Off the Chart with Medical Economics Medical Economics

This episode of Off the Chart with Medical Economics explores how one hospital system has made mental and behavioral health services available in its primary care practices, and why that has improved clinical outcomes while enhancing health equity.

With its ability to scan and analyze large quantities of data, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize medical research. But how do we balance that promise with peoples’ rights to keep their health information private and secure? Matt Hollingsworth, co-founder of Carta Healthcare, has been immersed in AI for most of his professional life. In this episode of Off the Chart he explains how AI’s growing use threatens data privacy and what can be done about it.

Scott Rivkees, M.D., former head of the Florida Department of Public Health, describes how distrust of scientific expertise is undercutting state and local laws designed to improve public health.

Why do Black and Hispanic people find it harder to access medical care than whites? Income inequality is a significant reason, but a recent study finds that people of color also encounter more non-financial barriers to care than whites. Cesar Caraballo, MD, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral associate at the Yale School of Medicine, joins Off the Chart to explore its findings in more detail, and explain why disparities in care access have been growing worse.

How can the learning capabilities of artificial intelligence algorithms be used to complement primary care doctors' training and analytical skills to produce the best outcomes for patients? Ziad Obermeyer, MD, a researcher at the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health focusing on the interconnections between machine learning, medicine and health policy, explains.