The Beat

HLTH

4.9 (11)
MEDICINE
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Beat, powered by HLTH, is a weekly interview series dedicated to paving a better path forward for the future of health. Each week a variety of hosts bring you authentic conversations with prominent thought leaders. Through these interviews with people at the forefront of change in healthcare, we hope to spark new ideas and encourage new collaborations among listeners.

19H AGO

AI at HLTH : Communication as a Clinical Advantage

In this episode, host Sandy Vance chats with Sophie Cheng, the Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Sinch. They discuss the most common communication pitfalls and share a handful of remedies so you can start sending smarter messages. You’ll walk away with tangible tips on how to: ✔️ switch from omnichannel to optimal channel ✔️ leverage AI to fix your no-show problem ✔️ build patient trust through advanced messaging In this episode, they talk about:What Sinch does and how it uses AI to simplify and personalize communication for customersHow AI-driven communication is being applied in healthcare and what leaders need to understandWhy better communication leads to faster interactions, improved patient experiences, and higher conversion ratesHow omnichannel communication strategies streamline workflows for healthcare organizationsHow Sinch helps organizations identify the right channels and interfaces for their patient populationsWhat it means to operate at the speed of trust, and why transparency mattersHow AI can make patient interactions feel more empathetic and humanWhy organizations should never underestimate the impact of their communication strategyA Little About Sophie:Sophie Cheng is the Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Sinch, the global leader in CPaaS and the company behind the Customer Communications Cloud. With more than 15 years of international marketing experience, Sophie has held strategic roles across Europe, Asia, and North America, partnering closely with Product, Growth, and M&A leaders to manage complex, global portfolios. At Sinch, she leads global product marketing, partner marketing, and analyst relations, helping organizations deliver seamless, trusted communication experiences across messaging, voice, and email. Before Sinch, Sophie served as VP of Global Product and Customer Marketing at ZoomInfo and led Product Marketing at Chorus.ai. A true global citizen, she has worked extensively across EMEA, APAC, and the U.S. Sophie holds advanced degrees from the University of St. Gallen and Singapore University and is an active member of the CMO Alliance.

19 min
4D AGO

AI at HLTH: Sustaining Healthcare IT: The Shift from Reactive Response to Predictive Resilience

Enterprise IT is drowning in repeat incidents, slow triage, and reactive firefighting—burning teams out while costs rise and service quality slips. In this episode, Sandy and Umesh Shiknis of Publicis Sapient explore how Sapient Sustain uses AI-driven automation, predictive insights, and self-healing workflows to break the cycle, turning IT operations from constant crisis mode into a resilient, proactive engine that sustains the business. They also discuss how Publicis Sapient is leveraging AI to address challenges in the healthcare sector. They put an importance on modernizing legacy systems while also emphasizing the concept of agentic AI. Check out more about Sapient Sustain here: https://www.publicissapient.com/sapient-ai/sustain In this episode, they talk about:Publicis Sapient focuses on human-centered digital transformation in healthcareAI can accelerate product development and modernize legacy systemsIt's easy to confuse automation with simple elements of machine learning, which are progressively more deterministicOrganizations must establish guardrails for AI implementation because of how powerful agentic AI can beSapient Sustain helps healthcare companies manage and stabilize their applicationsThe end-user experience is crucial in technology deploymentAI can significantly reduce technical debt in healthcare organizationsHealthcare leaders should look at the boring stuff and focus on practical AI applicationsEducate your workforce to embrace the future instead of fearing itA Little About Umesh:Umesh Shiknis is Executive Vice President and Global Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Sapient, a human-centered, product-led digital business transformation firm. He leads global growth and go-to-market strategy, scaling new buying centers, accelerating client impact, and driving transformational revenue across industries. Previously, Umesh held senior leadership roles at Capgemini, Infosys, and ISG. His current focus is on taking the Publicis Sapient AI product suite—Sapient Slingshot, Bodhi, and Sapient Sustain—to market, turning AI innovation into measurable, enterprise-wide outcomes.

22 min
JAN 27

AI at HLTH : From Paper to Performance in Healthcare Finance

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Michael Gao, Chief Executive Officer of Smarter Technology, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping revenue cycle operations in healthcare. Together, they dig into Smarter Technology’s vision and the practical ways AI can help provider organizations better capture the full value of the care they deliver. Michael shares why the revenue cycle is overdue for improvement, how moving from physical to digital workflows can unlock meaningful gains, and what real-world ROI looks like when AI is applied thoughtfully. In this episode, they also talk about:Smarter Technology’s vision for using AI in healthcareWhy the revenue cycle needs modernizationMoving from manual and physical processes to digital workflowsWhat ROI looks like when AI is applied to revenue cycle operationsKeeping human oversight where it matters mostCommon documentation and workflow challenges Smarter Technology helps addressAdvice for CFOs considering AI solutionsA Little About Michael:Mike is CEO of Smarter Technologies. He co-founded SmarterDx after discovering that hospitals were leaving significant revenue and quality opportunities on the table while he was leading AI at New York-Presbyterian. Prior to SmarterDx, Mike was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell and Medical Director for Transformation for New York-Presbyterian. He completed his BS at the University of California, Los Angeles, his MD at the University of Michigan, and his Internal Medicine Residency and Silverman Fellowship for Healthcare Innovation at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.

