AI Explained: Healthcare and Life Sciences

In this episode, hosts Applonia Cornolius and David Samwel sit down with Tony Antinori , AVP of IT for Clinical Affairs at NYU Langone Health , to discuss the reality of managing one of the most sophisticated healthcare data pipelines in the world. Tony, a veteran of the "EHR arms race," explains why NYU’s success with AI didn't start with an algorithm—it started with a "ruthles...

He’s back! In our most anticipated follow-up yet, Bob Heyl (CTO & Interim CDO of CareFirst) joins AI Explained to reveal why the "Pilot Era" of AI has officially ended. Bob pulls back the curtain on the evolution of his A³ Framework —the powerful convergence of AI, Automation, and Analytics—and explains why "soft" time-saving metrics are no longer enough to satisfy the busi...

What happens when you drop a fintech heavyweight into the center of the kidney care world? In this episode, David Samwel and Applonia Cornolius sit down with Madhu Narasimhan , CIO of DaVita Kidney Care , to discuss the intersection of high-velocity digital transformation and life-saving clinical precision. With a career spanning Kaiser Permanente and Wells Fargo, Madhu brings a unique "finte...

In this deep dive, Dr. Chopra breaks down his "Digital Nervous System" strategy—a framework that uses the Salesforce ecosystem and Slack-triggered workflows to deliver a staggering 459% ROI . He argues that in a field where a 2-millimeter mistake is the difference between life and death, precision in logistics is just as vital as precision in surgery. Key Takeaways for Healthcare Leaders...

In this episode of AI Explained: Healthcare and Life Sciences , we sit down with Derek Quesnel, a Salesforce alum and professor who is redefining how patient data moves. Derek breaks down why Canadian healthcare is a "conservative ocean" and how his team at Blue Ocean CRM helps organizations implement AI agents in as little as 4 to 8 weeks while maintaining strict compliance with PHIPA a...

What do nuclear reactors and healthcare credentialing have in common? According to Brett Dooies, Head of Product at Verifiable, the answer lies in safety culture and the "human in the loop". In this episode, we explore how Brett took frameworks from the zero-failure world of atomic energy and applied them to AI-driven provider networks. We dive deep into Verifiable’s work with Humana, di...

The era of theoretical AI is over. We are moving from "cool demos" to production reality, but that transition requires a toolset that prioritizes trust, compliance, and scalability. In this episode, we break down the most critical post-Dreamforce platform releases and what they mean specifically for Healthcare and Life Sciences organizations. We explore why the conversation is shifting f...

Ellery Fisher, SVP and CIO at McKesson Medical-Surgical, discusses the modern trend of blending CIO, CTO, and CDO responsibilities. He explains how this unified approach—rooted in the goal of being a customer service company —is essential for modernizing the healthcare supply chain. Learn why organized data is the biggest prerequisite for AI success , how to use both deterministic and non-determin...

In a world where people are turning to AI for therapy, what does it mean to build a safe, ethical AI for mental healthcare? This week on AI Explained, David Samwel and Appolonia Cornolius talk with Gijo Mathew, Chief Product Officer at Spring Health, to discuss his work at the forefront of this challenge. Gijo shares how his personal experience as a father has shaped his professional mission to br...

How does a technology leader transform IT from a cost center into a revenue-generating innovation engine? In this episode, we sit down with David Baker, Chief Information and Digital Officer at PDS Health , a trailblazing organization pioneering the "mouth-body connection" to deliver truly holistic patient care. David shares a masterclass on how to align technology with a long-term business plan,...

What’s really holding AI back in life sciences? In this episode, we sit down with Dave Rosner , Partner – Global Life Sciences Customer Engagement Leader , to unpack the realities of AI in pharma beyond the buzzwords. Drawing from decades of experience driving customer engagement strategies, Dave shares what most organizations overlook when it comes to AI, data, and digital transformation. We expl...

What does the future of AI in life sciences really look like—beyond the hype? In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast , we sit down with Frank Defesche , SVP & GM of Health & Life Sciences at Salesforce, to unpack the seismic shifts happening at the intersection of AI, pharma, CRM, and compliance. Frank shares insights from decades of leadership—from helping build Veeva, to leading...

In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, we’re joined by Updesh Dosanjh , Global Lead for Pharmacovigilance Technology Solutions at IQVIA, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming drug safety at a global scale. Updesh shares why traditional pharmacovigilance (PV) methods simply can’t keep up with today’s data volume—and how generative AI, automation, and platform thinking are...

In this episode, we sit down with Andy Chang , Chief Marketing Officer at UChicago Medicine, to explore how one of the nation’s leading academic health systems is preparing its teams for an AI-driven future. Andy shares how UChicago Medicine is embracing AI and automation to modernize patient engagement, marketing, and growth strategies—while making sure its people stay at the center of the transf...

In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, we sit down with George Godfrey, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Baptist Health South Florida, to explore how AI, automation, and Salesforce came together to transform healthcare’s most overlooked power center: the supply chain. George shares the behind-the-scenes story of Health Chain —an AI-enabled CRM solution that started at Baptist and is now scal...

In this episode of AI Trailblazers, we sit down with ⁠Marilyn McDonald⁠ —product leader, Moderna alum, and co-founder of ⁠Yokai Labs⁠ —to unpack how the best AI strategies in healthcare are often born from tight regulatory constraints. Key takeaways: ✅ How Moderna scaled its COVID response ✅ Why compliance isn’t a blocker—it’s a design opportunity ✅ How to build AI that solves “the stuff that s...

🚀 AI agents are transforming healthcare—are you ready? In this episode of AI Trailblazers, we sit down with Johanna DeYoung, Global Industry Lead for Healthcare & Life Sciences at Slalom, to explore how AI agents are reshaping the healthcare workforce, driving efficiency, and unlocking new possibilities. 🔹 What AI agents are—and why they matter for healthcare 🔹 How AI is redefining workforc...

How is AI transforming healthcare and insurance? In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast , hosts David Fung and David Samwel sit down with Bob Heyl, Chief Technology Officer at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield , to explore how AI is driving digital transformation, intelligent automation, and operational efficiency in healthcare. Bob shares insights on: ✅ How CareFirst is leveraging AI to str...

In this episode of the AI Trailblazers podcast, David Fung and David Samwel engage with James Turner , a technology executive from Bayer, to discuss the transformative role of AI and digital technologies in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. James Turner draws from his extensive expertise in commercial IT and consumer health to share transformative insights on the evolving role of data,...