HLTH 2024 wrapped up four days of dynamic conversations, gathering thousands of attendees including industry leaders, innovators, and celebrities — all committed to transforming healthcare for the better.
What We Heard & What We Saw
From advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and weight management solutions like GLP-1s to a dedicated focus on women’s health and health equity, this year’s themes captured the industry’s push for inclusivity, efficiency, and actionable innovation.
Beyond the topics, a major red thread through all of our conversations on the ground was the need for partners that understand their business and their audiences, and a better strategy for how to reach and engage decision makers with compelling stories that can build awareness and accelerate sales.
We heard this from all titles – CMOs, CGOs, VPs of comms and heads of sales. Brands attend HLTH for so many reasons to support growth goals and marketing plans, but the biggest of them all is to connect – with media, with partners, with future customers and even influencers – and to join in conversations that matter most to their markets.
PAN Clients Driving Conversations
Speaking of conversations, PAN clients were front and center on the exhibit floor and on stage, with six brands debuting product announcements, briefing media and sharing expertise on panel discussions throughout the show.
Three clients took to the stage to highlight their leadership in addressing healthcare’s most pressing challenges, with DUOS and WeightWatchers for Business (WW4B) earning spots on panels to discuss aging’s price tag , the future of Medicare and the need for more sustainable weigh management programs that employees can engage with as well as PointClickCare guiding a timely conversation around closing gaps in care transitions to enhance healthcare outcomes.
Here’s a closer look at the themes that shaped HLTH 2024 and how several PAN clients are leading the charge.
Women’s Health Takes Center Stage
In the final stretch of the election, women’s health is top of mind for voters and the industry alike, and PAN’s Health Pulse: Election Edition found this topic to be the top coverage driver this year to date. Women’s health also got its well-deserved spotlight at HLTH, bringing attention to the unique needs women face across every stage of life. Leaders like Dr. Jill Biden and Chelsea Clinton addressed critical issues, from reproductive rights to aging gracefully. This focus served as continued proof of how the healthcare community is prioritizing women’s health with a commitment to making it a sustained initiative into the future.
AI in Action
This year, AI discussions moved beyond the buzz to demonstration of how the technology is making real differences in care delivery. DUOS showcased this shift with the launch of Chat 2.0, a next-generation AI solution designed to enhance healthcare accessibility for older adults. With Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), Chat 2.0 acts as a trusted guide, helping older adults manage complex healthcare needs in real time.
GLP-1s and Sustainable Weight Health
GLP-1s drove a significant share of conversation at HLTH with a focus on making these treatments sustainable and accessible. WW4B joined the conversation, showing how GLP-1s are most effective when paired with nutrition, exercise, and community support. Their panel discussion highlighted the essential role employers play in providing weight health benefits, reinforcing that true weight management goes beyond medication alone.
Value-Based Care for an Aging Population
The value-based care conversation was prevalent throughout the conference with a concerted discussion around the importance of payment models and incentive plans. Payers are continuing to lead the charge toward these types of plans. With the U.S. facing a rapidly aging population, this acceleration carries significant industry implications with much of the focus on alignment across providers, payers, and life sciences.
PAN clients DUOS and PointClickCare, are committed to advocating for better technology so providers across the entire care continuum can implement more effective preventative care, and better engage and support this population consistently as care needs evolve.
Looking Forward
HLTH 2024 reminded us that healthcare is not only evolving but also making a difference in powerful ways—from practical AI applications and sustainable weight health solutions to new care models for our aging communities. PAN’s clients are at the heart of these changes, turning these themes into solutions that matter. As the industry moves forward, the ideas and innovations from HLTH are shaping a future that’s more accessible, inclusive, and, most importantly, bold.
For brands looking to elevate their market awareness and drive their demand engine, it will be critical to lean into the topics and trends shaping broader conversations across healthcare but, more specifically, with target audiences in their market segments while also being true to who they are, what they stand for, what they do, and how they do it.
Whether you made fresh connections at the conference or reignited existing relationships in your network, think about the best approach to sustaining those connections as we approach end of year and look ahead to 2025.
Want to learn more? Let’s talk!
