1 00:00:00,719 --> 00:00:04,000 Exciting things are happening at Becker's Healthcare. Stay 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,240 ahead of industry trends with the new Becker's 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,419 CFO plus Revenue Cycle podcast, 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,199 your go to source for insights from top 5 00:00:11,199 --> 00:00:13,755 health care finance leaders. Tune in wherever 6 00:00:21,274 --> 00:00:24,554 happening September 30 to 10/03/2025 7 00:00:24,554 --> 00:00:25,214 in Chicago. 8 00:00:25,755 --> 00:00:26,879 Join thousands of 9 00:00:27,279 --> 00:00:30,079 executives, engage with industry leaders, and explore the 10 00:00:30,079 --> 00:00:31,619 future of health care innovation. 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,719 Learn more about our upcoming events at beckershospitalreview.com. 12 00:00:36,719 --> 00:00:37,539 See you there. 13 00:00:38,399 --> 00:00:40,640 This is Laura Duda with the Becker's Healthcare 14 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,744 podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by 15 00:00:42,744 --> 00:00:45,545 doctor Scott Smitherman, associate vice president and chief 16 00:00:45,545 --> 00:00:48,824 medical information officer at Providence Clinical Network. Doctor 17 00:00:48,824 --> 00:00:50,265 Smitherman, it's a pleasure to have you on 18 00:00:50,265 --> 00:00:51,324 the podcast today. 19 00:00:51,864 --> 00:00:52,604 Good morning. 20 00:00:52,905 --> 00:00:54,344 Well, thank you so much for your time. 21 00:00:54,344 --> 00:00:55,804 I'm excited for our conversation. 22 00:00:56,344 --> 00:00:59,179 Really just, you know, always enjoy hearing from 23 00:00:59,179 --> 00:01:00,539 the folks at Providence, and, 24 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:03,100 we'll be looking forward to the hearing more 25 00:01:03,100 --> 00:01:04,620 about how you're looking at the future as 26 00:01:04,620 --> 00:01:06,379 well. But before we dive in, I'm wondering, 27 00:01:06,379 --> 00:01:07,500 could you tell us a little bit about 28 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:10,140 yourself and Providence Clinical Network? What makes it 29 00:01:10,140 --> 00:01:10,640 unique? 30 00:01:11,625 --> 00:01:14,104 Yes. So my name is Scott Smitherman. I 31 00:01:14,104 --> 00:01:16,905 am an internist by training, serve Providence as 32 00:01:16,905 --> 00:01:19,305 the CMIO for the Providence Clinical Network, which 33 00:01:19,305 --> 00:01:20,604 is basically the employed, 34 00:01:22,025 --> 00:01:22,525 physician, 35 00:01:22,905 --> 00:01:24,765 network of, of Providence. 36 00:01:25,469 --> 00:01:26,930 You know, Providence is 37 00:01:27,390 --> 00:01:28,049 a large, 38 00:01:28,509 --> 00:01:31,069 healthcare system in the Western US, 1 Hundred 39 00:01:31,069 --> 00:01:34,030 And 20 4 Thousand employees, 51 hospitals, a 40 00:01:34,030 --> 00:01:34,930 thousand clinics, 41 00:01:35,869 --> 00:01:37,950 really a deep history in the area and, 42 00:01:38,109 --> 00:01:40,575 you know, specifically called to serve the the 43 00:01:40,575 --> 00:01:41,635 poor and the vulnerable, 44 00:01:42,415 --> 00:01:43,795 in in the areas we serve. 45 00:01:44,734 --> 00:01:47,295 Well, thank you so much, doctor Smitherman, and 46 00:01:47,295 --> 00:01:48,834 and really a a fantastic, 47 00:01:50,015 --> 00:01:50,515 fantastic 48 00:01:50,974 --> 00:01:52,734 population that you do serve and having that 49 00:01:52,734 --> 00:01:54,594 mission is so critical for the community. 50 00:01:55,019 --> 00:01:56,780 Now I'm wondering, you know, when you look 51 00:01:56,780 --> 00:01:58,540 at the last year or so, what accomplishment 52 00:01:58,540 --> 00:01:59,900 are you most proud of? Can you tell 53 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:01,599 us a little bit about that and, 54 00:02:02,299 --> 00:02:04,619 how you've been, just really doing some great 55 00:02:04,619 --> 00:02:05,759 things for your community? 