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The latest Medicare Trustees report projects that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be depleted by 2028, later than last year's estimate of 2026. However, researchers warn that this improvement may be overstated, and Medicare's overall fiscal condition remains dire, with issues such as an aging population and rising Medicare Advantage spending needing urgent resolution. If Congress delays action, future reforms will become more difficult.

Since the FDA first approved a game-based digital therapeutic in 2020, companies in this field, such as Pear Therapeutics and Akili Interactive, are seeking to expand their market, but face obstacles including physician prescriptions, insurance reimbursement, and patient usage. Although Pear predicts significant revenue growth, experts question its feasibility, while the industry explores new reimbursement mechanisms and prescription processes.

The FDA released its final voluntary recall guidance last month. Although it encourages improvements such as electronic communication, experts point out that it does not mandate direct patient notification, does not incorporate UDI use, and lacks regulatory oversight, being criticized as 'five steps forward, three steps back.'

The U.S. healthcare system is facing an unprecedented shortage of nursing staff. As nurses leave in large numbers due to burnout, the allure of high-paying travel nurse positions, or early retirement, hospitals struggle to fill vacancies in both the short and long term. This article analyzes the reasons for turnover, educational bottlenecks, and industry response strategies.

The COVID-19 pandemic is easing in the United States, but the pace of patients returning to the healthcare system remains slow. Data show that inpatient, emergency, and outpatient volumes have been below pre-pandemic levels for two consecutive years, cancer screening gaps remain unfilled, and hospitals face dual financial and operational pressures. Experts warn that the long-term consequences of delayed diagnosis and treatment may become apparent in five years.

At the HIMSS Annual Conference in Orlando, interoperability took center stage. ONC Chief Micky Tripathi was interviewed, discussing the volume and composition of information blocking complaints, progress on vendor penalties, and the release and implementation plans for the TEFCA framework.

The pandemic drove a surge in telehealth use, but demand for purely virtual care has declined in the post-pandemic era. Hospitals are integrating telehealth into long-term digital strategies, with hybrid care models (such as hospital-at-home care) becoming a focus of attention. Experts point out that this model has the greatest potential in the inpatient sector, saving costs and reducing complications, but faces barriers such as culture, finance, and the digital divide.

Since going private in 2019, Athenahealth has shifted its R&D focus to the ambulatory care market. In 2022, the company plans to launch its first patient app and optimize EHR to alleviate physician burnout. Chief Product Officer Paul Brient shared these strategies at the HIMSS conference and expressed concerns about information blocking regulations.

At HIMSS 2022, Healthcare Dive interviewed Sequoia Project CEO Mariann Yeager, delving into TEFCA's implementation timeline, industry feedback, the QHIN application process, and future evolution directions.