Neptune Medical has expanded its collaboration with Nvidia to integrate AI into its GI robotic system using Nvidia’s Isaac for Healthcare platform. This partnership enables high-fidelity simulations of human anatomy and physiological processes, accelerating AI-driven precision and safety in robotic-assisted GI procedures. The move aligns with broader medtech AI adoption, with companies like Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Medtronic, and Asensus Surgical also partnering with Nvidia to enhance surgical and diagnostic AI capabilities.
Author: Abhay Panchal
The evolution of endoscopy has continually advanced from Hippocrates’ candle-lit specula to today’s 4K video endoscopes with cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. The latest frontier in this evolution is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), which enhances image analysis, decision-making, and clinical workflows. Originally introduced through research, AI is now making its way into routine endoscopic practice, further refining diagnostic precision and minimally invasive interventions, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes.
A new Health Affairs study reveals that private equity (PE) acquisitions of physician practices are fueling rapid growth in clinician headcounts while also driving significant turnover — raising alarms about long-term effects on patient care and physician stability. Focusing on 200 ophthalmology practices acquired between 2014 and 2021, researchers found that clinician headcounts grew by 46.8% within three years post-acquisition, but physician turnover surged by 265% compared to non-PE-owned practices. Notably, departing physicians were more likely to be older (ages 40-60), possibly reflecting cash-outs by partner-owners who benefited financially from the acquisition.
The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the authority of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), warning that millions of Americans could lose access to essential colorectal cancer (CRC) screenings if the Task Force’s role is undermined. In an amicus brief filed in Kennedy v. Braidwood, the ACG emphasized that limiting USPSTF’s authority would severely jeopardize decades of progress in CRC prevention, especially as incidence rates are rising among younger adults.
On March 5, dozens of major U.S. hospital systems and healthcare providers filed lawsuits against Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and its affiliates, accusing the insurance giant of underpaying them by billions of dollars — escalating an already massive legal battle over alleged antitrust violations. The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, come as these providers formally opted out of a $2.8 billion class-action settlement currently awaiting final approval in federal court in Alabama.
In a recent study from Germany, researchers evaluated ChatGPT’s ability to answer patient questions about pancreatic cancer surgery, comparing its responses to those from two specialist surgeons. The goal was to assess accuracy, clarity for non-specialists, and empathy — essential components of effective patient communication.
Richard Peek, MD, director of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been elected vice president of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) — the specialty’s most prominent international organization. Dr. Peek, who holds the Mina Cobb Wallace Professorship of Immunology and professorships in Medicine and Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, will serve in successive one-year terms as vice president, president-elect, president (2027-2028), and then past president.
Guardant Health (GH) secured a major win as CMS approved Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Test (ADLT) status for its Shield blood test for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, enabling Medicare reimbursement at $1,495 starting April 1, 2025—up from the previously assumed $920. Analysts, including William Blair’s Andrew Brackmann, view this as a significant positive, estimating it could add approximately $10 million in revenue, with further potential upside if adoption scales.
Hinge Health’s long-anticipated IPO is generating significant buzz as the first major digital health offering since Waystar’s debut in 2024, raising questions about whether the public markets will value Hinge at or near its prior $6.2 billion private valuation. While the company has shown impressive revenue growth to $390.4M in 2024 and improved margins, concerns remain about future growth beyond the saturated self-insured employer market and its ability to expand beyond musculoskeletal (MSK) care into adjacent areas like behavioral health or GI. As a leader in digital MSK, Hinge faces pressure to either build or buy capabilities in new clinical…
The AGA Quality Committee, in collaboration with the Rome Foundation, has developed nine evidence-based quality indicators for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), covering evaluation, diagnosis, and management. These include taking a detailed patient history, testing for celiac disease in IBS-D or IBS-M patients, using fecal calprotectin for IBS-D evaluation, and avoiding routine colonoscopy in IBS patients without alarm features.