The leading digital health narrative emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic has been the rise of telehealth and live video consultations as a reliable modality for delivering care. In many ways, it was a case of preparation meeting opportunity – years of pilot programs, platform refinements, public funding projects and a number of very well established players all ready to adapt and expand when...
Fall has arrived, and with it comes the annual migration of millions of young adults leaving their homes for the promises of higher learning. For a substantial portion of these students, the trek means a transition from their family’s usual healthcare provider to their campus’s health services or other nearby sources for care — a gap that telehealth vendors are eager to fill.
“These students are...
Healthcare is improving with each passing year, allowing more aging patients to enjoy longer and healthier lives. Unlike in years past, though, this population isn’t necessarily limited to years of hospitals and assisted living homes. Driven by a desire for lower costs and increased independence, a broad range of new technologies are aiming to keep aging loved ones healthy in the comfort of their...
Telemedicine continues to move from the peripheries of healthcare into the mainstream. Earlier this week, a national review of 145 telemedicine studies conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality concluded that the technology likely improves access to care and has clinical benefits in acute and chronic care. This report also found less robust evidence that telemedicine in these...
Although it hasn’t yet established its place as a mainstream treatment modality, virtual reality has grown from an interesting diversion into a frequent topic of conversation within digital health. As researchers continue to dig their teeth into the immersive technology, it’s becoming clear that this new tool, often associated with video gaming and entertainment, could play a role in addressing...
Forty mph winds pelted cold rain against the runners as they approached the Boston Marathon’s infamous Heartbreak Hill. It was just before this mark that runner Courtney Duckworth’s eyesight started to blur. She couldn’t tell if her senses were warped from the terrible weather conditions or if it was something more serious. Living with Type 1 diabetes, she is used to keeping track of her health...
As the calendar turns to February, the beleaguered US healthcare system continues to battle an influenza season considered by Centers for Disease Control and Surveillance officials to be among the worst of this decade.
According to the public health agency’s most recent numbers, which include all cases of the disease reported to the CDC by January 20, this year’s flu season has seen a total of 11...
With billions of dollars and countless hours of human effort spent each year validating new drugs, devices, and medical interventions, it’s little surprise that the healthcare industry is turning to technology to streamline the process. From participant recruitment to data collection to adherence, clinical trials are rife with logistical challenges similar to those already being addressed by...
Last week, rumors circulated that WebMD was getting acquired, shopping its business around to Walgreens Boots Alliance and UnitedHealthcare. The company later denied that it was negotiating the sale of any parts of its business.
But why did the sale rumor have legs? How is WebMD, one of the first online health destination sites, faring as digital health trends up?
To answer that question,...
