HIT Like a Girl Pod: Empowering Women in Health IT

In this episode Joy welcomes Yael Kfir, Chief Strategy Officer at Fairtility. Yael discusses how Fairtility, an Israeli medtech company, employs AI decision support tools to revolutionize the field of reproductive healthcare. Yael's expertise in strategy and marketing is integral to shaping the company's vision in an era marked by an aging population and declining birth rates. She shares insights into how AI, much like GPS navigation apps, utilizes vast data to offer embryologists real-time insights on embryo quality, greatly enhancing the efficiency and success of IVF procedures. This enlightening conversation reveals the transformative power of AI in the complex landscape of healthcare.

In this episode Joy Rios sits down with Diana Nole, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Nuance Healthcare Division, now under Microsoft's cloud and AI umbrella. The conversation delves into Diana's trajectory, spanning her roots as a first-gen college grad, her affinity for math and computer science-driven problem-solving, and her diverse professional background. They discuss her pivotal choice to enter healthcare, fueled by a commitment to leverage technology for impacting patient well-being. She underscores healthcare's intricate landscape and the pivotal role of seamless technology integration. Nuance's role emerges, with focus on AI-driven speech recognition and transcription powering solutions that revolutionize patient care documentation. The narrative unveils Nuance's journey from Dragon Dictate to refined, healthcare-specific voice-to-text tools. Pandemic-induced shifts, Nuance's adaptive strategies, and the quest for empowering clinicians while elevating patient care all find their place. The concept of "ambient experience" surfaces, spotlighting real-time transcription for enriched clinical note-taking. Nuance's healthcare technology is making strides in the ongoing fusion of AI and inventive approaches to advance patient care.

In this episode, Joy is joined by Nora Lissy, VP of Healthcare Consulting and Implementation at Dimensional Insight, a software analytics company. From her nursing origins at Catholic University to operational management in analytics, Nora's adaptability bridges the gap between operational, financial, and IT domains, rendering her invaluable to global hospitals. The heart of the conversation revolves around Dimensional Insight's software. The software's initial application to administrative and staffing data optimized hospital functions, while its evolution to encompass clinical analytics revolutionized patient care, empowering nurses with comprehensive information and even fostering collaborations with pharmacists for high-risk medication management. Nora's metamorphosis from nurse to healthcare IT leader highlights the potent fusion of data analytics and healthcare as she explores the role of technology in shaping the future of healthcare operations and patient well-being.

In this episode, Joy introduces Alison Greenberg, Co-founder and CEO of Ruth Health, a virtual clinic specializing in prenatal and postpartum care. Alison discusses how Ruth Health serves as a comprehensive support system, offering evidence-based resources that supplement traditional maternal care, including pelvic floor training, c-section recovery, lactation support, doula services, and educational video series. Drawing from her personal background in women's health and her mother's pioneering role as an OBGYN, Alison sheds light on the evolution of sex education and the normalization of women's health issues. She explains how Ruth Health addresses the significant prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction during and after pregnancy and offers accessible, virtual care to a wide range of individuals, both directly and through the “Ask a Doula” service. The episode explores the need for such inclusive and supportive healthcare services in the current landscape.

In this episode, Joy sits down with Nichole Sweeney, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer for CRISP Shared Services, to unravel the complexities of health information exchanges (HIEs) and the evolution of health data utilities. Nichole breaks down the significance of interoperability, highlighting how HIEs enable real-time access to crucial patient data for clinicians across different locations. The concept of health data utility, expanding beyond clinical records to encompass broader health determinants, is explored. Nichole's expertise in sensitive health information and data exchange regarding reproductive rights adds a unique layer to the conversation, discussing the implications of the HIPAA draft rule in the context of patient privacy. Tune in to gain insights into the intricate puzzle of healthcare and IT integration.

In this episode of the HIT Like a Girl podcast, Joy Rios welcomes Lisa Bari and Jolie Ritzo from Civitas Networks for Health, a national nonprofit focused on health data sharing for health improvement. Lisa, the CEO, and Jolie, the Vice President of Strategy and Network Engagement, discuss how Civitas was formed by merging two leading national networks, the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement and the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative. Their mission is to empower local health innovators as change-makers within their communities and work with Regional Health and Improvement Collaboratives to serve communities more effectively. The organization aims for regional innovation with a national impact, emphasizing transparent processes and diverse perspectives. With 165 members, they value neutral convening and information sharing to align on shared goals. They stress the importance of engaging multiple people from member organizations to foster meaningful community involvement. The episode highlights Civitas Networks for Health's efforts to drive positive change in healthcare and technology through strong networks, community engagement, and health data sharing for societal improvement.

Join us today on the HIT Like a Girl Pod as we sit down with Seli Fakorzi, Director of Mental Health Operations at TimelyCare (formerly TimelyMD), a virtual health and well-being solution for higher education. Seli shares her journey as a practicing clinician and how she became passionate about making behavioral healthcare more accessible through virtual care.

Seli dives into the mental health crisis facing young people and the work that TimelyCare is doing to provide early intervention and remove the stigma around mental health issues.

We also explore the future of tech in designing care delivery for the upcoming generations. Seli offers insights into how technology can play a role in helping this generation receive care in a way they prefer and the importance of user-friendly technology. Don't miss out on this informative and thought-provoking episode!

In this episode Joy interviews Ruby Gadelrab, CEO and founder of MDisrupt. MDisrupt is a leading marketplace for healthcare experts in the health tech industry. Ruby discusses the mission of MDisrupt, which aims to democratize access to health industry experts and organize digital health products by performance. She explains how MDisrupt connects companies with experienced professionals, such as chief medical officers and regulatory specialists. The episode explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health tech industry and how it provided an opportunity for MDisrupt to connect experts with companies in need. Ruby shares her background in the commercialization of life sciences, genomics, and digital health, and her experiences at 23andMe, which inspired her to help founders create scalable solutions for the healthcare system. Throughout the conversation, Ruby highlights the importance of expert guidance in developing impactful solutions and the passion she encountered while working with digital health founders. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights into MDisrupt's mission and Ruby Gadelrab's journey in revolutionizing the healthcare industry.

In this episode of the LadyBoss interview series, host Kat McDavitt speaks with Beth Minter, founder and chief hustler at Franklin-Bell Healthcare recruiting, about the real world of recruiting and how to market yourself as a product in the job market. The conversation revolves around the misconception that recruiters exist solely to help individuals find jobs when, in reality, recruiters work to connect people with clients for a revenue stream. Beth emphasizes that recruiting is a sales job that requires understanding the culture of both the client and the candidate to successfully match them. Recruiters are proactive in seeking out potential candidates and don't wait for individuals to approach them. Beth also introduces the concept of "the list," which is a physical manila folder containing names and notes about potential candidates. She explains that her team dislikes the analog approach, but she prefers it because it helps her remember important details. The conversation concludes with a tip for all professionals: hire others to handle tasks that you're not good at or don't want to do.

In this episode, we sit down with Elena Iakovleva, a leading industry analyst who has extensive experience in healthcare innovation. We discuss her path to Chilmark, the latest trends in healthcare innovation, and which ones may fade away over time. We also dive into the healthcare policies that are most likely to impact digital health, as well as the recent Chilmark Hospital at Home MTR report and the opportunities it presents in this space. Our guest also sheds light on the greatest challenges facing Hospital at Home regulations and implementations.