NCBTMB testing - National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Updated: 2023

The World Health Organization will use the European Union's digital COVID pass as a basis for a global health certification system, according to a new partnership deal agreed Monday.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides signed what they described as a "landmark" agreement in Geneva.

"The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the value of digital health solutions in facilitating access to health services," Tedros said at the signing ceremony.

He said the EU's COVID certificate would now be transformed into "a global public good", as a first step in the creation of a global digital health certification network.

The network will expand to include things like digitized international routine vaccination cards, he said.

It will be aimed to help protect people from health threats, including possible future pandemics, and facilitate global mobility, the WHO and the EU said in a statement.

This "will be an important part of our efforts to strengthen health systems and to support our member states to prepare better for the next epidemic or pandemic," Tedros said.

"The network could also play a crucial role in cross-border humanitarian situations by ensuring people have access to their health records and credentials as they move across borders due to conflict, the climate crisis and other emergencies."

The EU COVID certificate, made available on paper or digitally, has been used by travelers moving around inside the bloc to show their COVID vaccination or test status.

The most widely-used COVID certification system in the world is based on open-source technologies and standards, and allowed for the connection of non-EU countries with certificates issued according to the EU specifications.

The certificate "showed our citizens the light at the end of the tunnel and protected at the same time public health amid the uncertainty of the pandemic", Kyriakides said at the signing ceremony.

"And this EU success story quickly became a global standard," she said, pointing out that nearly 80 countries had already adopted the EU COVID certificate framework.

Tedros stressed that the new certificate system would be "based on the principles of equity, innovation, transparency and data protection and privacy".

WHO will not have access to any underlying personal data, which would continue to be the exclusive domain of governments.

"Privacy is key," Tedros said.

"We will only maintain a directory of the public keys that can be used to verify the authenticity of a member state's digital health records."

© 2023 AFP

The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP) provides Health Care Quality Management Certification to validate and differentiate today's health care professionals.

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Health care quality and patient safety are paramount in providing medical care today. It is essential that health care providers and administrators demonstrate their expertise and commitment to health care quality. In addition to concerns about patient safety, inappropriate services, and unnecessary readmissions, the rising costs of health care and its impact on families and business all solidify the need for Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) Certification.

ABQAURP strives to make certification accessible for all professionals. The 2023 HCQM Certification test application deadline has been extended through July 1, 2023. Candidates can sit for the test between March 1 and September 30, 2023.

ABQAURP continues to work with Prometric on test development and delivery for its HCQM Certification Exam. The test is provided through Prometric's global Test Center network and remotely via ProProctor™. The ProProctor remote testing platform allows candidates to test anywhere, at any time.

Dr. Nick Paslidis, ABQAURP Chairman of the Board, states, "Physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals throughout the world are now able to sit for ABQAURP's HCQM Certification Examination. We encourage health care professionals worldwide to be recognized for their commitment to value-driven, quality care by earning the CHCQM® (Certified in Health Care Quality Management) credential."

Health care leaders can enhance their HCQM credential with additional sub-specialty certifications in the following categories:
-Case Management
-Managed Care
-Patient Safety / Risk Management
-Physician Advisor (Physicians Only)
-Transitions of Care
-Workers' Compensation

Story continues

HCQM Certification supports ABQAURP's mission to Excellerate the overall quality of health care provided to the public in today's rapidly changing health care environment.

Prepare now for the 2023 HCQM Examination! The newly updated HCQM: A Review of the Core Body of Knowledge course is available to meet the HCQM test education requirement or as an independent study tool. Order now: https://education.abqaurp.org/topclass/topclass.do?expand-OfferingDetails-Offeringid=1694340.

Visit the ABQAURP website at: http://www.abqaurp.org/Certification or call (800) 998-6030 to learn how HCQM Certification can validate your experience and set you apart from the rest!

About ABQAURP
Celebrating 45 years of excellence in Health Care Quality Management and Patient Safety, ABQAURP is a premier professional association providing Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) certification, ACCME-accredited continuing medical education, and membership to health care professionals worldwide. Learn more at: http://www.abqaurp.org.

Media Contact

Barbara Thomas, ABQAURP, (800) 998-6030, certification@abqaurp.org

SOURCE ABQAURP

The Biden administration wants to use the earnings of adults who didn’t go to college as a new benchmark to gauge whether graduates of career education programs are gainfully employed.

