A study by Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital shows that using Butterfly Network's point-of-care ultrasound devices significantly reduces hospital stays and costs for patients with shortness of breath. The study found that more critically ill patients saw a reduction in length of stay from 39 days to 16.7 days, while lower-acuity patients saw a decrease from 6.7 days to 5.6 days, resulting in up to 50% cost savings for lower-acuity cases.

Ultrasound-guided thermal ablation, including microwave and radiofrequency ablation, is safe and effective for treating secondary hyperparathyroidism, according to a study in Radiology. The study found significant reductions in calcium, parathyroid hormone, phosphorus and alkaline phosphate levels, with 85.1% of patients achieving target hormone levels.

Medical practices are increasingly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats as they embrace digital transformation, with certain types of practices particularly targeted by ransomware. Jaime Cifuentes of PPM/Ambulatory advises offices to conduct asset-based risk analyses and continuous monitoring to identify and address vulnerabilities. Cifuentes also emphasizes the importance of employee training to combat phishing and social engineering.

AI is beginning to play a more central role in cancer detection and treatment, with models like Columbia University's General Expression Transformer predicting gene activity and Harvard Medical School's Clinical Histopathology Imaging Evaluation Foundation model detecting various tumors. While AI cannot replace trained health care professionals, it might enhance early detection and treatment development.

Dr. Brita Roy of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine highlights the importance of engaging minoritized populations to address medical mistrust, emphasizing hiring community members as clinical trial coordinators. Roy also discusses a need for the incoming presidential administration to prioritize health care equity by ensuring access to basic needs, education and health care.

Compensation and benefits strategies are evolving this year with a focus on personalized offerings and pay transparency, driven by economic pressures and labor shortages. Experts predict that flexible benefits and strategic pay models will be crucial for talent retention, while employers also face challenges from rising health care costs -- including coverage for GLP-1 drugs -- and increased accommodation requests due to return-to-office policies.

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine involving nearly 400,000 adults found that aerobic fitness is associated with reduced risk of premature death, regardless of body weight. Individuals with obesity and high fitness levels had similar mortality risks as fit people of normal weight.

Researchers found that dietary fiber can combat cancer by influencing gene expression. The study in Nature Metabolism shows that compounds produced during fiber digestion, such as propionate and butyrate, can modulate genes related to cell growth and death, processes critical in cancer prevention.

A National Sleep Foundation survey indicates that 60% of adults may experience negative effects from inadequate sleep, with 70% reporting decreased work productivity. The survey highlights challenges such as difficulty handling workloads and increased mistakes, emphasizing the importance of quality sleep as workers continue to adjust to post-pandemic work schedules.