Team JGJ

Sep 19, 2024 London: Britain has seen the biggest rise in health-related welfare benefits among a group of similar economies, according to a report published on Thursday – underscoring the challenge which the new government faces to get people back into work. The Institute for Fiscal Studies, an independent think tank, said the number of working-age people receiving health-related benefits in England and Wales jumped by 38% in four years to 3.9 million people or 10% of the working-age population. By contrast, the figure fell or remained flat in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United States, the IFS said. Denmark, the only other countlY to see a significant rise, recorded a 13% increase. Eduin Latimer, an IFS economist and an author of the report, said the COVID pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis might have hit Britain harder than other countries due to strains on the health service and low unemployment benefits, but the exact causes of the countlY’s problems remained unclear. “Figuring out what is behind the recent rise must surely be a top priority for the government if it is going to be able to respond appropriately,” he said. Under Britain’s benefits system, a single person who is unemployed would typically receive 393.45 pounds ($520.10) a month plus housing costs, and may have to prove they are spending as much as 35 hours a week looking for work. But if they are classed as long-term sick instead, they can receive an extra 416 pounds a month and an exemption from work requirements. Last year, the government of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced incentives and sanctions to try to curb high levels of inactivity among working-age people. New Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he also wants to get more people into work but plans to do it mainly by improving the health service. The IFS said the increase in health-related welfare spending was concentrated in areas that had high numbers of claimants before the pandemic. Despite the jump, the UK’s spending on working-age health-related benefits was similar to that of other comparable countries at around 1.7% of national economic output but that could rise if recent trends continue, it said. ($1 = 0.7565 pounds) (Writing by William Schomberg; editing by David Milliken) Source: Economic Times

Sep 17, 2024 Recognizing the urgent need for a broad-based effort globally to reduce errors in medical diagnosis, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on all stakeholders to “Get it right, make it safe!” as part of the World Patient Safety Day campaign on 17 September. The theme ‘improving diagnosis for patient safety’ was selected in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders – from patients to policy-makers – to highlight how everyone has a vital role to play in reducing the risks and impact of errors in diagnosis. “The right diagnosis, at the right time, is the basis of safe and effective health care. By contrast, diagnostic errors can lead to serious harm, and even death,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Reducing this risk takes collaboration between health workers and managers, policymakers and regulators, civil society and the private sector, and importantly, patients and their families.” Each year, diagnostic errors account for an estimated 16% of preventable harm in health care, with tremendous human and economic consequences. Data suggest that most adults will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, which can result in prolonged ill health, increased health care costs, or even preventable death. Diagnostic error is when a diagnosis is delayed, incorrect, missed, or miscommunicated and can occur at any stage of a patient’s journey. Targeted interventions by policy-makers, health care leaders, health workers, medical product regulators and manufacturers, with the active engagement of patients, their families and civil society can help reduce the risk of error. Policy-makers should ensure appropriate national guidelines, protocols and regulations exist and are implemented, and necessary budget and resources are allocated. Health facility and programme managers should create safe and conducive working environments, promote continuous improvement, and ensure adequate systems, standards and processes are in place. Health facility and programme managers should also ensure that diagnostic tools and technologies are well-maintained, sharing user feedback with the manufacturer quickly to improve systems. At the individual level, patients and their families should proactively participate in the diagnostic process by sharing their symptoms and full medical history, asking questions, raising concerns and following up on test results. Health workers should actively engage their patients while integrating excellence into every stage of the diagnostic process. WHO is developing a model to support the implementation of diagnostic safety interventions. On 10- 1 2 September the WHO-convened World Patient Safety 2024 Global Consultation brought together patients, patient advocates, health workers, health care facility managers, policy-makers, diagnostic safety experts, and academic and research institutions to provide input on the implementation model. Participants also discussed the progress and challenges in implementing the Global Patient Safety Action Plan (GPSAP) 2021-2030. The GPSAP serves as an action framework for stakeholders to work towards the goal of safe and high- quality health care for all patients. The recently published Global Patient Safety Report 2024 highlighted progress made by many countries towards the GPSAP goals, but also underscored the huge scope for further improvement. The implementation model for improving diagnostic safety will be released in 2025 as one of the range of WHO tools and practical resources to help stakeholders drive progress towards the goals set in the GPSAP. Source: WHO

