Cigna uses AI to improve cancer patient support between treatments

Cigna and OpenAI have formed a partnership to integrate the company’s Frontier AI model into oncology care, with the goal of enhancing support for patients managing complex conditions such as cancer. The collaboration will incorporate AI-driven solutions into clinical workflows used by nurses and case managers at Accredo Specialty Pharmacy and Cigna Healthcare. By combining clinical, pharmacy, behavioral, and benefits data, the system will anticipate patient needs more effectively.

The AI system will detect emerging issues, such as treatment side effects or new symptoms, between doctor visits, a period when patients often face difficulties managing their care independently. Through personalized outreach, the AI will guide patients through next steps, connect them with specialists, and adjust communications based on individual preferences. Insights gathered from patient interactions, including reported side effects and navigation challenges, will continuously refine support strategies and improve clinical processes.

This initiative builds on Accredo’s Pharmacy Forward program, an AI-driven effort backed by a $100 million investment through 2028 to enhance medication adherence and shorten treatment timelines. Cigna has previously demonstrated the effectiveness of AI-enabled predictive analytics in care management, achieving a 42% reduction in avoidable hospital stays among engaged patients and expanding support to 20% more customers with complex or chronic conditions, including heart disease, kidney disease, and behavioral health.

Dr. Amy Flaster, chief medical officer of The Cigna Group, emphasized that complex diagnoses often disrupt patients’ lives, creating emotional strain and difficult decisions. “This is how we can begin to realize the promise of AI to unlock better health outcomes: identifying issues earlier, offering support between doctors’ visits, and making complex care feel less overwhelming,” she stated.