10 Ways You Should Treat Your Employees to Enhance Their Productivity

“If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers and your business will take care of itself.”

– J W Marriott

A workplace provides for an interactive environment where employers and employees co-exist working on a common goal, i.e. the organization's goal. Any organization banks upon its employees to run itself smoothly, thus employees are the greatest assets for any company. To keep your employees and to get the best out of them, you need to treat them wisely and make them feel an important part of the organization.

When management keenly takes interest in their employees and invest its time and resources in their betterment, they offer the employees an environment where they increase their productivity and contribute to the organization’s growth and success.

But often organization overlook a few things which make them lose out on good employees or a drop in the employee productivity levels. Let’s have a look at the common mistakes first, which usually organizations make, which make them lose good employees or lower productivity issues:

§  Implementing unnecessary rules: Every organization has a defined set of rules. There is no harm with rules unless they are absolutely unnecessary. Implementing superfluous rules will make them employees feel burdened and this can reduce their interest in the work and organization. They might look to switch companies.

§  Not paying attention to hikes and promotions: everyone is working for money. Employees work with sincerity for the organization and in turn expect good remuneration. To enhance their productivity, it is very essential to retain their interest in their work. Salary hikes and promotions are very good techniques to retain your best resources. But many organizations often overlook his factor. Providing hikes keep employees satisfied and they think that they are being paid wisely for their efforts.

§  Forgetting to acknowledge accomplishments: There are various theories that suggest that everybody has a desire to be acknowledged and appreciated. When organizations fail to recognize the efforts of their employees and their achievements, it demotivates the employees and productivity levels. Rewarding your employees shows that you are noticing their efforts. A simply said ‘well done’ can work wonders for you.

§  Treating everyone the same: Well, this technique might look like the wisest one, but sadly it is not. Every organization has a mixed bag of employees performing with different levels of sincerity and giving varied outputs. If you treat everyone the same, this gives a message to your top performers that whatever they do, they will be on the same page as others and would not be given any special reward or attention. This might demotivate them. Don't differentiate employees on the basis of their position/role or another basis, but make sure that good employees don’t feel neglected.

§  Not letting employees go after their passion: Often the best performing employees are passionate. Organizations often hesitate in letting the employees go after their passion and restrict them and want them to work in a limited sphere, with a fear that employees shall lose focus. It results in lower levels of employee productivity.

§  All work and no play: Your employees cannot perform their best if they feel bored at work. Making the workplace fun and interactive enhances employees’ creativity, productivity, and motivation. Most organizations focus only on the work part and ignore the need for a light and cheerful environment.

To sum it up, employees never leave organizations, they leave bad bosses and managers who fail to treat them wisely and overburden them with work without paying attention to their needs, desires, and accomplishments.

How can you ensure an increased productivity level of your employees?

The key to this is the right way of treating your employees so that they feel motivated to work and enjoy their work at the workplace.

Mentioned below are a few ways in which you can increase employee productivity:

1.      Appreciate your employees

Always appreciate and respect your employees. If there are any concerns with any employee then as a manager/supervisor, you should try to resolve it. Try to get feedback from employees to keep a track of how things are going. Respecting and appreciating employees will keep them motivated and a cordial relationship between the organization and the employees, thus, enhancing productivity.

2.      Helping in professional growth and techniques to survive in the business

Helping your employees in their professional growth is an excellent means to keep them hooked and motivated to their work and the organization. Exposing them to difficult choices and business situations will help them various skills required to survive in business and corporate. Share the responsibilities with them along with the required authority. Make them understand the value of delivery work timely. Establish an example in front of your employees, be the one. Though they might leave at some point, you will earn a brownie point for your efforts.

3.      Consider revising your hiring criteria

Do you hire someone just based on their experience and skills? Do you not consider the attitude of the candidates while hiring? If yes, then it’s time to re-think and change your hiring criteria. Hire candidates with a good attitude for work rather than just skills. While skills and other technicalities can be learned with training and time, an attitude is what stays on forever, unchanged. An employee with good skills but a bad attitude will have a negative impact on the work environment and the work shall also suffer. There might be other problems as well.

4.      Offer employees opportunities for growth

Employees help organizations in reaching their goal. The organizations should also contribute to the growth of their employees. Give employees new projects to work on and should be divided in proper teams with each team member getting equal opportunity to learn and perform. This will help in employee learning and skill building. Conduct training sessions, workshops and seminars. This is an excellent way to keep your employees updated and make them learn new skills, hence, improving their efficiency.

