JH OnSights: HLTH 2024 Vegas

Our team just returned from HLTH 2024 in Vegas, and they’re buzzing with fresh insights! From breakthrough innovations to big ideas shaping healthcare, they got a front-row seat to it all. Here, they share their top 3 favorite insights and what’s next for the future of HLTH. 

Nigel Downer, SVP Head of Jack Health US 

1. This was the Taylor Swift concert of healthcare. The main stage at HLTH was packed with star power: from rock icons like Lenny Kravitz and EGOT winners like John Legend to actors like Halle Berry, politicians like Kyrsten Sinema, policymakers like Dr. Chelsea Clinton, PhD, MPH, and even First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, EdD. This lineup hints at a compelling new dynamic: could celebrity influence propel health and wellness brands into addressing underserved healthcare areas, such as menopause? Star power is set to connect brands with broader cultural trends, potentially sidelining traditional players or pushing them into new territories. Will ‘zeitgeist’ be the healthcare marketing buzzword of 2025? It just might. 
2. Finger on the Pulse. Content is King and HLTH had high quality content and discussion across the board. If you are looking for one event a year to attend to stay on top of emerging trends, industry challenges, and evolving policies, HLTH is the place for you.  It’s an immersion into the current (and future) state of affairs across the industry. This year’s top 5: AI, Women’s Health, GLP-1’s, Telehealth, Longevity. 
3. Brands are missing the chance to stand out. HLTH isn’t a cheap place to activate. But boy, oh boy is there a chance to stand out for a brand that really wants to own it. The exhibit hall was a sea of sameness and there wasn’t a single brand that delivered a WOW moment or experience. Event sponsors that paid a pretty penny for digital / signage / lanyards etc. were completely lost in the noise, scale, and bustle of HLTH and Las Vegas. The brands that will make the biggest impacts on their HLTH objectives will be the ones that think about the end-to-end journey and experience they want their attendees and targets to have. 

Jamey Hardesty, SVP, Scientific and Healthcare Strategy 

1. The debate over GLP-1’s has never had more tension! On one stage, Hims & Hers advocated for the role of compounded semaglutide to drive accessibility and affordability. On another, FDA Chief Dr. Robert Califf, MD, MACC called out pharma saying they should be ashamed of their pricing. One payor noted that 10% of their member prescription drug costs come from GLP-1’s: however, it’s coming from only .5% of their overall membership. GLP-1’s are going nowhere, but the race to make them affordable may mean that consumer healthcare brands, like Hims and Hers or Noom, are able to dramatically change the marketplace. So much so that Noom was a title sponsor.  
2. AI is about to go from a hidden efficiency creator to having a face in tele-health. NVIDIA showcased their digital agents as a new kind of ‘front door’ for telehealth—one that’s more personalized and relatable. A standout example was an adorable otter transformed into an AI doctor, designed to engage with children and communicate health information in a simple, engaging way. Pilot work is underway at Ottawa Hospital. Could this innovation drive adoption and bridge gaps in primary care coverage and access? NVIDIA and others are betting it will. 
3. What we heard: Is Las Vegas the right place for a healthcare innovation conference? Numerous times I overheard people discussing and questioning if a smoke-filled casino conveyed the right optics for what is positioned as THE healthcare innovation and tech event. Or if Nevada was the right setting considering some of the state laws and policies that can be misaligned with healthcare priorities. If we’re there to do the hard work, solve big challenges, and discuss tough questions, then maybe we should be considerate of where those dollars are going. One thing is certain, this discussion proves that the show has arrived and will continue to have influence across healthcare. 

Chris Bachler, Business Development Director 

1. The fight to build the AI eco-system of the future is well underway. GE Healthcare announced their new iPhone-like CareIntellect platform and its first solution for oncology. Will these AI sandboxes (think apps on your phone) become the next iOS vs Android battle in the coming years? If we’re judging by the number of AI companies present at HLTH…it’ll be a lot more than just a BIG 2 battling it out. 
2. Food as Medicine highlights preventative health. HLTH introduced ‘Food as Medicine’ in 2023 with a small set up. This year, they’ve expanded it into a dedicated Food as Medicine Pavilion, spotlighting nutrition, wellness, and care. Notably, Kroger made a major appearance, announcing a new partnership with bitewell, the company behind the ‘Food Health Score.’ This theme is likely to keep growing at future HLTH events, showcasing not only innovative products and tools for nutritious living but also programs aimed at expanding access to healthy food in an industry where nutritious options can be hard to find for many. 
3. Women’s health is go for the moon! Last year, women’s health was a somewhat interesting undercurrent—mostly relegated to a secondary stage. This year, it sat front and center. AI may snag headlines, but there’s nearly as much momentum in women’s health. Multiple conversations on menopause, migraine, and the lack of attention from the traditional players has cracked the door wide-open to female-led companies that are pushing the ball uphill and into the mainstream of healthcare. Halle Berry announced RESPIN, a menopause-focused platform, and FLOTUS, Dr. Jill Biden, announced $110m in ARPA-H funding for women’s health research and innovation. 

HLTH 2024 provided a canvas for fresh ideas and inspiration for the future of healthcare. From innovative tech to new approaches in patient care, the insights gained will help shape what’s next. We can’t wait for HLTH 2025!