Advocates praised that decision, saying it would strengthen the gainful-employment rule by preventing programs that result in low wages from passing the test. Critics of the move, including the association representing for-profit colleges, questioned the fairness of the earnings threshold and said the concept hasn’t been studied enough to warrant inclusion in federal regulations.

The metric, which was not part of a previous versions of gainful-employment rules proposed during the Obama administration, will likely be a point of contention.

“I think the research and analytical understanding of the high school threshold is pretty thin for it to become law,” said Jason Delisle, a senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute’s Center on Education Data and Policy. “People have made a conceptual argument in favor of it, but it is not the kind of thing that I think has been sort of well studied and really vetted. I think the administration is making new policy rather than defining what the term ‘gainful employment’ means.”

Key questions ahead of the department will be where, exactly, to set the threshold and how to account for labor market considerations outside an institution’s control, though supporters argue that the standard is a low bar that only the worst-performing programs would fail to clear. If the proposal moves forward and is part of the final rule, the earnings test could become a key prism through which students, oversight entities, institutions and other groups think about the value of higher education, similar to how metrics in previous versions of the gainful rule shaped the conversation.

“I think this has the potential to influence a lot of other areas of work and activity in education right now,” said Michelle Van Noy, director of the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers University.

She added that an earnings threshold that varies by state likely won’t capture the variations in earnings by field of study or industry, which is one challenge with the metric. Still, she said high school earnings are increasingly being used by researchers and policy makers as a baseline.

The Biden administration’s gainful-employment rule, released last week, builds on 2014 Obama-era regulations that were rescinded during the Trump administration and adds the earnings test. In proposing the earnings threshold or earnings premium, department officials said the agency was recognizing that student borrowers need to be able to afford more than just their student loan payments and that postsecondary programs should help students reach a minimal level of labor market earnings.

“Exceeding parity with the earnings of students who never attend college is a modest expectation,” officials wrote in the draft regulations.

The gainful-employment regulations apply to programs at for-profit institutions as well as nondegree programs in any sector.

More programs would fail the Biden administration’s proposed rule under the earnings test.

In order to pass the earnings test, programs would have to show that their graduates make more than an adult with only a high school diploma. Nationally, the median annual earnings of a high school graduate are about $25,000, according to the department.

The department is planning to report data on how all postsecondary programs fare against the threshold, though only those that fail the test and are subject to gainful employment—career-oriented programs, primarily at for-profit institutions—could lose access to federal financial aid.

The earnings threshold is one of two tests in the proposed regulations. The other, similar to previous versions of the rule, measures whether graduates can afford their student loans using a debt-to-earnings ratio. A gainful-employment program would need to pass both tests under the proposed rule. If programs failed in two out of three consecutive years, they could lose access to federal student aid.

Kyle Southern, associate vice president of higher education quality at the Institute for College Access and Success, said the threshold is a “common-sense” measure.

TICAS research into the earnings threshold found that the number of for-profit programs that fail the gainful-employment earnings test would double compared to those that failed just the debt-to-earnings ratio.

“It’s really important, because it’s true that many students go to programs where, for instance, a Pell Grant might cover the lion’s share or even all of the tuition price,” he said. “But if you’re coming out of that program, and you still can’t get a job equal to $30,000 a year, there’s nowhere in America where you can even afford a one-bedroom apartment at a decent standard of living based on that kind of income outcome.”

Policy Gaining Steam

The threshold concept is relatively new. The College Scorecard included data on how earnings compared to those of an average high school graduate when it launched in 2015. Since then, academic researchers and think tank analysts have made the case for why it’s a good measure of a program’s value.

Michelle Dimino, deputy director of education at Third Way, a center-left think tank, said the idea of an earnings threshold or premium has been circulating for several years.

“It has been picking up more and more steam as folks have latched on to how intuitive it is,” she said.

The department’s proposed threshold is “a logical, justifiable bar,” she said.

Under the high school earnings threshold, graduates or completers would need to make more money on average than the average of earnings of adults in their state ages 25 to 34 who didn’t go to college in order for the program they graduated from to remain eligible for federal financial aid. The earnings thresholds are based on Census data and vary by state, according to the proposed regulations.

Thresholds range from $20,859 in Mississippi to $31,294 in North Dakota.

“Taking a step to move away from just looking at debt is really powerful in how we think about what a college education means and what it should deliver if they’re going to profit off of taxpayer dollars,” Dimino said. “It’s codifying the fact that we think about high school outcomes as that baseline going into higher ed, and so it makes sense to hold programs accountable for delivering at least that.”

