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Telemedicine is now being used more frequently to evaluate patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Assessing this condition involves clinical outcome measures, such as the standardized MG-ADL scale or the more complex MG-CE score obtained during clinical exams. However, human subjectivity limits the reliability of these examinations. We propose a set of AI-powered digital tools to improve scoring efficiency and quality using computer vision, deep learning, and natural language processing. This paper focuses on automating a standard telemedicine video by segmenting it into clips corresponding to the MG-CE assessment. This AI-powered solution offers a quantitative assessment of neurological deficits, improving upon subjective evaluations prone to examiner variability. It has the potential to enhance efficiency, patient participation in MG clinical trials, and broader applicability to various neurological diseases.

Objectives: Naturopathic physicians (ND) are uniquely situated to address areas of unmet health care need as primary care providers (PCPs). In several states, NDs have a broad scope of practice and are licensed as independent practitioners regardless of residency training. However, with a larger role in the health care system, the need for post-graduate medical training becomes more important for clinical success and patient safety. Our study aimed at assessing the feasibility of developing residencies for licensed NDs in rural federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) of Oregon and Washington. Methods: We conducted interviews with leadership from a convenience sample of eight FQHCs. Six centers were rural, two of which already employed NDs. Two urban centers that employed NDs as PCPs were included for their valuable insights related to study design. Two investigators independently reviewed and coded site visit notes for prominent themes through inductive reasoning analysis. Results: Consensus was met identifying the following themes: onboarding and mentorship; diversity of clinical training; financial structure; length of residency; and addressing health care needs in the community. We identified several opportunities for the development of primary care residencies for NDs, including the need for PCPs in rural communities, the ability of NDs to manage chronic pain with prescription drugs, and the prevention of morbidity from complex conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Potential barriers to residency development include lack of Medicare reimbursement, mixed awareness of the ND scope of practice, and scarcity of dedicated mentors. Conclusion: These results may serve as guideposts for the future development of naturopathic residencies in rural community health centers.

Background: This paper describes the impact evaluation of a large big data platform initiative that is being undertaken in order to increase the probability of its success. The initiative, MIDAS (Meaningful Integration of Data Analytics and Services), is a European health-based Horizon 2020 project comprising a consortium of members from various universities, research institutions, and government agencies.

Background: Recently the European Union, through its Horizon 2020 fund has awarded numerous research projects tasked with the development of cloud-based health technology solutions. A number of these projects have a specific focus on ambient assisted living (AAL) technologies; solutions that offer a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life of persons with mild cognitive impairments. The diffusion of these solutions across a European wide cloud infrastructure presents a novel opportunity to reduce economic pressures currently experienced by European health systems. However, no route to market framework currently exists for a European wide healthcare delivery system. Objectives: The goal of the paper is to conduct the review and develop the literature around technology assessment for AAL technologies and route to market frameworks. Methods/Approach: We highlight the role of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when conducting a technology assessment by reviewing existent literature. Results: We discuss three TCO models that can support the assessment of AAL technologies. Conclusions: There is a gap in the analysis of TCO models in the context of AAL technologies particularly in public and private sector collaborations. TCO process should be developed into a key award criterion when conducting AAL technology assessment and procurements, thus aiding long term strategic decision making.