Healthcare

Over the past two decades, digital health has evolved from a niche concept to a cornerstone of modern care—especially in cardiology, where MedTech innovations like remote monitoring and wearable devices are redefining how patients are diagnosed and managed. Yet behind every billion-dollar breakthrough is a leader who knew how to commercialize it. As cardiovascular startups…

The wellness industry is at an inflection point. What once centered around pill packs and generic supplement regimens is now being transformed by an ecosystem of personalization, flavor innovation, and data-driven development. According to research, the global nutraceuticals market is on track to surpass $919 billion by 2030—and with consumer demand increasingly favoring tailored,…

Healthcare organizations have faced significant challenges over the last five years due to the lasting financial and operational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread labor shortages, and rising costs of care delivery. The pandemic forced hospitals to prioritize crisis response over long-term strategy, leading to deferred investments, workforce burnout, and financial strain. Now, with many…

In a healthcare landscape reshaped by post-pandemic challenges, workforce shortages and burnout are stretching the system to its limits. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, while turnover rates among nurses and allied health professionals continue to climb….

Advancements in artificial intelligence are transforming healthcare, and remote cardiac monitoring is at the forefront of this change. With cardiovascular disease impacting nearly 50% of the population at some point in their lives, early detection and efficient diagnosis are crucial. Enter AI-powered cardiac monitors that provide near real-time data, reduce diagnostic errors, and improve…

For the first time in history, Texas is home to three female presidents leading Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) chapters, alongside the organization’s first female CEO, Ann Jordan. This unprecedented moment is more than symbolic; it highlights a shift toward inclusivity, collaboration, and innovation in healthcare financial management. With Texas chapters spanning diverse regions…

With healthcare costs continuing to climb, and the access to quality care remaining uneven, discussions on healthcare reform are quite an essential topic. Millions of Americans face high out-of-pocket costs and limited access to critical health services. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, nearly 40 percent of Americans have delayed medical care due to…

Conversations around mental resilience and maintaining a positive mindset are increasingly relevant today. With rising levels of stress and burnout in both personal and professional spaces, many people are searching for ways to reframe challenges as opportunities. One study showed that 75 percent of employees reported feeling overwhelmed or burned out at work, underscoring…

As the demand for home-based care continues to surge, the industry faces an urgent need to redefine its collaborative frameworks, particularly between clinical and non-clinical services. A growing body of research suggests that coordinated home care can reduce hospitalization rates, lower costs, and increase patient satisfaction—an impact felt across families, caregivers, and the healthcare…

As healthcare systems grapple with persistent staffing shortages and rising patient volumes, the need for streamlined, tech-enabled workflows has become urgent. A 2024 time-motion study across four hospitals found that clinical pharmacists spend over 80% of their time on clinical activities, with nearly 12% dedicated to face-to-face patient interaction. That leaves less than 20%…

Hospitals are facing mounting pressure from staff shortages, rising costs, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements. Surgical suites and sterile processing departments (SPDs) are two of the most resource-intensive areas, yet many still rely on manual processes and fragmented data. According to the American Hospital Association, nearly 1,400 hospitals, or 31 percent of hospitals, reported…

Brent speaks with Day-Vene Gilliam, VP of National Network Optimization & Business Development at Elevance Health, about how Anthem is evolving its network strategy to deliver greater value to clients and members. From expanding value-based care contracts with over 650,000 providers to leveraging digital tools like HealthOS for real-time data and gap-closure, Anthem is enabling…

Sammy Gonzalez, Regional Vice President at Elevance Health, joins Brent for a deeply personal and impactful conversation on health equity and inclusive care. Sammy shares a powerful story of medical misdiagnosis tied to cultural assumptions, underscoring how bias—even unintentional—can hinder care quality. He highlights Elevance’s work to improve diversity in provider networks, enhance cultural competency,…

In this episode, Christina Firouztash, Executive Advisor of Digital Solutions at Anthem, gives a dynamic walkthrough of the Sydney Health app—Anthem’s flagship digital member experience. Christina showcases how Sydney delivers personalized, simple, and equitable navigation across benefits, including virtual care, pharmacy, financial transparency, and social services access. From contextual chatbots and ID card access to…

