A cost-effectiveness analysis of the IBD-BOOST randomized controlled trial found that a facilitator-supported digital self-management program is highly likely to be a cost-effective addition to standard care for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experiencing persistent pain, fatigue, and fecal incontinence. Although the original trial did not achieve statistically significant improvements in its primary clinical endpoints, participants using the online intervention gained modest improvements in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) while reducing healthcare utilization and overall costs over 12 months. The web-based program combines cognitive behavioral therapy principles with symptom-specific self-management strategies delivered through 12 interactive online sessions, supported by trained…
Author: Abhay Panchal
Experts at IDWeek 2025 emphasized that diagnosing Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) now requires greater clinical judgment, as highly sensitive molecular tests can detect bacterial colonization without confirming active disease. While PCR-based nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are excellent at identifying C. difficile, they may overdiagnose infection if used indiscriminately. Clinicians were advised to reserve testing for patients with genuine, profuse watery diarrhea, typically six or more stools per day, rather than relying solely on laboratory results. Dr. Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center noted that certain symptom patterns should prompt consideration of alternative diagnoses. Intermittent diarrhea,…
The American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association have issued statements highlighting some concerns and important factors to consider as new colorectal cancer screening guidance from the American Cancer Society draws attention to the growing number of testing options. Although the ACS did not list blood-based tests as a preferred option (Table), noting that these tests have “demonstrated lower sensitivity for both advanced precancerous lesions and stage I cancers, with modeling studies predicting less effectiveness in reducing CRC incidence and mortality,” they left the door open for use of such tests for some patients: “individuals who decline or…
Researchers from the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan have developed the Autonomous Colonoscope Robot System (ACRS), an AI-powered robotic platform capable of performing fully automated colonoscope insertion under controlled laboratory conditions. Built on the Endoscopic Operation Robot (EOR) version 4, the system was trained using insertion data from an expert endoscopist and combines computer vision with robotic control to autonomously navigate a colonoscopy training model. In testing, the ACRS successfully completed fully autonomous (Level 4) insertion in 62 of 72 evaluable procedures (86.1%), with an average cecal intubation time of 2.9 minutes. Although slower than an expert…
Zobair Younossi, Chairman of the Global NASH/MASH Council and Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University, reviewed the latest global consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. The updated recommendations were developed through a systematic literature review and Delphi consensus process involving approximately 290 experts from 65 countries, with the goal of harmonizing international guidance and providing a practical framework for everyday clinical care.
In this perspective, Dr. Aasma Shaukat contends that the American Cancer Society’s updated colorectal cancer screening guideline strikes the right scientific balance by classifying blood-based screening tests as “non-preferred” options. However, she believes the guideline falls short because it does not provide practical implementation guidance to ensure these tests remain secondary choices rather than becoming routine first-line screening. She explains that once a screening test is included in a major guideline, many patients, clinicians, health systems, payers, and the media are likely to interpret that inclusion as an endorsement. Without clear operational guardrails, blood-based tests—which are intended only for average-risk…
A new study published in Cell Host & Microbe suggests that removing precancerous colorectal polyps may not fully eliminate a person’s long-term risk of colorectal cancer because underlying changes in the gut microbiome can persist for more than a decade. Researchers compared stool samples from women who had adenomas removed approximately 12 years earlier with those from individuals who had never developed adenomas and found significant differences in 31 microbial species. The post-polypectomy microbiome also shared several characteristics previously linked to colorectal cancer, indicating that polyp removal may not restore the gut to a low-risk biological state.
Calling a doctor a provider sounds harmless. The American College of Physicians says it isn’t. Janet Jokela, former treasurer of the American College of Physicians, professor, and medical educator, discusses the KevinMD article “Physician vs. provider is an ethics issue, not just style.” She walks through how the word “provider” entered medicine through Medicare in 1965 and ended up lumping physicians together with hospitals and insurance companies as interchangeable “providers of services.” You will hear why the Latin root of compassion (to suffer with) names something physicians do that corporate entities do not, why the ethical obligations physicians take on…
Physician practice consolidation continues to reshape the U.S. healthcare landscape, with Becker’s tracking more than 33 physician practice transactions in the first quarter of 2026. Today, only 18% of physicians remain in physician-owned practices, compared with 60% in 2012. As the pool of independent practices shrinks, acquisition activity is becoming increasingly focused on high-value specialties such as gastroenterology, cardiology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and interventional pain, where strong outpatient procedure volumes and favorable reimbursement continue to attract investors.
A new Medscape Physician Wealth & Debt Report 2026 found that approximately one in five U.S. physicians now reports a family net worth exceeding $5 million, reflecting a notable increase over the past two years. The growth has been fueled by strong stock market performance—particularly AI-driven market gains—along with continued appreciation in home values. Because physicians typically invest heavily in retirement accounts and brokerage portfolios, they benefited disproportionately from recent market gains compared with the average U.S. household, whose wealth is more concentrated in home equity. Despite these financial gains, many physicians do not necessarily perceive themselves as wealthy. The…