Beyond the stethoscope: the AI-powered revolution and personalized medicine will shape the next era of U.S. health care

Tech
January 21, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming health care, with a particular focus on enhancing patient care through precision medicine, advanced ultrasound guidance, and real-time treatment adaptation. These innovations promise a future where personalized treatment plans, more accurate diagnostics, and optimized care are not just possibilities but routine practice. Health care professionals are beginning to see the benefits of AI in real-world settings, and the potential for improving patient outcomes is nothing …

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How natural disasters reveal resilience and the power of community

Physician
January 21, 2025

Watching the images of fires burning in and around Los Angeles is very triggering. I’m sure it is the same for other Western North Carolinians. It has not been that long since Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic flooding that devastated our communities, and it is not over for us.

At first, you are energized to do what needs to be done in the moment. But then, you are left with emptiness, exhaustion, …

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Murder of an insurance titan: the case for health care reform

Physician
January 21, 2025

Agatha Christie was onto something when she stated, “The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it.” Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of the United Health Care insurance company, was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan on December 4th in broad daylight. His assailant, Luigi Mangione, has become a media-fueled darling, with multiple documentary projects already underway to explore the complexities of his crime. …

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You could soon be taking (or prescribing) a drug developed by AI

Meds
January 21, 2025

Across industries, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how we approach innovation, and the life sciences and drug development sectors are no exception. This transformative technology is reshaping the way researchers discover and develop new products, particularly in the quest for groundbreaking treatments. While an AI-derived drug may feel like a distant reality, the integration of cutting-edge science, biomathematics, and computational power is accelerating the pace of discovery and testing. These advancements …

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How postmortem brain research is changing autism science [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 20, 2025
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We explore the groundbreaking efforts to advance autism research through postmortem brain tissue donation with David G. Amaral, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Learn how brain donation provides unique insights into the …

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How a nurse’s journey through trauma inspires hope and kindness

Conditions
January 20, 2025

A former ICU nurse and close friend told me tonight that she wanted to start the new year on a positive note. I nodded, trying to absorb her optimism, but deep down, it felt like an impossible belief to hold onto.

Earlier in the evening, I finished watching Selena: The Series on Netflix. Tears streamed down my face, not just for Selena but for all those whose greatness was taken too …

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Sweden’s controversial COVID-19 strategy: lessons from higher mortality rates

Conditions
January 20, 2025

Sweden is being touted as an example of a successful fight against COVID-19 without imposing strict social isolation measures. While it is true that Sweden was one of the few countries that did not impose severe lockdown protocols and procedures, how did Sweden fare regarding various COVID-19 outcomes?

First of all, it is not true that Sweden took a totally relaxed approach to COVID-19 by keeping all establishments open throughout …

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Are doctors a dying breed?

Physician
January 20, 2025

Doctors are worried, and rightly so. Recent rapid strides in artificial intelligence threaten to remove the need for doctors to a significant extent. There is an oft-discussed scenario that in the next two to three years, well-trained nurses or other mid-level providers, assisted by artificial intelligence, will be adequate to provide most medical care. So, are we going to see widespread unemployment among medical professionals?

The answer is complex. A recent …

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How to find your purpose in a joyful way [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 19, 2025
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Join us for an inspiring conversation with Jordan Grumet, internal medicine physician and host of the Earn & Invest Podcast, as we explore insights from his groundbreaking book, The Purpose Code: How to …

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Finding voices with AI: a call to developers, administrators, and corporations to support ethical speech therapy

Conditions
January 19, 2025

As a speech-language pathologist, I’ve dedicated my career to helping people find their voices—sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively. Whether I’m working with children struggling to develop language, adults recovering from strokes or traumatic brain injuries, or older adults managing degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, the goal is always the same: to connect, to communicate, and to live fully. Communication is fundamental to being human. Yet, when it’s lost, regaining it becomes a …

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The heart of family medicine: a doctor’s journey of compassion and care

Physician
January 19, 2025

After 30 years of practice and expertise in family medicine, with two specialties—one in Romania in general and preventive medicine for four years, and another in family medicine with Michigan State University for three years—I had my first forced vacation. Three weeks ago, I had a total hip replacement, which went excellently. I’m in great shape, but staying home 24/7 is something new. I discovered that the day feels much …

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How a systems approach can revolutionize pain and depression treatment

Conditions
January 19, 2025

As a health care writer and patient advocate for over 27 years, I have interacted with thousands of patients who experience chronic severe pain, caregivers who support struggling family members, and clinicians who treat painful conditions. Depression and anxiety are very common in these patients and may significantly complicate treatment.   Untreated depression – or under-treated pain – can cause increases in healing times, suicidal ideation, and Read more…

States have the power to influence health care

Policy
January 19, 2025

Individual states in the United States can significantly shape key health care areas through policy.

In early 2024, a KKF analysis indicated that Americans collectively held around $220 billion in medical debt.

North Carolina has one of the highest percentages of adults facing medical debt, at 13.4 percent. On July 1, 2024, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) …

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How to set boundaries and rediscover purpose in health care [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 18, 2025
YouTube video

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We dive into the critical issue of physician burnout and the challenges facing primary care providers with family physician Santina Wheat. Discover practical strategies for reclaiming joy in medicine, setting boundaries, and rediscovering …

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What if the solution for physicians’ struggles was right in their faces, yet remains unrecognized?

Finance
January 18, 2025

Nothing is more of an insult than suggesting that the 1.2 million very intelligent practicing physicians in our nation, whom we trust to keep us healthy, have never come up with a revolutionary cure for what has now become health care and physician crises. Who knows better about the actual practice of medicine and the multiple problems and challenges they face daily than physicians themselves?

The mental function of due diligence …

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Finding your “why”: lessons for future medical students

Education
January 18, 2025

I still remember the day I opened my acceptance letter to medical school. It felt surreal—a rush of excitement and pride that had me packing my bags months before classes began. As a kid, I was always a dreamer. My dolls weren’t just toys; they were part of elaborate stories where every character had a purpose and a world of possibilities ahead of them. Medicine represented the ultimate story—a chance …

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The clash between MBA ethics and the Hippocratic tradition in medicine

Physician
January 18, 2025

My father wanted me to get an MBA from the Harvard Business School, but I wanted to be a doctor, so I am more attuned to the MBA’s excellence in many areas but differences in ethical principles from medicine. Nowhere does maximizing returns for stockholders or returns for nonprofits also include the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence for our patients. But this principle is foundational in medicine and has been …

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Redesigning shift work to improve patient care and well-being [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 17, 2025
YouTube video

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Join emergency physician Maureen Gibbons as they explore the concept of rethinking shift work in health care. They discuss how distributing shifts among multiple physicians can reduce burnout, enhance job satisfaction, and improve …

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Gender affirming care: a matter for the Supreme Court or a matter for a medical malpractice court?

Physician
January 17, 2025

Of note, today, of all days, when the Supreme Court of the United States is to consider state bans on treatments for gender-affirming care of transsexual youths, virtually every internet site on the subject is blocked.

Nevertheless, I am a medical student in 1967. I do not need the internet; I lived through the beginning of gender-affirming care. My memory is clear.

I am reminded of the story of Dr. John Money, …

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