How AI and Policy Together Can Reduce Healthcare Costs
In this clip, Dr. Alister Martin outlines how both AI and healthcare policy can reduce the cost of care. While his organization, A Healthier Democracy, remains people-first in its approach, Dr. Martin strongly advocates for AI upskilling as essential in the modern workforce. He warns that it's not AI that will replace workers, but workers who use AI that will replace those who don't. On the policy side, Dr. Martin makes a compelling case for maintaining reimbursement pathways through Medicare and Medicaid to sustain initiatives that demonstrably lower emergency room visits and hospitalizations—highlighting the cost-effectiveness of AI in healthcare. His remarks provide actionable direction for organizations aiming to use AI for healthcare cost saving strategies.
Episode Contents:
About the Guest
Dr. Alister Martin is an ER physician, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School, and founder of A Healthier Democracy.
Key Takeaways
- AI upskilling is now a requirement in forward-thinking healthcare organizations.
- Policy reform is essential to scale programs that reduce emergency care usage.
- Reimbursement through Medicaid/Medicare is a vital sustainability pathway.
- Human warmth and patient navigators remain irreplaceable despite tech advances.
- Rapid development of certified AI training programs is a market opportunity.
Condensed Transcript
Q: What can help reduce the cost of healthcare in the current landscape?
Dr. Alister Martin: First, this moment requires a serious focus on AI. It’s not about AI replacing you—it’s about people who use AI replacing those who don’t. We expect job candidates to demonstrate how they use AI in real-world applications. Organizations should invest in upskilling programs for AI literacy, especially in large language models.
Q: What policy changes are critical to sustainable cost reduction?
Dr. Alister Martin: We need stable reimbursement pathways. Our work is often funded through city and state contracts, but we’ve started billing Medicare and Medicaid. These programs show real cost savings by reducing ER visits and hospitalizations. If you remove the ability to get reimbursed for this kind of work, nobody will do it.
About the Series
AI and Healthcare—with Mika Newton and Dr. Sanjay Juneja is an engaging interview series featuring world-renowned leaders shaping the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine.
Dr. Sanjay Juneja, a hematologist and medical oncologist widely recognized as “TheOncDoc,” is a trailblazer in healthcare innovation and a rising authority on the transformative role of AI in medicine.
Mika Newton is an expert in healthcare data management, with a focus on data completeness and universality. Mika is on the editorial board of AI in Precision Oncology and is no stranger to bringing transformative technologies to market and fostering innovation.