In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, physician leaders are not just adapting to changes — they are driving them.
Becker's connected with five physicians to find out what recent healthcare developments they're watching.
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: What healthcare trend are you most excited about?
Georgia Gaveras, DO. Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at Talkiatry. There are two behavioral health trends that really excite me, and they both center around investment. Innovative providers are investing their time, problem-solving skills, and resources into solving mental health challenges, which have historically been stigmatized and ignored. One of the most important industrywide endeavors is increasing access to quality care for vulnerable populations, including those who live in healthcare deserts, rural residents, BIPOC people, and the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, providers are finding new ways to decrease the total cost of care through groundbreaking, value-based care models that benefit patients, providers and payors alike. These initiatives are key to meeting the increased demand that has resulted from greater awareness and acceptance of mental health in this country.
The second is financial investment. Talkiatry recently secured a $130 million Series C round, but we are not the only behavioral health provider that has earned new funding recently. Providers, investors, and payers are on the same page when it comes to connecting more people to quality care, especially during the current shortage of mental health care professionals and financial investment helps us scale those efforts. We still have lots of work to do, but we’ve taken the first steps toward solving the most pressing mental health challenges of today.
J. Summer Liston-Crandall, MD. Chief Medical Officer at Oak Lawn Hospital (Marshall, Mich.). I am cautiously enthusiastic about the impact of health IT, especially artificial intelligence, on our ability to meet the so-called "quadruple aim." Offloading low-yield tasks to AI, like documentation and inbox management, decreases clinicians' burdens which in turn lessens burnout. Embracing telemedicine has allowed increased patient access. AI-driven clinical reminders and workflows improve the quality of the healthcare we provide. Finally, making access a priority and completing screening tasks on time will decrease the cost of healthcare by lessening hospitalizations for uncontrolled chronic conditions or late diagnoses. I say I am cautious because we must integrate health IT deliberately and strategically, so that we maintain the personal touch and reward the relationships that make healthcare the very special field that it is.
Chris Longhurst, MD. Chief Medical Officer and Chief Digital Officer at UC San Diego Health, Executive Director at Jacobs Center for Health Innovation (San Diego). I'm most excited about the potential for responsible AI in healthcare to improve patient outcomes, minimize bureaucratic inefficiencies and waste, and enhance medical research. By ensuring AI systems are designed and used ethically, with transparency and fairness, we can transform healthcare delivery while maintaining and even increasing trust.
We are working to do just that at UC San Diego Health. Leveraging the resources of the Joan Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation, the health system is dedicated to ensuring that AI technologies are developed, evaluated and deployed in a safe, respectful and trustworthy manner. As part of our publicly transparent AI principles, UC San Diego Health endorsed the White House statement on governing the safe and responsible development and use of AI in healthcare.
These AI implementation guidelines emphasize the importance of ensuring compliance through local monitoring. One example is a first-ever published study led by UC San Diego Health researchers that found that a unique deep-learning AI algorithm in emergency departments at UC San Diego Health enabled more rapid diagnosis of sepsis infection in high-risk patients, and reduced relative mortality by 17%. It is the first study to report improvement in patient outcomes by utilizing an AI deep-learning model. Another recently published study led by UC San Diego Health researchers was the first prospective randomized evaluation of AI-drafted replies to patient messages that showed reduced cognitive burden and physician burnout.
The findings for both studies prove that outcomes metrics matter; algorithms lack significance without locally measured and tangible clinical results. Local monitoring and assurance are critical to advancing health through AI. As healthcare professionals, we have an obligation to achieve these clinical benchmarks in an effort to improve quality, efficiency and patient experience. I'm a big believer in health systems ensuring that AI tools are thoroughly evaluated for trustworthiness. That’s something I am really passionate about, and I think we will see more of these expectations in the near future.
Doug Nemecek, MD. Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health, Evernorth Health Services (St. Louis). More than half — 54% — of adults with mental illness do not receive treatment, and those who seek treatment often face long wait times and poor provider matches, which delays critical care.
However, the integration of behavioral, medical and pharmacy benefits creates a turnkey opportunity to identify patients in need of behavioral healthcare who aren't already receiving it and more quickly connect them to quality care. We know from Evernorth's research that engaging in outpatient behavioral healthcare early in a patient's journey results in improved health outcomes and lowers their total cost of care. In fact, even the lowest level of behavioral health treatment can make a big impact on total healthcare spend.
I'm thrilled that the broader healthcare industry is recognizing the value that behavioral healthcare has on a person's overall health and vitality and I'm encouraged by the opportunities that are emerging through integrated benefits and robust data to connect patients to the right care at the right time.
Alon Weizer, MD. Senior Vice President Chief Medical Officer at Mount Sinai Medical Center (Miami Beach, Fla.). As a physician who has experienced placing orders and handwriting notes in physical patient charts, I am excited by the evolution of EHRs and the empowerment they offer to both patients and healthcare providers. Frustrated by the disconnect between the promise and reality of early EHRs, I perceived, like many other clinicians, that EHRs would just add to the administrative burden instead of improving our ability to care for patients. However, the combined influence of policy and technology has driven the adoption and evolution of EHRs, granting both providers and patients extensive access to health information — access that has facilitated informed decision-making and yielded the best possible care for patients.
With the incorporation of AI and the ability to leverage "big data," slow improvement has been replaced by rapid change. At Mount Sinai Medical Center, the integration of AI and natural language processing in our EHRs and other clinical settings is enhancing clinician efficiency and improving patient outcomes.
Through AI and ambient listening technology, we can significantly reduce the documentation and administrative workload for clinicians, allowing more time for patient interaction, thereby reducing burnout and enriching the overall patient experience. Furthermore, the evolution of order sets as clinical decision support tools helps clinicians in practicing evidence-based medicine and standardizing care. Despite the prolonged implementation of EHRs, I believe we are only beginning to tap into the potential innovations that will unlock safe, effective and patient-centered care.