» Information gathered from routine visits to the doctor is enough to accurately predict a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, according to new research led by scientists from the Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and Merck. The researchers developed and tested machine learning algorithms using data from electronic medical records to identify patients who may be at risk for developing dementia. Findings are published in the journal Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.
» Nearly two-thirds of healthcare organizations globally have experienced a cyberattack in their lifetime, with 53% reporting attacks within the last 12 months, according to a Keeper Security conducted by the Ponemon Institute. Investigators surveyed nearly 2,400 IT security practitioners, including 219 from the healthcare field, and found that data breaches resulted in an average of 7,202 patient and employee records lost or stolen and came with an average price tag of $1.8 million from the disruption of normal operations. During a McKnight’s Online Expo session in mid-March, presenters Michael M. Gray and Jennifer Griveas of the Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network mentioned that during an emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, providers need to be on guard for cyberattacks.
» A virtual reality program developed by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is helping give people insight into what it’s like to have Alzheimer’s disease. With a headset and video, users can step into the shoes of “Harry,” a 76-year-old retired veterinarian and widower living with common midstage Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. The foundation hopes the tool may help promote empathy and patience for those experiencing the disease.
» Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other institutes have created what they call a “biorobotic hybrid heart” using a soft robotic matrix of artificial heart muscles that imitates the pattern of natural cardiac muscle fibers. The researchers performed testing of the device, which can be used to test artificial valves and similar products, and published their findings in the journal Science Robotics.
