1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:02,899 At athenahealth, 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,480 we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier, a 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,779 healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier patients. 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,480 But the complexities of modern health care tech 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:14,240 make it hard for you and your care 6 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:15,855 teams to focus on what matters 7 00:00:16,414 --> 00:00:19,295 most? That's where athenahealth can help. Our AI 8 00:00:19,295 --> 00:00:22,594 native all in one solutions reduce administrative burdens, 9 00:00:22,974 --> 00:00:25,875 streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights 10 00:00:25,934 --> 00:00:28,734 when clinicians need it most. That means fewer 11 00:00:28,734 --> 00:00:31,614 clicks, more time for patients, and stronger bottom 12 00:00:31,614 --> 00:00:31,829 lines. 13 00:00:32,710 --> 00:00:35,989 Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice 14 00:00:35,989 --> 00:00:37,850 can be that much simpler with athenahealth. 15 00:00:38,549 --> 00:00:42,170 See how simpler is healthier at athenahealth.com. 16 00:00:43,925 --> 00:00:46,164 This is Laura Dierdo with the Becker's Healthcare 17 00:00:46,164 --> 00:00:48,405 podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by 18 00:00:48,405 --> 00:00:51,445 doctor Ryan Cameron, vice president of technology and 19 00:00:51,445 --> 00:00:54,245 innovation at Childress Nebraska. Ryan, it's a pleasure 20 00:00:54,245 --> 00:00:56,085 to have you on the podcast today. Thanks 21 00:00:56,085 --> 00:00:57,939 so much for having me. Now I'm looking 22 00:00:57,939 --> 00:01:00,100 forward to our conversation because I know technology 23 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:02,179 is moving so quickly, and it's certainly a 24 00:01:02,179 --> 00:01:04,340 unique time to be in health care, and 25 00:01:04,340 --> 00:01:05,700 just really special to see some of the 26 00:01:05,700 --> 00:01:08,019 cool things you're doing at Children's Nebraska. So 27 00:01:08,019 --> 00:01:09,939 I'm looking forward to diving in. But before 28 00:01:09,939 --> 00:01:11,619 we do, can you introduce yourself and tell 29 00:01:11,619 --> 00:01:13,275 us just a little bit about your background? 30 00:01:13,995 --> 00:01:16,715 I'd be happy to. So I'm Ryan Cameron, 31 00:01:16,715 --> 00:01:19,534 VP of technology and innovation at Children's Nebraska. 32 00:01:20,314 --> 00:01:23,034 We are the only full service pediatric hospital 33 00:01:23,034 --> 00:01:25,115 in the state. We have more than 50 34 00:01:25,115 --> 00:01:25,615 specialties, 35 00:01:26,479 --> 00:01:28,319 and we even provide care at some of 36 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,439 our neighboring states as well. So, very busy 37 00:01:31,439 --> 00:01:31,939 place. 38 00:01:32,479 --> 00:01:33,859 My background spans, 39 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,420 a little bit of a unique background. 40 00:01:36,799 --> 00:01:38,560 Health care is relatively new to me. I've 41 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,579 been in health care for about four years. 42 00:01:40,935 --> 00:01:42,394 But previous to that, 43 00:01:42,694 --> 00:01:44,474 worked for some AI startups, 44 00:01:44,935 --> 00:01:47,194 and I also worked in higher education 45 00:01:47,894 --> 00:01:49,754 on creating business incubators, 46 00:01:50,135 --> 00:01:51,674 accelerators, think tanks, 47 00:01:52,454 --> 00:01:53,515 really cool organizations 48 00:01:53,814 --> 00:01:55,680 that focus on technology transfer, 49 00:01:56,319 --> 00:01:57,379 intellectual property, 50 00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:59,680 and how to kind of advance things from 51 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:00,420 an idea 52 00:02:00,799 --> 00:02:03,439 to something that's very actionable. So I've spent 53 00:02:03,439 --> 00:02:04,900 really the last few years 54 00:02:05,359 --> 00:02:08,240 being focused on building things that are not 55 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:09,060 only scalable, 56 00:02:09,764 --> 00:02:11,924 but very empathy driven. And I I feel 57 00:02:11,924 --> 00:02:14,245 really strongly about having the balance of those 58 00:02:14,245 --> 00:02:14,985 two things, 59 00:02:15,844 --> 00:02:18,245 in mission driven organizations helps you be really 60 00:02:18,245 --> 00:02:18,745 successful. 61 00:02:19,844 --> 00:02:21,944 That's great to hear. And, you know, certainly 62 00:02:22,245 --> 00:02:24,770 important to have that mission in mind and 63 00:02:24,770 --> 00:02:27,090 focus on the patients and everything you do 64 00:02:27,090 --> 00:02:29,409 on the technology side and more. So when 65 00:02:29,409 --> 00:02:31,010 you think about where you're at today, what 66 00:02:31,010 --> 00:02:33,169 are some of the opportunities and headwinds that 67 00:02:33,169 --> 00:02:34,629 you have your eye on right now? 68 00:02:35,250 --> 00:02:35,889 You know, 69 00:02:36,370 --> 00:02:37,110 they're plentiful. 