Can AI Be Trusted for Health Advice?

Hey Innovators! 👋 

Get those neurons firing - we've prepared a brain-boosting batch of healthcare advancements to explore. From scrappy startups raising big bucks to hospitals battling cyber threats, this newsletter satisfies your craving for cutting-edge insight. Join us as we dive into the developments disrupting medicine, decode complex topics into engaging stories, and highlight healthcare heroes pushing boundaries. Don't miss our coverage on Biden's battle with Big Pharma, bedside tech transformations, and whether AI merits trust. The future of healthcare awaits - let's venture forth together!

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🌐 HealthTech News

Houston Methodist Opens New Tech Hub at The Ion

Houston Methodist has expanded its innovation footprint, opening a 1,200 sq ft Tech Hub at The Ion startup incubator. This hub connects the health system to the broader innovation community, fostering collaborations beyond healthcare. Programming includes events, reverse pitch sessions, and interaction with Houston Methodist's own Center for Innovation. As EVP Michelle Stansbury says, solving future health challenges requires thinking beyond hospital walls. Embedding in an entrepreneurial hub fuels this mission. The Ion partnership aligns with Houston Methodist's commitment to inspire cross-industry innovation in the city.

Read More: Houston Innovation Map

Biden Targets High Drug Prices, Pharma Fights Back

The Biden administration released its list of 10 drugs Medicare will negotiate lower prices for, including Eliquis and Jardiance. This landmark move represents the biggest federal action yet against Big Pharma's pricing power.

Though widely supported by voters, pharma companies are outraged, with some suing on constitutional grounds. They argue negotiating will hamper innovation.

With US drug costs double its peers, Congress granted Medicare negotiation powers in the Inflation Reduction Act. This should save billions once implemented in 2026, though legal battles loom.

Learn More: Reuters

💰  Healthcare Startups

1. UnitedHealth Group announced it will acquire home health company LHC Group for $5.4 billion.

2. The FDA authorized updated COVID-19 boosters targeting the Omicron BA.4/5 subvariants. Rollout began this week.

3. Healthcare AI startup Aidoc raised $110 million, reaching unicorn status with a $1.5 billion valuation.

4. Walgreens Boots Alliance named Roz Brewer as the company's new CEO, making her the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 firm.

5. Apple unveiled a new crash detection feature for the iPhone 14 which can automatically contact emergency services after a severe car crash.

6. Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech announced positive phase 3 trial results for their RSV vaccine candidate.

7. Teladoc Health partnered with Alexa to allow voice-enabled access to virtual care through Amazon devices.

8. Insulin maker Novo Nordisk received FDA approval for its oral semaglutide diabetes pill Rybelsus.

9. Humana acquired the rest of Kindred at Home it didn't already own for $5.7 billion to expand in home health.

10. Dutch hospital system OLVG will pilot an AI chatbot from Qure.ai to triage and diagnose stroke patients.

Egyptian Healthtech Startup Sehatech Raises $850K

Egypt-based healthtech firm Sehatech recently secured $850,000 in funding from A15 and Beltone Venture Capital. Sehatech aims to modernize insurance claim management through its rule-based AI engine.

The startup expedites approvals, billing, and other tedious processes between insurers and providers. CEO Mohamed Elshabrawy says this will expand healthcare access and affordability.

Sehatech's platform enhances transparency, speeds up claims, and reduces errors. The funding will help the company grow its workforce and product innovation.

Backers say Sehatech's tech will improve efficiency and the patient experience. The startup sees a transformative role for itself in the third-party administration industry across Egypt and the region.

🕰️ Blasts from the Past: This Day in Medical History

• August 30, 2012 - The US Department of Health and Human Services finalized an omnibus rule securing patient health data, a key implementation component of HIPAA.

• August 30, 2003 - The last confirmed case of polio in the Americas occurred in Peru, a major milestone in eradicating the disease in the Western Hemisphere.

• September 1, 1951 - The first US kidney transplant was performed by Dr. Richard Lawler at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, IL.

• September 6, 1988 - The US Department of Health and Human Services announced the approval of the investigational drug AZT to treat AIDS patients.

• September 4, 1999 - The Institute of Medicine published "To Err is Human" which found up to 98,000 patients die annually from preventable medical errors. This spurred efforts to improve patient safety.

🔒 Healthcare Security

Hospitals Caught in 'AI-Fueled Cyber Arms Race'

John Riggi, AHA's cybersecurity advisor, warns of intensifying ransomware and data theft attacks on hospitals. After years of underinvestment, boards now recognize the risk. But workforce shortages and AI-powered hacking tools challenge defense. Riggi sees an "AI cyber arms race" as offenders and defenders alike leverage AI. He advocates government treat attacks as terrorism, given the risk to patient safety. Riggi urges translating cyber risk into strategic enterprise risk. With lives on the line, high-impact attacks are "threat-to-life crimes."

🤖 AI

Can AI Be Trusted for Health Advice?

Medical chatbots hold potential, but risks of bad info and bias persist. AI can hallucinate or make up replies. But with proper training on medical data, AI may one day offer customized, accurate guidance. Dystopian outcomes could happen if flawed AI is pushed by corporations and governments just to cut costs, leaving patients lacking human clinicians. For now, medical AI requires caution - but vetted, transparent models could eventually earn patient trust.

Learn More: PopSci

🌎  Innovation

Texas Children's Drives Innovation with Bedside Tech

HIMSS Davies winner Texas Children's Hospital embeds technology directly at patient bedsides to enable better coordinated, patient-centered care. This model integrates quality, safety, clinical operations, and IT. Assistant VPs Tarra Kerr and Ashok Kurian detail how aligning these key areas advances innovation and care delivery. Bringing tech platforms to point of care optimizes information sharing for more coordinated treatment. Texas Children's collaboration between departments and focus on patient experience earned its HIMSS Davies recognition.

Learn More: HIMSS TV

That’s all for this week.
The Pulse Disruption Team