HLTH 2024, scheduled for October 20-23 at the Venetian Expo Center in Las Vegas, will highlight the evolving roles of AI, the shifting landscapes of telemedicine, retail health, women’s health, mental health, innovative care models, and how employers can manage healthcare costs with preventive health. Here are some of the compelling agenda highlights. You can view the full agenda and check for updates using this link.
Note: All times provided are Pacific Time
Nurses@HLTH: Nurse-Led Care Models Transforming Healthcare Delivery
The increased demand for more individualized and convenient care is leading to a shift away from traditional provider-driven healthcare models. An aging population, a higher incidence of chronic diseases, resource constraints, and staffing shortages are driving the move towards value-based healthcare with a greater emphasis on coordinated care. Nursing care delivery models outline the assignment of responsibilities, delegation of authority, and management of patient care, focusing on preventive care, care coordination, and patient engagement. Nurse leaders are redesigning workflows and implementing solutions and innovations to support these efforts, defining what the new care team looks like. Unconventional care delivery models led and transformed by nurses are paving a new path forward.
Where: Venetian Ballroom CD
When: 9:30 am to 10:10 am, Sunday, October 20
Speakers include:
- Dr. Stephen Ferrara, President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- Sarah Price, Director, Public Health Integration, National Association of Community Health Centers
- Jing Wang, Dean and Professor, Florida State University College of Nursing
- Sherene Schlegel, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer, Virtual Care and Digital Health, Providence
To register for HLTH 2024, click here.
The Link Between Reimbursement and Preventive Care
The Payer Insights program returns with a new set of discussions around reimbursement. This panel discussion will review the crucial role healthcare professionals play in advancing preventive care and how that can be influenced by incentives related to reimbursement and payment for these services. The panel will review opportunities for reimbursement through preventive care delivery approaches and methodologies, which will reduce barriers and encourage patients to prioritize preventive care.
Where: Venetian Ballroom CD
When: 1:00 pm to 1:40 pm, Sunday October 20
Speakers include:
- Arundhati Parmar, Editor in Chief, MedCity News (moderator)
- Dr. Russell Robbins, Chief Medical Information Officer, PurpleLab
- Pankhuri Sharma, Strategy & Operations Leader, Humana
- Dr. Darren E. Wethers, Strategic Advisor, Managed Care Resource Alliance (MCRA)
Gen AI, Meet Pharma
The intersection of tech and pharma is a prominent trend in the Pharma Insights program. Generative AI (GenAI) is harnessed to identify targets for drug development, such as protein therapeutics, and bring them to the clinical stage faster and more effectively. In addition to identifying targets for drug development, GenAI is also used to predict drug side effects, support everything from personalized medicine to supply chain management, and even assist in regulatory compliance.
Where: Murano 3201 AB
When: 1:50 pm to 2:30 pm, Sunday, October 20
Speakers include:
- Jo Peddhinti, Director, Insights and Advisory with HLTH Community (moderator)
- Mike DeVoy, CMO, Bayer
- Ramesh Durvasula, senior vice president, R&D IT, Eli Lilly and Co
- Marisa Cruz, VP, Head of Global Digital Medicine, Amgen
Equitable Access to Medicine
The Pharma Insights panel will highlight community initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities such as cultural barriers and promoting health equity, which requires enhancing access to essential programs. The need for the programs to measure outcomes and assess their effectiveness is critical. These pharma health equity champions are ready to change the paradigm of care, one patient at a time.
Where: Murano 3201 AB
When: 2:40 pm to 3:20 pm, Sunday, October 20
Speakers include:
- Dr. Michael Penn, Director, Equity and Innovation with the American Medical Association (moderator)
- Shaun Noorian, CEO & Founder, Empower Pharmacy
- Nwando Anyaoku MD, MPH, MBA, GVP, Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer, Providence
- Vida Henderson, Behavioral Scientist, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Aging’s Price Tag
This panel will explore healthcare financing models. Healthy habits, better diagnostics, and drugs have led to longer lives but that’s also sparking tough conversations about the sustainability of Medicare and other healthcare financing models, the role of value-based care, and whether reforms will be needed for programs like Medicare Advantage to ensure equitable, affordable care for all seniors now and for future generations.
