Inova Health executive warns of AI impact on patient acquisition

Matthew Kull, Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer at Inova Health, suggests that health systems must integrate with large language models (LLMs) to avoid losing patients. He notes that API calls from ChatGPT Health into Inova’s Epic environment have increased significantly over the last two months.

Kull argues that a strategy of walling off data is ineffective. He anticipates a shift where patients use AI agents to analyze medical charts and then immediately ask for local provider availability and insurance compatibility. If a health system cannot facilitate direct booking through these AI interactions, patients will likely be redirected to competitors. He also warns of rising costs, predicting that API fees could increase tenfold as volumes grow.