Photo courtesy of Christina Rengaiel/Center Square Robots will be on display at the AI Horizons summit in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Healthcare is a major industry in Pennsylvania. In fact, it's so big that Pittsburgh-based UPMC is the state's largest non-government employer.
It is also an industry in crisis. That's where artificial intelligence comes in for the organizers of the city's AI Horizons summit.
At the summit, industry leaders spoke about innovations poised for a new era of care that has already begun.
Ian Blunt, vice president of data and analytics at Highmark Health, said he has been using AI for decades to analyse the data and use predictive models to enhance patient care. However, it has only been the past two years that other members of his organization have turned to AI to develop solutions to the problems they encounter.
“Ideally, we want to actively get support from our members when we need them, and there are some very powerful ways we can do that,” Brandt said. “For example, for those with some very extreme healthcare needs, we can predict in over 80% of cases six months before these needs are met.”
The key to creating such a high level of effectiveness is knowing which questions to ask, experts say. When faced with a new MIT report that found 95% of AI pilots could not provide a return on investment, panelists warned against the use of technology for its technology.
“It doesn't start with AI, it starts with the customer, it starts with the problem you're solving,” said Will Kaigler, former Carnegie Mellon professor and CEO of Sovasage, which combines sleep apnea and individuals living with virtual breathing coaches.
Another Pittsburgh-based entrepreneur, Siburao is a cardiologist who worked at UPMC before establishing Abridge, a generative AI company that enhances conversations between clinicians and patients. The doctor continues to see patients each month, allowing him to maintain a close need that his skills are intended to meet.
“What I'm looking for as a professional and doctor is more agents. It takes 30 hours a day to get all the work done. “So, if AI can create more agents for people, we're doing it right. I think that's the opportunity that's right in front of us.”
Along with clients such as Johns Hopkins, Kaiser Permanente and Mayo Clinic, the startup has grown far beyond its Pennsylvania roots. Rao says his company receives “love letters” daily from medical professionals who say their lives have been changed by applications, reducing their daily workloads by the hour that was spent on documenting and administrative tasks.
Center Square asked panelists how people working in the healthcare sector would introduce AI solutions to the cautious masses.
Kaigrar said his experience with Sovasage demonstrated that most people take AI on a case-by-case basis. They may be on the tech overall, but when it benefits them, they are willing to accept it.
“They have a solution. It's someone helping them. Previously, they didn't get help, right?” Kaigler said. “That's what they care about.”
For Michael Guidry, Vice President of Product Management at TeleTracking, it's about getting buy-in from people working in clinical and managed environments.
“We try and design solutions that limit the number of people who really have to think about what you're trying to do, the impact you have, and what decisions you need to make,” Guidry said. “So, for them, it's just a bread world that helps them do their job better. They really don't think much about AI.”
