In this edition of Digital MD, we explore how technology is reshaping healthcare. From a McKinsey survey revealing doctors' need for tech-enabled solutions to the latest advancements in AI and remote monitoring, discover how innovation is tackling today's healthcare challenges.

Top Insights of the Week

Clinicians In The Spotlight

McKinsey survey of doctors in Germany indicates that physicians believe their main challenges could be resolved with technology-enabled solutions, innovative organization designs, and revamped processes

Among the key findings, respondents indicated staff shortages and high levels of bureaucracy prevent them from fulfilling their core responsibility of providing medical care to patients.

The solutions physicians identified as most likely to overcome these challenges are nonmedical and entail expanded use of technology-based tools. Specifically, respondents expressed interest in solutions such as electronic appointment scheduling, electronic health records, and online interactions that could reduce administrative burdens.

Inspiration Pill

Web-based program Mom's Heart Matters saves moms in rural hospital

Cardiac-related complications in pregnant and postpartum moms are the top driver of maternal mortality in Georgia.

Using Bluetooth blood pressure monitors and text reminders, Mom’s Heart Matters has over 150 patients enrolled at Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville.

The program launched originally to help new moms at the hospital with risky cardiac-related conditions but has since expanded its availability to all women in its maternity ward with additional mental health, lactation consulting, and stress management focused tracks.

Startups, Therapies and Devices

FDA Authorizes First At-Home, OTC Diagnostic Test for Syphilis

The at-home product needs only a single drop of blood to test for this sexually transmitted infection.

NowDx’s First To Know does not require a prescription. The company expects this new syphilis test will become available at retail locations and online later this year.

Google unveils Pixel Watch 3 with new health and fitness features

The tech giant unveiled new machine learning features for the Pixel Watch 3 that collect and analyze a wearer's personalized data to determine fitness training effectiveness, sleep quality, and recovery needs.

To determine if a user needs recovery time, the watch examines three biometrics: heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep. The device then provides a composite score that tells an individual how ready they are to take on a training load.

AI, Digital Tools and Partnerships

Vivid Health brings generative AI into home healthcare, hospital-at-home services

Vivid Health is launching into the at-home care market to help clinical staff more efficiently fill out required, but time-consuming, assessment forms, reduce staff burnout, and increase capacity.

By interacting with Vivid’s platform, patients and caretakers can make progress on 94% of the sections of the required Medicare Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) form before a clinical staff person comes to their home for intake.

Fair Square Medicare Unveils Generative AI Platform for Medicare Organizations

Fair Square Medicare launched a new generative AI platform called Vox. It's meant to be used by Medicare carriers and brokerages and has three main features: AI voice agents, generative AI-driven insights, and AI-powered coaching.

Caresyntax scores $180M for its AI-enabled surgery platform

Caresyntax's vendor-neutral platform collects, integrates, and analyzes data preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively using AI to provide surgeons with real-time clinical decision support to improve the patient care journey and clinical workflows.  The data collected focuses on optimizing surgical preparation for clinical teams and patients, assisting with workflow management, and analyzing post-surgical risk assessment to personalize patient care.

Wolters Kluwer reveals new digital solutions for medication education

Information services company Wolters Kluwer rolled out new digital solutions to help retail pharmacies go paperless in an online, mobile tech consumer world. 

Wolters Kluwer Health's soon-to-be-published Pharmacy Next survey found that two in five Americans do not read the medication printouts that come with their prescriptions, potentially leading to health safety issues. UpToDate digital medication education helps pharmacies address this issue by enabling them to provide medication education digitally, where appropriate.

MD Ally scores $14M for emergency medical services telehealth platform

MD Ally works with public safety systems and health insurance payors to provide virtual response options for emergency medical services. 

The company's platform allows first responders and emergency services dispatchers to connect individuals with non-emergent issues to telehealth, social services, and in-network resources in real-time. The organization will use the funds to expand its collaborations with public safety and payor partners, extend care coordination partnerships, and enhance its technology.

Remote Patient Monitoring

Researchers develop wearable, stretchable sensor for quick, continuous, and non-invasive detection of solid-state skin biomarkers

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have developed a novel sensor that enables the continuous, and real-time detection of solid-state epidermal biomarkers (SEB), a new category of health indicators.

This development is especially pertinent to areas like chronic disease management, population-wide screening, remote patient monitoring, and sports physiology.

Wearable Medical Devices Market to Witness 25.40% CAGR through 2031, Supported by Growth of Remote Patient Monitoring Services

The scaleups and the newbies are integrating improved sensors that efficiently measure a broader range of biometric data in tiny factors. This helps in the introduction of more miniaturized devices that make them more convenient and fuels their demand. Increased use of 5G networks further allows remote consultations and low latency. Most new companies are implementing blockchain for independent patient data sharing and storage and better security.

Carematix launches remote patient monitoring scale

US-based Carematix has unveiled its Cellular Weight Scale, a new remote patient monitoring (RPM) weight scale that tracks and shares patient weight measurements with healthcare professionals in real-time.

The scale is intended to help monitor weight fluctuations in patients with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity and assist healthcare professionals in developing personalized patient care plans.

A post-discharge remote patient telemedicine-monitoring service is associated with reduced risk for negative outcomes among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS)

A telemedicine-based approach for the management of patients following ACS was associated with a reduction in hospital readmission, ED visits, unplanned coronary revascularization, and patient-reported symptoms.

Report

Employer healthcare costs projected to rise 9% in 2025: Aon

Inflation, expensive specialty drugs, and demand for pricy glucagon-like peptide 1 medications, or GLP-1s, are pushing costs higher, according to the professional services company.

The average cost of employer-sponsored health plans is expected to grow 9% next year if companies don’t find ways to cut down on costs. The increase will bump plan costs per employee past $16,000 in 2025. This year, employer insurance costs grew 6.4% compared to 2023, while average expenses per employee rose to more than $14,800.

Stay tuned for more content! Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe 😃