The Collective Voice of Health IT, A WEDI Podcast

From WEDI's Value-Based Care Spotlight in November, Part 1 of a 2 part episode looking at how payers and providers are transforming healthcare through value-based care partnerships.  The moderator was Denny Brennan, WEDI Board Member, Co-Chair of its Education Committee, and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium.  The panel: Anna Taylor, AVP, Population Health & Valiue...

Michael welcomes Scott Mattila with Intraprise Health to discuss why it seems with all the regulatory and technological advancement health care is experiencing, why does it feel we're moving backwards in terms of cyber hygiene. Scott offers his pillars for success and offers his insight on emerging technology and how it can possible reduce cyber incidents. 

WEDI Chair Elect Merri-Lee Stine of Aetna CVS Health speaks with Jonathan Blum, Principal Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer with CMS. The two discuss CMS' plans for the rest of the year, success stories during this administration and success stories surrounding the No Surprises Act and the Interoperability and Prior Authorization Rule. 

From WEDI's 2024 National Conference, the keynote address by Emblem Health's CEO Karen Ignagni. Karen talks about the challenges of policy, the need for a broader conversation with interoperability, taking a leap toward admin simplification, prioritizing health equity and more. 

Michael welcomes Michelle Barry (Availity) and Martin Cody (Madaket Health), WEDI's Provider Information Subworkgorup Co-Chairs. The three discuss the mission of the subworkgroup, which includes identifying business issues impacting the transmission and receipt of provider directory data. An extensive and complicated issue, Martin and Michelle reflect on an outstanding provider directory data pane...

Michael discusses the Sequoia Project's Payer to Payer FHIR API Implementation Workgroup with its co-chairs, Nancy Beavin from Medica, Bob Oakley from Evernorth and the Project Lead, David Pyke with Sequoia.  The workgroup was created to identify practical, implementation-level implications from a business and governance perspective. The guests discussed the workgroup makeup, their mission, what t...

Michael welcomes Huthaifa Khan, Director, Solutions Architecture with Virtual Health. Huthaifa, a veteran health care professional, discusses the emergence and rapid adoption of the FHIR standard in healthcare data exchange, along with implementation stories, and its potential future in the industry. 

Join Dr. John Harris as he takes you on a deeply personal journey through the highs and lows of transitioning from traditional paper billing to modern electronic systems. With several decades of experience in healthcare, Dr. Harris shares invaluable insights into the benefits of digital billing—streamlined processes, faster payments, and improved patient care. But this story isn't just about the s...

Michael welcomes Teri Thomas, CEO of Volpara and CBO of Lunit to discuss the evolution of AI in healthcare. Teri explains how Volpara and Lunit are using AI to help better understand cancer risk, empower patients in personal care decisions, and guide recommendations about additional imaging, genetic testing, and other interventions. Teri offers her thoughts on the current AI landscape, benefits an...

Michael chats with Outcomes Rocket CEO Saul Marquez on the proper steps healthcare solutions companies should take to properly market their services to an industry eager to drive change. What are Saul's 3 pillars of marketing, what strategies provide the highest ROI and what should companies avoid in order to create significant connections with their potential clients?

Michael welcomes Panda Health President and CEO Ryan Bengtson to the podcast to discuss industry complexities in the embracing of digital health tools and the importance of having all the information in order to make the best decision for your health system.   

This is a companion episode to Episode 156, a conversation with CMS' National Standards Group Director Michael Cimmino on Administrative Simplification.  Michael welcomes Paul Anderson (Health Insurance Specialist) and Jamie Lookabill (Technical Advisor, Enforcement Division) with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to offer an introductory look at the administrative simplification en...

This episode is sponsored by InterSystems, the leading provider of AI-enabled data management solutions for industries with complex challenges, including healthcare, financial services, and supply chain and logistics. Michael welcomes Steven Berkow, Senior Advisor, Value-Based Care with InterSystems. The two discuss Steve's involvement at WEDI's Summer Forum in Chicago, where he served as a modera...

