Precision Medicine

Also called personalized medicine, this evolving field makes use of an individual’s genes, lifestyle, environment and other factors to identify unique disease risks and guide treatment decision-making.

70% of primary care providers hope genetic testing will improve outcomes within 5 years

The potential of genetic testing for chronic disease is substantial—and these possible positives are understood by many primary care providers (PCPs). Still, many feel unprepared to deal with patients at high risk for such conditions, while others questioned their ability to interpret genetic testing results.

May 8, 2018

74% of providers see use in genetic testing—but only 14% ready to interpret results

The potential of genetic testing for chronic disease is substantial—and these possible positives are understood by many primary care providers (PCPs). Still, many feel unprepared to deal with patients at high risk for such conditions, while others questioned their ability to interpret genetic testing results.

May 8, 2018

Fitbit adds menstrual cycle tracking to smartwatch

Fitbit has announced, in addition to its app tracking steps and sleep patterns, the integration of menstrual cycle tracking into their smartwatch technology.

May 7, 2018

Researchers develop biodegradable hydrogel to print human tissue

Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have developed a flexible biodegradable hydrogel capable of printing human tissues. The team published its findings March 18 in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.

May 4, 2018

Boosting user acceptance could improve utilization of clinical decision support tools

Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) have shown potential in reducing medical errors and improving patient outcomes, but utilization remains low due to a lack of user acceptance, according to a study published April 18 in JMIR Medical Informatics.

May 3, 2018

Exercise app uses crowdsourced data to develop personalized plans

Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle have created an exercise platform that uses crowdsourcing data to create personalized workout plans that adhere to national exercise recommendations.

May 2, 2018

Researchers develop retinal prosthesis for blind patients

Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel and Linköping University in Sweden have developed a retinal prosthesis that could restore vision in blind patients, according to research published May 2 in Advanced Materials.

May 2, 2018

Massachusetts hospitals say setting patient limits for nurses will cost $1B

A report commissioned by the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association found it would cost the state’s hospitals nearly $1 billion a year to comply with a proposed ballot initiative to set limits on the number of patients a hospital can assign to a nurse per shift.

May 1, 2018