21 Executives Share Their Predictions and Insights

As HLTH 2024 prepares to convene in Las Vegas, the anticipation for groundbreaking insights and transformative discussions is palpable. To get a glimpse into the key themes and predictions shaping this year’s event, we reached out to 21 digital health executives for their expert perspectives.

From the rise of generative AI and the evolving role of virtual care to the increasing focus on health equity and value-based care, these industry leaders offer a diverse range of perspectives on the most pressing challenges and promising opportunities facing the healthcare ecosystem.

Join us as we delve into their predictions and explore the trends that are poised to redefine the future of healthcare at HLTH 2024.

Ryne Natzke, chief revenue officer, TrustCommerce, a Sphere company, a provider of end-to-end integrated healthcare payments and security software

AI, AI, and more AI! I’m looking forward to seeing how AI is being applied to help clinicians, patients, and other staff members provide better patient experiences and outcomes. Everything is moving so quickly that it will be exciting to get an update on where the industry is going.

James Aita, director, Strategy and Business Development, Medicomp Systems, a physician-driven provider of diagnostically connected patient data solutions

Of course AI is the hot topic at HLTH this year–but with the new regulations from ASTP/ONC, the question is how can it be usable, trustworthy, transparent and helpful. I’m also interested in seeing who else is making AI and clinical data helpful at the point of care to reduce the burden on clinicians and inform patient care.

Lyle Berkowitz, MD, CEO, KeyCare, the nation’s first Epic-based virtual care company

I always look forward to HLTH and seeing presentations of the newest cutting-edge technology and ideas. This year, I’m expecting deeper and wider use cases of AI to lead the charge. But in addition to technology innovations, I’m also hoping we will hear about other people and process topics such as how to set up virtual care teams and how to rethink primary care physician compensation to better align around adoption of automation and team-based care.

Kazu Okuda, MD, CEO and co-founder of Universal Brain, whose platforms use brain-function measurement to drive precision psychiatry

The emergence of personalized treatment is an exciting field that I expect to take center stage at HLTH this year. Implementing tools that facilitate data-driven decision-making in mental health will allow clinicians to develop personalized treatments and precisely determine the efficacy of therapies, accelerating positive outcomes for patients.

Adam McMullin, CEO, AvaSure, a market leader in virtual care

Virtual care remains a hot topic at every healthcare conference I have attended in 2024. Virtual nursing is particularly emphasized as critical to improving healthcare outcomes and addressing workforce shortages. AI’s role in enhancing virtual care is also a recurring theme, with discussions around using AI for staff and patient safety and operational efficiency, always with a human in the loop.

Vijayashree Natarajan, SVP, head of technology, at Omega Healthcare

I anticipate a lot of discussion around AI/GenAI, as adoption continues to scale and new applications are discovered. While healthcare executives remain concerned about rising costs and thin margins, many are also excited about the value AI/GenAI can unlock to boost productivity and optimize revenue. Progressive health systems are working on bringing AI/GenAI tools to the administrative side of healthcare–notably to revenue cycle management (RCM) operations, with a focus on achieving faster time-to-value.

John Showalter, MD, MSIS, chief strategy officer at Linus Health, a digital health company enabling early detection of cognitive impairment

This year at HLTH, it will be more important than ever to share information about digital tools that can help prevent and treat dementia, including those aimed at screening people earlier when interventions can make the most difference. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are on the frontlines when it comes to diagnosing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the precursor to dementia. With an estimated 19% shortfall of neurologists expected by next year, an average 6-month wait to see a specialist, and 20 states considered “dementia neurology deserts,” PCPs are ideally situated to leverage new digital tools to drive the right care for the right patients within the right time frame.

Steve Albert, EVP, R1, a provider of technology-driven solutions that transform the patient experience and financial performance of healthcare providers

As we gear up for HLTH, AI will undoubtedly fuel the buzz at the show, specifically around driving innovation and transformative shifts in healthcare operations. I’m looking forward to insightful conversations about how technology is accelerating decision-making, improving patient outcomes, and making significant strides in previously untapped areas like the revenue cycle. AI holds the revolutionary potential to reshape healthcare RCM to tackle market challenges such as staffing shortages and optimizing payer-provider interactions. I’m thrilled to delve into the current and future opportunities AI presents within the revenue cycle.

