Health IT

How health systems are improving preparedness for winter surges

Tech

January 13, 2024

Winters often bring a surge in sicknesses that can overwhelm many health systems. More specifically, a winter-related uptick in the flu, COVID-19, and other illnesses can create overcrowding in physician offices and emergency departments (EDs), which then decreases a health system’s ability to provide timely access to care for non-urgent issues, such as chronic and preventive care needs.

Additionally, EDs see a rise in a wide variety of non-respiratory illness cases …

It’s time to evolve how we measure the success of EHRs to make us healthier

Sara Pastoor, MD

Tech

January 6, 2024

We’ve known for the last decade that electronic health records (EHRs) have a significant impact on physicians’ ability to deliver high-value care. It not only has a largely negative influence on their quality of life, which bleeds over into the entire health care landscape, but also impacts their ability to successfully adapt practices to evolving payment models intended to improve patient health outcomes — especially important for primary care.

Yet despite …

5 things digital health companies need to do to achieve success

David Lee Scher, MD

Tech

January 1, 2024

It has been a long time since my last post. The digital health economic, clinical, regulatory, and political landscapes have changed significantly since then. The objective of my blog, which began in 2011, was and remains to educate the reader (clinicians, health care IT community, patients and caregivers, and other health care stakeholders about digital health technology and how it is relevant to the changing health care environment. The first …

How medical-grade AI is changing the game [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 25, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

Join Tim O’Connell, a physician executive. In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of medical-grade AI and its transformative impact on health care. Tim provides valuable insights into the evolution of AI in medicine, recent advancements, …

The path forward for telepsychiatry: a call for permanent policy

Georgia Gaveras, DO

Conditions

December 23, 2023

The U.S. is facing a significant mental health crisis that has united us in our efforts to make positive changes across the health care ecosystem for those in need of care. As health care providers and experienced clinicians, we hope our joint dedication to addressing barriers to care and expanding digital services to those experiencing mental health challenges can make a lasting impact and start to improve health outcomes.

To …

The promise and pitfalls of large language models in clinical applications

David Lareau

Tech

December 21, 2023

Since the unveiling of ChatGPT almost a year ago, the health care sector has been abuzz with anticipation and intrigue surrounding the capabilities and potential applications of large language models (LLMs) within the medical sphere. As senior health care executives know all too well, our industry is no stranger to technological advances. But as with every promising tool, it’s essential to recognize its inherent limitations—especially when patient care and safety …

AI for health care professionals: How it is used now and how to use AI as a clinician

Maria Iliakova, MD

Tech

December 20, 2023

AI has been all the rage over the past year. Maybe you have played with ChatGPT or encountered yet another news story about the increasing impact of AI on a given industry. In this article, I’d like to break down a few things:

What is AI?
How is AI already being used in health care and other industries?
How can I use AI in my practice?

What is AI?

AI means artificial …

How AI is redefining clinical documentation [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 17, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

We welcome Matthew Allen, a medical student, as we delve into the significant findings of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 25×5 Task Force, which aims to reduce the clinician documentation burden by 25 percent in five …

The double-edged sword of AI in health care

Dike Drummond, MD

Tech

December 17, 2023

What will your workday look and feel like when it has eliminated your need to document, answer messages, or deal with your inbox? Isn’t that what we all want: freedom from electronic medical records and all the other documentation tasks? Yes? For decades now, the physician’s lament has been, “I just want to see patients.” A recent article, revealing the Mayo Clinic’s AI task automation strategy, hints at a future …

Gathering clinician feedback at a growing practice

Ram Krishnan, MBA

Tech

December 15, 2023

Provider feedback is a powerful tool for behavioral health practices, as it is a valuable indicator of whether or not patient care is on the right track. Gathering feedback, and then acting on it, can also improve a practice’s efficiency.

Fostering an open environment, one where providers feel heard and valued improves provider retention. Provider retention is key for any behavioral health practice because when a provider leaves, there is a …

The synergy of AI and human intelligence in transforming health care

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

December 4, 2023

The health care industry is witnessing a transformative phase with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data and provide predictive insights is revolutionizing medical diagnostics and patient care. AI’s precision is invaluable in diagnosing and managing kidney disease, offering both speed and accuracy in analyzing patient data.

