Latest news with #healthcareInnovation
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Hedge Funds Are Investing In Employee Wellness To Enable Peak Performance
A focus on employee wellness contributes to a deeper sense of trust, empathy and loyalty amongst the ... More workforce. Top-tier hedge fund Citadel announced last week that it will be hiring its first ever Chief Medical Officer. The role will be filled by Dr. David Stark, a Harvard trained pediatric neurologist. Per Citadel, the hire comes at a time when Ken Griffen, founder of the firm, is pushing for higher performance from employees. Per Sjoerd Geharing, the firm's chief people officer, Dr. Stark 'will be responsible for driving innovation in employee benefits and wellness to further enhance the employee experience and support peak performance of our colleagues.' The firm already provides some degree of on-site medical services enabled by third-party healthcare providers; the new role will aim to optimize healthcare benefits, concierge care and health plans. The industry overall has been increasing these kind of offerings in recent years amidst the significant competition for top talent. Many firms employ a wide range of roles specifically dedicated to employee wellness, including personal trainers, performance coaches and even chefs. Especially given the heavy workloads and high performance environments required of jobs in the industry, these roles aim to alleviate the day-to-day pressures for employees. Dr. Stark is no stranger to high finance or this type of work; prior to this role, he was chief medical officer and the global head of benefits for Morgan Stanley, helping redesign the firm's approach to employee health plans. Interestingly, this concept is not unique to high finance. Technology companies have been known to follow a similar model for decades, both as a means to ensure employee wellness and performance but also to inculcate a sense of unique culture and camaraderie. For example, Meta is famous for its wellness perks, including an on-site clinic for employees, a barbershop, spa, free meals and onsite fitness facilities. Google similarly offers numerous benefits geared towards employee wellness and success, including cafeterias with free meals, game and activity rooms, child care centers and generous healthcare benefits, such as significantly subsidized fertility assistance. The whole trend has even been popularized in pop-culture; the tv show Billions portrays the work of a psychiatrist at a high-capital hedge fund and the nuances of the industry. The science behind this is also sound. Former U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral (VADM) Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, published a powerful research study in Public Health Reports in 2020, entitled 'The Value of Worker Well-being.' In it, Dr. Adams explains that 'employees who are in good physical, mental, and emotional health are more likely to deliver optimal performance in the workplace than employees who are not.' Additionally, a piece by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) explains how healthy employees tend to stay with companies longer, indicating that 'organizations with highly effective wellness programs report significantly lower voluntary attrition than do those whose programs have low effectiveness (9% vs. 15%).' Furthermore, parallel to these efforts being the means to improve performance and profitability, many of these initiatives are important incentives for employees to maintain a sense of normalcy and zeal for their careers. A sense of culture and loyalty is fostered as the employer-employee relationship is one of give and take; people ultimately care about companies that care about them. The HBR piece poignantly highlights this exact sentiment: 'The inherent nature of workplace wellness—a partnership between employee and employer—requires trust. Because personal health is such an intimate issue, investment in wellness can, when executed appropriately, create deep bonds.'
