Tag: Patient Education and Counseling

Could machines using artificial intelligence make doctors obsolete?

Artificial intelligence systems simulate human intelligence by learning, reasoning, and self correction. This technology has the potential to be more accurate than doctors at making diagnoses and performing surgical interventions, says Jörg Goldhahn, MD, MAS, deputy head of the Institute for Translational Medicine at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. It has a “near unlimited capacity” for data

Bacterial therapy tolerable, shows early promise in patients with advanced solid tumors

A phase I clinical trial investigating the use of bacterial Clostridium novyi-NT spores as an injectable monotherapy had manageable toxicities and showed early clinical efficacy in patients with treatment-refractory solid tumor malignancies, according to data presented at the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival, held Sept. 30-Oct. 3. “Even after a

Migraine can be treated without medicine, pilot study finds

By slightly changing the body’s own molecules using a small inhaler, certain migraine patients can either cut down on medication or do without it completely. This is shown by a pilot study which has been published in the scientific journal Cephalalgia. Patients who suffer from migraine with aura, which is where they experience either sensory

Immediate compression could help prevent complications after deep-vein thrombosis: Study supports use of this simple, low-cost intervention even for patients without symptoms

People with deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) can substantially cut their risk of potentially debilitating complications by starting adequate compression therapy in the first twenty-four hours of DVT therapy (known as the acute phase of treatment), suggests a study published today in the journal Blood. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, commonly

Patient beware: Researchers diagnose crowdsourced hospital ratings

Consumers can go to Google, Yelp and Facebook for crowdsourced insight about the experiences they’ll have at a hospital, but they shouldn’t expect foolproof guidance on the quality of care they will receive, according to new Indiana University research. Researchers Victoria Perez and Seth Freedman of IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs compared social

AI beats doctors at predicting heart disease deaths

A model developed using artificial intelligence (AI) is better at predicting risk of death in patients with heart disease than models designed by medical experts, a new study from the Francis Crick Institute shows. The study, published in PLOS One, adds to the growing evidence that AI could revolutionise healthcare in the UK and beyond.

Guidance for preventing C. difficile in neonatal intensive care: Infectious diseases experts synthesize research, best practices to protect vulnerable newborns

Newborns require special diagnosis and treatment considerations for an infectious diarrhea known as Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection, according to a new evidence-based white paper published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The publication is in conjunction with the release of a companion review

For women undergoing IVF, is fresh or frozen embryo transfer best? Some women benefit from a fresh embryo transfer while others benefit from delay

The world’s first baby born via in-vitro fertilization turned 40 years old this summer. Still, after four decades, IVF is a relatively new field with ongoing debate on how to get the best results for families who have placed their hopes — and often their personal savings — into fertility treatment. IVF experts disagree about

New hope for rare disorder

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by recurrent painful swellings of the skin and mucous membranes. Without treatment, patients’ quality of life is noticeably compromised: Angioedema may not only be disfiguring; in the gastrointestinal tract it may lead to severe abdominal colic ad in the upper airways it can even be fatal

Patients don’t mind if doctors sport tattoos or piercings: Visible body art has no discernible impact on perceived professionalism or competence

Patients don’t mind if their emergency care doctors sport tattoos or piercings, or both, suggests an observational study published online in Emergency Medicine Journal. Evidence of visible body art seems to have no discernible impact on what they think of their doctor’s professionalism or competence, the findings show. Previous research on patient attitudes towards doctors’

What doctors wear really does matter, study finds: Survey of more than 4,000 patients isn’t just about fashion — patient satisfaction may be affected

Physicians may want to dig a little deeper into their closets, or grab their white coats on the way out of the operating room, if they want patients to view them favorably, according to the largest-ever study of patient preferences for doctors’ attire. In fact, what medical doctors wear may matter more than most doctors

‘Why not take a risk’ attitude widespread among patients and providers: Belief could lead to unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics and spread of superbugs

“Antibiotics can’t hurt. They might even make me feel better. Why not take a risk?” You may have had similar thoughts when sick with the flu or common cold. Your doctor may think so too. A new study led by David Broniatowski, an assistant professor in the George Washington University’s department of engineering management and

Genomic medicine may one day revolutionize cardiovascular care

A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association summarizes the state-of-the-science of genomic medicine — the study of the health effects of the molecular interactions of a person’s unique genes — for studying cardiovascular traits and disorders and for therapeutic screening. “The promise of genomic medicine is to be able to use a patient’s

Study reveals gaps in follow-up care after concussion

Being discharged from a hospital trauma center after receiving treatment for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) does not necessarily mean that a patient has fully recovered. TBI can lead to long-lasting physical and cognitive symptoms, but a new study in JAMA Network Open suggests that many patients may not be receiving follow-up care. Patients in

Global healthcare access and quality improved from 2000-2016

Healthcare access and quality improved globally from 2000-2016 due in part to large gains seen in many low and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, according to the latest data from the Global Burden of Disease study published in The Lancet. Despite this, some countries saw progress slow or stall over this time.

More patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis receiving liver transplants: Medical centers willing to perform transplants without mandated six-month wait

Increasingly, liver transplant centers are changing a long-standing practice of delaying potentially life-saving liver transplantation for patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis until after they stopped drinking alcohol for six months, according to a new study scheduled for presentation at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2018. Study implications “Liver transplant for severe alcoholic hepatitis is being increasingly