E-SP

One of the last things we do with every issue is hammer out a cartoon idea. Sometimes this is fun and easy; other times, it’s a slog that we have to sleep on. This was one of those months where it was the latter. Since we’re working on the January issue and getting ready to put this whole wacky year (in HME, in politics, in life) to bed, I half-seriously suggested a big peace sign, no other messaging. You see, I’m feeling in need of a fresh start and a fresh outlook as...

“You have mild sleep apnea.” Wait, what?!  After several months of appointment scheduling, first with my primary care physician who, to her credit, took my sleep concerns very seriously, and then with the sleep doc (sleep doctors are a busy lot!) and then a home sleep study (thank you, WatchPAT), the verdict was in.  You see, I wake up several times a night, exacerbated by an inability to then fall back asleep. I am, in other words, tired.   However, as a...

As we were barreling toward yet another writing deadline in early September, I messaged Editor Liz to say: “It's funny, I usually pawn off new location" stories on (Contributing Writer) Tracy, but I have enjoyed the three interviews in a row I did for October, all with companies we haven't talked to before.”  I always enjoy talking to providers, but I tend to direct these more focused stories to Tracy because they are easier (and, frankly, a little more fun) to write....

Recently, I talked to a sleep medicine specialist about the possibilities of AI-enabled technology for that patient population; the next I was talking to a diabetes company about the AI-enabled technology for those patients.  I can’t open my inbox without multiple daily pitches on the latest AI technology. It’s all very heady stuff for this writer who, until recently, found my eyes glazing over every time I heard the word algorithm.   But, the more people use it,...

There’s an old adage in the news biz: “If it bleeds, it leads.”  While I’ll admit there’s some truth to that, it doesn’t mean reporters enjoy it. Now, granted, we here at HME News are not exactly competing with the big guys out there, but we have our fair share of less than stellar news we have to report on and publish. And it’s not unusual for Editor Liz and I to bat headline ideas back and forth (“does this sound too negative?”) to ensure...

As is par for the course these days, my inbox this month has been filled with diabetes tech announcements: Edgepark is adding a new insulin delivery system to its portfolio, Insulet’s Omnipod is fueling growth and Ascensia is expanding access to its Eversense device by extending its PASS program, which offers a substantial discount for users.  That last one is key: All the technology in the world won’t help if it’s too expensive for people to acquire. And this stuff is expensive...

My co-worker Cath, a perennially positive person, recently pointed out that we’ve hit a small but meaningful yearly marker here in Maine: It was still light out at 5 p.m. Only for a hot minute, to be sure, but it’s a hopeful reminder that brighter days are around the corner.  While working the phones, digging through press releases and shaking down manufacturers for product submissions, I, too, noticed that there does seem to be some light shining through.  For starters,...

I didn’t watch the Emmy Awards broadcast, but I did read the coverage the following day and was pleased (and honestly surprised) to see the legendary Carol Burnett on hand to present the award for Leading Actress in a comedy (to Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary if you are keeping track).  I’m pleased to report she’s as quick and funny as ever, befitting a woman many consider a trailblazer in the male-dominated comedy field.  “Progress has been made,”...

If I could say anything about the year in diabetes & DME, it’s that 2023 was the year the industry rolled up its sleeves and got to work.  To be precise, the ground was prepped in 2022, with the launch of the AAHomecare Diabetes Council, whose members understood that if the industry wanted to succeed in this space, it needed to get out there and show itself.  Driving most of the changes: The ongoing boom in continuous glucose monitors, which have had the dual benefit of giving...

An Amy Schumer standup special I watched recently on Netflix had me thinking about the latest iteration of legislation that seeks to require Medicare to pay for custom breast forms.  Schumer was talking about a common women’s health condition she was seeking treatment for.   “Oh, we haven’t studied that yet,” she deadpans, “because it only affects women.”   Cue Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who introduced the Breast Cancer Patient...