Our Guests
- David Shulkin, FMR Secretary at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Paul N. Long, Chief Experience Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA
- Marten den Haring, CEO at Lirio
- Dan DOrazio, CEO at Sage Growth Partners (Guest Host)
In this episode, we discussed:
- The staggering growth in healthcare spending, from $1.4 trillion in 2000 to $4.5 trillion in 2024.
- Secretary Shulkin highlights the need for aligning healthcare delivery with patient experience and outcomes.
- Paul Long emphasizes personalized, patient-centered care through better organizational structures and social determinants of health.
- Marten Den Haring introduces “precision nudging,” using AI to enhance patient engagement and improve health outcomes.
- The panel debates the complementary roles of humans and AI in addressing healthcare’s economic and operational challenges.
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Introduction: The Scale of Healthcare’s Challenge
Healthcare spending has skyrocketed, with U.S. expenditures growing from $1.4 trillion in 2000 to $4.5 trillion in 2024. Yet despite this massive investment, fundamental issues like patient accessibility, engagement, and satisfaction remain unsolved. In this discussion, Secretary David Shulkin, Paul Long, and Marten Den Haring explore how combining human expertise with cutting-edge AI could revolutionize healthcare.
Revolutionizing Patient-Centered Care
Secretary Shulkin reflects on his journey through decades of healthcare innovation, noting how infrastructure and technology have evolved, but patient experiences have stagnated. “The missing piece,” he argues, “is truly engaging patients in their care journey.” He advocates for aligning payer, provider, and patient interests to achieve accessible, affordable, and high-quality care.
Paul Long builds on this, calling for a reorientation of healthcare organizations to operate horizontally, focused on patient journeys. He stresses the importance of addressing social determinants of health—like food security and housing stability—and utilizing data effectively to make healthcare truly patient-centric.
Precision Nudging: Personalization Through AI
Marten Den Haring introduces Lirio’s “precision nudging” concept, an AI-driven strategy that personalizes patient communication to influence positive health behaviors. Unlike blunt reminders, precision nudging tailors interventions to individual needs, ensuring relevance and building trust. For instance, guiding a patient with hypertension involves not just reminders but a seamless integration of medication adherence, follow-up appointments, and lifestyle recommendations.
He explains the potential of large behavior models to predict actions in complex healthcare journeys, emphasizing that the right interventions at the right time can drive measurable improvements in outcomes.
Man with Machine: A Symbiotic Relationship
The conversation concludes with a powerful assertion: technology and human expertise must work together. Shulkin envisions AI enhancing, not replacing, human roles—freeing clinicians to focus on empathetic patient interactions. Long underscores the need for authenticity and trust, where technology assists but does not overshadow the human touch.
Marten expands on the necessity of designing AI for good, helping both patients and providers navigate a financially strained system. He warns of the dangers of ignoring the potential for AI misuse and calls for innovation that prioritizes societal health benefits.
Conclusion: Toward a Healthier Future
The synergy of human expertise and AI offers a path to address the systemic challenges plaguing healthcare. From leveraging behavioral science to engaging patients and rethinking care delivery models, this collaborative approach could redefine what’s possible in healthcare—improving outcomes, reducing costs, and building trust for generations to come.
WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS:
Our sponsors for this episode are Sage Growth Partners and Quantum Health
Sage Growth Partners accelerates commercial success for healthcare organizations through a singular focus on growth. The company helps its clients thrive amid the complexities of a rapidly changing marketplace with deep domain expertise and an integrated application of research, strategy, and marketing. For more information, please go to www.sage-growth.com & follow Sage Growth Partners on social media – @sagegrowthpartners
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Quantum Health is an award-winning consumer healthcare navigation company that delivers an unparalleled consumer experience based on empathy and trust, enabling employers to achieve industry-leading satisfaction rates and independently validated claim savings. Launched in 1999, Quantum Health’s model is based on years of consumer research and the insights learned from guiding millions of consumers and their providers through their healthcare journey. Visit: https://quantum-health.com/ and follow Quantum health on social media – @Quantum Health