56 00:02:06,780 --> 00:02:07,840 Absolutely. Well, 57 00:02:08,935 --> 00:02:11,995 very proud here, at, you know, in informatics 58 00:02:12,375 --> 00:02:14,854 and IS that, you know, on our on 59 00:02:14,854 --> 00:02:17,334 our last survey from from Prescaini of all 60 00:02:17,334 --> 00:02:18,794 of our physicians and APCs, 61 00:02:19,974 --> 00:02:22,235 you know, we we were able to transform, 62 00:02:23,419 --> 00:02:25,680 how, you know, physicians and APCs, 63 00:02:26,060 --> 00:02:26,560 regarded, 64 00:02:26,939 --> 00:02:27,919 you know, the EMR 65 00:02:28,939 --> 00:02:29,439 to, 66 00:02:30,139 --> 00:02:32,460 a top quartile performance in on on the 67 00:02:32,460 --> 00:02:34,960 question of the EMR enhances the physician 68 00:02:35,585 --> 00:02:38,164 and, patient experience. Really, traditionally, 69 00:02:38,705 --> 00:02:40,805 a struggle point for a lot of organizations 70 00:02:41,025 --> 00:02:41,425 as, 71 00:02:42,064 --> 00:02:44,865 you know, the EMR and and and specific 72 00:02:44,865 --> 00:02:48,004 vendors' names become sometimes become curse words for 73 00:02:48,625 --> 00:02:50,485 various, physicians and APCs, 74 00:02:51,599 --> 00:02:53,439 to to really get docs to say that 75 00:02:53,439 --> 00:02:55,560 that we're starting to enhance the experience. And 76 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,040 I think a big piece of that is 77 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:58,740 the initiatives we've undertaken. 78 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:01,379 We're the largest user 79 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:02,819 of ambient documentation 80 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:03,939 in the world. 81 00:03:04,444 --> 00:03:08,064 We partner with Nuance Microsoft on on using 82 00:03:08,125 --> 00:03:11,004 DAX and have deployed that at a larger 83 00:03:11,004 --> 00:03:11,905 scale than 84 00:03:12,525 --> 00:03:14,784 any other health system in The United States. 85 00:03:15,085 --> 00:03:15,985 All of our 86 00:03:16,444 --> 00:03:19,324 outpatient physicians and APCs have access to it 87 00:03:19,324 --> 00:03:21,620 and are, you know, are using it to 88 00:03:21,620 --> 00:03:23,800 to a great extent and, you know, they're 89 00:03:24,180 --> 00:03:24,680 describing, 90 00:03:25,700 --> 00:03:26,840 the use of that technology, 91 00:03:27,620 --> 00:03:29,620 like they they've fallen in love for the 92 00:03:29,620 --> 00:03:31,540 first time or or, you know, the birth 93 00:03:31,540 --> 00:03:33,319 of their child or something like that. 94 00:03:33,974 --> 00:03:35,574 Also very proud of some of the other 95 00:03:35,574 --> 00:03:37,034 initiatives we're undertaking. 96 00:03:38,375 --> 00:03:39,114 We're using 97 00:03:39,414 --> 00:03:40,375 AI to help, 98 00:03:41,334 --> 00:03:41,834 categorize 99 00:03:42,134 --> 00:03:42,455 and, 100 00:03:42,935 --> 00:03:43,674 help us 101 00:03:44,614 --> 00:03:47,655 process the huge crush of messages coming through 102 00:03:47,655 --> 00:03:49,889 the in basket and all that offline work, 103 00:03:50,669 --> 00:03:52,750 along with continuing just to invest in the 104 00:03:52,750 --> 00:03:54,990 the nuts and bolts of informatics, like ongoing 105 00:03:54,990 --> 00:03:57,069 training and, you know, mixture of at the 106 00:03:57,069 --> 00:03:59,150 elbow and and virtual support, which has kind 107 00:03:59,150 --> 00:04:00,290 of led to that, 108 00:04:01,074 --> 00:04:02,914 the turnaround in in, I think, in how 109 00:04:02,914 --> 00:04:05,495 our physicians and APCs regard the EMR. 110 00:04:06,435 --> 00:04:08,275 That's great to hear. And I love that 111 00:04:08,275 --> 00:04:11,414 analogy of physicians and clinicians feeling like, 112 00:04:11,794 --> 00:04:14,354 you know, the the how much they love 113 00:04:14,354 --> 00:04:17,310 the AI, the ambient technology, and really being 114 00:04:17,310 --> 00:04:18,850 able to integrate that into 115 00:04:19,230 --> 00:04:21,089 their broader practice of workflows. 116 00:04:21,470 --> 00:04:23,550 I think, you know, AI has been something 117 00:04:23,550 --> 00:04:25,490 that, people have been really, 118 00:04:26,509 --> 00:04:28,269 to some degree excited about, but then to 119 00:04:28,269 --> 00:04:28,769 others, 120 00:04:29,389 --> 00:04:31,764 nervous about as well. Is there anything, you 121 00:04:31,764 --> 00:04:34,345 know, as you're looking at, the teams broadly 122 00:04:34,485 --> 00:04:37,305 of, Providence and the clinical teams in particular, 123 00:04:37,845 --> 00:04:40,165 that you've really had to kind of troubleshoot 124 00:04:40,165 --> 00:04:42,085 or convince your your teams to use, or 125 00:04:42,085 --> 00:04:43,845 have they been pretty excited and open to 126 00:04:43,845 --> 00:04:46,025 some of the new technologies and support platforms? 127 00:04:47,250 --> 00:04:48,689 Yeah. We were one of the, you know, 128 00:04:48,689 --> 00:04:51,730 the earliest users of, Ambient, you know, partnering 129 00:04:51,730 --> 00:04:55,269 with, Nuance since 2020, '20 '20 '1. 