5.      Flexible work timings

In the workaholic era, where business have a pile of work to do and endless projects, the concept of Worklife balance is gaining popularity. Employees often stretch their working hours to complete a task. Increased workload has given birth to increased stress levels, physical and mental issues, etc. While you cannot cut down on the work and cannot compromise with your business goals, you can certainly offer flexible work timings to your employees. This will reduce their stress and increase productivity and creativity. This will work as a bonus point for your organization and will help in employee retainment and goodwill enhancement.

6.      Understand the value of feedback

Everyone has flaws. You must be accepting of it. The best way to know how you can improve is to get a feedback from your employees on what they think of you as an organization and what are their grievances, suggestions and ideas. Also, the personal grievances or issues of employees should be taken an account of. This will make employees feel as an integral part of the organization and at the same time will help you improve yourself as an organization and have a better employee management.

7.      Communicating makes it easy

The importance of communication can never be overlooked, be it any sphere of life. An effective communication set-up at your workplace can be very profitable for organization and the employees. Better communication helps in knowing your employees better. You can be informed of the employees’ opinions, thoughts and perspectives. Employees will also feel connected and valued.

8.      Make them learn to be a lion on the battleground

What we mean here is not that you need to turn your employees into a fighting bull, but a warrior of their own battle. Develop them in a way that they can face the difficulties, challenges and stress that their work brings to them. Prepare them for the toughest situations. They should not freeze when any difficulties come and should not be distracted from their goals. They should be fearless and daring enough to take up new challenges. They should know how to raise their opinion and speak when it is required to. They should be trained in way that even if something wrong goes with you, they would still be employable. This would work in favor of you and will build your reputation in minds of the employees. This would build confidence in them and thus productivity will increase.

9.      Adhere to business ethics and be transparent

Playing dirty tricks on your employees will get you nowhere. You should be transparent to your employees and should not deceive them in any way or the other. Stick to business ethics and do work with a proper procedure and follow all the protocols yourself. Be a professional organization if you want your employees to behave the same. Stay very clear of the company policies and clearly state the rules. No going back on the words. This will instill a positivity in employees.

10.  Get your force together

United we stand, divided we fall! Every employee is an integral part of your organization and you should work on coordinating your employees and moving ahead taking everyone along. A united team is bound to perform much better than a team divided and dealing with too many differences. Individual differences do exist, and you should work on fixing them in a way that they don’t into the way of your work.

Concluding remarks

Employees are the most crucial part for an organization and help in growth of a business. Every organization wishes for smart, capable, efficient, creative and productive employees. For this to happen, organization too needs to make an effort to understand their employees and treat them wisely.

Your employees are as important as your clients. Address their needs and issues and work in harmony to achieve business and individual goals.

Turacoz workforce Solutions is a staffing firm which actively caters to the demands of the companies in Canada and US region. We offer cost-effective medical staffing solutions. Being a firm in the staffing business, we know the significance of employees for any organization and know the dependability of both on each other.

We hope that the points mentioned above would help you in increasing the productivity of your employees and achieve better results. To know more about us, write to us at hello@turacoz.in

Scrapping of Article 370: A Bold Move Towards the Real Freedom

The nation was overwhelmed with a range of emotions when the announcement was made to remove Article 370 from the now ex-state of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). This decision converted J&K into a Union Territory (UT) with a legislative assembly and Ladakh- now separated, was made into a UT with no legislative assembly of its own.

The nation was divided, some outraged, some happy! At last, the latter won! It felt as if the long-lost kids were reunited with their mother. It is going to be awkward for both the families for some time but eventually it is the best for both. J&K has been put back together with its brother and sister, with all its glory!

The idea behind scraping article 370 was to establish peace, development and prosperity in the terror-struck ex-state of J&K. For the past three decades, J&K has been witnessing the horror of the terrorist activities and has been waiting for too long to be freed from under these. No one except an average Kashmiri would understand and value the significance of peace. Despite getting a 10x more capital as compared to other states, the locals were not any way near to development and growth. Handful of rulers had taken away all its glory.

This step will most certainly work in favour of our Kashmiri brothers and sisters and the ex-state would soon step towards the road to development and happiness. With new businesses flooding in, the revenue would scale up for J&K and people would finally get to work. This will raise the living standards, increase the cost of land, promote education for the locals, increase tourism and enhance the safety and security of our Kashmiris.

