Systems are honing in on improving the patient experience by reducing complexity, enhancing personalizations and making patients feel valued throughout the care journey, the American Hospital Association said in a Nov. 12 article.

The American Hospital Association expressed support for the use of healthcare navigators by hospitals and health systems to help patients find, access and understand financial assistance programs designed to pay for healthcare services, according to a Nov. 11 letter to CMS. 

A recent study found that high stress levels in parents of hospitalized children were linked to perceived miscommunication from clinicians.

Gone are the days of using single or periodic glucose readings to manage diabetes.

AI-driven automation and workflow optimization to ease pressures on staff were major themes during an executive roundtable sponsored by RevSpring at Becker's 9th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference. 

Mobile technology is crucial for health systems to stay competitive, but the many choices and options to build or buy apps can make for a tricky process.

The benefits of early detection are clear: The earlier that cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance of successful treatment and survival for the patient,1,2 and the more directed and efficient care delivery is for the health system. While health system leaders recognize the tremendous value of early cancer detection, many are unsure of how to launch multi-cancer early detection (MCED) testing programs, and integrate those programs into existing workflows at their organizations.

Seventy-four percent of older adults say they have little to no trust in health information generated by AI, according to a University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.

Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine, in collaboration with  students at the University of Pennsylvania, has developed a virtual reality experience aimed at reducing fear and anxiety related to patient radiation.

Patients' health behaviors can be heavily influenced by publicly available information and the level of trust they have in that information.

Technology continues to have a crucial impact on healthcare organizations, particularly in efforts to transform patient experiences and engagement.

Standard hospital gowns have long been "the bane of the patient experience," but a movement is underway to change that, according to an opinion piece in The New York Times published Oct. 21.

An estimated 25-30% of total healthcare spend in the U.S. can be traced to inefficient patient throughput, delayed access to treatment, excess length of stay, preventable readmissions and over-utilization, and unaddressed social determinants of health (SDOH).i ii The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) prioritization of health equity is converging with the rise of value-based healthcare, prompting hospitals and healthcare systems to look for new ways to drive down inefficiencies.

Critics are raising concerns about the use of generative AI to respond to patient MyChart messages, The New York Times reported Sept. 24.

Food is medicine programs are trending among U.S. hospitals, according to the American Hospital Association. 

UC Davis Health opened a special blood draw clinic for children with autism, Down syndrome and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Paramus, N.J.-based Valley Health System opened a new hospital in April after years of identifying and implementing patient-focused technology.

Data shows patients overwhelmingly want self-scheduling options when booking healthcare appointments. It’s convenient and is more in line with today’s consumer experience expectations. Self-scheduling is not only about improving patient satisfaction, however, practices also benefit. Staff turnover, staff and provider burnout, and obstacles to timely care delivery plague practices today, and advanced, automated self-scheduling tools can alleviate many of the operational pain points contributing to these challenges.

The digital age has set new standards for the capabilities at individuals' fingertips, and healthcare leaders are determining how this extends into patient experience.

Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, has opened a hospital-based school for long-term patients to stay on track with their education.