1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,419 This is where health care leadership comes together. 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,679 Becker's sixteenth annual meeting brings more than 3,500 3 00:00:07,679 --> 00:00:10,880 hospital and health system executives and nearly 800 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:12,019 speakers to Chicago 5 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:14,259 April. 6 00:00:14,615 --> 00:00:17,335 This year's event includes keynote conversations with Dallas 7 00:00:17,335 --> 00:00:20,214 Cowboys legend Troy Aikman and former president George 8 00:00:20,214 --> 00:00:22,934 w Bush. For the agenda and event details, 9 00:00:22,934 --> 00:00:25,175 visit beckershospitalreview.com 10 00:00:25,175 --> 00:00:26,855 and click on the events tab in the 11 00:00:26,855 --> 00:00:29,574 upper right. We're looking forward to hosting you 12 00:00:29,574 --> 00:00:30,234 in Chicago. 13 00:00:31,789 --> 00:00:34,189 Hello, everyone, and welcome to Becker's Healthcare podcast. 14 00:00:34,189 --> 00:00:35,950 I'm Scott King, thrilled today to be joined 15 00:00:35,950 --> 00:00:39,010 by very special guest, James Wellman, vice president 16 00:00:39,149 --> 00:00:42,609 and chief information officer over at Nathan Littauer 17 00:00:42,670 --> 00:00:44,429 Hospital and Nursing Home. James, how are you 18 00:00:44,429 --> 00:00:45,170 doing today? 19 00:00:45,545 --> 00:00:46,744 Doing very well. How are you doing today, 20 00:00:46,744 --> 00:00:48,424 Scott? I'm good. Thanks. You know, it could 21 00:00:48,424 --> 00:00:50,185 be a little warmer in Chicago as you 22 00:00:50,185 --> 00:00:52,265 may have heard, but but, you know, we'll 23 00:00:52,265 --> 00:00:53,465 get through it. And we have a lot 24 00:00:53,465 --> 00:00:55,225 of of big topics to get to. But 25 00:00:55,225 --> 00:00:57,225 before we do that, I was wondering, James, 26 00:00:57,225 --> 00:00:58,424 if you could please just tell us a 27 00:00:58,424 --> 00:00:59,804 little bit about your background, 28 00:01:00,344 --> 00:01:01,164 in health care. 29 00:01:01,679 --> 00:01:02,179 Sure. 30 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,200 So I am as stated, I'm the current 31 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:05,700 CIO 32 00:01:06,079 --> 00:01:08,560 at Nathan Latower, but I've been in health 33 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:09,060 care, 34 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,099 IT for about thirty seven years. 35 00:01:12,799 --> 00:01:14,819 Started out in a major university, 36 00:01:15,759 --> 00:01:16,819 went to work for 37 00:01:17,444 --> 00:01:19,144 for profit groups like McKesson, 38 00:01:19,844 --> 00:01:22,804 and ended up in different hospitals around the 39 00:01:22,804 --> 00:01:24,024 country where I've kinda 40 00:01:24,325 --> 00:01:26,664 focused on cleaning up operations 41 00:01:27,685 --> 00:01:29,224 and getting EMRs, 42 00:01:29,924 --> 00:01:32,329 kinda back on track. Maybe that didn't have 43 00:01:32,329 --> 00:01:34,730 such a great implementation or were struggling a 44 00:01:34,730 --> 00:01:37,130 little bit, and that's kinda become a hallmark 45 00:01:37,130 --> 00:01:37,950 of my career. 46 00:01:38,490 --> 00:01:41,049 Appreciate you sharing your background info, James. And 47 00:01:41,049 --> 00:01:42,109 now the the first 48 00:01:42,569 --> 00:01:44,409 topic I kinda wanna get to is what 49 00:01:44,409 --> 00:01:46,974 opportunities and headwinds do you have your eye 50 00:01:46,974 --> 00:01:48,435 on right now in health 51 00:01:48,734 --> 00:01:49,295 care? Sure. 52 00:01:49,935 --> 00:01:51,694 I I think we're all facing a lot 53 00:01:51,694 --> 00:01:52,674 of the same headwinds, 54 00:01:53,134 --> 00:01:55,555 with with the way we're waiting on the 55 00:01:55,854 --> 00:01:58,174 the final impact, I think, about the one 56 00:01:58,174 --> 00:02:00,334 big beautiful bill, what that's doing to us 57 00:02:00,334 --> 00:02:00,719 with our, 58 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,560 Medicaid and the Medicare and our reimbursement. So, 59 00:02:04,719 --> 00:02:06,880 in New York, especially, it's having a major 60 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:08,020 impact on us. 61 00:02:08,879 --> 00:02:09,860 You know, the opportunities, 62 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,419 we're using this one 63 00:02:13,034 --> 00:02:15,594 to really start hyper focusing on the work 64 00:02:15,594 --> 00:02:18,155 that we're already doing, making sure that we 65 00:02:18,155 --> 00:02:20,974 are getting our full value and reimbursement. 