Hospital systems could improve the patient experience and physician engagement by providing physician communication skills training (CST), according to a study published in Patient Experience Journal.

Patients with type 1 diabetes experienced higher levels of treatment satisfaction and lower distress levels when using a bionic pancreas (BP), according to a study published by Mary Ann Liebert.

Louisville-based home healthcare provider Almost Family has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by competitor LHC Group in a deal that would create the second-largest home health agency (HHA) in the U.S.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield has announced a partnership with Onduo, an Alphabet-backed wearable device for the monitoring of glucose levels in diabetic patients.

Researchers from Dartmouth, Stanford University and IBM Research have conducted a review of literature to evaluate the feasibility of using social media data to identify behavioral patterns of prescription drug abuse. Findings are published in Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Policymakers may think elderly Americans should be satisfied with their Medicare coverage, but, according to new research from the Commonwealth Fund, they come in last place when compared to senior healthcare in 10 other countries.

EpicMD, www.epic.md, a trusted leader in cloud-based telehealth and telemedicine technology platforms, today announced the appointment of Jack Karabees as EpicMD’s President and Vice President of Sales. Karabees has spent over 25 years successfully establishing and executing high-growth sales and marketing plans for enterprise healthcare, payer and hospital-related software technology companies. “We feel that Karabees brings an unusual blend of technology and healthcare leadership experience to the company,” said Matt Wanderer, company CEO. “His experience at this stage of company growth is also a fantastic fit,” he continued.

In October, Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago, repealed a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages that had been in effect for just two months. The move, which resulted from a huge public backlash to the tax, may lead to some 600 layoffs included in a proposal from Board President Toni Preckwinkle.