130 00:04:55,649 --> 00:04:57,730 And, you know, it it has taken some 131 00:04:57,730 --> 00:04:58,209 time, 132 00:04:58,610 --> 00:05:00,305 to to get where we are. You know, 133 00:05:00,305 --> 00:05:02,224 there's really been a turnaround in the last 134 00:05:02,224 --> 00:05:04,224 year as the as the quality of the 135 00:05:04,224 --> 00:05:05,284 products has, 136 00:05:06,384 --> 00:05:08,944 improved. You know, we're we're partners with, with 137 00:05:08,944 --> 00:05:11,344 Nuance, like I said, but, impressed with what 138 00:05:11,344 --> 00:05:12,324 I'm seeing from 139 00:05:12,629 --> 00:05:13,370 other vendors as well. 140 00:05:14,710 --> 00:05:16,790 And, you know, yes, the issues of AI 141 00:05:16,790 --> 00:05:16,949 are, 142 00:05:18,069 --> 00:05:20,069 you know, are are significant. We have to 143 00:05:20,069 --> 00:05:22,550 make sure, you know, patients understand. You know, 144 00:05:22,550 --> 00:05:25,290 AI is is something that is fearful, 145 00:05:26,069 --> 00:05:27,050 to some patients, 146 00:05:27,764 --> 00:05:30,485 but, you know, when explained by their physician, 147 00:05:30,485 --> 00:05:32,024 you know, when I walk in and tell 148 00:05:32,165 --> 00:05:34,165 a patient that I'm gonna be using this 149 00:05:34,165 --> 00:05:36,324 new technology that, you know, helps, you know, 150 00:05:36,324 --> 00:05:38,725 helps record our conversation, helps me write my 151 00:05:38,725 --> 00:05:40,824 notes, kind of explain how it 152 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:44,259 frees me up from that burdensome task, and 153 00:05:44,259 --> 00:05:46,019 and, you know, have more time to look 154 00:05:46,019 --> 00:05:47,000 them in the eye. 155 00:05:47,699 --> 00:05:49,560 The patient's almost universally, 156 00:05:50,660 --> 00:05:52,180 assent to to its use. So we, of 157 00:05:52,180 --> 00:05:53,480 course, you know, tell patients, 158 00:05:54,019 --> 00:05:55,000 what we're doing. 159 00:05:55,595 --> 00:05:57,694 And, you know, when explained by a physician, 160 00:05:58,074 --> 00:06:00,154 you know, they they're they trust the physician, 161 00:06:00,154 --> 00:06:01,595 and and they want, you know, they still 162 00:06:01,595 --> 00:06:04,095 want that human interaction. I'm not worried about, 163 00:06:04,394 --> 00:06:06,394 you know, AI taking my job, but I 164 00:06:06,394 --> 00:06:06,894 certainly, 165 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:08,500 want, 166 00:06:08,879 --> 00:06:10,500 you know, when I see my own physician, 167 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,399 I want them using AI because I want 168 00:06:12,399 --> 00:06:14,080 them I want, you know, them to be 169 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,420 relieved of the burden of doing things that, 170 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:18,740 you know, the computer can do. 171 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,040 But, you know, that doesn't mean that we 172 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:22,334 we we shouldn't approach it, 173 00:06:23,294 --> 00:06:23,794 safely. 174 00:06:24,175 --> 00:06:25,935 Providence has done a lot of work with 175 00:06:25,935 --> 00:06:28,274 our we have, you know, an AI guardrails 176 00:06:28,574 --> 00:06:31,694 committee to kind of evaluate new products or 177 00:06:31,694 --> 00:06:34,095 evaluate new uses of AI in the products 178 00:06:34,095 --> 00:06:36,170 we already own and make sure that they're 179 00:06:36,170 --> 00:06:36,670 safe, 180 00:06:37,370 --> 00:06:38,430 that there is definitely, 181 00:06:39,529 --> 00:06:41,529 you know, vendors out there who are throwing 182 00:06:41,529 --> 00:06:43,209 AI at everything, and we we do have 183 00:06:43,209 --> 00:06:44,509 to make sure that it's safe. 184 00:06:44,889 --> 00:06:46,509 The issues of, you know, the well, 185 00:06:47,449 --> 00:06:48,830 described issues of contabulation, 186 00:06:49,370 --> 00:06:50,509 etcetera, that 187 00:06:51,264 --> 00:06:53,025 that, you know, some of the large language 188 00:06:53,025 --> 00:06:54,004 models are, 189 00:06:54,464 --> 00:06:56,145 prone to. You know, we just have to 190 00:06:56,145 --> 00:06:57,185 make sure that, 191 00:06:58,305 --> 00:07:00,305 we're using them safely and and, you know, 192 00:07:00,305 --> 00:07:01,745 and that's what we're doing here at Providence, 193 00:07:01,745 --> 00:07:03,285 concentrating on areas where 194 00:07:03,629 --> 00:07:05,810 AI can reduce physician burden 195 00:07:06,189 --> 00:07:07,970 and take off those, you know, 196 00:07:08,430 --> 00:07:11,389 those kind of administrative tasks and other tasks 197 00:07:11,389 --> 00:07:13,730 like finding information, etcetera, 198 00:07:14,750 --> 00:07:17,069 but but leaving the the the clinical decision 199 00:07:17,069 --> 00:07:19,170 making to, the trained professionals. 