PBN summit panelists: AI could improve aspects of R.I.’s health care system

DR. RAJ HAZARIKA, chief medical officer for commercial products at Point32Health, third from left, speaks during one of two panel discussions at Providence Business News’ Fall 2023 Health Care Summit on Wednesday. Also on the panel is, from left, Dr. Michael Wagner, CEO and president of Care New England Health System; Dr. Scott Rivkees, professor at Brown University's School of Public Health; and John Fernandez, CEO and president of Lifespan Corp. Moderating at right is PBN Editor Michael Mello. PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI
DR. RAJ HAZARIKA, chief medical officer for commercial products at Point32Health, third from left, speaks during one of two panel discussions at Providence Business News’ Fall 2023 Health Care Summit on Wednesday. Also on the panel is, from left, Dr. Michael Wagner, CEO and president of Care New England Health System; Dr. Scott Rivkees, professor at Brown University's School of Public Health; and John Fernandez, CEO and president of Lifespan Corp. Moderating at right is PBN Editor Michael Mello. PBN PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

WARWICK – While Rhode Island’s health care industry is bouncing back after an “incredibly difficult” year in 2022, providers still have a long way to go to reverse staffing shortages, reduce inequities in health services and improve patients’ access to care.

But amid these ongoing challenges, panelists at Providence Business News’ Fall 2023 Health Care Summit on Wednesday were hopeful that technological developments such as artificial intelligence could improve many aspects of the state’s health care system.

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“AI is affecting all of us and it will be even more prevalent in the future,” said Dr. Raj Hazarika, chief medical officer for commercial products at Point32Health. “The key piece here is it actually makes work easier.”

Hazarika spoke during the summit at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick alongside health care industry leaders during one of the summit’s two panel discussions. Panelists touched on several topics, from the state of health care in Rhode Island to what has been done to increase affordability and accessibility, as well as difficulties related to cost mitigation and providing mental health care.

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For example, panelists noted that artificial intelligence has the potential to reduce the effects of staffing shortages because the technology can perform certain office duties. Also, AI could foster improvements such as allowing providers to gather patient information for analysis and eventually providing greater insights into diseases, said Dr. Michael Wagner, CEO and president of Care New England Health System.

Along with artificial intelligence, panelists said telehealth has been crucial in providing mental health care as demand has remained at crisis levels in Rhode Island and throughout the U.S.

Samantha Rosenthal, associate professor at Johnson & Wales University, pointed out that research in Rhode Island suggests people, especially the younger generations, prefer telehealth appointments for their mental health care. Also, people who tend to use telehealth the most are from lower-income populations or communities of color and who have a more difficult time navigating traditional health care services.

“So telehealth behavioral health services are addressing inequities in mental health care in and of itself,” Rosenthal said. “It’s so critically important that we continue access because of the whole population of people that otherwise wouldn’t be able to access care. Whether it’s because of stigma, whether it’s because of transportation issues, whether it’s because they still feel safe being face to face.”

Given this value of telehealth care, Rosenthal and John Fernandez, CEO and president of Lifespan Corp., emphasized the importance of properly reimbursing providers.

Fernandez said recruiting and retaining workers is one of his top priorities. To accomplish this, both Fernandez and Wagner say Lifespan and Care New England are collaborating with local colleges and universities to boost the staffing pipeline.

“I think we need to do everything we can to encourage people to get into the field whether you’re a radiologist, MRI tech or nurse,” Fernandez said. “[Health care] is a great place to work.”

Also participating in the panel discussions were Dr. Scott Rivkees, interim chair and professor of Practice, Health Service Policy and Practice at Brown University’s School of Public Health; Corey McCarty, senior vice president and general manager of CCA Health Rhode Island; Dr. Kristin Russell, chief medical officer of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island;  Dr. Farah Shafi, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island; and Eric Swain, vice president of Sales/Account Management for UnitedHealthcare.

Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You can reach her at 

 

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