Where: Everest Stage
When: 3:20 pm to 4:00 pm, Sunday, October 20
Speakers include:
- Mara McDermott, CEO, Accountable for Health (moderator)
- Jenn Kerfoot, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, DUOS
- Ceci Connolly, President and CEO, Alliance of Community Health Plans
- Kevin Mahoney, Chief Executive Officer, University of Pennsylvania Health System (Penn Medicine)
- Kortney Cruz, SVP, Government Markets, Independence Blue Cross
The Kids are Not Alright
Nearly one in six U.S. adolescents have one or more mental health and addiction conditions. The number of adolescents who reported a major depressive episode increased by more than 150% in the last decade alone. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for ages 10-14. Visits to the ER related to suicide among children and young adults increased fivefold over the last decade. Younger generations have felt the lasting impacts of social isolation from the pandemic, uncertainty about the future, and the addictive pull of social media, which fosters unhealthy body images and comparison culture. As highlighted in a special report from the U.S. Surgeon General, adolescents in our country face a perfect storm for mental and behavioral health challenges, with little access to solutions to help them cope and thrive. Hear from those working with and advocating for youth about positive ways forward.
Where: Evergreen Stage
When: 3:20 pm to 4:00 pm, Sunday, October 20
Speakers include:
- Dr. Don Mordecai, National Leader for Mental Health and Addiction Care, Kaiser Permanente
- Dr. Shairi Turner, Chief Health Officer, Crisis Text Line
- Akiera Gilbert, CEO, Project HEAL
- Drew Robinson, Mental Health Advocate, San Francisco Giants
- Dr. Christine Crawford, Associate Medical Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Say Ahh!
This session explores the health risks posed by losing focus on teeth cleaning. It highlights the correlation between oral health and overall health, including the prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even complications during pregnancy. Despite this link, there remains a substantial gap in access to dental care, particularly in underserved populations and rural areas facing dentist shortages. The addition of dental care to Medicare benefits could dramatically improve access for older adults. The panelists will also discuss the broader need for policy changes to prioritize oral health across all age groups. Implementing preventive oral health strategies not only promises better disease management, but also offers positive economic benefits by reducing the long-term costs associated with chronic health issues stemming from poor oral health.
Where: Bold Stage
When: 10:40 am to 11:20 am, Monday, October 21
Speakers include:
- Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, Senior Adviser, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
- Maria Ryan, DDS, Chief Clinical Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Company
- Stephen E. Thorne IV, Founder and CEO, PDS Health
- Sarah Chavarria, Chief Executive Officer and President, Delta Dental of California and affiliates
- Dr. Miles Varn, Chief Medical Officer, Sun Life
GLP-1s Going Under-Covered
U.S. healthcare expenditure on GLP-1 medications was more than $50 billion in 2023. So far, only 25% of employers cover GLP-1s for weight management, making these employers at the forefront of a challenging healthcare decision of whether to cover these impactful drugs. It amounts to a balancing act by employers – evaluating the positive developments of having happy and healthier employees with comprehensive health benefits and maintaining financial viability. In response to this dilemma, employers are exploring new approaches to cost management, including value-based pricing negotiations, implementing targeted patient assistance programs, and integration of comprehensive wraparound services to maintain treatment efficacy. Employers have to go deep into long-term safety assessments and coverage decisions through risk analytics and simultaneously shift towards proactive, preventive weight management approaches.
Where: Disco Stage
When: 11:30 am to 12:10 pm, Monday, October 21
Speakers include:
- Shelby Livingston, Senior health tech reporter, Endpoints News
- Dr. Shantanu Nundy, Executive Vice President and Chief Health Officer, Accolade
- Julia Hu, CEO and co-founder, Lark
- Patrice Johnson, Director Wellbeing Benefits, MGM Resorts International
- Scott Honken, Chief Commercial Officer, WeightWatchers
To register for HLTH 2024, click here.
Reproductive Health Disaster Planning
In a world where healthcare policies can shift as swiftly as the political winds, disaster planning takes on a whole new meaning. With abortion access and basic reproductive rights being snatched away one state at a time, how can the health industry get ahead of what’s to come this presidential election cycle? Bold health leaders are using innovative approaches to maintain and expand healthcare services in an uncertain and sometimes risky environment. By leveraging technology, fostering partnerships, advocating for policy changes and putting patients above all else, they are creating resilient systems that can withstand rapid changes. Developing telehealth solutions to ensure continued access to care, implementing mobile health units to reach underserved populations, and establishing contingency plans that account for a wide range of potential legal and regulatory scenarios are all on their docket. Remember, in healthcare, we can’t always predict the future, but we can certainly pack an umbrella.
