As healthcare continues to evolve, platform models are reshaping how we use data and deliver care. At their core, platforms are about connection. For example, Etsy connects creative producers and buyers looking for unique items. DoorDash connects restaurants, drivers and diners. In healthcare, this means connecting patients, providers, payers and stakeholders in ways that transcend traditional boundaries.
The shift toward platform business models has become especially clear this year as the public discourse shifted from aspirations and possibilities to real-world examples of how platforms are supporting meaningful change in healthcare.
With that shift comes a new era — one full of promise, but also deep responsibility. In a recent “Answers From the Lab” podcast episode, I spoke with a colleague about what this transformation means for those of us working in clinical laboratories. What emerged from our conversation was a powerful reminder that staying grounded in our values is essential to developing new tools that broadly benefit patients.
In 2024, we embraced a platform model that brings Mayo Clinic-developed tests — along with innovative solutions from other organizations — to our clients and the patients we collectively serve. This approach expands the diagnostic tools Mayo Clinic Laboratories offers, helping clinicians understand how emerging technologies fit into the broader diagnostic toolkit and fueling ongoing innovation.
Leading with values
As we scale our platform, we’ve encountered unique challenges and ethical questions about what truly serves the best interests of staff and patients. I’ve found that navigating this moment requires an unwavering commitment to our core values. Our values are not optional; they are fundamental. They’re the compass that guides us through complexity and ensures our platform enhances care rather than compromises it.
Because I believe strongly in the need for a commitment to values, I was encouraged to see Mayo Clinic emphasize the ethical use of AI at a recent conference, including the introduction of a Digital Hippocratic Oath. Inspired by the traditional oath taken by physicians, Mayo Clinic Platform created this version for its stakeholders. It calls on them to embrace innovation while staying mindful of risks, especially around patient data privacy, confidentiality and security.
4 essential steps for the future
At this moment, I believe laboratorians have a significant role in ensuring new tools best serve patients.
Data and AI are essential to unlocking the full potential of nearly every platform. In healthcare, they make it possible for clinicians and investigators to harness de-identified data to generate insights, improve outcomes and personalize care in a way that was previously impossible.
Because a vast amount of this data originates in clinical laboratories, our teams are often closest to the data that fuels AI. We understand the nuances behind test results better than anyone and have a unique understanding of the data, grounded in the science and technology behind each result. We know how a test result was created and what it means, and just as importantly, what it does not.
As platforms propel the creation of new tools at an accelerated pace, we must actively engage to understand which data is used, what questions it is answering and whether it is the correct data to answer the question.
In my experience as a laboratorian and leader, here are four things I’ve found are critical to influencing innovation right now and ensuring the highest-quality outcomes for patients:
- Build a baseline understanding of AI. Everyone in healthcare has a responsibility to understand how AI tools work, not as coders or data scientists but as stewards of ethical care. You don’t need to build the technology yourself, but understanding the basics of how it works is essential.
- Rethink education. A platform-driven future will demand new skills and expertise. All laboratorians need to consider not only how we educate ourselves but also how we mentor and train current and future staff across clinical diagnostics to succeed in this environment.
- Ask tough questions. A foundational understanding of AI will help you ask the right questions and have the confidence to ask them even when it’s difficult. Exploring training data and whether it’s the right data for the application will ensure AI tools support — and do not undermine — patient care.
- Embrace the highest quality and governance standards. As we’ve collaborated with other organizations to bring new diagnostic solutions to patients, we have worked hard to ensure that all of them adhere to the quality standards required for safe and effective patient care. We are also committed to ensuring the data from these solutions is treated with the highest assurance of privacy and protection.
Platform business models have emerged as powerful catalysts for innovation and efficiency, transforming a wide range of industries. My experience with transitioning our own organization to a platform model has convinced me that their potential within healthcare and diagnostics is particularly promising and creates an opportunity for laboratorians, patients, healthcare systems and payers.
Furthermore, our proximity to the data driving many platform-driven solutions throughout healthcare positions us to lead with clarity and purpose. By embracing new technologies with curiosity, educating ourselves and others, and asking the hard questions, we can shape tools that truly serve patients. If we stay rooted in our values and actively engage in this transformation, we won’t just adapt to change; we’ll help define it and ensure platforms and the data they produce elevate care and empower every patient to live a healthy life.
Dr. Morice serves as president and CEO of Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Laboratories, a global leader in advanced diagnostics. He is a professor of laboratory medicine and pathology, and a Mayo Clinic consultant in hematopathology.
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