They say the more you interact with people outside your well, the more experience you gather! This applies aptly to Kashmiri’s. Once they step outside the beautiful well, they will experience life differently.

However, this decision has seen all its Indian drama. With people holding charchas over chai, businessmen planning their next stock purchases, and ministers pointing fingers in the parliament. By revoking the special status, J&K has now been freed.

There are people still standing against this verdict. But those people will always be there, standing against the developments being planned by our Government.

Change brings unease and tension, just like this one did. But it also brings peace, development, and prosperity. Changing and planning something this big, the country level, which holds importance throughout the world as well, requires political-courage and strong planning.

There are many things to look forward to-whether this decision would be accepted by all peacefully or would give rise to new tensions and create rucus-nationally and internationally- only time will tell.

This bold yet planned move has fixed J&K back together with India. A move with the motive of unifying the nation and developing each part of the country.

Turacoz is extremely proud in our nation and hopes the best for every citizen of this country. This Independence Day, let’s break free from the shackles of religion, caste, ethnicity, race, gender, and region and just breathe freely as the citizens of India.

We are Indians and we will rise high up in the sky, take the greatest flight of all the times and will emerge victorious in every sphere.   

For a nation that has spread its wings up to Mars and Moon, religion, and region are negligible issues. Let’s not allow any differences to creep up between us and let’s stand together to make us a stronger power. India- united and strong. Jai Hind!

Pharmaceutical Marketing: The 5 Latest Trends to Watch Out For

The world is changing, and new innovations are taking over almost every sector by storm, inclusive of the pharmaceutical industry. From AI (Artificial Intelligence) to automated machine systems, the world has seen technological advancements like interactive responsive UIs, premium management systems, e-detailing, and various other technical developments during recent years.

Holding on tight to the technological advancements, pharma marketing is also shifting gears. Let's have a look at some of the latest trends which pharmaceutical marketers should be aware of:

§  Mixing up different channels: A smart and calculative move

The lightning speed of digital communications cannot be ignored. Today, a majority of customers have access to digital media, and they are willing to and able to have a command over their digital experiences. With the rapidly evolving technology, there is an increasing expectation to satisfy the queries of the normal customer.

Physicians, understanding the gravity of the situation, have shifted long back to the patient-centric mechanism. The pharma industry is trying to keep up the pace with them. With the pool of information on the web, we are exposed to more relevant digital solutions that the pharma companies can get into, such as, live videos, interactive sessions, e-sampling, etc. The use of multiple channels is increasing, and the multi-channel resources will reach new heights in no time.

§  Everything mobile!

The smartphone era has hooked everyone to the 6-inch gadget. We have already seen a huge paradigm shift towards mobile technology by the pharma companies, irrespective of their size. Majority of the physicians are now able to access medical information on their smartphones, 24*7. This has made their task easier and they’re now able to focus on other complex tasks in a better way. Tech-savvy people are the time-saving people today.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, a lot more evolution still awaits the pharma sector. The gen-next technologies and many advance futuristic devices are the future of the pharma industry. Richer and fulfilling customer experiences are to be generated by excellent pharma services with the help of technology on online platforms.

§  No way it is moving ahead without AI (Artificial Intelligence) & ML (Machine Learning)

ML, AI, and Big Data; these all are connected to each other and are changing the face of pharma industry today. More and more physicians hunt for a complicated, developed and high-quality real-time set of data with additional interactivities. As a result of this, the quest today is to make the data authentic and updated.

Pharma marketers are going to have a hard time trying to figure out how to efficiently mix content with AI. ML & AI have a huge influence on the pharma industry’s future, and it aids with saving costs, monitoring and controlling patient’s journey and make strides with machine functions from any corner of the globe, without human intervention.

Speculations are that AI & ML will be revealing the individual preferences, there is a need to make sure that the pharma marketers are able to relay proper and required information to the customers, timely.

One thing that is to be kept in mind is that machines can never replace humans. The empathy and level of understanding of human emotions that a human can possess, machines can never. The field of life sciences requires a deep understanding of human emotions, needs and wants, which no technology can understand better than humans themselves. So, the human touch to the solutions should never be ignored by the pharma industry.

There are and will be many challenges faced by the industry on various fronts and technology solely cannot be the solution for each challenge. A proper mix of technology and the human element is required. The strategic thinking capabilities of the human mind still stands out. So, the trend might include AI, ML and other technologies, personalized multi-channel marketing which is value-driven will still matter the most.

Trust and transparency are the two factors that will lead to a successful combination of technology and humans. Envisioned data and 24*7 updated care will be the pattern all over the industry.