70 00:02:37,605 --> 00:02:40,805 It's it's a really interesting time to be 71 00:02:40,805 --> 00:02:42,905 in health care and in particular, pediatrics. 72 00:02:44,004 --> 00:02:46,504 We're starting to see an uptick 73 00:02:46,805 --> 00:02:48,504 in how many startups 74 00:02:48,965 --> 00:02:50,825 are really focusing on pediatrics, 75 00:02:51,284 --> 00:02:52,504 which is super important. 76 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:53,860 Historically, 77 00:02:54,239 --> 00:02:57,680 less than 2% of venture capital dollars and 78 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,300 healthcare startups alike 79 00:02:59,759 --> 00:03:02,959 are focused on pediatrics, but more than 22% 80 00:03:02,959 --> 00:03:05,120 of the patient population in The US depends 81 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:06,254 on pediatric care. 82 00:03:06,655 --> 00:03:08,974 So it's it's really needed to see this 83 00:03:08,974 --> 00:03:11,314 tremendous uptick in activity and innovation 84 00:03:11,775 --> 00:03:12,254 and, 85 00:03:12,575 --> 00:03:13,395 new startups. 86 00:03:13,775 --> 00:03:15,694 You know, one major opportunity that a lot 87 00:03:15,694 --> 00:03:18,270 of people are watching, certainly we're watching it, 88 00:03:18,590 --> 00:03:22,510 is this whole notion of agentic AI and 89 00:03:22,510 --> 00:03:24,510 and what that can do in the health 90 00:03:24,510 --> 00:03:25,969 care space. It's kind of 91 00:03:26,270 --> 00:03:27,010 a a perfect, 92 00:03:28,189 --> 00:03:30,129 maturity pathway for AI, 93 00:03:30,510 --> 00:03:32,270 and I think that's where we're really gonna 94 00:03:32,270 --> 00:03:33,650 start to see both clinical 95 00:03:34,215 --> 00:03:37,115 and operational value. And and we're deeply exploring 96 00:03:37,175 --> 00:03:39,735 how those agents can do things like reduce 97 00:03:39,735 --> 00:03:41,915 administrative burden, improve access, 98 00:03:42,295 --> 00:03:44,795 and ultimately that, you know, leans into affordability 99 00:03:44,935 --> 00:03:46,474 and accessibility of care. 100 00:03:46,790 --> 00:03:49,189 Certainly, with the changes that are going on 101 00:03:49,189 --> 00:03:49,590 with, 102 00:03:50,069 --> 00:03:51,210 Medicaid eligibility 103 00:03:51,590 --> 00:03:52,090 requirements, 104 00:03:53,030 --> 00:03:54,090 we're anticipating 105 00:03:54,710 --> 00:03:55,370 an increased 106 00:03:55,750 --> 00:03:57,129 volume of of workload. 107 00:03:57,909 --> 00:04:00,469 Moving from a an annual requirement to a 108 00:04:00,469 --> 00:04:01,530 six month requirement 109 00:04:02,085 --> 00:04:03,525 is a is a bit of a a 110 00:04:03,525 --> 00:04:04,025 stressor 111 00:04:04,405 --> 00:04:07,145 on on us and certainly other hospitals. 112 00:04:07,604 --> 00:04:10,504 So we're actually bootstrapping our our own solution. 113 00:04:11,205 --> 00:04:13,444 We're calling it Hey Medicaid, and it is 114 00:04:13,444 --> 00:04:14,905 a agentic AI 115 00:04:16,879 --> 00:04:18,480 platform to really help our patients navigate that 116 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:18,980 process. 117 00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:23,279 And, we're really excited about, deeply exploring what 118 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:24,980 else agentic AI can do. 119 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,439 That's amazing to hear. And it seems like 120 00:04:27,439 --> 00:04:28,160 a truly, 121 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,514 unique innovation, but beneficial one for the community 122 00:04:31,514 --> 00:04:33,055 as well as for the health system. 123 00:04:33,514 --> 00:04:35,355 How did you go about putting that together 124 00:04:35,355 --> 00:04:38,334 and, you know, bootstrapping that platform, 125 00:04:39,355 --> 00:04:41,435 in order to make a difference for the 126 00:04:41,435 --> 00:04:42,415 broader community? 127 00:04:43,370 --> 00:04:46,349 Yeah. It's, you know, bootstrapping is not easy. 128 00:04:46,889 --> 00:04:47,949 It it's tough. 129 00:04:48,250 --> 00:04:50,649 A lot of hospitals are are configured and 130 00:04:50,649 --> 00:04:51,389 set up 131 00:04:51,689 --> 00:04:55,050 in a very particular way. We're well tooled 132 00:04:55,050 --> 00:04:57,709 for for research. We're well tooled for 133 00:04:58,064 --> 00:04:58,805 really understanding, 134 00:04:59,585 --> 00:05:01,025 how to care for our patients end to 135 00:05:01,025 --> 00:05:01,525 end, 136 00:05:01,985 --> 00:05:03,285 from admit to discharge, 137 00:05:03,585 --> 00:05:04,085 education, 138 00:05:04,705 --> 00:05:07,525 everything in between. We we have those mechanisms, 139 00:05:07,904 --> 00:05:09,990 and we've been really good at those. 