1. How resident physicians can excel in telehealth

Residency programs are integrating telehealth into patient care, and educators are responding. The AMA GME Competency Education Program offers a course to help faculty incorporate telehealth into clinical education.

Dr. Julian Genkins of Vanderbilt University Medical Center stresses the importance of understanding telehealth beyond video visits, including messaging and remote monitoring. He advises residents to set up a consistent virtual workspace, assist less tech-savvy mentors, and explore telehealth innovations with institutional experts.

The AMA offers resources like the Telehealth Clinical Education Playbook to help residents develop virtual care skills.

(AMA, February 20, 2025)

2. Patients trust online reviews, but they don’t leave them

A recent survey by rater8 reveals that 84% of patients consult online reviews before choosing a healthcare provider, yet 57% rarely or never leave reviews themselves.

The study, “How Patients Choose Their Doctors,” surveyed over 1,000 U.S. patients and found that 61% prioritize online reviews over personal recommendations. Additionally, 51% read at least six reviews before making a decision, and 40% have changed their care plans due to negative feedback.

Despite the influence of online reviews, healthcare providers face challenges in generating them since satisfied patients often provide feedback directly rather than online. However, 74% of patients indicated they would be more inclined to leave a review if their provider requested it, and 45% prefer providers who actively respond to feedback.

(Medical Economics, February 18, 2025)

3. Physician shortage projected to impact most specialties by 2037

A recent National Center for Health Workforce Analysis report indicates that 31 out of 35 physician specialties are expected to experience shortages by 2037.

The study highlights that the demand for specialized medical services is expected to outpace the supply of physicians in these fields, leading to significant gaps in patient care. Factors contributing to this trend include an aging population, increased prevalence of chronic diseases, and a growing number of physicians reaching retirement age.

Efforts to mitigate the impending shortages may involve expanding medical education programs, increasing residency positions, and implementing policies to retain existing practitioners. Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensuring adequate healthcare access for the population in the coming years.

(Medscape, February 18, 2025)

4. Intermountain Health coalition aims to enhance rural healthcare through telemedicine

Intermountain Health has partnered with Microsoft, Epic, Gates Ventures, and West Health to develop a telemedicine platform connecting small critical-access hospitals with larger facilities. This initiative seeks to improve healthcare access for approximately 60 million rural Americans–20% of whom live in counties without hospitals. In 2024, at least 25 rural hospitals closed, and over 700 rural hospitals are currently at risk of shutting down.

The platform aims to reduce patient transfers by enabling rural hospitals to retain an additional 13% to 18% of their patients through on-demand access to specialists. This approach decreases transfer costs and enhances patient care by providing real-time expertise remotely.

By systemizing telemedicine services, Intermountain Health’s virtual hospital model aims to bridge the gap in healthcare delivery between urban and rural communities, ensuring that patients receive timely and effective care regardless of location.

(Health Leaders Media, February 3, 2025)

5. A new strategy for dealing with physician burnout

In the current high-stakes medical marketplace, it’s easy to fall victim to burnout and overwhelming pressure. Dr. Yoshihiro Katsuura has seen it first hand working as an emergency physician and teaching his students, so he created a framework based on three intractable rules to help physicians understand what they’re going through.

For Dr. Yoshihiro, there are three “forces of reality” every physician must handle: The forces of culture, the forces of the markets, and the forces of nature. Each force comes with its own set of challenges, but his prescription for dealing with them is the same–recognize these forces exist and aren’t going away, focus on your love of what you do, work to teach the next generation, and never give up.

(KevinMD, February 21, 2025)

6. Why physicians and APPs don’t always collaborate as well as they should

To deal with the growing physician shortage across the US, more states are granting NPs and PAs independent practice authority. While this is a step in the right direction to give more people access to the care they need, it’s given rise to new communication challenges between physicians and APPs.

Dr. Lisa Rothstein recently published a study on what is causing these communication issues and what we can do to address them. She found that previously, everything flowed through the physician, which made it easier to coordinate between physicians and APPs and made roles clear. Now, it’s less obvious who should be doing what, which is causing inefficiency for patients.

According to her, leveraging AI and other technology to track which roles handle which tasks best, having stark conversations about who is best suited to do what, and prioritizing patient outcomes is the best way to tackle this issue going forward.

(Medical Economics, February 20, 2025)

7. ‘The Pitt’ garners acclaim for realistic portrayal of emergency medicine

“The Pitt,” a medical drama series starring Noah Wyle, has received positive reviews for its authentic depiction of emergency room dynamics. The show, which premiered on Max on January 9, 2025, follows Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinavitch during a 15-hour shift at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. Each episode represents one hour of his shift, offering a detailed look into the challenges medical professionals face.

Critics like The New Republic have highlighted the show’s contrasting pacing, while the medical community has lauded its realistic portrayal of emergency medicine.
Following its successful debut, “The Pitt” was renewed for a second season in February 2025, ensuring continued exploration of the complexities within emergency medical care.

(The New York Times, February 19, 2025)