The journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology has shared a new study that explores whether artificial intelligence may help with endoscopic scoring of Crohn’s disease (CD). Endoscopic scoring of CD is challenging because mucosal disease is patchy with highly variable morphology, size, and severity. Computer vision may help quantify disease activity with similar performance as standard instruments like the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease (SES-CD), according to the study abstract.

AUSTIN, Texas—Health Tech Academy recently introduced a fully online endoscopy technician program designed to launch students into the growing field of GI healthcare. Created in partnership with clinical experts, this program focuses on real-world skills such as patient prep, scope care, sterilization practices, and procedure room support. The six-week curriculum blends on-demand learning with live coaching sessions, allowing students to train on a flexible schedule while receiving professional guidance.

Cedars-Sinai’s upcoming Sept. 13 conference on Women and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) will highlight women’s unique experiences with the disorder and provide relevant information and guidance for both patients and providers, says gastroenterologist Puja V. Khanna, MD, the clinical director of the Cedars-Sinai Inflammatory Bowel Disease Women’s Health Program. “In the morning, we will host a clinician track on best practices for treating women with IBD,” Khanna said.

A team from Helmholtz Munich, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and the Medical University of Vienna has introduced a new imaging approach known as oxygen-enhanced endoscopy (O2E), which enables highly precise detection of cancerous lesions in the esophagus. According to research published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, this technique can reveal even subtle pathological alterations in tissue, paving the way for earlier identification and diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The following package deals with setting boundaries in the workplace, such as boundaries with colleagues, bosses and patients, and against noise and distractions. Boundary-setting is more important than ever, because modern medical settings are more stressful than perhaps ever before, with the exceptions of say, COVID, or times of war. We have limited control over the workplace, but the following articles focus on where improvements might be possible.

More and more people in today’s fast-paced working environment feel perpetually on edge: unable to focus, plagued by a nonstop stream of notifications, and exhausted before the day even ends. This is due in part to overstimulation, which, in the healthcare setting, can be worse than almost anywhere else. Overstimulation is when the brain becomes overwhelmed by too much sensory, cognitive and emotional input—in other words, far more than it can efficiently process.

From drug-infusion pumps to heart-rate monitors to low-battery warnings to bed alarms firing off for routine body shifts, the number of alarms calling out to clinicians has skyrocketed in recent decades. Hospital audits have tallied hundreds of alarms per patient per day, most of them inconsequential or false. The resulting “alarm fatigue” not only contributes to clinician burnout but can degrade patient care, according to the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Chelsea Hospital’s endoscopy team brings unique expertise to the table and a collaborative spirit that makes all the difference to their patients, according to Lindsey Quinn, RN, BNS, nurse coordinator. “What truly sets our team apart is our unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care and our deep-rooted culture of support—for both our patients and one another,” Quinn said. “Despite being a relatively small team, we are mighty in our impact.”

Flexible endoscopes are complex devices that can be difficult to clean, therefore facility personnel responsible for overseeing reprocessing of flexible endoscopes should review reprocessing practices several times a year and ensure that processing personnel are adhering to the instructions of the endoscope, processing equipment, detergent and cleaning-supply manufacturers. Cleaning in healthcare facilities is defined as “the removal, usually with detergent and water, of adherent clinical soil (e.g., blood, protein substances, and other debris) from the surfaces, crevices, serrations, joints, and lumens of instruments, devices, and equipment by a manual or mechanical process that prepares the items for safe handling and/or further decontamination” (ANSI/AAMI ST91:2021, p.4).

Antimicrobial stewardship is an important mission for healthcare, a mission built on the “it takes a whole village” idea. Read on to see the big picture and how to contribute to the success of this global endeavor. The Miracle Drug Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. It was further developed for medicinal use by Drs. Howard Florey and Ernst Chain of Oxford University, just in time for treating soldiers in World War II.

Medical journals are no strangers to receiving letters. However, one letter that arrived recently at several journals was extremely unusual. The letter was from the United States Department of Justice. “We were surprised,” said Dr. Eric Rubin, editor-in-chief of The New England Journal of Medicine, in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR). Rubin said the letter came from a U.S.

The newly established PhD in Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) program in Cedars-Sinai’s Health Sciences University has earned accreditation from the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The PhD in Health AI program is the first in the United States to be embedded in a hospital and the first to combine interdisciplinary academic training with hands-on clinical data experience, giving students opportunities to develop AI solutions that could improve diagnostics, patient care and healthcare delivery.