140 00:05:10,629 --> 00:05:12,550 The United States, we have a fantastic health 141 00:05:12,550 --> 00:05:13,990 care system, and there's a there's a lot 142 00:05:13,990 --> 00:05:14,889 to be proud of. 143 00:05:15,669 --> 00:05:17,849 Hospitals aren't really tooled 144 00:05:18,149 --> 00:05:18,649 to 145 00:05:19,189 --> 00:05:20,569 to fire up start ups. 146 00:05:21,110 --> 00:05:23,370 They're even from a staffing perspective, 147 00:05:23,990 --> 00:05:26,694 you know, we have integrators and experts, but 148 00:05:26,694 --> 00:05:27,754 not a lot of developers. 149 00:05:28,455 --> 00:05:29,995 So the the game changer 150 00:05:30,295 --> 00:05:33,495 nowadays is that really with platforms that that 151 00:05:33,495 --> 00:05:36,214 either are agentic AI platforms or or just 152 00:05:36,214 --> 00:05:38,375 kind of the the prompt based ones that 153 00:05:38,375 --> 00:05:40,875 many people are now familiar with is 154 00:05:41,399 --> 00:05:42,540 everybody's a developer. 155 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:43,740 And, 156 00:05:44,439 --> 00:05:45,980 I'd love the notion 157 00:05:46,439 --> 00:05:49,660 of every doctor, every nurse, every provider 158 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,620 having these incredible tools at their their fingertips. 159 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:54,839 But I also kind of, you know, as 160 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:56,519 a CIO, I'm gonna lose a little bit 161 00:05:56,519 --> 00:05:57,134 of sleep 162 00:05:57,615 --> 00:05:58,115 because 163 00:05:58,574 --> 00:06:00,095 when you have that much power and you're 164 00:06:00,095 --> 00:06:01,235 developing software, 165 00:06:02,254 --> 00:06:03,694 you know, there there can be a risk 166 00:06:03,694 --> 00:06:05,555 of not doing it well, 167 00:06:06,254 --> 00:06:08,194 the notion of of vibe coding. 168 00:06:08,654 --> 00:06:09,795 So with HeyMedicaid, 169 00:06:10,410 --> 00:06:12,009 a couple of things happened. The the first 170 00:06:12,009 --> 00:06:13,850 thing that happened is, you know, we're paying 171 00:06:13,850 --> 00:06:16,189 attention to what our our patients are saying. 172 00:06:16,649 --> 00:06:18,990 We and our peers are are very involved 173 00:06:19,370 --> 00:06:21,709 in being advocates for pediatrics 174 00:06:22,694 --> 00:06:25,014 and, just kind of understanding the landscape and 175 00:06:25,014 --> 00:06:26,854 what we need to do to provide accessible 176 00:06:26,854 --> 00:06:28,074 and affordable care. 177 00:06:28,534 --> 00:06:30,954 You know, Medicaid is is central to that. 178 00:06:31,094 --> 00:06:33,354 So understanding that those changes are coming, 179 00:06:33,735 --> 00:06:36,634 we recognize that we needed a new way 180 00:06:36,694 --> 00:06:37,560 to help patients 181 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:38,540 navigate 182 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:40,779 signing up and and doing eligibility. 183 00:06:41,399 --> 00:06:42,919 And some of those things, you know, we 184 00:06:42,919 --> 00:06:44,360 can be helpful with, and some of those 185 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,600 things, it it's really just about us to 186 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,379 to be good educators and, 187 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,745 provide information and wayfinding. So we built the 188 00:06:51,745 --> 00:06:53,985 platform from that understanding, and, 189 00:06:54,785 --> 00:06:57,105 what's incredible about it is this notion of 190 00:06:57,105 --> 00:06:59,444 rapid development. So we partnered, 191 00:06:59,985 --> 00:07:02,564 with some experts in Agentic AI, 192 00:07:02,944 --> 00:07:05,540 and we've formed our own company. It's it's 193 00:07:05,540 --> 00:07:07,220 kind of a new thing for us. 194 00:07:07,699 --> 00:07:10,580 We've spent seventy six years as a as 195 00:07:10,580 --> 00:07:12,439 a notable not for profit enterprise, 196 00:07:12,980 --> 00:07:14,199 and now we have, 197 00:07:14,660 --> 00:07:15,319 an LLC 198 00:07:15,875 --> 00:07:16,935 that's called BrightFoundry, 199 00:07:17,314 --> 00:07:19,715 and we're starting to really do more joint 200 00:07:19,715 --> 00:07:21,254 ventures, IP transfer, 201 00:07:21,795 --> 00:07:24,275 and really going down this pathway to be 202 00:07:24,275 --> 00:07:25,175 more entrepreneurial, 203 00:07:26,115 --> 00:07:28,835 and, we can kind of self sustain our 204 00:07:28,835 --> 00:07:31,735 innovation program. You know, we we recognize that 205 00:07:31,930 --> 00:07:32,430 philanthropy, 206 00:07:32,970 --> 00:07:35,610 while it's critical and important to what we 207 00:07:35,610 --> 00:07:36,110 do, 208 00:07:36,490 --> 00:07:38,110 it can't be the only answer. 209 00:07:38,810 --> 00:07:40,909 We have to, as as a hospital, 210 00:07:41,289 --> 00:07:43,610 find new and unique ways to make sure 211 00:07:43,610 --> 00:07:45,769 that, you know, the stewardship of the dollars 212 00:07:45,769 --> 00:07:46,829 that we have available 213 00:07:47,544 --> 00:07:49,564 is not only great, but exceptional. 