The upcoming changes by Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts (BCBSMA) that could significantly impact gastrointestinal (GI) patient care. Starting January 1, BCBSMA will no longer cover monitored anesthesia care (MAC) for certain GI procedures unless specific risk factors or significant medical conditions are documented by the operating physician or anesthesiologist/certified registered nurse anesthesiologist. Key points from the article include: Impact on Patient Care: Gastroenterologists express concerns that the new policy will have a chilling effect on patient care. The use of MAC is considered essential for the safe performance of screening and diagnostic procedures, especially in aging populations with increasing…
Author: Abhay Panchal
A study led by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which found that an ingestible sensor-embedded pill can accurately track vital signs in patients. This development indicates a potential comeback for ingestible sensors in healthcare. Key takeaways from the article include: Ingestible Sensors for Patient Monitoring: Healthcare providers have been interested in ingestible sensors, or sensor-embedded pills, for monitoring patients over short periods. These sensors are designed to track various health conditions, including vital signs like breathing and heart rate patterns. Study Findings: The study, involving researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and West Virginia University Medicine, demonstrated that the sensor-embedded pill…
In medicine, when an ICU patient fails to get better after a week of intensive care, doing more of the same treatment proves futile and frequently harmful. Instead, it’s better to take a step back: reassess both the initial diagnosis and treatment plan. Doing so, doctors usually find that earlier assumptions were incorrect and that they’ve overlooked something vital. This same notion applies to clinician burnout in medicine. Despite heightened awareness of this urgent issue and widespread calls for relief, the burnout crisis continues to escalate. After a decade of failing to solve the problem, it’s time for a diagnostic…
The potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, in helping clinicians manage the increasing volume of patient messages. With a 57% increase in patient messages since the pandemic, the healthcare workforce is under significant strain, often leading to burnout. The article, drawing on medical, operational, computer science, and business expertise, explores how LLMs could be integrated into healthcare to address this issue. Key points from the article include: Workflow Integration: LLMs can be integrated at each step of the patient messaging workflow. This includes assisting patients in composing messages, routing messages to appropriate healthcare…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently published a document focusing on the essential regulatory considerations for the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. This publication emphasizes the need for safety, efficacy, and accessibility of AI systems in healthcare, and encourages collaboration among various stakeholders, including developers, regulators, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and patients. Key aspects of the publication include: AI’s Potential in Healthcare: AI, with its advanced analytic techniques like machine learning, logic-based approaches, and statistical methods, has the potential to revolutionize healthcare. It can enhance clinical trials, medical diagnosis and treatment, self-care, person-centred care, and augment the skills…
The article from Cureus discusses the significant role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in diagnosing and managing pancreatic cancer (PC), particularly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). AI, including Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL), is increasingly used in medical fields due to its ability to process vast amounts of data and assist in decision-making. Key points from the article include: Challenges in Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis: Pancreatic cancer often presents with few symptoms until advanced stages, making early detection challenging. Traditional diagnostic methods like CT scans, MRI, and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) have limitations, and there is a need for more effective early…
A study presented at The Liver Meeting highlighted significant gaps in hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and treatment among pregnant individuals in Canada. Conducted by Andrew B. Mendlowitz, PhD, MBiotech, and colleagues, the population-based, retrospective cohort study analyzed pregnancies in Ontario from 2008 to 2020, linked to HCV testing records from 1999 to 2020. Key findings include: However, 20.1% of individuals with a positive antibody test had at least one pregnancy before receiving a subsequent RNA test. Of those with an RNA-positive record, a minority received treatment. An estimated 195 infants may have been infected due to missed opportunities for…
Patients with high-risk T1 rectal cancer have a higher risk of recurrence after surgical resection compared to those with colon cancer, according to a study published in Gastroenterology. The research, led by Tatsunori Minamide, MD, and colleagues, analyzed data from 3,789 patients who underwent complete resection of T1 colorectal cancer. The study found no significant differences in recurrence after endoscopic local resection of low- or high-risk colorectal cancer (CRC) lesions. In the study, 1,044 patients underwent local resection (LR) and 2,745 underwent surgical resection (SR), all for high-risk lesions. Recurrence rates were 1.2% for LR and 1.8% for SR, while…
It has been 12 years since I published a commentary titled “Electronic Distraction an Unmeasured Variable in Modern Medicine” in Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News’ sister publication Anesthesiology News (November 2011). This piece was at the core of a front-page story that appeared in The New York Times and ignited a firestorm of media coverage. Professionals in all fields of medicine addressed this issue at both national and international conferences; many articles were written; studies and research were done; and education was provided in almost every field of healthcare. This distraction was also addressed by the legal profession, with it becoming…
Research presented at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting shows that Oshi Health’s virtual multidisciplinary gastrointestinal (GI) care significantly reduces emergency department (ED) utilization among patients. This study, conducted in partnership with a national health plan, compared GI-related ED visits between patients enrolled in Oshi Health’s program and those not enrolled. The findings revealed a 72% improvement at 3 months and a 64% improvement at 6 months in reducing GI-related ED visits among enrolled patients. Oshi Health, a virtual digestive health center, offers high-touch, multidisciplinary care including telehealth appointments with GI-specialized physicians, dietitians, psychologists, health coaches, and care coordinators.…