200 00:07:20,214 --> 00:07:22,375 That's great to hear. You know? And, definitely, 201 00:07:22,375 --> 00:07:23,654 I appreciate that process, 202 00:07:23,975 --> 00:07:26,134 because being an early adopter yourself, it's so 203 00:07:26,134 --> 00:07:27,814 helpful for those who are just starting on 204 00:07:27,814 --> 00:07:30,935 that journey, to really make a difference. Now 205 00:07:30,935 --> 00:07:32,694 I'm wondering, where do you see some of 206 00:07:32,694 --> 00:07:34,535 the big growth opportunities for you and your 207 00:07:34,535 --> 00:07:36,209 teams over the next twelve months or 208 00:07:36,509 --> 00:07:38,669 so? Well, as I said, we're really excited 209 00:07:38,669 --> 00:07:39,949 to have been one of the, 210 00:07:40,509 --> 00:07:42,350 or or to be the biggest user of 211 00:07:42,350 --> 00:07:44,449 Ambient, in the world already. 212 00:07:44,990 --> 00:07:46,509 And what it can do right now is, 213 00:07:46,509 --> 00:07:48,669 you know, borderline magical. The fact that I 214 00:07:48,669 --> 00:07:50,610 don't you know, I can leave my clinic 215 00:07:50,925 --> 00:07:53,324 literally an hour earlier per day because my 216 00:07:53,324 --> 00:07:55,165 notes are already done for me. You know, 217 00:07:55,165 --> 00:07:58,044 that by itself is magical, but I think 218 00:07:58,044 --> 00:07:58,544 we're 219 00:07:59,084 --> 00:08:01,985 just scratching the surface of what's possible there. 220 00:08:02,524 --> 00:08:04,685 You know, besides relieving me of the burden 221 00:08:04,685 --> 00:08:06,544 of, of writing my notes, 222 00:08:07,270 --> 00:08:09,129 we haven't, you know, yet really 223 00:08:09,670 --> 00:08:11,910 done the work to integrate, you know, clinical 224 00:08:11,910 --> 00:08:15,129 decision support, coding support, information gathering, 225 00:08:15,670 --> 00:08:17,830 all things that would have been, you know, 226 00:08:17,830 --> 00:08:20,470 basically sci fi just, you know, two years 227 00:08:20,470 --> 00:08:22,495 ago, and now it it is going to 228 00:08:22,495 --> 00:08:24,115 happen. It's clear that it's gonna happen, 229 00:08:25,294 --> 00:08:27,714 as multiple vendors are working on this. 230 00:08:28,175 --> 00:08:29,454 You know, the idea that I can be 231 00:08:29,454 --> 00:08:30,354 having a conversation, 232 00:08:31,214 --> 00:08:33,214 an AI agent is listening to that in 233 00:08:33,214 --> 00:08:35,579 real time and able to, you know, search 234 00:08:35,579 --> 00:08:37,839 the chart in the background. So I'm discussing 235 00:08:37,899 --> 00:08:39,039 congestive heart failure 236 00:08:39,419 --> 00:08:42,159 that, the last, the patient's last echocardiogram 237 00:08:42,539 --> 00:08:44,139 could just, you know, appear on the screen 238 00:08:44,139 --> 00:08:45,740 for me without me having to go find 239 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:47,659 it, spending you know, have my nose in 240 00:08:47,659 --> 00:08:49,440 the computer looking for that information. 241 00:08:50,404 --> 00:08:53,125 The last, article on, you know, how to 242 00:08:53,125 --> 00:08:54,105 treat this patient's, 243 00:08:54,564 --> 00:08:55,625 particular condition, 244 00:08:56,164 --> 00:08:57,784 you know, could appear in the sidebar. 245 00:08:58,485 --> 00:09:00,504 And and when I'm done with my note, 246 00:09:01,044 --> 00:09:03,444 it could, you know, help me with, coding 247 00:09:03,444 --> 00:09:05,840 it, you know, doing the appropriate coding to 248 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:07,540 the to the maximum specificity. 249 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,100 All things that, you know, are, 250 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,860 easy for for AI agents to to do 251 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,019 if we can get all the pieces connected. 252 00:09:16,544 --> 00:09:18,464 And that's where I see the future going 253 00:09:18,464 --> 00:09:20,004 and and going quite quickly, 254 00:09:20,784 --> 00:09:21,524 as as, 255 00:09:21,904 --> 00:09:24,464 all of the AI vendors are working with 256 00:09:24,464 --> 00:09:27,024 other partners and knowledge bases to to make 257 00:09:27,024 --> 00:09:29,845 this happen. So I'm very excited about that. 258 00:09:30,019 --> 00:09:32,019 I'm also excited, as I said, of just 259 00:09:32,019 --> 00:09:35,059 other technologies we're investing in to relieve physician 260 00:09:35,059 --> 00:09:37,139 and APC burden. I mentioned, 261 00:09:37,460 --> 00:09:37,960 earlier, 262 00:09:38,659 --> 00:09:39,379 we're using, 263 00:09:40,179 --> 00:09:43,639 AI to, you know, basically read every incoming, 264 00:09:44,024 --> 00:09:46,845 you know, MyChart advice request and help categorize 265 00:09:46,904 --> 00:09:49,165 that so that the appropriate people, 266 00:09:49,945 --> 00:09:52,345 can answer the questions first. So for instance, 267 00:09:52,345 --> 00:09:54,605 say, you know, in in the old days, 268 00:09:54,745 --> 00:09:57,065 every message had to go to my medical 269 00:09:57,065 --> 00:09:57,565 assistant 270 00:09:58,059 --> 00:10:01,279 and to be read and, you know, distributed 271 00:10:01,580 --> 00:10:02,960 as, as appropriate. 