The 229 Podcast

January 14, 2026: When 50% of your urgent care patients walk in with zero medical history, how do you deliver quality care? Mike Cordeiro, Senior Director of Interoperability Market and Product Strategy at MEDITECH, and Joe Diver, Signature Healthcare’s CIO, discuss how they transformed fragmented records into a unified view that nearly 400 clinicians adopted in record time. One physician called it "the best technical change in years." Learn why interoperability isn't just about regulatory compliance anymore—it's becoming the lifeline that allows independent hospitals to survive, compete, and deliver coordinated care without sacrificing their autonomy.

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Key Points:

• 01:27 Signature Healthcare's Core Challenges
• 03:58 MEDITECH's Impact on Clinicians
• 06:25 Adoption and Advanced Features
• 12:18 Future of Interoperability and Conclusion

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January 12, 2026: Epic is defending three simultaneous lawsuits while CIOs grapple with vendors imposing staggering price increases—some as high as 600%. Bill, Sarah, and Drex tackle the uncomfortable truth about AI leadership: it's time to figure it out or risk getting left behind. They explore why AI with context is transformative while AI without it looks foolish, discuss whether board members know how to hire AI-savvy CIOs, and predict a major shift in how healthcare organizations approach their EHR relationships. Could we see a return to building custom solutions powered by modern AI?

Key Points:

• 02:44 Predictions for 2026
• 14:18 Staffing and Workforce Implications
• 21:10 Epic's Legal Troubles

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January 8, 2026: Dr. Michael Pfeffer, SVP and CIDO at Stanford Medicine, reveals how his team built a secure AI sandbox in just six weeks—and what they learned from analyzing thousands of user prompts. From ambient scribes that actually work to ChatEHR transforming clinical workflows in real-time, Michael shares the practical wins and honest challenges of deploying AI across an academic medical center. Discover why different AI models excel at different tasks, how Stanford approaches governance without slowing innovation, and why the future of healthcare might finally match the vision we've been promised for decades.

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Key Points:

• 05:14 The Green Button Initiative
• 09:29 Ambient Listening in Clinical Settings
• 15:32 Stanford's Unique Approach to Innovation
• 26:03 ChatEHR: A Game Changer
• 34:09 Capturing Patient Stories with Technology

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January 7, 2026: Chuck Christian, CTO of Franciscan Health, and Charles Anastos, Senior Partner at Chartis, share the unfiltered story of migrating a 12-hospital Epic environment to Microsoft Azure—including the moment their hosting partner suddenly exited the business mid-contract. Chuck reveals why they rejected the "easy button" of Epic hosting, how they navigated a complex RFP with six vendors, and the non-negotiables that made or broke partnerships. From building a dedicated cloud cost analyst role to running production in their DR site for 30 days, this conversation delivers hard-won lessons on treating cloud migration as a strategic transformation, not just infrastructure relocation. Learn what happens when you demand trust and integrity over vendor promises.

Key Points:

• 03:11 Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
• 08:50 The RFP Process and Vendor Evaluation
• 13:33 Security and Resilience in Cloud Migration
• 22:13 Lessons Learned and Future Plans

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January 6, 2026: Healthcare is transforming through connection, and 2026 promises to take that mission further than ever before. This Week Health is expanding its reach with 63 events across 30 cities, bringing healthcare leaders together for deeper conversations and meaningful relationships. From coast-to-coast dinners connecting local leaders to new training programs educating both sides of the healthcare IT ecosystem, the focus remains on building bench strength across the industry. With 176 HCSP members already engaged and a new fellowship program launching to advance IT professional careers, the entire talent pipeline is being transformed. Discover how community, education, and personal connections are shaping healthcare's future in 2026.

