Ravi B. Parikh

Advanced Illness

Cancer Care Delivery

Human-Machine Collaboration

Technology will transform how we deliver care in cancer and advanced illness

 

I am an oncologist and a researcher.

I practice oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, where I am Assistant Professor of Medicine and Health Policy, and the Crescenz VA Medical Center.

I lead the Human-Algorithm Collaboration Lab, a research group that studies questions in advanced illness care and policy using real-world data, machine learning, and clinical trials. Our trials test population-level interventions based on analytics, behavioral economics, and digital health.

I advise nonprofits, health systems, and early-stage to Fortune 500 companies on these topics.

I write and speak frequently for popular press.

Latest writing

Daily, I see posts from doctors railing on insurance companies about prior authorization hurting their patients. But when payers are the only agent incentivized to lower costs, prior authorization results. Let's stop shouting at the wind and instead put some teeth behind cost-conscious care efforts.

 

Latest research

The pandemic taught us that virtual palliative care is possible. But how do clinicians perceive virtual palliative care after the pandemic? We interviewed clinicians across the country who treat serious illness. We found that clinicians bought-in to multidisciplinary virtual palliative care, but are apprehensive about automated referrals and fully virtual models. This paper provides suggestions to guide virtual palliative care programs being designed by payers, startups, and health systems.

 

Latest media

Medical errors happen; doctors are only human. And when doctors make mistakes, the law pertaining to who is liable is usually clear-cut. But what happens if the mistake was made by an AI, included one embedded in a device or a robot? I explore in this podast by the Petrie-Flom Institute.

What people are saying

Dr. Parikh has been instrumental in helping us leverage and interpret real-world data and to develop and implement novel solutions to accelerate value-based oncology.
— Chief Medical Officer
 
Dr Parikh’s approach to any technical issue - metric development, quality improvement, bedside care - is to start with the individual facing serious illness and their community. In our experience this mindset is all too often espoused but rarely practiced day in and day out. We are fortunate to have Dr. Parikh’s leadership in identifying and testing practical interventions that can lead to systemic, public policy and other reforms needed in ensuring high quality care for those with serious illness — especially those who are under-resourced and underserved.
— Executive Director
 

Latest social media

 

Affiliations