What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—except for the pivotal announcements, distinguished speakers, and innovative themes everyone is talking about from HLTH this year. Last week, over 12,000 healthcare leaders convened to explore transformative approaches to AI in healthtech, spread awareness of critical health issues, and empower attendees to envision a future of healthcare and the actionable ways to achieve it.
Highwire secured conversations for clients with top publications covering HLTH including CNBC, Axios, Fast Company, and Healthcare Dive during the first two days of HLTH to expand our clients reach.
The Highwire team was on the ground all four days—sharing everything you need to know from HLTH 2024–from insightful session highlights to news recaps and the social media buzz.
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Hot Topics
AI for You, AI for All
You’ll be hard pressed to find a HLTH recap that doesn’t mention the discourse around the transformative potential use of AI in healthcare. Discussions and panels around AI were full of standing-room-only crowds eager to hear how companies are creating innovative products and services using AI to support everyone in healthcare—from patients, doctors, healthcare providers, platforms and more.
We heard in multiple sessions that “one of the most important applications of AI is healthcare.” Fierce Healthcare, Hospitalogy, and Modern Healthcare also noted that AI was the dominant theme at the conference.
Companies like Amgen, Bayer, and Eli Lilly are leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and improve patient outcomes. Noteworthy collaborations, such as the partnership between Recursion and Google Cloud to advance drug discovery, underscored the innovative applications of AI. GE Healthcare also introduced the AI Innovation Lab and CareIntellect for Oncology, aimed at streamlining cancer diagnostics. Tracy Saula from Highmark projected that by 2040, AI will influence nearly all decision-making processes in healthcare.
While the buzz for AI's potential was a big part of the conference, industry leaders also addressed major concerns regarding its safe and effective implementation. Panels featuring representatives from Kaiser Permanente and GE Healthcare emphasized that "healthcare moves at the speed of trust," highlighting the necessity for accurate validation of AI technologies. Discussions on "AI-washing" raised awareness about the importance of addressing diverse stakeholders, including CIOs and CMIOs, to ensure responsible technology adoption.
The regulatory landscape for AI remains complex, as noted by FDA Commissioner Robert Califf. He stressed that without careful oversight, AI could exacerbate existing inequities in healthcare access. Califf also urged tech companies to prioritize fundamental healthcare needs, such as vaccination updates and chronic disease management, rather than solely focusing on high-tech innovations.
Aside from insightful discussions, innovative solutions for AI integration and patient data management were spotlighted across all four days of HLTH. Collaborations like Aidoc and NVIDIA's BRIDGE initiative aim to accelerate AI adoption in healthcare, while HealthEx and Avandra are developing platforms to enhance data preferences and accessibility. The Coalition for Health AI also announced a draft framework, emphasizing the commitment to establishing best practices in health AI as it prepares for public feedback in early 2025.
→ Emphasize AI transparency and practical healthcare applications in your messaging to address regulatory concerns, showcasing your solutions as both effective and ethically responsible. Additionally, highlight your commitment to utilizing high-quality, representative data alongside your innovative AI-driven technologies.
Better Together: Access & Equity Concerns
The theme of access and equity in healthcare was also a central focus throughout all four days at HLTH. Speakers highlighted the significant disparities in healthcare access across various neighborhoods, gender, race and income levels, emphasizing the critical need for inclusive solutions that ensure everyone can receive the care they deserve.
Notable speakers like First Lady Jill Biden, Halle Berry, and Chelsea Clinton emphasized the urgent need to address women's health issues. Dr. Biden announced a significant $110 million investment aimed at supporting women’s health researchers and startups, urging attendees to break the silence around topics like menopause and migraines. Conversations extended beyond reproductive health, with panels like "Beyond Clinical Walls" stressing that the implications of healthcare restrictions affect a broader range of women's health issues. Halle Berry shared her personal experience with menopause and introduced her wellness company, Respin, while Chelsea Clinton and Jennifer Klein underscored the critical need for improved reproductive health education and expanded training for medical students, reinforcing the idea that knowledge is key to enhancing care.
Discussions also revolved around the stigma surrounding mental health conditions, with Chief Business Officer at Sage Therapeutics, Chris Benecchi and Chief Medical Officer at Talkspace, Nikole Benders-Hadi highlighting the progress made in raising awareness and improving standards of care for conditions like postpartum depression and speaking on children’s mental health. As the healthcare landscape evolves, there is a growing recognition that understanding and prioritizing health for everyone is essential for driving comprehensive care standards.
With the upcoming election, healthcare leaders, including Executive Vice President of Oracle, Seema Verma and member of President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Andy Slavitt, addressed the implications for Medicare and Medicaid, emphasizing the need for data-driven strategies to enhance access. Johnson & Johnson’s EVP, Vanessa Broadhurst and activist John Legend joined the dialogue to spotlight care disparities for people of color, reinforcing the critical need for equitable healthcare solutions across diverse communities.
→ Focus on amplifying diverse voices in healthcare and create messaging that emphasizes inclusive access. Addressing health equity isn’t just a moral imperative, but also an opportunity to connect with diverse patient populations and expand market reach.
Hand in Hand: Partnerships to Success
HLTH 2024 also highlighted the critical role of partnerships in enhancing patient care within the increasingly crowded health tech landscape. Joaquin Duato, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson emphasized the expanding talent profile in healthcare, noting that collaboration among experts in biology, technology, and data is essential for advancing science and improving outcomes.
