Although the research evidence for advance care planning has been debated, the underlying need remains. Every day, patients and families engaged in medical decisions toward the end of life experience distress that could have been lessened or even prevented through communication.

There are resources medical institutions can draw on to relieve some of the burden from overworked, stressed-out physicians, nurses and staff – many of them come in the form of technological advancements that may transform how we offer care in the years to come.

Hospitals, health systems and patients continued to fuel and embrace evolutions in health IT this year amid steady industry growth and adaptations to new challenges. Here are five health IT trends CIOs are watching for next year, from digital health advancements to innovation and cybersecurity.

Improving the diagnostic process is a quality and safety priority. With the digitization of health records and rapid expansion of health data, the cognitive demand on the diagnostician has increased. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist human cognition has the potential to reduce this demand and associated diagnostic errors.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving ahead with the deployment of its electronic health record to a second site in 2022, after a strategic review effectively paused the massive, multi-billion dollar project this year. The review, which VA initiated back in March, uncovered widespread patient safety issues, technical problems, training shortfalls and other budgetary and organizational challenges at the...

Many Americans have postponed basic health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 15% missing appointments to see specialists such as orthopedists, dermatologists and cardiologists. Type 2 diabetes, in particular, poses a significant risk for complications in those who acquire SARS-CoV-2.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said the data, released Monday, are the result of "aggressive corrective actions" to root out the cause of improper Medicare fee-for-service payments, which can include over- or underpayments to providers in addition to fraud. 

JAMA Network: Focusing on Digital Health Equity

Renewed focus on health equity comes at a time of rapid digital transformation of the health care system. This transformation offers an opportunity to address many core health equity challenges. Digital health involves digitally enabled tools and environments to augment in-person health care with digital communication, education, and remote care management. 

CMS Faces Calls to Improve Remote Patient Monitoring Coverage in 2022 PFS

With remote patient monitoring projects surging in popularity as a result of the pandemic, telehealth advocates are lobbying the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to improve proposed coverage plans in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule.

Better Medicare Alliance: MA Adds $32.5B in Value to Medicare

A new analysis estimates Medicare Advantage provides beneficiaries $32.5 billion a year in additional benefits and lower out-of-pocket costs, as scrutiny continues over more federal funding devoted to the plans.