JAMA Medical News

Federal Funds for Rural Health Care May Be Cut; Why the IV Fluid Shortage After Hurricane Helene Was Years in the Making; Surge in US Sports Betting Raises Public Health Concerns Related Content: Federal Funds for Rural Health Care Are on the Chopping Block—Here’s What That Could Mean IV Fluid Shortages Persist Months After Hurricane Helene Hit a Supplier—Hospitals Have Had to Adapt The Hidden Health Costs Associated With Legalized Sports Gambling

Susan Athey, a professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Business and an expert in human-centered AI, shares her innovative research on using machine learning to enhance behavioral nudges for college students. She discusses strategies to ensure timely completion of federal financial aid forms, addressing the demographics behind procrastination. Athey delves into the challenges of applying machine learning in clinical trials and the significance of Medicaid eligibility on health outcomes. She also highlights the need for AI to address healthcare consolidation and improve patient access.

Ajay J. Kirtane, professor of medicine at Columbia University, dives into groundbreaking cardiovascular research from the American College of Cardiology's recent scientific sessions. He discusses the declining cardiac arrest rates among marathon runners and the life-saving role of automated defibrillators. The podcast highlights the promising effects of oral semaglutide for diabetes and challenges traditional fluid restrictions in heart failure management. Kirtane also emphasizes the health benefits of plant-based diets, especially for those with cardiometabolic issues.

Rita Rubin, Lead Senior Staff Writer, dives into the sweeping cuts at the CDC and their alarming consequences for public health. She discusses the massive layoffs affecting essential health programs and the chaotic nature of the terminations. Rubin highlights how these funding reductions have already stalled critical state health initiatives, especially in Minnesota. The discussion also touches on broader changes within the Department of Health and Human Services and the future of medical research amidst significant restructuring.

Diabetic retinopathy remains a leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide, and AI may facilitate screening, if such models continue to perform well when they are deployed in the real world. Coauthors Arthur Brant, MD, of Stanford University, and Sunny Virmani, MS, of Google join JAMA+ AI Editor in Chief Roy H. Perlis, MD, MSc, to discuss a new study published in JAMA Network Open. Related Content: Diabetic Retinopathy Is Massively Underscreened—an AI System Could Help Performance of a Deep Learning Diabetic Retinopathy Algorithm in India

Arjun K. Manrai, PhD, from Harvard Medical School, joins the discussion on the capabilities of open-source large language models (LLMs) versus proprietary ones for complex medical diagnoses. They delve into a recent study revealing that models like Meta's LLaMA 3.1 can match GPT-4's diagnostic abilities, challenging the notion of proprietary superiority. The conversation also highlights the benefits of privacy and accessibility in healthcare, and the vital role of AI chatbots in supporting physicians while underscoring the need for human oversight.

Eli Kahan, a freelance journalist and pediatrician specializing in neonatology, discusses pressing public health issues. He delves into the government's legal battle against CVS and Walgreens over their role in the opioid crisis, emphasizing accountability. The conversation shifts to a concerning resurgence of measles, driven by vaccine hesitancy, and highlights the urgent need for improved public health communication. Kahan also addresses troubling trends in infant sleep safety and rising rates of sleep-related deaths, stressing the importance of trustworthy health information.

Correction: This podcast has been updated to add additional context on the frequency of false positives. Open neural tube defects affect approximately 1 in 1400 births. Daniel Herman, MD, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine joins JAMA+ AI Editor in Chief Roy H. Perlis, MD, MSc, to discuss a quality improvement study examining the need to continue to incorporate race in tests that screen for these defects. Related Content: Study Findings Question Value of Including Race in Prenatal Screening for Birth Defects Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Prenatal Screening for Open Neural Tube Defects

Artificial intelligence (AI) in health care is advancing, despite concerns about how its use may impact health disparities. Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, chief health officer at Special Olympics, joins JAMA Associate Editor Yulin Hswen, ScD, MPH, to discuss AI’s potential role in improving health care delivery for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Related Content: How AI Could Improve Health Care for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities How Artificial Intelligence Can Promote Inclusive Health

In this discussion, cardiologist Alexander J. Blood, an expert in cardiometabolic disease and data science, joins Yulin Hswen to explore groundbreaking advancements in clinical trial prescreening. They delve into how AI tools like the Rectifier enhance patient eligibility assessments, significantly reducing time and improving accuracy compared to manual methods. The conversation also highlights the essential role of human oversight in AI-assisted processes and the broader implications for medical research, emphasizing the future of AI in streamlining trial recruitment.