Third Way proposed a version of the earnings premium in 2020 as a way to think about how to measure value in higher education.

Dimino said that Third Way polling from last year on the draft gainful-employment rule found broad support for the earnings threshold.

“It resonates for people that if you’re pursuing higher education, you should be earning more than you would have without that credential at all,” she said.

Delisle, with the Urban Institute, said an underlying assumption of the measure is that students would be better off and have higher earnings if they didn’t attend a career education program that fails the gainful-employment tests. But, he said, he hasn’t seen the evidence to back up that assumption.

“My main concern is that we do see that people have earnings growth after completing the program, and I hear people say these programs are leaving people worse off than if they had just worked with their high school diploma, but we don’t know what their earnings are with the high school diploma,” he said.

Delisle said data show that even though students make less money than an average high school graduate after completing a program, “their earnings were considerably lower before they completed the credential.”

“I’m not completely convinced that students haven’t gotten anything out of these programs—not [to] the point where I would be comfortable saying this is a good standard,” he said. “I just have more reservations about it given that it was first proposed a year ago and is now about to become the law of the land.”

He added that he doesn’t think the threshold concept has received as much sort of research and scrutiny as he would expect for something like this. He also was surprised the metric doesn’t take into account return on investment or economic mobility.

“Maybe this is an effective way to approach judging the quality of these programs, but I think [the argument] has been made mostly on conceptual grounds, like, this sounds like a good rule of thumb,” he said.

A New Floor

Rachel Fishman, acting director of education policy at New America, a left-leaning think tank, said that the earnings threshold will make the overall gainful-employment rule stronger than previous iterations and establish a floor for what it means to provide a low value to students and taxpayers.

“I think the earnings threshold was really recognition that you could still have low debt in your program, or no real debt in your program, but you could still be having very bad outcomes in terms of earnings,” Fishman said. “It establishes that floor at the end of the day to make sure that you’re meeting these very low benchmarks, that we’re not leaving you worse off than if you’ve never attempted this program in the first place.”

However, she and Tia Caldwell, a policy analyst with New America, said the standard doesn’t make as much sense for the graduate programs that would be subject to the new rule. Caldwell said an earnings threshold based on earnings with a bachelor’s degree would make more sense.

Caldwell found in her research that the average high school graduate’s earnings in 46 states are lower than what would be considered a living wage in those states.

“It’s a low bar,” she said of the threshold measure.

Nicholas Kent, chief policy officer at Career Education Colleges and Universities, which represents the proprietary higher education sector, said the association broadly supports the idea of an earnings threshold to hold programs accountable.

“A floor makes sense,” Kent said. “The question is, where is that floor?”

Kent takes issue with the comparison group that the department has proposed to use to measure graduates’ earnings against. Under the rule, students’ wages three years after graduation will be compared to the median wages of high school graduates ages 25 to 34.

Referencing research from the Urban Institute, Kent said that there are gender and age disparities between two groups that would make the proposed comparison unfair.

“Sixty-eight percent of students enrolled in for-profits are women,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like an appropriate comparison group.”

Kent said CECU has argued to compare the earnings to those of 18- to 24-year-olds with a high school diploma.

The department said in the draft regulations that the typical undergraduate program graduate three years after completion would be 30 years old, while the average age of students in undergraduate certificate programs three years after completion is 31.

To address some of those concerns, Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity who studies the economics of higher education, has proposed setting the threshold to 85 percent of the average high school graduate’s earnings in a state.

“This modification would allow most certificate programs that provide real financial value for their students to continue receiving federal support,” he wrote in October. “However, the threshold is still high enough to terminate truly low-value or scam programs.”

Cooper said in an interview that his analysis has found that the earnings threshold is too strict from some programs such as medical assisting. He found that almost 70 percent of medical assisting certificate programs would fail under gainful employment based on an analysis of department data from last year. However, the foundation’s return-on-investment model shows that most of those programs are considered to have a positive ROI.

“I do find that when you compare certificate programs like medical assisting to a demographically similar group of high school graduates, we do see that even though those graduates in the medical assisting program are earning less than the typical high school graduates, they’re earning more than a demographically similar group of high school graduates,” he said.

