Date Posted: Monday, July 29, 2024

 

Ensuring the U.S. public health infrastructure is ready to meet the challenges of the future was the pervasive theme at June's AHIP 2024 conference. Sheltered from the desert heat inside Wynn Las Vegas, AHIP attendees discussed how our country can implement a vision of healthcare that is equitable, accessible, and affordable.

 

This year's keynote speakers included Mandy Cohen, MD, director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Bechara Choucair, MD, executive vice president and chief health officer of Kaiser Permanente; Dan Hanfling, MD, White House director of strategic private sector pandemic preparedness, Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy; and Abraham Verghese, MD, a professor at Stanford University and New York Times bestselling author.

 

The emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming healthcare was a major focus of speakers and attendees of the annual conference for health insurance professionals. Topics of discussion – and debate – included best use cases for AI, regulatory considerations, and how to attain transparency and accountability.

 

Steve Ambrose, director of thought leadership and content for AI healthcare technology vendor, Lyric, lauded “the exceptional level of frankness exhibited by the panelists.”

 

“They extensively discussed the critical need for revamping public health infrastructure, fostering stronger payor-provider partnerships, and ensuring the ethical and responsible implementation of AI,” Ambrose said. “Most refreshing was when they didn't always agree with one another.”

 

Amy Window, vice president of strategic alliances for Infermedica, which sells AI-powered solutions for symptom analysis and patient triage, noted how “AHIP underscored the importance of interoperability in driving change within the healthcare industry.”

 

“Seamless data sharing and effective collaboration emerged as key themes, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for digital solutions that work together harmoniously to enhance care delivery and improve outcomes,” she said.

 

While the conference provided an opportunity for attendees to reaffirm their shared vision of achieving coordination, ecosystem integrations, and connected care navigation, Window said there was plenty of honest talk regarding “the ongoing challenges we must overcome to realize these goals.”

 

Numerous panel and speaker sessions were devoted to equity, prevention, and community health improvement. Specific session topics included assessing the measurable impact of equity on outcomes, using data, analytics, and personalized communication to advance health equity, and how payors can maximize the impact of their health equity initiatives through strategic partnerships.

 

“It was inspiring to see the health insurance industry's commitment to reducing disparities and improving access to affordable, high-quality care for underserved populations,” said Dana Fieni, Infermedica's director of health solutions. “The AHIP conference provided a platform for sharing ideas and best practices and demonstrated that, by harnessing the power of technology, we can make significant strides in ensuring equitable healthcare for all.”

 

Perhaps the most enthusiastic review of this year's AHIP conference comes from Chris Rigsby, senior vice president of payor solutions for Omega Healthcare, a platform vendor revenue cycle management and clinical communication services.

 

“AHIP brought together healthcare leaders focused on exploring the latest innovations for payors aimed at improving member outcomes,” Rigsby said. “Many of the conversations were centered around solutions that effectively leverage technology-enabled services to empower payors, providers, and patients to thrive. Viva Las Vegas and AHIP 2024!”

 

Contributor