​The United States added a record 32.4 GW of solar energy capacity in 2023, according to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). This was the highest ever amount of solar capacity added to the country’s grid in one year. Solar actually accounted for 53 percent of new electricity generation capacity in 2023, the first time in eight decades that more than half of new capacity was renewable.

A big reason for this huge gain was the Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside $369 billion for investing in clean energy manufacturing and production. It also created large tax credits for rooftop solar installation.

According to SEIA, total US solar energy capacity at the end of 2023 stood at 177 GW. If the strong pace of new solar installations continues, the United States will reach 637 GW of solar capacity by 2034. This is enough capacity to power over 100 million homes.

California currently leads the United States in terms of solar generation capacity with 39.72 GW. Texas is second with 17.24 GW, and Florida is third with 10.11 GW. Rounding out the top five are North Carolina (8.17 GW) and Arizona (6.33 GW).

​The American Telemedicine Association (ATA), an organization focused on boosting the use and adoption of telehealth, announced new Principles of Practice: Telehealth as an Imperative Modality of Care. It made the announcement in May 2024 at the ATA Nexus 2024 Annual Conference.

The ATA Clinician Council designed the principles to help address barriers affecting the broad adoption of telehealth and virtual care delivery. It believes in educating the public, patients, clinicians, policymakers, and payers regarding the benefits of adopting telehealth. The ATA also aims to provide evidence-based guidelines for appropriately utilizing telehealth across any clinical discipline.

Each principle emphasizes telehealth as an essential technology that addresses healthcare system gaps and uses telehealth to transform healthcare delivery. In addition, the standards of patient care improve when clinicians adopt and administer telehealth care in an appropriate, ethical, and legal manner.

According to Ann Mond Johnson, the CEO of ATA, the principles help reinforce ATA's mandate in driving policy, managing the expectations of current and prospective members, and collaborating with other organizations.

​Light emitting diode (LED) lighting technology is one of the top technological advances in the lighting industry. These types of lights are produced with small, light, and solid bulbs. The type of bulbs utilized in the manufacture of LED lights allows them to last up to 60,000 hours, many times longer than other types of lighting. There are numerous applications of LED lighting technology.

One of the most common uses of LED lighting is in hospitals. In a guideline published by the American Institute of Architects in 2006, the institute recommended the use of LED light bulbs to replace all lighting fixtures that contain mercury. Various hospital areas come with their own unique LED lighting requirements, from treatment areas to wards and operating theaters. The use of LED lighting in the hospital helps improve energy efficiency, as they require much less energy for a given lumen output.

Also, the durability and energy efficiency benefits of LED lights make them the best fit for traffic lights, exit signs, and street lights. LED lights are also higher visibility in bright daylight situations. Consequently, they are the best option for use in vehicle brake lights and head lights.

Furthermore, modern showrooms are increasingly using LED lighting. This is coming as showrooms are increasingly looking for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly ways to save money. Clothing, automotive, and electronics and appliance showroom owners now use LED lights to efficiently illuminate their spaces, as well as highlight specific products or product features in showrooms.

​World Cares Center (WCC) is an organization with a mission to build a world where every citizen is a ready responder, equipped with the tools to help themselves and their neighbors during disasters. The organization also works with communities around the world to provide relief during disasters and calamities.

WCC has been active in Ukraine since the onset of the Ukraine war in 2022. The organization started by bringing together a Ukraine Service Providers Roundtable to promote collaborations between different agencies and coordinate support for refugees. The roundtable is active to date, connecting agencies on the ground to critical funding and resources.

Weeks into the war, WCC went further and deployed team members to Lviv, Ukraine. The team set up medical clinics in half a dozen refugee camps. From there, they provided refugees with medical care, giving specialty care to women and children. WCC further donated medical supplies, therapy booklets, and new clothes to its partners on the ground.

Beyond physical needs, mental health challenges become a major problem during war. Recognizing this, WCC set up resiliency workshops where its team members used healing journals to help parents and children cope. The organization has distributed about 1,000 healing materials to families in Ukraine.

​The field of medical informatics, propelled by the exponential growth of electronic health record (EHR) adoption, is revolutionizing healthcare delivery through the strategic use of healthcare data. One key aspect of EHR utilization is its role as a valuable resource for population health research and analytics.

EHRs enable researchers to analyze trends and patterns in disease prevalence and risk factors. By leveraging EHR data, researchers can gain insights into the association between various environmental factors and health outcomes, leading to more targeted interventions and preventive measures.

In addition to population health research, EHR data plays a crucial role in health data analytics. Such analytics allow healthcare providers to systematically integrate internal data with external evidence to drive improvements in care delivery. By aggregating data from multiple institutions, researchers can enhance the clinical value of their analyses and inform evidence-based practices.

The strategic use of EHR data in clinical informatics holds great potential to improve patient outcomes and advance the understanding of disease prevention and management.

​The American Telehealth Association (ATA) is committed to advancing telehealth services nationwide, giving everyone access to safe and affordable health care. With the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in telehealth, ATA published its AI principles. These will guide telehealth providers, system developers, and regulators on how to deploy or support the deployment of AI in health care in a trustworthy way, optimizing patient safety and treatment outcomes.

