Access & AI: Making Meaningful Change in Healthcare This Year
In this episode of Innovators, we sat down with Dr. Paige Killian, Chief Medical Officer at Inovalon, to talk about what’s shaping AI in healthcare administration in 2026. The conversation covers:
- Why declining trust in evidence-based medicine is the defining challenge healthcare organizations carry into 2026
- How AI reducing administrative burden is the common thread across providers, health plans, pharmacies, and life sciences
- The direct connection between administrative overload and shrinking access to care — and what technology can do about it
- Inovalon’s work in AI-powered prior authorization and concurrent coding, and how both are designed to support clinical staff without getting between them and their patients
As the healthcare ecosystem continues to adopt new technologies and address long-standing barriers, two things must remain top of mind: reducing administrative burden and ensuring access to evidence-based medicine.
For Paige Kilian, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Inovalon, the two go hand in hand. By thoughtfully applying AI to reduce administrative burden for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and beyond, we can increase access to care and retain the talent that the healthcare system is currently losing at alarming rates.
Innovations can help preserve and increase access, and now is the time to bring this potential to life. Hear more about why this is so critical for the healthcare system, and what Inovalon is working on to address administrative burden in specific steps along the care journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the biggest challenge carrying over from 2025 into 2026?
The biggest challenge carrying into 2026 is uncertainty and upheaval — specifically the declining public confidence in evidence-based medicine. Our view is that the healthcare industry needs to respond with steady guidance, patient education, and a firm commitment to keeping evidence-based care accessible regardless of outside pressures.
2. How does AI improve access to care?
AI improves access to care by taking on the administrative load that’s pushing doctors, nurses, and pharmacists out of the field. When AI and technology handle documentation, coding, and authorization workflows, clinical staff get more time for patients and the system as a whole becomes more accessible.
3. What should providers and healthcare organizations prioritize to improve patient care?
Providers and healthcare organizations should prioritize using AI to reduce administrative burden. Inovalon sees this as the clearest path to improving access to care.
4. What exciting innovations can organizations expect from Inovalon in 2026?
In 2026, organizations can expect two innovations from Inovalon: AI applied to the prior authorization process and a concurrent coding capability. Both are aimed at getting information where it needs to go without pulling clinical staff away from their patients.
5. What is the best software for reducing administrative burden in medical practices?
There’s no single software that eliminates administrative burden across the board. The more effective approach is to identify where the gaps are in your organization and find technology built to close them. When it comes to increasing profitability and reducing overhead, the areas that tend to move the needle most are claims management, system integration, and real-time data access. Choosing a dependable technology partner who can support those priorities is what turns a good strategy into lasting results.