Sep 19, 2024 • The rate of neurodegenerative conditions is growing globally, meaning that a lot of research is into prevention of these problems. • There has been some research suggesting that a type of type 2 diabetes drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors could reduce the incidence of some neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. • Now, a large cohort study has shown use of these drugs is associated with a lower risk of developing these neurodegenerative conditions. Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease risk are lowered in people who take a type of type 2 diabetes drug, a study from South Korea has shown. Researchers from Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul showed that Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia risk, in general, were reduced by about 20% in people with type 2 diabetes who took these drugs. Published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, the study analyzed the impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on the risk of developing these diseases, when compared to other diabetes drugs. How do these diabetes drugs lower the risk of cognitive decline? Minyoung Lee MD PhD, of Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and co-author of the paper explained to Medical News Today the premise of her and her colleagues’ study. “Common pathophysiological links between type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases have been proposed, and individuals with type 2 diabetes are considered at high risk for neurodegenerative conditions,” she told “Consequently, there has been research into whether diabetes medications might offer benefits for neurodegenerative diseases, but no drug has yet shown definitive evidence.” “When I began my research, SGLT2 inhibitors had been introduced as a new treatment for diabetes. These drugs not only lower blood sugar but also increase urinary glucose excretion, which leads to reduced insulin levels and elevated ketone bodies in the body. Since ketones are known to be beneficial metabolites for the nervous system, I hypothesized that the unique pharmacological action of SGLT2 inhibitors might make them particularly beneficial in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases,” explained Lee. Steve Allder, MD, who is a consultant neurologist at Re:Cognition Health, and was not involved in this research, suggested to MNTthat “The mechanism behind the neuroprotective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors is likely multifaceted, involving cardiovascular, metabolic and cellular effects.” SGLT2 inhibitors linked to 21% lower dementia risk To investigate whether or not use of SGLT2 inhibitors impacted risk of neurodegenerative conditions, researchers analyzed data on a cohort of 358,862 participants with type 2 diabetes. Participants who had started taking SGLT2 inhibitors between 2014—2019 were matched with participants who were on other oral antidiabetes medications. All participants were over 40 years old. The analysis showed that over a follow-up period of an average of 2.06 years for people on SGLT2 inhibitors, and 3.70 years for people on different antidiabetes drugs, there was a reduction in the risk of developing all-cause dementia in the group who took SGLT2 inhibitors of 21%. In addition to this, a decrease of 20% incidence of Parkinson’s disease, as well as a 19% decrease in incidence of Alzheimer’s disease was observed in the group. Risk of vascular dementia was 31% lower. What was surprising about the study findings? Daniel Truong, MD, a neurologist, medical director of the Truong Neuroscience Institute at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, who was not involved in the research, told MNTthat: The study authors say that the results show there are potential benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes taking SGLT2 inhibitors, which is important as they are at increased risk of neurological disease. However, they point out the study is observational and requires further study to determine how long-term this reduced risk is. Lee told us: “l consider that the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on neurodegenerative disease could be closer to the concept of attenuating the degenerative process and delaying the onset of dementia, rather than the concept of preventing dementia so that it never occurs.” “At the population level, reducing the population at risk of dementia and changing social condition could be translated into ‘prevention.’ However, the meaning of prevention from the perspective of a single individual may differ from the population view, as it may imply an expectation of no incidence in their lifetime,” she cautioned. Further work was needed to elucidate the mechanism behind the observed reduction in risk, said Lee. “l am engaged in research using a mouse model of dementia associated with metabolic disorders to explore how SGLT2 inhibitors positively affect neurodegenerative diseases,” she noted. “Previous studies have assessed the drug’s potential using a nationwide database from a broader perspective; however, my current work is dedicated to mechanistic studies that aim to elucidate these effects,” Lee told MNT. Source: Medical News Today

