For many, there remains some confusion regarding the Right to Repair Movement, as legislation has been filed in several U.S. States including as to medical equipment. Attendees appreciated Scott’s "crash course" concerning the legislation and regulations that may impact their businesses.

Not to be outdone, Mike Powers, director, healthcare technology management at Intermountain Health, offered a straightforward assessment of the current role of AI and his crystal ball as to future possible risks. AI is expected to be much more than chat boxes and phone trees (which parenthetically raise privacy concerns). Much has already been reported on the expected reduction in labor for tasks that can be automated. Mike’s insightful take suggested that perhaps caregivers who are already in relatively short supply, might have more time to care for patients. Mike also highlighted (as Dr. Bivins had earlier in the program) that physician shortages are projected to be acute in the future. He identified that AI offered the presence of aids such as intelligent diagnostic systems, robotic assisted surgery at an advanced level, telemedicine and remote monitoring. We are already experiencing virtual assistants and some decision support systems. Mike also suggested that AI would have a greater role in passive network detection systems by gathering and monitoring data in a way that aberrant behavior may be discovered through various alerts. Mike brought the AI discussion round to those in the room as he discussed how AI works in Predictive Maintenance of Medical Equipment. What was particularly interesting was Mike’s suggestion that AI in radiology is moving to an "app drawer" at the facility level such that radiologists may pair up with their reading software. With Mike’s optimism also came some pragmatism as he acknowledged that AI in the cloud with different apps may well have its challenges, including cases wherein the data transfer errs or crashes. It seems logical that network traffic may have its own set of AI problems. Bottom line: AI may well empower physicians by permitting them to focus on patient care and offering automation of processes but it is still very much in the development for its predictive analytics components.


Jon Vermeulen, president of Financial Corp. Leasing offered some inside experience and advice on Equipment Leasing Options. While equipment leasing may offer some attractive options for those who may prefer not to pay the purchase price all at once, Jon was candid on the tactics of some in the leasing industry to not fully disclose interest rates and hidden fees. He was a good sport answering some pointed questions on equipment leasing contracts when a guaranty is requested, and best practices when customers are considering equipment leasing as an option. Jon’s tips included homing in on what the expected buyout may be at the end of the lease term as a way to better assess the situation.

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