Delegated Credentialing Agreements with Payers: Risks and Compliance Checklists
Introduction Hospitals and health care systems increasingly enter into delegated credentialing agreements with payers to streamline provider onboarding, accelerate network participation, and reduce administrative burden. Payers delegate responsibility for credentialing and recredentialing of the hospital under these arrangements and retain full regulatory accountability. Delegation introduces significant hospital–payer risks, which include audit exposure, financial penalties, and […]
Understanding acute vertigo in emergency care in a large London teaching hospital: patient and physician perspectives on diagnostic challenges and digital support
BMJ Open. 2026 Jan 21;16(1):e108069. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108069. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Acute vertigo is a common but diagnostically challenging presentation in emergency departments (EDs), where rapid distinction of life-threatening conditions-like stroke-is critical. Patient and clinician perspectives are often overlooked, and real ED needs and possibilities remain poorly understood. While smartphone-based clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) show promise, […]
Mobile apps, AI, and teletherapy: a comprehensive review of digital mental health tools for nurses
Front Public Health. 2026 Jan 5;13:1686766. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1686766. eCollection 2025. ABSTRACT Chronic understaffing, workplace violence, moral distress, rotating shifts, and administrative burdens have created a global mental health crisis for nurses. Around half to two-thirds of nurses report symptoms of burnout, and large surveys have found high levels of depression and anxiety among nursing staff. […]
Using real-world evidence to evaluate the long-term health and economic impact of the digital tool Grohealth W8Buddy supporting access to specialist weight management services: a protocol for a cohort observational study
BMJ Open. 2026 Jan 21;16(1):e109111. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-109111. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Obesity affects over a quarter of the UK population and can lead to serious health issues. NHS Specialist Weight Management Services (WMS) offer treatments including lifestyle advice, psychological support and medications, but access and availability vary by region. Although around 4 million people could be eligible […]
The need for transparency in the promotion of popular period tracker applications (apps): a content analysis of their app store descriptions
Hum Fertil (Camb). 2026 Dec;29(1):2607988. doi: 10.1080/14647273.2025.2607988. Epub 2026 Jan 21. ABSTRACT Period tracking applications (apps) are increasingly being used by people who menstruate to predict the timing of their next period, monitor symptoms, and avoid or plan pregnancy. Despite their growing popularity, there has been a lack of critical engagement regarding their development, usage, […]
Reflections of digital slavery in physical inactivity: examining gender-based physical activity attitudes and smartphone addiction among university students
Front Public Health. 2026 Jan 5;13:1742639. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1742639. eCollection 2025. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the gender-based physical activity attitudes of university students according to their smartphone addiction levels. METHODS: The study was designed using a relational screening model. One thousand twenty-one university students participated in the study voluntarily and […]
Evaluation of Hospice@Home for Home-Based Palliative Care: Development and Usability Pilot Study
JMIR Form Res. 2026 Jan 21;10:e79334. doi: 10.2196/79334. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The demand for palliative care is rising due to population aging and increased chronic illness. However, access to timely palliative care remains limited, particularly for patients receiving home-based hospice care in rural areas. Digital health technologies present an opportunity to enhance care delivery and communication […]
Involving End Users in Co-Designing Mobile Health Interventions for Hypertension Self-Management: Formative Study
JMIR Form Res. 2026 Jan 21;10:e77631. doi: 10.2196/77631. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are prevalent, yet people from marginalized communities are less likely to use digital health technologies to support self-management behaviors. Community engagement can inform health care design to enhance a hypertension self-management mHealth intervention. OBJECTIVE: We applied human-centered design (HCD) to determine […]
New Intelligent Throat Device Gives Stroke Patients Their Voice Back
Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), stroke, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) often lead to dysarthria, a motor speech disorder that severely affects the quality of life and communication. Currently available augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies are generally invasive, slow, or cognitively demanding. These systems include brain-computer interface (BCI) and head/eye-tracking devices. Wearable […]
Population-Level Aging Effects on White Matter Supporting Cognitive Flexibility
Cognitive flexibility is a fundamental component of adaptive human behavior, enabling individuals to shift perspectives, modify strategies, and coordinate a complex array of executive functions. This capacity emerges early in life and continues to develop throughout adulthood, supporting essential cognitive processes such as decision-making, inhibitory control, and working memory. Cognitive flexibility is often impaired in […]