Michael chats with Nametag CEO Aaron Painter on how emerging technology, patient-centric data policies and even remote working is affecting the cybersecurity infrastructure in healthcare. The two discuss the "old school" nature of social engineering attacks and steps that the industry can take to combat threat actors. Aaron's article in Forbes magazine can be found here- https://www.forbes.com/cou...

From our recently concluded Summer Forum, Part 2 of a discussion with 2 providers working on implementing the CMS Interoperability and PA Rule. Semira Singh, Director Population Health Informatics, Providence Anna Taylor, AVP, Population Health & Value Based Care, MultiCare Connected Care The moderator, from the AMA, former WEDI Board Chair Nancy Spector

From our recently concluded Summer Forum, Part 1 of a discussion with 2 providers working on implementing the CMS Interoperability and PA Rule. Semira Singh, Director Population Health Informatics, Providence Anna Taylor, AVP, Population Health & Value Based Care, MultiCare Connected Care The moderator, from the AMA, former WEDI Board Chair Nancy Spector

Michael welcomes back Shweta Maniar, Global Director, Life Sciences Solutions and Strategy for Google Cloud. The two discuss the continued emergence of artificial intelligence in health care, the need for standards or a framework in health care regarding AI, and how people new to AI can brush off misconceptions and dive in feet first and learn how they can access and leverage this growing technolo...

Michael welcomes 3 of the 4 co-chairs of WEDI's Prior Authorization Subworkgroup: Heather McComas, Director, Administrative Simplification Initiatives, American Medical Association David Delano, Senior Director of Services, Massachusetts Health Data Consortium Raj Godavarthi, Associate VP of Technology and Interoperability, MCG Health The 3 discuss the changes in the workgroup and the industry sin...

Michael welcomes Donna Campbell (HCSC) and Amanda Abbott (BCBS of Kansas), WEDI's Eligibility and Benefits Workgroup Co-Chairs. The co-chairs discuss the workgroup's missions and the latest discussion topics that workgroup is undertaking, including improving efficiencies in the E&B process through standards and emerging technology. If you are interested in joining the workgroup, contact Ariana...

The threat from cyberattacks is growing exponentially and health care organizations are particularly vulnerable. Michael chats with WEDI's Privacy and Security Workgroup Co-Chairs, Lesley Berkeyheiser of DirectTrust and Thanh-Thien Nguyen of Kaiser Permanente on suggested actions that health care organizations big and small can adopt, customize, and implement as they seek to establish good cyber h...

From WEDI's Spring 2024 conference, Sequoia's David Pyke moderates a conversation with its Payer to Payer FHIR API Implementation Workgroup Co-Chairs, Robert Oakley with Evernorth and Nancy Beavin with Medica. Learn more about the workgroup here- https://sequoiaproject.org/interoperability-matters/payer-to-payer-api-workgroup/  

Guest host Michael Pattwell, WEDI Board Members, Co-Chair of its Payment Models Workgroup, and Principal Business Advisor with Edifecs, chats all things value based care with Lynn Carroll, Chief Operating Officer of HSBlox.  The two offer a fascinating look at the progression from fee for service to value based care, recent models launched by CMS, and the importance of data interoperability and st...

Michael chats with RJ Kedziora, Co-Founder of software company Estenda about the evolution of digital health and digital therapeutics. The two discuss the advances in emerging tech, privacy and security challenges, the role of regulations and the hopes that digital health can break down those data silos that still plague us.  Estenda is holding a webinar; Driving Quality in Digital Health: The Rol...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services National Standards Group, within the Office of Burden Reduction and Health Informatics, focuses on reducing administrative burden and advancing interoperability and national standards. CMS engages beneficiaries and the health care community to understand their experiences, inform solutions, and infuse a customer-focused mindset throughout the agency...

In April 2024, WEDI held a member position advisory (MPA) event on the critical topic of maintaining business continuity within healthcare organizations in the wake of cyber-attacks. The event, entitled, From Crisis to Continuity: Maintaining Health Care Data Exchange Following a Cyber Attack, offered best practices, suggestions, and key steps that stakeholders from HHS and the private sector can...