The 2024 Front-Line Nurse Career Report by Trusted Health emphasizes the critical need for flexibility in nursing careers to address the alarming trends of nurse turnover and a declining workforce. Highlighting a significant preference among nurses for self-scheduling to foster work-life balance and mental well-being, the report also identifies a shift towards part-time work, travel opportunities, and the demand for greater control over work schedules. The study, conducted across over 500 nurses, underlines the importance of reevaluating work arrangements, such as shift lengths, and employment options to retain young nurses and combat the expected exodus of 800,000 nurses by 2027. Recommendations include the implementation of more flexible staffing models and the use of technology to facilitate better scheduling practices, aiming to make nursing a more sustainable and attractive career choice.

Flexibility is Key: Findings and Recommendations from Trusted Health’s 2024 Front-Line Nurse Career Report Trusted Health

A recent American Medical Association (AMA) survey reveals significant financial and operational disruptions among physicians due to a cyberattack on Change Healthcare reported on February 21. The attack has forced many to adopt manual and electronic workarounds for essential tasks such as claims payments, with over 77% of respondents experiencing service disruptions. The consequences have been severe: 80% reported revenue losses due to unpaid claims, and many are diverting personal funds to maintain their practices. Despite attempts to mitigate impacts, including nearly $4.7 billion in advanced payments from UnitedHealth Group, many practices are under significant financial strain, contemplating bankruptcy or acquisition. AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld emphasized the dual threat of cyberattack-related disruptions and Medicare payment cuts, predicting closures of practices and diminished patient care access.

AMA: 80% of docs have lost revenue amid disruptions from Change Healthcare cyberattack FierceHealthcare

UMass Chan Medical School and MITRE Corporation are collaborating to establish an assurance lab in Worcester, Massachusetts, for testing healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Funded by a state pledge of $555,000 and $137,000 in private sector investments, the lab will support the testing of AI-enabled solutions to ensure they are safe and reliable for healthcare applications. This initiative aims to develop a framework for evaluating these technologies, foster collaboration and workforce training in the region, and contribute to the creation of a national network of AI assurance labs. The lab's evaluation process will encourage the responsible use of AI in healthcare by assessing products' features and intended uses, with the goal of establishing emerging national standards for digital health technologies.

UMass Chan Medical School, MITRE plan to open assurance lab to test healthcare AI Fierce Healthcare

**Patient Portal Use is Growing, But Physician Billing in Medicare Hasn’t Caught Up**

A study reveals an increase in Medicare beneficiaries using patient portals for communication with physicians, yet only a small fraction (~0.05%) of these communications result in a bill for Medicare, primarily for high blood pressure or diabetes management. Despite CMS's Medicare compensation for virtual services necessitating medical decision-making over five minutes during the COVID-19 pandemic, billed e-visits have plateaued since an initial surge. The study, headed by the University of Michigan, suggests providers might be wary of billing for portal messages due to concerns over patient costs, highlighting a need for clearer guidance on billing for digital patient interactions.

**More than a Third of Americans Have Skipped a Healthcare Visit Due to Inability to Pay**

According to a Payzen report surveying over a thousand Americans who had a hospital visit or surgery in the last two years, over a third of insured Americans and 83% of uninsured individuals have forgone healthcare visits due to cost concerns. The average American can only afford up to $97 a month out-of-pocket for healthcare expenses, with significant disparities across racial groups. The most commonly skipped services include preventative visits, prescription refills, mental health care, and diagnostic testing, underscoring the pressing issue of healthcare affordability in the United States.

Patient Portal Use is Growing, But Physician Billing in Medicare Hasn’t Caught Up Managed Healthcare Executive

The 2024 Front-Line Nurse Career Report by Trusted Health emphasizes the critical need for flexibility in nursing careers to address the alarming trends of nurse turnover and a declining workforce. Highlighting a significant preference among nurses for self-scheduling to foster work-life balance and mental well-being, the report also identifies a shift towards part-time work, travel opportunities, and the demand for greater control over work schedules. The study, conducted across over 500 nurses, underlines the importance of reevaluating work arrangements, such as shift lengths, and employment options to retain young nurses and combat the expected exodus of 800,000 nurses by 2027. Recommendations include the implementation of more flexible staffing models and the use of technology to facilitate better scheduling practices, aiming to make nursing a more sustainable and attractive career choice.

Flexibility is Key: Findings and Recommendations from Trusted Health’s 2024 Front-Line Nurse Career Report Trusted Health

A recent American Medical Association (AMA) survey reveals significant financial and operational disruptions among physicians due to a cyberattack on Change Healthcare reported on February 21. The attack has forced many to adopt manual and electronic workarounds for essential tasks such as claims payments, with over 77% of respondents experiencing service disruptions. The consequences have been severe: 80% reported revenue losses due to unpaid claims, and many are diverting personal funds to maintain their practices. Despite attempts to mitigate impacts, including nearly $4.7 billion in advanced payments from UnitedHealth Group, many practices are under significant financial strain, contemplating bankruptcy or acquisition. AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld emphasized the dual threat of cyberattack-related disruptions and Medicare payment cuts, predicting closures of practices and diminished patient care access.

AMA: 80% of docs have lost revenue amid disruptions from Change Healthcare cyberattack FierceHealthcare

UMass Chan Medical School and MITRE Corporation are collaborating to establish an assurance lab in Worcester, Massachusetts, for testing healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Funded by a state pledge of $555,000 and $137,000 in private sector investments, the lab will support the testing of AI-enabled solutions to ensure they are safe and reliable for healthcare applications. This initiative aims to develop a framework for evaluating these technologies, foster collaboration and workforce training in the region, and contribute to the creation of a national network of AI assurance labs. The lab's evaluation process will encourage the responsible use of AI in healthcare by assessing products' features and intended uses, with the goal of establishing emerging national standards for digital health technologies.

UMass Chan Medical School, MITRE plan to open assurance lab to test healthcare AI Fierce Healthcare

**Patient Portal Use is Growing, But Physician Billing in Medicare Hasn’t Caught Up**

A study reveals an increase in Medicare beneficiaries using patient portals for communication with physicians, yet only a small fraction (~0.05%) of these communications result in a bill for Medicare, primarily for high blood pressure or diabetes management. Despite CMS's Medicare compensation for virtual services necessitating medical decision-making over five minutes during the COVID-19 pandemic, billed e-visits have plateaued since an initial surge. The study, headed by the University of Michigan, suggests providers might be wary of billing for portal messages due to concerns over patient costs, highlighting a need for clearer guidance on billing for digital patient interactions.

**More than a Third of Americans Have Skipped a Healthcare Visit Due to Inability to Pay**

According to a Payzen report surveying over a thousand Americans who had a hospital visit or surgery in the last two years, over a third of insured Americans and 83% of uninsured individuals have forgone healthcare visits due to cost concerns. The average American can only afford up to $97 a month out-of-pocket for healthcare expenses, with significant disparities across racial groups. The most commonly skipped services include preventative visits, prescription refills, mental health care, and diagnostic testing, underscoring the pressing issue of healthcare affordability in the United States.

Patient Portal Use is Growing, But Physician Billing in Medicare Hasn’t Caught Up Managed Healthcare Executive