214 00:07:50,104 --> 00:07:52,104 If if we execute on that and we 215 00:07:52,104 --> 00:07:54,584 protect our margin, we can do more with 216 00:07:54,584 --> 00:07:57,064 our mission, and, really, hey. Medicaid comes from 217 00:07:57,064 --> 00:07:57,564 that. 218 00:07:58,264 --> 00:07:59,944 Got it. That's interesting to know, and and 219 00:07:59,944 --> 00:08:01,384 thank you so much for digging a bit 220 00:08:01,384 --> 00:08:02,129 deeper there. 221 00:08:02,610 --> 00:08:04,610 Now looking ahead, how are you thinking about 222 00:08:04,610 --> 00:08:06,689 growth and adding value to the health system 223 00:08:06,689 --> 00:08:07,189 overall? 224 00:08:08,290 --> 00:08:09,889 You know, I I was talking about this 225 00:08:09,889 --> 00:08:12,790 a little bit earlier. I I feel like 226 00:08:13,250 --> 00:08:15,250 a lot of the problems in health care 227 00:08:15,250 --> 00:08:16,949 come from this notion that 228 00:08:17,535 --> 00:08:19,795 we want scale without empathy. 229 00:08:20,495 --> 00:08:20,975 And, 230 00:08:21,535 --> 00:08:23,615 growth really for us is is not just 231 00:08:23,615 --> 00:08:26,574 about scale. You know, we've seen a lot 232 00:08:26,574 --> 00:08:28,514 of people move into Nebraska 233 00:08:28,895 --> 00:08:30,870 in the last five years. We've seen a 234 00:08:30,870 --> 00:08:31,529 lot of, 235 00:08:31,990 --> 00:08:34,549 people move for for for great jobs and 236 00:08:34,549 --> 00:08:37,110 to enjoy the Midwest and the lifestyle that 237 00:08:37,110 --> 00:08:39,670 that that affords into our neighboring states. But 238 00:08:39,670 --> 00:08:42,824 we haven't seen a a huge flux of 239 00:08:42,824 --> 00:08:43,324 population. 240 00:08:44,184 --> 00:08:44,684 So 241 00:08:45,064 --> 00:08:47,304 growth for us is is really not about 242 00:08:47,304 --> 00:08:49,404 scale. It truly is about 243 00:08:49,784 --> 00:08:51,564 meaningful and and deep impact. 244 00:08:52,264 --> 00:08:53,725 So we're investing 245 00:08:54,424 --> 00:08:58,299 in things like, hey, Medicaid, Adientec AI, robotics, 246 00:08:58,679 --> 00:08:59,179 VR. 247 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,519 We're, you know, standing up a a free 248 00:09:02,519 --> 00:09:03,019 standing, 249 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,660 behavioral health and wellness hospital, 250 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,384 right now within the next couple of months. 251 00:09:09,345 --> 00:09:13,024 And by doing that, we're really looking at 252 00:09:13,024 --> 00:09:16,065 creating an ecosystem for health care. We don't 253 00:09:16,065 --> 00:09:18,485 wanna be just a lighthouse in the darkness. 254 00:09:18,544 --> 00:09:20,325 What we want to be is 255 00:09:21,019 --> 00:09:22,639 one of many organizations 256 00:09:23,179 --> 00:09:24,639 that help all Nebraskans, 257 00:09:25,660 --> 00:09:28,620 have fantastic pediatric care and be able to 258 00:09:28,620 --> 00:09:30,940 avail of lots of different resources. So it's 259 00:09:30,940 --> 00:09:33,440 it's about us integrating and partnering, 260 00:09:34,379 --> 00:09:35,519 across the board. 261 00:09:35,980 --> 00:09:38,595 And I I like to think, a lot 262 00:09:38,595 --> 00:09:41,334 about value through the lens of also workforce 263 00:09:41,475 --> 00:09:41,975 enablement. 264 00:09:42,674 --> 00:09:43,174 So, 265 00:09:44,115 --> 00:09:46,274 really, growth for us is is about that 266 00:09:46,274 --> 00:09:47,975 empowerment. So with our clinicians, 267 00:09:48,754 --> 00:09:51,509 what can we do by giving them tools 268 00:09:51,509 --> 00:09:52,730 like AI tools 269 00:09:53,110 --> 00:09:55,910 so that they they can reduce burnout, so 270 00:09:55,910 --> 00:09:57,690 we can improve outcomes for them? 271 00:09:57,990 --> 00:09:59,910 And when we do those things and we're 272 00:09:59,910 --> 00:10:02,230 thinking about not just scale, but scale with 273 00:10:02,230 --> 00:10:05,029 empathy, I feel like that's where innovation becomes 274 00:10:05,029 --> 00:10:06,810 really transformative for us. 275 00:10:07,554 --> 00:10:09,714 That's helpful to understand. And, you know, really 276 00:10:09,714 --> 00:10:12,034 thinking about where growth comes from and what 277 00:10:12,034 --> 00:10:15,554 that means, for different organizations is critical and 278 00:10:15,554 --> 00:10:17,714 helpful context as then you look at that 279 00:10:17,714 --> 00:10:19,174 innovation, those investments, 280 00:10:19,554 --> 00:10:21,574 thinking about how agentic AI, robotics, 281 00:10:21,875 --> 00:10:22,799 VR, and more, 282 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:25,519 really play a big role in powering the 283 00:10:25,519 --> 00:10:27,220 future and helping to develop 284 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,019 the access to care that you're looking for. 285 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,959 I'm curious. You know, I know resources are 286 00:10:32,959 --> 00:10:35,039 slim for a lot of hospitals and systems 287 00:10:35,039 --> 00:10:35,445 that, 288 00:10:36,085 --> 00:10:37,684 you know, are are part of the Becker's 289 00:10:37,684 --> 00:10:40,404 network today, and just looking at uncertainties in 290 00:10:40,404 --> 00:10:43,684 the future. So some folks are are wanna 291 00:10:43,684 --> 00:10:44,884 make sure that they make the most of 292 00:10:44,884 --> 00:10:47,365 their investments. From your perspective, what is one 293 00:10:47,365 --> 00:10:49,285 risk or investment that is still worth making 294 00:10:49,285 --> 00:10:51,399 in the next twelve months or so even 295 00:10:51,399 --> 00:10:53,080 as, you know, you might need to tighten 296 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,080 up a bit? I think that's a really 297 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:55,980 powerful question. 