Steven Miller, MD, MBE, clinical solutions architect, FDB (First Databank), which provides drug knowledge that helps healthcare professionals make precise medication decisions

Clinical decision support will be a hot topic at HLTH. There are several simultaneous advances that are rapidly revolutionizing the application of CDS in healthcare. The advent of FHIR and CDS Hooks, quickened by the 21st Century Cures Act regulations, are making it possible to achieve the dream of patient-centered, scalable CDS that can be built once and then implemented across multiple sites. FHIR also is permitting researchers to evaluate the outcomes of CDS in terms of improved health for patients, and this information can be used to refine and improve CDS algorithms. Artificial intelligence is already being used to evaluate large patient care datasets to inform the design of CDS, but this is going to advance in a virtuous and disruptive fashion over the next couple of years. We are poised to see a new generation of accurate, patient-centered, scalable CDS that is simple to implement, simple to track, and rapidly cycles in the update of its algorithms to truly revolutionize patient care.

Amanda Bury, chief commercial officer, Infermedica, a global digital health company specializing in AI-powered solutions for symptom analysis and patient triage

Last year, HLTH was all about the AI buzz, and this year I’m expecting even deeper conversations on the transformative potential of generative AI and large language models in healthcare. From more accurately assessing health risks and identifying care gaps to advancing treatment and boosting patient engagement, AI is poised to make a significant impact. I’m excited to see how these technologies will continue to shift healthcare in a positive direction, delivering real-world outcomes that enhance efficiency, lower costs, and improve overall care.

Jonathan Shoemaker, CEO, ABOUT, a provider of SaaS-based hospital operations solutions for admission management and post-acute placement

As care settings are increasingly dispersed, concepts like patient flow, the care continuum, and patient journey all try to capture what happens with patients across this complicated spectrum. Care orchestration provides the controls to effectively move patients along the continuum of care. I am interested in what HLTH attendees are saying about the progress they’re making to achieve better patient outcomes and greater operational efficiencies by orchestrating the patient journey across all aspects of care.

Gary Hamilton, CEO, InteliChart, a provider of patient engagement tools

Patients today seek more control over how and from whom they receive care, and healthcare leaders are finding that they must adjust to these demands to ensure patient acquisition and retention. Every stakeholder – from physicians to health systems to EHR providers – is enacting strategies to shift our historically physician-centric healthcare system to one that is built around the patient. The time has come for healthcare to look at patient experience with more urgency, and I’m interested in hearing what HLTH attendees have to say about the many drivers that are making patient engagement a crucial factor in determining providers’ long-term success.

Chris Darland, CEO of Peerbridge Health, developer of the first hospital-grade remote diagnostic to detect heart failure

One trend I expect to be a topic of conversation at HLTH is advancement in the hospital-at-home care model. The lack of capacity at hospitals makes hospital-at-home essential to healthcare both today and in coming years, when our aging population will require more acute care. The hospital-at-home care model has been shown to reduce costs and improve outcomes. Additionally, high-quality care in the home enhances the patient experience. The number of remote digital tools that can be used to provide acute care at home continues to grow. As these tools improve, I’m optimistic they will gain the confidence of providers, patients, and payers. I’m looking forward to hearing about emerging technologies at HLTH and having conversations about our own experiences and trial results.

Karie Ryan, DNP, MS, RN, CENP, chief nursing officer at Artisight, provider of an AI-powered Smart Hospital Platform powered by artificial intelligence

We’re excited to see how computer vision and other AI technologies are poised to transform the nursing workflow. These innovations have the potential to significantly reduce the administrative burden on nurses, allowing them to spend more time on direct patient care. From automating documentation to enhancing patient monitoring for fall prevention and pressure ulcer risk, these technologies can augment nurses’ capabilities, improve patient safety, and ultimately lead to better outcomes. As we move forward, it’s crucial that we involve nurses in the development and implementation of these tools to ensure they truly address the needs of frontline caregivers.

