“A” and “I.” Two letters that will dominate the conversations and presentations at HLTH 2024 next week. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the healthcare industry, from how patients receive care to how professionals are trained and how insurers manage risk. You may have a great AI story to tell at HLTH 2024, but the challenge will be how to attract the attention of the media, analysts, and attendees amidst all the AI-related chatter/noise.
At Highwire, we know leading the conversation isn’t just about staying in the loop—it’s about shaping it, so we rolled up our sleeves and analyzed both the HLTH 2024 agenda, packed with discussions on the promise of AI in healthcare, and the broader media conversation about AI innovation, policy, and watch-outs for healthcare over the past year.
In this analysis, we examined the Top 15 topics within AI in healthcare media coverage since the beginning of 2024. Using a combination of competitive analysis and listening tools, as well as natural language processing, we then compared those dominant topics against the slate of AI-related sessions at HLTH.
Where HLTH 2024 Lines Up with Media—and Why It Matters
AI in Patient Care: Putting the Human First
Of the top 15, 24% of healthcare AI media stories lean into patient care, it’s clear that people want AI to help make healthcare more efficient, personalized, and accessible.
HLTH 2024’s agenda features more than 30 presentations on AI - many focused on patient care. Sessions like "AI: Powering Patient Care, Research, Caregiver Wellbeing, and Organizational Efficiency" promise to showcase how AI is revolutionizing every aspect of care delivery—from bedside interactions to behind-the-scenes operations. This alignment speaks volumes: the industry knows that AI’s true potential is in its ability to make healthcare more human, not less.
Upskilling the Workforce: Keep Up or Fall Behind
The media is also focusing on the issue of equipping healthcare workers with the skills they need to keep up with AI’s rapid evolution. Approximately 15% of top 15 media coverage centers on upskilling healthcare professionals and bridging the knowledge gap as AI becomes more ingrained in daily practice.
The HLTH session "Keep Up or Lose Out: Upskilling for AI in the Digital Health Era" reflects this urgency. AI is here, and the question is no longer “if” but “how” healthcare professionals can wield this powerful tool effectively. It’s about ensuring AI enhances the human element of care, rather than replacing it.
AI Regulation: The Tightrope Between Innovation and Safety
There’s a balancing act in the healthcare AI conversation—20% of top 15 AI-related mentions touch on regulations and governance. The potential for AI in healthcare is immense, but it needs to be kept in check with appropriate frameworks to avoid pitfalls like algorithmic bias or unintended misuse.
HLTH has tuned into these concerns, with sessions like "Does AI Need Its Own Governance Structure?" and the "CHAI Global Summit" focusing on building ethical guardrails around AI in healthcare. By addressing these critical issues, HLTH positions itself as an advocate for responsible innovation.
Where HLTH 2024 Veers from the Trends—and the Opportunities Ahead
Those are some of the topics that we know are top-of-mind for the media planning to attend HLTH 2024. Our research has also identified topics that have been regularly covered by media but will take less of the programming focus at HLTH, as well as those topics that may not be in the spotlight now and present opportunities to take a larger share of conversation.
Misinformation: The Elephant in the AI Room
One notable gap in the HLTH 2024 agenda is the lack of a dedicated conversation about misinformation. Media coverage reflects that 10% of top 15 AI discussions are focused on how AI might spread—or even combat—misinformation in healthcare.
In an era where generative AI can produce reams of content at scale, sometimes with unintended consequences, the need for tackling misinformation is more pressing than ever. HLTH is a perfect platform to address these concerns, bringing experts together to explore how the industry can navigate the misinformation minefield while still harnessing AI’s capabilities - and we imagine this topic will not go unexplored in panel and presentation remarks.
Health Equity: Bridging the Gap with AI
Healthcare has a notorious problem: disparities in access. While 14% of top 15 media conversations include mention of the promise of AI to address these inequities, the HLTH agenda touches on these concerns only in the context of value-based care.
If AI is going to fulfill its promise of transforming healthcare for everyone, it needs to benefit all communities, not just the well-resourced. Addressing the digital divide and ensuring AI doesn’t become a luxury but a right for all patients could lead to powerful industry-wide change.
Collaboration Across Healthcare Segments: Breaking Down Silos
AI is powerful, but its true potential lies in collaboration. Media trends highlight that 12% of top 15 articles mention the need for cross-segment partnerships—payers, providers, and pharma—all working together to ensure AI’s success. It will take key players across the healthcare spectrum collaborating to solve real challenges with AI solutions.
Emerging Opportunities: AI’s Untapped Potential
While the dominant AI trends in healthcare focus on patient care and regulatory frameworks, there are significant emerging opportunities that the media has yet to fully explore. For example, AI’s role in addressing clinician burnout is a crucial area gaining attention at HLTH 2024, with sessions like "AI and Human-Centered Care" and "Nurses@HLTH." These sessions focus on how AI can reduce administrative burdens, improve workflow efficiency, and give clinicians more time to connect with patients—helping to tackle burnout and improve job satisfaction. As the healthcare workforce continues to face unprecedented stress, this conversation is primed to emerge as a critical media topic soon.
Similarly, AI’s impact on workforce dynamics, particularly in non-clinical roles, offers another untapped opportunity. Sessions like "AI-Designed Benefits" highlight how AI is reshaping employee health plans and operational efficiency, helping to personalize benefits packages and enhance employee engagement. As healthcare organizations struggle to attract and retain talent, AI’s role in optimizing workforce management and employee satisfaction could become a major conversation point in the evolving healthcare landscape.
Highwire: Using Data to Drive the AI Conversation
At Highwire, we’re not just participants in the AI conversation—we track it, shape it, and ensure our clients lead it. We use data to measure the pulse of healthcare and guide our clients with pinpoint accuracy.
The intersection of technology and healthcare is evolving at a breakneck pace. To stand out, companies need more than great products—they need narratives that resonate. That’s where we come in. We combine strategic communications with real-time data insights, like those from our HLTH analysis, to build campaigns that don’t just inform—they engage, influence, and lead.
Want to be the one leading the conversation about AI in healthcare? Highwire can take you there.