Patient Care

This page includes news coverage of various aspects of patient healthcare, including new technology innovations, what is working, what is not, personalized medicine and remote and telemedicine delivery. Find specific news in the areas of Care DeliveryDigital TransformationPrecision MedicineRemote Monitoring and Telehealth.

istock-1359148358.jpg

National Quality Forum highlights key MRI safety issue on list of ‘serious reportable events’

NQF, a nonprofit organization working to improve healthcare outcomes, has singled out “patient harm associated with an MRI-related thermal injury” as an important area of concern. 

Robert Wachter MD

5 takeaways from Dr. Wachter’s ‘Giant Leap’ with AI in healthcare

Someday the computerization of medicine will be recognized as the game-changing, paradigm-shifting, everything-upending “disruptive innovation” that so many healthcare watchers and stakeholders have been waiting for. “Today,” however, “it’s often just plain disruptive.”

insurance insurer payment claim denial reimbursement prior authorization

Patients cite prior authorization as top healthcare burden, KFF finds

In a new poll, more insured adults listed receiving coverage approval for treatment and medications as the single largest burden they face when navigating the U.S. healthcare system than any other issue. KFF found that 47% experienced “denied, delayed or altered” patient care over the last two years. 

Humana

Humana and Google partner on healthcare AI ‘Agent Assist’ for improved member support

The insurer said Google’s Gemini was part of the new AI’s core development. The system will support customer service interactions by automatically summarizing calls and pulling up relevant information, without the need for manual input. The Google Cloud will be providing the necessary data security to ensure patient privacy, the companies added. 

warning safety alert recall healthcare issue

Safety update: New recommendations for managing patients with high-risk defibrillation leads

HRS has shared an updated guidance on managing Boston Scientific defibrillation leads at risk of experiencing a significant malfunction. The issue, first reported in July 2025, is believed to impact approximately 350,000 leads still being used today.

laptop and desktop computers

Hidden costs of enterprise email may top $4M per year per hospital

E-mails sent to the full workforce at hospitals and health systems are costly due to the time they take away from recipients’ other essential duties and tasks. How costly? Researchers have done the math.

Thumbnail

Nonprofit health system settles fraud lawsuit over unsafe spinal surgeries for $3.7M

The U.S. Department of Justice said MultiCare admitted in court documents to ignoring warnings from a whistleblower and staff who said a neurosurgeon was performing spinal surgeries on patients without medical need and billing the procedures to Medicare.

Cardiologists urge Congress to pass new bills focused on PAD, Medicare coverage

SCAI has shared a new call to action as an observance of American Heart Month. The group is asking Congress to pass new pieces of legislation that could improve care for PAD patients and get important medical devices in the hands of interventional cardiologists.