The Vurge

In this episode of the Vurge, host Wendy Hoffman sits down with Lainie Dean, President of UpVia Health, to discuss a new and evolving model designed to strengthen and sustain rural healthcare organizations. Lainie shares her professional background in healthcare strategy and operations and explains how she was brought in by Parkview Health to help launch UpVia Health as a management services organ...

In this episode of The Vurge, host and Divurgent COO and President Wendy Hoffman sits down with Eric Bloom, Executive Director of the IT Management and Leadership Institute (ITML Institute) and a former CTO—to unpack what it really takes for technologists to move into management and leadership roles. Bloom explains why many IT professionals are promoted simply for being the “best techie,” then fin...

In this episode of The Vurge, Mike Kritzman, founder and CEO of Skillnet, talks about the role of competencies and operational excellence in healthcare IT with Divurgent President & Chief Operating Officer Wendy Hoffman. Mike shares his journey from managing teams at Oracle to founding Skillnet, a platform designed to help organizations inventory workforce skills, build competency models,...

This episode of The Vurge features Chuck Christian, VP of Technology and CTO at Franciscan Health, in conversation with Divurgent Principal Pete Wiley. The discussion centers on the rapid pace of technological change in healthcare, comparing it to other industries and exploring whether healthcare is keeping up or lagging behind. Chuck shares insights from his extensive career, highlighting the cha...

This episode of the Vurge podcast features Nasim Eftekhari, Chief AI and Analytics Officer at City of Hope, discussing her journey from computer science into healthcare and her leadership in AI-driven innovation within oncology. Eftekhari shares how her team developed predictive models for clinical decision support, including sepsis prediction for bone marrow transplant patients and models for sur...

Join host Wendy Hoffman, President & COO at Divurgent, as she sits down with Colin Konschak, the company's Founder and CEO, to celebrate Divurgent's 18th anniversary.  In this episode, they discuss Divurgent’s journey, the evolving challenges in healthcare IT, and how innovation and culture drive lasting impact. Discover how Divurgent supports clients through digital transformation,...

In this episode, we're joined by Rick Schooler, the CIO of Florida-based Lee Health. Rick shares his journey from aspiring college athlete to healthcare IT leader, highlighting his extensive career in the industry. He discusses the significant transformations in healthcare IT, emphasizing the importance of governance and executive sponsorship for successful IT projects. Rick also addresses le...

We talk with Oliver Galicki of Memorial Hermann Health System , who transformed a football injury into a thriving career in healthcare IT. Listen as Oliver reveals how the leadership skills he developed on the field are now essential in guiding Memorial Hermann's Epic implementation. He shares the importance of teamwork, communication, and maintaining focus as Memorial Hermann approaches a cr...

Venture with us into the heart of Renown Health's IT transformation, where CIO Chuck Podesta's financial savvy led to slashing IT overhead while safeguarding jobs and boosting staff morale. Discover the ingenious strategies that not only reduced spending from 7% to a lean 4%, but also enhanced operational efficiency and fostered employee engagement. Chuck's commitment to maintaining...

On this episode of The Vurge, we welcome Debi Smith and Lily Farris to the show to unravel the tapestry of organizational change management (OCM). The duo tap into their rich experience in healthcare OCM to share how understanding the human side of transitions can lead to a successful transformation, especially when integrating intricate systems like Epic. Their stories reveal the delicate dance b...

Imagine an environment where technology whispers timely advice, enabling care that’s as unique as our own fingerprints. On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca sits down with Claus Torp Jensen . Claus is a passionate c-suite leader with two decades of transformation and technology experience. He is dedicated to building, leading, and inspiring diverse teams that propel both patient care and team spi...

