Health Net News Now
November 2024
AI in Healthcare: The Future of Patient Care
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, offering significant improvements in patient care and health management. A recent Mayo Clinic article offers a look at its impact.
A report from the National Academy of Medicine (PDF) highlights three key advantages: improved patient outcomes, reduced costs, and enhanced population health. AI is integrated throughout the care continuum, from preventive screenings to diagnosis.
Preventive Care
AI is revolutionizing cancer screenings. At the Mayo Clinic, AI tools can assess kidney volume in patients with polycystic kidney disease in seconds, reducing analysis time dramatically. This allows radiologists to focus on complex cases.
Risk Assessment
AI excels in identifying health risks. A Mayo Clinic study showed it could detect individuals at risk for left ventricular dysfunction, even without symptoms, and predict coronary artery disease risk.
Chronic Disease Management
AI helps manage chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes by sending medication reminders and screenings. It also analyzes social media to predict disease outbreaks, as seen during COVID-19.
Enhancing Patient Care
AI improves diagnostic accuracy, outperforming traditional methods in predicting survival for malignant mesothelioma and enhancing colonoscopy procedures. Patients often prefer AI chatbots for healthcare inquiries due to their perceived empathy.
Supporting Healthcare Professionals
AI aids physicians by:
- Highlighting relevant medical advances.
- Streamlining administrative tasks like clinical documentation.
However, the American Medical Association emphasizes "augmented intelligence (PDF)," where AI supports rather than replaces human expertise.
Centene harnesses technology to transform community health in innovative ways. Our teams develop advanced technology solutions that enhance our ability to deliver coordinated care while focusing on our members and providers. Advanced Technology drives healthcare delivery through data-driven intelligence. APIXIO enhances value-based care with AI-powered insights, improving decision-making by unlocking actionable information from both structured and unstructured data.
Challenges of AI in Healthcare
Despite its potential, AI poses risks, including bias from poorly trained algorithms and misleading medical advice from chatbots.
Future Directions
As AI evolves, effective regulation will be essential for ensuring its safe and ethical use in healthcare.
Healthcare Industry Emphasis on Health Literacy
The definition of health literacy was updated in August 2020 with the release of the U.S. government's Healthy People 2030 initiative. The update addresses personal health literacy and organizational health literacy and provides the following definitions:
Personal health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.
Organizational health literacy is the degree to which organizations equitably enable individuals to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.
The new definitions:
- Emphasize people's ability to use health information rather than just understand it
- Focus on the ability to make "well-informed" decisions rather than "appropriate" ones
- Acknowledge that organizations have a responsibility to address health literacy
- Incorporate a public health perspective
October was National Health Literacy Month and this year Health Net focused on Digital Health Literacy.
What is Digital Health Literacy?
Digital health literacy or eHealth literacy, is defined as being able to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem. By improving digital health literacy, members will be able to learn how to access online health information or set up virtual doctor's appointments. This year, Health Net is doing this by sharing more about digital health resources such as:
- Finding health information online.
- Helping members learn more about telehealth services (Teladoc Health).*
- Using health education programs through easy to scan QR codes and clickable URL links.
Select a link to learn more about the digital resources Health Net offers:
* You may receive services on an in-person basis or via telehealth, if available, from your primary care provider, a treating specialist or from another contracting individual health professional, contracting clinic, or contracting health facility consistent with the service and existing timeliness and geographic access standards required under California law. Any cost share for services received through Teladoc Health will accrue toward your out-of-pocket maximum and deductible (if your plan has a deductible). By scheduling through Teladoc Health, you consent to receive services via telehealth through Teladoc Health. See your health plan coverage document for coverage information and for the definition of telehealth services. You have a right to access your medical records for services received through Teladoc Health. Unless you choose otherwise, any services provided through Teladoc Health shall be shared with your primary care provider.
Pharmacy Creditability – Employer Required Notice to Employees
Employer groups who provide prescription drug coverage through a group-sponsored health plan have to notify Medicare-eligible employees of the creditability status of their pharmacy plan.
Health Net has assessed its 2024–2025 pharmacy plans for creditability. Most are creditable, but some do not meet the actuarial value of the standard Medicare Part D benefit. We are sending our group customers a list of pharmacy plans that are not creditable so they know what to tell employees, along with details for filing the Medicare-required "Online Disclosure to CMS Form."
A list of the non-creditable pharmacy plans can be found under "Pharmacy Plan Information" in the broker and employer portals for future reference. Find Creditability Plan Details here.
You can find more information on creditable coverage, along with the CMS Model Beneficiary Creditable Coverage Disclosure Notice and the Online Disclosure to CMS Form, in the employer section of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website.
Questions?
Please call your Health Net representative with any questions. You can also contact our Account Services Unit at 1-800-547-2967.
OHA Distributed More Than 10,000 Air Conditioners, Air Filters and Devices to Keep Communities Healthy in Extreme Weather
SALEM, Ore. – Oregon residents at risk from heat and wildfire smoke-related health issues had more ways to receive air conditioners, air filters and other devices this year.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) distributed more than 10,000 devices ahead of, and during, 2024’s extreme summer weather events through new Oregon Health Plan (OHP) climate benefits and the Air Conditioner and Air Filter program.
"Oregon is leading the way when it comes to mitigating climate change’s health harms, especially on our most vulnerable communities," said Emma Sandoe, Medicaid Director at OHA. "Through collaboration and innovation, we’re finding new ways for Oregon residents to receive life-saving devices so they can stay healthy in their homes during heat and poor air quality events."
For more information, read the ORHA Bulletin.
November Wellness Webinar – Loneliness & Your Health
Note: If clicking on the registration link does not work properly with your computer system, please register by copying & pasting the registration link into your browser.
Once the host approves your request, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meetings. Please don't forget to add these instructions to your calendar.
Join us for an insightful and engaging webinar on "Loneliness and Your Health," where we delve into the profound impact of loneliness on physical and mental well-being. In today's fast-paced and digitally connected world, feelings of isolation and loneliness are becoming increasingly common, affecting individuals across all age groups.
Loneliness is more than just being alone and socially isolated. This webinar explains the symptoms of loneliness and tips on how to feel better and improve your health.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the critical issue of loneliness and take proactive steps towards a healthier, more connected life. We look forward to seeing you there!
Loneliness and Your Health will be held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Pacific Time (PT)
For This Thanksgiving, Easy to Make Cranberry Sauce!
Cranberry Sauce is a must have staple for most Thanksgiving dinners. Forget the jelly stuff in the can this year and try homemade instead. Here's a quick and easy recipe from allrecipes.com.
Cranberry Sauce Ingredients:
Believe it or not, this homemade cranberry sauce comes together quickly and easily with just three easy-to-find ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- 2 ounces Fresh Cranberries: Opt for fresh cranberries that are firm, plump, and blemish-free. Lighter colored cranberries are best for sauce, as they contain more pectin and result in a thicker consistency.
- 1 cup White Sugar: White sugar does more than add sweetness to classic cranberry sauce: It also absorbs liquid and, when heated, thickens the sauce.
- 1 cup Orange Juice: All cranberry sauce starts with a liquid base. If you don't like orange juice, you can substitute pomegranate juice or even red wine.
How To:
- Gather all ingredients.
- Dissolve sugar in the orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the cranberries and cook until they start to pop, about 10 minutes
- Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. It will thicken as it cools
- Enjoy!