Health IT

Tackling the health care crisis with artificial intelligence: Combating physician and nursing shortages in the United States

Tech

March 31, 2023

The United States is grappling with a significant health care crisis as physician and nursing shortages impact the nation’s ability to provide adequate care to an aging population. A combination of factors contributes to these shortages, with consequences that can be far-reaching. This article will explore the factors contributing to these shortages, their potential impacts, the ongoing efforts to address them, and …

The future of education: AI empowerment, YouTube college credits, and the impact on traditional colleges

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

March 30, 2023

The education landscape is rapidly changing as technological advancements, and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly integrated into learning environments. One of the most exciting aspects of this shift is the potential for AI to revolutionize the way we educate and empower students. Soon, we can expect more YouTube college credits and widespread utilization of AI-driven platforms like Khan Academy, which already uses …

The pros and cons of using ChatGPT for your health care needs

Liudmila Schafer, MD

Tech

March 25, 2023

Whenever you’re feeling sick, most people will tell you not to Google your symptoms or try to self-diagnose: That’s the quickest way to spiral into panic mode. Reading a list of possible diseases you didn’t even know existed but now are sure you have brings the hypochondriac out of even the most stoic person.

But what happens when you can search the internet for physician-level diagnoses of your aches and pains? …

A new era of collaboration between AI and health care professionals

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

March 25, 2023

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in a new era of collaboration in various industries, with health care being no exception. AI-driven technologies have transformed how health care professionals diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, improving patient outcomes and greater efficiency. This article will explore the role of AI technologies, such as Bing Copilot, and future ChatGPT products like BioGPT and PaLM in shaping health care’s future while …

What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

Jackson J. McCue

Tech

March 23, 2023

As the COVID class, entering medical school in 2020, we have seen our fair share of paradigm-shifting moments in medicine.

The pandemic and response
The overturn of Roe v. Wade
The transition of Step 1 from scored, and largely dictative of what future specialty one can match into, to pass/fail

Even with that last transition, It still took me a couple of months of studying to consistently pass Step 1. Less …

From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

March 23, 2023

Telemedicine, the practice of delivering health care services remotely using technology, has become increasingly popular in recent years. The potential for reduced health care costs, improved efficiency, and greater accessibility for patients and providers alike have driven its adoption. In this article, we will investigate the economic benefits of telemedicine, examining its impact on health care expenditure, its ability to enhance patient care, and its role in mitigating the strain …

The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

Anil Saldanha

Tech

March 21, 2023

It has been an exciting several weeks for AI enthusiasts worldwide, particularly those in health care.

OpenAI recently released GPT-4, a major upgrade over ChatGPT. Microsoft updated Bing search engine and Office365 business applications Word, Powerpoint, and Excel will run on GPT-4. Google announced PaLM API and MakerSuite, which enables developers to experiment with Large Language Models (LLM), whereas MakerSuite allows quick prototypes.

These generative AI announcements from OpenAI, Microsoft, …

Breaking down barriers: How technology is improving diabetes management in underserved communities

Anonymous

Conditions

March 20, 2023

Despite advancements in health information technology (HIT), the prevalence of diabetes in the United States continues to be high and is the seventh leading cause of death. Diabetes management in underserved communities has challenges concerning health care access for high-risk groups, often resulting in debilitating health outcomes worsened by adverse socio-economic consequences. Optimal HbA1c levels, controlled for by risk reduction, are essential. If diabetics encounter barriers to health care services, …

How to overcome telemedicine’s biggest obstacles

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

March 20, 2023

The global health care sector has undergone a digital revolution, with telemedicine at the forefront of this transformation. Telemedicine offers promising opportunities to enhance patient care, reduce costs, and expand access to health care services. However, its widespread adoption faces several challenges that must be addressed for its full potential to be realized. This article discusses the barriers to telemedicine adoption and provides strategies for successful implementation by health care …

Can AI solve the physician shortage crisis?

Harry Severance, MD

Tech

March 19, 2023

A 2021 Merritt Hawkins article reports increasing physician shortfalls in the U.S. while pointing out that almost 50 percent of all currently practicing physicians are older than 55. In some medical specialties, the “greater-than-55” physician numbers are between 60 to 90+ percent.

