For the second year in a row, we attended the HLTH Conference. It was my first experience both at the conference and in the city of Las Vegas, so there was a lot to take in!
Our team presented two of our products: Coverage Compass and Expedoc.
Coverage Compass is designed to bring greater transparency to health plans. It’s built for customer service and sales teams, as well as employee groups who often lose valuable time explaining complex health plan details and helping people find the best fit.
Expedoc, on the other hand, addresses administrative burdens in healthcare. It’s aimed at boosting productivity and reducing strain on healthcare systems. Both products leverage AI thoughtfully, balancing its power without over-reliance.
While developing these products and improving communication around them has been great, HLTH gave us a new opportunity: to speak directly with people who might use them, gathering real-time feedback. Beyond these valuable conversations, the presentations at HLTH sparked ideas and gave us fresh perspectives on the healthcare industry. Let's see which are the key takeaways.
Sandro - The surprising compassion of AI in patient care and support
For Sandro, our Head of AI Research, one of the standout moments at the conference was the session titled “AI Powering Patient Care, Research, Caregiver Wellbeing, and Organizational Efficiency.”
Dr. Tomislav Mihaljević discussed how AI in healthcare is used across three key areas: first, in ways that directly benefit patients by improving their experience with healthcare; second, to support caregivers who are handling numerous responsibilities; and third, to assist those who manage healthcare systems, helping hospitals run more efficiently.
During the talk, it was highlighted that in certain healthcare scenarios, AI responses have proven to be “more kind, more empathetic, and more timely” than anticipated.
Sandro concluded that while AI may not be the answer for every aspect of healthcare, it already has the potential to enhance certain areas significantly.
By handling specific tasks with empathy and efficiency, AI can truly support patient care and lighten the load for caregivers—demonstrating that innovation in digital health can sometimes bring unexpected human-like qualities.
Angela - Exploring AI in healthcare and connecting with global leaders
For our COO, Angela, what stayed with her the most during the HLTH24 conference was seeing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the healthcare industry.
"I was impressed by AI’s role in the early detection of severe illnesses, including cancer. The focus on improving the quality of services, especially for oncology patients, stood out to me."
Aside from that, the highlight for her was a personal encounter with Dr. Tomislav Mihaljević, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious hospitals.
This face-to-face meeting also helped us, Devōt, as an opportunity to showcase our new products, Expedoc and Coverage Compass, and receive direct feedback from someone with vast experience.
It reinforced our motivation to keep pushing forward in a competitive market, striving for healthcare innovation that makes a tangible difference.
Particularly impactful speaker or presentation for Angela
For Angela, it was a presentation by Dr. Nisha Mehta, the Founder and CEO of Physician Side Gigs, titled “How Physicians in HealthTech Can Impact Change Within the Healthcare System” that truly resonated with her.
That presentation showcased how doctors could actively participate in driving healthcare innovation. Coming from a family of medical professionals, Angela has often seen physicians focus solely on their specialties, seldom branching out into entrepreneurship or innovation.
Nisha’s presentation revealed that doctors could play a pivotal role in healthcare innovation, contributing significantly to the development of new solutions that enhance patient care.
"This new perspective inspired me to reconsider the potential influence that healthcare professionals can have in creating transformative patient-focused innovations. Her words were a call to action, proving that the involvement of healthcare leaders can lead to groundbreaking advancements in healthcare services."
Devōt Las Vegas team during HLTH24 with Dr. Tomislav Mihaljević, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic
Tisa - Most medical research is conducted on men
For our Product Designer, Tisa, one of the most impactful moments at the HLTH conference was the presence and speech of Dr. Jill Biden. Her presentation addressed an important issue: the gender disparity in health research. Dr. Biden pointed out that much of medical research has historically been conducted on men, leading to a significant gap in understanding women’s health compared to men’s.
Tisa emphasized the importance of raising awareness on this issue, especially within specialized health conferences like HLTH and through influential voices like Dr. Biden’s.
“It’s essential to bring visibility to gender-based health disparities, especially through prominent events and professionals who can drive change,”
Tisa reflected.
Martin - Companies’ solutions should focus on what users really need
Martin, our CEO, took two main takeaways from HLTH24, both highlighting the challenges in digital health. These insights were shared during “The Evolution of Digital Health and Generative AI in Healthcare.”
With so many solutions in the healthcare market, the question remains: What does healthcare really need from digital health? These two presentations covered exactly that.
Today, the healthcare environment is burdened by numerous standalone tools, each designed to address specific issues. This often leads to frustration, as professionals in healthcare must juggle multiple systems and passwords. Many are now seeking integrated platform solutions—single-access systems that offer a marketplace for specialized tools—allowing healthcare providers to optimize workflows without the inefficiencies of logging into numerous applications.
Another pressing issue discussed was the gap between market claims and actual impact. Many digital health tools promise to boost productivity and ease workloads, yet lack the research needed to validate these benefits. This often leaves professionals hesitant to adopt new tools, given the energy and time required for implementation without proven results. Meanwhile, companies face the challenge of needing active users to generate this proof, creating a difficult cycle for many digital health startups.
Most impactful speaker for Martin
For Martin, one of the most memorable speakers was Dr. Tomislav Mihaljević, who shared insights on the future of AI in healthcare and the Cleveland Clinic’s approach to adopting these technologies.
Additionally, Dr. Mihaljević stopped by our Devōt booth to meet the whole team, which was a truly great experience for all of us!
Tina - Physicians in health tech can impact real change within the healthcare system
Last but not least, my biggest takeaway from this year’s HLTH conference is the critical role that physicians play in shaping the healthcare system—beyond just patient care.
Doctors are often deeply focused on their areas of expertise. They’ve spent years training, and their passion for their work is undeniable. But what about their involvement in the business side of healthcare? How can they influence the larger system?
My favorite presentation was from Dr. Nisha Mehta, the radiologist mentioned earlier in this blog. She highlighted a crucial point: how can we expect quality patient care when physicians are overworked, overburdened, and facing severe shortages? She even shared a surprising statistic: 70% of physicians wouldn’t recommend a career in medicine to their children—not due to a lack of passion but because of the overwhelming pressures they face.
“If physicians are considering leaving medicine,” she asked, “who will take care of patients?”
Dr. Mehta emphasized that for doctors to feel job satisfaction, they need to see that they’re making a difference. They need to feel that they can practice medicine in a way that truly contributes to care. She pointed out that, in many cases, physicians experiencing burnout firsthand have the best insights into what can help reduce it. They’re the ones who can offer real solutions and potentially expand their roles in healthcare technology.
In software development, we constantly talk about market research—learning from the people who will actually use our products through meaningful product discovery and feedback. So why not take the same approach in healthcare? Why not invite physicians and healthcare workers to share their insights on the tools we’re creating?
Considering that her presentation was at the beginning of the HLTH conference, this message resonated with me throughout the rest. While presenting our products at the booth and talking with attendees, I made it a point to ask doctors and healthcare workers for their honest feedback and suggestions. I must say it deepened my understanding of what healthcare truly needs!
Until the next year
All in all, it was a valuable learning experience for all of us—from gaining insights into the industry to enjoying fun moments like searching for the HLTH mascot, Petunia, and snapping a photo with her like the celebrity she is. Who knows, HLTH—maybe we’ll see each other again next year!