272 00:10:03,340 --> 00:10:05,420 Now the AI can, you know, label a 273 00:10:05,420 --> 00:10:06,639 message that's about, 274 00:10:07,180 --> 00:10:09,420 referrals, and maybe our referral team could take 275 00:10:09,420 --> 00:10:10,480 a look at that first, 276 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:13,680 freeing up the clinical team to focus on, 277 00:10:13,875 --> 00:10:16,754 you know, messages that are categorized as, having 278 00:10:16,754 --> 00:10:17,414 a symptom. 279 00:10:17,715 --> 00:10:19,634 So symptom messages come to us, 280 00:10:20,434 --> 00:10:23,575 first and our our MAs, our medical assistants 281 00:10:23,794 --> 00:10:25,554 look at those or our nursing teams look 282 00:10:25,554 --> 00:10:26,134 at those. 283 00:10:26,750 --> 00:10:28,350 We have a lot of great examples of 284 00:10:28,350 --> 00:10:28,850 patients, 285 00:10:29,309 --> 00:10:31,149 even though we tell people not to, you 286 00:10:31,149 --> 00:10:33,730 know, message us with urgent medical concerns, 287 00:10:34,750 --> 00:10:36,529 but sometimes they still do. 288 00:10:36,909 --> 00:10:39,070 People having either a mental health crisis or 289 00:10:39,070 --> 00:10:41,149 a concerning medical condition, and they send us 290 00:10:41,149 --> 00:10:41,730 a message. 291 00:10:42,164 --> 00:10:44,245 And, we're able to get them in, you 292 00:10:44,245 --> 00:10:46,404 know, many cases, same day. Whereas in the 293 00:10:46,404 --> 00:10:48,745 old days, you know, first in, first out 294 00:10:48,884 --> 00:10:50,105 processing of messages, 295 00:10:50,644 --> 00:10:52,565 we wouldn't have gotten to those messages for 296 00:10:52,565 --> 00:10:53,625 a couple of days. 297 00:10:54,084 --> 00:10:56,404 Instead, those patients are being seen the same 298 00:10:56,404 --> 00:10:59,250 day as as, we can. So, I think 299 00:10:59,250 --> 00:11:01,009 the future is bright for all of this. 300 00:11:01,009 --> 00:11:02,610 There's a lot of work still to be 301 00:11:02,610 --> 00:11:03,590 done in this space, 302 00:11:03,970 --> 00:11:04,370 and, 303 00:11:05,090 --> 00:11:06,529 you know, we're looking forward to the next 304 00:11:06,529 --> 00:11:07,029 year. 305 00:11:07,809 --> 00:11:09,889 Absolutely. It sound like there's just some really 306 00:11:09,889 --> 00:11:12,225 great opportunities there to boost not only the 307 00:11:12,225 --> 00:11:14,784 clinical workflow flows but outcomes for patients, which 308 00:11:14,784 --> 00:11:15,524 is amazing, 309 00:11:16,144 --> 00:11:18,065 to hear. And really cool, as you mentioned 310 00:11:18,065 --> 00:11:19,284 too, to have the ability 311 00:11:19,585 --> 00:11:20,884 of upcoming potentially, 312 00:11:21,745 --> 00:11:23,745 to really have that AI agent, that are 313 00:11:23,745 --> 00:11:25,924 working for you as on the clinical side. 314 00:11:26,669 --> 00:11:28,429 I know, you know, really cool things we've 315 00:11:28,429 --> 00:11:30,269 talked about so far, but there are also 316 00:11:30,269 --> 00:11:32,350 challenges. What are some of those challenges that 317 00:11:32,350 --> 00:11:33,090 you're anticipating? 318 00:11:34,350 --> 00:11:35,730 So, you know, first off, 319 00:11:36,269 --> 00:11:37,889 you you know, I work for an organization 320 00:11:38,110 --> 00:11:40,934 that has been really future forward at making 321 00:11:40,934 --> 00:11:43,415 investments in things like AI to, you know, 322 00:11:43,415 --> 00:11:45,754 reduce, position and APC burden. 323 00:11:46,615 --> 00:11:48,695 But, you know, you can't get away from 324 00:11:48,695 --> 00:11:50,934 the the current health care environment that is 325 00:11:50,934 --> 00:11:51,415 tough, 326 00:11:51,815 --> 00:11:53,434 particularly for large nonprofits. 327 00:11:53,909 --> 00:11:54,409 The, 328 00:11:55,110 --> 00:11:57,829 you know, budgets are are tight, or or 329 00:11:57,829 --> 00:11:58,730 more than tight. 330 00:11:59,429 --> 00:12:02,149 You know, the current, political environment, we don't 331 00:12:02,230 --> 00:12:05,029 there's a lot of uncertainty of what, you 332 00:12:05,029 --> 00:12:06,629 know, is going to happen and how that 333 00:12:06,629 --> 00:12:08,569 will affect systems like Providence. 