Numerous partnership announcements highlighted this theme: Oura’s collaboration with Essence Healthcare to provide wearables for seniors, DiMe’s partnerships with Google and Mayo Clinic to maximize AI benefits, and the integration of Healthie and Zocdoc to streamline healthcare workflows. Panel discussions showcased personalized, risk-based care approaches, with innovations from Exact Sciences and City of Hope, illustrating a collective push towards technology that tailors healthcare to individual needs.
Moreover, a panel featuring Blue Zones Health and Total Life Inc. highlighted the importance of quality of life as Americans age, advocating for solutions like home hospital care and telehealth to support patients in familiar environments. Discussions around preventative technologies further emphasized innovative partnerships, with leaders from Ezra and Ferrum Health introducing groundbreaking diagnostic innovations.
Finally, in addressing diet-related health issues, a panel with, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods for the FDA, Jim Jones and Sarah Mastrorocco, Vice President and General Manager of Health from Instacart Health, showcased the power of collaboration between business and government, exemplified by Instacart’s initiative to accept SNAP/EBT for grocery delivery, making healthy food more accessible in underserved communities.
→ Highlight the value of partnerships in addressing critical healthcare challenges by showcasing collaborations that enhance access, improve diagnostics, and create efficient patient care models, all while leveraging the growing focus on consumer wellness and preventative care. Frame your messaging around solutions that empower individuals to lead healthier, proactive lives through better nutrition and at-home diagnostics.
Top Announcements
- Amazon One Medical is partnering with Cleveland Clinic to open its first primary care office next year.
- Ascend Learning announced that it acquired Staffgarden, a cloud-based clinical talent development and compliance platform
- Avanade — a joint venture by Microsoft and Accenture — announced a new tech product aimed at governance, transparency, and regulatory compliance. Built in collaboration with Duke and Microsoft, the “Smart AI Governance Engine”.
- Aidoc is teaming up with Nvidia to develop a set of guidelines for AI implementation
- Blue Shield of California and Salesforce partner to simplify and streamline the prior authorization experience
- GE HealthCare’s launch of its AI Innovation Lab.
- Highmark Health and Spring Health expand their mental health partnership
- Lin Health will collaborate with the Mayo Clinic to expand access to evidence-based, tech-enabled chronic pain care
- Noom unveils two new products to help employers address GLP-1 expenses
- RICOH 3D for Healthcare partners with Insight Surgery
- Samsung Health App Update Makes Accessing Health Records, Managing Medications and Food Tracking Easier
- Teal health announces FDA submission of the Teal WandTM for at-home cervical cancer screening
- Tennr secures $37M for AI-powered patient referrals
- Walgreens moves on from VillageMD as the company battles headwinds in pharmacy and retail
- Uber Health and NationsBenefits announced a partnership to enable access to transportation and grocery delivery
Social Media Buzz
On social media, attendees recapped some of the sessions from the week and special guests that they were most excited about. AI, healthcare technology, innovation and women’s health were the most frequently discussed topics for this week’s reflection.
- @HLTHEVENT: “In this pivotal conversation yesterday at #HLTHUSA 2024, Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, Jennifer Klein, and @ChelseaClinton, discussed the state of reproductive rights, challenges access to abortion care, and the role healthcare leaders play in shaping the future of women’s health.” (X)
- @MariaShriver: “What an honor it was joining my amazing colleagues from the @whitehouse Initiative on Women’s Health Research today at the @HLTHEVENT Conference in Las Vegas. Before we took the stage, @flotus announced some phenomenal news for this initiative, $110 million in funding for women’s health research and product development through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (@arpahealth). Many of the selected projects focus on advancing the science of menopause and menopause treatment. 1,700 groups applied for the funding from 34 countries and 45 states. A quarter of the 23 projects funded will bring women’s health solutions to market within two years! It’s hard to believe that it was just a little less than a year ago, last November, that the initiative was launched, and now we are seeing our work being carried out and carried forward! Stay tuned for more from my conversation with Dr. Lucy Pérez, Dr. Carolyn Mazure, and Dr. Renee Wegrzyn about this exciting news and what else is happening! #womenshealthresearch” (X)
- @wwd: “Halle Berry Gets Fired Up in Red Stella McCartney Midi Dress for the 2024 HLTH Conference, Talks Respin: ‘Menopause Needed a Rebrand’” (X)
- @Innsena: “Erin George got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most intriguing conversations happening at HLTH Inc. this week, from trends in virtual second opinions, with cancer and cardiology patients driving most cases, to the move toward obesity care as an employee benefit and the latest workforce trends among gig nurses. Two things we're hearing on the floor at HLTH:
- 🔑 Words of caution: When it comes to going all in on hashtag#AI, don't forget the human elements of care and service that remain vitally important.
- 🔦 Venture capitalists are weary of being hit up for money for AI, with one VC even turning his nametag around to limit cold conversations.” (LinkedIn)
- @NickPatelMD: “HLTH USA did not disappoint in delivering engaging discussions on the responsible use of hashtag#AI, the importance of deploying proper guardrails, and ensuring its accuracy in healthcare. hashtag#Mental health and hashtag#women’s health took center stage. Halle Berry’s inspiring journey in founding a menopause-focused company, for me, was a standout moment. It was also fascinating to witness the dance between hashtag#investors and hashtag#startups as they court each other in exploring partnerships and opportunities.” (LinkedIn)