Study: 15% of US children get vaccines at wrong age | PHTI task force evaluates AI for health care delivery | For small providers, HIPAA security updates pose challenge
A study in Pediatrics shows that 15.4% of US children received at least one vaccine dose outside the recommended age over a 10-year period, with rotavirus vaccines most frequently involved. The study, which analyzed data from the 2011-2020 National Immunization Survey-Child, found that children with multiple health care providers or who moved between states were more likely to receive invalid doses.
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The Peterson Health Technology Institute has formed a task force to evaluate AI technologies for health care delivery, focusing on ambient scribes and revenue cycle management tools. The task force, which has been in operation for six months, includes executives from a dozen health systems, such as UC San Diego Health and Intermountain Health. A report on AI-powered ambient scribes and revenue cycle management tools is expected this quarter.
HHS has proposed significant updates to HIPAA to enhance cybersecurity, eliminating the distinction between "required" and "addressable" rules and mandating protocols such as two-factor authentication and data encryption. The changes aim to standardize security measures across health care providers, but smaller providers might struggle with compliance costs and operational challenges, experts say.
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and Howard University Cancer Center have renewed their partnership to address cancer health disparities among underserved populations in the Washington, D.C., area. The Howard-Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Alliance in Cancer Research, Education and Equity will receive $13.5 million over five years from the National Cancer Institute to support initiatives including clinical trial enrollment and training for young investigators from diverse backgrounds.
De-identified patient data is crucial for medical research and improving patient care, as it allows health care organizations to share information without violating HIPAA. However, the risk of re-identification remains a concern, especially with the advent of AI and connected devices. Health care stakeholders can use privacy-enhancing technologies to mitigate these risks.
Stanford researchers have developed an AI algorithm that identifies subtypes of type 2 diabetes using data from glucose monitors. The algorithm predicts metabolic subtypes such as insulin resistance and beta-cell deficiency with about 90% accuracy, potentially improving personalized treatment and making health care more accessible.
Research by Paul Jensen of the University of Michigan explored the potential of AI tools, like large language models, to synthesize studies on microorganisms, but a preprint in bioRxiv revealed that 10 bacterial species account for half of all scientific publications, while nearly 75% of named bacteria have no dedicated papers. The understudied status of microbes as they pertain to human health, especially, leaves AI with little to analyze, Jensen says.
A study using United Network for Organ Sharing data shows that pediatric liver transplant centers with higher variability in immunosuppression practices have increased one-year rejection rates. The research, published in Pediatric Transplantation, found no difference in short-term graft and patient survival, highlighting the need for standardized immunosuppression to improve outcomes.
A study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that more than 15 million people in the US were diagnosed with autoimmune diseases from 2011 to 2022, with women nearly twice as likely to be affected as men. The research, using electronic health records from six health care systems, highlights rheumatoid arthritis as the most prevalent condition.
A study in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis significantly reduces rates of chlamydia and syphilis among people with HIV, with chlamydia positivity dropping from 9.6% to 2% and syphilis from 1.7% to 0.3%. The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Kaiser Permanente Northern California, also notes a modest decline in gonorrhea rates.
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