334 00:12:09,394 --> 00:12:11,795 You know, the the situation with telehealth is, 335 00:12:12,595 --> 00:12:15,075 is is a great example that, you know, 336 00:12:15,075 --> 00:12:16,355 we currently only have, 337 00:12:17,154 --> 00:12:17,654 telehealth 338 00:12:18,035 --> 00:12:21,175 approved through Medicare for the next, several weeks. 339 00:12:22,039 --> 00:12:24,279 And while there's, you know, bipartisan support for 340 00:12:24,279 --> 00:12:25,879 that, we don't, you know, we don't know. 341 00:12:25,879 --> 00:12:27,159 And so we have to kind of both 342 00:12:27,159 --> 00:12:30,039 prepare for a world where that doesn't, get 343 00:12:30,039 --> 00:12:32,220 approved and for a world where it might, 344 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,679 or where where something might change. So, you 345 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,519 know, the need to focus on things like 346 00:12:36,519 --> 00:12:37,019 that, 347 00:12:37,455 --> 00:12:39,055 distract from some of the things I've just 348 00:12:39,055 --> 00:12:41,394 mentioned about our investments in AI, etcetera. 349 00:12:42,575 --> 00:12:44,035 There's a continued crisis 350 00:12:44,735 --> 00:12:46,754 in physician and APC burnout, 351 00:12:47,455 --> 00:12:48,195 in doctors 352 00:12:49,215 --> 00:12:50,754 reducing their FTE 353 00:12:51,295 --> 00:12:52,915 or leaving practice entirely. 354 00:12:53,350 --> 00:12:55,750 It's been one of the, you know, most 355 00:12:55,750 --> 00:12:58,490 rewarding aspects of working on things like Ambient. 356 00:12:59,110 --> 00:13:00,710 You know, to hear physicians tell me, you 357 00:13:00,710 --> 00:13:02,389 know, hey. I was I was thinking about 358 00:13:02,389 --> 00:13:03,610 reducing my FTE, 359 00:13:04,230 --> 00:13:05,830 you know, going down from a a full 360 00:13:05,830 --> 00:13:07,350 time to a point eight or a point 361 00:13:07,350 --> 00:13:09,024 five because I just couldn't keep up. I 362 00:13:09,024 --> 00:13:10,565 could never get home to dinner. 363 00:13:11,185 --> 00:13:13,105 You know, and now with this technology, I 364 00:13:13,105 --> 00:13:14,384 don't need to do that. I can stay 365 00:13:14,384 --> 00:13:16,325 in practice. I can maintain access, 366 00:13:17,425 --> 00:13:17,925 to 367 00:13:18,705 --> 00:13:19,764 a primary care, 368 00:13:20,079 --> 00:13:22,019 you know, physician in my community 369 00:13:22,399 --> 00:13:24,000 because I don't need to reduce my my 370 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,399 time in clinic because this technology is taking 371 00:13:26,399 --> 00:13:28,879 the burden of that nonclinical time off of 372 00:13:28,879 --> 00:13:29,379 me. 373 00:13:29,919 --> 00:13:31,679 You know? And then these things are gonna 374 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:33,839 require all require a change in culture, which 375 00:13:33,839 --> 00:13:35,575 is certainly tough. 376 00:13:36,295 --> 00:13:37,355 You know, a lot of, 377 00:13:38,375 --> 00:13:38,875 implementation 378 00:13:39,415 --> 00:13:41,654 of AI isn't just gonna be a matter 379 00:13:41,654 --> 00:13:44,295 of, can we throw a technology out there 380 00:13:44,295 --> 00:13:45,754 to to solve our problems? 381 00:13:46,695 --> 00:13:47,735 We really have to, 382 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,100 partner with our operational leaders and and physicians 383 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,639 and and clinics to to make these things 384 00:13:54,639 --> 00:13:56,580 work. I mentioned our, 385 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:57,940 our technology, 386 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,959 that we call Prevaria that, which just stands 387 00:14:00,959 --> 00:14:03,700 for automated real time in basket assistant. 