As major retailers like Amazon, CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens expand into primary care clinics, demand and compensation for nurse practitioners and primary care physicians are rising. Nurse practitioners have become the top recruitment priority for staffing firms for three years, according to AMN Healthcare. This year, their average salary offer increased by 9% to $158,000. While primary care physician starting salaries remained stable, specialist doctors saw pay hikes of 10% to 20%. The entry of large retailers into healthcare is intensifying competition for medical professionals, leading to these salary trends.
Author: Abhay Panchal
Google has partnered with health systems like Mayo Clinic to use generative AI for improving clinician workflows. They’ve also collaborated with Cedar to help patients understand healthcare bills using AI. Google Research’s Med-PaLM 2, trained on medical data, may soon draft medical documentation. Amy Waldron from Google Cloud emphasized the ethical use of AI in healthcare and highlighted tools like the Claims Acceleration Suite, which streamlines prior-authorization processes. Mayo Clinic is using Google Cloud’s AI tools to enhance clinical operations and patient engagement.
While telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy (tele-CBT) didn’t influence short-term weight results a year post-bariatric surgery, it significantly improved disordered eating and psychological distress. Despite bariatric surgery being the most effective treatment for severe obesity, some patients still experience suboptimal weight loss or weight regain. In a study led by Sanjeev Sockalingam, MD, MHPE, 306 adults were enrolled a year after their bariatric surgery. Half underwent tele-CBT, while the other half received standard postoperative care. The therapy involved sessions that covered goal-setting, planning for challenging eating situations, and scheduling healthy meals. Although weight loss outcomes were similar between the groups, the…
Michael Hasselburg, PhD, the chief digital health officer of the University of Rochester Medical Center, highlighted two distinct approaches health systems are adopting towards generative AI. The first approach involves outright banning the technology, with some health systems choosing to wait for clearer guidance from regulators like the ONC and FDA or for their electronic health record vendors to offer AI solutions. The second approach sees health systems fully embracing generative AI, with some even developing their own internal tools. However, Dr. Hasselburg notes that building tools in-house may not always be cost-effective. He referenced a survey from Bain &…
Digital health firm Babylon has filed for bankruptcy protection for two of its U.S. subsidiaries, as per filings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. The company is opting for Chapter 7 relief, indicating its intention to liquidate assets rather than restructure. The filings, dated August 9, are for Babylon Inc. and Babylon Healthcare Inc. The U.K.-based company, which went public in 2021 through a SPAC deal, has faced challenges securing financing for its operations. This liquidation follows the collapse of a planned business combination with Switzerland’s digital therapeutics firm MindMaze. Additionally, Babylon is also winding down its operations in…
The article discusses the development of a machine learning algorithm aimed at improving the accuracy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prediction in patients with chronic hepatitis B who are undergoing antiviral therapy. The study provides baseline characteristics of the population, including variables such as age, gender, height, weight, and various medical indicators. The article also identifies independent predictors of HCC development and compares the machine learning-based risk prediction model with other existing models. The machine learning model demonstrated a high area under the curve (AUC) value, indicating its potential effectiveness in predicting HCC risk.
A study published in the Journal of Surgical Oncology revealed that surgery appears to be underutilized for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. An analysis of patients treated in Texas between 2004 and 2018 showed that only 22% of those eligible for surgery underwent resection, with the utilization rates of surgery declining over time. Patricio M. Polanco, MD, from UT Southwestern Medical Center, commented that the data likely mirrors the situation in other U.S. regions. The study found that older age was associated with a higher likelihood of not undergoing surgery, while treatment at accredited centers was linked to a lower…
Researchers have utilized CRISPR-based gene editing to engineer a bacteria that can detect tumor DNA in mice colons. This innovative approach could potentially offer a non-invasive diagnostic tool to identify cancer or pre-cancerous DNA, enabling early intervention before cancer progresses or spreads. The University of California at San Diego-led team targeted a specific trait in certain bacteria, allowing them to absorb free-floating DNA from their surroundings. They then engineered the bacterium, Acinetobacter baylyi, to specifically consume DNA released by colorectal cancer tumors. If the engineered bacteria detect cancerous cells, they survive and signal the presence of these cells. Conversely, in…
ENDRA Life Sciences Inc. has submitted a De Novo request to the U.S. FDA for its TAEUS system, a non-invasive tool designed to assess fatty liver tissue in patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). The system’s liver fat estimates showed a strong correlation with MRI-PDFF, a standard for liver fat measurement. ENDRA’s CEO, Francois Michelon, highlighted TAEUS’s potential to provide a cost-effective alternative to MRI for diagnosing fatty liver disease.
Forbes, in collaboration with TrueBridge Capital Partners, has identified four healthcare startups in the U.S. that are predicted to reach a valuation of $1 billion or more in the future. Here are the highlighted startups: Thought-Provoking Questions/Insights: