The Beat

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Michael Gao, Chief Executive Officer of Smarter Technology, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping revenue cycle operations in healthcare. Together, they dig into Smarter Technology’s vision and the practical ways AI can help provider organizations better capture the full value of the care they deliver. Michael shares why the revenue cycle is overdue for improvement, how moving from physical to digital workflows can unlock meaningful gains, and what real-world ROI looks like when AI is applied thoughtfully. In this episode, they also talk about:Smarter Technology’s vision for using AI in healthcareWhy the revenue cycle needs modernizationMoving from manual and physical processes to digital workflowsWhat ROI looks like when AI is applied to revenue cycle operationsKeeping human oversight where it matters mostCommon documentation and workflow challenges Smarter Technology helps addressAdvice for CFOs considering AI solutionsA Little About Michael:Mike is CEO of Smarter Technologies. He co-founded SmarterDx after discovering that hospitals were leaving significant revenue and quality opportunities on the table while he was leading AI at New York-Presbyterian. Prior to SmarterDx, Mike was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell and Medical Director for Transformation for New York-Presbyterian. He completed his BS at the University of California, Los Angeles, his MD at the University of Michigan, and his Internal Medicine Residency and Silverman Fellowship for Healthcare Innovation at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.

About Leandro Boer:Leandro Boer, MD, PhD, is a seasoned global biopharmaceutical executive and physician specializing in cardiology and cardiovascular pharmacology. Currently serving as Vice President of US Medical, General Medicines at Amgen, he leads medical strategy and execution across cardiovascular, bone, neuroscience, nephrology, and obesity therapeutic areas, overseeing a nationwide organization of over 100 professionals. With more than two decades of experience spanning the United States, Latin America, Canada, Africa, and the Middle East, Dr. Boer has built a distinguished career at leading companies such as Amgen, AstraZeneca, and Novartis.His leadership has shaped global and regional initiatives in medical affairs, clinical development, real-world evidence generation, regulatory strategy, and implementation science. Clinically, his expertise covers resistant hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and hyperlipidemia. Known for combining scientific rigor with strategic vision, Dr. Boer has directed cross-functional teams supporting drug development, commercialization, and lifecycle management across multiple therapeutic areas.A medical doctor trained in cardiology with a Ph.D. in cardiovascular pharmacology from Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Dr. Boer has consistently demonstrated a commitment to advancing evidence-based medicine, patient outcomes, and collaborative leadership within the healthcare ecosystem.Things You’ll Learn:The foundation of innovation lies in focusing on what never changes—patients, healthcare providers, and equitable systems of care.Amgen’s precision medicine and data-driven strategies prevent “data waste” and ensure every insight contributes to patient outcomes.Machine learning tools like Atomic are accelerating clinical trials by predicting successful sites, leading to faster drug development.The company’s bold goal to reduce cardiovascular events by 50% by 2030 relies on partnerships, AI, and implementation science.Representation in clinical research and decentralized trials is crucial to ensuring equitable access and meaningful outcomes for all populations.Resources:Connect with and follow Leandro Boer on LinkedIn.Follow Amgen on LinkedIn and explore their website.

Julie Frey, VP of Product Management at Wolters Kluwer, leads products like UpToDate and Lexi-Drug with deep clinical decision support experience. She discusses AI’s role in clinical workflows. Short takes cover using proprietary content to reduce hallucinations. How organizations set safety and governance standards. Practical guidance on choosing meaningful AI use cases and measuring adoption.

Move beyond the hype in this episode as we explore how Agentic AI is actively reshaping clinical research by moving from theoretical concepts to real-world autonomous deployments. Tune in to discover how intelligent agents are accelerating trials today and exactly what this shift means for the future of your work.In this episode, host Sandy Vance is behind the mic with Michelle Longmire, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Medable. Together they dive into what Medable is actually building and why it matters. They break down real examples of trials happening now, the evolving role of Clinical Research Associates, and how ambient and agentic AI are taking on the repetitive work that slows teams down. In this episode, they talk about:Medable’s mission and long-term vision for clinical researchA pilot clinical trial Sandy participated in and what it revealedReal-world examples of clinical trials Medable is supporting todayThe evolving role of Clinical Research Associates in AI-enabled trialsKey use cases where Medable delivers the most impactHow ambient AI handles repetitive operational workWhy humans do their best work when focused on complex, meaningful challengesUsing generative and agentic AI in safe, deterministic waysCommon misconceptions about the risks of generative AIEmerging clinical research use cases expected in 2026A Little About Michelle:As the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Medable, Dr. Michelle Longmire is mission-driven to accelerate the development of new therapies for disease. A Stanford-trained physician-scientist, Dr. Longmire witnessed firsthand the critical barriers to drug development – including the time and costs associated with clinical trial participation. She founded Medable to pioneer a new category of clinical trial technologies that remove traditional roadblocks to participation and radically accelerate the research process. Medable is now the industry leader in decentralized and direct-to-patient research, with the ability to serve patients in over 120 languages, 60 countries, and across all therapeutic areas. In addition to having raised over $500M in venture capital and driving Medable to an industry-leading position, Dr. Longmire has received recognition as a leading innovator and businesswoman, including being named as one of the 100 most creative people in business by Fast Company.

The main obstacle preventing health systems from prioritizing AI over the next 3-5 years is not a lack of AI products in the market, but rather the challenges of integrating the technology into their existing workflows, and the uncertainty in measuring its return on investment (ROI). Newton’s Tree’s end-to-end AI governance platform delivers the necessary transparency and holistic oversight, empowering your multidisciplinary AI Governance Committee to drive confident AI adoption at scale across clinical and operational pathways.In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits with Haris Shuaib, the CEO of Newton’s Tree, to discuss the speed at which AI is advancing and whether this pace is safe. They unpack what responsible, scalable AI governance really looks like. From hidden risks in data quality to the subtle ways AI behavior can drift over time, Haris breaks down why checks and balances aren’t just a compliance exercise. They’re essential to patient safety and organizational trust.In this episode, they talk about:How Newton’s Tree helps governance committees confidently scale AI across clinical and operational pathwaysWhy so many organizations struggle with AI implementation—and where things most often break downWhat an effective process looks like for evaluating whether AI oversight is actually workingThe three things Newton’s Tree continuously monitors: data quality, AI behavior, and clinical decision riskWhy closing the feedback loop is critical right nowPractical advice for CIOs navigating AI adoption—and how Newton’s Tree supports themThe role of registries and observatories in responsible AI deploymentHow to ensure AI systems are safe and effective before they’re put into real-world useA Little About Haris:Haris Shuaib is Founder and CEO of Newton’s Tree, a startup dedicated to AI transformation at scale in health and care. He is Director of the Fellowships in Clinical Artificial Intelligence, the first clinical training programme for healthcare professionals to develop practical AI skills. He is also a Consultant Clinical Scientist and former Head of the Clinical Scientific Computing section at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS FT. Finally, he also holds a NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship, where he is leading a national multi-centre trial to see whether AI can improve the treatment of glioblastoma.

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Dr. Zayed Yasin, MD, Global Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Writer, for a thoughtful and practical conversation about what AI really means for healthcare today. Drawing on his background as a clinician, Dr. Yasin shares how AI can eliminate the “boring” aspects of the job, allowing teams to focus on what matters most: patients and outcomes. Together, they delve into building effective clinical programs in value-based care, leveraging AI for payers, exploring real-world case studies, and examining why many organizations struggle with implementation. If you’re curious about where AI is delivering real ROI right now (and why the best way to learn is to lean in and start working), this episode is for you.In this episode, they talk about:Dr. Yasin’s background as a clinician and his interest in AI AI will help people focus on what’s really important while taking away the boring parts of the jobBuilding the clinical program at a value-based care organizationHow to make these programs work for payersWriter case studies using this technologyWhy organizations struggle with implementing AIFuture big use cases in AILean in hard; you don’t start learning until you start working ROI can be attained quickly in places with very little riskUnless you’re an AI company, you’re not an AI companyA Little About Dr. Yasin:Dr. Yasin runs the Healthcare and Life Sciences group at Writer, the end-to-end platform for enterprises scaling AI. After leaving academic emergency medicine, he built telemedicine and VBC businesses before leading Writer's HCLS AI transformation efforts.

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Parminder Bhatia , the Chief AI Officer from GE HealthCare , for a thoughtful, forward-thinking conversation about the rapidly shifting landscape of AI in healthcare. Together, they explore why healthcare is so ready for transformation, the four critical areas where change is most urgent, and how smarter systems can ease some of the industry’s most complex workflows. Sandy and Parminder dig into how foundation models and the rise of agentic AI can finally help healthcare move beyond fragmented solutions. In this episode, they talk about:How AI is transforming a healthcare industry that’s long overdue for changeThe four key areas where transformation is most neededStreamlining some of the most complex medical processesHow better communication and information can assist clinicians during labor and deliveryUsing foundation models to reduce fragmentation in healthcare AISupporting the multi-step workflows of radiologistsWhy agentic AI represents the future of healthcare innovationA Little About Parry:At GE HealthCare, Parry is focused on integrating AI across smart devices, across the patient journey, and at the hospital operations level. The company is a long-time leader in healthcare AI, topping the FDA’s list of AI-enabled devices for four consecutive years with more than 115 authorizations. Parry’s team advances AI within medical devices to improve patient outcomes, and he also serves on the company’s responsible AI committee to ensure new solutions are reliable, scalable, and ethical. His work has earned recognition from Modern Healthcare’s 40 Under 40, the AIM AI 100 Awards, and Constellation Research’s AI 150. Before joining GE HealthCare, Parry was Head of Applied Science at Amazon, contributing to machine learning and generative AI products such as Amazon Comprehend Medical. He previously held AI and machine learning roles at Microsoft and Georgia Tech. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Computational Science and Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

