In parallel, AI that asserts recommendations through the process models continues to learn. Each iteration becomes more sensitive and better tuned to the affected cohort. When AI models assert insights directly to a process model, they can evolve in response to new clinical research without the need to change workflows to accommodate new iterations. Knowledge backlogs can be significantly reduced and replaced by an always-evolving, always-learning health system, which may define the future of healthcare. The long-sought goal of value-based care may also become a real possibility.

Consumer ultrasound is a rapidly growing field with immense potential. Hand-held devices that utilize ultrasound technology are becoming increasingly available and affordable, allowing people to take control of their health care in new and empowering ways. Medical professionals are taking notice of the potential of consumer ultrasound. A recent study found that 41 percent of surveyed physicians believe that hand-held ultrasound will be an important part of medical care in the future. The study also found that nearly half of physicians believe that consumer ultrasound will help to improve patient safety.

Essen Health Care, a medical group in New York City, has a Center of Excellence for Pain with physical therapy, pain specialists, neurology and orthopedic specialists. It serves patients with acute and chronic issues in need of physical therapy. In addition, it serves many elderly house call patients, due to pandemic restrictions, who have functionally deteriorated due to a lack of physical activity. Continuity and access to care for patients living with chronic diseases or going through cardiac and orthopedic rehabilitation are one of the most challenging areas in healthcare. Difficulties include ensuring the quality of recovery, reducing readmission, increasing accessibility to therapy and increasing compliance with personalized treatment.

Health care information technology company Netsmart has purchased Remarkable Health, a Chandler, Arizona-based provider of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and software solutions for organizations focused on behavioral health and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Terms of deal, which was announced Thursday, were not disclosed. Remarkable Health's products include CT One -- a management platform for behavioral health claims and records -- and Bells, a notetaking documentation solution for behavioral health clinical staff. Remarkable Health's products will complement that of Netsmart's CareFabric platform, an operating system that includes resources such as electronic health records and management tools, and which are utilized by providers like those in behavioral health, addiction treatment and autism care. Remarkable Health claims that the Bells platform helps reduce time spent on clinical documentation by over 50%, enabling organizations to serve six more clients per month.

Machine learning is a form of artificial intelligence that uses algorithms and statistical models to detect patterns in data and make predictions based on …

The healthcare sector must become more proficient in deploying automation and enablement technologies as the industry faces an increasingly demanding user base and moves toward a value-based care strategy, according to analyst firm EY's latest health report. WHY IT MATTERS The report highlights the connections healthcare players need to move the industry forward in the face of digitization, and explores how redefining value in healthcare is leading to new ways of delivering care. For consumers and physicians, healthcare systems lag in introducing digital health technologies, and the report notes the major challenge for health systems around the world is how to unlock the power of digital health technologies as an enabler of real system change. In addition to a "digital backbone" that will eventually transform the patient's end-to-end consumer experience, digital tools will also start to move the location of more care into the user's home. The report also pointed out upcoming 5G network capabilities will help power the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and connectivity requirements needed to provide at-home care services and more sophisticated mobile and telehealth technologies.

One of the biggest problems health plans face is dirty data, says Jordan Bazinsky, executive vice president and administrative officer at Atlanta-based Cotiviti. The healthcare solutions and analytics company reports having "several hundred" health insurance companies among its clientele, including 24 of the top 25 plans, he says. "Dirty data is one of the key problems that blocks health plans from finding insights from data," Bazinsky says. "You might be able to push data real-time, but if you can't trust the underlying kernel of data--all the other things can't be trusted." According to Bazinsky, Cotiviti uses data analytics to help payers achieve financial health through payment accuracy that is appropriate to the care delivered.

"Social determinants of health" is one of the hot buzz-phrases in healthcare these days, and for good reason. SDOH refers to outside factors that may impact a patient's health, such as employment status and access to education, and providers can improve efficiency and curb costs by addressing these factors. Technology is often utilized to do so effectively -- and lately that means artificial intelligence and machine learning. Automation, and technology that learns as it goes, is one way providers can make sense of the glut of SDOH data, and make informed decisions based on it. That doesn't mean it's too early to jump onboard.

As the industry continues to shift into value-based care, many organizations are leveraging new technology to support care delivery. But new technology requires a change in how care is provided, which should begin in medical school and continue throughout a clinician's career. "Outcomes and staff retention are driven, in part, by providing access to lifelong learning to advance skills and knowledge," said Cathy Wolfe, Wolters Kluwer health learning, research and practice CEO and president. "Advanced technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence and virtual simulation are transforming adaptive learning models in ways that optimize learning and improve knowledge retention," she added. As a result, many healthcare organizations are investing in staff development to support evidence-based care, which can improve outcomes, reduce care variability and help with high reimbursements, Wolfe explained.

While many hospitals and medical groups are exploring artificial and machine learning, Hill Physicians Medical Group in San Ramon, California, has already reaped noteworthy results using the technologies to advance value-based care work. "The efficiencies we've gained have allowed us to increase the number of charts collected by more than 200 percent," said Jennifer Pereur, director of government programs at Hill Physicians Medical Group. "We've increased the frequency of reading our EHR charts to twice yearly. And, we've completely removed the chart collection burden for many of our primary care and specialty practices." Hill Physicians has 4,000 contracted physicians and provides care to more than 400,000 members across commercial HMO, Medicare Advantage, Next Generation ACO, Medi-Cal and PPO lines of business.