The market size of AI in healthcare is projected to hit $208.2 billion between 2024 and 2030, according to AIPRM.
The figure highlights the growing adoption of AI in the healthcare industry, which is notorious for delays and high costs of patient care.
To correct these anomalies, Sergey Ukhlivanov, a senior full stack developer at Optum, an American healthcare company, has developed two applications, Savings Center and Doctor Appointment, to make care affordable and accessible. They are both AI-driven systems that make it possible for people to save on prescriptions and seamlessly connect with doctors.
His story shows that technologically based, mindful solutions can completely change the way patient care is delivered in a time when healthcare is still so much of a barrier to come by—it isn’t cheap or available to a majority of people.
Savings Center: A Practical Solution to Prescription Costs
For patients who require long-term medications, prescription costs can often be overwhelming. Sergey’s project, Savings Center, uses AI and machine learning to analyze prescription data and offer patients affordable options. “Our goal is simple. We want to make all prescriptions cheap for everybody. With the help of AI, we can use various factors like pharmacy location, alternative medications, home delivery, and quantity adjustment options to save our customers both time and money,” he says. The solution has already made some tangible difference. With it, patients can see options—to get a cheaper pharmacy, generic drugs, or home delivery, based on their individual needs. “With this AI-based approach, we have increased monthly online prescriptions by some 2,000. It feels really good, though, knowing that we’re able to let people have those necessary medications without the huge financial burden.”
Enhancing the Doctor Appointment Experience with AI
Saving on medication is just part of what Sergey did; he also made the doctor appointment experience better. His appointment app, which is called Doctor Appointment, is a sequence of pages ending in a video lobby where users can test audio and video devices before joining a virtual appointment with a doctor. That was supposed to fix things so that there are fewer technical problems and the online appointments will run smoother. “I actually think this is about making healthcare more available,” he believes. “No more driving, no gas money, patients in the boonies. We just wanted to make sure there is that sense of security; when a person becomes a member, everything will go on smoothly.” However, the project came with its own challenges. Processing that much real-time data in such a trustworthy and secure way was so important. The team worked with serverless Azure Functions to make it more efficient and scalable. As a result, they were able to cut load time down by 35% so that patients have a quick and smooth experience, according to him.
Navigating Technical Challenges in Building AI Solutions for Healthcare
Building AI apps in healthcare is not as easy as it is in other industries. Patient information security, privacy laws, and precision are of utmost importance. So, Sergey and his team wanted to make sure that the AI models in the two applications complied with HIPAA guidelines and at the same time provided accurate, timely recommendations. “Medical records are probably some of the most confidential data out there. We had to be really careful about data encryption and user permissions. The idea was to make sure the patient information was kept confidential and also that our recommendations were correct and helpful,” he explains. However, the hardest thing about the project was having to make the database queries that constantly keep the AI recommendations fresh, he adds. Sergey and his team made the calls to the database 25% faster so the AI could think and find information more quickly and accurately. “It’s all about balance. The system had to be quick but comprehensive and precise. It also meant optimizing everything from front-end user interactions to back-end data management.”
Expanding Expertise Beyond Development
Sergey is a well-known technical leader, not just for his development work. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the “world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.” He was also a judge at two recent hackathons, IAHD’s Hackathon and AI Storytellers. In both hackathons, the participants were challenged to use AI for tangible solutions in areas of life from healthcare to the media. As a judge, Sergey is devoted to promoting responsible and impactful AI, which is reflected in his inputs to emerging talents using AI to solve humanity’s problems.
A Vision for the Future of Healthcare
With his work at Optum, Sergey Ukhlivanov continues to change the world while keeping the health of the patient and the cost of healthcare at the core of his projects. For him, his vision for the future of healthcare lies with the use of more AI-centric solutions to increase personalization of patient care while lowering the corresponding costs. “So, seeing the impact of the work we’re doing through these tools is incredibly fulfilling,” he concludes. “We’re not just building software; we’re helping people to lead healthier lives without spending a lot of money.”
With the two apps, Sergey has demonstrated how AI can help to improve healthcare. He has made Optum’s services financially and practically more accessible, reliable, and affordable for patients within and outside the company. As illustrated by his work, AI will indeed become an integral part of a future healthcare system that works for everybody.
