Page 59 - Mployee Wellness Programs News Today

No matter what camp healthcare providers sit in, it's important for them to understand how they can harness the power of responsible generative AI. Here we dive into some use cases to consider exploring and how it’s impacting healthcare – for the better.

Forum, which launched Wednesday, is an online marketplace that offers peer support groups for a range of topics, including grief, loneliness, chronic conditions, substance use, caregiving and relationships. It has raised $5.3 million in seed funding led by NextView Ventures.

Eli Lilly weight management drug Zepbound landed its much anticipated FDA approval. The new Lilly product is in the same drug class as Novo Nordisk weight medication Wegovy, but it offers an additional mechanism of action and costs less.

Walgreens is seeing “an enormous amount of demand” for injectable weight loss drugs, its president of U.S. healthcare said during the Reuters Total Health conference in Chicago. He declared that the healthcare industry needs to come up with a reimbursement model “that correctly compensates pharmacists and others” to administer these drugs. In his view, reimbursement hasn't caught up with the demand.

Prime members can now get a One Medical membership for $9 a month or $99 a year. The benefit provides access to 24/7 on-demand virtual care through One Medical’s app. But health experts are split on whether the move will improve access to care.

Notwithstanding the end of PHEs and corresponding loss in many waivers and policies that allowed for increased telehealth adoption during the pandemic, the recent actions of state governments and private payers indicate that interest in telehealth remains strong.

Brian Gragnolati, CEO of Atlantic Health System, said that "there's a war going on between providers and payers right now." In his view, payers “are doing everything they can” not to pay providers for the care they deliver. He said insurers have greatly increased their rate of denials and are extremely reluctant to take on risk in value-based contracts.

AstraZeneca gains global rights to an oral GLP-1 agonist on track to reach Phase 2 testing in 2024. Under China-based Eccogene, the small molecule’s Phase 1 data show reductions in glucose and body weight.

Putting all the AI pieces into place effectively requires clarity of what organizations want to accomplish - and for much of healthcare, the Quadruple Aim remains at the very top. Although how to get there will look different, clarity on principles and values that will guide the development of what comes next is paramount to setting us up for years to come.

The Heali app, which launched Thursday, offers personalized nutrition plans for more than 200 chronic conditions, including diabetes, allergies, autoimmune issues and gastrointestinal issues. Users can also access nutrition studies that explain the benefits of certain foods, as well as recipes that fit their diet.