298 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,100 And a lot of of health care leaders, 299 00:11:00,279 --> 00:11:02,759 providers, and in bay basically, anybody in health 300 00:11:02,759 --> 00:11:03,659 care right now 301 00:11:04,154 --> 00:11:05,454 is is grappling 302 00:11:05,754 --> 00:11:08,574 with this notion of what's a risky investment 303 00:11:08,634 --> 00:11:10,235 that that you can make this year that's 304 00:11:10,235 --> 00:11:10,735 worthwhile. 305 00:11:11,514 --> 00:11:14,235 It's tough because I think on some levels 306 00:11:14,235 --> 00:11:17,134 with AI, a lot of people are disappointed. 307 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,240 And, statistically, if you look at the success 308 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,200 rate of AI pilots as they've been rolled 309 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:25,500 out into health care, 310 00:11:26,279 --> 00:11:28,360 they're not great, you know, with the exception 311 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,920 of maybe things like ambient listening for note 312 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:31,420 taking, 313 00:11:32,504 --> 00:11:36,024 maybe some more established AI technologies like prior 314 00:11:36,024 --> 00:11:37,725 auth or eligibility checks, 315 00:11:39,065 --> 00:11:42,284 maybe even patient follow-up. There there's been some 316 00:11:42,424 --> 00:11:44,584 some bright lights there where you see some 317 00:11:44,584 --> 00:11:46,125 some good indications there. 318 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,679 What what I would say the one risky 319 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:50,779 investment that's worth it this year 320 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,340 is to make sure you 321 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:54,940 lean into the wind 322 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:56,940 with something simple like 323 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:57,820 Copilot, 324 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:00,919 GPT, perplexity. Pick pick a model that you 325 00:12:00,919 --> 00:12:04,004 really like and get yourself a group inside 326 00:12:04,004 --> 00:12:04,985 of your hospital 327 00:12:05,524 --> 00:12:06,345 that is 328 00:12:06,725 --> 00:12:08,345 cross function, cross disciplinary 329 00:12:09,204 --> 00:12:11,865 members of ops, your workforce, your providers, 330 00:12:12,644 --> 00:12:15,225 and really have them learn how to be 331 00:12:15,284 --> 00:12:15,945 AI champions 332 00:12:16,860 --> 00:12:17,360 and, 333 00:12:17,899 --> 00:12:20,139 kinda hold them to it. And, you know, 334 00:12:20,139 --> 00:12:22,220 it these tools are expensive. You know, they're 335 00:12:22,220 --> 00:12:24,720 they're gonna change your your your OpEx budget 336 00:12:24,779 --> 00:12:25,279 substantively. 337 00:12:26,379 --> 00:12:26,860 And, 338 00:12:27,820 --> 00:12:30,384 but the costs are coming down. So with 339 00:12:30,384 --> 00:12:33,284 ambient listening, for example, what what's kinda wild 340 00:12:33,745 --> 00:12:36,225 is we were early adopter of one platform, 341 00:12:36,225 --> 00:12:38,304 and we saw the pricing come down, and 342 00:12:38,304 --> 00:12:40,804 we saw three or four competitors pop up. 343 00:12:41,105 --> 00:12:43,610 And then we even saw Epic announce that 344 00:12:43,610 --> 00:12:45,690 they were gonna have an option. And, I 345 00:12:45,690 --> 00:12:48,590 had read some really interesting news that indicated 346 00:12:48,649 --> 00:12:51,210 that when Epic made that move, it crashed 347 00:12:51,210 --> 00:12:52,350 over 20 startups. 348 00:12:52,809 --> 00:12:56,029 And so that's that's both exciting and troubling 349 00:12:56,090 --> 00:12:57,855 at the same time. It's it's tough to 350 00:12:57,855 --> 00:12:58,674 kind of balance 351 00:12:59,294 --> 00:13:00,995 how you feel about that. But 352 00:13:01,375 --> 00:13:03,054 no matter how you feel about that, when 353 00:13:03,054 --> 00:13:05,955 you look at it, the affordability and accessibility 354 00:13:06,334 --> 00:13:08,274 of AI tools, 355 00:13:08,654 --> 00:13:11,070 particularly generative tools, is coming down. 356 00:13:12,269 --> 00:13:13,710 And there are ways that you can even 357 00:13:13,710 --> 00:13:15,789 do this for free safely if if you 358 00:13:15,789 --> 00:13:18,429 get really creative with it. But educate your 359 00:13:18,429 --> 00:13:18,929 folks. 