The closure of over 500 pediatric units in the U.S. from 2008 to 2022 raised concerns about pediatric care access, but Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in Kansas has reopened its pediatric unit, which closed in December 2022. Driven by local pediatricians' advocacy and increased demand for pediatric care due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 14-bed unit reopened on January 6, 2025, with support from Children's Hospital Colorado and Wesley Children's Hospital. Chief Nursing Officer Jill White noted staffing challenges during the pandemic, but hospital leadership expressed pride in the effort required to bring the unit back into operation.

Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Reopens Pediatric Unit Amid Nationwide Closures Becker's Hospital Review

In his article, Spencer Dorn, Vice Chair and Professor of Medicine at UNC, discusses the practical applications of AI in healthcare, specifically highlighting the effectiveness of natural language processing (NLP) for message classification over generative AI in drafting responses. He notes that the surge in patient portal messages during the pandemic has led to inefficiencies, particularly due to the misrouting of communications, which results in wasted time and effort. Dorn emphasizes that administrative tasks should be handled by designated team members rather than physicians, and introduces a new NLP model from Switchboard, MD, and Emory University that accurately categorizes messages to improve routing efficiency and address these communication challenges.

AI Revolutionizes Healthcare Communication with Smart Message Routing Solutions LinkedIn

At the 2025 AMA State Advocacy Summit, Tim Storey, CEO of the National Conference of State Legislatures, underscored the rising significance of artificial intelligence (AI) in policy discussions, particularly in healthcare. The American Medical Association is working with legislators to ensure that AI technologies enhance patient care while allowing physicians to participate in key decision-making. As states propose numerous AI-related bills, including over a dozen in early 2025, the focus is on transparency, non-discrimination, and regulation of clinical decision-making. Concerns were raised about the risks of automated decision-making affecting individual patient care, as several states, such as California and Colorado, have already enacted laws to promote transparency and consumer protection in AI healthcare applications.

AI Takes Center Stage in Healthcare Legislation at AMA Summit AMA

Microsoft has launched Dragon Copilot, a voice-activated AI assistant aimed at reducing administrative tasks for healthcare providers. This tool enhances the existing Dragon Medical One dictation system and DAX Copilot’s ambient listening capabilities by allowing clinicians to quickly obtain medical information and generate clinical documentation like notes and referrals. The introduction of Dragon Copilot is part of Microsoft's strategy following its acquisition of Nuance Communications in 2021, positioning the company competitively in the AI scribing market, alongside other players such as Abridge and Suki. With compatibility across mobile, browser, and desktop platforms, Dragon Copilot integrates effectively with electronic health records, enabling clinicians to utilize natural language for drafting notes and retrieving patient information efficiently.

Microsoft Launches Dragon Copilot: Revolutionizing Healthcare with Voice-Activated AI CNBC