Your weekly roundup of STAT's First Opinion

Expert opinion and perspective, curated by Patrick Skerrett ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

Sponsored by   This week in First Opinion, read about the children orphaned by Covid-19, how two disparate communities had parallel pandemic experiences, and what meteorology can teach health care about something called R2O. Unexpectedly united: The parallel plights of two communities 2,000 miles apart wracked by the pandemic By Tom Sequist Carolyn Kaster/AP The pandemic linked two disparate communities — Chelsea, Mass., and the Navajo Nation — in unfortunate but all-too-common ways. Read More There's no return to normal for millions of children orphaned during Covid By Seth Flaxman and Susan Hillis GAGAN NAYAR/AFP via Getty Images For the millions of children who have become orphans due to Covid-19, their post-pandemic lives will be anything but normal. Read More Narrowing the vaccine gap as boosters begin for people over 50 By Rebecca Weintraub and Benjy Renton and David C. Grabowski Mario Tama/Getty Images Among those over 50, 15% aren't fully vaccinated and 50% haven't received a booster. Protecting those at greatest risk requires more funding. Read More Sponsor content by Johnson & Johnson MedTech Putting medtech to work to solve the complex medical challenges How will science address the pervasive medical conditions that impact so many lives? By bringing the right voices to the table. Treating complex diseases like lung cancer – the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide – requires an integrated approach that blends the best of medical technology, software and biopharmaceuticals. With the brightest minds of these disciplines working together, we can pave the way to a healthier future for everyone, everywhere. Learn how here. HHS's failure to address the health harms of the climate crisis constitutes environmental and institutional racism By David Introcaso PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images Failure to address the health harms of the climate crisis by the Office for Civil Rights constitutes environmental and institutional racism. Read More What health care must learn from meteorology about the importance of R2O By Vivian Neilley Adobe A report revolutionized the meteorology industry with a single phrase: research to operations (R2O). Health care is in desperate need of R2O. Read More Digital health is overlooking its biggest opportunity for disruption By Sean Doolan Adobe Providers need digital health tools that improve workflows, help them to evaluate information, and give them more time with their patients. Read More Listen: Tom Sequist on mirrored Covid tragedies — 2,000 miles apart By Patrick Skerrett This week on "The First Opinion Podcast," hospital executive Tom Sequist talks about Indigenous health disparities and Covid's deadly nature. Read More How to fix the two-tier U.S. health payment system By Amol Navathe and Risa Lavizzo-Mourey and Joshua Liao Adobe To level its two-tiered system of health care, the U.S. needs to fundamentally revamp its health payment system. Read More Sunday, April 3, 2022       1 Exchange Pl, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109 ©2022, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Email Preferences | Contact Us | View In Browser