66 00:02:21,435 --> 00:02:23,514 And we're also spending a little time at 67 00:02:23,514 --> 00:02:24,655 our particular organization, 68 00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:27,819 moving forward with a lot of good new 69 00:02:27,819 --> 00:02:28,319 technology, 70 00:02:28,860 --> 00:02:31,020 some interesting things with Meditech and a few 71 00:02:31,020 --> 00:02:33,039 other vendors that we're pretty excited about. 72 00:02:33,659 --> 00:02:34,960 How are you thinking about 73 00:02:35,819 --> 00:02:38,319 growth and and adding value to your organization 74 00:02:38,379 --> 00:02:39,120 right now? 75 00:02:39,745 --> 00:02:42,784 So for us, it's, I've been here just 76 00:02:42,784 --> 00:02:44,405 a little over two and a half years, 77 00:02:44,784 --> 00:02:47,585 and this year is a major transition for 78 00:02:47,585 --> 00:02:48,085 us. 79 00:02:48,465 --> 00:02:50,865 So from a growth perspective, we're really starting 80 00:02:50,865 --> 00:02:52,245 to introduce data 81 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:53,539 to the organization 82 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:55,620 and, like I said, focusing 83 00:02:56,159 --> 00:02:58,419 on what the needs are for our community 84 00:02:58,479 --> 00:03:00,099 and for our families and residents 85 00:03:00,719 --> 00:03:02,500 in our region of the Adirondacks. 86 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,080 The to do that, what we're we've done 87 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,534 is taken a pragmatic approach to AI, 88 00:03:09,495 --> 00:03:12,055 And we think that we have a pretty 89 00:03:12,055 --> 00:03:14,875 good four pillar process that we talk about 90 00:03:15,335 --> 00:03:18,055 to introduce this and not just introduce a 91 00:03:18,135 --> 00:03:20,870 an AI segment, for example, in ambient to 92 00:03:20,870 --> 00:03:23,510 listen, that's great, and there's some fantastic products 93 00:03:23,510 --> 00:03:25,430 out there. But how do we tie that 94 00:03:25,430 --> 00:03:28,569 all the way through the entire process? So 95 00:03:28,870 --> 00:03:30,889 we blended that with RCM, 96 00:03:31,750 --> 00:03:33,290 with, search and summarization, 97 00:03:34,644 --> 00:03:36,965 and gives us a soft audit capabilities going 98 00:03:36,965 --> 00:03:38,584 forward to really make sure that 99 00:03:39,044 --> 00:03:41,604 we're getting best information for our patients and 100 00:03:41,604 --> 00:03:42,824 giving the best diagnostic 101 00:03:43,205 --> 00:03:44,584 information to our providers 102 00:03:45,125 --> 00:03:47,525 and also getting fully reimbursed for the work 103 00:03:47,525 --> 00:03:48,330 that we're doing. 104 00:03:49,129 --> 00:03:50,889 And, James, to follow that up, also, once 105 00:03:50,889 --> 00:03:53,610 you you find these these uses for AI, 106 00:03:53,610 --> 00:03:56,330 you know, after you you, do some research, 107 00:03:56,330 --> 00:03:57,689 you implement them, and you work out the 108 00:03:57,689 --> 00:03:59,290 kinks, are you already thinking of, like, the 109 00:03:59,290 --> 00:04:00,110 next uses 110 00:04:00,650 --> 00:04:02,125 for the system you wanna use, or you 111 00:04:02,125 --> 00:04:04,224 still kinda wanna see this all run smoothly? 112 00:04:05,164 --> 00:04:07,164 So what we're looking at right now is 113 00:04:07,164 --> 00:04:09,405 we we spent a lot of time in 114 00:04:09,405 --> 00:04:10,465 '25, 115 00:04:11,485 --> 00:04:12,865 '24 and '25 116 00:04:13,004 --> 00:04:15,245 speaking with multiple vendors about how we wanted 117 00:04:15,245 --> 00:04:18,150 to approach this. So we went in kinda 118 00:04:18,150 --> 00:04:19,449 all in with one vendor, 119 00:04:19,910 --> 00:04:21,990 who's in happened to be a Meditech alliance 120 00:04:21,990 --> 00:04:22,490 partner, 121 00:04:23,110 --> 00:04:25,509 and we've now started deploying all of these 122 00:04:25,509 --> 00:04:26,490 separate projects. 