Becker’s Healthcare Podcast James Dover, President and CEO, Avera Health
Dec 18, 2025
James Dover, President and CEO of Avera Health, leads a vast health system across four states and brings decades of healthcare executive experience. In a lively discussion, he unveils Avera's Luminate strategic plan and emphasizes cautious adoption of technology, especially AI's transformative potential in healthcare. James highlights the importance of vendor intent, the need for robust cybersecurity against AI threats, and his vision of using AI to assist clinicians in prioritizing patient care. His mission-driven leadership is set to steer Avera into a new era of innovation.
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Luminate Guides Strategy
- Avera launched a three-year strategic plan named Luminate co-written by 200 stakeholders to guide operations.
- James Dover prioritizes effective operationalization of the plan across the system.
EHR Shift Is An Operational Transformation
- Avera is switching to a new electronic health information system across 300+ sites in late spring.
- Dover says this shift is an operational transformation beyond a traditional EMR implementation.
Prefer Trusted Partners For AI
- Choose AI tools from trusted partners and validate clinical outcome improvements before wide adoption.
- Use targeted exceptions where startups offer proven solutions that integrate with your system.