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The pandemic forced hospitals to quickly become more flexible. They were challenged to find ways to invent new space for ICUs and ERs within existing facilities. Virtual critical care and virtual specialty care were implemented. Outside spaces were re-envisioned for clinical purposes and physicians and other HCPs were to reimage and expand care space within the hospital walls.

There aren’t as many headlines concerning cell phones and brain cancer today, despite it formerly being a mainstay of frightened online fodder. Have people lost interest and simply unwilling to give up their phones? Have the studies on the topic allayed their concerns? Or is it that people just don’t believe cell phones are one of the numerous cancer hazards? Experts weigh in.

In an effort to reduce the load on overburdened healthcare staff around the world, WHO has unveiled version 2 of its AI “chatbot.” Originally designed to combat COVID disinformation, the system now covers COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, and can give advice on mental health, tips to de-stress, guidance on how to eat healthily and be more active, and how to quit tobacco and e-cigarettes. The chatbot can currently converse in English, with Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian to follow.

Digital tools are emerging modalities for behavior modification in major depressive disorder, chronic insomnia, and substance use disorders. These evidence-based therapeutic software systems intervene in the prevention, management, or treatment of a medical disorder or disease. Examples of digital therapeutics include apps that deliver cognitive behavior therapy for chronic insomnia or psychoeducation for opioid use disorder. Because digital tools capture real-time patient data they can provide clinicians with a more accurate picture of a patient’s mental status or treatment progress than one-time self-reports during office visits.

Neurology referrals for headache are often unnecessary and delay appropriate headache care. A Geisinger Medical Center neurologist developed a tool that pops up on the EMR when the diagnosis of headache is entered. It guides with questions and suggested medications. The tool was developed in response to a chart review showing that referrals for headache from PCPs did not regularly document enough data in their notes on headache to reach a viable diagnosis nor were they regularly trying medications before referring.

Elham Hatef, MD, a clinical informatician at the Johns Hopkins Center for Population Health IT, discussed the findings of her recent study, “Outcomes of in-person and telehealth ambulatory encounters during COVID-19 within a large commercially insured cohort,” in this Q&A with Psych Congress Network.