§  The introduction of IoT (Internet of Things)

IoT or Internet of Things coincides with the internal network of devices that are installed with sensors, network connectivity and electronics, etc. These grease the wheels of connectivity and exchanging of data in real-time.

Considering the practicability of IoT, it is seen as the factor that will remodel the pharma industry by allowing and automating remote supervision of patients, drug discoveries and many more tasks. The combination of IoT with the increased penetration of digitalized data in the pharma industry has opened gates to various opportunities.

The journey has been from Big data to IoT and edge computing. The data can now be processed not just in cloud storage, but within an IoT device. Various tiny gadgets will be capable of processing vast information in real-time, on their own. Edge computing is paving the way towards a changed way of working of the pharma industry.

§  Dynamic approach with social media

The power of social media and content cannot be overlooked, pharma companies should not consider them just as add-ons. There is a need to discard old marketing beliefs and keep up with the trends. Social media platforms can prove to a great place for pharma companies to strengthen their bond with customers. They can target their niche audience all across the globe and deliver them what they are seeking and what they as a pharma company are offering, at a time when they need it the most.

The power of content is such that people will instantly believe what they read; it doesn’t matter whether the content is authenticated or medically proven. So, there is a high need for regulated online content.

As per the recent FDA regulations and various restrictions, pharma is not eligible to plainly be a part of any conversation. Because of this, mostly the information available can be inaccurate and adverse.

The advancements in technology have been a great deal for the pharma sector. While there are several benefits associated with the recent technological changes and trends, the human factor still cannot be avoided. For this is truth that machines and artificial intelligence can never replace humans and their thinking and critical abilities, the mix and match of both is going to be the most successful combination for the pharma industry.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions, being a medical communication company, tries to keep masses informed of the recent pharma marketing trends. Turacoz provides effective medico-marketing services along with other scientific communication services. To know more about us and our services, write to us at hello@turacoz.in

Sjogren’s Syndrome: Here is All You Need to Know About It

The world celebrates 8^th Sjogren’s Day on 23^rd July 2019 in order to remember Dr. Henrik Sjogren’s birthday. He was a Swedish ophthalmologist who discovered this syndrome, named after him.

What is Sjogren’s Syndrome?

Pronounced as Show-grins, this syndrome is an autoimmune disease. It is a disorder of immune system whose main symptoms are dryness in eyes and mouth.

In autoimmune diseases, there is abnormal generation of extra antibodies in the blood and these are directed against different tissues of human body. The misguided immune system in autoimmunity often leads to tissue infections.

This autoimmune disease causes inflammations and debilitation in tears and saliva producing glands. This inflammation causes a reduction in production of water for tears and eventually the person affected faces the problem of dry eyes. This inflammation also causes dry mouth and lips in patients as the saliva production is decreased.

Sjogren's syndrome which causes dryness in mouth and eyes (gland inflammatory) but is not related to other connective tissue illness is known as primary Sjogren syndrome. In cases where connective tissue disease also comes into picture, like scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, etc., such cases are known to be of secondary Sjogren’s syndrome.

The cases where the patient suffers from dry eyes and mouth without having Sjogren’s syndrome, are known as Sicca syndrome cases.

Some facts about Sjogren’s Syndrome:

The 2 key symptoms of Sjogren’s syndrome are:

• Dry eyes: a burning sensation, itchiness or redness in eyes. A feeling of something constantly bothering your eyes, like sand or other small irritable elements are there in eyes.
• Dry mouth and lips: dryness in lips and difficulty swallowing or speaking. Irritability in throat.

Other than these 2 main symptoms, a patient can also have below-mentioned symptoms:

• Dry skin or rashes
• Chronic coughing or never-ending cough
• Stiffness in joints or pain and swelling
• Dryness in vagina
• Swelling in salivary gland- especially in parts behind the jaw and in front of ears
• Constant fatigue

Let’s have a detailed look at the signs and symptoms of this disease:

Mainly the glands, as mentioned above, are the target of this disease, however, there are other possible effects too which involve other body organs, a condition known as extra-glandular manifestations. When the lacrimal gland (the gland responsible for producing tears) is infected from Sjogren’s syndrome, the dryness in eyes can lead to other symptoms like irritation in eyes, reduction in production of tears, eye infections and severe scraping of cornea. Dryness in eyes can also lead to blepharitis (infection in eyelids). When there is inflammation in eyes due to dryness, it is known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

When the salivary glands are infected, it can cause:

• Dryness in mouth
• Dental decaying
• Problem in swallowing
• Swelling in mouth and mouth sores
• Cavities
• Loss of taste/ issues with taste buds
• Damaged voice or hoarseness
• Dry cough

Other glands that can be affected, though less common, are the linings of breathing passages; which can cause lung infections and vagina, leading to frequent vaginal infections and pain during sexual intercourse.

