A year of growth for the Center for Connected Medicine at UPMC with new Summits and research reports on innovation in health care
The Center for Connected Medicine (CCM) at UPMC is defining the future of the modern health system through programming that informs, connects, and inspires leaders and innovators in health care.
In 2023, the CCM expanded its collaboration with experts from across the health care ecosystem to produce research and events focused on consumer-centered solutions, digital transformation, and scientific and medical innovation.
CCM programming included a return to exclusive, in-person events, the publication of four research reports, and additional resources and events. Through this programming, the CCM community has grown to more than 9,000 health care leaders and innovators.
This post summarizes CCM activity in 2023 – read on for highlights and links to our work.
Top of Mind Summit returns to in-person format
The CCM’s marquee annual event, the Top of Mind Summit, returned to an in-person format in April with a program focused on the most pressing issues facing health systems.
The invite-only event included sessions focused on improving patient access, boosting patient engagement, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), regulations spurring interoperability, and innovative payment models, among others.
Attended by more than 60 executives from health systems, payers, technology providers, and others, the two-day Summit featured 10 sessions and more than two dozen speakers.
Download a recap report from the Summit.
Read a summary of and watch video from Dr. Tina Shah’s keynote speech on clinician burnout from the Summit.
Top of Mind expands with Life Sciences Summit
To better serve the CCM’s growing community of biotech and life sciences leaders, the Top of Mind program was expanded in 2023 to include the Top of Mind for Life Sciences Summit, which was held in September at the CCM.
The exclusive event featured more than 70 experts and global leaders who came together for two days of interactive panel discussions and networking.
Over the course of nine panel discussions, 34 speakers covered a wide range of topics, including the frontiers of oncology treatments, the role of AI in drug discovery, the science of aging, and advances in neuroscience and mental health treatments.
Download a recap report from the Life Sciences Summit.
Research published on novel therapeutics, AI, and ambulatory pharmacies
In addition to intimate events for health care leaders, the CCM also produced four reports during 2023 that spanned the Center’s three pillars for programming: consumer-centered solutions, digital transformation, and scientific and medical innovation.
Each of these reports were produced in collaboration with KLAS Research and were based on surveys of executives and other leaders at hospitals, health systems, and health insurers.
“Market Access and Reimbursement of Novel Therapeutics” explored payer concerns with managing the rising cost of new and expensive drugs, such as cell and gene therapies.
“Clinical Trials and AI” highlighted the role AI could play in helping academic medical centers better match patients with drug trials.
The seventh annual “Top of Mind for Top Health Systems” survey overwhelmingly identified AI as a focus of health system technology leaders.
“Ambulatory Pharmacies at Health Systems” examined how some health systems are investing in new digital tools for their retail pharmacies to boost consumer engagement and improve outcomes.
These reports delivered strong insights for health system leaders and other stakeholders in the health care industry as advances in technology and science are accelerating. CCM research also serves as a foundation for events and virtual discussions.
New video interview series launched
Rob Bart, MD, the Chief Medical Information Officer at UPMC, sat down with Alex Nixon, Senior Research Analyst at the CCM, for the first episode of “The Future of Innovation in Health Care.”
During the interview, Dr. Bart explains his strategic focus on patient access, consumerism, AI, and reducing the burden on clinicians. This expansive focus has come as CMIO’s increasingly provide health systems with guidance on technology strategy across the enterprise.
While the CMIO started primarily as the “physician champion” for the electronic health record (EHR), it’s become focused more on helping health systems innovate in the areas of patient access, consumerism, AI, and reducing the burden on clinicians.
Watch video of the interview with Dr. Bart.
Expert Panel Discussion on Organoids
The CCM produced a virtual panel discussion, in collaboration with the Institute of Precision Medicine at UPMC and University of Pittsburgh, on the growing interest in organoids for research and treatments.
The discussion featured experts from Roche, Columbia University, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and University of Pittsburgh.
Learn more about the event and watch the discussion on-demand.
