Literature Review

Making AI actionable in healthcare – a high-level guide Becker's Hospital Review; by Calum Yacoubian, MD, Director Healthcare AI Strategy, IQVIA; 5/14/24 Never has there been more interest and excitement around the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The advent of Generative AI and LLMs, popularized by OpenAI with ChatGPT, has opened many people’s eyes to what might be possible. Yet, the translation of this promise to patient impact is only in its infancy, and while it is a path with huge potential, as healthcare professionals, we must tread carefully and responsibly. In this article, we discuss the importance of the ecosystem in which healthcare AI must exist, to be successful. That ecosystem is made up of people, process, and technology.

Upskilling and retraining for talent innovation in the AI ​​era Tech Trends Post; 5/13/24 According to a report from the IBM Institute for Business Value, more than 60% of executives say generative AI will disrupt the way their organizations design customer and employee experiences. Employees must change to meet these demands. Many are turning to AI upskilling – the act of providing the workforce with the skills and training to use AI to do their jobs. ... A 2024 Gallup poll found that about 25% of workers worry that their jobs could become obsolete due to AI. ... [This article outlines the following:]

Have EHRs been good for healthcare? Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 5/3/24 Fifteen years after meaningful use incentives propelled the shift to EHRs, health system leaders told Becker's that digitizing medical records has been a net positive for the industry — with some caveats. "Regardless of your position, there is no doubt that EHRs have changed the face of healthcare," said Sandra Hales, associate vice president for IT clinical applications at Phoenix-based Banner Health. "Patients now have timely access to records and data that is simplified for understanding, and there's a level of inclusivity and responsibility for patients to engage in their own care."

Best Buy lands new health system partnerBecker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 5/10/24The tech retailer said it joined forces with Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke's University Health Network in the first quarter. The health system will use Best Buy's Current Health remote monitoring platform to treat post-discharge congestive heart failure patients. "We talk a lot about our big goal to enable care at home for everyone, and we're intentional about our role as the enabler," Best Buy Health said in a May 9 statement. "Partnering with providers, health plans and biopharma organizations is at the core of our strategy." Best Buy has been leaning into healthcare in recent years, acquiring Current Health in 2021 for $400 million and sending Geek Squad members into patients' homes to set up hospital-at-home technology.

4 ways to mitigate breaches and security crises in healthcare Health IT Answers; by Matt Betts and Carlos Estrada; 5/7/24 ... In this age of ransomware attacks and data breaches, organizations are turning to the experts in change management: healthcare services partners that have relevant experience with volatile contact volumes and strategies to best support these consumers. When evaluating a solutions partner, focus on these four areas to adequately assess a competitive edge:

What Walmart’s exit means for the future of telehealthModern Helathcare; Brock E.W. Turner; 5/3/24 There is a dark cloud hovering over virtual care as big companies have struggled to launch telehealth-centric businesses. Retail giant Walmart announced Tuesday it was closing all of its clinics and shuttering its virtual care platform. The decision impacted 51 clinics across five states and represents a sharp reversal of a five-year strategy. ... Here is what five telehealth executives and investors had to say about recent challenges in virtual care. ...

CIOs' top 15 priorities over next 3 years Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 5/1/24 CIOs' top priority over the next one to three years will be driving business innovation, according to a recent CIO survey. That differs from their current No. 1 focus, which is cybersecurity, per an April CIO story. Here are the activities CIOs plan to spend more time on in the next one to three years, according to the 2024 survey of 1,126 IT leaders: ... [click on the title's link for the list]. 

FTC makes changes to healthcare breach reporting Becker's Health IT; by Naomi Diza; 4/26/24... The changes clarify the rule's scope regarding health apps and similar technologies while expanding the information covered entities must provide to consumers in the event of a breach of their health data, according to an April 26 FTC news release. Under the new rule, vendors of personal health records and related entities not governed by HIPAA are mandated to notify individuals, the FTC and, when applicable, the media, in case of a breach of unsecured personally identifiable health data. [Click on the title's link for more revisions to the rule.]

Nurses have reservations about use of AI on the job: survey McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 4/29/24More than half of the nurses responding to a new survey by Cross Country Healthcare said they have reservations about the potential benefits of artificial intelligence in the nursing field. The online survey of 1,127 nursing professionals and students at hospitals and other healthcare facilities was conducted Jan. 18 to March 11. Respondents who said they are uncomfortable using AI expressed concerns about the potential absence of empathy and diminished patient connection. Those who said that they are comfortable with using AI on the job expressed a belief that the technology enhances efficiency, documentation, data analysis and research, upskilling opportunities and automated monitoring systems.

FTC finalizes changes to data privacy rule to step up scrutiny of digital health apps Fierce Healthcare; by Heather Landi; 4/26/24 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized a rule Friday that aims to tighten the reins on digital health apps sharing consumers' sensitive medical data with tech companies. The agency issued a final version of its revised Health Breach Notification Rule to underscore the rule’s applicability to health apps in a bid to protect consumers' data privacy and provide more transparency about how companies collect their health information.

Optum shutting down telehealth business Becker's Health IT; by Jakob Emerson; 4/25/24UnitedHealth Group's Optum Virtual Care is shutting down, Endpoints News reported April 24. News of the closure of the company's telehealth business came shortly after Optum employees took to social media beginning April 18 regarding a reduction in force they say occurred across the organization. 

Generative AI is supposed to save doctors from burnout. New data show it needs more trainingSTAT+; by Casey Ross; 4/25/24After stratospheric levels of hype, early evidence may be bringing generative artificial intelligence down to Earth. A series of recent research papers by academic hospitals has revealed significant limitations of large language models (LLMs) in medical settings, undercutting common industry talking points that they will save time and money, and soon liberate clinicians from the drudgery of documentation.

Nurses protest AI at Kaiser Permanente Becker's Health IT, by Giles Bruce; 4/22/24 Hundreds of nurses gathered April 22 to protest the use of artificial intelligence at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente. The California Nurses Association held the demonstration at Kaiser Permanente's San Francisco Medical Center to coincide with the beginning of KP International's Integrated Care Experience conference. "It is deeply troubling to see Kaiser promote itself as a leader in AI in healthcare, when we know their use of these technologies comes at the expense of patient care, all in service of boosting profits," said Michelle Gutierrez Vo, BSN, RN, a president of the California Nursing Association and registered nurse at Kaiser Permanente Fremont (Calif.) Medical Center, in a statement. ...