Sep 24, 2024 • Migraine attacks can be painful to experience, and many medications are available to help with treatment. • One systematic review and network meta-analysis found that certain triptans may be more effective treatment options than more recently available migraine medications. • Findings from this review may be helpful in guiding migraine treatment recommendations. Finding the right medication to help with migraine attacks can make all the difference in symptom relief. Experts are interested in finding the best medication choices and comparing them. A systematic review and network meta-analysis published in The BMJO compared the options for oral monotherapy treatment of migraine attacks, looking at data from 137 randomized controlled trials and almost 90,000 individuals. Overall, eletriptan was the most effective at eliminating pain after 2 hours, and one of the most helpful in achieving sustained freedom from pain. The evidence also suggested that certain triptan medications were more effective than more recent migraine drugs like lasmiditan and ubrogepant. Most triptans better for pain relief than newer migraine drugs Migraine attacks involve, among other symptoms, painful headaches that can last for days. Medications can be a common option for symptom relief. One type of medication used to treat acute migraine is uptans , which ultimately helps constrict blood vessels and block pain signals to improve migraine symptoms. In this review, researchers wanted to compare oral monotherapy options for migraines. They looked for studies from several sources, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. They included double-blind, randomized controlled trials that compared by-mouth medications to a placebo or other treatment. The trials included individuals who were at least 18 years old and had a diagnosis of migraine. Researchers focused on freedom from pain 2 hours after taking medication and 2—24 hours after taking medication. They included 137 randomized controlled trials and looked at the effects of 17 medications. Among participants, 62,682 received drug-based treatments, while 26,763 received a placebo. All medications were superior to the placebo. When comparing the drug interventions, researchers found that at the 2-hour mark, eletriptan was more effective than almost “all of the other active interventions” in achieving freedom from pain and in terms of participants using rescue drugs. At the 2-hour mark, the next most effective medications were rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan. When looking at sustained freedom from pain, researchers found that eletriptan and ibuprofen were the most effective. Researchers concluded that eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan were more effective than lasmiditan, rimegepant, and ubrogepant, which are more recently developed migraine treatment medications. Study author Andrea Cipriani, MD, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, noted the following highlights of the research to Medical News Today. Source: Medical News Today

Sep 13, 2024 Lucknow: Seven out of ten patients requiring critical care or ventilator support were found to be antibiotic- resistant. The information was provided by experts on the eve of World Sepsis Day at King George’s Medical University (KGMU). The event took place at the department of pulmonary and critical care medicine. ProfVed Prakash, who addressed the gathering, talked about the serious consequences of antibiotic misuse. He stated, “Patients coming to KGMU are often antibiotic-resistant due to prior treatments in private medical setups. It is crucial for people to be more cautious and decisive in their use of antibiotics.” He further stressed that prompt and accurate identification of sepsis is vital for successful treatment and saving lives. Prof Rajendra Prasad, former head of the respirat01Y department at KGMU, highlighted adverse drug reactions (ADR) and said, “Patients often lack knowledge about the contraindications, dosages, interactions, warnings, and precautions regarding over the counter (OTC) drugs, with a significant portion being antibiotics. This misuse leads to antibiotic resistance and harms patients.” He added, “I observe serious implications of antibiotic resistance, including skin problems, hypersensitivity, and allergies due to the overdose and indiscriminate use of commonly used pain relievers, antibiotics, and sedatives.” Experts also noted that the consumption of antibiotics, which are used to treat infections, and nimesulide for pain, often creates complications and proves hazardous. Prof Avinash Agarwal pointed out that commonly misused antibiotics include Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Augmentin, Ornidazole, Norfloxacin, Levofloxacin, Metronidazole, Ofloxacin, Amoxicillin, and Doxycycline. These should not be used without a prescription. Prof Apul Goel, head of the department of urology at KGMU, highlighted the economic impact of sepsis in India, noting that it incurs an annual cost of about Rs 1 lakh crore due to direct medical expenses, including hospitalisation and long-term care, as well as indirect costs. Source: Economic Times

