Postscript - May 2023

Healthcare Nation

• Eli Lilly's experimental Alzheimer's drug shows promise, slowing disease progression by 35% compared to a placebo, but still needs further vetting and FDA approval.
• OpenAI's ChatGPT shows more empathy in answering patient questions than human physicians, potentially improving patient experience and addressing physician burnout.
• AI tools like ChatGPT can be valuable in supporting healthcare professionals and enhancing communication but they must ensure accuracy, reliability, and fairness.
• Effective AI integration depends on training, user input, and ethical considerations such as informed consent and minimizing bias.
• A shift towards consumer-centric capitalism in healthcare is driven by increasing patient demands, empowerment, and the need for personalized care.
• Telemedicine services, wearables, and personalized medicine are examples of innovation in the consumer-oriented healthcare sector.
• The rise in consumer-centric healthcare is driven by a focus on improving patient satisfaction, availability of data, and demand for personalized care.
• Technology and social media impact consumer behavior in healthcare by providing information and promoting consumer-centric companies, such as telemedicine providers and wearable manufacturers.
• Successful consumer-centric companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Apple have demonstrated the value of leveraging technology and business models for customer satisfaction.
• In the health sector, companies like Teladoc, Zocdoc, and One Medical embrace consumer-centric approaches, with telemedicine playing a major role.
• Social media has impacted consumer behavior and engagement, but the credibility and accuracy of information are crucial.
• The Digital Divide could leave low-income populations, the elderly, rural communities, and underserved groups without equal access to consumer-based healthcare and technology.
• Addressing the Digital Divide requires financial assistance, community-based programs, digital literacy, culturally sensitive healthcare services, and public-private partnerships.
• The acquisition of Geisinger Health and Kaiser Permanente presents both opportunities and challenges; success depends on collaboration, innovation, and maintaining positive customer experiences.
• The CDC's shift in focus towards tracking severe COVID-19 cases in hospitals signals an adaptation to COVID as an endemic illness.
• Hospital-at-home care is the next generation of care delivery, with cost-effective and safer care for patients; however, it requires addressing infrastructure, technology, workforce, safety, and equitable access challenges.