3D-printed pills will provide the solution to one of medicine's biggest issues

Health communication systems designed for rural, developing countries -- where hospitals are often understaffed and transportation is inadequate -- are being adapted to improve care in U.S. cities.

Undergoing surgery is a stress-inducing prospect for anyone, but children are especially vulnerable to anxiety prior to operations. To avoid using risky anti-anxiety medications on young patients, two anesthesiologists at the Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford have developed creative techniques to distract children from their forthcoming surgeries. They use toys and a unique low-cost video projection system called BERT-Bedside Entertainment Theater.

The intensive, alert care low weight infants need is often complicated by overstressed parents and overstretched hospital workers. A bracelet that monitors an infants temperature--and gives an alert when the temperature falls to unsafe levels--provides valuable support to ensuring the safety of these vulnerable young lives.

Almost a quarter of rural Americans surveyed by NPR had used a telehealth service in the past few years. While new technologies are allowing remote patients to gain new access to healthcare, lack of broadband service and outdated insurance policies are making it hard for more widespread adoption.

New Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics provide mental health services to all residents with a diagnosed mental health condition. Fees are based on income and insurance coverage, using a sliding scale discount program to help remove the financial barriers that often prevent those in need from seeking care.

With the help of a program that enables churches to assess the needs of their community and create solutions, one reverend in North Carolina was able to provide a lifeline: internet access. Rural communities like his in North Carolina struggle with internet access and are unable to schedule vital telehealth visits, complete school work or work from home. The funds paid for internet as well as several old computers and 14 hotspots.

Outbreak Response teams travel from house to house in Kano, Nigeria, making sure children are vaccinated against wild poliovirus to prevent its spread.

The Children Living With Cancer Foundation organizes dance parties for children with cancer, to provide them with a sense of joy, encouragement, and community during times of need. The nonprofit also organizes community events and donations and works with local pharmacies to get patients the medicines they need at subsidized rates. So far, the Foundation has supported 300 childhood cancer patients and their families.

A pediatric care center in Philadelphia has partnered with a nonprofit that "helps people with tax prep and asset-building" as well as an organization that provides financial counselors to offer young patients free, on-site help with their taxes. The initiative is modeled after Boston Medical Center' StreetCred program which has "returned more than $5.3 million to more than 2,700 low-income families since 2016."

In response to the severe lack of physicians, Shasta Community Health Center has increased telehealth services through its telemedicine center, which provides real-time video calls with physician specialists. This short-term solution helps patients get the care they need while lawmakers and work on long-term, financially viable solutions.