Sep 10, 2024 Mumbai: In a wonying trend reflecting the increasing anxiety surrounding cancer in India, GOQii, a preventive healthcare company, has found that over 60 per cent of the Indian population fears developing cancer, transcending demographic, age, gender, and socio-economic barriers. The report, titled “Living in Fear: The Hidden Epidemic of Cancer Anxiety Among the Public,” surveyed 1,250 individuals and drew data from the company’s user base of over 5 million. It revealed that 60 per cent of respondents reported “moderate to extreme worry” about developing cancer, while 24 per cent expressed fear of death from the disease. The study also shed light on the reasons behind this pervasive fear. It noted that 56 per cent of respondents cited environmental factors like pollution and radiation as major contributors to cancer risks, while 27.6 per cent attributed their anxiety to unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking and poor diets. Alarmingly, the report highlighted that 70 per cent of respondents had not undergone any form of cancer screening in the past five years, pointing to a significant gap in proactive health management. “Cancer fear and anxiety are real, affecting millions of people across India in ways that extend beyond physical health. Many are living in constant fear,” said Vishal Gondal, Founder & CEO of GOQii. “This report is a wake-up call. We need to shift our focus to prevention, early detection, and providing people with the tools and resources to manage both their health and their anxiety.” Dr Anurag Agrawal, Head of the Koita Center for Digital Health, Dean of Biosciences and Health Research at the Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, said,”As longevity increases, particularly when accompanied by unhealthy living, the risk of cancer unfortunately rises. It is imperative that we focus on promoting preventive measures and fostering healthy habits to address this growing concern.” The report calls for a “drastic overhaul” of India’s healthcare infrastructure to prioritize early detection and ensure equitable access to cancer treatment. It emphasizes the need for urgent public health intewentions to bridge this gap, especially in underselvecl regions of India, particularly in rural areas where healthcare resources are severely limited. Source: Economic Times

Sep 18, 2024 New Delhi: A new study has revealed that consuming three cups of coffee daily could significantly lower the risk of developing multiple metabolic conditions, including diabetes and healt-related issues. The research suggests that moderate coffee consumption may reduce the risk ofthese conditions by 40 to 50 per cent. Growing Concern Over Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity As global populations age, there is an increasing number of individuals facing multiple cardiometabolic diseases—a condition known as “cardiometabolic multimorbidity.” This trend is becoming a major public health concern, prompting researchers to explore preventive measures. Study Based on UK Biobank Data The research, conducted by Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, China, analysed data from the UK Biobank. It examined caffeine intake among over 1.72 lakh individuals and compared it with data from 1.88 lakh people who consumed coffee and tea. None of the palticipants had cardiometabolic conditions at the start of the study. The findings, published in the Jotunal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, indicate that people who consumed moderate amounts of caffeine—equivalent to three cups of coffee or 200-300 milligrams daily had a significantly lower risk of developing cardiometabolic comorbidities compared to those consuming less than 100 milligrams of caffeine. Coffee and Caffeine’s Protective Effect Caffeine, present in not only coffee and tea but also chocolates, energy drinks, and snack bars, has been studied for its potential protective effects. The research highlights that while various levels of caffeine intake were inversely linked to the risk of developing multiple cardiometabolic disorders, those consuming moderate levels had the lowest risk. “Consuming three cups of coffee, or 200-300 mg caffeine, per day might help to reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity in individuals without any cardiometabolic disease,” said Chaofu Ke, lead author from the School of Public Health at Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University. Promoting Coffee as a Preventive Measure Previous studies have explored the benefits of coffee and tea for individuals with one cardiometabolic condition, but this study sheds light on the potential for coffee to prevent multiple such conditions simultaneously. Ke emphasized the significance of the findings, stating, “The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit to healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of cardiometabolic comorbidity.” This research could encourage a shift in dietary habits as populations seek ways to mitigate the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, which continue to rise with aging demographics. Source: Economic Times

