Podnosis

The buzz around artificial intelligence in healthcare hasn’t waned, and for major companies to keep up, they must invest in key applications. For the biggest firms, that translates to hundreds of use cases in practice and testing. At Elevance Health, that work is grounded in a key mantra: keep the member at the center.  In this episode of "Podnosis," Senior Writer Paige Minemyer sat down with Ratnakar Lavu, chief digital information officer at Elevance Health, to discuss where the insurer is seeing success and how it’s building ethical guardrails for AI development. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  A look inside Elevance Health's artificial intelligence strategy Elevance Health offers employees AI skills training in collaboration with OpenAI ECRI flags misuse of AI chatbots as a top health tech hazard in 2026 CMS wants to speed up tech innovation and AI for patients, setting major goalposts in 2026 2026 Outlook: Setting the standard for health AI programs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colorectal cancer rates are rising rapidly among young people worldwide. Experts expect it to become the leading cause of cancer death among people ages 20 to 49 by 2030. Younger patients are also more likely to be diagnosed at later stages. In 2019, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute launched its Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center. The center is pioneering a specialized model of care to address and study the unique needs of younger cancer patients. To break down the clinical and research offerings at the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, senior writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya talks to Kimmie Ng, M.D., the center’s founding director. Ng is also associate chief of GI Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.  To learn more about the topics in this episode:  More patients are surviving cancer, but incident rates rising among women and younger adults: ACS report As colorectal cancer patients get younger, governments need to boost awareness, screening: report Cancer death rate continues to decline but new cases expected to top 2 million this year, study finds See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With all the talk about generative AI over the past few years, the conversation in healthcare has largely shifted away from less flashy use cases, such as automating administrative tasks. But doing the basics well remains key to minimizing missed appointments, delayed treatments and lost revenue.  PocketHealth automates nonclinical workflows for providers, from image release and scheduling to patient communication. Co-founder and CEO Rishi Nayyar argues that providers still have a long way to go before mastering this type of automation. Senior Writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya speaks with Nayyar about the different types of AI, how advances in the technology have enabled faster integrations and what the future of automation could look like. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Physicians and administrators view AI as key to reduce professional burdens: Innovaccer Economic pressure, consumer behavior will push providers to speed up AI adoption in 2026 Adoption of AI for hospital RCM surges, but cost, operational constraints slow progress See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Gleason, Chief Medical Officer at Navvis and a value-based care expert, dives into the ins and outs of the new Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). He discusses its ambitious goals of simplifying surgical care and enhancing hospital coordination while addressing pushback from the industry. Gleason highlights the five key surgical procedures affected, the importance of post-acute care partnerships, and the financial risks for unprepared hospitals. He emphasizes immediate actions to adapt, as the program could reshape the future of value-based care.

Employers are in a tough spot. Healthcare costs are rising, while insurance plan options may seem overwhelming or inadequate. The need for real value has never been more apparent. What if there were a way to optimize an existing provider network for quality? Garner Health helps employers address these pain points. By finding the best-performing doctors in a given network and incentivizing members to see them, Garner claims to help clients save costs and achieve better health outcomes. To break it down, Fierce Healthcare's Anastassia Gliadkovskaya talks to Garner Health founder and CEO Nick Reber. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Employers brace for 6.7% increase in health benefits costs Report: Payers need to do more to demonstrate value to plan sponsors Industry Voices—Maximizing your benefits investment: Why health insurance literacy is the missing link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Paige Minnemeyer, Emma Bevins, and Dave Moyo for a deep dive into federal health policy shifts. Paige highlights the looming Medicaid coverage losses, emphasizing the impact on vulnerable populations. Dave discusses hospital challenges amid funding cuts and rising uncompensated care. Emma explores AI's role in health tech and eligibility tools, alongside the ambitious $50B Rural Health Transformation Program. The trio also navigates the ACA subsidy debates and ongoing PBM reform efforts, shedding light on the future of health care.

Each year, Fierce Healthcare’s Women of Influence special report asks a simple question: Who is actually reshaping healthcare from the inside? This year brought a record number of nominations and a list that reflects how broad that influence has become, across health systems, payers, tech, policy and advocacy. In this episode, Fierce Healthcare's Heather Landi and Paige Minemyer talk about why this recognition still matters, even as women make up nearly half of managerial and executive roles but remain scarce in CEO positions. They get into what the nomination surge tells us about where change is happening, how roles and titles are evolving and why so many of the most interesting ideas in healthcare are being led by women who are still fighting for a true share of power. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Fierce Healthcare's Women of Influence 2025See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joseph Perekupka, CEO of Freespira, and Andy Molnar, Senior VP of Industry Affairs for the American Telemedicine Association, dive into the evolving world of prescription digital therapeutics. They discuss the challenges of reimbursement policies and the barriers to adoption these innovative solutions face. The duo also tackles the implications of AI in mental health care, clinician adoption strategies, and the importance of demonstrating ROI and clinical outcomes. Their insights illuminate the future of digital health in a rapidly changing landscape.

Conduent is leaning into artificial intelligence to help clients navigate budget constraints, improve service quality and streamline operations, according to Mandy Huckaby, vice president and general manager of customer experience management. Speaking on Fierce Healthcare’s Podnosis podcast, Huckaby said the company is focused on helping clients “do more with less” by integrating AI across customer-facing and back-office functions. She emphasized that AI is not new to Conduent, which has used the technology for more than a decade. “AI is literally just having technology augment an interaction,” Huckaby said. “We’ve been doing technology augmentation with chat, digital landscaping and other services for a long time.” Conduent’s AI strategy targets three areas: pre-engagement automation to help customers self-serve, agent support tools to improve response speed and quality, and back-office enhancements such as document processing and legal text analysis. In healthcare, Huckaby said AI is being used to support nurses and HR representatives, among others. The company also partners with vendors like Microsoft to deliver sentiment analysis and quality audits. Huckaby said clients are increasingly looking for creative problem-solving and authentic customer advocacy. “It can’t just be reading off a script,” she said. “Our customers are looking for empathy and understanding.” As industries face rapid technological change, Huckaby said Conduent encourages its teams to remain agile and forward-thinking. “Change is inevitable,” she said. “It’s our ability to be flexible and agile through that change.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the longest government shutdown in U.S. history as a backdrop, for-profit providers and payers detailed the continued regulatory uncertainty and pressures on their businesses in the third quarter.  In this episode of "Podnosis," Editor Dave Muoio and Senior Writer Paige Minemyer break down the key trends for the third quarter, including how insurers shed light on strategic priorities, the impact of the ACA subsidy conversation and why providers saw a surprise revenue windfall.  To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Insurers slammed by medical costs, regulatory pressures yet again in Q3 Tax credit turmoil, cost pressures set stage for tumultuous ACA open enrollment Amid shutdown, health IT vendors say hospitals are cutting back on spending See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.