25 min
JAN 26

Eliminating Data Waste: How Amgen’s Leandro Boer Is Reimagining Precision Medicine and Patient Equity

About Leandro Boer: Leandro Boer, MD, PhD, is a seasoned global biopharmaceutical executive and physician specializing in cardiology and cardiovascular pharmacology. Currently serving as Vice President of US Medical, General Medicines at Amgen, he leads medical strategy and execution across cardiovascular, bone, neuroscience, nephrology, and obesity therapeutic areas, overseeing a nationwide organization of over 100 professionals. With more than two decades of experience spanning the United States, Latin America, Canada, Africa, and the Middle East, Dr. Boer has built a distinguished career at leading companies such as Amgen, AstraZeneca, and Novartis. His leadership has shaped global and regional initiatives in medical affairs, clinical development, real-world evidence generation, regulatory strategy, and implementation science. Clinically, his expertise covers resistant hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and hyperlipidemia. Known for combining scientific rigor with strategic vision, Dr. Boer has directed cross-functional teams supporting drug development, commercialization, and lifecycle management across multiple therapeutic areas. A medical doctor trained in cardiology with a Ph.D. in cardiovascular pharmacology from Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Dr. Boer has consistently demonstrated a commitment to advancing evidence-based medicine, patient outcomes, and collaborative leadership within the healthcare ecosystem. Things You’ll Learn: The foundation of innovation lies in focusing on what never changes—patients, healthcare providers, and equitable systems of care.Amgen’s precision medicine and data-driven strategies prevent “data waste” and ensure every insight contributes to patient outcomes.Machine learning tools like Atomic are accelerating clinical trials by predicting successful sites, leading to faster drug development.The company’s bold goal to reduce cardiovascular events by 50% by 2030 relies on partnerships, AI, and implementation science.Representation in clinical research and decentralized trials is crucial to ensuring equitable access and meaningful outcomes for all populations.Resources: Connect with and follow Leandro Boer on LinkedIn.Follow Amgen on LinkedIn and explore their website.

18 min
JAN 22

AI at HLTH : Raising the Bar for Safe and Reliable Clinical AI with Wolters Kluwer

In this episode, host Sandy Vance is joined by Julie Frey, Vice President of Product Management at Wolters Kluwer, for a thoughtful conversation on how artificial intelligence is shaping clinical intelligence across healthcare. Together, they explore how AI is supporting the work organizations are already doing, and how Wolters Kluwer helps teams identify meaningful use cases and turn innovation into real value. From trusted, evidence-based solutions like UpToDate and Lexidrug to the evolving standards around safety, reliability, and trust, this conversation digs into what responsible AI looks like in practice. They also discuss the wide range of healthcare use cases and why organizations need to define their own standards as they move forward with AI adoption. In this episode, they talk about:Wolters Kluwer has a range of evidence-based solutions that enable better care, including UpToDate® and LexidrugHow AI has impacted the services that Wolters Kluwer delivers through its productsDifferent types of use cases in healthcareHow they set the standard of what is safe, reliable, and trustedWhen it comes to AI, organizations need to develop their own set of standards for accuracy and effectivenessThe importance of prompt engineeringA Little About Julie:As the Head of Provider Product, Julie is a crucial support for healthcare providers incorporating market-leading clinical decision support and patient solution technologies, such as UpToDate®. She brings over a decade of experience in corporate and product strategy to her current role, having held various leadership positions within Wolters Kluwer. Before joining the Health team, she worked in strategy and risk analysis for Red24, now a division of Gardaworld. Originally hailing from South Africa, Julie earned her MBA from IE University. Julie approaches her role with the understanding that the clinical need for intuitive, personalized, visually compelling, and actionable workflows will only become more critical. She assists providers in meeting their highest-priority use cases.