360 00:13:20,429 --> 00:13:23,169 You know, it's it's gonna be a completely 361 00:13:23,389 --> 00:13:27,315 different world, and I like in AI skills 362 00:13:27,855 --> 00:13:30,175 much like when when office was a thing. 363 00:13:30,175 --> 00:13:31,795 I'm I'm old enough to remember 364 00:13:32,495 --> 00:13:35,634 an era when you would put office competency 365 00:13:35,855 --> 00:13:36,754 on your resume. 366 00:13:37,695 --> 00:13:39,535 Now now, you know, when I talk to 367 00:13:39,535 --> 00:13:42,159 younger people, you know, early career professionals that 368 00:13:42,159 --> 00:13:44,559 are in the workforce, that sounds so alien 369 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:46,320 and so bizarre, but it really was a 370 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,080 thing. There was a time where you would 371 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:49,539 have, you know, beginner, intermediate 372 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:51,139 expert level, 373 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,480 office suite proficiency that that went on your 374 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:54,980 resume. 375 00:13:55,284 --> 00:13:57,705 Now I would say things like prompt engineering, 376 00:13:57,845 --> 00:14:00,105 how many different AI models you utilize, 377 00:14:00,804 --> 00:14:03,384 have you built your own AI agents yourself. 378 00:14:04,725 --> 00:14:05,225 It's 379 00:14:05,605 --> 00:14:08,404 pretty easy to do. It just requires a 380 00:14:08,404 --> 00:14:09,764 little bit of time and a little bit 381 00:14:09,764 --> 00:14:12,299 of investment. So if if, you know, looking 382 00:14:12,299 --> 00:14:14,299 at the lens of dollars that I have 383 00:14:14,299 --> 00:14:16,620 available, even if it's a small group of 384 00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:17,440 five people, 385 00:14:18,379 --> 00:14:20,480 you really, really should have 386 00:14:20,860 --> 00:14:21,679 a a cooperative 387 00:14:22,220 --> 00:14:24,000 pilot going right now, 388 00:14:24,965 --> 00:14:27,125 and a plan that says this is how 389 00:14:27,125 --> 00:14:29,205 we're gonna upskill and train or educate our 390 00:14:29,205 --> 00:14:30,585 workforce to understand 391 00:14:31,524 --> 00:14:33,685 what AI is going to do inside of 392 00:14:33,685 --> 00:14:35,545 a hospital and how it's going to affect 393 00:14:35,605 --> 00:14:38,805 everything from the clinical environment through every aspect 394 00:14:38,805 --> 00:14:39,465 of ops. 395 00:14:40,289 --> 00:14:42,450 That's fascinating to think about, you know, and 396 00:14:42,450 --> 00:14:42,950 really 397 00:14:43,330 --> 00:14:45,570 amazing to look at the evolution of technology 398 00:14:45,570 --> 00:14:48,129 in those platforms. You know, I definitely can 399 00:14:48,129 --> 00:14:49,730 relate in looking at, you know, the office 400 00:14:49,730 --> 00:14:51,669 competencies and spreadsheets 401 00:14:52,745 --> 00:14:54,504 and all of those kinds of things, then 402 00:14:54,504 --> 00:14:56,424 all of a sudden, you know, that is 403 00:14:56,424 --> 00:14:59,304 just taken for granted. So I'm so glad 404 00:14:59,304 --> 00:15:00,985 you remember that too. It doesn't make me 405 00:15:00,985 --> 00:15:02,445 feel, you know, hating. 406 00:15:03,704 --> 00:15:04,764 For for sure. 407 00:15:06,429 --> 00:15:08,590 Alright. Well, I I think, you know, when 408 00:15:08,590 --> 00:15:09,550 we look at, 409 00:15:10,190 --> 00:15:12,269 look ahead, I'm curious. What do you see 410 00:15:12,269 --> 00:15:14,190 as some of the best opportunities for growth 411 00:15:14,190 --> 00:15:15,950 in the future? I know we talked a 412 00:15:15,950 --> 00:15:17,629 little bit about where things stand today and 413 00:15:17,629 --> 00:15:19,870 the investments that you're making, but how do 414 00:15:19,870 --> 00:15:21,009 these all align 415 00:15:21,414 --> 00:15:23,914 into the strategy to make sure that, 416 00:15:25,174 --> 00:15:27,254 the health system is in a really strong 417 00:15:27,254 --> 00:15:28,554 position going forward? 418 00:15:29,254 --> 00:15:29,754 Well, 419 00:15:30,934 --> 00:15:33,195 yeah. Wow. What a great great question. 420 00:15:34,134 --> 00:15:35,595 The reality is that 421 00:15:36,220 --> 00:15:38,000 health care is just gonna be different, 422 00:15:38,460 --> 00:15:41,039 and it it's it's a it's a deeply 423 00:15:42,539 --> 00:15:43,919 tough thing to navigate. 424 00:15:44,860 --> 00:15:47,100 And it it doesn't matter, you know, what 425 00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:49,419 what your specialty is or or what your 426 00:15:49,419 --> 00:15:49,919 expertise, 427 00:15:50,534 --> 00:15:52,394 you know, happens to be. Everybody 428 00:15:52,855 --> 00:15:55,674 is really feeling this this incredible 429 00:15:56,134 --> 00:15:56,634 evolution. 