Update: Muncie Fire, EMS test cheating investigation

SHARE

SHARE

TWEET

SHARE

EMAIL

What to watch next

• 

  Debris of wayward jet over DC found in VA

  CNN
• 

  ‘She simply knocked on the door’: Mother of Florida woman shot, killed after neighbor exchange

  MSNBC
• 

  Hear why this former Trump campaign adviser believes Trump is ‘worried’ about classified doc case

  CNN
• 

  California investigates whether migrant flight came from Florida

  NBC News
• 

  GOP candidates slam Trump as presidential field grows

  NBC News
• 

  Prince Harry blasted by judge for no-show in court trial

  NBC News
• 

  Sununu to GOP hopefuls: If you don’t call out Trump, you don’t deserve to run

  MSNBC
• 

  2024 GOP field widens as Pence and Christie join race

  CNN
• 

  Psaki: In 2024, Biden seeks to distinguish Republicans from MAGA extremists

  MSNBC
• 

  New video disputes Lauren Boebert's claim about vote she 'protested'

  MSNBC
• 

  Watch: Sonic Boom Heard Across D.C. Area After Pentagon Deploys F-16s

  The Wall Street Journal
• 

  Questions abound after more migrants flown to California

  The Associated Press
• 

  Robert Hanssen, FBI agent convicted of spying for Russia, has died

  CBS News
• 

  Apple unveils new VR headset

  CBS News
• 

  Russia claims it repelled Ukrainian attack

  CBS News
• 

  Bodies of 3 missing men recovered from collapsed building in Iowa

  CBS News

Click to expand

UP NEXT

An investigation into test cheating inside the Muncie Fire Department has resulted in punishment against at least nine EMTs and could end the career of a longtime Muncie firefighter.

Six weeks after 13 Investigates broke news of the cheating scandal, Indiana’s Department of Homeland Security sent letters to inform MFD staff of discipline stemming from what State Fire Marshal Steve Jones called a “very thorough investigation.”

“There were test answers that were passed out to students so that they could cheat on tests,” Jones told 13News. “They broke the rules of the National Registry and they broke Indiana state law when it comes to our ability to provide a test. We cannot tolerate it.”

13 Investigates obtained an investigation report and order issued by state homeland security. The report states MFD Capt. Troy Dulaney coordinated a “cheating scheme” in which he sent a group text to all eight students in the January 2023 basic EMT certification course offered at the MFD training center. According to the state investigation, which included interviews with more than 30 MFD staff members, Dulaney’s unsolicited text included test mock test to help Muncie EMT recruits pass their National Registry EMT exam.

The document also says Dulaney texted the students after they completed their certification test, “indicating that they should provide him test mock test from their own NREMT examination.” State investigators said the follow-up text from Dulaney “indicated that since he had ‘invested’ in the students… they should ‘invest back in him.’”

IDHS’s investigation report claims Dulaney’s actions in his capacity as an emergency medical services professional to organize and involve others in a cheating scheme constitute “fraud and material deception” and “lewd and immoral conduct” in violation of state law.

As a result, the state EMS director has issued an order revoking all five of Dulaney’s EMS-related certifications for the next seven years. According to IDHS, the revocation essentially means Dulaney cannot be an EMT in Indiana during that time -- the harshest penalty state regulators can take against an EMT.

Jones said that discipline was chosen for a reason.

“We had never had a case that saw such blatant disregard for giving test answers out for students to cheat,” the state fire marshal said. “This was pretty big and broad in scope, way beyond what we’ve seen in the past.”

According to the city’s human resources department, MFD hired Dulaney as a firefighter in 2004. Since then, city records show he completed 37 training courses and earned 42 firefighter and EMS certifications, including passing his basic EMT certification test in 2020 and earning an advanced EMT certification in 2022. Both of the EMT certification tests include a non-disclosure agreement in which test takers agree not to share information about test mock test with anyone else. MFD promoted Dulaney to lieutenant in 2020 and captain in 2021.

The MFD captain has not responded to any of 13News’ attempts to contact him.

EMT recruits avoid harsher penalties

While state officials allege Dulaney was at the center of the cheating scheme, IDHS is also taking action against the eight EMT recruits that received test mock test from him.

The state’s investigation report involving the recruits acknowledges “students were put in a challenging situation when Dulaney, a high-ranking officer in their fire department, involved the students in a cheating scheme.” It goes on to say that even though “the students did not ask to be involved in it… the students still cooperated by not reporting the misconduct and by offering return information to Captain Dulaney.”

Because of their silence, IDHS issued a censure to all eight EMTs, placed them on two years of probation and voided the results of the national EMT test they passed in February. While the state did not officially suspend or revoke their EMT certifications, all eight of the EMTs must re-take their National Registry test within 90 days and pay a $100 civil penalty.

