Transforming Patient Care: Dr. Bernard Schayes’ AI-Driven Approach to Value-Based Healthcare
In an era where healthcare is shifting towards value-based care, many practitioners face significant challenges. Dr. Bernard Schayes, a physician based in New York City and affiliated with Mount Sinai IPA and Northwell Health IPA, embodies this struggle as he navigates the complexities of ensuring better patient outcomes while maintaining efficient operations.
The Quest for Better Patient Engagement
One of the foremost challenges Schayes encountered was ensuring that patients remained on track with essential screenings. These screenings are crucial in proactive health management and include colonoscopies, mammograms, annual physicals, and screenings for diabetes and cholesterol, among others.
Patient Non-Compliance: A Growing Concern
Despite the significance of these checkups, many patients frequently missed important appointments. Reasons varied from scheduling conflicts to a lack of proper reminders, compounded by social determinants of health (SDOH) that further exacerbated these issues. Dr. Schayes remarked on the inefficiencies inherent in traditional coordination, stating, "Coordinating this care manually was time-consuming and inefficient."
Addressing the Administrative Burden
The traditional, labor-intensive tracking of patient appointments meant that medical staff often spent more time engaged in administrative work rather than patient care, creating gaps in follow-up. "Our team had to track down patients, send reminders, and follow up repeatedly—often with limited success," Schayes lamented.
A New Direction: The Power of AI
To tackle these issues head-on, Schayes embraced AI-powered care coordination technology. This innovative solution aimed to streamline patient outreach, thereby enhancing engagement and ensuring smoother care coordination. With newfound efficiency, Schayes and his team could focus more on providing exceptional patient care instead of getting bogged down by administrative tasks.
The Role of AI in Patient Care
“Our AI technology gathers pertinent historical data, including lab results, X-rays, and previous healthcare encounters,” Schayes explained. It reviews medical histories while utilizing predictive analytics to foster better health outcomes. Importantly, all key decisions regarding treatment still lie with the physician, preserving the essence of personalized patient care.
Meeting Patients Where They Are
Dr. Schayes articulated the necessity of AI, stating that traditional electronic health records (EHR) could not address every aspect of patient data. "The AI technology came in addition to my EHR because it can only read files, not write into them,” he clarified. The AI assists by extracting valuable datasets from patient records that help identify care gaps.
Real-World Examples of Success
To illustrate the effectiveness of AI in his practice, Schayes provided an enlightening example: "If a patient has albumin in their urine, they are at a high risk to develop renal failure in the future." By identifying such risk factors early, interventions can be made that potentially prevent more serious consequences, including the need for dialysis.
Proactive Measures Through Predictive Analytics
Moreover, AI’s prowess allows it to analyze trends found in electrocardiograms (EKGs), thereby identifying potential cardiovascular conditions sooner than human analysis could. This capability can lead to significant cost savings and better health management.
The Positive Impact of AI Integration
Since implementing AI technology, Schayes has observed a stark reduction in care gaps driven by more efficient use of staff resources. The system identifies care gaps—pending Schayes’ approval—and allows his team to follow up through text, email, or phone calls. This approach has led to a productive workflow, effectively closing care gaps with remarkable efficiency.
Words of Wisdom for Other Practitioners
"AI technology has the potential to significantly enhance patient care, streamlining tedious tasks for providers and thereby improving health outcomes," Schayes asserted. He emphasized the importance of merging data and predictive analytics to elevate care delivery.
The Evolution of Workflow
Since integrating AI into his practice, Schayes’ workflow has undergone a transformation. He now records patient encounters in real-time, ensuring transparency with a visible microphone and fostering a more engaging experience for patients. The AI system focuses on pertinent issues, streamlining documentation tasks that previously consumed valuable time.
Efficiency Through Innovation
This innovative approach not only facilitates thorough record-keeping but also enhances accuracy when generating visit notes. "AI is far more accurate at inputting the correct codes, saving hours of tedious typing," Schayes noted, which is crucial in today’s fast-paced healthcare environment.
The Future of Population Health
Looking ahead, Schayes is optimistic that AI will continue to enhance the healthcare landscape. "AI puts past data in an easily accessible mode, and its predictive analytic capability will only improve," he concluded. Dr. Schayes believes that the implementation of AI represents just the beginning of a new age in population health management.
Conclusion: A Step Toward a Better Healthcare Future
As Dr. Schayes exemplifies, the marriage of AI technology and healthcare practice can resolve long-standing issues related to patient engagement and care coordination. By embracing this technology, healthcare providers can bridge care gaps, enhance patient outcomes, and ultimately contribute to a more efficient healthcare system. With continued advancements in AI, the potential for improved population health is not just a hope; it is increasingly becoming a reality.