388 00:14:04,384 --> 00:14:06,485 It does a wonderful job of helping categorize 389 00:14:06,625 --> 00:14:09,445 messages and suggest workflows. But if you just, 390 00:14:09,585 --> 00:14:11,264 you know, then shove the all of those 391 00:14:11,264 --> 00:14:13,825 messages to the same overworked MA who's trying 392 00:14:13,825 --> 00:14:14,485 to answer, 393 00:14:15,345 --> 00:14:18,245 messages in between rooming patients for their physician, 394 00:14:18,899 --> 00:14:20,579 it doesn't it's not gonna help. It's only 395 00:14:20,579 --> 00:14:22,579 gonna help if we kind of partner with 396 00:14:22,579 --> 00:14:23,079 operations 397 00:14:23,860 --> 00:14:26,419 and and think through how we process these 398 00:14:26,419 --> 00:14:27,799 messages as a big system 399 00:14:28,179 --> 00:14:30,440 and and take work off of that overworked 400 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:33,539 MA and by by, you know, changing how 401 00:14:33,539 --> 00:14:35,595 we do things. And, you know, Providence is 402 00:14:35,595 --> 00:14:38,235 a is a large, extremely complex organization. We, 403 00:14:38,235 --> 00:14:40,794 you know, we have everything from large clinics 404 00:14:40,794 --> 00:14:43,915 in places like LA, Seattle, and Providence to, 405 00:14:43,915 --> 00:14:46,715 you know, single doctor practices who who've worked 406 00:14:46,715 --> 00:14:48,960 with the same medical assistant for years and 407 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,120 and don't want, us to make changes. And 408 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:51,840 we have to, 409 00:14:52,559 --> 00:14:54,559 we have to work through the situation in 410 00:14:54,559 --> 00:14:55,940 both of those kind of environments. 411 00:14:56,879 --> 00:14:58,559 That makes sense. You know, and it seems 412 00:14:58,559 --> 00:14:59,620 like a really powerful, 413 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,414 message in terms of, you know, how you're 414 00:15:02,414 --> 00:15:04,735 able to keep clinicians on longer because of 415 00:15:04,735 --> 00:15:06,034 the technology or, 416 00:15:06,414 --> 00:15:09,134 really improve their quality of life. But as 417 00:15:09,134 --> 00:15:11,134 you mentioned, you know, having to go through 418 00:15:11,134 --> 00:15:12,195 that change management 419 00:15:12,575 --> 00:15:13,714 isn't always easy, 420 00:15:14,254 --> 00:15:15,475 from the people perspective. 421 00:15:16,110 --> 00:15:18,110 Is there anything that you found over time 422 00:15:18,110 --> 00:15:19,230 that's worked well, 423 00:15:19,870 --> 00:15:22,370 to help people through that change or especially 424 00:15:23,389 --> 00:15:25,549 times like today when there's a rapid change 425 00:15:25,549 --> 00:15:27,950 happening and uncertainty in the field? How do 426 00:15:27,950 --> 00:15:30,269 you really prepare your teams to continue to 427 00:15:30,269 --> 00:15:33,154 provide great patient care, but also, move them 428 00:15:33,154 --> 00:15:35,014 forward on that adoption cycle? 429 00:15:36,115 --> 00:15:38,134 Yeah. We we really have to, 430 00:15:38,595 --> 00:15:40,835 you know, do the hard work of meeting 431 00:15:40,835 --> 00:15:43,394 with clinicians where they are and, you know, 432 00:15:43,394 --> 00:15:45,815 explaining how the technology is gonna be beneficial 433 00:15:45,955 --> 00:15:48,230 to them. Even things like, 434 00:15:48,570 --> 00:15:49,550 Ambient, which, 435 00:15:50,250 --> 00:15:53,450 you know, many doctors regard as magical. If 436 00:15:53,450 --> 00:15:55,450 it if I just send the doctor an 437 00:15:55,450 --> 00:15:57,870 email about it, they're not gonna sign up. 438 00:15:58,410 --> 00:16:00,570 You know, I I lead the informatics teams 439 00:16:00,570 --> 00:16:02,434 here at the Providence Clinical Network that, you 440 00:16:02,434 --> 00:16:04,514 know, can, you know, get out teams of 441 00:16:04,514 --> 00:16:06,914 both physicians and and other informaticists who can 442 00:16:06,914 --> 00:16:09,174 get out to the clinics, elbow to elbow, 443 00:16:09,315 --> 00:16:10,914 and and, you know, kind of explain the 444 00:16:10,914 --> 00:16:11,574 the benefit. 445 00:16:12,434 --> 00:16:15,074 You know, we can coordinate having, you know, 446 00:16:15,074 --> 00:16:17,334 doctors tell other doctors about it. 447 00:16:17,740 --> 00:16:18,860 What's really helped us take off, 448 00:16:20,860 --> 00:16:22,080 you know, recently 449 00:16:22,460 --> 00:16:24,620 is that as as we've reached the scale 450 00:16:24,620 --> 00:16:25,759 we have with Ambient, 451 00:16:26,220 --> 00:16:28,220 physicians are able to see that, you know, 452 00:16:28,220 --> 00:16:28,720 older 453 00:16:29,180 --> 00:16:31,580 physician in their own community using it. People 454 00:16:31,580 --> 00:16:33,434 that they thought would have been holdouts start 455 00:16:33,434 --> 00:16:35,115 to use it. And when when they hear 456 00:16:35,115 --> 00:16:36,014 from that guy, 457 00:16:36,394 --> 00:16:38,315 they're willing to give it a try. Whereas, 458 00:16:38,554 --> 00:16:40,075 if they just hear from the, you know, 459 00:16:40,075 --> 00:16:42,315 the doctor nerds like myself who say this 460 00:16:42,315 --> 00:16:44,634 technology is cool, you know, they're they're they 461 00:16:44,715 --> 00:16:47,054 they're more likely to tune it out. But, 462 00:16:47,629 --> 00:16:49,230 you know, really putting in that time to 463 00:16:49,230 --> 00:16:52,269 get to individual clinic meetings, you know, primary 464 00:16:52,269 --> 00:16:55,230 care section meetings, etcetera, and explain how the 465 00:16:55,230 --> 00:16:55,730 technologies 466 00:16:56,190 --> 00:16:58,289 are going to benefit them. 467 00:16:59,389 --> 00:17:01,230 And when when you do that, you put 468 00:17:01,230 --> 00:17:02,289 in that kind of work, 469 00:17:02,725 --> 00:17:04,505 we're able to to make gains. 