Spend :01 of your time each Monday morning as Twelve:01 delivers timely tools, trends, strategies, and/or compliance insights for the CME/CE enterprise.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health this week, enabling selected U.S. users to connect medical records and wellness apps so responses can be tailored to their personal health data, with the tool positioned for everyday health questions rather than diagnosis or treatment. Access is currently limited, with broader U.S. rollout expected in the coming weeks. Some technology and AI leaders characterize the launch as potentially influential in how individuals seek medical information and make health-related decisions. Supporters note that many patients already rely on chatbots for health questions and argue that structured, record-aware responses may feel more accessible than unfiltered web searches. Clinicians, ethicists, and privacy advocates raise concerns about incorrect or biased outputs, automation bias, and the risk of unsupervised self-management. For CME/CE professionals, the launch highlights the need to understand emerging AI tools that may shape patient expectations, information sources, and clinical conversations.
Despite growing enthusiasm for AI, human hospital teams still outperform algorithms in most real-world patient safety situations, according to a recent Forbes article. Preventable harm remains widespread not because solutions are unknown, but because health systems often struggle to consistently apply proven safety practices. As with so many examples, AI shows the greatest promise when it augments well-designed workflows, teamwork, and safety cultures. Used thoughtfully, technology can support early detection, reduce cognitive burden, and surface risks that humans might miss. But lasting safety improvement still depends on people, systems, and accountability.
Significant healthcare policies taking effect in 2026 mark a turning point from legislative debate to operational reality. The expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies, shifts in Medicaid and marketplace rules, and new state-level coverage mandates will increase coverage volatility and strain access across many communities. At the same time, Medicare is accelerating site-neutral payments, bundled models, and transparency requirements, reshaping clinical workflows and professional expectations. Drug pricing reforms, tighter prior authorization standards, and new interoperability mandates signal a stronger emphasis on accountability, appropriate utilization, and technology governance. For accredited CME/CE providers, these changes may represent educational need(s) and or barriers to be addressed with your accredited activities.
