A recent survey by Jarrard Inc. highlights key factors influencing healthcare consumer preferences. The findings emphasize that patients value a personal connection with their healthcare providers, defining "quality" as care that is attentive, caring, and easy to access, rather than through awards or rankings. Insurance acceptance, location convenience, and positive online reviews are crucial for choosing a provider, while recommendations from trusted sources significantly influence final decisions. Relationships with providers are essential for patient retention, even in the face of logistical changes. Virtual care is generally well-regarded but underutilized due to a lack of awareness and a preference for face-to-face interactions. Additionally, consumers are divided on digital tools, with a need for providers to balance online and phone-based scheduling methods and enhance patient education on digital options. This comprehensive insight helps Marcom leaders better position their healthcare organizations in a competitive landscape.

Survey: Five Takeaways on Healthcare Consumer Preferences Jarrard Inc.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued a policy paper with ten recommendations on using artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. Published in the *Annals of Internal Medicine*, the paper emphasizes that AI tools should augment rather than replace clinical decision-making and adhere to medical ethics. The ACP calls for transparency, data privacy, and continuous improvement based on real-world feedback. The paper also stresses the need for training at all levels of medical education and advocates for a coordinated federal AI strategy to address biases and disparities. Additionally, the environmental impact of AI should be considered, and AI developers must be held accountable for their technology's performance.

American College of Physicians Issues Policy Position Paper on AI use in Health Care dermatologyadvisor

Cybersecurity firm Cylance, now owned by BlackBerry, confirmed a data breach involving 34 million emails and other personally identifiable information, which is currently being sold on the dark web. The hacker, known as Sp1d3r, who also sold data from Advance Auto Parts, is demanding $750,000 for this database. BlackBerry Cylance emphasized that the compromised data is old, from a period between 2015-2018, predating BlackBerry's acquisition of Cylance, and stated that no current customers or sensitive information were involved. The breach was not linked to Snowflake, a cloud service provider associated with the Advance Auto Parts hack.

Security firm Cylance says it has been hacked, data put up for sale online techradar

The ransomware attack on Ascension, a major US healthcare provider, was traced to a malicious file downloaded accidentally by an employee, likely through a phishing email. The hacker group Black Basta is suspected to be behind the attack, utilizing spear-phishing techniques to deliver the malware. Although the breach led to the theft of files from seven servers, Ascension reports that no sensitive patient records within their Electronic Health Records (EHR) and other clinical systems were compromised. The hospital system is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to potentially affected individuals, while continuing to investigate the full scope of the data breach.

Ascension Healthcare Hack Traced to Employee Downloading Malicious File PCMag