430 00:15:57,735 --> 00:15:59,654 I liken it to, you know, what happened 431 00:15:59,654 --> 00:16:02,154 in the automotive industry a few decades ago, 432 00:16:02,774 --> 00:16:03,274 what 433 00:16:03,819 --> 00:16:06,220 happened or is still happening with higher education 434 00:16:06,220 --> 00:16:08,139 and and how they're grappling with a lot 435 00:16:08,139 --> 00:16:08,720 of change. 436 00:16:09,179 --> 00:16:10,959 It's kind of like health care's turn 437 00:16:11,339 --> 00:16:13,360 and the convergence of things, 438 00:16:14,059 --> 00:16:16,959 like rapid technological development and growth, 439 00:16:17,764 --> 00:16:19,625 changes in in geopolitical situations, 440 00:16:20,565 --> 00:16:21,545 changes in, 441 00:16:21,924 --> 00:16:24,585 you know, new diseases and new drugs. And 442 00:16:24,644 --> 00:16:26,725 the convergence of all these things are are 443 00:16:26,725 --> 00:16:27,545 really creating 444 00:16:28,004 --> 00:16:30,725 an exciting time, but also a very stressful 445 00:16:30,725 --> 00:16:32,539 time. So the best opportunities 446 00:16:32,919 --> 00:16:35,799 ahead are going to really sit at that 447 00:16:35,799 --> 00:16:36,299 intersection 448 00:16:36,919 --> 00:16:38,700 of, I would say, equity, 449 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:39,820 access, 450 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:41,100 and, 451 00:16:41,879 --> 00:16:44,220 you know, maybe where some of these technologies 452 00:16:44,519 --> 00:16:45,014 come into 453 00:16:45,894 --> 00:16:47,894 play. In in pediatrics, AI is a hot 454 00:16:47,894 --> 00:16:50,455 topic, but I would also say that maybe 455 00:16:50,455 --> 00:16:51,595 VR and robotics, 456 00:16:52,455 --> 00:16:55,254 is an even hotter topic right now. We're 457 00:16:55,254 --> 00:16:58,295 seeing a lot of turnkey affordable solutions that 458 00:16:58,295 --> 00:17:00,340 that are ready to go, that have great 459 00:17:00,340 --> 00:17:02,360 clinical evidence that can help people. 460 00:17:02,980 --> 00:17:05,859 But you really wanna start from that notion 461 00:17:05,859 --> 00:17:08,200 of saying, what can we do to proactively 462 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:09,000 support 463 00:17:09,380 --> 00:17:11,880 underserved populations, especially children, 464 00:17:12,980 --> 00:17:15,160 that not only kind of get out those 465 00:17:15,644 --> 00:17:16,465 those outcomes, 466 00:17:17,244 --> 00:17:19,965 but also at the same time reduce those 467 00:17:19,965 --> 00:17:22,045 costs in that overhead. We have to do 468 00:17:22,045 --> 00:17:23,025 those two things. 469 00:17:24,205 --> 00:17:27,565 So we just can't really focus on on 470 00:17:27,565 --> 00:17:29,424 legacy processes and systems. 471 00:17:29,965 --> 00:17:31,105 You can't let yourself 472 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,179 fall into the trap of saying, 473 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,220 health care has always done it this way. 474 00:17:36,919 --> 00:17:39,399 You know, I would even argue that things 475 00:17:39,399 --> 00:17:41,799 like how how a clinical space is designed 476 00:17:41,799 --> 00:17:42,700 and set up 477 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,904 really shouldn't be left to regulators alone to 478 00:17:45,904 --> 00:17:46,404 decide, 479 00:17:47,345 --> 00:17:48,865 but we have to kind of get loud 480 00:17:48,865 --> 00:17:50,244 and we have to move faster. 481 00:17:50,545 --> 00:17:52,865 So the best opportunities ahead, I think, are 482 00:17:52,865 --> 00:17:54,085 are training and education 483 00:17:54,384 --> 00:17:57,045 and looking at how the landscape of technology 484 00:17:57,265 --> 00:17:58,005 has changed, 485 00:17:58,589 --> 00:18:01,309 that notion of everyone's now a developer and 486 00:18:01,309 --> 00:18:02,849 and vibe coding and AI. 487 00:18:03,390 --> 00:18:05,950 And anything that you can do, whether it's 488 00:18:05,950 --> 00:18:07,809 ultra low cost or for free, 489 00:18:08,190 --> 00:18:11,230 or making a big bold commitment across your 490 00:18:11,230 --> 00:18:12,529 workforce that says, 491 00:18:13,414 --> 00:18:15,174 we're not gonna do this process this way 492 00:18:15,174 --> 00:18:15,674 anymore. 493 00:18:16,615 --> 00:18:19,734 You know, we're we're gonna empower everybody with 494 00:18:19,734 --> 00:18:21,115 these great AI tools. 495 00:18:21,815 --> 00:18:23,974 They can do their own data visualization. They 496 00:18:23,974 --> 00:18:26,535 can do their own analysis. They can do 497 00:18:26,535 --> 00:18:29,309 rapid research now. Of course, check it. You 498 00:18:29,309 --> 00:18:31,549 know, check your work. These things hallucinate, and 499 00:18:31,549 --> 00:18:32,529 they are new. 500 00:18:32,990 --> 00:18:34,849 Be safe about what you're doing, but, 501 00:18:35,230 --> 00:18:37,329 lean into that wind. If you don't, 502 00:18:38,029 --> 00:18:40,365 I think you're going to be in a 503 00:18:40,365 --> 00:18:42,625 tough spot where you have to sacrifice 504 00:18:42,924 --> 00:18:45,184 the the kingdom to sell the castle. And 505 00:18:46,045 --> 00:18:48,384 I I do see some health