations it is difficult to see them making the top ten anytime soon. 

“No one goes anywhere without their phones anymore, least of all when visiting iconic landmarks on holiday, so it’s no surprise to see the huge number of hashtags each landmark has built up on Instagram over the years.” 

Here are the world’s most popular landmarks as researched by ParrotPrint. 

  1. 1. Eiffel Tower, Paris 

The Eiffel Tower is certainly the most iconic landmark in Paris so there is no wonder why it has been ranked the most instagrammable tourist attraction with 7.2 million hashtags on the app. 

This 330 metre tall landmark towers over the heart of the French capital and gives tourists a fantastic opportunity to admire the stunning panoramic views of Paris. One of the most magical photo opportunities is when the tower is lit up in sparkling lights every hour from nightfall until the early hours. 

  • 2. Burj Khalifa, Dubai 

The Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest building in the world; it’s unsurprising that this landmark ranks highly in the Instagram hashtag list with 6.2 million. 

It may be a struggle to fit the whole 830 metre building into a camera frame but this award-winning structure symbolises the modernist architecture of Dubai to its thousands of visitors.  

  • 3. Grand Canyon, USA 

The 277 mile long Arizona canyon had been carved out millions of years ago by the Colorado River and attracts vast numbers of tourists each year to marvel at this natural beauty, and has gained 4.2 million hashtags. 

There are several visitor attractions at the Grand Canyon for those exploring the area to enjoy – such as the Grand Canyon Skywalk, viewing platform, and the opportunity for daredevils to go skydiving in the canyon. 

  • 4. Louvre, Paris  

The Louvre is home to some of the world’s most famous pieces of art, such as the ‘Mona Lisa’, and is the most visited museum on the globe, and 3.6 million hashtags on Instagram. 

The iconic glass pyramid at the entrance to the Louvre is what attracts tourists to Paris – a spectacle of art itself, the Louvre has long remained one of the most popularly photographed global landmarks.  

  • 5. London Eye, London 

The London Eye is the best way to see the capital city for all its architectural beauty. The observation wheel brings in around three million visitors every year, making it the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK.  

The London Eye is an iconic feature along the city’s landscape and sends round its visitors in pods on a 30 minute ride. Originally intended as a temporary structure, the London Eye now remains one of the most photographed global landscapes and is consistently hashtagged on Instagram with 3.4 million. 

  • 6. Big Ben, London  

Every visitor to London is bound to have a picture of Big Ben from their trip. The Big Ben clock tower is set along the River Thames attached to the Houses of Parliament so makes a great photo to capture some of the most important and historical buildings in London.  

Big Ben has become a symbol of the UK and is immediately recognisable in pictures shown across the globe, usually featuring the iconic London black cabs and red buses. Big Ben has earnt 3.2 million hashtags over on Instagram. 

  • 7. Golden Gate Bridge, USA  

San Francisco’s famous Golden Gate Bridge has 3.2 million hashtags on Instagram with visitors taking pictures of its iconic recognisable orangy red colour, which interestingly has to be continuously maintained. The Golden Gate Bridge famously stands out against foggy conditions, which makes for stunning photography opportunities.  

  • 8. Empire State Building, NYC  

The Empire State Building is the seventh tallest building in the City and one of the most quintessential and recognisable structures in New York. Visitors to Manhattan can capture pictures of the most outstanding views of the Big Apple from the top of the building.  

But to actually take a photo of the Empire State Building, head to other locations across the City – such as the Rockefeller Centre or Madison Square Park. Photographers and tourists love capturing the Empire State as the magnificent lights show from the rest of the City shines beautifully for miles and miles. Join the 3.1 million hashtags of the Empire State on Instagram. 

  • 9. Burj Al Arab, Dubai  

Dubai’s Burj Al Arab stands 210 metres tall on a man-made island. The structure is a luxury hotel and has some of the most expensive rooms in the world – up to $24,000 a night.  

Of course, most visitors to the Burj Al Arab are there to see its grand, modernist architecture and therefore easily racks up the 2.7 million hashtags on Instagram.  

  1. 10. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona  

Barcelona is famous for its Spanish metropolitan architecture, and the Sagrada Familia is the most iconic building in the city. It is currently the biggest unfinished Catholic church in the world, with construction starting in 1882.   Photographers and tourists flock to the Sagrada Familia to witness its beautiful architecture before the building has been fully completed by at least 2026. The Sagrada Familia has a massive 2.6 million hashtags on Instagram. 

srmedia by — August 29, 2023 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures
Boomers have a big say in housing market

While the hot real estate market of the last few years has cooled, many would-be younger homebuyers continue to struggle to purchase homes in the face of limited housing supply, partly because older homeowners aren’t selling.

Industry analysts say there are several reasons for the shortage of housing on the market in the U.S. In the wake of the Great Recession, the nation underinvested in new homes, failing to keep up with demand. Local land-use zoning and regulations in many communities make it difficult for builders and developers to launch projects. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, supply-chain shortages and a tight labor market slowed the pace at which builders could complete new projects.

But one of the most significant trends affecting housing supply is the aging of the baby boomer generation—those born between 1946 and 1964. They currently own more than 30 million homes in the U.S. Unlike generations before them that may have sold homes later in life to downsize, move in with family members, or move to an assisted living facility, boomers are choosing to age in place. Instead of putting their homes up for sale, they staying put, reducing the possibilities for new buyers.

Data from the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area bears that out. People here who are 65 and older account for 25 percent of owner-occupied households, and 58 percent of those homeowners have lived at their current addresses for 20 or more years. Those figures are close to or identical to the national numbers of 32 percent and 58 percent, respectively.

Baby boomers have held a consistent share of real estate wealth in the U.S. for at least a quarter-century. According to the Federal Reserve, boomer-owned real estate surpassed 40 percent of the national total in the mid-1990s and has hovered between 40 percent and 50 percent ever since. In the same period, younger generations have entered the homebuying market. Their combined shares of real estate assets have grown from near zero to more than 45 percent, mostly due to a decline of home ownership among people born between 1928 and 1945.

According to the Census Bureau, people older than 65 represent 17 percent of the country’s population but account for 32 percent of owner-occupied homes.

srmedia by — August 24, 2023 in News