Rockin' HIT Sales

David Hacker

Rockin’ HIT Sales is the show for founders, sales leaders, and investors who care about selling Health IT the way hospitals actually buy. Host David Hacker, CPHIMS and MEDDPICC® Certified Trainer, sits down with the people on the other side of the deal table—CMIOs, CNIOs, CFOs, innovation leaders, GPO executives, and federal policy and standards leads—to unpack: How health systems really evaluate digital health and AI solutionsWhat separates “interesting pilot” from scaled enterprise deploymentHow MEDDPICC®, AI risk, and interoperability policy show up in real dealsWhat risk, finance, and clinical leaders listen for in vendor conversationsGuests include health system executives, innovators, and policymakers such as: Chief Medical Innovation Officers, CFOs of major health systems, technology leaders from national GPOs, and federal Health IT and AI standards leaders. New episodes drop every other week, with short, practical conversations designed to help you qualify better, de-risk deals, and align your go-to-market with the way hospitals make decisions. If you’re building or selling Health IT or healthcare AI—and you want fewer stalled pilots and more scalable wins—this is your front-row seat.

Episodes

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Standards That Scale: Building healthcare AI that’s testable, reliable, and safe

    In this episode of Rockin’ HIT Sales, David Hacker sits down with Ram D. Sriram, a long-time AI researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to translate “trustworthy AI” from a buzzword into a practical checklist for digital health leaders. Ram has worked across the major waves of AI—from early knowledge-based systems to neural networks and today’s large language models—and explains what’s genuinely new, what’s simply being rebranded, and why the next leap may be neuro-symbolic AI. From there, the conversation goes deep on what many founders and product teams underestimate: measurement. If AI is an “instrument” used in clinical and operational settings, what does it mean to calibrate it? What is the ground truth? How do we measure accuracy, reliability, and failure modes—especially when a model is seeing something it was not trained for? Ram breaks down why metrology for AI, and even “AI for metrology,” matters now that AI is becoming pervasive in healthcare workflows. You’ll also hear practical guidance on: • Designing for a world of smart networked systems, including wearables, devices, EHRs, registries, and multiple data sources • Why standards and interoperability are often the missing ingredient, and how to use what already exists instead of reinventing the wheel • Applying the NIST AI Risk Management Framework in healthcare terms • Why uncertainty quantification—knowing when a model does not know—can change clinical pathways and risk • The red flags that make AI leaders nervous, including data or model manipulation and why guardrails matter This is a no-fluff episode for digital health founders, product leaders, and GTM teams who want to move beyond demos and build with more credibility, stronger market readiness, and better sales strategy for real-world adoption.

    29 min

  2. 7 APR

    Inside GPOs: How Health IT Actually Gets Evaluated and Purchased

    In this episode of Rockin’ HIT Sales, David Hacker sits down with James Ludwig, a former Premier GPO leader, to demystify Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) for Health IT founders and go-to-market teams. James breaks down GPOs using a simple “bridge” analogy: on one side are health systems, on the other are suppliers, and the GPO operates the contracting and competitive-bid “toll bridge” that makes commerce easier—funded through supplier administrative fees (often shared back with member providers). You’ll hear what vendors routinely misunderstand (hint: you don’t just “show up” and get a contract), what has to be true for a technology solution to be taken seriously, and how value analysis and member collaboration work behind the scenes. James also explains why scale readiness is non-negotiable in a GPO environment—because a solution must be deployable across hundreds (sometimes thousands) of member facilities. The conversation also covers how GPOs can partner with vendors beyond contracting—through licensing models and, in some cases, investment + technology deployment—and why a GPO contract doesn’t commoditize you; it simply removes friction so you can sell faster (if you’re ready to execute). If you’re building or scaling a provider-facing Health IT company, this episode will help you build a practical GPO strategy: what to do, what to avoid, and how to position your solution so it can win—and scale—inside the GPO ecosystem.

    25 min

  3. 24 MAR

    How CFO's Evaluate Health IT: Value, Risk and the Business Case that Wins

    In this episode of Rockin’ HIT Sales, David Hacker sits down with Robin Damschroder, Chief Financial Officer at Henry Ford Health, for a rare, practical look at how health systems evaluate—and ultimately approve—digital health, data, and AI-enabled investments. Robin explains why the CFO sits “in the center” of these decisions: investment dollars flow through finance, but the outcomes depend on the teams who must deploy and own the change. She shares how Henry Ford approaches governance for AI and IT, including how the organization thinks about core enterprise platforms (like major EHR and ERP systems), strategic large-scale partners, and more specialized one-off solutions—each with different risk, integration, and longevity considerations. You’ll hear the questions financial and operational leaders instinctively ask when a new technology proposal hits the desk: Does it align to enterprise priorities and existing platforms? What people and process changes are required to make it successful—and what upskilling or role shifts should be planned? Is the solution a narrow one-off, or something robust and “evergreen” that can be embedded and improved over time? How does it integrate into the core systems without creating fragmentation, new security exposure, or long-term maintenance burden? Robin also breaks down what separates a credible business case from a shiny proposal. Her lens is total cost of ownership—not just licensing or subscription price. She wants a holistic view of costs and impact: implementation and integration effort, security and governance needs, workflow redesign, training, and ongoing operational ownership. And she emphasizes the importance of a balanced KPI scorecard that includes more than ROI: operational improvement metrics, payback period, patient/consumer engagement, and workforce impact. One of the most actionable parts of the conversation: downside scenarios and assumption stress-testing. Robin is clear—if a vendor doesn’t model downside, the health system will. But she explains why this isn’t about “shooting holes” in a proposal; it’s about assessing readiness and building a rollout plan that actually works. Adoption and engagement—especially clinician adoption—often determine whether a business case holds or slips. We also discuss the realities vendors often underestimate: The CFO is rarely the lone decision maker—health systems rely on process, governance, and cross-functional ownership. Budget cycles and prioritization windows are real; miss them and timing can slip significantly. Organizations may reserve funds or approve out-of-cycle investments when priorities emerge mid-year—but only if the initiative is already moving through governance with internal champions. With today’s margin pressure and reimbursement headwinds, systems are increasingly prioritizing initiatives with near-term returns and clear cost-structure impact. Robin closes with a direct challenge to Health IT leaders: be crystal clear on how your solution will reduce operating issues and improve cost structure in the near term, not just in theory. At the same time, she shares why she’s genuinely optimistic—excited, even—about how AI can drive workplace transformation across the enterprise when implemented responsibly. If you build, sell, or invest in Health IT, this episode is a must-listen to understand what it takes to become fundable, approvable, and scalable in a real health system.

