While AI’s potential in healthcare is often hyped, there are existing AI tools that can offer immediate return on investment (ROI) for healthcare providers. The article highlights five ways in which Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI are currently benefiting health systems, clinicians, and patients: The article emphasizes the importance of focusing on AI tools that offer immediate value, especially those that alleviate clinician workload and ensure timely access to critical information.
Author: Abhay Panchal
Fatigue is a prevalent symptom among patients with both active and inactive inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and it is strongly linked to depression, as reported in BMC Gastroenterology. Victoria Uhlir and her team from Jena University Hospital conducted a study involving 189 patients with IBD, revealing that 51.3% of patients were fatigued, and 12.2% were extremely fatigued. The symptom was more common among women and those with moderate to severe disease activity. The study also found a strong correlation between fatigue and depression, with 43.5% of the extremely fatigued group having severe or very severe depression. The researchers emphasized the…
Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) typically offer a less expensive option for an upper GI endoscopy compared to Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs). This information is based on data from Sidecar Health’s care calculator. The article provides a state-by-state breakdown of the estimated costs for an upper GI endoscopy at both ASCs and HOPDs. It’s important to note that these prices are estimated benefit amounts, and the exact coverage or reimbursement will depend on the services listed on the itemized bill. Thought-Provoking Questions & Insights:
A recent meta-analysis of six prevalent cancer screenings has raised questions about their efficacy in saving lives. The study, set to be published in JAMA Internal Medicine, was conducted by Michael Bretthauer and his team from the University of Oslo. Their findings suggest that, apart from colorectal cancer screening with sigmoidoscopy, which showed a statistically significant gain of 110 days, other screenings did not substantially extend life. For instance, prostate cancer screening and colonoscopy resulted in a 37-day gain, while lung cancer screening showed a 107-day gain. Mammography and fecal occult blood testing did not show any life extension. The…
DoMore Diagnostics and Proscia have entered into a collaboration focused on colorectal cancer histopathology testing. The partnership aims to combine the technologies of both digital pathology firms to assist pathologists in predicting patient outcomes and integrating AI-supported decision-making processes. Thought-Provoking Questions & Insights:
Joanne Silberner discusses the increasing influence of private equity in the U.S. healthcare system. In his 2022 state of the union address, President Joe Biden highlighted the surge of private financing into nursing homes, which has led to compromised care quality and rising costs. Private equity refers to funds collected from high-level investors to purchase companies, enhance their profitability, and eventually sell them for a substantial profit. As of 2021, private equity firms owned 11% of nursing homes. Their influence isn’t limited to nursing homes; they have also acquired physicians’ practices, hospitals, clinics, and even veterinary clinics. Between 2010 and…
The trend of vertical integration, where physicians are directly employed by hospitals instead of operating in independent practices, has been increasingly adopted across U.S. healthcare systems. While the intention behind this move is to enhance patient outcomes, a new study set to be published in Management Science reveals that vertical integration is resulting in increased costs and deteriorating health outcomes due to misaligned financial incentives. The research, which focused on Medicare patients treated by gastroenterologists, found that post-procedure complications rose significantly after vertical integration. The primary reason for this change in physician behavior is the financial incentive structure of integrated…
In an exclusive video for Healio, Dr. David M. Poppers, MD, PhD, emphasizes the paramount importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the present times. He highlights the reluctance of both patients and some physicians to discuss topics related to the lower abdomen. Overcoming this stigma is vital, according to Poppers, who is a professor of medicine and director of GI quality and strategic initiatives at NYU Langone Health. He underscores the significance of screening, especially since CRC, when detected early, generally has a favorable prognosis. Poppers also mentions the variety of comfortable and effective options available for pre-colonoscopy bowel…
A novel machine-learning tool has been developed that can accurately forecast the onset of esophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma using electronic health record data. This development was reported in the journal Gastroenterology. The tool, named Kettles Esophageal and Cardia Adenocarcinoma prediction tool (K-ECAN), was created in response to the lack of familiarity among most providers with guidelines for esophageal adenocarcinoma screening. Using data from over 10 million U.S. veterans, K-ECAN demonstrated superior accuracy compared to earlier models. Joel H. Rubenstein, MD, MSc, emphasized the potential of K-ECAN to be integrated into electronic health records, providing real-time cancer risk estimates to…
Gastrointestinal stents originally were developed to treat obstructing cancer in the GI tract, specifically esophageal cancer. The first developed stent was a gum-like, rubber tube used for esophageal dilation or passage via the mouth or nose across a tumor, thus acting as a feeding tube.1,2 Today, self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) and self-expanding plastic stents (SEPS) are the most widely used endoluminal stents.3 SEPs are composed of plastic polymers and are placed using a guide wire and fluoroscopy. Due to SEPs high migration rate and the development of more efficacious SEMs, SEPs are no longer preferred for management of malignant esophageal…