The extra-glandular issues occurring due to Sjogren’s syndrome can be tiredness, pain in joints or soreness, lung infections, elongation of lymph node, kidney, nerve and muscular diseases with weakness and pain in muscles. A very rare effect or complication arising due to this syndrome is infection in blood vessels (vasculitis), which impairs the tissues being supplied by these vessels.

A very common illness related to Sjogren’s syndrome is autoimmune thyroiditis, which can cause anomalous thyroid hormone levels which are diagnosed through thyroid blood tests. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can occur due to issues with swallowing and heartburn because of this syndrome.

An unlikely and grave disease that is related with Sjogren’s syndrome is primary biliary cirrhosis which is an autoimmune disease of liver causing scarring of the liver tissue.

Some people suffering from Sjogren’s syndrome can also develop cancer of lymph glands. This happens when the person has been living with this syndrome for many years.

Causes of Sjogren’s Syndrome

The real and specific cause of this syndrome is yet to be identified. Though there is strong evidence suggesting that it might be genetic. Certain genetic factors might lead to development of this syndrome, and the genetic background of Sjogren’s syndrome patients is being researched upon. The disease is diagnosed in other family members sometimes. This condition is also common in families that have people suffering from other type of autoimmune diseases like autoimmune thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes, etc.

Sjogren’s syndrome’s main target is the tears and saliva producing glands of your body, but it can also affect other body parts such as the liver, kidney, skin, thyroid, nerves, joints and lungs.

Who are at the risk of developing Sjogren’s Syndrome?

Though anyone can be affected by this syndrome, chances are higher for people who have any case of their family member(s) suffering from any kind of autoimmune disease, though it is not necessary. But certain genes inherited can put some individuals at the risk of developing this syndrome. Sjogren’s syndrome can also be spasmodic can develop in an individual with no family history of any autoimmunity.

Treatment for Sjogren’s Syndrome

The treatment for this disease is focused on specific body parts/areas that are affected and prevention of further complications like infections. At present, this syndrome is not curable.

The issue of dry eyes can be taken care of by using artificial tears, eye lubricants/ointments during nighttime and reducing the usage of hair dryers. When the dryness becomes more problematic, the ophthalmologist can go for plugging the tear duct shut so the tears can stay for a longer duration of time and cover the eyes, avoiding the dryness.

Cyclosporine eyedrops are authenticated eyedrops that help in reducing the soreness of tear glands and help them function properly. Any infection in eyes or any kind of soreness or redness in eyes and pus and pain should be examined by the physician.

Some significant changes to the diet can be made like adding flaxseed oil to the diet in order to help relieve the dryness in eyes. For those who suffer from the deficiency of Vitamin D especially, Vitamin D supplements can be prescribed.

To control the dryness in mouth, drinking good amount of fluids and air humidifying can be good options along with taking care of the oral and dental health to prevent dental decay. For salivary glands to produce required amount of saliva and function properly, stimulation can be done by sucking sugar free lemon drops or glycerin swabs. Apart from these, there are certain medicines provided to control the symptoms of dry mouth; these medicines work as saliva stimulants, like pilocarpine (Salagen) and cevimeline (Evoxac). People suffering from ailments like asthma or glaucoma and other heart diseases should refrain themselves from using these medications.

Making artificial saliva can control the problem of dry mouth to a great extent. Many of such elements are available as OTC products (Over the counter), inclusive of chewing gums, toothpaste and mouthwash. Lozenges and Numoisyn Liquid also serve the purpose of treating dry mouth. Infection being developed in mouth and teeth should be taken care off immediately in order to avoid further complications. Dental care is very important. Damp and warm compresses can be used for massaging the parotid glands as it will help in soothing the pain and swelling.

For fatigue and joint pains especially, Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) has proved to be efficient for few symptoms of Sjogren’s syndrome. For conditions like vasculitis, immune-suppressing medicines, inclusive of azathioprine (Imuran) or cortisone (prednisone) and/or cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) can be given. In cases where the patient develops lymphoma (cancer of lymph nodes), the treatment is independent.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions aims to raise awareness regarding Sjogren’s syndrome in order to promote healthier living. Being in the medical communications business, we feel that we have a responsibility towards everyone in the society to be aware of all the diseases and their possible treatments and diagnosis.

