Making Health Care Better

As the number of older adults with chronic medical illnesses and substance use disorders and especially opioid use disorder (OUD) increases, so does the need for post–acute care services in skilled nursing facilities. In our last Making Health Care Better podcast episode, we chatted with Dr. Swati Gaur. Dr. Gaur is Alliant Health Solution’s medical director and she is also a practicing physician w...

As the number of older adults with chronic medical illnesses and substance use disorders and especially opioid use disorder (OUD) increases, so does the need for post–acute care services in skilled nursing facilities. Today on the Making Health Care Better podcast, we’ll chat with Dr. Swati Gaur. Dr. Gaur is Alliant Health Solution’s medical director and she is also a practicing physician who spec...

Tune in to this episode as we discuss the use of adult Medicaid waivers and how they impact healthcare access and quality from a social and community context. Alliant's manager of waiver programs, Tonja Wragg, RN, BSN, CCM, MHSc shares why it’s important for people to have a voice in their care management and provides insight regarding what Alliant is currently doing to improve healthcare acc...

Tune into this week’s podcast as we continue the conversation around social determinants of health. Environmental and social factors make it more difficult for many end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients to enjoy healthy lifestyles and get the medical attention, access to care, and support they need.  Join us as Texas-based nephrologist Dr. Donald Molony shares how the social determinants of heal...

Tune into this week’s podcast as we continue the conversation around social determinants of health. Join us as Alliant team members, Natasha Avery, Dr. Damian Bedoya and Jennifer Purcell share how health outcomes are determined and how Alliant’s line of work strives to impact those outcomes and increase awareness around how it impacts health care. www.allianthealth.org

It is in times like this that the giving nature of our community unites us in ways that will save lives. Tune in as the President and CEO of Alliant Health Solutions, Dennis White, shares how establishing a corporate culture of giving can truly make an impact. www.allianthealth.org

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions and environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.  Tune into this week’s podcast as Alliant's Cortney Batten, LMHC, JoVonn Givens and Dr. Kimberly...

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) ,  43.8 million adults experience mental illness in a given year and one in five adults in America experience a mental illness. As a result of COVID-19, additional behavioral health concerns such as loneliness, depression and anxiety continue to be on the rise. Tune in as Alliant Health Solutions program manager, Stacy Hull, LPC MAC CPCS ...

Are you or someone you know still weighing your options on whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Meet Holly and Abby - two kidney transplant patients who recently received the COVID-19 vaccine. One knew she wanted to get vaccinated as soon as possible,  and the other  was hesitant at first, but decided to receive it as well. For many people, the continued distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine (and n...

As we continue to navigate an ongoing pandemic, COVID-19 and dealing with all of the change associated with the virus has been stressful for many.  Healthcare staff have been traumatized by what they are seeing and experiencing as well as experiencing burnout. Children have had to adjust to a new way to attend school and then manage to remain safe as they returned to school. Families and friends h...

 According to an article in Forbes, the unvaccinated include nearly 1 in 3 workers at the nation’s 50 largest hospitals. Reasons cited include uncertainty over safety, preference for physiological immunity, distrust of government and health organizations, and autonomy/personal freedom. Monthly survey data gathered through Facebook suggests that vaccine hesitancy ranges from 9% among pharmacists to...

Alliant Health Solutions is a QIN-QIO and Alliant Quality is the quality improvement services group of Alliant Health Solutions (AHS), but what does that mean?  Tune in as the executive director of Alliant Quality, Linda Kluge , RD, LD, CPHQ, shares what makes Alliant different and how QIN-QIO's are impacting the health industry. www.allianthealth.org

People are impacted by both their physical and mental health; depression and anxiety can increase the risk of developing heart disease; heart disease can increase the risk of developing depression and anxiety, and each may lead to a worse outcome for the other.  A survey conducted by Indeed.com revealed that nearly 70% of workers believe burnout has worsened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. T...

Alliant Health Solutions has partnered with Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) on a national initiative to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on minorities, people living in rural areas, migrant workers, refugees and immigrants. This collaboration consists of organizations and individuals from all over the country who are working together to provide community-driven responses, recovery, and resilienc...

When a person is diagnosed with kidney disease, it can be a challenging time. It is normal for them to experience sadness due to the several life-changes they will encounter as kidney patients. A peer mentor empowers fellow patients to move forward with their lives after being diagnosed with end stage renal disease (ESRD).  Peer mentoring provides support and increases the confidence that many new...

Transitional Care Units (TCUs) are designed to provide personalized education to patients with kidney failure. Whether those patients are new to dialysis, transitioning between in-center and home dialysis or returning to dialysis after transplantation, there are benefits to both patients and facilities from having a TCU program. The Advancing American Kidney Health organization has an initiative g...

Tune in to the conclusion of this dynamic episode hosted by Dr. Susana Alfonso as she discusses physician wellness and resilience with Alliant team members and physicians: Dr. Joseangel Bedoya, Medical Director - Case Review Dr. Dianne Bennett-Johnson,  Medical Director Medical Management Services  Dr.  Kimberly Rask - Chief Data Officer www.allianthealth.org

Physicians are asked to wear many hats in service to their patients—healer, scientist, communicator, advocate, researcher, scholar, problem-solver and more. But especially in times like these, it is important to remember that physicians are also human, and subject to the same intense feelings of fatigue, anxiety, self-doubt and depression that arise in periods of extreme stress. Burnout presented...

Artic blasts, flooding and tornados are natural disasters that are all too common nowadays. Preparation and planning for a natural disaster is key, but should be a priority for those with chronic conditions. Tune in as we meet Tiffany, Sam and his wife Lacey who have experienced natural disasters and share how they prepared their supplies, food and considered thoughtful family planning. www.allian...

In this week's episode, we are revisiting the very first episode of the Making Health Care Better podcast featuring Dr. Dennis White,  Alliant's President and CEO, who shares how Alliant's patient-centered, clinically led, and data-driven approach has been making an impact in communities for the past 50 years. Tune in as we take a look back at where it all began.  www.allianthealth....

The End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network of Texas, Inc. works to assure healthcare security for ESRD patients in Texas, as well as be a trustworthy partner for continual improvement of their health and healthcare. This includes access to equitable, appropriate and quality patient and family-centered health care that achieves desired outcomes and ensures protection of the patients rights and dign...

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that an estimated 20 million people aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder, including 14 million who had an alcohol use disorder and eight million who had an illicit drug use disorder.  Alliant ASO specializes in working with providers who provide substance use disorder services.  Tune in as Alliant's behavioral health clinical reviewer,...

Do you or someone you know have a chronic condition and are still weighing your options on whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Meet Holly and Abby - two kidney transplant patients who recently received the COVID-19 vaccine. One knew she wanted to get vaccinated as soon as possible,  and the other  was hesitant at first, but decided to receive it as well. For many people, the continued distributio...

According to the Autism Speaks , Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior.   The methods of behavior analysis have been used and studied for decades and therapists have used ABA to help children with autism and related developmental disorders since the 1960s. Tune in as Alliant ASO clinical reviewer Jennifer Parlapiano, LMHC shares how Alliant ASO...

According to the  United States Renal Data System’s Annual Data Report , the incidence of kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation for end stage renal disease (ESRD) in the U.S. ranks among the highest in the world.  There are currently over 500,000 ESRD patients currently in care. With that those type of numbers, there is an urgent need for ESRD and dialysis nurses, and unfortunately,...