AI in Rural Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape healthcare, rural providers face a tough reality: limited infrastructure, staffing shortages, tight budgets, and often, a lack of in-house tech expertise. These constraints make it harder to adopt cutting-edge tools, and many worry rural systems will be left behind in the AI boom.

But some industry leaders see it differently.

In this episode of "Podnosis," we explore how AI could actually become a great equalizer for rural healthcare. Fierce Healthcare's Heather Landi speaks with Amar Kendale, president and co-founder of Homeward Health, who shares why rural systems might be uniquely positioned to leapfrog outdated technology altogether and how AI can help address long-standing gaps in access and care delivery.

Then, she sits down with Punit Soni, CEO of Suki, to talk about the practical side of AI adoption in small and under-resourced settings. From infrastructure workarounds to flexible pricing models, Soni explains how rural clinics and hospitals are making AI work and what it will take to scale those efforts.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• ‘I wish we could be more optimistic’: A look at AI implementation at an Arizona FQHC
• Provider organizations face major misalignment in AI investment and business strategy: Accenture
• Suki adds 12 partners as rural hospitals increasingly adopt AI
• Rural areas rapidly losing independent docs, practices: PAI report

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