Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, welcomes Dr. Jacob Strand, Chair of Palliative Care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and Enterprise Chair for the Palliative Care Specialty Council to the show for a conversation that challenges how health systems think about care delivery for patients with serious illness. Together, they examine how digital health leaders can move beyond traditional models of specialty care to build scalable systems that connect data, clinical insight, and operational accountability, ensuring the right care reaches the right patient at the right time.

1. How predictive analytics can help health systems identify patients with serious and complex illness earlier, enabling more proactive and coordinated care.

2. Why designing scalable clinical workflows is essential for improving outcomes and managing rising healthcare complexity.

3. The role digital health leaders play in connecting data, clinical teams, and operational strategy to support more patient-centered care models.

4. Practical ways health systems can use data and digital tools to align care delivery with what matters most to patients and families facing serious illness.

5. Lessons from Mayo Clinic’s approach to integrating palliative care insights across the enterprise to support clinicians and improve patient experience.

In this episode, Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, speaks with PV SubbaRao, President of Healthcare Provider at NTT DATA, about what it truly takes to operationalize AI for lasting transformation. Together, they discuss the leadership decisions, governance structures, and workflow redesign required to scale AI responsibly while driving measurable improvements in financial sustainability, operational resilience, and care delivery.

Key Takeaways:

1. Why AI represents a structural shift in healthcare operations and the signals that indicate organizations have reached a true transformation inflection point.

2. The governance, data architecture, and investment decisions required to successfully move AI initiatives from pilot programs to enterprise-scale deployment.

3. How leading organizations are redesigning clinical and operational workflows, roles, and decision-making structures as AI becomes embedded into everyday work.

4. What distinguishes true AI-enabled revenue cycle transformation from traditional automation efforts and how it can support long-term financial sustainability.

5. The leadership, cultural shifts, and performance metrics required to align the C-suite and measure the real impact of AI-driven transformation across the enterprise.

Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Abdul Shaikh, Global Leader for Digital Health at Amazon Web Services, for a forward-looking conversation on what it takes to scale artificial intelligence responsibly across healthcare. Drawing from global experience advising health systems, payors, and governments, Dr. Shaikh shares insights on how leaders can move from AI pilots to accountable, enterprise-level impact while ensuring technology adoption strengthens both care delivery and confidence in the health system.

Key Takeaways:

1. How to recognize the moment AI shifts from isolated innovation projects to enterprise-wide operational exposure requiring formal governance and executive oversight.

2. The foundational infrastructure, cloud architecture, interoperability, and cybersecurity capabilities needed to scale AI safely across health systems.

3. What true workforce readiness looks like as AI reshapes clinical documentation, operational workflows, and decision-making responsibilities.

4. The critical questions executives and boards should ask about AI performance, bias, transparency, and long-term accountability.

5. Why patient trust is the ultimate measure of success for AI in healthcare—and how leaders can ensure transparency and confidence as AI becomes embedded in the care experience.

Derrek Hallock, Senior Vice President of Growth at SHI Healthcare, joins Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, to explore what it takes to scale digital health with intention in today’s healthcare ecosystem. Calling on his deep experience in operational leadership, process optimization, and building high-performing teams, Derrek shares his approach to accelerating growth across teams and healthcare systems.

Throughout their discussion, they examine how healthcare organizations can responsibly scale technology infrastructure, navigate innovation such as generative AI and next-generation security, and leverage digital health solutions to expand access, advance equity, and improve outcomes across diverse care settings.

Key Takeaways:

1. How healthcare leaders can define and pursue growth beyond revenue, focusing on operational efficiency, provider impact, and patient outcomes.

2. Key challenges and opportunities health systems face when scaling digital infrastructure, including AI adoption, hybrid cloud environments, and next-generation security frameworks.

3. Practical guidance for prioritizing innovation so technology investments deliver sustainable value, measurable outcomes, and long-term transformation.

4. Leadership principles that support sustainable growth, including transparent communication, a “no surprises” management style, and a culture of continuous learning and accountability.

5. How digital health strategies can expand access to care, particularly for rural and underserved communities, while aligning with provider priorities around cost, scalability, and resilience.

Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Melissa Ursi, Chief Executive Officer of Quoris, for a timely conversation on leading with intention during periods of organizational and industry transformation. With more than 20 years of experience across healthcare IT and executive leadership, Melissa shares how Quoris is navigating its next chapter, balancing evolution with the trust, culture, and expertise that leaders and teams rely on.

