In a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, Suja Mathew, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of Atlantic Health System, is helping steer a new vision to move beyond traditional hospital walls and focus on whole-patient care. With a long-standing career in clinical leadership, including more than two decades at Cook County Health and Hospitals System in Chicago, Mathew’s expertise positions her as a leader in transforming healthcare delivery.
Mathew sat down for a discussion with Seema Kumar, Cure CEO, at the recent C3 Summit. She shared insights into Atlantic Health System's approach to patient care, the impact of data and artificial intelligence (AI), and the challenges of ensuring equity in access to healthcare.
Atlantic Health’s Holistic Approach to Care
At Atlantic Health System, patient care is evolving beyond traditional hospital settings. Mathew emphasized the importance of this shift, noting that while Atlantic Health has some of the best hospitals in New Jersey, most patients—about 93 percent—receive care outside of the hospital.
“We recognize that of the 1.1 million or so patients that we care for on an annual basis, we’re touching [most of them] in the outpatient space out of the hospital,” she said.
This focus on outpatient care demands a new approach to healthcare delivery, one that prioritizes long-term health over episodic treatment. “It’s easy to say and very, very difficult to do,” Mathew said, explaining the challenge of reorienting priorities and investing in health-focused initiatives. These efforts often do not generate as much revenue as treating illness, but they are vital for improving patient outcomes.
Mathew envisions a system where patients are seamlessly guided to the care they need, regardless of location. “When an individual enters our system... [they] step onto a conveyor belt that will guide them to the care [they] need through extremely little effort of their own.”
She stressed that care doesn’t always have to take place in hospitals or clinics, noting it can happen in patients’ homes, through smartphone apps, or in collaboration with community partners. “That’s the future of health as Atlantic envisions it,” Mathew said, describing a patient-centered model that emphasizes convenience, accessibility, and proactive health management.
The Role of AI and Data in Healthcare Transformation
A significant part of Atlantic Health's transformation involves leveraging AI and data to predict patient needs and improve outcomes. “I think it’s all about the data, harnessing the data for accurate prediction and intervention,” said Mathew. One key initiative is the creation of a unified dataset, or “patient 360 view,” which brings together all the information Atlantic has about a patient.
She shared an anecdote highlighting the potential of data in healthcare: “I was at an event... alongside an individual from the consumer products industry, and she commented to me that it’s unthinkable... that healthcare doesn’t know more about our patients... In the consumer profits industry, they can tell you who’s going to buy this particular toothpaste based on [their] purchasing patterns.”
Mathew believes this comprehensive approach, which includes not only medical data but also genetic, behavioral, social and financial factors, will allow healthcare providers to better predict and intervene in patient care. For example, Atlantic Health could predict who might miss a breast cancer screening and determine the most effective way to intervene—whether through a phone call or text message.
Addressing Healthcare Equity and Access
In discussing the challenges of equity in healthcare, Mathew emphasized that these new technologies and systems must be accessible to all. She warned, “None of us can afford [the current system]... our system is not sustainable.” Having spent much of her career working in public hospitals, Mathew has a deep commitment to serving underserved populations.
However, equity in healthcare, according to Mathew, is not just about socioeconomic status: “Equity is really about everyone being able to reach an agreed-upon outcome, an optimal path... We need to spend time to understand what keeps each individual from continuing that.” Whether the barriers are financial, geographic, or related to health literacy, she said Atlantic Health is committed to addressing them all.
As Mathew and her team continue to lead Atlantic Health’s transformation, the focus remains on providing seamless, comprehensive care that meets patients where they are. By harnessing the power of AI and data, and working to ensure that innovations are accessible to all, Atlantic Health System is paving the way for a more equitable and sustainable healthcare future.