Key Points:

• 00:13 Exciting Plans for 2026
• 01:51 Women's CIO Summit and Talent Pipeline
• 04:04 Community Building and Networking
• 09:12 Fundraising and Charity Events

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January 5, 2026: ServiceNow's $7 billion acquisition of Armis signals a major shift in healthcare IT consolidation strategy. Jason Rose, CEO of Clearsense dives into what this deal means for health systems juggling overlapping security tools and bloated app portfolios. The conversation shifts to bold predictions for 2026, including a massive wave of multi-billion dollar health system mergers and the rural hospital crisis. Jason reveals how Trinity Health eliminated $100 million in operational costs through strategic app archiving, while the panel explores why AI implementation will finally move beyond hype into real-world deployment. 

Key Points:

• 01:39 ServiceNow Acquisition of Armis
• 07:26 Application Consolidation in Healthcare
• 17:10 Predictions for 2026
• 30:39 Closing Remarks and Subscription Information

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December 29, 2025: As 2025 draws to a close, Drex, Sarah, and Bill gather to reflect on a year of struggles and triumphs. From unprecedented CIO turnover among top talent to the stark reality of workforce exhaustion, this candid conversation reveals why even quality leaders are finding themselves displaced. They explore how fear has stifled innovation, why AI advanced faster than expected with synthetic media, and how organizational culture emerged as the true differentiator in digital transformation success. They also share personal highlights from their year of summits and dinners, proving that even in challenging times, community and purpose remain paramount.

Key Points:

• 00:50 Reflecting on 2025: Surprises and Challenges
• 06:25 What We Got Right in 2025
• 13:22 Personal Reflections and Key Takeaways
• 18:55 Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Initiatives
• 22:47 Conclusion and Community Engagement

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December 23, 2025: The AI revolution swept through healthcare in 2025, but did it deliver on its promises? Bill Russell, Drex DeFord, and Sarah Richardson pull back the curtain on what really happened in AI this year—from North Korean deep fakes infiltrating hospital workforces to the sobering reality of billion-dollar AI investments with ROI timelines stretching to 2030. They reveal why ambient listening became the breakout use case, which organizations are actually making progress, and the critical mistake most health systems are making with endless pilots. If you're wondering whether your organization is behind on AI or just getting started right, this honest end-of-year reflection delivers the answers healthcare leaders need heading into 2026.

Key Points:

• 02:38 2025 Reflections and Predictions
• 11:21 Deep Fakes and Digital Trafficking in Healthcare
• 17:50 Balancing Tech Debt and Innovation in Healthcare
• 19:22 Enhancing Physician Efficiency and Satisfaction
• 25:09 Future AI Trends 

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December 22, 2025: What makes a healthcare event truly transformative? Guru Sundar, VP of Marketing at Abridge, explores their unique event, ‘The Conversation’, that blends art, science, and healthcare innovation. From Laird Hamilton's insights on trusting your subconscious to John McEnroe's lesson on staying true to your brand, this discussion reveals how cross-industry inspiration drives healthcare forward. Discover why Eric Larson shocked attendees by suggesting health systems close non-clinical positions today and how Daphne Koller is compressing centuries of drug discovery into months with AI. This conversation will change how you think about innovation.

Key Points:

• 00:41 ‘The Conversation’ Event: A Unique Experience
• 02:32 Highlights from the Bridge Event
• 03:12 Insights from Laird Hamilton and John McEnroe
• 09:01 Healthcare Conversations and AI
• 18:56 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

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December 19, 2025: CMS has unveiled its new ACCESS Model—an ambitious 10-year initiative aimed at expanding digital, tech-enabled care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In this discussion, Laura O’Toole, CEO of SureTest, joins Bill and Sarah to unpack how outcome-based reimbursement could finally accelerate innovation in remote monitoring and chronic disease management. They explore what this shift means for CIOs, including the need for stronger data interoperability, integrated analytics, and secure pipelines to support continuous digital care. The conversation also highlights risks, from digital literacy gaps to patient privacy concerns as de-identified data gains value across the industry. From wearables and home health devices to the challenge of building a true digital front door, this episode examines how ACCESS could reshape care-in-place models—and why commercial payers may soon follow Medicare’s lead.

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