According to a recent study in the publication BMC Gastroenterology, for patients undergoing colonoscopy, coffee or caffeine intake was not associated with a higher risk for colonic diverticulosis. The study can be found here. Further research may explore whether different coffee types have varying effects. Diverticulosis is the most common benign pathology of the colon. Genetics, inflammation, neuromuscular abnormalities, colonic motility and lifestyle including dietary habits play roles in disease pathogenesis, according to the study abstract.

TOKYO—Olympus Corporation recently announced an agreement with Revival Healthcare Capital to drive advancements in endoluminal robotics. Olympus and Revival will co-found Swan EndoSurgical, a new company dedicated to developing a novel robotic system designed to revolutionize gastrointestinal patient care in the future. Endoluminal robotics aims to empower more physicians to safely perform innovative techniques, enhancing patient access to treatment options that support safety and improved recovery times.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping healthcare. From diagnostics to patient care and administrative processes, AI is positioned to revolutionize the industry. Nine out of 10 organizations believe AI offers a competitive advantage.1 However, despite all the optimism surrounding its limitless possibilities, 70% to 80% of all AI projects fail.2 This rapid pace of change has left many healthcare professionals scrambling to adapt, facing a steep learning curve and significant role evolution.

CHICAGO–The American Medical Association (AMA) in late July expressed “deep concern” to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy about news that he intends to remove all members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). “USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians’ efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services,” the AMA said in its letter.

A study led by Cedars-Sinai investigators uncovered a significant uptick in chronic digestive disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Neurogastroenterology & Motility, highlight a potential link between pandemic-related stress on the gut-brain axis. “Using data from a national online study, we found that rates of digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and chronic idiopathic constipation rose significantly,” said Christopher V.

A multicenter observational study from the German healthcare system suggested that the annual waste generated by endoscopy in hospitals and outpatient settings in the country is roughly equivalent to the waste produced by a small town. The study details follow. Background: Endoscopic procedures are a notable source of medical waste, contributing significantly to environmental pollution. Prior studies report 0.5–3.0 kg of waste per procedure—compared with just 1.2 kg of household waste generated per person per day in Germany.

“I’ve been having diarrhea for the past few days. I’m always in the bathroom. All the bathroom trips are so difficult because something is wrong with my one knee. I also feel queasy. While this is going on my heart is racing, maybe because of my nerves. I also have a lingering cough. Did I mention my jaw hurts?” A patient just walked in and gave you that laundry list of issues.

We’re all familiar with the most massive, long-standing companies that are bedrocks of the endoscopy and processing industries, and we’re familiar with some smaller names that have been around a long time too. Anyone who has been to an endoscopy or processing tradeshow has grown accustomed to the giant booths that anchor even massive floor spaces. The endoscopy and processing industries are quite stable with these mainstay companies, but those companies do continue to roll out new products that you might not be familiar with, and new companies pop up as well.

Plastics. They’re everywhere. And it’s not good. In fact, it’s very, very bad. These days there’s a lot of erroneous “health” information out there, and it’s hard sometimes to know what deserves alarm and what doesn’t. Plastics deserve alarm. Even those people who are not concerned about the environment must surely be concerned by studies that show imaging of human brains that contain as much plastic as a plastic spoon.

Ensuring the efficacy of endoscopes is paramount in preventing healthcare-associated infections. This process involves rigorous testing to verify that cleaning and disinfection protocols effectively eliminate contaminants. Key aspects of this testing include verifying cleaning procedures, detecting residual proteins or microbes and evaluating the effectiveness of drying and storage practices. Through meticulous assessment, healthcare facilities can safeguard patient health and uphold the highest standards of hygiene.

The jokes are rolling at Carle Health Endoscopy Center, in Peoria, Illinois, but first and foremost is patient safety. “I personally love that we have fun together at work,” said Jamie Remick, RN. “We joke with each other and patients. We know this is a serious situation, but levity helps keep us grounded. … We really are a team where all members work together.

I’ve tried hard to keep politics out of this magazine. After all, it’s a medical magazine, not a political forum. However, political interests keep blasting their way into the medical field, left and right—no pun intended—to the point that it’s sometimes impossible to discuss changes in the medical field without discussing politics. On one such matter—federal cuts to medical research—I’m going to step into the fray.

BETHESDA, Maryland— Anal cancer has been steadily increasing in the United States, with the biggest jumps among older women, especially white and Hispanic women—a shift that challenges assumptions about high-risk groups and who should be screened. “Rates of anal cancer are rising fastest among white and Hispanic women over 65—groups not traditionally considered high risk,” said lead author Ashley Robinson, MD, a second-year internal medicine resident at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.