HITea With Grace

Grace Vinton
  • 5.0 (3)
  • MEDICINE

HITea with Grace, hosted by digital health expert Grace Vinton, spotlights women leaders in the healthcare IT and pharma innovation sector. What sets Grace's podcast apart is the intentional inclusion of women patient and caregiver leaders in the dialogue – whose perspectives are often overlooked in conversations about healthcare and research innovation.  As a patient advocate, digital health influencer, and award-winning healthcare communications professional, Grace is deeply committed to promoting technologies that save lives and amplifying patient and caregiver voices in the process. She is well-known for telling powerful innovation stories and educating the industry on emerging trends, helping shape industry categories. Grace has interviewed over 80 women leaders on her podcast to date, magnifying their industry know-how, as well as their personal and professional stories. Her commitment extends beyond the microphone, actively contributing to the evolution of patient-driven healthcare and technology. Grace's standout quality lies in her audacious goal: to engage with every woman leader in the healthcare industry – spanning care, research, informatics, funding – and challenge them to incorporate real patient and caregiver voices and experiences into their work.

  1. Brianna Fitchett Spills the Tea on Modernizing Autism Education and Care Models to Empower Families

    FEB 17

    Brianna Fitchett Spills the Tea on Modernizing Autism Education and Care Models to Empower Families

    Welcome back to HITea With Grace, where we spill the tea on healthcare IT, innovation, and the women driving change. In this episode, Grace is joined by Brianna Fitchett, Vice President of Clinical Impact at Catalight, for a candid conversation about the future of autism and intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) education and care. Brianna shares her career journey from behavior therapist to healthcare leader, and offers a firsthand look at the growing challenges facing the autism care ecosystem; including workforce shortages, long wait times for diagnosis and services, and clinician burnout. With autism prevalence now at 1 in 31 in the U.S., the demand for care has never been higher. Together, Grace and Brianna dive into: How parent-mediated and research-backed care models are reshaping autism services What it really takes to close the research-to-practice gap in behavioral health The role of virtual learning platforms and scalable clinician training How data-driven, outcome-focused education improves both clinician confidence and family outcomes Catalight Academy and the vision behind the Elevate Your Impact conference What the next 5–10 years could look like for autism and I/DD care As always, the conversation wraps with Brianna’s advice for women in healthcare and health IT. Pour yourself a cup and join us!

    25 min
  2. Dr. Sarah E. Matt Spills the Tea on the Quiet Rural Renaissance and the Future of Care

    FEB 10

    Dr. Sarah E. Matt Spills the Tea on the Quiet Rural Renaissance and the Future of Care

    Welcome back to HITea With Grace, where we spill the tea on healthcare IT. This episode takes a hard look beyond the AI hype cycle and into the past, present, future of care in rural America. Grace is joined by Dr. Sarah E. Matt, MD, MBA, healthcare strategist, bestselling author of The Borderless Healthcare Revolution, and former Oracle executive, for a candid conversation about what is really shaping the future of healthcare in 2026 and beyond. While headlines focus on AI everywhere and all at once, Dr. Matt argues the real transformation is a quiet rural renaissance happening in places many investors and innovators overlook. Together, they dig into where capital is actually flowing in healthcare, why geography still determines life expectancy, and why so many well-funded digital health pilots fall apart the moment they hit a rural emergency department on a busy night. This episode explores: Why zip code still predicts outcomes despite decades of innovation The difference between digital infrastructure and human infrastructure What hospital boards are missing about physician burnout right now Why rural hospitals struggle to scale innovation and how some break the cycle How AI risks widening the rural care gap if leaders are not intentional Why workforce shortages are a design failure, not just a staffing problem The uncomfortable truths health system leaders are avoiding about rural care Dr. Matt also shares insights from her work on borderless care, including the single regulatory change that could unlock real progress and why it has not happened yet. As always, HITea With Grace closes by getting personal. Dr. Matt reflects on how she does her best work, how she navigates challenges, and what advice she has for women building careers in healthcare and health IT today. And of course, we wrap with tea, mugs, and the stories behind them. 🎧 If you care about the future of healthcare beyond urban innovation hubs, this episode is a must-listen. Cheers!