Carolyn Wukitch, president and COO, Lyric, a leading AI healthcare technology company, committed to simplifying the business of care

The future success and sustainability of our health system will be heavily aligned to the environment of financial interactions between payers, providers, and patients. Innovation and advanced technology within payment integrity will not only unlock greater savings and lower costs for stakeholders, but also serve to inform and reshape the total cost of care. The future of a more unified healthcare ecosystem requires greater data sharing and transparency to drive trust, stakeholder alignment, and collaborative insights leading to better outcomes for all.

Nick Patel, MD, physician executive partner with Pivot Point Consulting, a leading healthcare IT consulting firm

At HLTH24, I’m eager to discover how industry leaders are addressing the severe staffing challenges confronting the U.S. healthcare system. The shortage of healthcare professionals — driven by burnout, early retirements, fewer new entrants, and an aging workforce — is compounded by rising demand for both traditional services like primary care and innovative health solutions. I’m particularly interested in learning about new technologies, real-world use cases, and success stories that seamlessly integrate hands-on care with digital health, especially how healthcare organizations are leveraging virtual care and digitizing patient experiences in scheduling, intake and care delivery. As we advance, it’s critical that we also prioritize health equity, tackling social determinants of health (SDoH) and closing the digital divide — ensuring access to basics from nutritious food to Internet access. I’ll be seeking innovative strategies that help healthcare organizations transform digitally in a comprehensive, integrated way, breaking down silos to create more equitable, accessible care for all.

Greg Miller, vice president of Business Development, Carta Healthcare, which applies the power of AI combined with expert clinical data abstractors to harness data and insights as catalysts for healthcare transformation

Artificial Intelligence will certainly be a hot topic at HLTH. I believe we’ll start to see AI-based solutions move from hype and hope to pragmatic applications delivering real-world value.

Anthony Brooke, president, Provider Solutions & Technology, DrFirst, which empowers providers and patients to achieve better health through intelligent medication management

Healthcare leaders are hungry to hear more at this year’s HLTH about how they can transform artificial intelligence into applied intelligence to stay competitive. By fostering an AI-first culture, adopting clean data methodology, and mastering data contextualization, organizations can unlock the true potential of AI for real-world business solutions. An incredibly high-value takeaway would be how to harness data effectively so they can lead the next wave of innovation and efficiency.

Kem Graham, VP of sales at CliniComp, an electronic health record (EHR) solution suite

A key trend we’ll likely see highlighted at the conference is the growing demand for a service-driven EHR solution. Healthcare providers are increasingly looking for partners, not just vendors. They want an EHR provider who can offer comprehensive support, from implementation to ongoing optimization, without the need for multiple third-party contracts. This shift is about more than just technology – it’s about reducing the IT burden on healthcare organizations and allowing them to focus on what they do best: patient care. The future of EHRs lies in solutions that adapt to the healthcare environment, not the other way around.

Oren Nissim, CEO and co-founder of Brook Health, which blends remote clinical teams with AI to extend care into the home

The next level of maturing AI proposition in healthcare will be around how these functions are finding deeper integrations into systems, how data is being shared safely and securely with AI, and what level of controls are being developed on AI functions. We look forward to seeing more deployments of AI and maturing definitions of how these get done at HLTH this year.

Chris Althoff, former senior consulting partner and head of marketing at emtelligent, developer of AI-powered deep learning that structures medical text and unlocks hidden insights

Providers are using tools to generate accurate clinical summaries for clinicians to make informed decisions at the point of care and to ease the burden of note-taking and chart review. For pharmaceutical companies, medical AI is making it easier to quickly identify and recruit clinical trial participants and compile detailed real-world evidence for post-marketing research. These are things that are happening today and will be part of the conversation at HLTH 2024.