Together, they explore what it takes to sustain alignment through change, translate technology strategy into operational results, and develop future-ready leaders in a healthcare environment defined by complexity, scale, and constant evolution.

Key Takeaways:

1. How healthcare organizations can evolve their brand, structure, and strategy without disrupting the culture and trust that underpin long-term client and team relationships.

2. Practical strategies for maintaining clarity, consistency, and shared purpose across distributed teams without sacrificing flexibility.

3. Where healthcare organizations most often struggle to turn technology investments into measurable outcomes and how to close the gap between strategy and execution.

4. What digital health leaders should prioritize beyond implementation to drive long-term adoption, optimization, and sustained value from technology initiatives.

5. The skills, mindsets, and leadership behaviors that will define the next generation of healthcare IT leaders and how today’s executives can intentionally develop emerging talent.

What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier 

Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Tim Lankes, Vice President of Healthcare at Rackspace, for a candid conversation on the realities behind cloud modernization in healthcare. Drawing on decades of experience leading large-scale healthcare technology and services initiatives, Tim shares how organizations are balancing innovation with security, cost, and continuity of care amid increasing regulatory and operational pressures.

Throughout their discussion, they explore what’s driving successful cloud and multicloud strategies today, including separating hype from practical value in AI adoption to scaling pilots into enterprise-wide impact.

Key Takeaways:

1. How digital health leaders can modernize infrastructure, strengthen data accessibility, and align technology with human adoption to deliver outcomes that matter.

2. Where multicloud strategies are creating the greatest operational value and what often gets overlooked.

3. What it takes to move cloud and AI initiatives from pilot projects to sustained, enterprise-wide platforms.

4. How AI is delivering practical benefits today by optimizing cloud environments and supporting data-driven decision-making.

Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Rick Shepardson, Chief Strategy Officer at Optimum Healthcare IT, for a focused discussion on how healthcare organizations can move beyond implementation to realize meaningful value from digital health initiatives. Together, they explore practical insights on aligning people, data, and strategy to drive measurable progress — examine how digital health leaders are navigating modernization amid operational pressures—leveraging data to empower clinicians and patients, rethinking the role of legacy systems, and evaluating emerging technologies such as cloud, AI, and automation.

Key Takeaways

1. Where health systems are finding the greatest opportunities to improve clinician performance, patient experience, and operational results through smarter use of data.

2. How healthcare organizations can unlock hidden clinical, operational, and financial value from legacy systems as part of broader modernization efforts.

3. Practical approaches to unlocking value from legacy systems and integrating historical data into modern analytics and AI strategies.

4. Leadership insights on guiding teams through uncertainty while fostering alignment, trust, and continuous learning.

Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with healthcare leader Clint Drawdy, Chief Executive Officer, for a thoughtful conversation on the evolving state of digital health. With decades of experience guiding teams through transition and transformation, Clint offers perspective on what health systems are facing today — from shifting organizational expectations to the growing influence of AI on workforce development and culture. Together, they explore how leadership, trust, and people-centered decision-making shape the success of digital initiatives, and what it takes to build resilient teams prepared for the future of care delivery.

Key Takeaways:

1. The emerging challenges, priorities, and expectations health systems are navigating as digital transformation accelerates.

2. How AI and automation are reshaping talent needs and strategies for fostering a culture where people and technology evolve together.

3. What leaders should prioritize when hiring for innovation, including balancing technical skills with collaboration and human judgment.

4. Strategies for building and supporting the digital health workforce of the future, including critical competencies required for sustained innovation.

What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier

The Case for Audacity in AI and Capacity Management Strategy

Russ Branzell welcomes Erik Barnett, Health Partner at Guidehouse and leader of the Health Technology Consulting Practice, for a candid discussion on the realities of AI adoption in healthcare. Drawing on his experience as both a clinician and business leader, Erik shares insights on building trust, establishing governance, and scaling AI initiatives — from optimizing patient flow and care team coordination to ensuring responsible, strategic implementation.

Key Takeaways:

1. How gaps in digital maturity and disconnected strategies can create organizational risk.

2. AI use cases that are overhyped versus those with tangible impact on patient care and operations.

3. The role of governance and leadership in operationalizing AI responsibly and building trust.

4. Strategies for selecting partners and scaling innovations effectively across health systems.

5. Why audacious goals and bold bets are essential for meaningful transformation in healthcare.

What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier  

Empowering Providers and Platforms: How Digital Health Must Evolve  

Host and Guest: 

• 1. Russ Branzell, CHIME President & CEO  
  2. Bob Segert, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Athenahealth