Project Mentor: Professor EJ Rovella, College of Health and Professor Michael Gusmano, College of Health
2025 Impact Fellows:
Sarah Burke '27
Julia McKenna '27
Penny Yang '28
Project Description:
Weeks after visiting the doctor’s office, patients often receive a bill requesting payment with very little information. Confusing codes and technical language leave even the most medically literate unable to understand bills and insurance statements. The solution is an AI-based tool that sorts through statements and produces explanations meaningful to the average person. This Impact Fellowship will partner with a Computer Science Capstone team as they expand the capabilities of the web-based platform. This year’s project focus will be an IRB research project that qualitatively assesses the effects of current state medical bills on patients with an emphasis on vulnerable populations. Team members will be mentored in the concepts and process of healthcare billing. Healthcare organizations across the Lehigh Valley will be resources for the team to help build insight and relationships. Goals include enhancing current resources that support healthcare financial literacy, analyzing patterns in medical bill translation data, and creating a business plan that sustains ongoing efforts. Future goals include expanding transparency in market billing practices and insurance payments to guide populations to the best resources.
All majors are welcome to apply. The best candidates will be self-motivated to take on the social challenge of opaque patient billing.