Sep 13, 2024 The lack of a proper health insurance plan can be financially stressful in the event of a medical emergency. It not only gives you a financial cushion but at the same time, ensures that you and your loved ones receive the best treatment out there. If you visit a hospital that is recommended or is in the insurance provider’s network, you can avail yourself of cashless benefits as well. Individuals planning to buy a health plan will most likely come across the term Deductible. Here is evelYthing that you need to know about deductibles in health insurance plans. What is a deductible? A deductible is an out of pocket expense that the insured must contribute when they raise a claim on their policy. When the insured needs to claim their health insurance plan, and it has a deductible component, the insurance provider will only start with the settlement of claim, once the deductible is exceeded. Here is an example to better understand what a deductible is. Let us consider health insurance for parents and it has a deductible clause of Rs. 10,000. The parents of the insured undergo any medical treatment and the treatment costs Rs. 50,000. When the insured raises a claim for the policy, he or she must pay Rs. 10,000 first and then the insurer will settle the remaining amount i.e. Rs. 40,000 depending on other policy conditions. The deductibles in health insurance policies work similar to the ones in motor insurance plans. You must pay the deductible amount to the medical service provider, either the doctor or hospital and the insurance provider will pay the remaining amount. Types of Deductibles Health insurance plans have two types of deductibles: mandatcny and voluntary. 1. Mandatory Deductible: A mandatory deductible, as the name suggests, is mandated by the  insurance provider. When you raise a claim on your policy, the  insurance provider will only settle the claim once you have paid the  mandat01Y deductible or the compulsory deductible. It is a fixed  amount. 2. Voluntary Deductible: A voluntary deductible, on the other hand, is chosen by the insured. The insured can choose a deductible that they are comfortable to pay when they file for a claim. One might wonder, what is the benefit of opting for additional out of the pocket expenses. Well, deductibles help you to reduce the policy premium. Perks of Deductibles in policy It might seem countelproductive at first, to buy a health insurance plan and opt for voluntary deductibles, since the insured ends up paying both. Here are a couple of straight forward benefits of choosing deductibles. 1. Choosing a policy with a deductible will reduce the policy premium by a considerable margin. Thus, allowing you to benefit from lower premiums for your health care plan. 2. Conversely, the dip in policy premium will allow you to opt for a policy that offers higher coverage in terms of the sum insured. By choosing a volunta1Y deductible, you can now afford a policy with a higher sum insured for a similar premium, as you would have without a voluntary’ deductible. 3. Insurance providers include a deductible clause in the policy to avoid frequent or unnecessa1Y claims. This is a blessing in disguise for the insured, as it helps retain the policy’s NCB, or no-claim bonus. The NCB leads to a higher sum insured over time. Sensibly choosing a volunta1Y deductible for your health insurance policy will result in higher savings and even assist you to get access to a higher sum assured. Disadvantage of Deductible Deductibles bring a strong case for themselves to the table. However, there are a couple of disadvantages of deductibles in policies. 1. Should you opt for a higher deductible amount, in a bid to lower the policy premiums, you will need to pay the amount during a claim. During emergencies and crunch situations, the higher deductible can pinch you a little. 2. Not opting for a deductible will prevent you from making any out of pocket payments during a claim. However, it will result in a higher policy premium. There is a thin line between convenience and financial burden when it comes to deductibles. Thus, choosing a deductible sensibly will make way for lower premiums and at the same time not be a burden during claims. Deductible vs Copayment While buying a new health insurance plan, quite a few policy buyers get confused between deductibles and copayments. Though both are out of pocket expenses for the insured, there is a considerable difference. Copayment or copay is the cost sharing of healthcare related expenses between the insured and the insurance company. In the policy wordings, the insurance company usually outlines the percentage of copayment for the insured. Let us consider an example. A policyholder chooses a plan with a sum insured of Rs. that has a copayment clause of 10%. In the event of a medical emergency, if he or she raises a claim for Rs. the insurance provider