Advances in artificial intelligence and multi-omic analysis are transforming fetal medicine from a diagnostic discipline into a predictive one. Yet the legal, deontological, and ethical frameworks that govern prenatal and fetal data have not evolved accordingly. Current regulations protect the mother as a patient but do not recognize the fetus—or the future child—as a legal […]
Impact of tele-ultrasound on novice users in patients with suspected COVID-19 in an urgent care setting
BackgroundPoint-of-care lung ultrasound (LUS) has been described for the evaluation of lung pathologies such as pneumothorax, pneumonia, and COVID-19 infections. It is rapidly deployed, portable, and accurate for LUS diagnoses. However, a learning curve limits its use, and teleguidance has been proposed as a solution. In this study, we primarily seek to measure the effect […]
Neurorehabilitation technologies and functional recovery after brain injury: influence of sex, an integrative review
BackgroundAcquired brain injury (ABI), which includes traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke, is a leading cause of disability. Evidence shows that sex may influence functional recovery post-acquired brain injury, potentially due to biological (e.g., hormones) and social factors (e.g., caregiver availability). Meanwhile, new neurorehabilitation technologies—such as virtual reality, robotic-assistance, and brain-computer interfaces—offer promising avenues for […]
Young males in crisis: pathways, usage and acceptability of an online messenger based psychosocial counselling service
IntroductionBoys and young men face an elevated risk of mental health problems and suicidality, yet they remain less likely than their female peers to seek professional help. Online counselling services such as krisenchat offer low-threshold support and may help reduce gender-specific barriers, but little is known about how young men use these services.ObjectiveThis study investigates […]
Artificial intelligence in transitional care: practice, promise, and pitfalls—a scoping review
BackgroundCare transitions, which involve the movement of patients between different care settings are critical moments in the care continuum but are often compromised by fragmented care delivery or poor information transfer among providers. To address this, Transitional Care (TC) programs were developed to address these challenges. Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools were introduced to support […]
A randomized controlled trial on the application of a chronic disease management platform based on digital health technology combined with an innovative model of intelligent management for hypertension in patients with hypertension
ImportanceDigital health technology (DHT)-based chronic disease management platforms combined with smart hypertension models may improve patient self-management.ObjectiveTo compare the effect of Nantong University Affiliated Hospital’s DHT platform combined with an intelligent hypertension management model (providing education, follow-up, evaluation) vs. traditional offline management on patients’ systolic blood pressure (SBP).Design, setting, and participantsThis was a two-arm, parallel-group […]
The COMFORTage project: study protocol for the integration of multiple sources towards personalised preventions at Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona
IntroductionAgeing is accompanied by gradual biological and cognitive changes that increase vulnerability to chronic diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. As populations age, dementia prevalence continues to rise, highlighting the need for earlier detection and personalised prevention strategies. Against this background, the COMFORTage project, funded by Horizon Europe, brings together a multidisciplinary consortium across 12 countries to […]
A GPT-reinforced social robot for patient communication: a pilot study
ProblemQuality healthcare requires effective patient communication. However, lack of personnel and increasing demands on healthcare professionals (HCPs) create a need for innovative solutions that enhance accessibility and delivery of information to patients.GoalWe propose an innovative method to convey treatment and disease information using an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven social robotic physical interface. The aim of this […]
A comparative accuracy study of multimodal LLMs, VLM and agent-based framework for pulmonary nodule detection on chest radiographs
BackgroundArtificial intelligence technologies are being actively introduced in clinical practice. The most promising solutions are AI-assistants based on large language models (LLMs). Determining the feasibility of integrating such applications in clinical practice requires independent performance assessments. This study assessed accuracy of several multimodal LLMs in detecting pulmonary nodules on chest radiographs (CXR).MethodsThis study included 9 […]
Exploratory analysis of smartphone-based step counts as a digital biomarker for survival in ALS patients
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disease. Digital biomarkers derived from smartphone data can enable scalable, low-cost, remote, unobtrusive, and quantitative measurement of physical activity (PA). These biomarkers offer opportunities for quasi-continuous assessment of PA levels, which may provide new methods for monitoring ALS disease progression in real time. In this […]
Development and implementation of an interoperable local health information exchange platform for the attainment of universal health coverage in the Philippines
IntroductionThe implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the Philippines requires the formation of Local Government Unit (LGU)-centric Health Care Provider Networks (HCPNs). A cornerstone of this reform is the development of secure, scalable, and interoperable digital health ecosystems. However, significant challenges persist, including fragmented and non-standardized health information systems, siloed data repositories, and limited […]
Assessment and analysis of content and quality of children’s influenza vaccine information on BiliBili, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu
BackgroundEach year, influenza vaccines play a vital role in preventing millions of illnesses and reducing flu-related healthcare visits. Short video platforms (including Douyin, BiliBili, and Xiaohongshu) are powerful vehicles for information sharing and are saturated with videos about children’s influenza vaccines. Nevertheless, the quality of these videos remains undetermined.Purpose and objectivesThis study aims to assess […]