This Week In Health It

May 27, 2025: Molly Zimmer, Director of Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence at St. Luke's Health System, discusses how their AI class has attracted thousands of voluntary participants. Molly reveals her team's philosophy of making "new and scary feel like business as usual" through hands-on learning experiences with Microsoft Copilot, where teams tackle real pain points together. They unpack the critical balance between AI's capabilities and human accountability in healthcare, the strategic value of team-based training to create "behavior contagion," and how ambient documentation gives physicians back their freedom of choice in how they spend their time.  Key Points: 03:24 Hands-On AI Learning  05:31 Balancing AI Excitement and Concerns 12:55 Historical AI and Future Directions 22:17 St. Luke's Culture of Innovation and Change 26:12 Lightning Round X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

May 26, 2025: Dennis Leber, Cybersecurity Executive with a rich military and CISO background, discusses the current healthcare landscape. Dennis shares his unique journey from police officer to cybersecurity leader, challenging common assumptions about career paths in the field. As boards increasingly face responsibility for security breaches, what fundamental communication strategies should security leaders employ when explaining complex technical risks to non-technical executives? The conversation explores the gap between security professionals and boardrooms, with Dennis advocating for a "basic life-saving skills" approach to organizational security. Through personal anecdotes and pragmatic insights, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on leadership, talent development, and the evolving responsibilities of today's security executives.Key Points:01:29 Military Background and Transition to IT04:59 CISOs and Board Interaction11:11 Cybersecurity Fundamentals13:08 Lightning RoundX: This Week HealthLink

May 22, 2025: James Bowie, VP and CISO of Tampa General Hospital, and Mick Coady, CTO at Armis, join Drex for this webinar re-run. Discover how asset visibility exposes unused medical equipment, saving hundreds of thousands in unnecessary purchases. James shares how quantifying a vulnerability in the “language everyone speaks”, money, sparked immediate executive action and reduced millions in risk. The experts navigate the delicate balance between security and uninterrupted patient care, challenging the traditional view of cybersecurity as merely defensive. Reframe security from an obstacle to an operational ally and gain a fresh perspective on how modern healthcare organizations can leverage security investments to drive clinical and financial efficiency.   Key Points: 05:57 Asset Management and Efficiency 20:33 Defining Resilience 25:53 The Role of Cyber Programs in IT 30:46 Risk Quantification and Decision Making 39:16 Integrating Questions 43:11 Prioritizing Security Investments  

May 19, 2025: Tovia Marinstein, Senior Talent Intelligence Analyst at LevelUP HCS, explores the challenges of finding balance in our hyper-connected world. Tovia shares her strategies on establishing boundaries between work and personal life, especially in the age of remote work, where lines increasingly blur. Through candid insights about decision-making, managing anxiety, and returning to the basics of self-care, Tovia offers a refreshing perspective on creating a life framework of balance and fulfillment.    Key Points: 03:06 Impact of Helicopter Parenting 06:05 Balancing Personal and Professional Life 11:26 Making Important Life Decisions 16:54 The Art of Unplugging 29:04 Final Thoughts and Reflections   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

May 15, 2025: Reid Stephan, VP and CIO of St. Luke's Health System, explores the constant battle for prioritization in healthcare. The discussion delves into the tension between vendor partnerships and innovation, challenging the notion that vendor alignment equals strategic vision. Satya Nadella claims "AI hasn't delivered much yet" while Bill Gates predicts AI replacing doctors within a decade. Reid offers a nuanced perspective, suggesting, "People aren't wanting tools that look smart. They want tools that are simple... that get out of the way and just get to work."    Key Points: 06:42 Innovation vs. Standardization  22:21 Simplify Your “Smart” Tools 23:09 The CIO Escape Room 30:28 In-house Development  33:22 Mentorship and Emerging Technologies   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

May 14, 2025: SHI’s Kris Nessa, CTO, and Lee Ziliak, Field CTO and Managing Director of Architecture, dive into their cutting-edge AI lab. What if healthcare providers could test AI solutions before committing millions to infrastructure? Lee and Kris reveal their rapid six-week approach to validating AI use cases while addressing critical staffing shortages and operational challenges across revenue cycle management, medical imaging, and patient engagement. From saving a client from a nine-figure mistake to accelerating innovation across healthcare systems, discover how this playground for AI experimentation might revolutionize healthcare technology implementation without breaking the bank. Key Points: 01:50 SHI's AI and Cyber Lab 07:30 Success Stories and Use Cases 20:08 Engagement Process and Timeline 24:29 Future Developments and Conclusion X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