23 min
JAN 20

AI at HLTH: When AI Gets to Work Inside Clinical Trials

Move beyond the hype in this episode as we explore how Agentic AI is actively reshaping clinical research by moving from theoretical concepts to real-world autonomous deployments. Tune in to discover how intelligent agents are accelerating trials today and exactly what this shift means for the future of your work. In this episode, host Sandy Vance is behind the mic with Michelle Longmire, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Medable. Together they dive into what Medable is actually building and why it matters. They break down real examples of trials happening now, the evolving role of Clinical Research Associates, and how ambient and agentic AI are taking on the repetitive work that slows teams down. In this episode, they talk about:Medable’s mission and long-term vision for clinical researchA pilot clinical trial Sandy participated in and what it revealedReal-world examples of clinical trials Medable is supporting todayThe evolving role of Clinical Research Associates in AI-enabled trialsKey use cases where Medable delivers the most impactHow ambient AI handles repetitive operational workWhy humans do their best work when focused on complex, meaningful challengesUsing generative and agentic AI in safe, deterministic waysCommon misconceptions about the risks of generative AIEmerging clinical research use cases expected in 2026A Little About Michelle:As the co-founder and Chief Executive Oﬃcer of Medable, Dr. Michelle Longmire is mission-driven to accelerate the development of new therapies for disease. A Stanford-trained physician-scientist, Dr. Longmire witnessed firsthand the critical barriers to drug development – including the time and costs associated with clinical trial participation. She founded Medable to pioneer a new category of clinical trial technologies that remove traditional roadblocks to participation and radically accelerate the research process. Medable is now the industry leader in decentralized and direct-to-patient research, with the ability to serve patients in over 120 languages, 60 countries, and across all therapeutic areas. In addition to having raised over $500M in venture capital and driving Medable to an industry-leading position, Dr. Longmire has received recognition as a leading innovator and businesswoman, including being named as one of the 100 most creative people in business by Fast Company.

20 min
JAN 19

AI at ViVE : Guardrails for AI in Healthcare

The main obstacle preventing health systems from prioritizing AI over the next 3-5 years is not a lack of AI products in the market, but rather the challenges of integrating the technology into their existing workflows, and the uncertainty in measuring its return on investment (ROI). Newton’s Tree’s end-to-end AI governance platform delivers the necessary transparency and holistic oversight, empowering your multidisciplinary AI Governance Committee to drive confident AI adoption at scale across clinical and operational pathways. In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits with Haris Shuaib, the CEO of Newton’s Tree, to discuss the speed at which AI is advancing and whether this pace is safe. They unpack what responsible, scalable AI governance really looks like. From hidden risks in data quality to the subtle ways AI behavior can drift over time, Haris breaks down why checks and balances aren’t just a compliance exercise. They’re essential to patient safety and organizational trust. In this episode, they talk about:How Newton’s Tree helps governance committees confidently scale AI across clinical and operational pathwaysWhy so many organizations struggle with AI implementation—and where things most often break downWhat an effective process looks like for evaluating whether AI oversight is actually workingThe three things Newton’s Tree continuously monitors: data quality, AI behavior, and clinical decision riskWhy closing the feedback loop is critical right nowPractical advice for CIOs navigating AI adoption—and how Newton’s Tree supports themThe role of registries and observatories in responsible AI deploymentHow to ensure AI systems are safe and effective before they’re put into real-world useA Little About Haris:Haris Shuaib is Founder and CEO of Newton’s Tree, a startup dedicated to AI transformation at scale in health and care. He is Director of the Fellowships in Clinical Artificial Intelligence, the first clinical training programme for healthcare professionals to develop practical AI skills. He is also a Consultant Clinical Scientist and former Head of the Clinical Scientific Computing section at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS FT. Finally, he also holds a NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship, where he is leading a national multi-centre trial to see whether AI can improve the treatment of glioblastoma.

23 min
JAN 15

AI @ HLTH : Leaning In on AI Without the Hype

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Dr. Zayed Yasin, MD, Global Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Writer, for a thoughtful and practical conversation about what AI really means for healthcare today. Drawing on his background as a clinician, Dr. Yasin shares how AI can eliminate the “boring” aspects of the job, allowing teams to focus on what matters most: patients and outcomes. Together, they delve into building effective clinical programs in value-based care, leveraging AI for payers, exploring real-world case studies, and examining why many organizations struggle with implementation. If you’re curious about where AI is delivering real ROI right now (and why the best way to learn is to lean in and start working), this episode is for you. In this episode, they talk about:Dr. Yasin’s background as a clinician and his interest in AI AI will help people focus on what’s really important while taking away the boring parts of the jobBuilding the clinical program at a value-based care organizationHow to make these programs work for payersWriter case studies using this technologyWhy organizations struggle with implementing AIFuture big use cases in AILean in hard; you don’t start learning until you start working ROI can be attained quickly in places with very little riskUnless you’re an AI company, you’re not an AI companyA Little About Dr. Yasin:Dr. Yasin runs the Healthcare and Life Sciences group at Writer, the end-to-end platform for enterprises scaling AI. After leaving academic emergency medicine, he built telemedicine and VBC businesses before leading Writer's HCLS AI transformation efforts.

22 min

4.9

out of 5

11 Ratings

The Beat, powered by HLTH, is a weekly interview series dedicated to paving a better path forward for the future of health. Each week a variety of hosts bring you authentic conversations with prominent thought leaders. Through these interviews with people at the forefront of change in healthcare, we hope to spark new ideas and encourage new collaborations among listeners.

Creator

HLTH
Years Active

2020 - 2026
Episodes

392
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2020 The Beat
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