    22 min

  4. 24 FEB

    Interoperability, AI, and Policy: What Health IT Builders Need to Know Now from Steve Posnack at HHS

    In this episode of Rockin’ HIT Sales, David talks with Steve Posnack, Principal Deputy National Coordinator for Health IT and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy at HHS, about how federal policy really shapes digital health and AI go-to-market. We cover: How interoperability, FHIR APIs, and TEFCA affect Health IT vendorsWhat information blocking and data-sharing rules mean for startup roadmapsHow federal AI and technology policy will impact healthcare innovationPractical advice for founders and investors selling into hospitals and health systems If you’re building or selling Health IT or healthcare AI, this is a playbook-level conversation on staying aligned with ONC and HHS policy.

    19 min

  5. 10 FEB

    From Pilot to Scale: Dr. Barry Katzen on Health System Innovation

    Why do so many Health IT pilots succeed on paper—but never scale? In this episode of Rockin’ HIT Sales, David Hacker sits down with Dr. Barry Katzen, Chief Medical Innovation Officer at Baptist Health of South Florida, to unpack what really determines whether new technology earns the right to scale inside a health system. Dr. Katzen shares the provider-side reality behind pilots, innovation programs, and co-development partnerships—including why “proof of value” is only the first gate, what vendors routinely underestimate about pilots, and how internal dynamics like supply chain, contracts, and organizational fit ultimately decide adoption. If you sell, build, or invest in Health IT, this conversation offers a rare inside look at how health systems evaluate innovation—and why many promising solutions stall. You’ll learn: What a credible pilot actually requires (and why “let’s try it” fails) Why successful pilots still don’t guarantee system-wide scale The difference between innovation partnerships and supply-chain buying What vendors should stop doing—and what immediately builds trust with health systems Rockin’ HIT Sales is a short, practical podcast where provider reality meets Health IT go-to-market—focused on what actually moves deals, drives adoption, and delivers outcomes.

    17 min

  6. 2 FEB

    Trailer for Rockin' HIT Sales

    Rockin’ HIT Sales is the show for founders, sales leaders, and investors who care about selling Health IT the way hospitals actually buy. Host David Hacker, CPHIMS and MEDDPICC® Certified Trainer, sits down with the people on the other side of the deal table—CMIOs, CNIOs, CFOs, innovation leaders, GPO executives, and federal policy and standards leads—to unpack: How health systems really evaluate digital health and AI solutionsWhat separates “interesting pilot” from scaled enterprise deploymentHow MEDDPICC®, AI risk, and interoperability policy show up in real dealsWhat risk, finance, and clinical leaders listen for in vendor conversationsGuests include health system executives, innovators, and policymakers such as: Chief Medical Innovation Officers, CFOs of major health systems, technology leaders from national GPOs, and federal Health IT and AI standards leaders. New episodes drop every other week, with short, practical conversations designed to help you qualify better, de-risk deals, and align your go-to-market with the way hospitals make decisions. If you’re building or selling Health IT or healthcare AI—and you want fewer stalled pilots and more scalable wins—this is your front-row seat.

    2 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Rockin’ HIT Sales is the show for founders, sales leaders, and investors who care about selling Health IT the way hospitals actually buy. Host David Hacker, CPHIMS and MEDDPICC® Certified Trainer, sits down with the people on the other side of the deal table—CMIOs, CNIOs, CFOs, innovation leaders, GPO executives, and federal policy and standards leads—to unpack: How health systems really evaluate digital health and AI solutionsWhat separates “interesting pilot” from scaled enterprise deploymentHow MEDDPICC®, AI risk, and interoperability policy show up in real dealsWhat risk, finance, and clinical leaders listen for in vendor conversationsGuests include health system executives, innovators, and policymakers such as: Chief Medical Innovation Officers, CFOs of major health systems, technology leaders from national GPOs, and federal Health IT and AI standards leaders. New episodes drop every other week, with short, practical conversations designed to help you qualify better, de-risk deals, and align your go-to-market with the way hospitals make decisions. If you’re building or selling Health IT or healthcare AI—and you want fewer stalled pilots and more scalable wins—this is your front-row seat.

Information

  • Creator
    David Hacker
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 David Hacker
  • Show Website
    Rockin' HIT Sales