Literature Review

Mass General Brigham's generative AI plans for '24Becker's Health IT, by Bruce Giles; 1/2/24Mass General Brigham plans to use generative artificial intelligence to compare patients to ones with similar profiles to help with their treatment, The Wall Street Journal reported. The health system also intends to release its first AI-powered diagnostic products as part of its new commercial AI office in the first half of 2024, according to the Dec. 29 story. ... With advancements in large language models, algorithms that scan medical images for insights used to take millions of dollars and several years to create, he told the news outlet. Now they can be built in a matter of months.

Biased AI models in healthcare may lead caregivers and clinicians astray, new study warnsMcKnights' Tech Daily News, by Aaron Dorman; 1/2/24Over the past year, studies have highlighted how artificial intelligence models in healthcare sometimes can increase bias. Now, a new study warns that clinicians could follow AI down the wrong path. When reviewing data for respiratory failure, a common problem for older adults, clinicians were 11% less accurate in their diagnoses when using a biased AI model than if they didn’t use AI at all, the study found. Disturbingly, this fact was true even when given explanations about how the AI came to a diagnostic conclusion. 

Marin hospice merges with 2 others in Bay AreaMarin Independent Journal, by Kari Brenner; 1/2/24 The Marin hospice organization By the Bay Health is merging with two other Bay Area hospices to create the largest independent not-for-profit network in Northern California. ... The other parties in the merger are Mission Hospice and Home Care in San Mateo and Hope Hospice in Dublin.

Stepping forward to enhance end-of-life careLaker Lutz News, by Mary Rathman; 1/2/23Gulfside Hospice, a leading provider of compassionate health care services, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its newest venture — a state-of-the-art Gulfside Hospice Care Center — on Dec. 8, on the future grounds of the center.

Palliative medicine helps stage IV melanoma survivor reclaim her life after treatmentAtrium Health; 1/1/24After a stage IV malignant melanoma diagnosis, brain surgery, radiation therapy and immunotherapy, Kate Crawford, 45, has reclaimed her quality of life thanks to palliative medicine at Atrium Health Levine Cancer. ...  While she has a vibrant, positive energy, the cancer treatments and disease itself led to numerous side effects and symptoms that drastically affected her quality of life. But thanks to palliative medicine at Levine Cancer, Kate says she feels more clear than she has in years. And her family says: “Kate is back.”

“What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year.” Vern McLellan

A Birmingham mother draws on personal tragedy to assist grieving familiesAlabama Reflection, by Ralph Chapoco; 1/2/24Ella Shakeel has been volunteering with Faith in Action Alabama for five years. In that time, she worked exclusively with victims of violent crime as they came to terms with not only the tragedy of losing a loved one, but also with dealing with the logistics of laying them to rest. The source of her empathy stems from the tragedy that she herself has endured.

Is healthcare ready to embrace more young nurses?Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 12/31/23In conversations about the nursing shortage, healthcare leaders often underscore the importance of building a pipeline by stirring interest among younger generations, and getting in front of high schoolers and middle schoolers. But is the industry fully ready to embrace more young nurses? ... Generally speaking, anyone under the age of 18 would not be able to secure full-time employment as a hospital nurse, but in the coming years, healthcare organizations could see a rise in the number of nurse applicants who've earned their degrees in their late teens or early 20s, particularly as they ramp up efforts to market the profession to especially young populations.

The 10 biggest Medicare Advantage stories in 2023Becker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 12/21/232023 was an eventful year for Medicare Advantage. As the program continued to grow, with enrollment surpassing 30 million in 2023, some hospitals are beginning to push back on private Medicare plans. CMS also introduced new rates and regulations in 2023 that are taking effect in 2024. Here are 10 of the biggest Medicare Advantage stories Becker's reported in 2024...

What do people dream about before they die? Doctors mention this one common detail24/7 News Agency, 12/25/23A study from 2020 confirms that patients who experienced such symptoms became stronger and mentally stronger. There was peace coming from them. The family and relatives of the dying person claimed that being aware of this information helped them go through the mourning process more smoothly. Christopher Kerr, a cardiologist and director of the Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Buffalo, as well as the author of the book “Death is Just a Dream”, is one of the first people who decided to explore the topic of dreams occurring just before death.

Social determinants of health predict outcomes in hematologic cancersHematologyAdvisor, by Jonathan Goodman, MPhil; 12/27/23A systematic review published in Blood Advances suggested that several social determinants of health (SDHs) may affect survival disparities among patients with hematological conditions. Notably, insurance status, household income, education attained, and marital status all appear to affect survival likelihood in this patient population.

Tech that will change your life in 2024Wall Street Journal, by Joanna Stern, Nicole Nguyen, and Christopher Mims; 12/29/23Generative AI will remain huge, and we’ll also see big moves with electric vehicles, Apple’s mixed-reality headset, password security and regulation around social media.

30 moves from The Joint Commission in 2023Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 12/29/23In 2023, The Joint Commission has overhauled accreditation standards, elevated health equity to a national patient safety goal, launched a new certification program and more. Below are 30 actions and updates from the accrediting body Becker's has covered since the start of the year, starting with the most recent.