will not settle the entire amount. The insured must first pay 10% of the claim amount, which in this case is Rs. 50.000. The insurance provider will settle the remaining Rs. once the insured has paid the copayment amount to the medical establishment. Some insurance companies have the copayment as a certain percentage of the claim amount, while others have it as a fixed amount. Making it crucial to read the policy wording carefully. Should you opt for deductibles? In most of the cases, opting for a deductible is a more sensible option. If you are someone who is healthy and does not anticipate major treatments or regular treatments, choosing a deductible will make things easier. Not only will you save money on premiums but you can also choose a policy with a higher sum insured. It also aids with the no claims bonus, which can fulther enhance the sum insured of the policy. On the other hand, if you are someone who needs regular medical treatment, deductibles can add

Sep 24, 2024 New Delhi: A combination of ‘Siddha’ drugs can reduce anaemia among adolescent girls, according to a recent study. The results of the study conducted under the Public Health Initiative and undertaken to mainstream the use of ‘Siddha’ drugs to combat anaemia was published in the reputable Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. According to a statement from the Union Ayush minist1Y, the researchers were from Siddha institutions, including the National Institute of Siddha, Xavier Research Foundation (Tamil Nadu), and Velumailu Siddha Medical College and Hospital (Tamil Nadu). The researchers found that ABMN (Annapeticenturam, Bavana katukkay, Matulai manappaku and Nellikkay lekiyam) a combination of ‘Siddha’ climg treatment can improve haemoglobin levels as well as packed cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin in anaemic adolescent girls, it said. The study observed 2,648 girls, of whom 2,300 completed the standard 45-day programme. Reportedly, before the programme started, the researchers dewormed the participants with cuntaivarral curanam, and then a 45-day ABMN treatment was given, the statement said. The study noted that the presence of clinical features such as breathlessness, fatigue, giddiness, headache, anorexia and pallor was evaluated by the investigators before and after completion of the programme, along with haemoglobin evaluation and biochemical estimations. Following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the cut-off point for anaemia was set at 11.9 mg/dl and haemoglobin level below 8.0 mg/dl considered as ‘severe’, between 8.0 and 10.9 mg/dl as ‘moderate’ and between 11.0 and 11.9 mg/dl as ‘mild’. The study repoltecl that a laborat01Y investigation was done for haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean ccnpuscular volume, mean ccnpuscular haemoglobin, red blood corpuscles, platelets, total white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils in a randomly selected subset of 283 girls. The researchers found that ABMN significantly lowered the clinical features of anaemia such as fatigue, hair loss, headache, loss of interest and menstrual irregularities and significantly improved the level of haemoglobin and packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin in all anaemic girls. National Institute of Siddha Director Dr R Meenakumari, who was also among the senior authors of the study, said, ‘”Siddha’ medicine plays a notable role in public health initiatives of the Ministry of Ayush.” “The awareness created among adolescent girls, dieta1Y advice and preventive care provided to them and the treatment through ‘Siddha’ drugs provided therapeutic benefits to the anaemic patients. Hence, ‘Siddha’ drugs for anaemia can contribute to public health by providing cost-effective and accessible treatment in various settings.” Source: Economic Times

Sep 24, 2024 The ultimate goal of any healthcare system is to ensure that people remain healthy and thrive outside of clinical settings. In the past, fitness trackers were the best Al aspect in wellness-related equipment. However, now, they have started to enter clinical care settings. Al is increasingly assisting healthcare professionals in improving health outcomes by enabling precise, faster, and accurate diagnoses, and delivering personalized treatments—all while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety. The integration of Al into healthcare in the recent past holds enormous potential. For example, Al embedded into modalities like MRI, CT, or, X-Ray provide real-time feedback to the technicians to position the patient precisely to avoid repeat scanning. Screening, Triaging and diagnosis A number of computational Al algorithms enable reconstruction of high-quality images with scans that are done faster with low dosages thus minimizing radiation exposure for the patients. While diagnostics is central to effective care, challenges persist as a result of growth in the use of medical imaging on one hand and workforce shortages on the other, potentially leading to incorrect or delayed treatment, thereby causing harm to patients. Intelligent algorithms integrated in radiology workflow can automatically determine and deliver the right case to the most appropriate available radiologists, based on their area of