About Angelo Campano:Angelo Joseph Campano is a health IT strategist and operator known as The Original EHR Marketer™, with two decades of experience building and optimizing EHR, point-of-care, and CRM-driven commercial programs. As CEO of Flora Health, he helps healthcare companies turn clinical workflows into measurable growth through disciplined strategy, analytics, and execution. He has held senior leadership roles at Ogilvy Health, OptimizeRx, Doximity, and MDCalc, building new EHR and MCM practices and fixing underperforming ones. Angelo is trusted by global healthcare brands for his direct, results-first approach to EHR promotion, cross-channel optimization, and commercial scale.Things You’ll Learn:Getting content in front of physicians only works when it fits naturally into existing EHR workflows rather than disrupting them.Collaboration with health systems and technology partners scales impact faster than building standalone tools.Market access, not AI hype, is where the biggest opportunity exists to improve patient outcomes.Automating forms, prior authorization, and financial assistance removes barriers that prevent patients from starting therapy.Measuring success means tracking how many patients get on therapy faster, not just engagement metrics.Resources:Connect with and follow Angelo Campano on LinkedIn.Follow Flora Health on LinkedIn and visit their website.

In this episode, host Sandy Vance chats with Natalie Ngo, from EliseAI, for a friendly, insightful conversation about how AI is transforming the way healthcare organizations communicate and operate. EliseAI provides automation tools designed to streamline everyday interactions, reduce administrative burden, and help staff focus on what matters most. Together, Sandy and Natalie explore how EliseAI can empower healthcare teams to do more with greater efficiency.In this episode, they talk about:How and where EliseAI got startedThe value that AI will bring to your companyHow EliseAI is supporting healthcare organizationsWhat the implementation process will look like The response of the clinical staff at the providersAI can scale to fit any size practiceFuture main case usesA Little About Natalie:Natalie Ngo is a Strategy and Operations leader focused on healthcare at EliseAI, where she helps organizations use AI to streamline communication and operate more efficiently. Based in New York, Natalie brings a background in strategy, operations, and analytics, with previous experience at EliseAI and Point72. She holds an Honors Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School at Western University and is passionate about using technology to support care teams and improve day-to-day workflows in healthcare.

About Michael Dubrovsky:Michael Dubrovsky is a founder-operator and applied scientist working at the intersection of materials science, photonics, and real-world impact. He is the co-founder and CEO of SiPhox Health, a Y Combinator (S20), Khosla Ventures, and Intel Capital–backed startup based in Cambridge, building painless at-home blood biomarker testing to help people live healthier, longer lives. Alongside SiPhox, he serves on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) ILA20 committee and co-hosts 632nm, a technical interview series featuring top scientists and engineers. Previously, he co-founded PoWx, a nonprofit advancing energy-efficient photonic hardware for proof-of-work cryptography, work that is now used commercially to secure billions of dollars in value. Earlier in his career, Michael founded Simply Grid, named by Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovative energy companies, deploying first-of-its-kind curbside EV and food-vendor charging infrastructure in New York City before exiting via acquisition. His background includes advanced research at MIT and Technion in nanofabrication and materials characterization and a BS in Chemistry from SUNY ESF. His personal mantra: no hurry, no pause.Things You’ll Learn:At-home blood testing eliminates major barriers, such as appointments, referrals, and travel, while expanding access to advanced diagnostics. This convenience is driving higher adoption among both consumers and businesses.Many critical biomarkers linked to longevity and chronic disease are often ignored in standard primary care testing. Home testing allows patients to proactively monitor what would otherwise go unseen.Clinician trust remains a challenge due to early inaccuracies in home testing technologies. FDA clearance is expected to play a major role in broader medical acceptanceBusinesses benefit from home testing by eliminating high-friction steps that stall patient conversion. This leads to better experiences and significantly improved funnel performance.Scaling home diagnostics follows a familiar pattern where early adopters subsidize innovation. Over time, costs drop and access expands to broader populations.Resources:Connect with and follow Michael Dubrovsky on LinkedIn.Follow SiPhox Health on LinkedIn and visit their website.Listen to Michael’s podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Email Michael directly here.