Some medical technologies that use artificial intelligence might benefit patients but result in a drop in health system revenues. This could make widespread adoption of AI in medicine a tough sell.
Healthcare is a world of perverse incentives. One person’s waste is another person’s annual bonus. If you have shares in Novo Nordisk, you don’t really want people to eat more fruits and vegetables, because then sales of diabetes meds might drop. The same is true on a larger scale for hospital systems that get paid to conduct tests and perform surgeries instead of keeping people healthy.
It doesn’t pay—yet—to keep people healthy. Many entrepreneurs and government leaders are dragging the American healthcare system away from the fee-for-service model, but the road to pay for performance medical care is long and winding.
HeartFlow is the perfect example of how a positive change for patients could mean a drop in health system revenues. The company’s goal is to improve care for heart disease by avoiding both under- and over-treatment. HeartFlow takes data from a CT scan and turns it into a 3D model of the veins and arteries that supply blood to the heart.
“If our system is adopted, the net annual savings would be $2 billion for one commercial payer,” said John Stevens, MD and president of HeartFlow. “We could avoid 250,000 unnecessary procedures and even save 30,000 lives.” Stevens shared these shocking numbers at HLTH 2018 in early May in Las Vegas.
Image Credit: From article
News This Week
The Global Nanomedicine Market: Key Players and Emerging Technologies in Healthcare
This article provides an overview of the global nanomedicine market, highlighting key players, emerging technologies, and the challenges and opportunities that influence its growth and commercialization in the healthcare sector. Nanomedicines are nanotechnology-based drug products [...]
Scientists Have Discovered Toxic “Forever Chemicals” in Bottled Water
Scientists have found toxic PFAS in drinking water samples from around the world, with higher levels in tap water from China compared to the UK. Boiling water or using a filtration jug can reduce [...]
Urban Microbes Are Eating Disinfectants – Are We Fueling a New Health Threat?
New research reveals that microbes in urban environments are evolving to withstand the very cleaning agents designed to eliminate them. The study also uncovers new strains in Hong Kong, previously only found in the [...]
Startling Study Shows High-Potency Cannabis Alters DNA
The study shows that frequent use of high-potency cannabis alters DNA, affecting genes related to energy and immune function. These changes differ between those with and without psychosis, suggesting cannabis use could influence mental health through biological [...]
New nanotherapy targets artery inflammation in cardiovascular disease
Inflammation of the arteries is a primary precursor and driver of cardiovascular disease—the No. 1 killer of people in the United States. This inflammation is associated with the buildup of dangerous plaque inside the [...]
Revolutionary Nanoparticle Therapy for Prostate Cancer
A groundbreaking research effort involving teams from the University of Virginia, Mount Sinai, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas, and others has displayed the clinical efficacy of an innovative therapy that utilizes nanoparticles and [...]
Antibody engineering drives innovation in drug development
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are used to prevent, detect, and treat a broad spectrum of non-communicable and communicable diseases. Over the past few years, the market for mAbs has grown exponentially with an expected compound [...]
Breakthrough Study Reveals How Bladder Cancer Starts and Spreads
Researchers found that DNA mutations from antiviral enzymes and chemotherapy fuel early bladder cancer, while abnormal circular DNA in tumor cells drives resistance to therapy. These discoveries open new therapeutic avenues. A groundbreaking study led by [...]
Leave A Comment