The current state of the healthcare industry is far from optimal. In a recent study of 11 high-income countries, the U.S. healthcare system came in dead last. This is despite the fact our GDP is the largest in the world, and we spend more than 16% on healthcare—almost $3.6 trillion and 5% more per capita than any other nation on the list.

Many healthcare professionals enter the industry with noble, altruistic intentions. They want to help humanity. But the current system burns them out and even causes many to leave the field altogether. This dynamic especially came to bear during the COVID-19 pandemic, as hospitals and healthcare workers were stretched to—if not beyond—their limits in an attempt to mitigate the public health crisis.

In addition, many hospitals have made cuts and closures, and facilities face staff and supply shortages. Doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers have been given an impossible task. Each of them simply has too much work for them to reasonably and sustainably complete. 

This is where new technologies, including AI and machine learning, will be revolutionary and enable us to ensure that each person has access to incredible healthcare. There are already several tech developments that will have a tangible impact on the healthcare industry, transforming the experience for both doctors and patients for the better. Here's how:

DIAGNOSE AND TREAT PATIENTS MORE ACCURATELY

Machine learning can be leveraged to provide intelligent insight, help speed up the diagnosis and treatment process, and eliminate communication gaps. For instance, it can listen into a consultation in real time and transcribe or save key information, so that it can then be automatically transferred between providers at a single facility. For patients, this means they won't have to (re)explain their symptoms to a receptionist, a nurse, and a doctor.

Last year, 7.4 million people were misdiagnosed in emergency rooms. Of these patients, an estimated 2.6 million suffered an "adverse event" as a result, while 370,000 suffered "serious harm." These statistics don't even fully account for all the delayed diagnoses or long and unconstructive visits it takes to reach the right one. AI machine learning algorithms could synthesize patient data and compare their symptoms across a larger body of information than even the most seasoned professionals could know, making sure healthcare professionals get it right the first time.

AI and machine learning technology can also reduce wait times for vital procedures like organ transplants, and minimize the extensive waste caused by inefficient transportation—a phenomenon that has been well-documented for years. Last year, 20% of donated organs were not transplanted, even though 17 people die each day while waiting for a transplant and more than 100,000 patients are still waiting. Much of this waste is caused by inefficient communication between healthcare facilities, organ banks, and transportation agencies. This is an obvious opportunity for AI to streamline an inefficient system to save countless lives.

MAKE IMPORTANT DATA IMMEDIATELY ACCESSIBLE

Currently, hospital systems are siloed in several ways. For instance, your medical records from a previous exam at a primary care provider could be stored in one silo, while your vaccine and medication history is in another, and your allergies are in a third. This process becomes especially difficult for people who have switched health insurance providers, or moved and had several different primary care providers over the years.

With cutting-edge technology, doctors can utilize machine learning in real-time. They will automatically be prompted with alerts, pop-ups, and specific medications and amounts based on patient weight, age, and other individual factors.

In addition, predictive analytics can provide real-time updates to nurses about open hospital beds and exam rooms to optimize processes and decrease wait times at large facilities. Patients can sign in and even be directed to exam rooms electronically, so they can be treated faster.

Machine learning can pull all this data together and put it right in front of the healthcare professional, democratizing treatment by ensuring that whomever you are seeing is getting the same information as the world's top doctors.

LEVERAGE INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION IN PROCESSES 

Worker shortages have put immense pressure on a system that is rife with paperwork and organizational and bureaucratic coordination. There are prescriptions to fill, patients to check in and out, referrals to make—the list goes on. Compounded with a lack of employees, simply keeping up can be draining. Again, this is where technology can come to the rescue. 

Many of the basic administrative processes that keep things flowing smoothly in the doctor's office can be done automatically by AI. By taking these off of healthcare workers' plates, AI can help fill the gaps caused by today's worker shortage and free up time for healthcare professionals to focus on doing what they need to do better and more quickly.

This will also improve the patient experience. For instance, after being prescribed a medicine, patients often have to wait for it to be filled by a pharmacist at another location, and then pick it up. This makes a simple process take hours, if not days. Instead, AI could streamline the process so that the medicine would be in patients' hands just minutes after it is prescribed.

Technology can automate these processes and transfer data between institutions immediately, so we can spend less time getting treated and more time getting well. Until now, this technology has been too expensive to deploy in hospitals. However, new technology providers are making this technology affordable and accessible to every medical system. Soon every doctor visit you go to will be your best one yet.

When it comes to people's health, anything less isn't good enough. Using AI, hyper-automation, and machine learning, we can streamline and improve every step of the healthcare journey—from diagnosis to recovery—so that care providers don't have to choose between efficiency and efficacy, and patients receive the best care possible every time.

Hundreds of TV channels and nothing to watch? That might be true if you're looking for shows and movies featuring a cast of diverse actors. While the entertainment industry in recent years has made strides toward more diverse programming, studies show that women and minorities are still significantly underrepresented in the TV landscape.

Starz is bridging that representation gap. The streaming service is taking innovative and ambitious steps to support more diversity and inclusion in front of the camera and behind the scenes. From internal initiatives to collaborative partnerships, Starz's efforts are having a direct impact at the company—and are contributing to a broader industrywide push toward more representation. Those efforts are one reason Starz has earned a place on Fast Company's 2023 list of Brands that Matter.

"Starz's commitment to diverse representation in entertainment remains strong," says Alison Hoffman, president of domestic networks at Starz, via an email interview. "We believe that this work cannot be done in a silo and know that there is strength in joining forces with others."

REPRESENTATION MATTERS

Women and underrepresented groups make up a significant part of Starz's subscriber base. Starz believes these audiences should see themselves represented not just in the shows and movies they watch, but also in the leadership of the streaming service they're using.

That's why the majority of the company's most senior leaders are women—most of whom are women of color—and Starz has some of the highest percentages in the industry of women and people of color both on- and off- camera. "Viewers often share with us the profound impact that seeing characters and stories that authentically reflect their life experiences has had," Hoffman says.

Focusing on representation does more than cater to an existing subscriber base—it can also help grow it. Indeed, Starz research has found that cast and creator diversity are two of the top drivers for choosing content. This led Starz to create its #TakeTheLead initiative in 2021, a commitment that influences decisions made throughout the company, from internal hiring to programming decisions. "It is not a side initiative," Hoffman says. "It is truly the driving force of our company's strategy."

As part of #TakeTheLead, Starz hosts ongoing Transparency Talks, which brings together talent and thought leaders from organizations such as the NAACP, ACLU, and United Nations Women to discuss issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Starz is taking its dedication to addressing inequality beyond Hollywood to Capitol Hill. The company partnered with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to establish September as National Leading Entertainment and Arts through Diversity (LEAD) Month.

The congressional resolution, introduced in 2022, highlights the importance of representation and ally ship in entertainment. "By partnering with Members of Congress on LEAD Month, we've been able to demonstrate how important it is for audiences to see themselves represented in the stories and characters they see on screen," Hoffman says.

As it looks to the future, Starz plans to continue developing programming and making business decisions that uphold its commitment to amplifying authentic narratives. "Right now, it's a differentiator for us," Hoffman says. "But our aspiration is that someday soon, other organizations will make representation a real focus and we won't stand apart."

 

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