Charles E. Moore

Background: Health care professionals in safety-net settings often rely on lengthy and inconsistently maintained community health resource lists when connecting patients with services. Bridgedd is a health care staff–facing web application designed to generate geographically and categorically filtered community resources in a unique format that makes information about each resource more accessible. Objective: This formative pilot study aimed to characterize the perceptions of behavioral health professionals toward Bridgedd’s usability, comparative value relative to existing community resource filtering and communication tools, and their intent to use it with patients if made available. Methods: We conducted a single-site, cross-sectional formative pilot of the web-based tool we developed, Bridgedd, within Grady Health System’s Integrated Behavioral Health Program between April 23 and May 14, 2026. All 21 program team members attending an all-staff meeting received a presentation about Bridgedd and were given the opportunity to try the tool and ask questions. Then, they independently evaluated it using a self-generated hypothetical patient scenario. Eleven completed an investigator-developed anonymous feedback survey assessing perceived ease of use, comparative value relative to existing tools, intent to use the tool with patients, and open-ended feedback. Quantitative responses were summarized using raw counts, and open-ended responses were summarized as descriptive observations. A post hoc descriptive analysis excluded 2 potentially direction-confused response patterns. The post hoc descriptive analysis did not materially change the overall interpretation. Results: Eleven behavioral health professionals (therapists, n=4; licensed professional counselors, n=3; social workers, n=2; mental health counselor, n=1; certified peer specialist–mental health, n=1) completed the survey. Of the 11 respondents, 9 rated the tool as very easy to use, none reported technical problems, 8 agreed or strongly agreed that Bridgedd was better than the tools they currently use to help patients navigate community health resources, and 8 reported an intent to use the tool with patients if it were made available. In the open-ended responses, 7 of the 11 respondents suggested that nothing was missing or offered no additional suggestions for improvement, while the remaining 4 open-ended responses centered on expanding mental or behavioral health resources, providing additional county coverage, including more resources within each category, and building a mechanism for updating resource information. Conclusions: In this small, single-setting formative pilot study using hypothetical patient scenarios, participating behavioral health professionals generally reported favorable perceptions of Bridgedd’s usability and potential utility. Further evaluation during routine clinical care is needed to assess actual use, workflow effects, patient experience, referral completion, and patient-level outcomes.

Primary osteosarcomas are rarely seen in areas other than bone, although they can occur in sites such as the thigh, anal region, hand, etc. We present a case of primary extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the thyroid, of which there are only 29 previous reported cases. Presentations and treatment options for this type of tumor vary. Through this case report, we discuss the similarities and differences of the patient’s presentation compared with other documented cases, imaging, the rationale behind treatment, and the current clinical course.

Poor oral health afflicts many low-income and other vulnerable populations. Lack of access to oral health can lead to unnecessary tooth decay, periodontal disease, pain, and the advancement of oral cancer. The absence of preventive care often leads to unnecessary and expensive visits to hospital-based emergency departments to address the pain of dental disease but not the causal conditions. The consequences on inequitable access to dental care are significant for individuals, families and communities. The OHICAN pilot project looked to address the lack of equitable access to care by creating new points of access, training medical providers to perform oral exams and apply fluoride when indicated, thus increasing the oral health workforce, utilizing technology to bridge clinical practice, education, training and research, educating stakeholders to allow dental hygienists to provide preventive care under general supervision, and creating business models that will assist others who seek to create a dental home for those they serve. Social, political and economic forces all contribute to varying degrees in terms of equity in healthcare. The work of OHICAN was designed to create a blueprint for potential solutions to these issues in order to foster oral health equity. Changes to improve access to dental care can take place in a relatively short period of time when all who care and are impacted by this continued unmet oral health need work together.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is shining a spotlight on health disparities that have long been overlooked in our society. The intersection between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), longstanding health disparities, and COVID-19 cannot be ignored. The accumulation of traumatic events throughout the childhood and adolescent years can cause toxic stress in the absence of supportive adults. This repetitive activation of the stress response system can be a catalyst to long-term, negative effects on both the body and brain. A major factor to appreciate is that ACEs do not affect all populations equally. ACEs disproportionately affect groups that have been historically oppressed. The current COVID-19 pandemic highlights this point when observing both case rates and fatality rates of the virus and has the potential to create a new series of long-term health conditions that will disproportionately affect marginalized communities. A foundational first and critical step of adopting a trauma-informed approach will help lead to system change, advance equity, and create a setting of mutuality and empowerment for our patients.

Our understanding of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is growing; yet, there remains much we do not understand, and unique presentations are abundant. One potential presentation is retropharyngeal edema, defined as fluid in the retropharyngeal space. Multiplanar imaging with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is ideal for characterizing and diagnosing these fluid collections rapidly as possible life-threatening complications may develop (eg, airway obstruction and mediastinitis). Here, we discuss the presentation, imaging identification, treatment, and recovery of retropharyngeal fluid collection in 2 COVID-19 cases. The significance of this article is to suggest conservative management as a viable treatment option for retropharyngeal fluid collection, as opposed to incision and drainage, in the setting of COVID-19.