BY SANDRA JACOBS, VITAL SIGNS EDITOR
Insights Insights and opportunities, along with promises and perils, for physicians of today and tomorrow were in the spotlight of the second “Future Health: Best Practices for Advancing Care,” the signature conference presented on March 22, 2024,
by the Massachusetts Medical Society and supported by the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM Catalyst, and NEJM AI.
Kicking off a central focus for the day was the opening keynote, “Responsible AI and Health Equity,” presented by Maia Hightower, MD, MBA, MPH, founder and CEO of Equality AI. “Responsible AI is a team
sport,” Dr. Hightower said, encouraging physicians to get involved in the use and development of AI tools and in their institutions’ governance of them. “We all have a role to ensure that this [AI] future really does provide value for everyone.
The promise is unprecedented to improve quality and value,” she added, noting that it also saves time on clinical notes and reduces physicians’ administrative burden. “AI can help you reconnect with patients on an eye-to-eye level and in a
way we haven’t done for perhaps 15 years.”
The three panels that followed — on Climate Change, the Role of the 2030 Physician, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) — were explored with a focus on equity and featured nationally known leaders and Massachusetts experts. Editors from NEJM Group
publications served as moderators. Engaging exchanges included questions from a live audience of physicians, trainees, and students who attended at MMS headquarters and online.
A standout feature this year was the Product Theater, in which two companies demonstrated new technologies: “Emerging Class of Medicine: Prescription Digital Therapeutics,” sponsored by Click Therapeutics and “Moneyball in Health Care: The Need
for Real AI — Actual Intelligence,” sponsored by Caresyntax. “The hands-on demonstrations of new products and technologies were exciting and on the cutting edge, not what everyone is exposed to unless they attend a cutting-edge program,” said
pediatric cardiologist Lorraine Schratz, MD, one of 10 MMS members who made up the conference’s advisory and planning group. “The networking also was very good.”
In conjunction with the conference, the MMS hosted the 15th Research Poster Symposium, with 61 posters accepted from 100 abstracts submitted by medical students and trainees. After a few years’ hiatus, this event, sponsored by the MMS and its
Resident and Fellow Section and its Medical Student Section, celebrated the research and discovery of our youngest members. See the full list of winners and judges.
At the well-attended lunch and learn session, “Alternative Paths in Medicine,” moderator Ted A. James, MD, MHCM, FACS, chief of breast surgical oncology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, guided physician panelists who described their career
changes from clinical work to new careers in the biopharma industry, consulting, entrepreneurship, and career/life coaching.
“Today was entertaining, fun, and thought-provoking,” summed up MMS President, Barbara S. Spivak, MD, in closing remarks. “An incredible day from the first talk to the end.”
The MMS is grateful for the support of our founding Future Health Best conference sponsors, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Coverys, and more than 30 additional sponsors and supporting organizations that helped to bring this year’s
conference to fruition.
If you missed “Future Health: Best Practices for Advancing Care – 2024,” it is now available as an online CME course that includes the opening keynote and panel discussions on “The Impact of Climate Change on Our Patients” and “The 2030 Physician: Our Role in Health Care, Systems, and Society.”
What Attendees Say about 2024 Future Health Best
“The program was incredible, very thought-provoking.
It was hopeful at a time right now when providers
are struggling to do their work. …”
— Juan Jaime de Zengotita, MD — medical director of quality and health equity at Fenway Health, Boston
“Everything talked about today regarding artificial
intelligence and the EMR efficiency — and the need to help
physicians to avoid ‘pajama time’ — was very interesting.
I’m really looking forward to that part of AI.”
— Sarita Bajracharya, MD — internal medicine, Hyannis, MA
For more attendee comments, see video.
Maia Hightower, MD, MBA, MPH, receives rousing appreciation for her expansive and actionable keynote presentation, “Responsible AI and Health Equity.”
Dr. Hightower (left) responds to questions from audience members presented by MMS President Barbara S. Spivak, MD (right).
The “AI in Medicine: Future of Diagnosis” panel included Adam Rodman, MD, MPH, FACP, co-director, Innovation in Media Education Delivery Initiative, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Marzyeh Ghassemi, PhD, assistant professor, Electrical Engineering
and Computer Science and Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Isaac Kohane, editor-in-chief of NEJM AI and chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School; and
Arjun Manrai, PhD, deputy editor of NEJM AI and assistant professor of biomedical informatics, Harvard Medical School.
Marzyeh Ghassemi, PhD, assistant professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“The 2030 Physician: Our Role in Health Care, Systems, and Society” speakers include Andrew S. Karson, MD, MPH, interim president UMass Memorial Medical Group; Sandhya K. Rao, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president for health and
medical management at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; and Kathleen C. Lee, MD, associate editor, NEJM Catalyst and associate chief transformation officer and associate vice president, Penn Medicine.
Panelist Sandhya K. Rao, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president for health and medical management at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; Olivia C. Liao, MD, FACS, MMS vice president; Hugh Taylor, MD, MMS president-elect; Barbara
S. Spivak, MD, MMS president; Maia Hightower, MD, MBA, MPH, keynote speaker; and Lois Dehls Cornell, MMS executive vice president.
“The Impact of Climate Change on Our Patients and Health Systems,” panelists include Gaurab Basu, MD, MPH, director of education and policy, Harvard Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment; Caleb Dresser, MD, MPH, director of healthcare
solutions, Harvard Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment and assistant director, Climate & Human Health Fellowship, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Gregg Furie, MD, MHS, medical director for climate and sustainability,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital; instructor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; Brita E. Lundberg, MD, CEO and founder of Health Equity Institute and Lundberg Health Advocates, LLC; Marissa Hauptman, MD, MPH, FAAP, chief medical advisory, Bureau
of Climate and Environmental Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and co-director, Pediatric Environmental Health Center and Region 1 New England Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Boston Children’s Hospital; and
Caren Solomon, MD, MPH, deputy editor, New England Journal of Medicine, and associate professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
At the Research Poster Symposium, medical students and trainees share their research with conference attendees.
