WHAT DO REPORTERS THINK? THEIR VIEWS ON HEALTH INNOVATION

This interview is the third in a series with thought leaders, executives, and experts focused on specific issues in health technology. As an executive at the Consumer Technology Association, I have the privilege of working with leaders at the forefront health technology innovation. For this edition, I turned the tables and interviewed three leading health technology reporters on their take on the industry, important stories, and what issues they anticipate working on over the next year. Thanks to Mohana Ravindranath, Health Tech Correspondent, STAT; Aaron Weitzman, Health Tech Deals Reporter, Axios; and Eric Wicklund, Senior Editor for Innovation, HealthLeaders Media.

What are some of the most important stories you have covered over the last six months?

Eric Wicklund (HealthLeaders Media): By far the most impactful stories of the past 6 months have focused on the use of AI in healthcare. The industry is embracing this technology at a rapid pace, often more quickly than it should, as attempts to create governance and policy haven’t kept up. Early success stories are seen in improved back-end and administrative tasks and, more recently, transcribing the doctor-patient encounter, but ROI is still fleeting and it’s far too early to use AI to affect clinical care. Beyond AI, the hospital at home movement is very intriguing, especially as it intersects with smart home technology and what the industry sees as the “hospital of the future.” And finally, I feel that telehealth is being pushed aside at a time when providers should be paying more attention to that strategy. Except a few “Telehealth Isn’t Dead” headlines and some stories on why this strategy is becoming more commonplace and accepted than many people think.

Aaron Weitzman (Axios): This is a hard question right off the bat, as there are so many great companies, tackling huge problems in innovative and unique ways. I am going to women’s health in general for starters, I have covered more than 20 women’s health startups, ranging from IVF/fertility, menopause, obesity/weight management, maternal health (physical and mental) and even a vaginal microbiome company. The space is really active right now and although we are making strides, it is still severely underfunded.

Mohana Ravindranath (STAT): My colleague Brittany Trang and I scooped some senior Biden administration officials’ departure from an industry group focused on evaluating AI in health care just a few months after joining it. It might sound like bureaucratic scuttlebutt, but I think these departures reflect challenges facing regulators and the private sector as they try to wrap their heads around AI, and what their responsibility is to protect patients without hamstringing AI’s potential benefits. I don’t think industry and government have figured out the right balance, especially when it comes to health AI. There’s a lot of “building the plane as you’re flying it” when it comes to regulating and validating AI.?

I also cover Bay Area health tech topics and talk pretty regularly with venture capital leaders. In general, I’ve observed a huge cultural chasm between Silicon Valley tech investors and the people who actually operate health systems, which will increasingly be tested as the two worlds converge.?

What do you anticipate will be the two or three major issues you will be covering in 2025?

Mohana Ravindranath (STAT): I’m very interested in what’s being called the “consumerization of health care.” New health tech providers reaching patients online, sometimes marketing themselves as an alternative to the traditional health care system. Within that, I’m noticing a burgeoning market for preventive care, anything from full-body scans to blood tests. I’ve heard lots of stories from patients about how these kinds of elective and very expensive tests have, for the first time, given them agency over their own health and health data; but I’ve also seen pushback from more traditional providers who say there’s not enough evidence supporting these kinds of tests. I’ll be tracking that closely.?

Eric Wicklund (HealthLeaders Media): AI will continue to be the hot topic heading into 2025 as efforts to create governance take center stage and providers launch new pilots and projects. AI in clinical care will, particularly for nurses, will move into the spotlight. Healthcare at home will also stay in the spotlight regardless of whether CMS continues to Medicare waiver on its program – health systems and hospitals will move more services out of the hospital and into the home regardless of reimbursement, but they may need to be more creative to achieve sustainability. Also, there will be a lot of innovation around mental and behavioral health, both in programs meeting patients/consumers where they are and strategies that integrate mental healthcare with other services, such as primary care.

Aaron Weitzman (Axios): I think dealmaking in private equity and M&A is going to increase, as continued rate cuts will definitely help and there is a lot of pent-up demand and companies being held longer than the firms’ liking. Even though the election is taking place this year, I think whoever wins the election will be a big talking point. Both have vastly different plans and ideas on how to “fix” the healthcare system. Additionally, the Biden administration has been very focused? on antitrust concerns, so we will see how that changes as well.

Are there some under-the-radar issues you think are particularly interesting you will be keeping an eye on?