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Putting Patients First: New Campaign Champions Safer, Smarter Healthcare
NEW YORK, June 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As innovation accelerates across healthcare, one issue remains at the heart of quality care: patient safety. This week, a national awareness campaign launches to empower hospitals, clinicians, and patients with the tools and strategies needed to reduce medical errors, improve health outcomes, and build a culture of safety in healthcare systems across the country. Mediaplanet's 'Patient Safety' campaign focuses on equipping hospital administrators and care teams with forward-thinking solutions to prevent harm and protect patients—especially as the industry enters a new era defined by data, artificial intelligence, and empowered care decisions. At the forefront of the conversation is Dr. Peter Pronovost, Chief Quality and Clinical Transformation Officer at University Hospitals, who, alongside Dr. Jim Weinstein, Vice President at Microsoft Research, share how artificial intelligence and human agency are reshaping the care experience from both the provider and patient perspective. "The future of healthcare lies in seamlessly integrating both AI and agency," they write. "The goal is to be a system that is more efficient, equitable, transparent, and patient-centered." The campaign also explores how AI is helping reduce diagnostic errors, predict outcomes, and deliver real-time quality metrics—tools that can help democratize excellence in care and close gaps in access and safety. But as Pronovost and Weinstein emphasize, technology is only half the solution. Real transformation happens when providers and patients alike are equipped to make confident, informed decisions that improve lives. The print component of "Patient Safety" is distributed in today's edition of USA Today. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy, and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, visit: This campaign was made possible with the support of the National Academy of Medicine , Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation , The Joint Commission , Dr. Peter Pronovost & Dr. Jim Weinstein , American Hospital Association , Emergency Nurses Association , Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Center for Patient Safety , American Patient Rights Association , The Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) and features paid content from Teladoc, Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Medtronic, Cytovale, Axon and the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mediaplanet Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Medscape
26-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
NHS England Approves New Cloud-Based GP IT System
NHS England has approved the first of a new generation of electronic patient record systems for GP practices. Developed by Medicus Health, the cloud-based technology can support the integration of primary care with other settings. Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS national director of primary care and community services, described the move as 'the first shake-up of the GP IT market we have seen in a quarter of a century'. An Integrated Clinical Platform The system supplier is the first to be fully assured through NHS England's Tech Innovation Framework. This is part of the Digital Services for Integrated Care suite of frameworks, designed to introduce "a new set of assured products that are public cloud hosted, browser-based, and built around open APIs" [application programming interfaces]. The framework supports system suppliers to deliver innovative clinical products into the GP marketplace. At a minimum these must deliver the six core functions of an electronic health record, which are: Patient information maintenance Appointments management Recording consultations Prescribing Referral management Resource management There are currently four suppliers on the framework: Medicus, Optum, private network Check Up Health, and from Oxford Health. More core GP IT systems that meet the framework's standards are expected to become available by April 2026, offering a wider choice for practices. Increased competition in the sector would help boost productivity and reduce the amount of time staff spent dealing with administrative tasks, NHS England said. Until recently, GP practices in England have largely had a choice of just two suppliers of IT systems to manage patient care. According to Medicus, its system offers 'a fully integrated front door experience whilst reducing admin and system switching'. It can integrate with 24 national NHS services and is the first IT system to implement five new national open standards for information exchange, including for electronic prescriptions and referrals. The technology can be accessed on different devices, such as laptops and tablets. Early Adoption at Wilmslow Health Centre Dr Amar Ahmed is a GP Partner at Wilmslow Health Centre, one of four early-adopter sites for the Medicus system. He said it had enabled the practice to manage appointments and consultations more smoothly, communicate better as a team, and access patient records instantly. "It's the kind of efficiency that translates directly into patient care," he said. The practice has informed patients that it is migrating from its current electronic patient record system, EMIS, to Medicus, which it described as a next-generation electronic record system developed specifically for the NHS. The health centre said it hoped that the new system would help protect against "the growing trend of national GP computer meltdowns". Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Launches Two New Plating Systems in the US
