North American Community Hub Statistics
Americans today wait an average of 31 days for a new doctor appointment, according to the 2025 AMN Healthcare survey of major U.S. metro areas. Specialist waits are even longer, with patients now waiting 41.8 days for OB/GYN, 40 days for gastroenterology, 36.5 days for dermatology, and 32.7 days for cardiology. Diagnostic imaging is also … Read more
Researchers have identified exactly how an ultra-rare genetic mutation causes brain cells to die, and the mechanism appears strikingly similar to pathways implicated in major neurodegenerative diseases. The work shows that mutations affecting the GPX4 enzyme trigger a specific form of programmed cell death called ferroptosis, driven by iron accumulation and oxidative damage to neuronal … Read more
The expansion of Bentonville Ignite is not a small program upgrade. It is a structural change in how career-focused high school education will function across Northwest Arkansas over the next decade. The program is moving from roughly 600 seats today to a stated long-term capacity of up to 1,500 students, drawing participants from eight to … Read more
Veterinary researchers estimate that more than half of the world’s domestic cats are overweight, a figure that has steadily climbed over the past two decades as indoor living and constant food access have become the norm. Excess weight in cats is not a minor issue. It increases the risk of osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular strain, … Read more
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic have become almost unavoidable over the past two years. I see them discussed everywhere, from doctors’ offices to casual conversations with friends. They are often presented as a breakthrough solution. But new research presented in late 2025 suggests that when it comes to actual, sustained weight loss in real-world patients, … Read more
When families write obituaries, they are not documenting resumes. They are choosing what matters enough to remember. That makes obituaries one of the clearest records we have of collective values, not what people achieved, but what people believed was worth honoring at the end. A large new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy … Read more
The Social Security Administration plans to cut in-person field office visits to roughly 15 million in fiscal year 2026, down from more than 31 million visits in the most recent year, representing one of the largest structural service changes in the agency’s modern history. This is not a projection based on declining demand. It is … Read more
As of 2025, the most accurate answer is this: the United States performs several million cosmetic procedures per year, but only about 1.6 to 1.7 million of those are surgical plastic surgeries, while the vast majority are minimally invasive treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers. Full, finalized national counts for 2025 have not yet … Read more
In 2025, the United States spends roughly twice as much per person on healthcare as Europe, yet patients in many European countries experience fewer cost barriers, more consistent access, and better population-level outcomes, according to KFF. The difference is not explained by technology, medical skill, or effort by clinicians. It is driven by how care … Read more
A Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP) is an employer-funded health benefit arrangement that reimburses employees, on a tax-free basis, for qualified medical expenses defined under Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d). It is not health insurance, does not pool medical risk, and does not pay providers directly. Instead, it allows employers to reimburse employees after medical … Read more