Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Richard Zane, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at UCHealth
Nov 9, 2025
Dr. Richard Zane, an emergency physician and Chief Medical Officer at UCHealth, dives into the future of healthcare through technology and AI. He discusses the pressing need for automation to ease the administrative burden on clinicians. Dr. Zane highlights the shift towards virtualized care, enabling patients to receive treatment where they are. He also reflects on the challenges posed by financial pressures and regulatory barriers, while emphasizing the power of generative AI to enhance care delivery and improve operational efficiency.
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From Department Chair To Systemwide Leader
- Richard Zane describes stepping down as chair to focus on systemwide roles overseeing quality, safety and operations across UCHealth's hospitals and clinics.
- He kept his innovation role to concentrate on deploying technology at the point of care.
Regulation And Finance Are Parallel Headwinds
- Zane highlights two major headwinds: financial pressure and escalating regulatory burden that require hiring and administrative workarounds.
- He says regulatory growth forces systems to hire more people and consider automation to meet compliance without harming care.
Automate Admin Work To Preserve Clinical Staff
- Automate administrative functions where possible to reduce regulatory hiring pressure and preserve clinical capacity.
- Prioritize which roles must be filled and which processes can be digitized or automated.