As the holiday season continues and the year comes to an end, there have been a lot of new healthcare advances and stories throughout the year. From AI to healthcare worker strikes, 2023 has had its fair share of healthcare news. Let’s review the 5 biggest healthcare news this year and the impact it will have going on.
Advancement of AI
AI has continued showcase its potential in the healthcare industry. With new machine learning algorithms and AI applications being continuingly integrated into the industry, AI-driven technology has dominated conferences. At RSNA 2023, it was revealed that the FDA cleared about 700 AI healthcare algorithms. While AI has been in the works since the 1990s, recently, the amount of AI technology has increased rapidly, and we foresee that this will continue to be the trend.
New MQSA Updates
Speaking of the FDA, there were amendments to the MQSA regulations. For about 20 years, the regulations have remained unchanged until March 10th, when the FDA issued a final rule to update the regulations issued in the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992. These changes have an effective date of September 10, 2024, which gives facilities time to comply with the new regulations.
Healthcare Strikes
The healthcare industry is facing staffing shortages, burnout, and heavy workloads. These difficult working environments has lead to the biggest strike in healthcare history this year. In 2023, there has been almost 30 strikes throughout the United States. The largest healthcare strike lasted 3 days and involved more than 75,000 healthcare workers across four states. While a lot of these strikes may have affected patients, these strikes aimed to improve working conditions for workers in order to allow them to provide quality care for patients.
Data Breaches
Unfortunately, 2023 saw many facilities getting hacked and patient information getting leaked in data breaches. HCA Healthcare experienced the largest healthcare data breach this year as 11 million patients got their information leaked. Medical records are a popular target for cyber attacks, and as technology evolves, more risks come. Healthcare organizations need to stay updated with their cybersecurity and invest in IT staff to prevent data breaches. There are various ways to prevent data breaches, and it is our responsibility to take the utmost care to protect our patients’ privacy and information.
New Non-Invasive Technology
Throughout the year, many new and exciting healthcare technologies were announced. While there are too many to mention, one of our favorite this year are the new non-invasive technologies that will make medical procedures easier for patients. For instance, research discovered a technology that allows patients to use their fingerprints for breast cancer tests with 98% accuracy. Additionally, a team at the University of Oxford has created a needle-free vaccine that uses ultrasound for immunization.
Looking forward to 2024
As we say goodbye to 2023, the healthcare sector stands at the intersection of groundbreaking advancements and persistent challenges. It is evident that technology, regulation, and resilience shapes the trajectory of the industry, and 2024 will see the industry continue to head towards a path of innovation and commitment to improving staffing solutions and patient outcomes.
