- Center on Health Equity & Access
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Palliative Care and Healthcare Utilization
Genevieve Kumapley, PharmD, BCOP, discusses the importance of introducing palliative care to patients at the time of diagnosis. Specifically, she describes how a multidisciplinary team approach can affect the utilization of healthcare resources. If such an approach is taken early, there is significant potential for cost savings, she suggests.
Addressing palliative care early on, and in a multidisciplinary manner, helps all stakeholders understand the goals and preferences of the patient. As part of the team approach, members of a patient’s palliative care team discuss with the patient what tests and/or treatments will or will not be beneficial, says Dr Kumapley. By having these discussions and taking into account the patient’s preferences, the patient’s palliative care team can potentially decrease the overuse of healthcare resources, which may result in cost savings.
As a pharmacist, Dr Kumapley discusses the pharmacist’s role in palliative care. Pharmacists have the opportunity to improve patient adherence by helping patients recognize adverse events and understand how to properly manage them, she says.
AI in Health Care: Balancing Governance, Innovation, and Trust
September 2nd 2025In this conversation with Reuben Daniel, associate vice president of artificial intelligence at UPMC Health Plan, we dive into how UPMC Health Plan builds trust with providers and members, discuss challenges of scaling AI effectively, and hear about concrete examples of AI's positive impact.
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Infertility Coverage Boosts ART Use and Pregnancy Success: Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA
August 26th 2025In this episode, Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA, discusses his study showing that infertility treatment coverage increases assisted reproductive technology (ART) use and improves pregnancy outcomes.
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Health Care Utilization and Cost of Diagnostic Testing for Respiratory Infections
September 17th 2025Syndromic reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction tests for respiratory infections were associated with lower health care resource utilization and costs, implicating potential for improved value in patient care.
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