Unleashing the power of data

A major challenge …

AI and the patient-physician relationship [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 3, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

We sit down with guest Andrew Wilner, a neurologist, to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on medicine. Join us as we discuss how AI is changing the role of health care professionals, the tasks it …

How generative AI will upend the doctor-patient relationship

Robert Pearl, MD

Tech

December 3, 2023

After decades of “doctor knows best,” the traditional physician-patient relationship is on the verge of a monumental shift. Generative AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and Microsoft’s Bing are poised to give people significantly more power and control—not just over their personal lives and professional tasks but over their own medical health, as well.

As these tools become exponentially smarter, safer, and more reliable (an estimated Read more…

How generative AI will upend the doctor-patient relationship

Decoding AI hallucinations in health care: Embracing a new era of medical innovation

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

December 2, 2023

The health care landscape is rapidly evolving with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI brings transformative power, it also demands great responsibility, especially in understanding and managing AI hallucinations—a new challenge in health care.

Understanding AI hallucinations

AI hallucinations occur when AI systems produce incorrect or misleading information. These errors can have dire consequences in health care. For instance, imagine an AI …

Save time with these 4 charting tips

Erica Dorn, FNP

Conditions

December 2, 2023

If you ask nurse practitioners how they spend most of their time at work, their answer will be “charting!”

Not only do nurse practitioners (NPs) assess, diagnose, and treat patients, but they also have to document the findings. On top of that, nurse practitioners also have to analyze diagnostic data, review past medical documentation, and address the never-ending patient messages.

With so much to do in a day, it can feel impossible …

Read more…

Save time with these 4 charting tips

Can generative artificial intelligence help clinicians better manage patient messages?

Spencer D. Dorn, MD, MPH and Justin Norden, MD, MBA

Tech

November 29, 2023

In today’s digitized, on-demand world, patients frequently use portals to send their physicians questions and requests. Today, physicians receive 57 percent more patient messages than before the pandemic. They spend the highest proportion of their inbox time on these messages, often responding after hours.

While messaging is an essential care access point, high volume strains the thinly–stretched health care workforce and may contribute to burnout. …

New primary care decision support tools make offloading below-license tasks from the EHR more important than ever

Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD

Tech

November 29, 2023

Clinical decision support tools in the EHR are gaining momentum. These exciting and meaningful innovations are challenging us to make room for them to flourish.

New technology is often disruptive before it finds its way to being helpful. In the late 1800s, the telephone created unexpected challenges in medical practice at its inception; it brought a need for new team members to answer calls and required doctors and patients to develop …

Revolutionizing patient care: the convergence of AI and personalized medicine

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

November 25, 2023

In the dynamic realm of health care, two revolutionary forces are converging to redefine patient care: artificial intelligence (AI) and personalized medicine. This synergy transforms how we understand, diagnose, and treat diseases, tailoring health care to each patient’s needs.

The emergence of personalized medicine

Personalized medicine, at its core, is about understanding the unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that influence a person’s health. …

The state of digital health and innovation Q3 2023

Jorge Sanchez, MD and Nirav Shah, MD

Tech

November 20, 2023

We witnessed a digital health explosion during the pandemic, marked by significant investments in telehealth and other sectors. However, the market could not maintain its pace in the post-pandemic era. However, the year 2023 is showing clear signs of market emergence.

Though the last two quarters have shown a reduction in funding and deal volume, the third quarter is satisfactory for investors and startups.

So, what is the state of digital …

Surviving an EHR upgrade

Jennifer Shaer, MD

Physician

November 13, 2023

My practice is about to change to a new electronic health record, and I can’t help but feel dread. The last time we did this, it was so stressful. I really don’t want to go through it again. What do I do? How do I prepare? Here is what I’m doing to get ready. I think it’s a good strategy for managing change in general, and I hope it helps …

Read more…

Surviving an EHR upgrade

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