Category: Health Care

  • Study Reveals Racial Disparities in Access to Obesity-Management Medications

    Asians, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics are significantly less likely than whites to use obesity-management medications to manage their weight, new research shows. These disparities persist even when controlling for socioeconomic factors, insurance coverage and clinical need. Published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, the study is one of the few to explore…

  • Mount Sinai Researchers Devise AI Strategy to Cut Health Care Costs

    A new study conducted by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has revealed novel strategies for deploying large language models (LLMs), a form of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), in health care systems. The strategies, detailed in a paper published in npj Digital Medicine, aim to maintain cost efficiency and high performance,…

  • Study Reveals Federal Overpayment for Veterans’ Health Care in Medicare Advantage Plans

    A new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) has uncovered significant inefficiencies in federal spending on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, particularly for veterans who predominantly receive their medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The researchers discovered that approximately one in five veterans enrolled in high-veteran MA plans,…

  • Impact of Ownership Changes on Home Health Agencies: Increased Medicare Spending, Reduced Staffing Levels

    Medicare-certified home health agencies, essential for enabling older adults to age comfortably at home, are increasingly experiencing ownership transfers. This shift raises significant concerns about health care expenditure, workforce dynamics and care quality, according to new research led by UTHealth Houston. “The ownership change in health care sectors — including various forms of acquisitions by…

  • AI Breakthrough in ICU: Faster Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance and Sepsis

    Scientists have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to provide same-day assessments of antimicrobial resistance in intensive care units, revolutionizing the fight against life-threatening sepsis. Antimicrobial resistance, the ability of microorganisms to develop defenses against treatments, remains a formidable challenge for global health care. This resistance is responsible for an estimated 1.2 million deaths worldwide…

  • Revolutionary Noninvasive Malaria Test Could Transform Global Health Care

    Nearly half of the global population faces the threat of malaria, with devastating impacts on children and pregnant women. Current malaria detection methods are invasive and often not feasible for widespread use in low-income regions. However, new research led by Yale School of Public Health, published in the journal Nature Communications, introduces a groundbreaking noninvasive…

  • Expanding Access to Weight-Loss Drugs Could Save Over 40,000 Lives Annually

    Expanding access to highly effective weight-loss medications could prevent more than 40,000 deaths each year in the United States, according to a pivotal study led by researchers at Yale School of Public Health and the University of Florida. These findings underscore the urgent need to remove existing barriers that hinder access to these lifesaving treatments,…

  • AI-Driven Tools Boost Quality of Maternity Care by 69%, Study Finds

    Pregnancy care has taken a significant leap forward with the introduction of artificial intelligence and other clinical software tools. A recent study published in eClinicalMedicine reveals that the odds of receiving quality care during pregnancy increase by 69% when Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) are utilized. Researchers from esteemed institutions, including the University of Birmingham…

  • Supplemental Medicare Benefits Fall Short on Dental, Vision and Hearing Care for Low-Income Seniors

    Lower-income adults with Medicare Advantage plans struggle with high out-of-pocket costs for dental, vision and hearing services, despite these plans offering supplemental benefits, a new study led by NYU reveals. Medicare Advantage plans, which are an alternative to traditional Medicare, provide additional benefits like dental, vision and hearing coverage. These benefits, funded mainly by rebate…

  • New Digital Health Readiness Screener Aims to Enhance Telehealth Access and Equity

    Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have unveiled a pioneering screening tool designed to measure digital health readiness, a significant step toward addressing telehealth adoption barriers among diverse patient populations. Telehealth saw a massive uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic as health care systems shifted away from traditional in-person visits. While this ensured continued access to vital…