Similar findings have been confirmed in an updated January 2023 Becker’s Hospital Review article. These recent reports estimate that there will be a …

Bridging the digital divide: How to bring trust back into the patient-physician relationship

Arti Masturzo, MD

Tech

March 15, 2023

Health care’s journey into the digital era hasn’t always been smooth sailing. While the rapid proliferation of digital health tools has produced some major benefits both inside and outside the clinic, these technologies have also created a number of new challenges across the care continuum.

From learning new workflows to wrestling with data access and integrity concerns, clinicians are practicing in a world that looks very different from just a mere …

Can foundation AI models like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard be used for automating medical scribing?

Dr. Sushindri Sridharan

Tech

March 14, 2023

Foundation models like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard are derived from natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms. These models use transfer learning mechanisms to convert texts to summaries. Using foundation models is becoming an increasingly important topic for health care providers using digital technologies. One of the biggest challenges in the health care industry is clinical documentation. Can these foundation models be used to automate medical scribing? Not …

ChatGPT: How generative AI is revolutionizing health care

Robert Pearl, MD

Tech

March 13, 2023

Over the past decade, I’ve kept a close eye on the emergence of artificial intelligence in health care. One truth remained constant: Despite all the hype, AI-focused startups and established tech companies alike have failed to move the needle on the nation’s overall health and medical costs.

Finally, after a decade of underperformance in AI-driven medicine, success is approaching faster than physicians and patients currently …

The paradox of health IT: Improving care, impeding communication

Juan Pablo Zhenlio, MD

Physician

March 12, 2023

Advancements in health IT have created ease and efficiency in delivering health care that has never been seen before. Electronic ordering and prescribing have reduced medication errors from misinterpreting handwritten information. The interoperable transmission of critical patient history, lab work, and digital imaging from one hospital to another has reduced costs and unnecessary extraneous tests. Virtual care and telehealth utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized how patient encounters are …

The rise of chatbots for patient empowerment

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

March 12, 2023

Giving patients the information, abilities, and resources they need to actively participate in their care is at the heart of the critical health care concept known as patient empowerment. Health care professionals can increase patient involvement, boost health outcomes, and maximize the use of health care resources by empowering people. In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in using technology to encourage patient empowerment. Chatbots, in particular, …

The dangers of sharing personal health information online: Protecting your privacy and health

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

March 11, 2023

As the internet has become increasingly accessible, many individuals have turned to online platforms, such as ChatGPT and “Doctor Google,” to search for information about their symptoms and health concerns. While these resources can help provide individuals with a general understanding of their symptoms, there are risks associated with self-diagnosis and relying on online resources for medical advice. Another trend is patients inadvertently putting their personal medical information at risk …

The algorithm’s dilemma: Navigating ethics in health care

Jennifer Lycette, MD

Tech

March 8, 2023

An excerpt from The Algorithm Will See You Now.

Jacie shoved her glasses up her nose. “For those not selected, when PRIMA gives its report, or whatever… and if it says the treatment won’t work, how do you tell the patient?”

“We don’t.” Hope paused. “That’s the nurse’s job, of course.”

Cecilia gave …

Transforming health care with AI: Google Bard and BioGPT lead the way

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

March 8, 2023

Generative language models such as Google Bard and BioGPT are two cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to revolutionize Health care by providing accurate and reliable information to patients and health care professionals alike. Google Bard is powered by LaMDA and trained on web data, while BioGPT is developed by Microsoft and trained on biomedical literature. Both models can perform various tasks, such as answering questions, extracting relevant data, and …

Physicians spending more time with computers than patients

Steven Reznick, MD

Physician

March 6, 2023

Recently I tried to log onto my hospital system’s electronic health record to check on the status of a patient. This patient is elderly, severely mentally incapacitated, and being cared for by physicians on the neurology service. Her son, a practicing physician at the same facility, had not received a return phone call from any of the inpatient physicians and wanted to know why his mom needed a lumbar puncture …

The hidden consequences of portal message fees

Eddie Fatakhov, MD, MBA

Physician

March 3, 2023

As the health care industry continues to evolve, many practices and hospitals have turned to electronic portals to communicate between patients and their providers. However, some practices have begun charging patients a fee for responding to messages sent through these portals. While this may seem like a viable solution for increasing revenue, it could ultimately have negative implications for the care of patients.

One major issue with charging patients for portal …

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