    18 min
  3. Dr. Anita Phung Spills the Tea on Women's Research and the Data Gap in Longevity

    FEB 4

    Dr. Anita Phung Spills the Tea on Women's Research and the Data Gap in Longevity

    In this episode of HITea, Grace is joined by Anita Phung, MD, Research Physician at Lindus Health, for a thoughtful and timely discussion on how clinical research has historically overlooked women and what that means for diagnosis delays, treatment gaps, and long-term health outcomes. Together, they unpack why women’s longevity isn’t just about lifestyle hacks or wellness trends, but about who gets studied, how trials are designed, and whose data is actually driving medical decisions. Dr. Phung shares her career journey into clinical research, explains how male-centered trial designs still influence today’s guidelines and health tech, and explores why women remain underrepresented in research, especially during key life stages like perimenopause and menopause. The conversation also dives into: How delayed diagnoses quietly compound over time for women Why decentralized and remote trials are critical for real-world participation Where the biggest research gaps still exist in women’s aging, hormones, and chronic disease How women can actively help close the data gap through trials, wearables, and advocacy As always, we close out HITea With Grace by getting personal, talking about how Dr. Phung does her best work, overcomes challenges, and what advice she has for women navigating healthcare and research today. And of course, we end on a lighter note with tea, mugs, and the stories behind them ☕️ 🎧 Tune in for a conversation that blends science, systems, and lived experience and challenges us to rethink what it really takes to support women’s long-term health. Cheers!

    21 min
  4. Gail Menasco Spills the Tea on Patient Power and How Advocacy Moves Policy Forward

    12/30/2025

    Gail Menasco Spills the Tea on Patient Power and How Advocacy Moves Policy Forward

    Welcome back to HITea With Grace, where we sip something warm and spotlight the voices reshaping healthcare. Today Grace is joined by Gail Menasco, founder of the Bra Society and a powerful advocate for women navigating breast reconstruction and broader healthcare challenges. Gail shares the personal cancer journey that led her into advocacy at just 38 years old and how it shaped her mission to empower patients with knowledge, resources, and support. The conversation explores her important work in Oregon and how policy efforts there aim to improve access and outcomes for women’s health. Gail also discusses the growing role of patient advocates in shaping policy, the evolving partnerships between clinicians, policymakers, and communities, and why collaboration is essential to closing long-standing gaps in care. Grace and Gail dig into the future of ACA subsidies, rising affordability concerns, and what weakened protections could mean for women and families. They also look at the widening gap between women’s health innovation and insurance coverage and the promising ideas emerging to bridge it. To close the episode, Gail shares what drives her, how she overcomes challenges, her advice for women in healthcare and health IT, and of course the tea she brought to the pod today. Settle in for an insightful and inspiring conversation on HITea With Grace.

    30 min
  5. Nick Adkins Spills the Tea on the PinkSocks Movement

    12/23/2025

    Nick Adkins Spills the Tea on the PinkSocks Movement

    On this week's HITea with Grace, our host is joined by Nick Adkins, Founder of PinkSocks, for a joyful and heartfelt conversation inspired by his new book that captures years of adventure, connection, and community building. Nick shares the story behind the PinkSocks movement, how a simple symbol grew into a global community, and why the message of empathy and kindness continues to resonate across healthcare and beyond. The conversation dives into what makes PinkSocks so enduring, stories from his book that reflect the spirit of the movement, and how allyship is evolving in health tech and patient advocacy. Nick also talks about how human connection and kindness can fuel innovation and strengthen the future of care. To close the episode, Nick reflects on what motivates him, how he navigates challenges, his advice for leaders in healthcare and health IT, and of course the mug he brought to the pod today. Pour a cup and enjoy another uplifting conversation on HITea With Grace and check out Nick's latest book: PINKSOCKS: How a Pair of Socks Became a Symbol of Love and Connection

    27 min
  6. Julia Komissarchik Spills the Tea on FDA Approved AI Models and Federated Learning

    12/16/2025

    Julia Komissarchik Spills the Tea on FDA Approved AI Models and Federated Learning

    Welcome back to the HITea With Grace Podcast, where we sip something warm and uncover the real stories behind healthcare innovation. Today Grace Vinton is joined by Julia Komissarchik for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities behind FDA approved AI models in healthcare. Julia explains why many of these models stay confined to a single hospital, how broader access to high quality clinical data can improve generalization, and what is needed to build AI systems that work for diverse patient populations. The discussion explores the limits of small training datasets, the importance of secure and scalable de-identification, the role of multimodal clinical data, and what it takes to build trust between hospitals and research partners. Julia also breaks down what works and what does not work in federated learning and what safeguards are required to make it a viable approach for clinical AI. To close the episode, Julia shares what motivates her, how she overcomes challenges, her advice for women in healthcare and health IT, and of course the tea she brought to the pod today.