Eric Wicklund (HealthLeaders Media): Hospital at Home and remote patient monitoring may be considered under the radar by everyone except for those invested in these strategies. RPM technology and telehealth tools are becoming good enough to replicate the medical encounter in the home and give providers the accurate data they need to influence care management. Reimbursement will continue to be an issue, but healthcare has to understand that value doesn’t just mean money saved. Healthcare at home, health at home, care at home – whatever it’s called – should become more noticeable next year.

Mohana Ravindranath (STAT): An especially fascinating debate I’m seeing is the extent to which humans must be involved in AI decision-making. A lot of health care providers are too risk-averse to actually let AI interact with patients directly in any capacity, but tech optimists point out that not doing so, in certain limited instances, could actually deprive patients of AI’s potential benefits —?like answering basic questions before the doctor’s appointment. I wrote a story about the AIDS Healthcare Foundation using an AI chatbot patients can talk to about their sexual health before their appointments.

From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges facing the healthcare system when it comes to technology adoption and innovation?

Aaron Weitzman (Axios): I just think this industry is one that was stubborn and was late to the party. It did not really accept technology until it was first mandated by law. I think that is changing and there is more adaptation and true belief that it can change the industry for good. Now, if only we can come to an agreement with HIPAA, we can get rid of those fax machines.

Mohana Ravindranath (STAT): I’ve been covering health tech since 2017 and the most consistent barrier I’ve seen has been cultural, not technological. Most promising tech efforts I’ve seen have failed due to lack of leadership, the absence of a clear vision, or a failure by tech developers to understand the culture and workflow of their customers, especially within health systems.?

Eric Wicklund (HealthLeaders Media): The definition of value. Providers are too focused on requiring payment to embrace new ideas and technology. Long-term health and wellness, patient satisfaction, reduced stress/burnout among clinicians, and environmental sustainability should all factor into “value-based care.” This is as much an issue with payers, especially private payers, as it is with providers.

There has been plenty of news lately regarding digital health (particularly telehealth) initiatives falling short of expectations—what do you make of this recent spate of news?

Mohana Ravindranath (STAT): While it seems like there’s a crisis facing several telehealth companies right now, I really don’t think demand for virtual care will disappear completely. I think what we’re seeing is growing pains as businesses grapple with more of a decline in virtual visits than they expected during the pandemic’s peak. I also see the direct-to-consumer telehealth companies increasingly partnering with traditional health care systems, potentially as a way to insulate themselves from fluctuations in consumer demand.

Eric Wicklund (HealthLeaders Media): I think the expectations are wrong. The swing back to in-person care following the pandemic was a natural process, completely expected, but that doesn’t mean telehealth and digital health are falling out of favor. As patients/consumers demand more convenient and accessible care options and the healthcare industry continues to see declining numbers of doctors and nurses, these technologies and strategies will still be there. It’s not that a tool or platform has to be better than the in-person experience, just that it’s an effective option for those who can’t access in-person care. In addition, as AI tools help providers to harness and use data, the value of these technologies in effecting clinical care improvements will grow.

Aaron Weitzman (Axios): I think telehealth will continue to be vital to value-based care and democratizing health care but it seems like the hybrid approach is the way to go, that way the consumer can have it their way.?

As you look forward 3-5 years, how do you anticipate technology will have changed healthcare—if at all?

Eric Wicklund (HealthLeaders Media): The biggest change will be seen in the hospital, clinic and doctors’ offices. People will travel to these sites only for necessary in-person care, and they’ll access all other services either in the home or closer to home. Registration desks and waiting rooms will disappear, with those tasks handled online before the visit. Healthcare services will be collaborative, incorporating social networks and services to address any barriers to care as well as health and wellness. That might not all happen in 3-5 years, but we’ll be heading in that direction.

Mohana Ravindranath (STAT): At the risk of harping on the “consumerization” theme, I really believe today’s patients increasingly expect convenience, speed and transparency in their health care — that is, if they can afford to pay out of pocket or if their insurance covers it, which certainly isn’t always the case. There are dozens of telehealth companies or testing companies or fitness and wellness apps that they’re trusting with their health and health data out of frustration with long wait times and what they see as data gatekeeping in traditional health care. Those typically young, nimble companies aren’t afraid to lean into AI either. I think pressure is building on traditional health care providers and health systems to keep up, and they’ll have to reckon with their discomfort with AI. I can’t predict exactly what will happen, but I expect those pressures will catalyze some major changes.?

Aaron Weitzman (Axios): This is not a unique answer but AI. We are only at the tip of the iceberg as far as transformation of the industry can take. Look at how inefficient it is and how much we spend on healthcare. It is not sustainable to keep spending 20% of GDP on healthcare. We are going to continue to cut down on burnout not by having AI replacing the clinicians but supporting them and allowing them to practice at the top of their license all the time.

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