13News is not naming the censured EMTs because IDHS told 13 Investigates some of the EMT recruits insisted they did not want and deleted the test information Dulaney texted to them. The state’s administrative orders against Dulaney and the other EMTs were issued May 18, 2023, but the effective date is Monday, June 5 to provide the EMTs time to appeal.     

Asked about possible penalties that his department’s EMTs could face as a result of several cheating investigations, Muncie Fire Chief Robert Mead told 13News last month that he feared multiple EMT certification revocations could be devastating to MFD’s ability to staff its EMS service.

The state fire marshal said he believes a more mild punishment was warranted for most of the EMTs identified in the state’s cheating investigation.

“We don’t want to penalize the department if we don’t have to,” Jones said. “We want Muncie to be able to provide good [EMS] service… and so putting some of them on probation for a couple years and allowing them to continue to work after re-testing, we’re confident that they can still deliver good service to the community.”

IDHS told 13 Investigates it is not taking disciplinary action against the Muncie Fire Department’s EMS provider certification or its EMS training institution status due to insufficient evidence that MFD’s official EMS instructors were involved in the cheating. While Dulaney assisted with test preparation, IDHS says he was not a full-time instructor.

Geo Henderson, an industry expert who’s held an EMT certification for nearly 30 years and who now serves as a battalion chief at a New York fire department, agrees with IDHS’s disciplinary decisions. He said if test cheating is suspected, requiring EMTs to re-take their certification exams is a wise choice.

“If those exams are in question, if there’s a chance you’re not truly qualified to hold your position and you’re not on your game, people’s lives hang in the balance,” he told 13News.

Henderson said the type of cheating identified in Muncie tarnishes the reputation of all first responders, and he believes MFD leaders now need to do some soul searching.

“We absolutely should not be sweeping this under the carpet. We should be looking at this with a very harsh spotlight to say, ‘How did this happen? How can we prevent this from happening? And how can we build that culture where this will never be tolerated again?’

Whistleblower complaints prompt new federal lawsuit

The state’s discipline announcement comes just weeks after 13 Investigates first reported on a cheating scandal that had grown large enough to prompt whistleblowers to come forward.

“I know what’s going on is wrong. I can’t sit back and watch it happen any longer,” an MFD insider told 13News, saying that they had seen the cheating happen firsthand.

The whistleblowers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, provided 13News with pages and pages of test questions and answers they say Dulaney and other MFD staff harvested directly from EMT and firefighter certification exams. 13 Investigates also obtained a copy of a text message, allegedly sent by Dulaney along with test questions and answers, that said “Do not tell anyone I shared with you … The more you KNOW the material, the better recall you will have afterwards to remember questions.” 

Collected and sharing test mock test with students prior to their EMT test is a serious violation of test rules.

Those rules from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians state:

“Candidates are not permitted to disclose or discuss with anyone, including instructors, information about the test questions or answers seen in your examination” and “Reconstructing test items using your memory of your test or the memory of others is prohibited.”

Asked about its own investigation into cheating allegations at the Muncie Fire Department, an NREMT spokesman sent 13 Investigates the following statement:

“The National Registry of EMTs is continuing its investigation involving the Muncie (Indiana) Fire Department. At this time, we can confirm that some actions have been taken, including certification revocations and examination nullifications. These actions were based on the information made available to the National Registry during its investigation. Because this is an ongoing investigation, we will not provide any further information until the investigation is completed.”

While the organization has not yet completed its investigation, it has already taken dramatic action to prevent MFD staff from disseminating further test questions.

13News has learned NREMT has filed a lawsuit in federal court, seeking damages against Dulaney and two other Muncie EMTs for what it calls a “years-long scheme” to reveal “confidential and proprietary materials” before students take their EMT exams. 

The lawsuit alleges Dulaney sought help from Muncie EMTs Jacob Sutton and Adam Burk, and that the two EMT recruits “memorized questions on NREMT examinations they took and then disclosed those questions to Dulaney, knowing that Dulaney intended to share those questions with other prospective test takers.”

In doing so, NREMT says the MFD staff violated the non-disclosure agreement they signed while taking their National Registry exams, resulting in test takers getting “an improper advantage on the test and endangering the public whom these prospective emergency medical technicians were to serve.” It’s 21-page lawsuit states the Muncie Fire Department’s eight-member EMT recruit class assisted by Dulaney in 2023 had a 100% pass rate – dramatically higher than the national pass rate of 68% and Indiana pass rate of 56% for all of 2022.

