Rural America faces a unique set of healthcare challenges. While 20% of Americans live in rural communities, only 10% of physicians practice in those areas, leading to shortages that drastically limit access to care. With the United States expecting to face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians over the next decade and over half of the rural physician workforce already over the age of 55, these gaps are at risk of worsening over the coming years without the proper solutions to address
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Health Equity
AI Study Challenges Fears of Racial Bias in Prostate Cancer Care
What You Should Know:
- Artera, a company developing multimodal artificial intelligence (MMAI)-based prognostic and predictive cancer tests, today announced the publication of a significant validation study in the JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics.
- The study rigorously assessed Artera's MMAI model and confirmed its ability to perform similarly across different racial subgroups using data from diverse prostate cancer clinical trials.
Addressing the Challenge of AI Racial Bias
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How Rural Providers Can Leverage Code Updates and APCM to Boost Health Equity and Sustainability
The care management code updates in the 2025 Final Physician Fee Schedule from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could have far-reaching implications for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Organizations serving underserved areas are expected to benefit from the changes, which introduce enhanced reimbursement structures that will enable them to elevate patient services and accelerate their transition to value-based care models. Among the
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The Imperative of Health Equity: Why Data and Intention Matter
As the daughter of Nigerian immigrants who are both social workers, I observed how dedicated they were to their careers of service. Following in their footsteps, I am privileged to serve patients and families as a physician, and I have also become all too familiar with the undeniable truth about the impact of health inequities on specific populations.
The health care industry has made strides in addressing health inequities – but there is plenty of work to be done.
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Medicaid & Health Equity: Addressing Disparities in Maternal and Mental Health
Recent advancements in healthcare, such as telemedicine, automation, and clinical studies, have propelled the industry forward, unleashing new possibilities for fostering better patient outcomes. While many are lucky enough to reap the rewards of new research and technology, critical communities are being left behind.
The Medicaid population, who typically benefits from progress last, still grapples with harmful biases within the healthcare system that pose extreme barriers to care. A new
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3 Ways Healthcare Can Help Solve the Biggest Health Equity Challenges for Youth Impacted by the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems
All children deserve access to quality healthcare, including those involved with the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Health equity for system-involved youth, individuals who have been impacted by the child welfare or juvenile justice systems, is critical for children to lead fulfilling lives. System-involved youth face incredible challenges that make them a uniquely vulnerable population.
Often, their health needs are complex, influenced by significant trauma, and exacerbated
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN Launches Statewide Food as Medicine Initiative to Combat Food Insecurity
What You Should Know:
- FarmboxRx, a pioneer in food-as-medicine solutions, announced a new partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST) to address food insecurity and improve health outcomes for Tennesseans.
- Through this collaboration, BCBST members will receive fresh produce and condition-specific health education delivered directly to their homes.
Tackling Food Insecurity and Health Disparities
Tennessee faces significant challenges related to food
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CMS Finalizes Medicare Payment Rule for Hospitals, Focuses on Equity, Safety, and Innovation
What You Should Know:
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the final rule for Medicare payments and policies for inpatient hospitals and long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for fiscal year (FY) 2025.
- The FY 2025 IPPS and LTCH PPS rule focuses on improving health outcomes, addressing social determinants of health, strengthening emergency preparedness, and promoting value-based care.
Increased Payments and Addressing Social Determinants of
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Responsible AI in Medicine for Underserved Populations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making a tangible difference in healthcare today. It's not about science fiction or flashy gimmicks. It’s not about deep fakes or plagiarized term papers. AI is being responsibly used to prevent medical errors, enhance clinical decision-making, expand access to care, and lower costs. While there's certainly overenthusiasm and misleading claims about AI, we can't ignore the many instances where it's making healthcare more efficient, effective, and
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Clinical Trials Must Be More Equitable, Here’s How
The Need to Address Accessibility Gaps
Clinical trials are a driving force of medical innovation. However, they are predominantly conducted in large urban hospitals that have larger staff and more resources, which puts trial participation out of reach for the majority of Americans who live outside of major city centers. Despite having as much interest as city-dwellers, these individuals often find participation in clinical trials nearly impossible due to daunting travel, logistical and
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