Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

AI in medicine: Revolutionary tools, uncertain results

AI decision-making systems show promise but lack consistent evidence for improving patient-relevant outcomes like mortality and quality of life. Rigorous harm-benefit assessments and transparency are needed for safe integration into healthcare.

3 Dec 2024

Upcoding practices by hospitals lead to billions in extra payments

In five states over nearly a decade, hospitals have increased how frequently they document patients as needing the highest intensity care, which has led to hospitals receiving billions in extra payments from health plans and government programs, according to a new RAND study.

3 Dec 2024

Researchers aim to uncover causes of acquired hearing loss and find potential therapies

With a new five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Mass Eye and Ear will study what causes acquired hearing loss (AHL) and seek new ways to protect against it.

3 Dec 2024

High blood sugar impairs brain health even without diabetes

A study by Baycrest found that high blood sugar may impair brain health even in people without diabetes.

3 Dec 2024

Baycrest study discovers role of thalamus in post-stroke recovery

A recent study by Baycrest reveals that an area of the brain distinct from the stroke lesion may play a significant role in causing the life-altering symptoms survivors are often left with, which can include severe challenges with speech, mobility and cognition.

3 Dec 2024

PCORI funds $156 million for new patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has approved funding awards totaling more than $156 million for new patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER), as well as research to improve methods and strengthen the science of engagement in CER.

3 Dec 2024

Bedfont® Scientific Limited Brings Cutting-Edge Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Solutions to Saudi Arabia with New Registration

With the launch of NObreath® FeNO and Gastrolyzer® devices, Bedfont® and Tebaba Medical Services are advancing breath analysis technology in the Middle East.

From NObreath 3 Dec 2024

Nursing home industry wants trump to rescind staffing mandate

Covid's rampage through the country's nursing homes killed more than 172,000 residents and spurred the biggest industry reform in decades: a mandate that homes employ a minimum number of nurses.

3 Dec 2024

Ketone metabolism redefines protein quality control in aging brains

Ketone bodies, produced by the body to provide fuel during fasting, have roles in regulating cellular processes and aging mechanisms beyond energy production. Research at the Buck Institute shows that ketone bodies can best be understood as powerful signaling metabolites affecting brain function in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

3 Dec 2024

A roadmap for improving cancer care in South Asia

A series of five papers, published today in The Lancet Oncology by a University of Pittsburgh-led international team, highlights critical public health challenges related to cancer control in the eight countries that form the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh.

3 Dec 2024

From potential to practice: A blueprint for responsible AI in healthcare

Researchers developed comprehensive AI guidelines to ensure safe, equitable, and effective integration into healthcare, with a case study highlighting ambient documentation applications.

2 Dec 2024

European leaders urged to develop action plan for rare diseases

The EESC high-level conference held in Budapest urged the new European Commission and the EU Member States to develop a comprehensive policy framework, setting common and measurable objectives to address the rare disease pathway and further increase European cooperation.

2 Dec 2024

Text message reminders fail to boost long-term medication adherence

A new study published today in JAMA reveals text message reminders for patients who delay refilling their medications didn't help improve how regularly they refilled medications over a year.

2 Dec 2024

Kennesaw State professor receives grant to study cancer treatment access in Kenya

Kennesaw State University professor Herman "Gene" Ray has received a grant from the National Cancer Institute of Kenya to understand the relationship between access to treatment and outcomes in the presence of healthcare reforms enacted in Kenya.

2 Dec 2024

CMS introduces new payment model to improve kidney transplant outcomes

A new final rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this week for a mandatory alternative payment model called the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model aimed to improve the number of life-saving kidney transplants for patients whose kidneys have failed.

2 Dec 2024

Researchers expose practices of crisis pregnancy centers across the U.S.

A new study from scientists at the University of California San Diego introduces a powerful new approach to understanding the operation of crisis pregnancy centers, non-profit organizations dedicated to an anti-abortion agenda.

2 Dec 2024

Women with premature ovarian insufficiency face higher risk of autoimmune diseases

Research reveals a significant association between premature ovarian insufficiency and autoimmune diseases, highlighting hypothyroidism as a common condition.

2 Dec 2024

Capsule sponge test revolutionizes GERD diagnosis, reduces unnecessary endoscopies

Capsule sponge testing, a minimally invasive diagnostic tool, effectively triages gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients, reducing unnecessary endoscopies by 70% and accurately identifying high-risk cases for Barrett’s esophagus and cancer in real-world clinical settings.

1 Dec 2024

Systemic barriers hold back diverse talent in academic medicine

A JAMA Network Open study reveals persistent inequities in academic medicine, where women and racial/ethnic minority physicians face significant barriers to promotions. These disparities, rooted in systemic biases, highlight the urgent need for reforms in recruitment and evaluation processes.

1 Dec 2024

Reinstating masking curbs hospital viral outbreaks, study confirms

Researchers investigate how changes in hospital policies for SARS-CoV-2 testing and masking have influenced hospital-acquired respiratory viral infections.

1 Dec 2024