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Hospitals are embracing the chatbot trend
Nowadays, many individuals are consulting chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude for queries regarding diet, exercise, health insurance, and at times, even serious symptoms that might typically require a 911 call or a doctor’s consultation. STAT’s Katie Palmer highlights that some hospitals are developing their own chatbots to address these questions. These chatbots leverage existing medical records to steer patients toward care within their facilities, emphasizing both patient safety and potential new business opportunities.
However, hospitals are not technology companies and could face significant liability if a chatbot malfunctions and causes patient harm. Katie Palmer provides further insights on how medical institutions are striving to keep pace with commercial large language models.
Acknowledging the courage of federal workers
STAT’s Lizzy Lawrence expressed her gratitude to federal workers who courageously shared their concerns and experiences, despite fears of reprisal, during the George Polk Awards on Friday. Lizzy and her colleagues were recognized in the health care reporting category. You can explore all of Lizzy’s significant FDA reporting, as well as the series American Science, Shattered, and MAHA Diagnosis.
As Lizzy noted, it is a challenging time for journalists globally. She also emphasized: “I am privileged to work in such a collaborative, ambitious newsroom, where editors encourage reporters to chase essential health stories and not leave any stone unturned.”
Elevating nurses as health authorities
According to recent Gallup polling, public trust in medical doctors in the United States is at its lowest since the 1990s. Conversely, nurses continue to be the most trusted profession among nearly two dozen others, including police officers, teachers, clergy, and judges. A recent perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that this trust, which spans political divides, should be utilized for more effective public health messaging.
The authors argue, “Nurse scientists represent a largely untapped resource in national health communication.” Despite the political leverage gained by nurses during the pandemic’s peak, they often remain absent from public health dialogues. The authors propose offering media training to nurses and creating more avenues for them to be consulted as experts by journalists, including encouraging doctors to recommend nurse scientists when approached by the media.
Rethinking erectile dysfunction
While many might instinctively rank heart disease as a more critical medical issue over erectile dysfunction (ED), urologist Denise Asafu-Adjei argues in a new First Opinion essay that the reality is more nuanced. ED can serve as an early indicator and predictor of heart problems, with cardiovascular disease often developing two to five years after the onset of ED. This period offers a crucial opportunity for intervention.
Asafu-Adjei writes, “It’s past time to view this disease from a different lens. Mocking or ignoring ED presents a major missed opportunity for men and for stewards of public health.” Discover more about the evidence and potential upcoming changes.
Challenges await Vinay Prasad’s successor
A few weeks ago, STAT’s Helen Branswell discussed the hurdles facing the future leader of the CDC, which has been without a Senate-confirmed director since August. While the situation is still developing, STAT columnist Paul Knoepfler has analyzed the difficulties awaiting the next director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, as Vinay Prasad is departing at the end of the month.
Knoepfler notes, “The leader of CBER should not be a rubber stamp, but it may be a challenge just to survive six months in the position unless they are a yes-person.” Delve deeper into his assessment.
What we’re reading
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Second Venezuelan doctor detained in south Texas by immigration agents, New York Times
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Flight path data shows how mosquitos target humans, Wired
- What STAT readers think about nutrition education in med school, STAT
- For many patients leaving the ICU, the struggle has only just begun, KFF Health News
- GAO report shows gap between scale of illegal vapes and enforcement, STAT