expertise, availability and current workload. This leads to efficient balance of caseloads thus accelerating reading times and corresponding faster diagnosis and treatments. Higher risk cases based on abnormalities can be prioritised in the review order to ensure the most urgent cases are not missed. Al enabled solutions can lighten the cognitive burden by analyzing vast amounts of medical data, imaging, and patient histories to provide a summary for the Health Care Professional to act upon. Sophisticated computer vision machine learning models can detect patterns and anomalies that may be missed by the human eye, leading to more accurate diagnoses. Al-driven imaging tools can identify early signs of diseases such as cancer, significantly improving early detection and treatment outcomes. In the future, Al can create personalized treatment, by analyzing historical data and current patient information, suggesting care plans for patients. It can do this even by considering allergies and other nuances associated with each case. Predictive analytics play a crucial role in identifying high-risk patients, predicting adverse events and suggesting proactive interventions. This capability allows healthcare providers to address potential issues before they become critical, thereby improving patient outcomes and safety. A rapidly growing body of research has demonstrated how Al can have a wide range of useful applications in healthcare, such as the interpretation of chest X-rays, spotting cancer in mammograms, identifying brain tumors in MR images, and detecting arrhythmias in ECGs. Al has also been used to inform cancer treatment recommendations based on a patient’s genetic profile and to predict the likelihood of complications in stroke treatment. With those applications comes the promise of earlier detection of disease, more precise diagnosis, and more personalised treatment — supporting healthcare professionals and patients across the continuum of care. Discharge and post-Discharge Surveillance It is a well-established fact that recuperation of the patients can happen faster at home in the company of loved ones. Moreover, patients whose immune system is already impacted by an illness run a higher risk of contracting infections that are present in the hospital. So ideally the doctor may want to discharge the patient as fast as possible to ensure a speedy recovery and prevent exposure to pathogens at the hospitals. This could also ensure availability of beds for patients that are next-in line. However, determining the right moment to discharge a patient balancing the recovery, safety, re- admission risk and other considerations is a “tight-rope walking” exercise for the treating doctors. Here again, Al-based discharge readiness scores can aid the physicians in this discharge process both from ICU to ward and from ward to home. Surveillance of patients post discharge and risk stratification powered by Al can provide the assurance both to the doctors and patients alleviating some of the risks associated with the discharge process. As a next frontier, Al will help connect previously disconnected and disparate patient data to provide novel insights that support healthcare providers in their decision-making. In cancer care, for example, Al can help integrate information across different clinical domains such as radiology, pathology, EHR systems, and genomics — providing a clear, intuitive view of the patient’s disease state. This can assist multidisciplinary tumor boards in making timely, informed treatment decisions, to give every patient the best chance of a positive treatment outcome. In the future, the intelligent integration of data could give further insight into a patient’s prognosis, supporting selection of the best care pathway for that particular patient based on an analysis of treatment outcomes for similar patients. As another example of Al supporting precision care, Al can analyze vital signs in acute and post-acute care to help care teams identify patients at risk of deterioration, allowing for timely intervention. The future of Al in healthcare is promising, with emerging technologies and advancements poised to further reduce errors and enhance patient safety. Advanced predictive analytics, improved Al algorithms, and increased integration of Al in clinical workflows hold the potential to significantly transform healthcare delivery. As these technologies and tools evolve, the continued focus on mitigating diagnostic errors through Al will be crucial in achieving safer and more effective patient care. To make the most of Al’s impact in healthcare, it is also important to overcome existing challenges around data management, lack of interoperability and maintaining data standards. These challenges can make it difficult to compile the necessary high-quality data for training Al models, particularly if those models rely on multimodal data from different sources. To overcome these challenges, robust and interconnected platform infrastructures are needed for collecting, combining and analyzing data at scale. As healthcare becomes increasingly distributed, extending from the hospital to the home, such infrastructures need to cover the entire continuum of care to connect patient data across settings and over time. For example, adoption of