States and counties encounter various significant public health challenges that impact the well-being of their citizens, including the increasing burden of chronic disease and the growing mental health crisis. Addressing these complex issues requires a bold reimagining of our public health infrastructure. By identifying and prioritizing key actions for public health officials, we can chart a course to build a system capable of tackling current and future health challenges. In this article, I’ve outlined a framework with six core pillars to guide public health modernization efforts.

The future of public health lies in innovative technologies that can bridge the gap between healthcare and social services. One of the most promising developments in this arena is the rise of Social Health Information Exchanges (SHIEs), which are poised to revolutionize how we approach population health management and address social determinants of health (SDoH).

As states seek to modernize their Medicaid programs to improve care quality, reduce costs, and enhance the patient experience, interoperability has emerged as a critical enabler of transformation. True interoperability - the ability of different information systems, devices, and applications to access, exchange, integrate, and cooperatively use data in a coordinated manner - is essential for state Medicaid agencies to achieve their modernization goals.

How to Manage Risk and Bring Value-Based Care to Senior Care Settings

One of the most pressing challenges in healthcare today is physician and healthcare staff burnout, which is exacerbated by a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals. Industry surveys indicate that 35-54% of nurses and care managers report high levels of burnout. This crisis has far-reaching implications for the well-being of the care staff, the quality of patient care, and value outcomes as burnout can lead to a 7% increase in medical errors and a 6% increase in patient mortality. As healthcare organizations strive to transition to value-based care models, addressing these workforce challenges becomes critical to achieving desired outcomes.

For decades, researchers have been working toward a common vision of ambient intelligence, achieving a pervasive computing environment that enables interaction with and responds appropriately to humans. Finding ways to harness the cloud and advanced AI have helped to create more intelligent spaces that help people live and work more safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

Balancing automation with expert input to effectively navigate the complexities of contract management.

It's groundhog day again and it's unclear if we are going to bear the additional load or if this will be the one that breaks our backs.The recent CMS proposal to decrease physician pay by 2.8% in FY2025 is causing great concern. This potential pay cut is a stark reminder of the untenable position that physicians find themselves in. They're being asked to transform their practices even as they increasingly struggle to keep the lights on in the face of rising costs and increasing demand. While at the same time, there is hope for enhancing and expanding value-based care models with an emphasis on primary care and chronic care management.

Healthcare organizations that want to participate in the new ACO Primary Care Flex Model (ACO PC Flex) have until August 1, 2024, to submit their applications. The opportunity to participate in the newest Medicare program prompts some important questions. First, should your organization participate? What makes this program different from others? Are there features that could impact and improve outcomes—clinical and financial? We believe there are.

What is the promise of AI for healthcare?