Building Healthcare AI That CARES

Prashanthi Nuthi, VP at Enlace Health, helps organizations scale AI, technology and operations with strategic clarity and measurable impact.

​Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I had already learned how overwhelming healthcare can become.

It started when something suspicious showed up on my mammogram. One test led to another: an ultrasound, a diagnostic mammogram, another diagnostic ultrasound, an MRI and eventually, a biopsy.

But there’s one moment I still remember clearly. I was sitting in the diagnostic mammography room when I was asked whether I wanted a 2D or 3D mammogram.

I didn’t know the difference. They explained that 3D provided more detailed imaging, but it could be more expensive and might not be covered by my insurance.

So, I asked what seemed like a reasonable question: “Does my insurance cover it?” They weren’t sure.

I was told I should have checked before coming in. If I couldn’t make a decision, I might have to reschedule. There I was, already worried because something abnormal had been found, trying to make a medical and financial decision I didn’t feel equipped to make.

I had taken time off from work. I didn’t want to delay the testing. But I also didn’t know how much it would cost me if I chose the 3D option. So, I chose the safest option (2D) I knew would be covered.

The tests continued. By the time I eventually had the biopsy, I was so overwhelmed that I blacked out afterward. And this was before I even knew I had cancer.

Years later, when I hear conversations about AI transforming healthcare, I often think about that room. Could all the intelligence we’re building have made that one moment easier?

A Choice Without Context Isn’t An Informed Choice

My experience isn’t simply about mammography or insurance. It’s more about fragmentation.

The clinical and benefits information existed, and so did the imaging options. But at the moment I needed to make a decision, those pieces didn’t come together.