Chronic disease has become one of the central public health crises of our time. In the United States, 76 percent of adults—nearly 194 million people—now live with at least one chronic condition, and over half live with multiple conditions that drive morbidity, health care utilization and cost growth, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Health systems and insurers devote significant financial and operational resources to this problem. Ninety percent of annual U.S. health care spending now goes toward treating chronic and mental health conditions, representing nearly $4.9 trillion of the nation’s health expenditures.
Yet chronic disease is in large part preventable. More frequent, tailored health system interventions can blunt risk factors and improve outcomes—but not all care providers have the roadmap to implement them at scale.
That's why Newsweek is convening a panel of experts for our upcoming webinar, “Preventing Chronic Disease Patients from Falling Through the Cracks.” The conversation will be livestreamed on Tuesday, February 3, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET via Sequel. Health care leaders and stakeholders are invited to register for free at this link.
Our expert panel includes Dr. Kevin Pantalone (Director of Diabetes Initiatives, Cleveland Clinic); Dr. Lakshmi Halasyamani (Chief Clinical Officer, Endeavor Health); Dr. Richard Milani (Chief Clinical Innovation Officer, Sutter Health); and Dr. Ricky Bloomfield (Chief Medical Officer, OURA). The discussion will be moderated by Alexis Kayser, health care editor at Newsweek.
During the 60-minute event, speakers will discuss:
- Why episodic care models fall short for managing chronic disease;
- How health systems are using digital touchpoints, like wearable devices and AI agents, to maintain ongoing patient engagement;
- Where AI-enabled outreach and monitoring are delivering measurable clinical and operational value;
- The challenges of scaling preventative and monitoring programs without adding clinician burden;
- And what it takes to translate continuous patient engagement into better outcomes and lower costs.
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the conversation and interact with panelists via a live chat.
This event is part of a series of Newsweek webinars that will take place throughout 2026, addressing the most critical issues facing health care—including financial pressures, workforce strain, rapid technological change and shifting patient demands.
Stay tuned for details on future events in Newsweek’s health care series, and subscribe to Access Health, our free weekly newsletter, to ensure you don’t miss an update.