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar returns to break down Anthem’s Whole Health Index (WHI)—a powerful tool that distills medical, social, environmental, and behavioral data into a single score (0–100) to identify members most at risk. By surfacing factors like transportation deserts, housing instability, or food insecurity, WHI enables Anthem care managers and advocates to proactively match members…

In this episode, Brent chats with Katie Brennan, National Sales Director at CarelonRx, about making pharmacy benefits more accessible, consistent, and member-friendly. Katie spotlights Carelon new advanced home delivery model, which brings the pharmacy counter—and the pharmacist—into the member’s home. With fewer retail pharmacies offering extended hours and many patients lacking reliable transportation, CarelonRx is…

Brent welcomes Tye Rambo, Stop Loss Business Strategy Manager, to discuss how Elevance Health is helping employers manage the financial risks of high-cost gene therapies. With one-time treatments ranging from $850,000 to over $3 million, Tye explains how Elevance’s stop loss solution ensures consistent coverage by avoiding “lasering”—a tactic that raises deductibles for known high-cost…

Brent sits down with Neal Turnage and Danny Maxson from Elevance Health’s Social Impact Team to explore how the Community Connected Care initiative is redefining healthcare. They share how Elevance is actively addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)—like housing instability, food insecurity, and transportation access—by embedding support into member-facing systems. Through strategic partnerships, digital tools,…

In this special episode recorded at the 2025 International Council of Nurses Congress in Helsinki, host Lea Sims sits down with Professor Sylvia Fung, President of the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing & Midwifery, and Professor Ying Zhou of Guangzhou Huashang College. Together, they discuss how the nursing profession is evolving in Asia and the…

Broadcasting from the 2025 International Council of Nurses Congress in Helsinki, host Lea Sims welcomes two inspiring Jamaican nurses—Andrea Christie, MSc, BSN, ENLAC, RM, RN, JP, and Karlene Miller, RN—to discuss the vital but often overlooked specialty of rehabilitative nursing. With decades of combined experience in rehabilitation and midwifery, both guests offer an impassioned…

In this special episode recorded live from the 2025 International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress in Helsinki, host Lea Sims welcomes Dr. Oscar Noel Ocho, Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of the West Indies School of Nursing. With more than four decades of experience in specialty nursing and education, Dr. Ocho brings a…

Dr. Kristin Gill, Behavioral Health Medical Director at Anthem, joins Brent to explore the realities of maternal mental health—both as a clinical leader and new mother herself. Drawing from her experience in perinatal psychiatry and acute behavioral care, Dr. Gill unpacks the critical link between maternal well-being and child health, the post-COVID surge in demand…

At the Stillwater Medical Center in Oklahoma, Lead Central Sterile Technician Sydney McWaters and Certified Sterilization Technician Trey Sneed have experienced firsthand how CensiTrac, the surgical instrument and asset management solution from Censis, has transformed daily operations and helped their team adapt to change with confidence. Recently, the department implemented location scanning through CensiTrac—a…

At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Nursing Manager Josh Meyer has seen measurable benefits from implementing CensiTrac’s AI² functionality. The tool has become an integral part of how the department monitors quality, manages staffing, and improves daily operations. With AI², the team is able to track key quality metrics across sterile processing workflows. From…

Chelissa Gray, a Sterile Processing Technician at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, describes CensiTrac as an essential part of her daily workflow. With CensiTrac, Gray and her team can track every surgical instrument from the moment it arrives in decontamination to when it’s delivered back to the operating room, ensuring full visibility and…

Healthcare security: It’s not just complex, it’s critical. The rapid growth, consolidation, and operational intricacies of hospitals and medical centers create unparalleled challenges. From managing expansive facilities to securing sensitive patient areas while ensuring seamless daily operations, it’s a constant balancing act. In this episode of Innovation Obsessed, Grace Pluta from Oosto moderates a timely…

In healthcare environments where precision and accountability are paramount, sterile processing departments (SPDs) play a critical behind-the-scenes role. As hospitals worldwide embrace technology to close compliance gaps and improve operational transparency, the introduction of patient-centric tracking tools marks a major leap forward. Tying surgical instruments directly to patient records not only strengthens traceability—it reinforces trust…