The Collective Voice of Health IT, A WEDI Podcast

Michael welcomes Daniel Blumenthal, Vice President of Strategy with MDClone, a healthcare technology company specializing in data analytics and synthetic data generation to empower healthcare organizations, researchers, and life sciences companies. A former manager for Northwestern University's basketball team, Daniel finds similarities in the team-first mentality between the basketball team and the work he's doing at MDClone. He addresses the use of synthetic data to enable data access, research, and insight, without compromising patent confidentiality. Daniel emphasized the importance of making data more accessible and understandable to various healthcare teams, including physicians, nurses, and administrative staff, in order to facilitate discussions and problem-solving.

Michael welcomes Kevin Ritter, EVP, CareInMotion for Altera Digital Health, a healthcare technology company focused on modernizing and optimizing clinical, operational, and financial systems within healthcare organizations. The two address Altera's mission to enable clinicians, integrate more data at the point of care and optimize financial performance in health systems. They also discuss the importance of data, interoperability, and artificial intelligence in improving provider functionality and the overall patient experience

Michael welcomes Nick Orser, General Manager, Healthcare with Verato, a leading healthcare technology company specializing in identity data management and patient matching solutions. The two discuss the current state of identity management, how the industry is handling the mass influx of data, how patient matching and interoperability work together and how AI and other emerging technology will help us understand "who is who".

Michael chats with John Showalter, Chief Strategy Officer of Linus Health, a digital health company focusing on brain health. The two talk about the current state of early detection and management of cognitive disorders, barriers in traditional assessments and interoperability and how AI and innovation is enhancing assessments and improving patient outcomes.  

Michael welcomes Dr. Hamad Husainy, Chief Medical Officer with PointClickCare, an EHR software vendor that specializes in providing technological solutions for the senior care industry. The two discuss how interoperability continues to improve care coordination, how regulations and technology has helped improve data interoperability, and how AI will usher in even more data exchange improvements. 

From WEDI's recently concluded Winter Forum on Health Accessibility, Janice Karin (Massachusetts Health Data Consortium and WEDI Health Equity Workgroup Co-Chair) chats with Prerana Laddha, Director of Population Health with Epic. Prerana offers her insight on EHR's role in advancing health equity, data challenges EHRs face, interoperability and the emergence of artificial intelligence and how it can assist EHRs in supporting health equity. 

Michael welcomes Sandy Rolfe, Chair of the WEDI Genomics Workgroup and Clinical Lead for the InterQual Molecular Diagnostics and Durable Medical Equipment at Optum. The two discuss the ever evolving state of Genomics research, data privacy and security, and how data interoperability and standards can aid in care and patient satisfaction. WEDI members are invited to attend a special Genomics workgroup event, Exploring Genomic Data Exchange: A Deep Dive into FHIR Integration and Interoperability, Feb 27 on Zoom, exclusive for WEDI members. Visit www.wedi.org to sign up.

Michael welcomes Neal Neuberger, President of Health Tech Strategies and lead for the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health IT Coalition. Neal addresses the current state of health care in rural US communities, the successes and challenges over the years through technology and regulations, and the "deprioritization" of telehealth. Neal and NRHA will have their NRHA Rural Health Policy Institute in Washington DC in February. Click here for more information

From a recent WEDI conference, Anna Hyde from the Arthritis Foundation and Michael Phillips with AARP discussed the role technology is playing and will play in improving patient's health care experience. Moderating this conversation is Denny Brennan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium, member of the WEDI board and co-chair of its Education Committee. 

From a recent WEDI Virtual Spotlight, a presentation by Andrea Caballero, VP of Policy with Catalyst for Payment Reform.