Q&A with Dr. Charles Van Duyne as He Leads the Way in Healthcare Benefits Savings as the Chief Medical Advisor

You “launched” your medical career in the U.S. Air Force, what was that like?

So yes, my career started in the Air Force, and that was planned from day one.  Even in the 1970s, medical school was expensive, so the Air Force paid for medical school as long as I gave them at least 4 years of service, which I was happy to do.  I ended up serving for 5 years and it was a good starting place, because I did not have to set up an office, hire people, and figure out how to charge for services and get paid. Back then doctors did not learn anything about the business aspects of medical practice in medical school. It was nice to have built-insupport and other experienced physicians to work as I was just coming out of training.  I also learned about teamwork, organizational politics, and leadership as an officer in the Air Force.

What made you want to join us at Artemis?

I have practiced in various settings over my 40+ years in health care and have always been open to exploring new experiences. Artemis presented the opportunity to be part of a start-up company which I have always wanted to do and the company is in a sector of healthcare that I had not previously worked in.  Joining Artemis provided the opportunity to help build something from the ground up, work with a talented group of people, and learn new skills, while at the same time leveraging my diverse background in healthcare.

How does being a doctor inform your services and outlook at Artemis? How do the clients benefit?

For employers, health care benefits are one of their top costs, usually number 2 or 3 on their P/Ls.  Our goal is to get them the most cost-effective health benefit solution while maintaining quality of care. To start, we identify how employer health costs are driven by their employees, and what opportunities for improvement in health outcomes are available.  My medical background provides clinical context and perspective which enhances claims analysis and benefit design, to assist the experienced employee benefit team at Artemis in creating a customized solution for each employer to achieve the desired goals. This will often involve adding digital health solutions that can assist in improving employee health and wellbeing and at the same time saving costs for the employer. “Every body” wins.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the big buzzword across professions, how do you think it will affect the industry and what can buyers of insurance do to take advantage of this increasingly powerful technology?

There is no doubt that AI will affect the industry, as is the case with any modern technology tool. The challenge will be to use it to solve specific business problems rather than getting AI because it is the current shiny object for everyone. There is much concern about AI also, because it is viewed as a threat to humans or a replacement. A better way to look at it is that it is a complement to humans, really more augmented intelligence than artificial intelligence.   It often shifts the work from humans to allow them to pursue other tasks.    

In the insurance industry, AI has many applications. Because of its powerful analytic capabilities and advanced pattern recognition, it can be used in underwriting to identify potential risks and help determine appropriate pricing. AI can automate routine claims processing and customer inquiries, allowing people to handle more complex cases. AI algorithms can be trained to identify patterns of fraud in claims processing. For customer service and personalization, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide quicker responses 24/7. AI can also do risk assessments, for example for preexisting conditions to determine health benefits exposure, or use weather data to improve the insurability of properties from flooding for example.  Finally, AI can produce data insights from complex analyses much faster and in more detail than conventional methods. 

At Artemis, AI will make us smarter about the information we already have and the ways to use it to improve patient experience and business efficiency.  

As you look out ten years, what changes, other than AI, do you think will be the most disruptive in the insurance industry?

One area that will come into play is government/regulatory influence. A current example of this is the CAA(Consolidated Appropriations Act) of 2021 which created a fiduciary duty for health plan sponsors to be accountable, and responsible for ensuring plan assets are spent wisely, are reasonable, and do not represent conflicts of interest.  Brokers and consultants are in a unique position to assist in working with their clients to achieve these goals. Already the industry has seen at least two high-profile lawsuits from employees in this area so it will be something to monitor. A second focus in the regulatory area will be industry consolidation and vertical integration, exemplified by the major insurers. This potentially will result in additional regulatory oversight of these providers which can influence how they move forward and whether or not they have to split up as some are considering . 

Finally, shifting customer expectations and demands will synergize nicely with the changes required by CAA compliance. Our clients will want to see more personalized and digital-first insurance experiences. To meet the evolving expectations, we will need to implement user-friendly apps,  personalized pricing, and on-demandcoverage.  Our approach at Artemis is designed to do just that.