A measles outbreak in Kansas doubled in less than a week to 23 cases and has “a possible link” to outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico that have sickened more than 370, the state health department said Wednesday. And health officials in Ohio say a single case identified in Ashtabula County has spread to nine others. Even before these two growing clusters were reported, the number of measles cases in the U.S. had already surpassed the case count for all of 2024, according to the CDC.
Measles vaccination rates for young children may be far lower than publicly reported, a troubling development that could mean the United States is closer than expected to losing its "elimination status" for the extremely contagious disease.
With great power comes great responsibility. As we continue integrating AI into healthcare, we must ensure innovation doesn't outpace ethical considerations. Guardrails are essential to ensure it serves the purpose of innovative care delivery models without unintended consequences.
A St. Louis County jury has awarded $48.1 million to the family of a child who suffered brain damage after his parents claimed Mercy Hospital botched his delivery. Staff at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, in Creve Coeur, allowed Sarah Anyan to keep pushing for 12 hours during labor despite warning signs that her baby was in distress. Anyan's baby was in the wrong position and monitors displayed warning signs about his vitals, her lawyers said.
An algorithm that learned from tens of thousands of nutrition prescriptions for premature babies could reduce medical errors and better identify what nutrients the smallest patients need.
In an era where healthcare is becoming increasingly transactional and impersonal, I see concierge medicine emerging as a solution to this broken system.