News You Can Use – August 2023

This month’s episode of “News You Can Use” on Healthcare NOW Radio features news from the month of August 2023.

The show that gives you a quick insight into the latest news, twists, turns and debacles going on in healthcare with my friend and co-host Craig Joseph, MD (@CraigJoseph) Chief Medical Officer at Nordic Consulting Partners and myself, where every diagnosis comes with a side of humor. We hope you stay curious, stay engaged, and keep seeking the truth in healthcare in a world that thrives on information.

Buckle up as we dive into the ER of excitement, the ICU of irrationality, and the waiting room of wacky wisdom in this months show that features a review of:

• Blue Shield of California discontinuing CVS Health pharmacy services and opting for Mark Cuban’s cost plus drug company and Amazon for prescription services
• We take a look at the rise, but mostly fall of Babylon Health – another Theranos, perhaps not but some questionable activities
• We seek clarity in the title of Doctor and who should be allowed to use it – what are the merits of the latest lawsuit that demands another group be allowed to be called “doctor”
• A look at a couple of recent Epic research publications one on the significant advancements in cystic fibrosis treatment and the “Medicare Effect” on screening study which indicates improved screening rates for breast cancer (50% more likely) and colorectal cancer (twice as likely), which gets us to Statistics
• And the BMJ Randomized Control Study of parachute use and its effectiveness in preventing major trauma when jumping from an aircraft (at 30 days follow no differences were detected), but as you’ll hear this highlights the importance of critical analysis and not taking data at face value

We hope you enjoy our take on the latest news and developments in healthcare and want to help you keep untangling the web of information, dodging the sensational pitfalls, and emerging victorious, albeit a little dizzy, on the other side. In the end, the stories we uncover, and the discussions we ignite, all shape the narrative of our shared future. We want to hear from you especially if you have topics covered or questions you’d like answered. You can reach out directly via the contact form on my website, or send a message on LinkedIn to Craig or me.

Until next time keep solving healthcare’s mysteries before they become your emergencies.

This article was originally published on the Dr. Nick – The Incrementalist blog and is republished here with permission.

For years Dr. Nick van Terheyden aka Dr. Nick, has served as a voice on the impact of new technologies on healthcare, earning a reputation as a leading authority on where the future of medicine is going. Combining powers of observation and real world experience, Dr. Nick has seen many predictions come true and makes the case that innovations in healthcare can be accomplished incrementally, not just by moonshot events. Tune in to hear Dr. Nick: The Incrementalist and his guests discuss what the future of healthcare looks like, how we will get there, and what it will take to improve healthcare for all.

Tune in weekdays at 4:00am, 12 noon, and 8:00pm ET.

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