In this continuation of our commentary on the potential impacts of the new Trump 2.0 administration on healthcare, we focus on the anticipated changes in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its overarching control over all aspects of healthcare and wellness in the U.S. Additionally, we examine the influence of AI on healthcare, with particular emphasis on the empowerment of consumers.
Trump 2.0: A Game-Changing Vision for 2025 (Continued)
United States Surgeon General
Recently, President Trump announced his nominee for the position of U.S. Surgeon General: Dr. Janette Nesheiwat.
Before we dive into Dr. Nesheiwat’s background, let’s take a moment to discuss the role of the Surgeon General—a position that often flies under the radar for both consumers and private industry. This is poised to change.
The U.S. Surgeon General is the nation’s leading public health advocate, providing guidance to the President, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the public on critical health issues. As head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the Surgeon General oversees more than 6,000 health professionals who respond to public health emergencies and promote wellness. Key responsibilities include raising awareness through health campaigns, setting priorities to tackle issues like tobacco use, mental health, and vaccination, and advocating for policies that enhance public health. Historically, the Surgeon General has driven major public health initiatives, including the 1964 report on the dangers of smoking and more recent efforts to address opioid addiction and COVID-19. Through leadership, education, and advocacy, the Surgeon General works to improve the health and well-being of all Americans.
President Trump described Dr. Nesheiwat as “a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health,” emphasizing her commitment to ensuring Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare. Trump added that Dr. Nesheiwat believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health and lead longer, healthier lives.
Dr. Nesheiwat, the daughter of Jordanian immigrants, was born in Carmel, New York. She attended the University of South Florida and Stetson University in Florida, before earning her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences in 2009 and is board-certified in family medicine. Dr. Nesheiwat most recently served as the Medical Director of CityMD, a New York-based urgent care provider, and has been a prominent commentator on Fox News since 2020, especially for her frontline experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also the author of Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine, published this year.
What stands out is Dr. Nesheiwat’s advocacy for vaccinations, including for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Her public health stance, combined with President Trump’s focus on empowering individuals to live healthier lives, aligns with our belief that it’s time to empower consumers. We have over 13,000 new entrants to Medicare every day, and as the old TV show goes, “we have the technology.”
Consumers Empowered with AI
We are excited to see another Trump nominee focus on the consumer, as this is the only way to drive meaningful change in healthcare. The trajectory of healthcare since 1965 shows that consumer empowerment is critical for transformation, and giving consumers more data is essential to making that happen.
With over 30 years of healthcare experience, I am not yet convinced that AI is ready for widespread, practical use in patient care outside of very specific areas such as imaging, pathology, genomics, and a few other smaller applications.
Later in this blog series, we will delve into the FDA’s stance on AI in healthcare, especially after recent comments from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD. AI faces challenges when it comes to directing patient care, and any AI tool in this space requires FDA approval. This caution is unlikely to change under Trump 2.0, and may even become more stringent.
Our focus is on leveraging the vast amount of data stored in electronic health records (EHRs) to benefit consumers—not the healthcare industry. There are currently 3,000 exabytes of consumer health data in U.S. EHRs alone.
While writing this post, I came across an article from Modern Healthcare that announced the opening of an AI research center at Mount Sinai Health. The article highlighted the Hamilton and Amabel James Center for Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, a new $100 million facility dedicated to AI research and development. The center will focus on genomics, imaging, pathology, EHRs, and clinical care, and will centralize Mount Sinai’s AI efforts across its eight-hospital system.
As we’ve mentioned before, there is immense value in EHR data. However, the U.S. government’s push for interoperability is not yielding the intended results, as it often leads to duplicated data that’s harder to consolidate. Additionally, most transferable data is acute and of less value. For example, my own EHR data from a rare flu diagnosis in 2009 is no longer useful today, yet it will be one of the first things pulled up during any search of my medical records. The more valuable data—such as my post-COVID-19 interactions, annual physicals, and tests—are harder to access. Fortunately, I do have access to my patient portals today, but that data is much more difficult to retrieve.
The Modern Healthcare article puts it into perspective with this statement:
“The AI center will also house Mount Sinai’s genomics efforts, including its Institute for Genomic Health and Division of Medical Genetics, where researchers are using AI and gene sequencing to treat cancer, heart problems, and genetic disorders. The health system aims to genetically sequence one million Mount Sinai patients within the next five years.”
There is no doubt that AI will transform healthcare. Our focus remains on empowering consumers, improving access to relevant wellness data, and analyzing it to provide consumers with actionable feedback—not just for acute or life-threatening conditions like cancer. While AI holds immense promise, it is still a long way from being ready for clinical patient care, or for assisting providers in the typical primary care visit. Today, the U.S. sees over 400 million primary care visits annually.
References:
– Noel J. Guillama, Chairman
About HealthScoreAI ™
Healthcare is at a tipping point, and HealthScoreAI is positioning to revolutionize the industry by giving consumers control over their health data and unlocking its immense value. U.S. healthcare annual spending has reached $5 trillion with little improvement in outcomes. Despite advances, technology has failed to reduce costs or improve care. Meanwhile, 3,000 exabytes of consumer health data remain trapped in fragmented USA systems, leaving consumers and doctors without a complete picture of care.
HealthScoreAI seeks to provide a unique solution, acting as a data surrogate for consumers and offering an unbiased holistic view of their health. By monetizing de-identified data, HealthScoreAI seeks to share revenue with consumers, potentially creating a new $100 billion market opportunity. With near-universal EHR adoption in the USA, and advances in technology, now is the perfect time to capitalize on the data available, practical use of AI and the empowering of consumers, in particular the 13,000 baby boomers turning 65 every single day and entering the Medicare system for the first time. Our team, with deep healthcare and tech expertise, holds U.S. patents and a proven track record of scaling companies and leading them to IPO.