THE FUTURIST Not one-size-fits-all: Innovative providers creating new healthcare models

Most chemical reactions in cells require enzymes—biological catalysts that speed up the reaction without being consumed or permanently changed. They reduce the activation energy needed to convert the reactants into products. Enzymes are proteins, that usually work by binding to a substrate—a reactant molecule that they act upon.
Enzymes exhibit substrate specificity, meaning that they can only bind to certain substrates. This is mainly determined by the shape and chemical...

Most altruistic behavior—in which one animal helps another at a cost to themselves—occurs between relatives. Scientists think these altruistic behaviors evolved because they increase the inclusive fitness of the animal providing help.

The goodness-of-fit test is a type of hypothesis test which determines whether the data "fits" a particular distribution. For example, one may suspect that some anonymous data may fit a binomial distribution. A chi-square test (meaning the distribution for the hypothesis test is chi-square) can be used to determine if there is a fit. The null and alternative hypotheses may be written in sentences or stated as equations or inequalities. The test statistic for a goodness-of-fit test is given as...

There are various healthcare agencies in the United States—some of which are managed by religious institutions and others by different government branches.
Parish nursing is a growing specialty nursing profession that focuses on holistic healthcare, health promotion, and illness prevention. It blends professional nursing practice with a health ministry, focusing on health and healing within the context of a Christian community. Parish nurses serve as health educators, referral sources,...

Secondary healthcare is offered by a specialist, generally in hospitals or clinics for patients referred by primary healthcare providers. It occurs when a person has an illness or injury that requires specific medical care. Secondary care is often referred to as acute care. Secondary care can range from uncomplicated care to repair a minor laceration or treat a strep throat infection to more complicated emergent care, such as treating a head injury sustained in an automobile accident. Whatever...

Specialized care provided over an extended period is called tertiary care. Usually, a primary or secondary care physician will refer a patient to tertiary care. A patient's maximum physical and mental function is restored in tertiary care, which is caused due to the impact of a chronic illness or condition. Tertiary care aims to achieve the highest level of functioning possible while managing chronic illness. For example, a patient who falls and fractures their hip will need secondary care...