Last month, our team gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the annual HLTH conference, an exciting, innovative healthcare event. With over 100 sessions, we could never recap the entire affair. But, we asked our team to share some of their favorite sessions. Here are our top 3 HLTH 2023 sessions.
Healthcare, Everywhere, All at Once
Health equity is a trending topic, and it was an especially big one at HLTH. This fascinating session brought together leaders from UberHealth, Amazon Clinic, DocGo, and SOS to discuss the concept of accessible healthcare. Panelists argued for innovative expansion of avenues to deliver health services, relying on the principle of care how you want it, when you want it. They discussed the intersection between retail chains, tech companies, and care delivery and how these non-traditional approaches are closing the gaps for historically underserved patients.
Short on Staff, High on Tech
This panel discussion hit on a topic very close to home for Doximity. It’s well-known that we are expected to face an unprecedented shortage of physicians and nurses, putting extra strain on staff that is already spread thin. Work conditions that lead to burnout need to be addressed to mitigate this situation. This session focused on how generative AI and automation can relieve healthcare workers by streamlining administrative tasks, freeing up essential time. Doximity is also focused on helping solve this industry-wide issue with innovative time-saving tools.
The Line of Defense Against Suicide
This important session focused on suicide, the 2nd leading cause of death among kids and young adults ages 12-25. Suicide is up 40% since 2011, and there are significant gaps in care. Dr. Shari Turner from Crisis Text Line emphasized that the problem is especially prevalent in the United States: “The gap between the haves and have-nots is not increasing in other countries at the rate it is in the USA.” Organizations like Brightline, the Crisis Text Line, and The Trevor Project seek to increase access to intervention, communication, and resources, while innovators like Oui Therapeutics are developing novel approaches like prescription digital therapeutics. The session gave hope for a brighter future with the increased focus on the mental health crisis from nonprofits, companies, community-based organizations, and the government. This is a prevalent topic among on Doximity as physicians navigate how to talk to patients about suicide and mental health.
These panel sessions were just the tip of the iceberg. HLTH also featured in-depth sessions, a patient think tank, and a startup pitch competition. We’re already getting excited for another thought-provoking week at HLTH 2024.