Interactive digital whiteboards that integrate with EHRs are giving patients and health care professionals at Reid Health real-time updates, discharge instructions, medication information and entertainment options, says Misti Foust-Cofield, vice president and chief nursing officer at Reid Health, which added about 250 digital whiteboards last year. Clinicians can pull up lab results to discuss with patients and speak or type notes for automatic integration into the EHR. Brigham and Women's Hospital surveyed patients with and without whiteboards in their rooms and found that those who had them felt more informed and better prepared. Geisinger Health has also been installing whiteboards.

A study in the JACC Advances found that 40% of people with type 2 diabetes have albuminuria, indicating a need for cardiovascular and renoprotective drugs. The study, involving 74,014 patients in Denmark, also highlighted that those with normoalbuminuria still face significant cardiovascular risks. Over four years, patients with albuminuria had a 28.6% risk of major cardiovascular and renal outcomes, compared with 18.7% for those without albuminuria.

A research letter published in JAMA Network Open found that increased use of hallucinogens, such as psilocybin, among people ages 16 to 64 has not led to more emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Hallucinogen-related admissions rose slightly until early 2020, then declined through 2023, even as some states and cities decriminalized psilocybin.

Older adults who have diabetes and are not obese carry a significantly higher risk of dementia than those without diabetes, according to a study presented at a Gerontological Society of America conference. The study analyzed data from more than 268,000 adults and suggested that metabolic stress from diabetes, rather than obesity, is a primary driver of cognitive decline.

Whooping cough cases are surging nationwide, particularly in California, Florida, Oregon and Texas, driven by declining vaccination rates, waning immunity and improved testing, according to health officials. Infants are at the greatest risk, and the CDC urges pregnant women to get the Tdap vaccine to protect them. Health experts say increased vaccination and awareness are needed to combat the outbreaks.

The World Health Organization has reported sharp increases in drug-resistant gonorrhea. Resistance to the two primary antibiotics, ceftriaxone rose from 0.8% to 5% and cefixime from 1.7% to 11% between 2022 and 2024. The antibiotics are the last recommended treatments for gonorrhea, but two new antibiotics have shown promise for treating the sexually transmitted infection.

Grief is difficult all year long, but it can be especially hard at the holidays. Licensed clinical social worker Sarah Light recommends strategies such as displaying treasured photos, understanding personal triggers and sharing a meal with foods the loved one enjoyed. Clinical counselor Lindsey Lanham says support, self-compassion and self-consideration are essential for healthy healing.

If the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits are not renewed, premiums for the 24 million people who rely on these subsidies could rise sharply, with estimates indicating a family of four might see monthly costs jump from $460 to $700. This increase would strain household budgets and could force individuals to forgo necessary care. The potential expiration of the tax credits could also have wider economic effects because of delayed hiring and possible layoffs, and health plans and providers may see decreased revenue.