From claims to care: How AI could give health care its fast track

Artificial intelligence is transforming health care at an unprecedented pace, and Optum Insight CEO Sandeep Dadlani believes this is just the beginning.

Speaking on Fierce Healthcare's Podnosis podcast, Dadlani highlighted AI as a catalyst for innovation bringing immense opportunity alongside critical responsibility. He underscored UnitedHealth Group's commitment to responsible AI, ensuring trust while unlocking value for payers and providers through accelerated capabilities and change management.

Reimagining the provider experience

For providers, Dadlani painted a picture of AI serving as the backbone to create a more seamless health care experience for consumers.

"Imagine a situation where a consumer can schedule an appointment online for a particular procedure or treatment, get the cost estimate of that treatment upfront before the appointment, get their benefits and eligibility checked before the appointment, automatically check in as they walk into the clinic, have the provider see them," he said. "And as the provider sees them, the provider transcription is automatically coding a claim and that claim is being settled or promised right away to the provider even as that clinical appointment ends. "

The potential of AI extends beyond streamlining today's processes. For example, Dadlani shared the same transcription technology can automate backend processes for providers and help clinicians focus on what matters most - patients.

Shifting the focus back to patients

Imagine a future where clinicians can devote their full attention to patient care, freed from the weight of administrative tasks. That's exactly what Dadlani wants to see, a future where AI will eliminate the need for providers to focus on anything other than patient care.

"[Providers] always dreamed of being the best at care. Let's help them operate at the top of their license. There [are] hundreds of billions of dollars of health care costs all in administrative; AI is perfect for solving for all of them."

"I want technology engineers to be using AI to create breathtakingly new, beautiful experiences. Health care has never been associated with the words 'beautiful experience.' I want engineers to create beautiful experiences in health care. That's the vision."

Sandeep Dadlani | CEO, Optum Insight