If Americans thought healthcare was costly pre-pandemic, they—and their wallets—are about to be hit with a harsh reality: the cost to treat patients is expected to increase 6.5% this year, slightly higher than pre-pandemic, according to PwC’s Health Research Institute. What should be even more concerning is that a significant portion of what the United States spends on healthcare annually is lost to fraud, waste and abuse.

The most egregious cases of fraud and abuse aren’t common, but they make an impact – and sting all who are striving to make healthcare safer and more affordable. Take for example, the case of the oncologist who prescribes chemotherapy to patients without a cancer diagnosis. Or the cardiologist who conducts stent surgeries without need. These are real fraud cases that artificial intelligence (AI) technology uncovers for healthcare payers. While basic medical coding errors and Covid care upcoding are much more common, the grim reality that in 2021 alone, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recovered more than $5 billion from civil fraud and false claims cases, just a fraction of the estimated $380 billions lost every year. This is a staggering number that’s only getting bigger.

Decentralized clinical trial approaches helped the pharma industry navigate through Covid-19. Now it is becoming increasingly clear that there’s a need for a hybrid approach to decentralized clinical trials that considers the perspectives of patients and the impact to clinical trial...

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