    15 min
  7. Jenni Tarma Spills the Tea on Women’s Bone Health

    12/12/2025

    Jenni Tarma Spills the Tea on Women’s Bone Health

    Welcome back to the HITea With Grace Podcast, where we sip something warm and explore the stories of women shaping healthcare and health IT. Today Grace is joined by Jenni Tarma, CEO and Founder of Kaari Prehab, for an honest conversation about women’s bone health and why osteoporosis remains so overlooked. Jenni shares her career path, why bone health for postmenopausal women is often missed in mainstream medicine, and how patient-centered exercise guidance can change outcomes. The conversation highlights evidence-based options for women who want to avoid or delay medications, ways to spot credible information, how advocacy communities empower patients, and what first steps someone should take if they suspect they are at risk. Jenni also talks about how clinicians and wellness professionals can help patients move past fear-based messaging, along with the policy and community changes needed to improve care. To wrap up the episode, Yenni shares how she works her best, what helps her overcome challenges, and her advice for women in healthcare and health IT. And of course, we ask the important question: what tea did she bring today? Tune in, learn something new, and enjoy another great conversation on HITea With Grace!

    24 min
  8. HLTH Special: Amanda Rees Spills the Tea on the Future of Fall Prevention

    12/05/2025

    HLTH Special: Amanda Rees Spills the Tea on the Future of Fall Prevention

    Welcome to HITea With Grace, where we spill the tea on HIT. Today we are coming to you from the HLTH conference for a special episode with Amanda Rees, CEO of Bold and one of the leading voices in fall prevention. Amanda recently joined me on stage for a panel at HLTH, and now she is here to share even more insight on the crisis we rarely talk about but absolutely should. Amanda walks us through the career journey that led her to build Bold and why she believes falls remain one of healthcare’s most preventable yet overlooked challenges. Together, we dig into why balance and fall prevention have stayed under the national radar despite the massive medical, social, and economic impact. We explore the innovations turning fall prevention from reactive to predictive, including AI powered tools that identify risk earlier and more accurately. Amanda shares her perspective on what Medicare’s STAR ratings and value based models mean for accelerating adoption, and what policymakers can do to push prevention forward. Grace and Amanda also get real about the stigma older adults face when using technology. Amanda breaks down what actually works when it comes to adoption, trust building, and making digital tools feel empowering rather than patronizing. We also talk about how clinicians can integrate these tools in a way that enhances, not overwhelms, their workflow and patient relationships. To wrap up, Amanda imagines what the next five to ten years could look like if predictive fall prevention becomes the norm and how this innovation could transform aging in place for millions. Grab your mug and settle in for a thoughtful, energizing HLTH conversation that shines a light on one of healthcare’s most important and least discussed opportunities.

    16 min
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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

HITea with Grace, hosted by digital health expert Grace Vinton, spotlights women leaders in the healthcare IT and pharma innovation sector. What sets Grace's podcast apart is the intentional inclusion of women patient and caregiver leaders in the dialogue – whose perspectives are often overlooked in conversations about healthcare and research innovation.  As a patient advocate, digital health influencer, and award-winning healthcare communications professional, Grace is deeply committed to promoting technologies that save lives and amplifying patient and caregiver voices in the process. She is well-known for telling powerful innovation stories and educating the industry on emerging trends, helping shape industry categories. Grace has interviewed over 80 women leaders on her podcast to date, magnifying their industry know-how, as well as their personal and professional stories. Her commitment extends beyond the microphone, actively contributing to the evolution of patient-driven healthcare and technology. Grace's standout quality lies in her audacious goal: to engage with every woman leader in the healthcare industry – spanning care, research, informatics, funding – and challenge them to incorporate real patient and caregiver voices and experiences into their work.

Information

  • Creator
    Grace Vinton
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    HITea With Grace