Embarking on a career pivot can feel like a leap into the unknown, but for Marissa , it was a leap that led to the birth of Proda Technology. The co-founder and CEO of Proda Technology joins us to recount the serendipitous moment she traded her legal aspirations for the tech world.  Join us as we celebrate the brilliance, resilience, and leadership of women in technology for an episode about build...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca welcomes Alvin Haygan, Jr. to continue the conversation on organizational change management. Together they peel back the layers of fear and resistance that often shroud transitions in healthcare IT, revealing the human heart of innovation. Discover how Alvin navigates these delicate shifts, turning apprehension into active participation and skepticism into col...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca welcomes Maggie Rigaux, Chief Growth Officer at Credivera. Her story is a testament to adaptability and foresight, from crunching numbers to shaping the future of credential verification. Maggie isn't just about tech; she's a beacon for harnessing its power to put us in the driver's seat of our personal data.  Her passion for breaking barriers e...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca sits down with  Melissa Giampietri , Consulting for Human Services, to talk mental health. Together, they dig into the nuanced distinctions that set behavioral health apart from physical healthcare systems – from the complex web of regulatory and billing challenges to the intricacies of crafting effective treatment plans.  Follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter , Ins...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca connects with Joel Benware , an innovative healthcare technology leader and mentor. Tune in as they dig into the importance of education and life-long learning, remote culture, and Joel's journey from CIO to President of Acmeware.  Follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and be sure to subscribe to The Vurge for the latest episodes and more...

Welcome to the first episode of 2024! Join Rebecca as she welcomes Amy Horner, CPA, MBA , founder of True Nine . Horner is a change enthusiast, keynote speaker and strategy consultant with a personal goal to complete 50 races in 50 states before her 50th birthday. Tune in for an invigorating conversation that intertwines motivation, embracing change, and the transformative impact of technology wit...

Imagine being at the helm of a massive project, managing hundreds of people, and dealing with high-stress situations - all while keeping a composed poker face.  On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca is joined by two of the best Divurgent road warriors, Nicole Boose and Nikita Brown to discuss the significance of thorough pre-planning, robust documentation, and the use of communication tools to hel...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca Woods is joined by Robyn Ewers , President of WiCys Healthcare. A partnership & alliances expert, Robyn talks about creating partnerships that deliver mutually beneficial outcomes. Passionate about the impact consistent and intrinsic cultures of communication can have across the organization, she shares her thoughts on servant leadership, partnership princ...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca is joined by Rachini Moosavi, Chief Analytics Officer at UNC Health. Together they dig into all things data & analytics, unraveling the magic of data and its transformative impact on the healthcare industry. Join Rachini as she elaborates on the community analytics model adopted by UNC Health, an innovative approach that arms clinicians and practitioners w...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca sits down with Gretchen Britt , Vice President, Information Technology at Liberty Health. She talks about her journey from the NICU    to HIT leadership, her fervor for giving back to the community by volunteering for the hospital foundation and her initiatives in empowering women in healthcare, using her superpower of empathy in fostering connections.  Follow...

On this episode of The Vurge, get to know Divurgent's EVP of Delivery, Joe Grinstead . Joe's vast experience and expertise bring insight to the interplay between the business side of healthcare and the IT industry. He shares his career journey, spotlighting the evolution of the CIO role and the impact of technology in bridging the gaps between infrastructure and end-users. Joe also unpac...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca sits down with Zahid Ali , the Chief Digital and Information Officer & Founder of TECHMEDO. Offering a unique perspective on leveraging technology to make healthcare more accessible, Zahid shares his vision of cultivating a culture of innovation and the transformative potential of AI and robotic process automation. Join us to discover the evolving landscap...

On this episode of The Vurge, Rebecca welcomes Nishtha Jain , Head of Innovation and Digital Technology at Takeda. Together they cover her journey to biotech engineering from India to the United States. Listen as she sheds light on the future of healthcare, the synergy of AI and empathy in patient care, and the vital steps being taken to close the gender gap in tech. Finally, get a sneak peek into...

Buckle up as we plunge into a riveting conversation with seasoned health tech entrepreneur, Dave Wattling. Strap in for a deep dive into the challenging yet exciting world of healthcare IT, spanning across Canada, Britain, and the U.S. Expect to uncover crucial insights into the ever-present issue of data interoperability and the untapped potential of data analytics and AI, waiting to revolutioniz...