Tag: Healthcare provider

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STAT+: How Stanford patients help expose ‘fault lines’ in health AI adoption

At Stanford University, it’s easy to get carried away with technology. The computer mouse was invented there. So was Google. And now, it’s pumping out a myriad of tools for artificial intelligence in health care.

But for the last year and a half, Stanford’s hospital has been asking patients about new AI tools before they roll them out. 

Eric Gries is one of those people, handpicked by Stanford as part of a “patient panel.” Gries was the caregiver for his wife while she was first on a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), then had a heart transplant. He later became the temporary caregiver for his brother-in-law when he also had a heart transplant. 

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

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Virtual Reality–Based Training in Radiologic Technology for Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Brain Imaging: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Radiologic technology (RT) education faces challenges in bridging theory and practice due to limited clinical opportunities. While virtual reality (VR) enables safe and repeatable practice, a systematic instructional design framework is needed to develop scalable, procedure-focused modules. Objective: This study evaluates the Radiologic Technology Virtual Reality (RTVR) framework that integrates 360-degree video capture, instructional overlays, interactive assets, and an immersive content authoring platform to deliver a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) brain scan module. Methods: In this open-label, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, 36 year-2 and year-3 RT students with no prior clinical training in diagnostic radiology at a university hospital in Thailand were randomly allocated (1:1) to a VR group or a conventional document-based instruction (control) group. The VR group completed the VR module, a grounded instructional design framework using 360-degree videos and a structured prebrief and debrief, for 20 minutes using a head-mounted display. The control group studied standard curriculum materials for the same duration. Blinding of participants was not possible. Outcome assessment was blinded. The primary outcome was declarative knowledge gain, assessed using a 20-item multiple-choice test before and after intervention. Secondary outcomes included technology acceptance, student satisfaction, and physiological responses during VR immersion. Results: All 36 randomized participants (VR: n=18, control: n=18) completed the study and were included in the analysis. Experts validated the module as suitable and highly appropriate. Students reported high technology acceptance and satisfaction. Both VR and conventional methods produced substantial gains in declarative knowledge. No statistically significant difference in knowledge gain was detected between groups (test × group: unstandardized regression coefficient β=.056, 95% CI −1.360 to 1.473, =.94). Year-2 students, who had less prior clinical exposure, showed larger pretest to posttest knowledge gains compared to year-3 students. Physiological monitoring showed a reduction in heart rate across the session, while blood pressure remained stable. No adverse events or VR-related discomfort requiring discontinuation was observed. Conclusions: The RTVR framework, which uses a real 360-degree video of authentic clinical settings, offers a scalable approach to procedural VR content creation without requiring specialist technical skills, distinguishing it from prior VR studies in radiography. These findings support the RTVR framework as a feasible, evidence-informed supplement to RT curricula for knowledge-focused procedural teaching, with learning outcomes comparable to those of conventional instruction in this context. Trial Registration: Thai Clinical Trials Registry TCTR20260309005; https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20260309005 (retrospectively registered)
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Telehealth by Home Monitoring and Video Consultation for Children With Cystic Fibrosis: Qualitative and Quantitative Study

Background: Clinical outcomes for patients with cystic fibrosis have improved over the last decades, with a focus on enhancing the quality of life for children and their families. These improvements are expected to reduce the need for in-hospital visits, allowing for alternative care provisions that further enhance their quality of life. Telehealth can decrease the number of in-hospital visits and disruptions to everyday life. Objective: This study aims to assess the feasibility of home monitoring with subsequent video consultations and to explore the experiences of families and health care professionals. Methods: We recruited 12 children with cystic fibrosis (>6 y) and their parents from the Cystic Fibrosis-Center Copenhagen. The 5-month intervention consisted of alternately standard care visits and telehealth care visits. Telehealth care visits consisted of home monitoring, with automatically transmitted data to the hospital-based electronic health record. Home monitoring included spirometry, weight, and oxygen saturation, conducted with parental support, along with a video consultation. To monitor lung infections during telehealth care visits, all participants were encouraged to send in a sputum sample beforehand. Families completed preintervention and postintervention questionnaires about time spent, sense of security, and usability of home monitoring devices. We also collected data on families’ and health care professionals’ experiences with telehealth care visits through semistructured interviews after the intervention. Results: All 12 (100%) approached children and their parents accepted to participate. Standard care visits caused full-day absences for 8 (73%) children and 10 (91%) parents, compared to only 1 (8%) child and their parents during telehealth visits. More than 70% of children and their parents rated the oxygen saturation device (n=9, 75%) and weighing scale (n=11, 92%) as “very easy” to use after the intervention. However, 50% (n=6) found the home spirometry device “difficult” or “acceptable” to use, possibly due to device errors. We identified 4 main themes in the interviews: benefits of telehealth, disadvantages of telehealth, prerequisites for telehealth to be successful, and next steps toward telehealth. Conclusions: Home monitoring with automatically transmitted data to the hospital-based electronic health record and video consultations was feasible despite identified concerns regarding technical issues with home spirometry devices.