systems, 506 00:18:49,085 --> 00:18:51,825 you know, struggling and and making those moves, 507 00:18:52,919 --> 00:18:54,919 wrong or right based on the needs of 508 00:18:54,919 --> 00:18:57,659 of their patient populations. But for us, 509 00:18:58,279 --> 00:19:00,220 because rural health care is so important, 510 00:19:00,679 --> 00:19:03,159 because we are the the one and only 511 00:19:03,159 --> 00:19:04,964 freestanding children's hospital in 512 00:19:05,765 --> 00:19:06,085 the state, 513 00:19:06,644 --> 00:19:08,484 because we're kind of, you know, that that 514 00:19:08,484 --> 00:19:09,625 beacon of hope, 515 00:19:10,164 --> 00:19:13,605 we really have to profoundly and deeply look 516 00:19:13,605 --> 00:19:17,065 at how do we provide affordable accessible care 517 00:19:17,365 --> 00:19:18,105 to everyone, 518 00:19:19,210 --> 00:19:20,809 regardless if they live in the metro, if 519 00:19:20,809 --> 00:19:22,570 they live in a rural environment, even a 520 00:19:22,570 --> 00:19:23,549 neighboring state. 521 00:19:23,930 --> 00:19:24,670 And so, 522 00:19:25,289 --> 00:19:27,289 if if we do those things and and 523 00:19:27,289 --> 00:19:29,610 we look at tools that improve processes that, 524 00:19:29,610 --> 00:19:31,529 you know, save on the margin and and 525 00:19:31,529 --> 00:19:33,529 help us invest more in AI and and 526 00:19:33,529 --> 00:19:35,424 roll it out further, I think we're gonna 527 00:19:35,424 --> 00:19:38,224 win. And, that's ultimately what it's all about. 528 00:19:38,224 --> 00:19:40,305 It's it's making sure that, you know, our 529 00:19:40,305 --> 00:19:42,325 patients walk away and they feel like, 530 00:19:42,785 --> 00:19:44,865 we were able to be really helpful for 531 00:19:44,865 --> 00:19:45,365 them, 532 00:19:45,664 --> 00:19:46,144 and, 533 00:19:46,945 --> 00:19:49,265 they feel safe and they feel like there's 534 00:19:49,265 --> 00:19:51,269 a a great resource that they can turn 535 00:19:51,490 --> 00:19:52,950 to as kids kinda grow. 536 00:19:53,809 --> 00:19:55,329 I love that, Ryan. Thank you so much 537 00:19:55,329 --> 00:19:57,009 for joining us on the podcast today. This 538 00:19:57,009 --> 00:19:59,509 has been such an interesting and insightful conversation, 539 00:19:59,650 --> 00:20:01,410 and I look forward to connecting with you 540 00:20:01,410 --> 00:20:01,910 soon. 541 00:20:02,644 --> 00:20:04,484 Yeah. I appreciate you having me. It's it's 542 00:20:04,484 --> 00:20:06,484 always great to to be a a part 543 00:20:06,484 --> 00:20:08,345 of Becker's and a part of the conversation. 544 00:20:08,964 --> 00:20:11,204 And, you know, we we were talking just 545 00:20:11,204 --> 00:20:13,845 before the podcast. I I wanna thank Becker's 546 00:20:13,845 --> 00:20:16,504 for for having a particular focus in pediatrics 547 00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:17,759 and, 548 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,360 really kind of recognizing the the nuance difference 549 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:22,960 to to what we do, how we care 550 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:23,940 for young people. 551 00:20:24,559 --> 00:20:27,039 That means a lot to every pediatrician and 552 00:20:27,039 --> 00:20:30,000 everybody in pediatrics that you recognize that. Sometimes 553 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:31,220 it it can be forgotten, 554 00:20:31,705 --> 00:20:33,785 and, thanks so much for your support and 555 00:20:33,785 --> 00:20:36,105 for sharing some of our message. Oh, yeah. 556 00:20:36,105 --> 00:20:38,424 Anytime. We associate you and everything you do 557 00:20:38,424 --> 00:20:40,365 for such an important patient population. 558 00:20:43,545 --> 00:20:45,644 At Athena Health, we know your ambulatory 559 00:20:45,945 --> 00:20:47,340 practice wants healthier, 560 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,600 a healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier 561 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:51,100 patients. 562 00:20:51,559 --> 00:20:53,799 But the complexities of modern health care tech 563 00:20:53,799 --> 00:20:55,640 make it hard for you and your care 564 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,660 teams to focus on what matters most. 565 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,100 That's where athenahealth can help. Our AI native 566 00:21:01,154 --> 00:21:03,894 all in one solutions reduce administrative burdens, 567 00:21:04,275 --> 00:21:07,234 streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights 568 00:21:07,234 --> 00:21:08,855 when clinicians need it most. 569 00:21:09,154 --> 00:21:11,815 That means fewer clicks, more time for patients, 570 00:21:11,875 --> 00:21:13,170 and stronger bottom lines. 571 00:21:14,049 --> 00:21:15,990 Practicing medicine is complex, 572 00:21:16,289 --> 00:21:18,049 but running a practice can be that much 573 00:21:18,049 --> 00:21:19,190 simpler with athenahealth. 574 00:21:19,890 --> 00:21:23,590 See how simpler is healthier at athenahealth.com.