Where: Rocket Stage
When: 1:30 pm to 2:10 pm, Monday, October 21
Speakers include:
- Natalie Davis, Co-Founder and CEO, United States of Care (moderator)
- Tom Subak, Co-Founder, Charley
- Mark Edwards, CEO and Co-founder, Upstream USA
- Janna Meyrowitz Turner, President, Synastry Capital
- Christina Chang, Executive Director, Reproductive Freedom Alliance
Employers’ Caregiving Era
It may have taken a global pandemic to get there, but caregiving support has emerged as a major component of an employee’s benefits package. Big tech led the way with comprehensive offerings for caregivers, and now other sectors are following suit. The scope of caregiving support has also expanded, pushing the boundaries of what ‘care’ means in the workplace. It encompasses family planning to healthcare support for spouses, teenagers, pets, and aging parents. This holistic approach to benefits recognizes that care needs don’t exist in isolation, but are intertwined in the everyday life of employees. There are now cost-effective caregiver support platforms being utilized by companies big and small to ensure they see a return on this investment through the retention and productivity of their workforce. By addressing the full spectrum of caregiving needs – from childcare to elder care – employers can create a more supportive workforce all while contributing to the company’s bottom line. After all, sometimes it takes a village – or at least a really good HR department.
Where: Disco Stage
When: 10:40 am to 11:20 am, Tuesday, October 22
Speakers include:
- Brittney Gavini, Investor, Pivotal Ventures (moderator)
- Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, CEO and co-founder, Wellthy
- Amanta Mazumdar, Vice President, Total Rewards, Hilton
- Evan Falchuk, CEO, Family First
- Melinda Izbicki, Senior Principal, Mercer
Medicinal Meals
From farm to pharmacy, the food-as-medicine movement has continued to grow. Nearly half of Americans struggle with diet-related diseases. From medically-tailored meals and condition-specific foods delivered to people’s doors, and even prescriptions for produce, innovative programs have emerged to fill the gap between food insecurity and healthcare. The White House’s $9.7 billion pledge to food-as-medicine programs and major retailers’ launch of tech-driven delivery services signal a shift towards scaling these initiatives for widespread impact. The focus now is on ensuring that these programs are adequately subsidized, widely accessible and able to be integrated seamlessly into existing healthcare structures. There is also a tremendous opportunity for regulators to further these initiatives and use technology to improve personalization and supply-chain challenges to reduce healthcare costs.
Where: Bold Stage
When: 11:30 am to 12:10 pm, Tuesday, October 22
Speakers include:
- Brett Matthews, Chairman and CEO, Kate Farms, Inc.
- Michelle Kuppich, Executive Director, California Food is Medicine Coalition (moderator)
- Irene Liu, Co-founder and CEO, Chiyo
- Meghan David, Chief Commercial Officer / Chief Operations Officer, FarmboxRx
- Vanessa Rissetto, Co-founder and CEO, Culina Health
The More You Know: Prevention Tech
Bold innovators are quickly developing groundbreaking preventive diagnostic solutions such as whole body scans to detect brain aneurysms, blood tests to detect cancer, CAT scans to detect cardiovascular disease and retinal scans to detect dementia. These technologies, often leveraging AI for improved accuracy and efficiency, are emerging on the fringes of the traditional healthcare system due to the slow pace of reimbursement adoption for preventive measures. The home-testing market, currently valued at $5 billion annually and projected to nearly double by 2032, proves consumer interest in proactive health management is on the rise. These tests often blur the line between medicine and wellness, stirring debate about their efficacy and interpretation. As whole body MRI companies achieve economies of scale and data-driven prevention technologies advance, there’s potential for these innovations to become more accessible to the general population, potentially transforming the landscape of preventative healthcare for future generations.
Where: Evergreen Stage
When: 11:30 am to 12:10 pm, Tuesday October 22
Speakers include:
- Jody Tropeano Greene, Head of Content, HLTH (moderator)
- Emi Gal, CEO and Founder, Ezra
- Lindsay Hanson, CMO and Global Head of Behavioral Insurance, John Hancock
- Pelu Tran, Co-founder and CEO, Ferrum Health
- Monique Gary DO, Breast Surgical Oncologist, Chief Medical Officer, Bexa