Turacoz offers medical writing services, which are cost effective and meets all the regulatory and standard requirements. To know more about us, drop a mail at hello@turacoz.in

Why is Outsourcing Medical Writing Services Trending Recently?

Alike other sectors, the pharma industry also relies heavily on online marketing. It involves generating a variety of documents like business brochures or pages, official blog posts, posts on social media or marketing brochures or pamphlets, etc. These firms use medical writing services to endorse new products, devices, treatments or discuss new advances made in a specific domain.

When it comes to clinical trials, the escalating number of patient expiration calls for an increased number of successful clinical trials. Medical writing is a key factor for successful clinical trials. The medical documents generated under medical writing forms an integral part of clinical research. While more diverse pharma products are surfacing, the need for medical writing has even increased as there is a huge demand for non-core activities like report writing. Majority of the pharma companies prefer outsourcing their clinical data management to competent medical writing service providers.

Contracting medical writing services has become a trend. There are various reasons why it is preferred in place of the in-house writing unit. For medium and big-scale organizations, it serves as a viable option. Though small companies can outsource medical writing services and also make things work through a qualified and well-managed in-house team of writers. Customized packs are available for them which perfectly meet their business requirements.

Medical writing involves generation of a variety of scientific documents like regulatory documents, research documents; publications like manuscript, abstracts, and journals; promotional content for drugs, devices or disease-related documents, content for healthcare magazines, websites, and educational literature.

Various documents of different convolution levels are generated at different phases of clinical advancement. The complexity level of the document increases with the phases of clinical trials.

The escalating demand for outsourcing

Medical writing has established itself as an autonomous category. There is a huge demand for professionals who are experts in certain domains and hold experience in the same. This has given rise to a crisis situation in the market. Pharma companies are struggling to hire and contain quality writers. This is a subject of major concern for most of the companies today.

Outsourcing medical writing services is a trend that has been contemplated in the pharma industry since the past two decades. Through various phases of clinical research, medical writing service providers are looked for who can work on varied documents. For this, the work begins during the initial stages with the drafting of clinical advancement plans and this goes on through each phase of trials and then the CTD (Common Technical Document) is prepared and the regulatory queries are answered.

With the increased stress on pharmacovigilance, drug and patient safety and transparency in clinical data sharing, the demand for medical writing services has sky-rocketed. The need for medical writers is now felt from the initial phases of trials and their involvement throughout the clinical research process is thought to be crucial to build quality documents.

The challenge faced by the firms here is to find skilled and quality medical writers who hold experience in various domains. They look for efficient medical writing service providers who can meet their dynamic demands.

How to get the best of resources while outsourcing medical writing services?

To get quality writers and professionals, you need to select the service providers very carefully. Choose the service providers who have a deep understanding of crucial clinical documents and can coordinate efficiently and challenge the clinical research team to put forth well-argued and clear and well-presented clinical research outcomes. The medical writing service providers should be in sync with the clinical research and advancement team.

Why outsourcing medical writing services is beneficial?

Offshore service providers are cashing on to the increasing popularity and recognition that outsourcing is enjoying. They have greater control over situations, and they are not having a tough time proving themselves. These firms can focus on the work better and devote a great time to the work they take up.

If you are still thinking why outsourcing services is a better option, have a look at the points below and you will not regret giving a chance to it:

• Bigger firms outsourcing certain services are aware of the fact that they will not have to spend their time, resources and money in recruiting, training and retaining the writers. The medical writing service providers have skilled and experienced professionals on-board and they provide you tailor-made solutions and work as per your requirements.
• Companies that deal with sales of medical devices aim at achieving a good rank in search engine results. They are in search of writers who can build precise and clear copies of the products helping people find a piece of information. Efficient and experienced writers can build such content for them.
• What makes a difference is not the information being shared with the audience but the type of information, style of writing, quality and facts & data included in the post. The richer the content the more the people will be visiting. Firms providing outsourcing are well-informed of the intent and requirement of the companies and they put their experts to work with the same intent and instructions.
• The companies are assured of getting quality documents and posts crafted by the specialists and timely delivery of projects is guaranteed.
• There is stability and no extra cost is involved while availing extra services.
• In a traditional set-up, where you work with your in-house team, you need to hire editors to get the draft checked and proofread. This is an additional cost as you have to pay your writers and the editors as well. The firms providing outsourcing services will send you the final copy of the document after getting it edited from professional editors. This builds quality and saves money and time.