Because of the cheating, NREMT claims it now has to retire and replace all of the compromised test questions and conduct a much wider investigation - a process that is “very time-consuming and expensive” and that has required the reassignment of eight full-time staff members. The organization is requesting the federal court to prohibit the defendants from obtaining and sharing their copyrighted trade-secret questions and answers, to return all collected mock test in their possession, and to award compensatory damages in an amount to be determined at trial.

While Dulaney has not responded to requests for comment from 13News, he did reply to NREMT to address the allegations levied against him. 

"While I continue to deny the veracity of the allegations presented and do therefore disagree with the findings... I do hereby apologize for even the semblance of wrongdoing," he wrote in late April.

What happens next

It’s not just Muncie EMTs who are facing punishment.

The state fire marshal has also been investigating allegations that Muncie firefighters also cheated on their certification tests, which often bring pay increases and promotions for successfully passing the exams.

IDHS tells 13News it is already preparing disciplinary recommendations involving Muncie firefighter certifications, which will be presented next week to the Indiana Board of Firefighting Personnel Standards and Education.

NREMT is also expected to release its investigation report in the coming weeks.

The focus then shifts to what actions, if any, the Muncie Fire Department will take against its own staff that state investigators cited for engaging in the cheating scheme.

While Fire Chief Robert Mead originally told 13News last month that his department was conducting its own investigation, he later seemed to suggest that MFD was not proactively investigating the allegations, but instead waiting to see what IDHS and NREMT investigators would find during their probes. It leaves many unanswered questions:

• Will MFD take further disciplinary action against Dulaney – perhaps even firing him in the aftermath of the state’s investigation -- or allow the captain to remain with the department?
• Will the department take additional actions against other EMTs who participated in the cheating or consider the state’s sanctions sufficient?
• Will the two EMTs named in NREMT’s federal lawsuit face MFD punishment for allegedly providing test information to Dulaney? 

13 Investigates contacted Mead and the city’s human resources department for answers to those questions. So far, neither has responded with comment. Monday afternoon, Muncie’s EMS director and deputy fire chief referred phone calls back to the fire chief.

13News will update this story with more information as it becomes available.

The office of Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour released the following statement:

After reviewing results from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, the City of Muncie and the Muncie Fire Department have not been implicated in the investigation of potential cheating on the National Registry EMT exam. One firefighter has clearly been implicated in offering to facilitate EMT trainees in violating ethical test taking standards. 

I, Mayor Dan Ridenour, have conferred with the Fire Chief and concur wholeheartedly that this behavior is completely unacceptable. We are pursuing disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Maintaining the integrity of our Fire Department and EMT program is paramount to the safety of our citizens, and my administration will not tolerate corrupt or dishonest conduct.

The president of Muncie's fire merit commission told 13 Investigates, he has asked for an emergency executive session with the fire chief Wednesday night to learn more details. Andrew Dale claims the administration has not kept the commission informed.

Children who are breastfed for longer appear to be more likely to gain slightly better results in their school GSCEs at age 16 compared with non-breastfed children, suggests a study published online in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.

The evidence of improved educational outcomes is still apparent even when various factors are taken into account such as people's socio-economic status and their parents' intelligence.

Previous studies have suggested that children breastfed for longer have improved educational outcomes later in life. However these are relatively scarce, and most have not taken into account potential factors that could influence outcomes such as the fact that mothers from a higher socioeconomic status or with higher intelligence scores are more likely to breastfeed their children for longer and have children who get higher results in exams.

A team of researchers from the University of Oxford, therefore, set out to analyze data on a large group of British children who were included in the Millennium Cohort Study, which enrolled 18,818 children born in 2000-2002 living in the UK and who were followed up at ages three, five, seven, 11, 14, 17 and 22.

This data was linked to the National Pupil Dataset, which stores longitudinal academic data of students enrolled in English state schools.

For the new study, the researchers analyzed a nationally representative group of 4,940 participants from England up to age 16 and looked at the results of their secondary education standardized examinations (set by the English Department of Education), specifically their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSEs) in English and Mathematics. The attainment 8 score, which is the sum of all the GCSEs taken by the children, was also analyzed.

Around a third (32.8%) of the participants were never breastfed, and the remainder were breastfed for different periods. Only 9.5% were breastfed for at least 12 months.