123 00:04:27,270 --> 00:04:29,449 So that's that's a big 124 00:04:29,985 --> 00:04:32,625 initiative for us. RCM is the one where 125 00:04:32,625 --> 00:04:34,884 we think is gonna have the largest return 126 00:04:35,665 --> 00:04:38,225 because that's the one that every one of 127 00:04:38,225 --> 00:04:40,305 the payers that we're working with, they're already 128 00:04:40,305 --> 00:04:42,725 using the AI to to work on denials. 129 00:04:42,785 --> 00:04:44,850 So we kinda get ahead of curve is 130 00:04:44,850 --> 00:04:46,069 what we're working on. 131 00:04:46,610 --> 00:04:49,729 And so that's something that we think is 132 00:04:49,729 --> 00:04:51,509 the future for a lot of organizations 133 00:04:52,129 --> 00:04:55,009 to rural health organizations, but anyone's gonna benefit 134 00:04:55,009 --> 00:04:55,750 from this. 135 00:04:57,294 --> 00:04:59,694 What's one risk or investment you think is 136 00:04:59,694 --> 00:05:02,675 is worth making in 2026? 137 00:05:04,414 --> 00:05:07,055 So to to me, it's absolutely gotta be 138 00:05:07,055 --> 00:05:08,914 the RCM, the mid cycle revenue. 139 00:05:10,050 --> 00:05:12,470 Where can we make an absolute difference? 140 00:05:13,490 --> 00:05:15,189 Rural health is, you know, under 141 00:05:15,649 --> 00:05:16,149 amazing 142 00:05:16,850 --> 00:05:19,089 pressures that we've never seen before. It's always 143 00:05:19,089 --> 00:05:19,830 been a challenge. 144 00:05:20,689 --> 00:05:22,389 It's something that, personally, 145 00:05:23,104 --> 00:05:25,185 I really resonated with me and I devoted 146 00:05:25,185 --> 00:05:26,225 my career to, 147 00:05:26,865 --> 00:05:28,165 about twenty years ago. 148 00:05:29,104 --> 00:05:30,644 But now we're seeing unprecedented 149 00:05:30,944 --> 00:05:34,004 challenges for us. I really think the appropriate 150 00:05:34,225 --> 00:05:35,444 use of AI 151 00:05:36,209 --> 00:05:38,310 is something that can make a difference. 152 00:05:38,610 --> 00:05:41,430 Bringing that data to us, letting us look 153 00:05:41,889 --> 00:05:44,389 at information, making sure that we're getting 154 00:05:45,089 --> 00:05:46,930 all the money and for everything that we're 155 00:05:46,930 --> 00:05:48,470 being fairly represented, 156 00:05:49,425 --> 00:05:52,384 that's a major initiative for us. And that's 157 00:05:52,384 --> 00:05:52,944 something, you know 158 00:05:53,584 --> 00:05:55,524 obviously, it comes with risk. 159 00:05:56,064 --> 00:05:57,665 We have to make sure that we don't 160 00:05:57,665 --> 00:06:00,004 impact cash flow. We have to make sure 161 00:06:00,305 --> 00:06:01,685 that it's an already 162 00:06:02,225 --> 00:06:03,925 tenuous situation in reimbursement, 163 00:06:04,430 --> 00:06:06,050 but we feel like this can 164 00:06:06,670 --> 00:06:10,189 make a very positive transition the other way. 165 00:06:10,189 --> 00:06:12,350 Just the first run of data that we're 166 00:06:12,350 --> 00:06:12,850 seeing 167 00:06:13,230 --> 00:06:14,670 shows that we have a lot of room 168 00:06:14,670 --> 00:06:16,910 for improvement, and we can make a a 169 00:06:16,910 --> 00:06:17,410 better 170 00:06:17,949 --> 00:06:19,490 impact on the bottom line. 171 00:06:20,024 --> 00:06:21,064 What are some of the key things you 172 00:06:21,064 --> 00:06:22,425 look for in that data to to know 173 00:06:22,425 --> 00:06:23,805 that it's working the right way? 174 00:06:24,584 --> 00:06:26,345 So one of the things that are challenged 175 00:06:26,345 --> 00:06:28,345 for us when you're talking about a small 176 00:06:28,345 --> 00:06:28,845 organization 177 00:06:29,464 --> 00:06:32,264 is we do not have the ability to 178 00:06:32,264 --> 00:06:33,404 have multiple people 179 00:06:33,939 --> 00:06:35,860 watching everything that all our providers are doing. 