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is one of the 10 Best and Cheap Stocks to Buy Now. On June 19, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) announced the launch of two new plating systems in the United States under its VOLT platform, called Distal Radius and Proximal Humerus 3.5 Plating Systems. The systems are designed to treat the two most commonly fractured bones, which are the distal radius near the wrist and the proximal humerus near the shoulder. These injuries are common in people above 65 years old. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) designed these systems in collaboration with the Hand Expert Group from the AO Technical Commission. The new plate has a new shape that sits more distally on the bone fragments and has a less prominent profile to reduce soft tissue irritation, thereby improving the overall comfort and healing process. A smiling baby with an array of baby care products in the foreground. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) highlighted that the systems fill in a critical gap in the current treatment of fractures. The systems are now readily available across the United States. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is an international global healthcare company. The company operates through two segments including innovative medicine and MedTech. While we acknowledge the potential of JNJ as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
40 artificial intelligence programs underway at Fraser Health, but executives are mum
In this still from a YouTube video, Sheazin Premji, bottom right, the executive director of Fraser Health's Centre for Advanced Analytics, Data Science and Innovation (CAADSI), speaks on a panel hosted by Simon Fraser University's Digital Innovation and Leadership program. Fraser Health is aggressively pursuing artificial intelligence programs with at least 40 initiatives underway, but the health authority refuses to make any officials available to discuss whether the investments represent good value for taxpayer money or are essentially pet projects following a trend. CTV News has obtained documents Fraser Health has presented to outside stakeholders outlining their plans to harness technology with the goal of improving efficiency and services in B.C.'s most populous health authority. Despite numerous requests over two months, communications staff claimed no one was available to discuss them at any time, even weeks in advance. The health authority has publicly announced the rollout of a handful of AI-powered strategies, including predicting patient discharge dates and a system to pre-determine staffing requirements. The latter is particularly eyebrow-raising as a priority, considering the staffing needs are already well-known and numerous health officials have acknowledged they simply do not have enough personnel for the volume of patients in our rapidly growing province. In a presentation on Fraser Health's 'Digital Twin' program at Digital Health Canada last year, senior officials outlined a system with theoretical scenarios and virtual patients that recreates the health authority digitally in order to 'test and understand the impact on bottlenecks and inform decision-making before deploy(ing) in (the) real world.' This initiative and its use to the public health-care system, if any, has not been discussed with patients or taxpayers. How deep is Fraser Health in the AI space? In another presentation at Digital Health Canada, Sheazin Premji, the executive director of Fraser Health's Centre for Advanced Analytics, Data Science and Innovation (CAADSI) included a slide stating the health authority has '40+ AI solutions across three streams, in varying stages of development and deployment.' Fraser Health AI Fraser Health has more than 40 AI programs, according to this slide from a presentation by one of its leading technology officers. The same slide says Fraser Health has in-house, co-created and licensed software. Another slide lays out a future envisioning medical drones, facial recognition technology, 3D bioprinting, robot companions and portable diagnostic devices. Hospital and ICU mortality, ethnicity prediction, pediatric respiratory triaging, chatbots and patient information summarizers are current AI projects in progress, according to the presentation, with various companies providing services in addition to the in-house systems. Are these programs worth millions of tax dollars? Several health authorities in the province are adopting AI technology, and family doctors are also embracing time-saving scribes to summarize appointments and cut down on time spent doing paperwork. Fraser Health insists it's in full compliance with Canada's privacy laws and points to its 'mandatory Privacy Impact Assessments, Security Threat and Risk Assessments, AI Risk Assessments for AI solutions, and our corporate policy on Responsible use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace.' However, neither its website nor a vague written statement sent to CTV News make any mention of how the programs are evaluated for success or value for precious tax dollars. 'Is that the place where it's needed most?' asked Kim McGrail, a professor at UBC's School of Population and Public Health and Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, and scientific director of Population Data BC and Health Data Research Network Canada. She said while there have been detailed studies and analysis of programs in other provinces, we need to see more in B.C. She was unsurprised to learn CTV News had been unsuccessful in discussing artificial intelligence initiatives with Fraser Health. 'I think what you're pointing out is sort of a general lack of transparency in our health system,' said McGrail. 'There's a lot of things we don't know or understand, either about decision-making or about inputs or about outcomes, and in health care, we could know more and we could report more publicly than we do now, so AI is perhaps another example of that.' In a discussion with Simon Fraser University's Digital Innovation and Leadership program posted to YouTube, Premji told the moderators that 'we do need to look at that value, of the AI, and I think we need to do a better job on showing the (return on investment).' This is the third part in a CTV Vancouver series taking a deep dive into the use of artificial intelligence in health care. You can read part one here: Eye contact and earlier diagnosis: How AI is transforming front-line health care in B.C. And part two here: B.C.'s privacy watchdog weighs in on health AI boom – as doctors warn it's not a substitute