May 8, 2025: Dr. Susan Ibanez, CIO of Southeast Georgia Health System, discusses the challenges and opportunities of being the organization's first-ever CIO at her health system. What does it look like to build the CIO role from the ground up? How do you balance addressing technical debt while simultaneously driving digital transformation at a smaller health system? Ibanez also offers valuable insights on the importance of professional certifications, networking, and the evolving role of the modern CIO—no longer just a tech job, but requires business acumen, strategic vision, and financial expertise.   Key Points: 06:18 Community and Regional Challenges 10:25 Addressing Technical Debt and Cloud Strategies 15:29 Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity 18:34 AI and Future Technologies 21:24 Professional Development and Certifications 24:14 Advice for Aspiring CIOs   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

May 6, 2025: Matt Sullivan, CMIO of Advocate Health, and Alan Forster, VP of Innovation at McGill University Health Center, explore the transformative potential of increasing provider data access. What role does synthetic data play in balancing privacy concerns with analytical needs? Alan explains how this new data approach creates a virtuous cycle where clinicians better understand their data, documentation practices, and operational challenges. This conversation uncovers practical insights for organizations seeking to build a data-driven culture where decisions are based on self-generated evidence.Key Points:01:49 Self-Service Data Strategy03:10 Analyzing Synthetic Data 05:02 Real-World Applications 07:19 The Importance of Data X: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

May 1, 2025: Zafar Chaudry, MD, SVP/Chief Digital, AI, and Information Officer at Seattle Children's Hospital. Discover how Seattle Children's is changing traditional approaches to clinical decision-making through a new Google partnership, harnessing the power of a century of clinical writings. Is artificial intelligence a threat to healthcare professionals or their most powerful ally? Dr. Zafar offers his perspective, urging that the synergistic potential of human-AI collaboration is the future of healthcare. From transformative Gartner experiences to pioneering Epic implementations in the UK, this episode explores Zafar’s vision: the intersection of compassion and technology.   Key Points: 01:14 Career Journey and Mission 08:43 AI Pathways Innovation 17:43 AI: Collaboration Over Competition 21:07 Lightning Round   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 30, 2025: Davin Juckett, Head of Experis Health Solutions, discusses Experis’ three decades of solving problems and supporting hospitals. What makes their team's remarkable retention rate—fewer than five voluntary departures in five years—such a critical differentiator in today's talent-starved healthcare landscape? Davin reveals how Experis is tackling healthcare's most pressing challenges through AI-powered clinical service desks, cloud security solutions, and supply chain optimization, while also managing massive EHR go-lives with thousands of at-the-elbow resources. As healthcare organizations struggle with clinician shortages, margin compression, and complex M&A integrations, what entrepreneurial approaches is Experis developing to help CIOs navigate these turbulent waters?   Key Points: 01:24 History of Experis Health Solutions 02:49 Current Service Offerings 06:26 Unique Challenges and Solutions 11:03 Future Directions 12:21 Lightning Round   X: This Week Health Link

April 29, 2025: Tracy Elmer, Chief Innovation Officer of TrueCare, discusses her approach to empowering the patient to reach a higher level of care. How is TrueCare’s digital literacy program empowering underserved communities to navigate technology? Tracy reveals the impact of mobile wellness units bringing medical services directly to underserved communities, witnessing how TrueCare's philosophy that "distance should not be a barrier to care" manifests in their expanding network of specialized health centers. Lastly, she dives into how community partnerships with organizations like Feeding San Diego address broader social determinants of health in their community.   Key Points: 01:22 Digital Literacy Initiatives  10:32 Mobile Wellness Units  16:48 Community Partnerships  21:16 TrueCare Future Initiatives 23:47 Lightning Round    X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 28, 2025: James Bowie, VP and CISO of Tampa General, explores the human side of cybersecurity leadership. Facing a fragmented IT team James reveals how a $20,000 investment in ethical hacking training eliminated millions in security risks in a single weekend. Then, how do healthcare security leaders balance life-and-death decisions when ransomware hits critical services? The conversation delves into managing AI implementation safely in healthcare settings, with James detailing their two-week governance turnaround that laid the foundation for all AI projects to come.    Key Points: 02:56 Building a Cybersecurity Culture  07:00 AI and Cyber Foundations 11:29 High-Pressure Situations 15:39 Bonus Round: Personal Insights and Advice   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 24, 2025: Ryan Smith, SVP, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Intermountain Health, explores how healthcare organizations can balance innovation with mounting cost pressures. What does it take to maintain patient-centricity amid such massive digital transformation? Ryan reveals Intermountain's framework of organizing patient touchpoints as "moments that matter" across seven stages of the patient journey, while also discussing their deployment of over 4,000 automation bots and vision for "agentic AI." As clinician burnout and staffing shortages loom large across healthcare, how might Smith's approach to balancing governance with innovation culture help address these industry-wide challenges?   Key Points: 06:44 Patient-Centric Care 10:05 AI: More Than a BuzzWord 14:18 Cybersecurity in Healthcare 18:07 Operational Change Management 25:08 Future Challenges and Opportunities 29:17 Speed Round   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: F