Analysis of the results showed that longer breastfeeding was associated with better educational outcomes.

Only around a fifth (19.2%) of children who were breastfed for at least 12 months failed their English GCSE compared with 41.7% of those who were never breastfed, while 28.5% of those breastfed for at least 12 months achieved a high pass (A and A*) compared with 9.6% among non-breastfed children.

For the Mathematics GCSE, only 23.7% of children who were breastfed for at least 12 months failed their test compared with 41.9% of those never breastfed, while 31.4% of those breastfed for at least 12 months achieved a high pass (A and A*) compared with 11% among non-breastfed children.

After taking into account confounding factors, the overall association showed that compared with children never breastfed, children breastfed for at least 12 months were 39% more likely to have a high pass for both exams and were 25% less likely to fail the English exam.

Additionally, those breastfed for longer had a better overall performance in their GCSEs (higher attainment 8 score) than those never breastfed.

The study had some limitations in that it was not possible to link the National Pupil Dataset for approximately 4,000 children because they were lost to follow-up or did not consent, while a further 1,292 children were not followed up to age 14, when maternal cognitive ability was measured.

Additionally, other factors that could potentially influence the association were not considered.

Nevertheless, the authors said their findings were nationally representative for children enrolled in state schools in England and the large sample size allowed them to detect outcome differences between several breastfeeding duration groups.

They had also taken into account the confounding effects of several markers of family-level and area-level socioeconomic status and maternal intelligence.

They concluded, "Breastfeeding duration was associated with improved educational outcomes at age 16 among children living in England, after controlling for important confounders."

"However, the effect sizes were modest and may be susceptible to residual confounding. Breastfeeding should continue to be encouraged, when possible, as potential improvements in academic achievement constitute only one of its potential benefits."

"Future studies should adjust for both socioeconomic circumstances (comprehensively) and maternal general intelligence."

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

The Spring 2023 Paramedic graduating class: Front row (l to r): Matthew Vinson, Callie Worthy, Stephanie Robison; Back row (l to r): Dusty Richards, Tanner McConvery, Anthony Shuta II, Brandon Whitmire, James Burnham, Donald Hillis III, WCCD Paramedic Lead Instructor Christopher Herrell.

Myriad Genetics MYGN recently announced the addition of Folate Receptor Alpha (FRα) to its Precise Oncology Solutions portfolio. The new biomarker adds another companion diagnostic option for providers to help guide treatment decisions for patients with ovarian cancer.

The latest development is likely to provide oncologists with comprehensive, data-driven genetic insights that can better treatment decisions for their patients.

Significance

FRα is a newly recommended biomarker test included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network treatment guidelines for ovarian cancer. The test establishes patient eligibility for ELAHERE (“mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx”). Presently, this is the only FDA-approved drug indicated for patients who are FRα-positive and resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy.

© Provided by Zacks.com Zacks Investment Research

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The company also stated results from the SORAYA study, which demonstrated that 36% of the screened patients were found to have high tumor FRα expression. This represents a significant proportion of patients with ovarian cancer who could potentially benefit from MIRV-based therapy. Alongside germline and homologous recombination deficiency status, FRα can potentially be a powerful biomarker for patients with ovarian cancer to create a comprehensive treatment plan.

FRα is currently available and can be ordered alongside other companion diagnostic test offerings through the Myriad ordering portal. For a streamlined workflow, oncologists can receive germline, HRD, FRα biomarker and tumor testing results from a single laboratory.

Industry Prospects

Per a Research report, the global cancer biomarkers market size was valued at $12.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 16.6% up to 2027.

Recent Developments

In April 2023, Myriad Genetics and Intermountain Precision Genomics, a service of Intermountain Health, received certification to offer solid tumor testing to patients in all 50 U.S. states after receiving the New York State Clinical Laboratory Permit. The NYS certification strengthens the advancement of precision medicine by increasing access to genetic testing, which can help patients with cancer and their providers determine more targeted treatment decisions.

In the same month, Myriad Genetics launched a new hereditary cancer assessment program in collaboration with an independent outpatient medical imaging provider, SimonMed Imaging. It combines diagnostic imaging and genetic risk assessment using MyRisk with RiskScore and patient education. The program, which leverages a custom-built Myriad tool developed in collaboration with SimonMed, will increase access to affordable genetic testing while helping identify and elevate high-risk patient care.

Price Performance

In the past six months, MYGN shares have increased 21.7% against the industry’s fall of 7.7%.