All these factors clubbed together make outsourcing medical writing services a great deal.

Medical writers who understand the requirements of every document and are great at coordinating within the organization along with collaborating with clinical research units and other cross-functional units to deliver the study requirements and consequences in a precise fashion, make your outsourcing successful.

Effective and strong communication at frequent intervals, aligning the writers with the clinical research team and building a mutually favorable long-term relationship, is the key to success.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions has a team of trained professionals who have the expertise in various domains and deliver quality content. The medical writing services provided by Turacoz are as per the requirements of clients and along with being cost-effective they are delivered on time without compromising with the quality.

Turacoz helps you with regulatory writing, clinical trial writing support, pharmacovigilance writing, publication writing and medic-marketing support. To know more about us and to avail our services, write to us at hello@turacoz.in

The Terror of Chamki Fever: All That You Need to Know About Acute Encephalitis Syndrome

Recently the state of Bihar in India shook up by the rising number of deaths in children as a result of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). The death toll is over 100 and Muzaffarpur is declared as the worst-hit zone. The maximum casualties accounted for is in the age group of 1-10 years.

Reports state that AES has fastened its grip on 12 districts of Bihar state, inclusive of Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and East Champaran.

This post will answer all your questions regarding AES.

What is AES?

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is a viral infection that is generally characterized as a group of diseases like hypoglycemia, chicken pox, dyselectrolytemia, Japanese encephalitis +ve and AES unknown.

It is an acute-onset fever and its target is usually children and young adults. AES can lead to noteworthy mortality and desolation.

It occurs in two types:

• Primary: It involves virus, fungus or bacteria which straight away infect the brain. The infection might also be the revitalization of the virus after any sickness.
• Secondary: It happens because of the immune system responding to any past infection/sickness and attacking the brain by mistake. It can happen 2-3 weeks after the elementary infection.

This has also become popular as Lychee (Litchi) Fever. Reports by NCDC (National Center for Disease Control), India and the CDC (Center for Disease Control), Atlanta (US), figured out the relationship between hypoglycemia/low blood sugar found in malnourished kids sleeping hungry and MCPG (Methylene Cyclopropyl-Glycine)- a toxic element found in lychees, that has an adverse impact on the brain due to malnourishment.

As per a report in 2015, researchers in the US stated that brain disease could be in connection with the toxic element found in lychees.

Causes of encephalitis:

Indian doctors are blaming the scorching heat in the northern areas and delayed monsoon as the prominent reason for this outbreak. The reason behind the deaths is ‘acclimatization failure in children’ due to the environmental factors like heat wave and scanty to no rainfall.

NHPI (National Health Portal of India) states that encephalitis is caused by JE (Japanese Encephalitis) virus, which was first diagnosed in India in the year 1955 in the southern part of the country- Tamil Nadu and also later in Bihar.

India came up with a JE vaccination program in 2006, which eventually became a part of the National Immunization Program, in 2014.

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) transmits into the human body via infected mosquitoes (Culex Species), primarily during the summers.

Other viruses that cause encephalitis:

• HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus)
• EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus)
• Measles & Mumps
• Arboviruses
• West Nile Encephalitis
• Tick-borne Encephalitis

As per the doctors, the extremely high temperatures during summers combined with extreme humidity is thought to be the ideal stimulant for the surge of AES.

As for the Bihar condition, the exact reason for the deaths is still unknown and the blame is being shifted to the heat and litchi consumption. The deaths that have been reported are majorly from the lower income households. Many of them work in litchi farms and it is very easy for their children to eat the fallen litchis and sleep hungry and eventually falling sick if the litchis are toxic. Though, no fixed reason is yet claimed behind this eruption.

Signs and symptoms:

• High fever
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Sensitivity towards light
• Stiffness in neck and back
• Changes in personality and behavior
• Confusion
• Issues with speech or hearing
• Hallucinations
• Loss of memory
• Dizziness
• Seizures, paralysis, and coma (in severe cases)

Signs and symptoms in infants & young adults:

• Bulges in the tender spots on the skull
• Vomiting/nausea
• Stiffness in body
• Poor feeding or not conscious for feeding
• Constant irritation

Risk factors for encephalitis:

There are certain factors that put one on the risk of developing encephalitis. These are mentioned below:

• Age factor: Young children and older adults are at a higher risk of developing viral encephalitis.
• Weak immune system: HIV positive people tend to have a weaker immune system and they take immune-suppressing drugs and many other conditions also account for their frail immune system. People with frail immune system are also at risk.
• Geographical area: Some areas have a high prevalence of mosquitoes and tick-borne viruses. These are at risk of encephalitis.
• Season: Encephalitis is more common in summers.

