The Beat

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Adam Kamor, Co-founder and Head of Engineering at Tonic.ai, to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare's AI adoption: what to do with sensitive data you legally cannot access.  Adam breaks down how Tonic AI helps healthcare organizations de-identify and synthesize unstructured data so they can train AI models safely, stay HIPAA compliant, and actually unlock the value sitting behind their firewalls.  If your organization is eager to build AI-powered workflows but unsure how to handle patient data responsibly, this episode is a must-listen. In this episode, they talk about: Most valuable healthcare data is too sensitive to use for AI training without de-identification HIPAA is actually an advantage because it gives organizations a clear roadmap for safe data use Tonic Textual replaces PHI in unstructured documents with realistic synthetic values Synthetic data must closely mirror real data for AI models to perform well in the field If a model is trained on PHI, it risks regurgitating patient information in outputs Privacy compliance should be addressed at the start of an AI project, not as an afterthought Many organizations do not realize solutions already exist to help them use their data safely A Little About Adam: Adam manages the team creating Tonic Textual, Tonic.ai's platform for unstructured data redaction and synthesis. He has spent the last 12 years as a leader at the intersection of data privacy, AI, and software engineering.

Artificial intelligence in healthcare isn’t just about futuristic diagnostics or robots assisting surgeons. It’s also transforming the operational backbone of the healthcare industry.  In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Anand Kumar, Vice President of Healthcare at Genpact, to explore how AI-driven automation is reshaping everything from payer operations to member experience. Together, they unpack how healthcare organizations can cut through the “AI buzz,” identify meaningful use cases, and drive measurable outcomes. From contact center automation to actuarial modeling and prior authorization workflows, this episode dives into the real-world impact of AI and how human expertise and intelligent agents can work together to improve both operational efficiency and patient experience. If you’re a healthcare leader trying to navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape, this conversation offers practical insights into where the technology is delivering value today and what’s coming next. In this episode, they talk about: Healthcare organizations are adopting AI-first strategies to improve efficiency and operational outcomes Successful AI transformation requires aligning people, processes, and technology AI tools are helping contact centers resolve patient and member issues faster Many healthcare organizations are seeing 20–40% improvements in operational efficiency AI is helping actuaries analyze large datasets and identify trends more quickly Human experts and intelligent agents are working together to handle complex healthcare decisions Leaders should prioritize partners who demonstrate proven outcomes and operational expertise A Little About Anand: Anand Kumar is a distinguished leader in healthcare and technology, combining deep clinical expertise with advanced digital innovation. As Vice President at Genpact, Anand drives transformative strategies that integrate AI-driven solutions, digital platforms, and operational excellence to deliver measurable outcomes for global clients. Holding degrees as a Medical Doctor (MD), Chartered Accountant (CA), and a Ph.D. in Computing and Artificial Intelligence, Anand brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective to solving complex healthcare challenges. His work spans data engineering, automation, and advanced analytics, enabling payers and providers to reimagine care delivery and optimize patient engagement. At HLTH USA 2025, Anand is shaping conversations around generative AI in healthcare, population health strategies, and next-gen digital ecosystems. His leadership reflects a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and patient-centric solutions that redefine the future of health.   

In this episode of the Cybersecurity at ViVE series on The Beat Podcast, host Sandy Vance sits down with Chad Alessi, Managing Director of Cybersecurity at CTG, for a wide-ranging conversation about what it really takes to protect healthcare organizations in today's threat landscape. With a background spanning chemical engineering, the U.S. Marines, energy sector Operational Technology security, and IT consulting, Chad brings a unique cross-industry perspective to healthcare cybersecurity. From the difference between cybersecurity and cyber resilience to the rise of AI-powered attacks, this episode is packed with practical insights for healthcare leaders who want to stay ahead of what is coming. In this episode, they talk about how: Cyber resilience focuses on operational continuity when an attack happens, not just prevention Breaches resolved within 200 days can save organizations over $1 million Bad actors often sit idle inside networks for months, collecting data before launching an attack Baseline requirements are identity-first security, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) and privileged access management Human-only Security Operations Center (SOC) models are too slow to keep up with today's automated, AI-powered attacks CTG uses Microsoft's Unified Security Operations (SecOps) platform to eliminate tool sprawl and improve response time Zero-trust architecture is expanding from department-level to enterprise-wide in healthcare New HIPAA regulations now require provable network segmentation for legacy medical devices AI-assisted security operations will continue to grow in the next few years A Little About Chad: As CTG's Managing Director of Cybersecurity, Chad Alessi leverages decades of experience in technology, cybersecurity, and operational strategy across enterprise and mid-market sectors to meet the evolving cybersecurity needs of clients in the U.S. During his time in IT consulting, Chad was instrumental in driving IT transformation in the company's regulated pipeline and gas processing business units. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering, an MBA from the University of Alabama, an MS in Information Systems with a concentration in Information Security from Syracuse University, and post-graduate certifications in leadership, full stack development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. Chad is known for his strong work ethic, integrity, resourcefulness, and service-based leadership, which he attributes to his time in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Angie Curry, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Microsoft and RN with 25+ years of bedside experience, discusses nurse-centered ambient AI. She covers Microsoft’s ambient solution integrated with Epic Rover. They talk about reducing documentation burden, workflow fit and trust, human review controls, capturing “invisible care,” and piloting strategies for safe adoption.