470 00:17:05,525 --> 00:17:07,704 Got it. That's helpful to hear and understand, 471 00:17:07,924 --> 00:17:10,105 really what that process looks like for you. 472 00:17:10,244 --> 00:17:12,404 Now I'm curious before we wrap up here, 473 00:17:12,404 --> 00:17:14,244 what's the number one thing that you're doing 474 00:17:14,244 --> 00:17:15,305 right now to 475 00:17:16,130 --> 00:17:18,369 make sure that Providence Clinical Network is set 476 00:17:18,369 --> 00:17:19,750 up for long term success? 477 00:17:21,250 --> 00:17:23,329 So, you know, we mentioned the headwinds and 478 00:17:23,329 --> 00:17:25,509 it it's going to be difficult to, 479 00:17:26,289 --> 00:17:27,345 you know, to to 480 00:17:28,304 --> 00:17:31,345 make the appropriate investments in this tough budget 481 00:17:31,345 --> 00:17:34,724 environment, but Providence knows that it must. 482 00:17:35,345 --> 00:17:37,605 You know, our new, CEO, Eric Wexler, 483 00:17:37,904 --> 00:17:40,944 is is has set up what he's, calling 484 00:17:40,944 --> 00:17:42,164 the office of transformation. 485 00:17:42,890 --> 00:17:45,370 And that's really you know, its prime goal 486 00:17:45,370 --> 00:17:48,029 is concentrating on technologies that reduce 487 00:17:48,730 --> 00:17:50,509 physician and APC burden, 488 00:17:50,970 --> 00:17:52,430 things like documentation 489 00:17:52,970 --> 00:17:55,789 and, you know, offline messaging, etcetera. 490 00:17:56,570 --> 00:17:57,950 We're making those investments, 491 00:17:58,924 --> 00:18:01,644 so that we can responsibly use AI to 492 00:18:01,644 --> 00:18:03,825 reduce burden in our organization because, 493 00:18:04,125 --> 00:18:05,724 you know, we have to. These are this 494 00:18:05,724 --> 00:18:08,125 is the future. It's what everybody's going to 495 00:18:08,125 --> 00:18:08,785 be doing. 496 00:18:09,404 --> 00:18:11,769 And, you know, and even though it's tough 497 00:18:11,769 --> 00:18:12,829 to make those investments, 498 00:18:13,849 --> 00:18:16,170 the it's essential for the future. You can't 499 00:18:16,170 --> 00:18:17,950 just keep doing things the old way, 500 00:18:18,650 --> 00:18:20,730 and and because there's just not enough of 501 00:18:20,730 --> 00:18:22,650 us, there's not enough physicians, there's not enough 502 00:18:22,650 --> 00:18:24,829 support staff to to to meet the burden. 503 00:18:25,375 --> 00:18:27,794 We need these technologies and we're 504 00:18:28,174 --> 00:18:30,355 focusing on appropriate investments, 505 00:18:30,654 --> 00:18:33,714 safe investments that allows physicians to be physicians, 506 00:18:34,575 --> 00:18:37,214 because, you know, patients don't wanna be treated 507 00:18:37,214 --> 00:18:38,434 by an AI, but 508 00:18:38,940 --> 00:18:41,019 at least I, as a patient, absolutely wanna 509 00:18:41,019 --> 00:18:42,240 be treated by a physician, 510 00:18:42,940 --> 00:18:45,179 who has, you know, AI as their as 511 00:18:45,179 --> 00:18:47,599 their, you know, as their sidekick, their copilot 512 00:18:47,659 --> 00:18:48,480 to help them, 513 00:18:49,099 --> 00:18:51,179 you know, make clinical decisions because there's there's 514 00:18:51,179 --> 00:18:53,039 too much medical information out there. 515 00:18:53,644 --> 00:18:55,325 You know, we we have a saying here 516 00:18:55,325 --> 00:18:57,884 at Providence that, you know, our promise is 517 00:18:57,884 --> 00:18:58,784 to to 518 00:18:59,085 --> 00:19:01,164 answer the call of every patient to know 519 00:19:01,164 --> 00:19:03,884 me, care for me, ease my way. And 520 00:19:03,884 --> 00:19:06,765 I think AI absolutely helps us do all 521 00:19:06,765 --> 00:19:08,865 of those things and and do it safely. 522 00:19:09,779 --> 00:19:11,620 I love that. Doctor Smitherman, thank you so 523 00:19:11,620 --> 00:19:13,220 much for joining us on the podcast today. 524 00:19:13,220 --> 00:19:15,140 This has been a very inspiring and fun 525 00:19:15,140 --> 00:19:16,820 conversation, and I look forward to connecting with 526 00:19:16,820 --> 00:19:17,799 you again soon. 527 00:19:18,259 --> 00:19:19,960 Absolutely. Thank you very much.