News You Can Use – September 2023

This month’s episode of “News You Can Use” on Healthcare NOW Radio features news from the month of Sept 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 month’s show that features a review of:

This episode includes a look at Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT and their use in healthcare diagnostics. We highlight the case of ChatGPT providing valuable insights into a patient’s condition, ultimately leading to a diagnosis of tethered cord syndrome, something the many doctors that this mother and son had visited had not thought of. Although the patient’s mother, was not a medical professional, she used the AI to gather a list of potential diagnoses, leading to a successful outcome.

Even Robots Need a Wardrobe Change

With increasing usage of this tool and others like it, there are challenges and risks and we share some tips on improving the results by customizing instructions for the AI, allowing users to tailor AI responses to their specific needs. This customization can lead to more relevant and valuable information, and might even include asking the AI to “Take a chill pill”, and we look at a breakdown of where AI might be taking over activities and roles in healthcare, but looks like the role of “healthcare influencer” now needs to come with a health warning.

Listen in to hear our discussion on Drug Pricing and where it has gone mad and who you should be blaming with challenges thanks to the lack of transparency in healthcare costs. Patients often face varying prices for the same medication, and the blame for this issue seems to lie with the complex healthcare system itself, although there is plenty of blame to go around.

The Fountain of Youth or Just a Sweet Coincidence?

Lastly, we review the Epic Research published on Metformin, a diabetes medication and its potential for extending lifespan and improving various health outcomes. While more research is needed, the data suggests positive effects beyond diabetes management.

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 week 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.

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