By 2030, prior authorization as we know it will be unrecognizable. The convergence of CMS-0057, WISeR pilots, and nationwide interoperability mandates—paired with breakthroughs in AI—will transform prior authorization from a costly administrative burden into an intelligent, patient-centered clearance process.    Jeremy Friese, MD, founder and CEO of Humata Health, joins Sandy Vance to talk about one of the most frustrating problems in healthcare: prior authorization. Luckily, AI may finally be the tool that can fix it. Drawing on his experience as a physician and healthcare executive, Jeremy explains how automation, interoperability, and smarter clinical data workflows can reduce denials, improve efficiency, and help patients get care faster. Their chat explores the changing industry, what still needs to happen, and why the future of prior authorization may look very different by the end of the decade. In this episode, they talk about: Prior authorization is a major driver of provider burnout and financial loss in healthcare. Solving the problem requires both interoperability and advanced clinical intelligence. Real-world interoperability is still messy, often involving portals, APIs, and fax. AI can now extract the right clinical evidence directly from patient records to improve approvals. Automation is cutting physician peer-to-peer reviews by about half. Health systems are seeing strong ROI through denial reduction and efficiency gains. Getting prior authorization right upfront can recover millions in lost revenue. Gold card programs exist, but need better automation to work effectively. The future is mostly automated approvals happening behind the scenes. By 2030, most prior authorization decisions could be handled by computers, not humans. A Little About Jeremy: Jeremy Friese, MD is the Founder and CEO of Humata Health, where he leads the development of AI solutions designed to simplify prior authorization and reduce friction across healthcare. A physician by training, he spent nearly two decades at Mayo Clinic as an interventional radiologist and healthcare leader before moving into entrepreneurship, where he has built and scaled multiple healthcare technology companies focused on aligning providers and payers. His work today centers on using automation and AI to help health systems operate more efficiently while improving patient access to care.

In this episode, host Sandy Vance chats with Frank Toscano, the new Senior Vice President of Product and Engineering at Amplify. They talk about the continued relevance of fax technology in healthcare, the challenges of interoperability, and how Amplify aims to streamline workflows to improve patient care. Frank highlights the importance of integrating fax technology with modern systems to enhance efficiency and reduce friction. In this episode, they talk about: Fax remains an important part of healthcare communication Many interoperability challenges come down to integration and mapping Prior authorizations often still depend on fax How Amplify supports healthcare organizations of all sizes Streamlined patient referrals can improve care delivery Healthcare is an interconnected ecosystem that affects outcomes Maximizing existing technology boosts operational efficiency AI helps connect data for better decision-making Effective solutions start with understanding real workflows Eliminating legacy technology isn’t always the best option The future blends proven methods with modern technology A Little About Frank: Frank Toscano is a nationally recognized product and technology leader with more than 20 years of experience modernizing how healthcare organizations exchange documents, automate workflows, and connect systems through AI-driven interoperability. As Senior Vice President of Product & Engineering at Amplify, he serves as the company’s public-facing technology voice and strategic advisor, guiding product innovation, engineering excellence, and enterprise integrations. Previously, as Vice President of Product Management at Consensus Cloud Solutions (eFax Corporate), Frank led the transformation of legacy fax into cloud-native, HIPAA-compliant interoperability services, delivering FHIR integration, TEFCA-aligned exchange, AI-powered document processing, and large-scale workflow automation used by thousands of healthcare organizations. A named inventor with multiple U.S. patents in secure communication and intelligent document workflows, Frank has also held senior leadership roles at Cellebrite, Cleo, and Retarus, consistently bridging deep technical architecture with real-world clinical and operational needs to reduce manual burden and improve care coordination.

