Healthcare AI Guy Weekly | 9/30

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Highlights if you’ve only got 2 minutes…

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Doctors + AI: smarter together

A widely discussed New Yorker article explored how large language models are getting better at medical reasoning, though with uneven results. The piece highlights systems like CaBot, which solved many classic diagnostic cases and often matched expert clinicians, alongside examples of everyday chatbots that still hallucinate, give unsafe advice, or risk eroding independent thinking if overused. The most promising approach seems to be “centaur” setups where AI and clinicians work together. In Kenya, for example, an assistive tool reduced diagnostic and treatment errors while helping frontline clinicians improve over time. AI can sift data, surface options, and prepare patients and doctors for better conversations. Humans still provide judgment, examination, liability, and the emotional elements of care. Used this way, AI looks less like a doctor replacement and more like a teammate that can lighten routine work and support safer decisions. Augment > replace. (link)

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PwC: $1T healthcare AI shift by 2035

PwC analysts project U.S. healthcare spending could reach $8.6 trillion by 2035, driven by an aging population, physician shortages, and rising costs. They argue the system is ripe for disruption, with up to $1 trillion in annual spending potentially shifting from fragmented brick-and-mortar models to AI-enabled, digital-first approaches.

The report outlines a future where much of care moves into the home, supported by wearables, sensors, robotics, and virtual-first platforms. AI could automate administrative tasks, reduce burnout, and help physicians focus more on clinical judgment. Hospitals, meanwhile, may evolve into smaller hubs for acute interventions integrated with remote command centers. PwC suggests payers, providers, and medtech companies that invest early in data-driven, consumer-first models stand to benefit most, though new entrants could also capture market share by bypassing legacy infrastructure. Either way, there’s a lot of runway here and we’re just getting started! (link)

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Joint Commission & CHAI issue first AI guidance for healthcare

The Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) and the Joint Commission have released their first joint guidance on the responsible use of AI in healthcare. Rather than focusing on specific tools, the document sets out principles for how hospitals and health systems should govern, deploy, and monitor AI safely. The framework highlights seven core elements: establishing formal governance, protecting patient privacy, ensuring data security, ongoing quality monitoring, voluntary safety reporting, bias and risk assessment, and staff and patient education.

More detailed “playbooks” are planned, along with a voluntary certification program from the Joint Commission next year. The goal is to help organizations build the infrastructure to use AI responsibly while maintaining patient trust. By pushing for transparency, oversight, and continuous monitoring, the guidance marks a shift from experimental AI pilots to more systematic implementation — all of which is paving the way for accelerated adoption. (link)

Tools & Partnerships 🔧

Latest on business, consumer, and clinical healthcare AI tools and partnerships…

TOOLS

• Epic previews new interoperability tools for patients, providers, and devs: Epic showcased upcoming features aimed at improving data exchange, like Share Everywhere+, better patient record syncing across systems, and smoother app integration for developers. (link)

• AI to help decide Medicare treatment approvals: CMS will pilot an AI-based prior auth program targeting “low-value” services like nerve implants and knee scopes. Starting Jan. 1 in six states, the algorithm could approve or deny care, mirroring insurer tactics to reduce costs. (link)

• UpToDate launches genAI for clinical decision support: Wolters Kluwer launched UpToDate Expert AI, a genAI clinical decision support tool built on evidence-based content from 7,600+ physicians. Designed with health systems, it integrates into EHRs to deliver transparent, clinician-grade answers at the point of care. (link)

• Scientists have created the first viruses designed by AI: Scientists used AI to write coherent viral genomes, and they're capable of hunting down and killing strains of E. coli. (link)

• OpenAI tests AI vs. workers across 44 jobs: OpenAI’s new GDPval benchmark pitted top AI models against professionals in tasks from 44 occupations. GPT-5 and Claude 4.1 matched or beat experts in ~50% of tasks, with strong showings in healthcare scenarios. (link)

• Mayo Clinic AI predicts severe asthma risk in young kids: Researchers developed AI tools that analyze EHR data to flag children at high risk for asthma and respiratory infections by age 3. The model identified a subgroup with 2x pneumonia and 3x flu rates. (link)

• UnityAI launches scheduling agents for outpatient clinics: UnityAI rolled out agentic scheduling tools that automate outpatient clinic bookings, aiming to reduce delays, improve patient access, and fill calendars using AI-powered outreach. (link)

• WellSky debuts AI-powered referral intake tool: WellSky launched CarePort Referral Intake, a new solution that uses its SkySense AI to centralize referral data and generate summaries, helping post-acute providers speed up intake workflows and respond to referrals faster. (link)

• Qventus unveils new AI agents to automate hospital ops: Qventus is launching agentic solutions to boost productivity across hospital operations, including OR access and inpatient flow, marking a major step beyond predictive analytics to AI-powered action. (link)