Zacks Rank and Key Picks

Myriad Genetics currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the overall healthcare sector are Penumbra PEN, Lantheus LNTH and Neuronetics STIM. While Penumbra and Lantheus each sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Neuronetics carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Penumbra’s stock has risen 116.7% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Penumbra’s earnings per share (EPS) increased from $1.47 to $1.56 for 2023 and from $2.51 to $2.56 for 2024 in the past seven days.

PEN’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 109.42%. In the last reported quarter, the company registered an earnings surprise of 109.09%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Lantheus’ 2023 EPS has increased from $4.95 to $5.60 in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have improved by 45.6% in the past year against the industry’s 31.2% decline.

LNTH’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 25.77%. In the last reported quarter, the company recorded an earnings surprise of 13.95%.

Estimates for Neuronetics’ loss per share have narrowed from $1.32 to $1.29 for 2023 in the past seven days. Shares of the company have risen 8.1% in the past year compared with the industry’s 1.1% growth.

STIM’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.61%. In the last reported quarter, Neuronetics delivered an earnings surprise of 2.56%.

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

New Delhi [India], June 5: Continuous learning and self-assessment are vital components of the professional journey for every doctor. Staying updated with new medical concepts, embracing technological advancements, and keeping abreast of the latest developments, are essential for delivering optimal patient care. Recognizing the importance of these aspects, HiDoc Dr, India's leading platform for medical professionals, is committed to finding innovative ways to support and engage doctors nationwide. As part of this commitment, HiDoc Dr recently conducted the National Medical Aptitude Test (NAT), offering medical students, practising doctors, and certified an exciting opportunity to assess their skills and knowledge.

The highly competitive exam, designed to evaluate cognitive abilities, visual perception, logical reasoning, and critical thinking, received an overwhelming response from over 6000 applicants. The test, which commenced on May 1st and ran until May 31st, 2023, aimed to provide participants with an opportunity to test their knowledge and enhance their professional credibility.

To ensure the test's quality and accuracy, a dedicated team of six, led by Varun Gadia (COO, HiDoc Dr.), developed a comprehensive questionnaire. The questionnaire was carefully reviewed and approved by an expert medical team, ensuring the evaluation of relevant skills and knowledge.

The NAT consisted of 75 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 50 minutes. Participants were required to achieve a minimum score of 50% to pass the test. Each incorrect response incurred a negative marking of -1, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and precision, qualities that make for a skilled medical practitioner.

"We are thrilled by the overwhelming response to the National Medical Aptitude Test," said Dr. Varun. "The high number of applicants reflects the interest and commitment of medical professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge. We are confident that NAT will keep providing participants with a valuable opportunity to test their abilities and potentially earn the recognition that elevates their professional credibility."

An examination of such a large scale could not have been achieved without collaborative teamwork. Besides the content team, and the team of medical experts involved in the process of creating the test, the marketing team also worked hard to ensure the success of the NAT. The marketing team successfully reached out to a diverse pool of around 6000 applicants through various channels, with a specific focus on young doctors. Social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube played a crucial role in promoting the test. The team also leveraged influencer marketing strategies to reach a wide audience of doctors across India and other countries. The Technical Team of HiDoc Dr has been instrumental in providing strong support for the successful execution of the test.

The 745 participants who completed the NAT will receive a Test Completion certificate, recognizing their effort and dedication in taking part in this challenging examination. The top 10 participants who excelled in the test will be awarded Exclusive UpToDate Subscriptions, each worth INR 30,000. These subscriptions will provide them with access to the latest medical information and research, allowing them to stay at the forefront of their field.

The NAT is a testament to HiDoc Dr's relentless efforts to create a positive impact in the medical field in India. By providing a platform for medical practitioners to assess their strengths and weaknesses, the NAT increases their chances of success and instils confidence in their acquired knowledge. It encourages a learning attitude that is invaluable for medical professionals.

Through initiatives like the National Medical Aptitude Test, HiDoc Dr aims to equip doctors across the country with a competitive edge, enabling them to excel in their careers and provide the highest quality of care to their patients.

For more information about HiDoc Dr and our learning initiatives, please visit https://hidoc.co/ or write to us at varun@hidoc.co.

HiDoc Dr.:

HiDoc Dr. is a leading healthcare platform for medical professionals, providing access to the latest medical information, educational resources, and tools for communication and collaboration. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, HiDoc Dr. aims to empower medical professionals and Excellerate the quality of care provided to patients.

(Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.