🌞 Musk’s xAI To Disrupt Healthcare

Welcome to your briefing:

• AI ROUNDUP: Sam Altman is starting to look a lot like Mark Zuckerberg

• INDUSTRY ROUNDUP: Moderna makes big play for big tech talent

• WELLNESS BYTES: I've studied longevity for 35 years: Here's the 1 habit I won't change even for a longer life

• INSIGHTS CORNER: Addressing Maternal Health Inequities with Digital Tools: Insights from Deloitte's Research

• TRIVIA: What AI application has shown promise in reducing the rate of stillbirths by enabling expectant mothers to monitor fetal movements?

AI ROUNDUP

WATCH THIS

Is video based telehealth over? This $2.2 billion startup AI bot demystifies health insurance

— ### —

• Elon Musk’s xAI Raises $6 Billion, Has potential to disrupt healthcare (Read More)

• Sam Altman is starting to look a lot like Mark Zuckerberg (Read More)

• The Chief AI officer in Healthcare: Strategy, tactics and evangelism (Read More)

• Google: Meet 24 startups advancing healthcare with AI (Read More)

• UCSF to develop AI monitoring platform for clinical care (Read More)

• What is the Senate doing on health AI? (Read More)

• Radiology AI: Going beyond the algorithm (Read More)

• AI predicts brain surgery outcomes on MRI (Read More)

• UIC doctor develops app to detect mental illness just by using a smartphone (Read More)

INDUSTRY ROUNDUP

• HHS Issues new rule to strengthen Medicare LGTBQ+, Civil Rights Protections (Read More)

• After a traumatic C-section, journalist takes on the medicalization of birth (Read More)

• Clover assistant AI tool now available to payers, providers (Read More)

• New tracker aims to help patients find weight-loss drugs amid shortages (Read More)

• Moderna makes big play for big tech talent (Read More)

WELLNESS BYTES

• A human performance scientist who coaches elite athletes shares his efficient longevity workout (Read More)

• I've studied longevity for 35 years: Here's the 1 habit I won't change even for a longer life (Read More)

• The new obesity drugs work, but it's a dilemma when people have to stop taking them (Read More)

INSIGHTS CORNER

Addressing Maternal Health Inequities with Digital Tools: Insights from Deloitte's Research

Maternal health disparities in the United States are profound and pervasive, with the country recording the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations. Notably, Black women experience a maternal mortality rate three times higher than that of White women. These disparities exist regardless of socioeconomic status or education level, underlining deep-rooted systemic issues in healthcare access and quality.

Survey Insights and Digital Opportunities Deloitte's research, involving a survey of 2,000 individuals who were pregnant within the last two years, reveals significant potential for digital tools to address these inequities. Findings suggest that over 70% of respondents utilized digital resources to manage their pregnancy-related health needs. Despite the high usage rates, there is a clear disparity in satisfaction and effectiveness across different racial groups, with Black, mixed-race, and Hispanic respondents reporting that digital tools often fail to meet their cultural needs or personal health requirements.

Key Benefits of Digital Tools Digital platforms, including patient portals and mobile health apps, are frequently used for scheduling medical appointments and communicating with healthcare providers. More advanced digital solutions, like telehealth services and AI-driven chatbots, provide critical health monitoring and support. For example, virtual doula services have been instrumental in educating patients about maternal health risks, supporting mental health, and potentially reducing unnecessary medical interventions such as cesarean sections.

Cultural Tailoring and Equity The study highlights a critical need for digital tools to be more culturally responsive. This includes offering services in multiple languages, adapting content to reflect diverse cultural contexts, and addressing unique health risk factors effectively. Digital tools should be designed with input from the communities they aim to serve to ensure relevance and effectiveness.

Empowering Patients Through Data Digital tools can empower patients by enabling them to share pertinent health data with providers. Programs like "Count the Kicks," which helps monitor fetal movements, demonstrate how data-driven tools can support patients in identifying potential health issues early and communicating effectively with healthcare providers, thereby facilitating timely and appropriate medical interventions.

Designing for Equity To truly benefit from digital health tools, an equity-centered design approach is essential. This involves engaging users from diverse backgrounds in the design process, ensuring that the tools are accessible, understandable, and fully responsive to their needs. Deloitte's research advocates for incorporating user feedback at every stage of the design process, from conception through to deployment and evaluation.

Challenges in Access and Usability While digital tools offer many benefits, challenges such as poor integration with other health systems, high costs, and complex user interfaces can limit their effectiveness. To overcome these barriers, digital tools must be designed for ease of use, affordability, and interoperability.

Recommendations

1. Improve Cultural Relevance: Develop and deploy digital tools that are culturally tailored and available in multiple languages to meet the diverse needs of all users.

2. Enhance Accessibility and Integration: Ensure that digital tools are accessible to all, including those with limited tech skills or resources, and that they can seamlessly integrate with existing healthcare systems.

3. Empower Through Data: Utilize patient-generated health data to empower patients and improve communication with healthcare providers, ensuring that health concerns are validated and addressed promptly.

4. Engage Stakeholders: Involve patients, healthcare providers, and community leaders in the development and refinement of digital tools to ensure they are well-aligned with user needs and expectations.

Conclusion Digital tools have the potential to significantly reduce maternal health disparities by improving access to care, enhancing the quality of care, and empowering patients with actionable health data. However, for these tools to be truly effective, they must be thoughtfully designed and continuously refined to meet the diverse needs of all users, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Access the full report here

AI TRIVIA

HEALTHCARE CONFERENCES

• June 5-6: Digital Healthcare Innovation Summit (East Coast - Boston)

• June 8-12: American Medical Association Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates (Chicago)

• June 11-13: America's Health Insurance Plans AHIP 2024 (Las Vegas)

• June 24-27: Healthcare Financial Management Association Annual Conference (Las Vegas)

• June 29-July 2: AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting (Baltimore)