Healthcare is in the midst of a quiet revolution. Healthtech, the application of new technologies to medicine, is expected to impact all aspects of the healthcare system, from diagnosis and treatment to hospital management, patient advocacy, and even health equity. In recent years, the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence has further accelerated healthtech’s already high rate of change, creating unprecedented business and medical opportunities and ethical challenges.
“How can AI solutions improve healthcare quality and outcomes? How can we ensure that AI systems are fair and unbiased? How can we strengthen patient and provider trust? Can AI reduce existing inefficiencies in healthcare? These are questions that concern us all,” said Tanzeem Choudhury, the Roger and Joel Burnell Professor of Integrative Health Technologies at Cornell Tech and organizer of the HealthNext Summit, hosted by the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech (March 4-5 on the Roosevelt Island campus).
With a broad, interdisciplinary mission, the second HealthNext Summit will bring together leading AI experts from health tech, healthcare, and public health to envision a future where AI creates a more effective and equitable healthcare system. Featuring experts such as Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPH, National Health Information Technology Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Susan Monarez, Deputy Director of ARPA-H, James Landay, co-founder of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Chelsea Clinton of the Clinton Global Initiative, and Dr. Sumbul Desai, VP of Health at Apple, the conference will also leverage Cornell Tech’s deep expertise across its health tech PhD, MSc, and Runway Startup programs.
“The event will expose clinical leaders to cutting-edge research, scientifically-backed, innovative products from leading tech companies and startups, and perspective on how these solutions can transform healthcare,” said Choudhury, who studies how technology can create personalized, proactive healthcare systems that support health and well-being. “In recent years, we’ve seen incredible developments at the intersection of AI and health that can meet critical healthcare needs. Yet, the conversation around health tech is too often siloed. At HealthNext, we bring together technology researchers, clinicians, and companies to create innovative solutions and foster deep conversations that lead to transformative, scalable, and economically feasible solutions in healthcare.”
Last year’s inaugural summit focused on behavioral health and brought together more than 200 clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, care delivery organizations and payers, with keynote addresses from former U.S. Congressman and Kennedy Forum founder Patrick J. Kennedy and New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan.
Connecting research to real-world impact is a hallmark of the philosophy of Cornell Tech’s Health Tech Hub: Of the 100-plus runway startups that have emerged from the campus since its inception, a third have been health-focused, including Nanit (Wirecutter-certified baby sleep tracking software), Biotia (a pioneering pathogen detection company), and Otari (a smart exercise mat acquired by Peloton).
The conference will explore health and AI from multiple perspectives, with a focus on ensuring AI is being used to solve real problems for real people. From ethical considerations to clinical applications, HealthNext 2024 will examine the issues that really matter and equip innovators and thought leaders with the knowledge, connections and insights to drive a more responsible, effective and authentic future for healthcare.
Find out more about the summit here and register here.
