News You Can Use – February 2025

This month’s episode of “News You Can Use” on Healthcare NOW Radio features news from the month of February 2025.

The show that gives you a quick insight into the latest news, twists, turns, and debacles going on in healthcare with my friend and co-host Craig Joseph, MD (@CraigJoseph) Chief Medical Officer at Nordic Consulting Partners and myself, where every diagnosis comes with a side of humor. We hope you stay curious, stay engaged, and keep seeking the truth in healthcare in a world that thrives on information.

Buckle up as we dive into the ER of excitement, the ICU of irrationality, and the waiting room of wacky wisdom in this month’s show that features a review of:

• ViVE 2025
• Measles outbreak
• Teleladoc Train wreck
• F/U – should AI use come with a mandatory disclaimer?
• Him & Hers Crash and burn – no more compounding
• United Healthcare Government Suit on Denials

Ah, conferences—the land of networking, overpriced badges, and in this case, free food that actually wasn’t terrible. ViVE brought the usual tech buzz, and if you weren’t talking about AI, were you even at the conference? Every booth, every session, and every napkin had some AI angle, but the organizers definitely nailed the logistics. No wandering the halls like a lost child looking for a sandwich. But amidst the excitement, a whisper went around—one big-name vendor allegedly laid off half their developers. Not because business was bad, but because AI had made them too efficient. Turns out, if AI can crank out code in an hour instead of two days, companies start questioning why they’re paying humans. Who knew developers would code themselves out of jobs?

Measles Comeback Tour

Meanwhile, in news that makes doctors collectively facepalm, measles is back. Yes, that measles—the one we had effectively eradicated with a vaccine that people are now inexplicably avoiding. With an R number of 18, this virus spreads faster than healthcare buzzwords at a tech conference. Pediatricians who had never seen a case in their entire careers are now getting a refresher course, all thanks to some people choosing YouTube over immunology textbooks. What’s next—polio? A resurgence of leeches as a primary care treatment? At this rate, we might as well bring back scurvy.

Telehealth Train Wreck

And just when you thought things couldn’t get messier, the telehealth industry decided to implode. One big-name company (we won’t say who, but if you Google “telehealth disaster,” you’ll find it) allegedly used AI to ghostwrite therapy sessions. Imagine pouring your heart out to what you think is a licensed therapist, only to realize it’s ChatGPT in a trench coat. AI may be great for generating text, but “pressing Ctrl+V on patient emotions” probably isn’t the future we were hoping for. As leadership bails and billions vanish, the real question is—was this ever about patient care, or just another Silicon Valley fever dream?

We hope you enjoy our take on the latest news and developments in healthcare and want to help you keep untangling the web of information, dodging the sensational pitfalls, and emerging victorious, albeit a little dizzy, on the other side. In the end, the stories we uncover, and the discussions we ignite, all shape the narrative of our shared future. We want to hear from you especially if you have topics covered or questions you’d like answered. You can reach out directly via the contact form on my website, or send a message on LinkedIn to Craig or me.

Until next month keep solving healthcare’s mysteries before they become your emergencies.

This article was originally published on the Dr. Nick – The Incrementalist blog and is republished here with permission.

News You Can Use gives you a quick insight into the latest news, twists, turns and debacles going on in healthcare with Dr. Nick and Dr. Craig and where every diagnosis comes with a side of side-splitting humor. Your hosts are Dr Nick a long-time host, innovator and healthcare wizard who can prescribe a digital dose of innovation to cure even the most ailing operational inefficiencies. And Dr. Craig Joseph is the healthcare guru who can diagnose both patient and software glitches with equal precision, making sure hospitals run smoother than a well-oiled robot doc.

So buckle up, because we’re diving into the ER of excitement, the ICU of irrationality, and the waiting room of wacky wisdom.

Stay curious, stay engaged, and keep seeking the truth in a world that thrives on information. Because in the end, the stories we uncover, and the discussions we ignite, they all shape the narrative of our shared future.

And keep laughing at the absurdity, keep rolling your eyes at the headlines, and keep spreading the news like your favorite gossip. Who knows, maybe someday you’ll be the breaking news story we’re all talking about!

Weekdays at 4:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 8:00 pm ET.

Follow the Social Hashtag at #HealthNewsYouCanUse