• California: Science Corp.'s new prosthetic has helped restore vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common eye disease and leading cause of blindness in older adults. Around 5 million people worldwide are affected by AMD. In a study, 32 patients received Science's PRIMA brain-computer interface retinal implant. The PRIMA system combines a tiny wireless chip with special glasses equipped with a camera. The patients had geographic atrophy, an advanced form of AMD, and most were over the age of 60. Of the patients, 27 reported that their vision had improved enough to read letters, numbers, and words after a year, and 26 experienced significant improvement in visual acuity. Although 19 patients experienced side effects, including high pressure in the eyes, retinal tears, and bleeding, the researchers said most of these symptoms resolved within two months. According to José-Alain Sahel, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh and Sorbonne University in Paris and one of the study's authors, the trial marks "the first time that an attempt at vision restoration in these cases has achieved results — and in such a large number of patients." Currently, the device can only provide black-and-white vision, with a relatively low resolution, but Science said it's already working on the next version of the device, "which will optimize visual performance further with digital image processing and streamlined ergonomics to bring this technology to more patients." So far, Science has filed for regulatory approval in Europe and is working on regulatory approval from FDA. (Missakian, Fierce Healthcare, 10/21)
• New Jersey: Samsung has finalized its acquisition of Xealth, a health data company that initially spun out from Providence in 2017. According to sources familiar with acquisition, Samsung paid approximately $115 million for the company. Xealth uses a platform that integrates clinical data from dozens of digital health vendors. It has been backed by several provider investors, including Banner Health and Atrium Health, which is now part of Advocate Health. According to Modern Healthcare, Samsung has primarily focused on consumer health wearables in the United States, but its acquisition of Xealth will help it break into the clinical space in hospitals. Samsung also plans to develop a hub for users to share their health data directly with doctors between visits. (Perna, Modern Healthcare, 10/17)
• Washington: Microsoft is adding a new specialized tool for nurses to its generative AI assistant Dragon Copilot, further expanding its healthcare capabilities. Dragon Copilot, which was released publicly in March, was developed to help providers with clinical documentation, revenue cycle management, patient engagement, and clinical decision support. The new tool will allow nurses to document care with ambient AI, which records audio conversations between patients and clinicians and enters summaries of these conversations into the EHR. According to Modern Healthcare, Microsoft worked with Mercy, Advocate Health, and eight other providers to develop the new AI nursing tool. "There is nothing that is out of limits for a nurse," said Cheryl Denison, Mercy's clinical integration director. "They see [birth to death], and everything in between, and all the messy things that can occur. Although doctors and nurses are both caring for patients, our workflows are definitely different and the way we create notes is different." The AI nursing tool will be available to all users of Dragon Copilot in December. (Perna, Modern Healthcare, 10/16) 

Healthcare is entering a new wave of innovation — the era of bespoke patient care. Discover the four challenges leaders must address when integrating innovative products, and learn how organizations are building the necessary infrastructure to succeed clinically and operationally.