Health Care Predictions for 2024

An ophthalmic imaging specialist outlined how lighting technique and serial documentation help clinicians tell normal iris pigment from disease.

Topical steroids remain first-line for chronic hand eczema, but long-term use can thin the skin and leave patients with poorly controlled disease.

Laura Ferris urges risk-based melanoma screening and highlights earlier immunotherapy, selective imaging, vaccine limits and new post–PD-1 options.

Patients with HS should get three to four months on a biologic before a switch, says a dermatologist who sees promise in oral JAK inhibitors.

With three FDA-approved biologics for hidradenitis suppurativa, Jennifer Hsiao, M.D., said patient preference and access often decide which comes first.

A structured approach grounded in implementation science and supported by a culture that values continuous improvement can enable organizations to identify barriers, align stakeholders and sustain new practices over time.

New unattended sleep testing codes take effect Jan. 1, 2027 — but a dispute over how CMS values them could shape access to the cheaper alternative to in-lab sleep studies.

A session at AAO 2026 explained how Medicare, Medicare Advantage and commercial coverage policies differ in ophthalmology, and how practices can document and code to stay compliant