Covid-19 has hit the healthcare industry especially hard as patients who already had underlying conditions now have to worry about covid as well. Recently, Francesco Rulli, Global CEO of Querlo, spoke with Dave Duplay, Chairman and CEO of Vital Options and Founder and CEO of MedTera, about the challenges and opportunities in the covid era and the role of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare.
Founded in 1983, Vital Options is a patient and caregiver foundation. They work to provide education to patients and caregivers about certain chronic, terminal, or rare conditions, create a community for patients and caregivers to find support and inspiration, and assist patients financially throughout their battle. MedTera is a healthcare business that works with many pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies. Their work is primarily focused on the utilization of leading-edge technologies and how to use them to bring new therapies and divides for patients.
Covid-19 has created a struggle for patients whose immune systems were already under attack. However, Dave described how it also provided an opportunity for reflection and connectivity. Patients typically feel isolated and alone after being diagnosed with a certain disease or condition. Now patients are able to speak with others around the world who are going through the same health journey.
The use of AI in the healthcare industry has just begun, but there are many opportunities that Dave sees in the future. For patients, AI can be used to help them find credible, relevant, and timely information. When thinking about any sort of technology, it’s important to identify the stakeholders. In healthcare, the stakeholders are patients and their caregivers. Moreover, AI can be utilized to improve the patient experience and familiarize them with certain resources that will be helpful in the health journey.