• Llama approved for U.S. government use: The U.S. General Services Administration added Meta’s Llama to its list of approved AI tools for federal agencies, joining models from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. (link)

• AI firms paid $120M to doctors, study finds: A JAMA study found AI companies paid $120M to providers from 2017–2023. Cardiologists received the most ($59M), followed by radiologists ($40M), raising concerns about conflicts of interest and transparency. (link)

PARTNERSHIPS

• Nvidia + OpenAI: Nvidia plans to invest up to $100B in OpenAI through a 10 GW AI infrastructure project, deploying millions of GPUs to power next-gen models. The first gigawatt is expected online in late 2026, with Nvidia named OpenAI’s preferred compute and networking partner. (link)

• VA + Abridge + Knowtex: The VA will roll out Abridge and Knowtex’s ambient AI scribe tools across its health system, serving 9.1M veterans. The $5.3M program integrates with the VA’s EHR to transcribe encounters and auto-insert notes, aiming to ease documentation burdens. (link)

• Houston Methodist + Ambience Healthcare: The health system is expanding Ambience’s ambient AI documentation from outpatient clinics into emergency and inpatient settings. (link)

• Yale New Haven Health + Artisight: Yale New Haven signed a systemwide agreement to deploy Artisight’s smart hospital platform, starting with virtual nursing. The AI, computer vision, and ambient tech platform enables real-time observation, care automation, and documentation support. (link)

• Cleveland Clinic + Bayesian Health: Cleveland Clinic is expanding its AI sepsis detection platform from Bayesian Health across hospitals in Ohio and Florida after a pilot showed 10x fewer false alerts, 46% more cases identified, and 7x more alerts before antibiotics compared to legacy tools. (link)

• Infinitus + IBM Consulting: Infinitus is partnering with IBM Consulting to expand its agentic AI payer-calling platform into specialty pharmacy operations. (link)

• Hippocratic AI + Eraas Health: The companies are partnering to deliver weather-related outreach, using Hippocratic’s generative AI agents and Eraas Health’s climate analytics to alert high-risk populations, prevent injuries, and connect members to care resources. (link)

• University of Iowa Health Care + Evidently: UIHC deployed Evidently’s clinical data intelligence platform systemwide to surface insights from patient records and launched an EHR-embedded AI chat interface. (link)

Deal Desk 💸 

Spotlight on latest capital raises, M&A, and investments…

FUNDING

• Oura, a Finnish smart ring maker, is raising $875M in Series E funding at around a $10.9B valuation. (link)

• Capital Rx, a New York-based pharmacy benefit manager, is nearing a $252M Series F round led by Wellington Management and General Catalyst and joined by others. (link)

• Distyl AI, an SF-based startup that helps integrate AI into core biz workflows, raised $175M in Series B funding at a $1.8B valuation. Khosla Ventures and Lightspeed led, joined by Coatue, Dell Technologies Capital, and DST Global. (link)

• Inspiren, a NYC-based AI-powered ecosystem for senior living facilities, raised $100M in Series B funding. Insight Partners led the round and was joined by others. (link)

• Thyme Care, a Nashville, Tenn.-based cancer care company, raised $97M in Series D funding at a $1B+ valuation from CVS Health Ventures, Foresite Capital, a16z, Concord Health Partners, Town Hall Ventures, and AlleyCorp. (link)

• Manas AI, a New York-based drug discovery and development startup, raised $26M in seed extension funding from The General Partnership, Wisdom Ventures, Blitzscaling Ventures, Westbound Equity Partners, and Mosaic Ventures. (link)

• AmplifyMD, an AI-enabled multispecialty virtual care platform, raised a $20M Series B funding round. The raise, led by Forerunner Ventures with participation from F-Prime, Greylock, Tau Ventures, and Memorial Hermann. (link)

• Bonsai Health, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based health-care workflow automation platform, raised $7M in seed funding led by Bonfire Ventures and Wonder Ventures. (link)

• DaltonTx, a London, U.K.-based AI platform designed for drug discovery companies, raised $5.6M in seed funding. (link)

• Prosper AI, a NYC-based developer of AI voice agents for healthcare operations, raised $5M in seed funding. Emergence Capital led the round and was joined by Y Combinator, CRV, and Company Ventures. (link)

• Third Way Health, an AI operations platform for providers, received a strategic investment from MedPOINT Management, an MSO in California. (link)

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

• Datavant + Digital Owl: Datavant, a data platform, acquired Digital Owl, an AI-driven medical data analysis company. (link)

Other Relevant News 🔍

News, podcasts, blogs, tweets, resources, etc…

• Inside the messy relationship between Abridge and Epic (link)

• Report shows digital divide in hospital AI adoption widens (link)

• Is OpenEvidence truly disruptive? (link)

• DiMe releases Healthcare 2030 blueprint for innovation (link)

• AI isn’t replacing radiologists (link)

Visuals of the Week 📸

Funny memes, cool pics, and interesting data from around the web…