HIMSSCast

Stephen Ferrara, DNP, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and associate dean for AI at Columbia University School of Nursing, offers a deep dive into the tech and its role with NPs. He also presents an AI/wearables use case.

Greg Surla, Chief Information Security Officer at FinThrive and expert in healthcare cybersecurity, shares invaluable insights on the escalating cybersecurity challenges facing the healthcare sector. He discusses the rising threats of ransomware and phishing as 2025 approaches. Surla highlights the importance of third-party risk management and robust training for staff to enhance vigilance. He also examines the critical need for organizations to evaluate their RCM vendors’ data protection practices and foster collaboration to safeguard revenue cycles from future cyber threats.

Mudit Garg, CEO and co-founder of Qventus, discusses the revolutionary impact of AI on hospital operations. He explains how AI anticipates problems, enhancing efficiency and patient care. The conversation covers the complexities of healthcare, including the need for personalized care and the effects of workforce shortages. Garg highlights AI's role in improving patient care coordination and administrative efficiency, as well as its promise to transform healthcare operations by 2025, making systems smarter and more resourceful.

Brigham Hyde, CEO of Atropos Health, delves into the transformative potential of AI assurance labs in healthcare. He advocates for standardization to enhance equity and transparency in AI applications. The conversation navigates the complexities of integrating multiple AI models and the necessary evaluations to prioritize patient care. Hyde addresses challenges in balancing AI assurance costs, especially for rural providers, and calls for collaboration among tech companies and healthcare institutions to overcome biases and promote fair access to innovative tools.

Thom Bales, U.S. Health Services Advisory Leader at PwC, delves into the pressing challenges in healthcare, such as skyrocketing costs and the impact of digital health. He highlights how digital advancements can enhance efficiency and reduce costs, especially in home care. The conversation touches on disparities in digital health access, particularly for complex Medicaid patients, and innovative solutions like street medicine. Bales emphasizes meeting diverse patient needs through personalized digital health strategies that engage busy demographics.

The discussion highlights upcoming healthcare trends and the financial impacts of telehealth as 2025 approaches. Emerging wearable technology and its role in remote patient monitoring are examined, alongside challenges in physician pay and economic pressures. Cybersecurity needs in the face of burnout and budget cuts are underscored, as well as AI's evolving role in healthcare. Additionally, unexpected retail clinic closures raise significant questions about integration with hospitals and the future of sustainable healthcare practices.

Restore patients’ trust in voice calls with branded call authentication 

Ryan Vega, Chief Health Officer for Vantiq and expert in agentic AI, discusses the revolutionary role of AI in healthcare. He highlights practical applications that enhance emergency responses, improving triage and real-time support for first responders. The conversation delves into how agentic AI can streamline healthcare operations, akin to contractors in construction, and the importance of seamless technology integration. Vega emphasizes real-time data processing for better adaptability in unpredictable situations, foreseeing a transformation in patient care.

Brian P. Callas, Health Strategy Lead at Accenture, dives into the pivotal role of generative AI in alleviating the clinician shortage in healthcare. He discusses how technology can automate mundane tasks, allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care. The conversation highlights compelling examples of successful digital tool implementations that enhance productivity and improve patient outcomes. Callas emphasizes the need for human-machine collaboration and a strong digital infrastructure to combat clinician burnout and transform healthcare delivery.

"We're at this place where we're still in the early days of what this technology looks like," says Oriana Beaudet, the American Nurses Association's VP of nursing innovation. ANA is watching the space closely.