April 23, 2025: Justin Marron, CEO of Strategic Venue Partners, discusses how his team brings hospital system infrastructure into the present and opens the door to innovation's future. What happens when hospital connectivity systems fail to meet the demands of modern healthcare technology? Justin illustrates how Strategic Venue Partners transforms healthcare for the ever-increasing data demands of AI and real-time patient care. This episode addresses everything from 5G implementation to CBRS private networks, positioning healthcare facilities for seamless clinical and operational workflows.   Key Points: 05:05 Enabling Future Innovation 08:36 Healthcare Wireless Upgrades 14:25 Client Success Stories 20:43 Future Aspirations and Industry Impact   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 21, 2025: Michelle Moffitt, leadership coach, counselor, and author of "Cracked Open," shares her path from being trapped in a high-control religious system and a controlling marriage to finding her authentic voice and purpose. Michelle delves into the essence of resilience as more than just perseverance—it's about creating meaningful support systems and making incremental progress while honoring our whole selves. The conversation examines how leaders can foster psychological safety in workplaces, the power of emotional awareness, and the liberating realization that we're never truly stuck in our circumstances.   Read the Preview or Order “Cracked Open”   Key Points: 01:23 Michelle's Journey and Challenges 07:50 Challenges and Support Systems 15:02 Mindset and Resilience 19:59 Michelle's Future and Reflections 22:16 Lightning Round   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 18, 2025: Jason Taylor, CGO from Panda Health, explores the pressing challenges facing healthcare systems in the uncertain economic landscape of today. How are health systems navigating potential Medicaid cuts and declining elective procedures while balancing innovation needs? Jason reveals how organizations are shifting from purchasing "cool new toys" to rationalizing existing budgets and application stacks without compromising patient care. The conversation delves into Panda Health's approach of democratizing knowledge across healthcare systems, connecting those with similar challenges to share lessons learned. Key Points:01:47 The Uncertainties of Healthcare04:16 Technology Implementation06:52 Pandas Social Intelligence12:20 Organizational Change Management X: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 17, 2025: Ryan Winn, CISO at AdventHealth, and Tamer Baker, Healthcare CTO at Zscaler, discuss zero-trust solutions and questions in this webinar recording. The conversation explores AdventHealth's remarkable four-month implementation journey and the surprising benefits beyond security they've discovered. They discuss practical approaches to medical device security, strategies for gaining organization-wide buy-in, and why framing security initiatives as business enablers rather than technical mandates leads to success. As healthcare organizations face mounting technical debt and evolving threats, this discussion offers a refreshing roadmap to simplification and a more secure environment.   Key Points: 08:48 Zero Trust Hospital: Concepts and Implementation 13:42 Challenges and Opportunities in Zero Trust 21:19 The Impact of Zero Trust on Patient Care 27:49 Implementing Zero Trust 33:58 Final Thoughts and Q&A   Want to get your copy of the new book "Zero Trust Hospital: The CX

April 16, 2025: Laura O'Toole, CEO of SureTest, and Robin Parkin, CIO of UVA Health, explore how SureTest automation revolutionizes healthcare IT testing. How are leading healthcare organizations reclaiming thousands of staff hours previously lost to manual testing? What unexpected benefits emerge when IT teams are freed from the burden of repetitive system validation? As UVA Health implements continuous automated testing, the conversation reveals how this approach prevents system errors before they reach end users and serves as a powerful recruitment tool in a competitive talent market. As the conversation closes the discussion extends beyond technology to address the critical issue of women in healthcare IT leadership.   Key Points: 01:27 Challenges and Solutions at UVA Health 04:41 Implementation and Impact of SureTest 10:49 Women in Leadership in Healthcare IT   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 15, 2025: Erica Williams, Regional Technology Officer (CIO) Texas of Ascension, sits down with Kena Taylor, VP and CIO of Innovation Care Partners, who shares her remarkable journey from Air Force technologist to healthcare IT executive. How does someone transition from military service to leading technological transformation in healthcare? What qualities make for successful healthcare technology leadership in today's complex environment? Kena discusses the importance of being open to change, putting people first, and fostering team autonomy while maintaining a shared vision.    Key Points: 05:05 Dr. Taylor's Career Journey 07:26 Defining Career Moments 11:45 Qualities for Success 14:38 Humility and Ambition   X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

April 10, 2025: Justin Brueck, System VP of Innovation and Research at Endeavor Health, explores the balance of today's operational challenges with tomorrow's transformational needs. Justin discusses how healthcare systems are caught in a dichotomy—constantly putting out fires while trying to build a "fireproof house" through strategic innovation. How will healthcare address the looming workforce crisis as the "silver tsunami" approaches, with 42% of physicians between 55-65 years old? The conversation weaves through personalized medicine via genomics, the role of AI beyond the hype, and the critical importance of building trust when implementing new technologies. Key Points:03:55 Current Landscape of Healthcare Innovation07:22 The Role of Genomics in Healthcare17:34 AI and Its Impact on Healthcare27:40 Leading Organizational Change and InnovationX: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer