In 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed the creation of a centralized physician directory. The proposal sought to address three pressing challenges facing both healthcare providers and patients within the United States healthcare system:
Fix the pervasive issue of inaccuracies and inconsistencies in provider directories. Studies have consistently revealed high error rates in directory listings, with inaccuracies ranging from incorrect contact information to
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The AI Blueprint: An Implementation Guide for Revenue Cycle Leaders
Applying artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in hospitals and health systems can be overwhelming for leaders due to AI’s complexity (it’s not one technology, but several) and rapid proliferation. This is in addition to the usual technology hurdles within healthcare that include data quality and accessibility, interoperability, and clinical validation and adoption. Finally, with any new solution, there’s the concern of return on investment: Will implementing the latest solutions pay off for my
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JAPAC Drug Development: Navigating Safety & Regulatory Requirements
The biopharmaceutical market within the Japan and Asia-Pacific (JAPAC) region has grown consistently since 2010, specifically for emerging biopharmas (EBPs). In fact, in 2018, 80% of all biopharma pipeline projects in JAPAC were EBPs, accounting for 75% of the total clinical trial volume in the region. This growth benefits contract research organizations, pharma organizations and patients alike, but several factors must be considered for drug development safety and regulatory operations in JAPAC
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Digital Health Apps Graveyard: Why 53% Fail and How to Succeed
The digital market is flooded with health apps. Over 90,000 offers were introduced to patients and healthcare providers alike in 2020 alone, with this number continuing to rise in response to mounting healthcare system pressures.
It therefore comes as little surprise to learn that 53% of all digital health apps are uninstalled within 30 days of download. People are more than happy to trial them but fail to achieve continued adherence, oftentimes because the app hasn’t provided them with
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Establishing Effective Payer Benefits Strategies for Health Equity
Health equity helps ensure all individuals have equal access to healthcare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health equity means everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.
To address the benefit needs of underrepresented population groups, payers can develop “more equitable approaches to healthcare benefits design that recognize and meaningfully address access and affordability concerns,” according to a
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Combatting Physical Therapy Burnout: Can Digital Health Help?
The physical therapy profession, encompassing both Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs), is navigating through a period of unprecedented challenge. Recent data highlights concerning trends - not only did the sector see the departure of 15,000 PTs, or 11% of the existing workforce, between 2021 and 2022, but there has also been a consistent 5% annual decrease in applicants to PT programs over the last three to four years. These developments signal an urgent need for
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The Rise of Culturally Competent Care: Health Equity & Technology
The United States Census Bureau released its most recent statistical findings in 2020, revealing a notable increase in the diversity of the nation’s population. In 2010, the likelihood of randomly selecting two ethnically or racially diverse individuals was 54.9%. By 2020, this had risen to 61.1%. Given these figures, it is unsurprising that healthcare providers are actively seeking solutions, particularly through existing and emerging technologies, to overcome their most significant cultural
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How Beautiful Questions and HRO Principles Enhance Patient Safety
Healthcare often seems like a volume game. How many patients can a doctor see? How long can be spent with each one? How many operations can be performed, or how quickly can beds be turned? There are very slim margins — and most decisions are data-driven. But what if there’s more to it?
If we ask the right questions that challenge current norms and combine those answers with what we learn from analytics, we can identify root causes, address practices, and adjust routines — even in small ways.
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Democratizing Healthcare: How Telehealth and AI Are Transforming Access and Affordability
Each year, the financial barriers to healthcare continue to become more pronounced in the US. For example, the health expenditure per person in the US was $12,555 in 2022, with comparable countries spending about half of that. These costs can put such strain on Americans that a 2023 poll from KFF found that one in four adults will outright skip or postpone getting healthcare, which rises to six in ten among uninsured adults.
There are other accessibility barriers to
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Heart Disease: Still the Silent Killer Despite Prevention Options
Given the attention paid to the devastating impact of COVID-19, one might assume it was the leading cause of death in the US. But while the fatalities were stark – almost 1.2 million Americans died of COVID in the last 4 years – heart disease remains the largest cause of death and by a landslide. In 2021, the year with the most COVID-19 deaths (416,893), heart disease claimed 60% more lives (695,000) in the US. Perhaps more, striking, however, is that many, if most, of these deaths, were
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