Diagnosis:

• Brain imaging: MRI or CT scan can expose any swelling of brain or other conditions.
• Lumbar puncture: Under this method, a needle is penetrated in lower back that removes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)- a fluid that enclose the brain and spinal column. The shift in this fluid reflects infection or tenderness in the brain.
• Brain biopsy: A little sample of brain tissue is removed for testing purposes. This method is adopted usually when patient’s state is worsening, and the treatments aren’t working.
• Other tests: Other general tests like blood samples, urine sample or discharge from the back of throat are usually tested for viruses.

Treatment for encephalitis:

• Children with encephalitis should be kept in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) under constant surveillance to avoid further complications.
• Anti-demagogic drugs like Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen and Naproxen Sodium can be used for providing relief in headaches and temperatures.
• Some anti-viral drugs like Acyclovir (Zovirax), Ganciclovir (Cytovene) and Foscarnet (Foscavir) are also used for treating certain symptoms of the disease.

Encephalitis gets resolved in a few days, except for severe cases, which might take longer to get cured.

Challenges in treatment of encephalitis in Bihar:

The state of Bihar is in crisis right now due to the rising deaths of children because of encephalitis. The situation is not getting any better in the state and it is struggling to provide proper healthcare facilities to the patients. Here are a few reasons why the state is still struggling to overcome this issue:

• The poor quality of living in the state is playing the negative role. Most of the children are malnourished in the state and this is a reason for the rising number of deaths due to immense drop in the blood sugar level.
• The poor healthcare facilities in the state is another reason for so many deaths. Many patients do not get timely treatment, and this results in the worsening of their condition and even death. The hospitals are finding it hard to cater to all the patients and the medical facilities provided are not up-to-the-mark.
• There is a lack of trained physicians and the problem of drinking water is contributing to the escalation of the condition.
• Bihar is one of the poorest states of India. The literacy and awareness level among masses is low and thus they are not aware of the disease, its symptoms, causes and treatments and precautions. The maximum number of deaths reported are from the lower income households.

Prevention:

Here are some precautionary steps that can be made part of the routine to prevent encephalitis.

1. Adopt good and healthy sanitation habits. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after the meals and after using toilets.
2. Don’t share your utensils. Eat in washed and separate utensils.
3. Teach your kids healthy habits and try not to let them out in peak hours of the day to avoid heat wave.
4. Go for proper vaccinations. If travelling to other places, consult your physician regarding the recommended vaccines for different areas/region.

Safeguarding yourself against mosquitoes and ticks:

• Wear long-sleeved tops/shirts and pants while going out between sunset and wee hours.
• Use mosquito repellents
• Put insecticides into action. Use products with permethrin- a component that repels and kills mosquitoes and ticks. It can be sprayed on clothes, tents and other outdoor stuff. Be careful not to apply it on skin.
• Don't go to places where there are a lot of mosquitoes.
• Get rid of stagnant water nearby your home to avoid mosquitoes. Don't let water stagnate in your house as this is where mosquitoes lay eggs.
• Stay alert and observe outdoor signals and signs of viral disease.

Protection for young children:

• Avoid using insect repellents on infants less than 2 months of age. Cover them with either infant carrier or stroller that has mosquito netting on it.
• For infants older than 2 months, repellents with 10-30% DEET can be used.
• Apply mosquito repellents on the kids yourself and also spray it on their clothing and revealing skin.
• Avoid using repellents on the hands of young children, as they have the tendency to put their hands in mouth.
• Wash treated skin with soap and water once you are back indoors. Keep children tidy and clean.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions, being a medical communication firm, believes in spreading awareness regarding this disease to ensure that the deaths are controlled. Extensive researches have not been conducted on encephalitis and the exact cure for it is yet to be found. Turacoz would like to encourage researchers to conduct thorough research on this ailment and come up with an effective treatment.

We would be happy to offer help in the research and will be assisting with clinical trial support, pharmacovigilance support, regulatory writing, publication writing, medico marketing, etc.

To know more about us and the services we offer, write to us at hello@turacoz.in