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Amazon Echo

Colorado’s UCHealth system has extended the reach of “Livi,” an AI-powered virtual assistant it introduced early this year, from its website to patients’ smart speakers.

Opioids

HHS has awarded $400 million through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to fund community health centers, rural organizations and academic institutions to develop and expand services to combat the opioid abuse crisis.

Newspaper

AI, blockchain and mHealth apps specific to Big Data are among eight emerging technologies healthcare watchers would do well to keep an eye on, according to a consumer-friendly roundup published Aug. 7 in the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. 

CMS has decided to cover an expensive and new therapy that uses a patient’s own genetically modified immune cells to treat cancer.

Walking

An attentive mechanical walking aid developed at Columbia University can help correct the gait of people who are unsure on their feet due to motor-skills challenges. In the process, the cane-like device may also reduce the risk of falls.

Pricing transparency is key for patients having a positive billing experience with their healthcare provider, according to a new survey, but patients aren’t always asking for price estimates or taking the time to shop around for lower-cost services.

Around the web

The approval, made as part of a special FDA pilot program, took just 50 days.