Oshi Health, the first national multidisciplinary virtual gastroenterology (GI) medical practice, has secured $60 million in Series C funding, with notable support from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) GI Opportunity Fund, and a group of individual physician investors. This renewed investment highlights the growing demand for comprehensive, whole-person GI care and acknowledges Oshi’s success in delivering evidence-based, hybrid virtual and local care models.
Author: Abhay Panchal
Locum tenens work is increasingly popular among healthcare providers, including advanced-practice providers (APPs), due to its flexibility, higher pay, and freedom from administrative burdens. Amanda Berg, PA-C, began taking on locum jobs to pay off student loans but found the promised flexibility elusive as she juggled patient care in clinics with high turnover. Providers like Berg often become de facto primary caregivers for patients without regular doctors, highlighting the challenges of filling gaps in care in understaffed systems.
Exact Sciences reported preliminary 2024 revenue of $2.76 billion (10% YoY growth), driven by strong performance in Screening ($2.1B, +13%) and Precision Oncology ($655M, +4%). The company plans to launch three cancer diagnostics in 2025: Cologuard Plus, an advanced colorectal cancer screening test; Oncodetect, a molecular residual disease test; and Cancerguard, a multi-cancer early detection blood test. With over 18 million patients screened by Cologuard since launch, the FDA-approved Cologuard Plus aims to further improve outcomes with reduced false positives. Exact Sciences’ precision oncology portfolio, including Oncotype DX and OncoExTra, continues to drive innovation in personalized cancer care, positioning the…
Oshi Health has released its 2024 Impact Report, showcasing the transformative impact of its virtual, multidisciplinary GI care model on patient outcomes, satisfaction, and cost efficiency. Key findings from over 8,800 patients (March 2021–June 2024) include: Oshi’s value-based care model aligns incentives to improve outcomes rather than service volume, offering a scalable solution to rising GI-related healthcare costs and advancing patient-centered care.
The rising cost of colonoscopies and restrictive U.S. insurance policies are deterring young adults from timely colorectal cancer (CRC) testing, contributing to a troubling increase in advanced cases and mortality among those under 50. Patients like Kristina Kelly, who was diagnosed with stage III CRC at 36, face out-of-pocket costs even with insurance, leading many to delay or forego life-saving procedures. Experts and advocacy groups emphasize the urgent need for insurers to provide better coverage for colonoscopies, especially for individuals with symptoms or family history, to counteract this alarming trend.
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology recently published a proposal by 58 global experts advocating for a significant overhaul of how obesity is diagnosed and treated. The proposal suggests replacing or augmenting BMI with more precise measurements like body fat percentage or waist circumference and introduces two obesity categories: clinical obesity, involving health impairments, and preclinical obesity, denoting risk without current health issues. Backed by 76 medical organizations, the framework emphasizes personalized care and aims to reframe obesity as a nuanced condition rather than a one-size-fits-all disease. Critics, however, caution against overreliance on simplistic metrics and argue for greater focus on…
A new study published in JAMA Network Open cautions that prioritizing blood-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests over stool-based tests in federally qualified health care centers (FQHCs) may lead to higher costs and worse outcomes. Using a microsimulation model to evaluate a simulated population with low adherence to screening steps, the researchers found that annual fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) was the most effective and cost-efficient strategy, delivering significantly more life-years gained than triennial blood tests, even with improved adherence to blood testing.
Dr. Arif Kamal, Chief Patient Officer for the American Cancer Society, emphasizes the importance of “Food is Medicine” interventions to combat this trend and improve patient outcomes. With a rich background in oncology and patient care innovation, Dr. Kamal advocates for preventive strategies that address diet as a critical factor in reducing colon cancer risk.
Guardant Health and ConcertAI have partnered to create a first-of-its-kind multi-modal real-world data (RWD) solution, integrating comprehensive patient EMR data with genomic and epigenomic tumor profiling. By combining Guardant’s liquid biopsy technology with ConcertAI’s AI-driven analytics, the collaboration aims to provide biopharma companies with deeper insights into cancer biology, resistance mechanisms, and tumor evolution across the cancer care continuum. This innovative approach includes unique methylation data from Guardant’s platform and is expected to enhance cancer therapy development, clinical trial design, and precision medicine strategies. Financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed.
AGA’s latest clinical practice update outlines what to do with nonampullary duodenal lesions. These polyps are found in up to 5% of all upper endoscopies, usually in asymptomatic patients. Although most are benign, adenomas are estimated to account for 10%–20% of these lesions. AGA’s CPU provides practical guidance on evaluating and risk-stratifying patients with nonampullary duodenal polyps and the best approaches for resection, surveillance, and managing complications.