Potential next-generation medications for self-administered platforms

Tackling syndemics by integrating infectious and noncommunicable diseases in health systems of low- and middle-income countries: A narrative systematic review

The co-occurrence of infectious diseases (ID) and non-communicable diseases (NCD) is widespread, presenting health service delivery challenges especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Integrated health care is a possible solution but may require a paradigm shift to be successfully implemented. This literature review identifies integrated care examples among selected ID and NCD dyads. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, Global Health Database, and selected clinical trials registries. Eligible studies were published between 2010 and December 2022, available in English, and report health service delivery programs or policies for the selected disease dyads in LMICs. We identified 111 studies that met the inclusion criteria, including 56 on tuberculosis and diabetes integration, 46 on health system adaptations to treat COVID-19 and cardiometabolic diseases, and 9 on COVID-19, diabetes, and tuberculosis screening. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most studies on diabetes-tuberculosis integration focused on clinical service delivery screening. By far the most reported health system outcomes across all studies related to health service delivery (n = 72), and 19 addressed health workforce. Outcomes related to health information systems (n = 5), leadership and governance (n = 3), health financing (n = 2), and essential medicines (n = 4)) were sparse. Telemedicine service delivery was the most common adaptation described in studies on COVID-19 and either cardiometabolic diseases or diabetes and tuberculosis. ID-NCD integration is being explored by health systems to deal with increasingly complex health needs, including comorbidities. High excess mortality from COVID-19 associated with NCD-related comorbidity prompted calls for more integrated ID-NCD surveillance and solutions. Evidence of clinical integration of health service delivery and workforce has grown-especially for HIV and NCDs-but other health system building blocks, particularly access to essential medicines, health financing, and leadership and governance, remain in disease silos.

Global Regulatory Frameworks for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Healthcare Services Sector

The healthcare sector is faced with challenges due to a shrinking healthcare workforce and a rise in chronic diseases that are worsening with demographic and epidemiological shifts. Digital health interventions that include artificial intelligence (AI) are being identified as some of the potential solutions to these challenges. The ultimate aim of these AI systems is to improve the patient's health outcomes and satisfaction, the overall population's health, and the well-being of healthcare professionals. The applications of AI in healthcare services are vast and are expected to assist, automate, and augment several healthcare services. Like any other emerging innovation, AI in healthcare also comes with its own risks and requires regulatory controls. A review of the literature was undertaken to study the existing regulatory landscape for AI in the healthcare services sector in developed nations. In the global regulatory landscape, most of the regulations for AI revolve around Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and are regulated under digital health products. However, it is necessary to note that the current regulations may not suffice as AI-based technologies are capable of working autonomously, adapting their algorithms, and improving their performance over time based on the new real-world data that they have encountered. Hence, a global regulatory convergence for AI in healthcare, similar to the voluntary AI code of conduct that is being developed by the US-EU Trade and Technology Council, would be beneficial to all nations, be it developing or developed.

The Patient Perspective of Telemedicine in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemic might be considered as a catalyst for transformation in healthcare experience via the use of video consultation as a method for telemedicine. The aim of our qualitative study is to understand the patient perception of video consultations in telemedicine, which has been used by a single pulmonologist in only one university hospital in Turkey since the first three months of the pandemic. Research findings are essential when it comes to a more effective and widespread future use of telemedicine, as it focuses on patient experience about a medical technology that is newly introduced. Totally 30 patients were randomly chosen and interviewed who get healthcare support via telemedicine. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to learn the experiences and opinions of the interviewees. The expressions of the patients highlight some advantages of using telemedicine such as being free from risk of contagion caused by exposure in the hospital, being able to save time and money while reaching to the physician online whenever needed, and success in technical details even though they were experiencing it for the first time. A very few of the patients are feeling discomfort to be in front of the screen. Almost all patients are applicants to suggest to other individuals the system they used, in conditions to be appropriate, and continuity after the pandemic period. Since the pandemic has propagated from one patient, the worldwide implementation of telemedicine might be catalyzed by following in the footsteps of the sporadic examples of decisiveness nourished from patient experiences.