180 00:06:35,860 --> 00:06:36,600 So standardization, 181 00:06:37,620 --> 00:06:38,920 pulling the data in, 182 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:41,879 improving the way that we can see patients, 183 00:06:41,939 --> 00:06:43,240 expanding our schedule, 184 00:06:44,339 --> 00:06:46,040 just setting up and creating, 185 00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:48,120 chart prep, 186 00:06:48,454 --> 00:06:50,214 you know, for a busy schedule on a 187 00:06:50,214 --> 00:06:51,194 day and a provider 188 00:06:52,055 --> 00:06:54,375 can take an an an enormous amount of 189 00:06:54,375 --> 00:06:54,875 time. 190 00:06:55,334 --> 00:06:57,514 And we are cutting that back to, 191 00:06:58,454 --> 00:07:01,175 in a huge magnitude. Some of the providers 192 00:07:01,175 --> 00:07:02,970 that we're talking to, and they're seeing this 193 00:07:03,129 --> 00:07:04,970 because we're able to pull all the existing 194 00:07:04,970 --> 00:07:07,930 data from our Mediatek expanse, but also our 195 00:07:07,930 --> 00:07:10,350 previous systems that we were using, both Mediatek 196 00:07:10,410 --> 00:07:13,149 Magic and MedEd for an ambulatory system. 197 00:07:13,689 --> 00:07:15,209 And it's in a data lake, and they're 198 00:07:15,209 --> 00:07:17,230 able to start they'll be doing a summarization 199 00:07:17,370 --> 00:07:18,269 of this data. 200 00:07:18,784 --> 00:07:20,544 And that gives them everything that they need 201 00:07:20,544 --> 00:07:22,724 so that they can make the appropriate diagnosis. 202 00:07:23,504 --> 00:07:25,345 We can actually help with the patient. And 203 00:07:25,345 --> 00:07:26,564 then we also understand 204 00:07:27,104 --> 00:07:29,425 it looks at our payer contracts, and we 205 00:07:29,425 --> 00:07:31,365 know what our reimbursement should be. 206 00:07:31,879 --> 00:07:33,639 And this helps us track it. 207 00:07:33,959 --> 00:07:36,039 Otherwise, that had been a process that's, you 208 00:07:36,039 --> 00:07:38,199 know, always available, and that data is there. 209 00:07:38,199 --> 00:07:40,699 But actually running it all effectively, 210 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:43,800 without a large staff has been a huge 211 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,039 challenge. This is something we feel will make 212 00:07:46,039 --> 00:07:47,579 a a big difference for us. 213 00:07:48,334 --> 00:07:49,535 And the last question I have for you, 214 00:07:49,535 --> 00:07:51,794 James, where do you see the best opportunities 215 00:07:52,175 --> 00:07:53,475 for growth in the future? 216 00:07:54,574 --> 00:07:56,754 I think that the thing for us is 217 00:07:57,454 --> 00:07:59,294 we're going to go back to the basics 218 00:07:59,294 --> 00:08:00,754 and foundations of data, 219 00:08:01,819 --> 00:08:02,319 Understand 220 00:08:02,939 --> 00:08:05,439 what your what your community needs. 221 00:08:05,980 --> 00:08:07,420 We all have a lot of the same 222 00:08:07,420 --> 00:08:08,960 standard, you know, diabetic, 223 00:08:09,980 --> 00:08:12,480 COPD, something like that that we're tracking. 224 00:08:13,514 --> 00:08:16,154 But it's the effective use of that. We 225 00:08:16,154 --> 00:08:18,235 wanna make sure that I think if you 226 00:08:18,235 --> 00:08:20,814 got a rural health organization and they focus 227 00:08:21,595 --> 00:08:22,414 on providing 228 00:08:22,875 --> 00:08:25,694 the best possible care and keeping the families 229 00:08:25,754 --> 00:08:27,439 close to the patients 230 00:08:27,899 --> 00:08:29,360 and not sending them away, 231 00:08:29,819 --> 00:08:32,139 that's where we're making our investments. So we're 232 00:08:32,139 --> 00:08:33,519 making clinical investments 233 00:08:34,220 --> 00:08:36,620 that make a difference for our community. And 234 00:08:36,620 --> 00:08:37,980 I think that's one of the things that 235 00:08:37,980 --> 00:08:39,759 a lot of people can focus on. 236 00:08:40,220 --> 00:08:42,320 Your satisfaction scores go up, 237 00:08:42,674 --> 00:08:44,674 and you're doing what's best. And we are 238 00:08:44,674 --> 00:08:47,154 integral part of the community. So that's where 239 00:08:47,154 --> 00:08:49,634 our focus is right now. Well, James, thanks 240 00:08:49,634 --> 00:08:51,075 so much for joining us on the podcast 241 00:08:51,075 --> 00:08:52,835 and for a great conversation. Look forward to 242 00:08:52,835 --> 00:08:55,154 working with you again soon. Alright. Thank you 243 00:08:55,154 --> 00:08:55,815 so much.