LaDonna Sweeten, EHR and clinical applications leader focused on turning EHRs into performance engines. Rajkumar Thirunavukkarasu, healthcare technology executive driving global digital transformation. They discuss transforming EHRs into dynamic performance engines. They explore AI for revenue cycle and clinician documentation, ambient listening, end-to-end workflow reimagination, and tailoring data-driven strategies for measurable outcomes.

Hari Bala, CTO for Health Information Systems at Solventum with 25+ years building scalable AI and data systems in healthcare. He discusses why trust is the foundation for AI adoption, clinical and workflow trust factors, speeding up care without sacrificing quality, cultural shifts needed for safe rollout, and practical use cases that reduce clinician burden and improve patient experience.

Today, host Sandy Vance sits down with Jeff McCool, the AVP of Healthcare Conversational AI at Amelia. Join a discussion with SoundHound AI, the leader in conversational intelligence, to learn how AI agents are helping healthcare companies overcome challenges like improving patient care and streamlining operations. Hear how the SoundHound Amelia Platform lets you build AI agents that understand, reason, and act so you can create the most seamless conversational experience.    In this episode, they talk about: The types of healthcare organizations Amelia partners with How Amelia’s platform approach supports health systems in multiple ways beyond a single tool Working with clients to establish guardrails for safe and effective AI adoption How conversational AI is expected to evolve in the coming years Real-world implementation success stories and lessons learned What differentiates SoundHound AI’s agents and the broader ecosystem created through partnerships Advice for healthcare leaders at provider and payer organizations navigating next steps with AI A Little About Jeff: Jeff McCool works at the intersection of healthcare and AI, helping organizations use conversational technology to solve real operational challenges. He is AVP of Healthcare Conversational AI at Amelia, where he partners with health systems to deploy AI-powered virtual agents that improve patient and employee experiences while reducing friction in everyday workflows. His focus is on practical AI adoption, what works in production, how teams implement it, and how to scale responsibly. Previously, Jeff held leadership roles at Ciox and Datavant Health, leading digital growth initiatives centered on interoperability, APIs, and healthcare data exchange. His background combines healthcare operations, technology, and go-to-market strategy. Jeff holds an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business.

In this episode, host Sandy Vance and Ted Dinsmore discuss the ever-evolving role of AI in healthcare, industry trends, challenges, and solutions. They explore the concept of agentic AI and the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which aims to enhance data integration and efficiency in healthcare systems. They also highlight the importance of building trust in AI solutions, particularly in rural healthcare settings. Listen in to learn how SphereGen is addressing these challenges through innovative AI implementation approaches. In this episode, they talk about: Latest AI trend: agentic AI and bots, and MCP in the healthcare industry MCP allows us to speed up that integration Trust is a huge issue when you're having an impact on the patient The benefits of using MCP for hospitals and patients The concerns about the changes and cuts to rural healthcare The most common use cases when transitioning: eligibility, prior authorization, and denials management The effects on how healthcare systems are doing business with EHRs Next big use cases and what’s coming up next Solving challenges in rural healthcare over the next few years How rural healthcare and homecare are tied At the end of the day, it’s all about how AI can help free up time for people A Little About Ted: Ted Dinsmore is the President of SphereGen Technologies, located in New Haven, Connecticut, Toronto, Canada, and Pune, India. SphereGen is a software consulting firm that develops and supports custom software solutions for clients in AI and Automation, Application Development, and Extended Reality (AR, VR, MR). His experience in the world of IT spans over 30 years. When Ted started his first consulting firm, he became invested in developing and supporting Microsoft solutions for large multinational companies. Wanting to stay at the forefront of emerging technologies, his current company, SphereGen, embraces the world of AI/Automation and Mixed Reality (MR). SphereGen focuses on improving processes for healthcare organizations by leveraging innovative technologies, along with partners UiPath and Microsoft, to solve business problems.