Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Making Digital Health Work for Rural Communities with Christian Milaster
Feb 19, 2026
Christian Milaster, founder and CEO of Ingenium Digital Health Advisors and chief methodologist focused on rural health transformation. He discusses using implementation science to turn digital tools into real impact. Topics include CMS rural transformation funding, AI-driven digital health trends, preventing service closures with remote monitoring, and building repeatable rural solutions.
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Episode notes
Outcomes Over Purchases
- CMS expects measurable outcomes from rural health funding, not just spending money on technology.
- Christian Milaster emphasizes using implementation science to turn funding into real impact for rural communities.
Implementation Trumps Innovation
- Innovation abounds in digital health, now amplified by AI, but success depends on integration into workflows.
- Christian Milaster notes the major gap is implementation, not invention, for improving clinical outcomes.
Involve Clinicians Early
- Involve clinicians in design and integrate digital tools into existing workflows deliberately.
- Christian Milaster advises buyers and vendors to prioritize thoughtful implementation methods over tech-only purchases.