ATA grouped its AI principles by component:

1. Accountability and engagement. AI can streamline work and should be integrated into clinical decision-making. However, providers must adhere to applicable standards of care and even institute accountability mechanisms for positive overall health outcomes.

2. Transparency. Telehealth providers should disclose to patients how AI systems process, share, and store patient data.

3. Safeguards against bias. Telehealth providers should publicly provide evidence showing that their AI-powered systems are free from bias. They should further develop and implement policies to promote exposure and correction of bias in these systems.

4. Workforce education. To fully realize the power of AI, healthcare learning institutions should educate their students on the importance of integrating AI into healthcare delivery. Professional workforce development programs should also include AI training.

5. Regulatory guardrails. Federal and state policymakers should enact unified regulations governing the integration and use of AI in healthcare. This will ensure uniform compliance by AI system developers, telehealth providers, and healthcare researchers. The laws should also align with international healthcare standards and be risk-based, not to stifle innovation unjustly.

​On February 29, 2024, President Joe Biden declared the month of March as Red Cross Month, continuing a tradition that spans 80 years. This tradition originated in March 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first proclamation officially designating March as Red Cross Month. This occurred during the tumultuous era of World War II, with the aim of rallying Americans to generously support the 1943 War Fund Drive, an initiative led by the Red Cross to aid soldiers on the battlefield and their families back home.

In echoing the actions of his predecessors, President Biden called upon the nation to honor the American Red Cross throughout March 2024 for its unwavering dedication to humanitarian service, both domestically and internationally. He expressed gratitude to all the staff and volunteers of the American Red Cross for their selfless commitment to their noble mission.

The American Red Cross, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance to victims of disasters, military personnel, and their families, among others. The organization also provides about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply. To fulfill its mission, the American Red Cross relies heavily on volunteers and the support of the American public to fund its diverse array of initiatives.

In a May 2024 press release, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) announced that its affiliate organization, ATA Action, supports the House Ways and Means Committee’s proactive approach to telehealth. The ATA press release reported that support was for the House Ways and Means Committee extending telehealth for two years.

The extension allows many Medicare telehealth flexibilities to last until 2026. The provisions that ATA Action was particularly supportive of include allowing Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics to continue providing telehealth services. It also allows for expanding the list of Medicare providers to physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists, repealing the tele-mental health in-person criteria, and saving the Acute Hospital Care at Home Program until the 2029 calendar year, among other provisions.

According to the May 2024 ATA press release, the extension demonstrates the House Ways and Means Committee’s commitment to telehealth care. Kyle Zebley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy at the ATA and Executive Director for ATA Action, stated that the ATA would like these provisions to be permanent. She, however, added that the ATA applauded the two-year extension because it signals that the government’s bipartisan supporters will not leave Americans without access to quality, safe healthcare options. Further, the organization hopes the House Ways and Means Committee’s commitment will catalyze Congress to enact legislation.

ATA Action is a group that raises awareness of how telehealth can transform healthcare. For more information on this extension or ATA Action, please visit www.americantelemed.org/about-us/.

​Telemedicine employs modern technology to facilitate real-time remote healthcare, enabling physicians to provide medical attention to patients regardless of location. This healthcare model is gaining rapid acceptance due to its numerous benefits. Getting ready for a virtual session with a physician involves several considerations, such as location, prior interactions with the physician, and more.

Firstly, when planning a telemedicine session, it's crucial to ensure that the necessary tech gadgets are prepared. Patients should confirm that their smartphones or laptops are fully charged and have a stable internet connection. Since the session may last for an extended period, a reliable internet connection is essential for seamless interaction, particularly during video calls.

Booking a prior appointment with the medical practitioner is also an essential step. This can be accomplished by visiting the hospital portal and scheduling a telemedicine session at the most convenient time. Some physicians provide downloadable apps or links for patients to access a few minutes before the meeting.

Certain apps may require patients to input or review their symptoms before the appointment. During the session, the doctor engages with the patient in real time to discuss their symptoms. In rare cases, a physical visit to the clinic may be deemed necessary.

​AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) is an international community of about 300,000 individuals in 75 nations. The association advocates for general aviation through multifaceted initiatives to protect recreational flying privileges, equip pilots with critical skills, and enable more people to pursue their aviation aspirations.

Various AOPA resources help pilots embark on or advance their careers in aviation. AOPA’s center provides information such as finding pilot jobs, preparing for interviews, and building flight experience. Those seeking certifications can use the organization’s flight school directory to identify accredited programs and college degree options. Flight instructors can also find regulations, best practices, and career development resources and connect with other CFIs (certified flight instructors). AOPA membership further unlocks extra educational materials that empower pilots at every experience level to achieve their goals.

In addition to its resources, AOPA organizes dozens of volunteer pilot groups that partner with organizations such as the Air Care Alliance (ACA) to provide crucial transportation for medical emergencies, disaster relief, environmental projects, and educational activities. Prospective volunteers can review options on the ACA website that match their interests. Though community service through flying is deeply rewarding, pilots should also prepare appropriately by obtaining relevant experience and training, including completing AOPA’s online safety course, to conduct this vital work safely.