November 20, 2025: What if transforming your operating rooms started in the parking lot? Dr. Sarah Pletcher, Chief Digital Health Officer at Houston Methodist, is joined by Joseph Seliski, Director of Technology Strategy and Digital Health at Allegheny Health Network, to discuss why surgical innovation requires thinking far beyond the OR itself. From ambient cameras tracking efficiency to AI that reads 8,000-page charts instantly, she shares how Houston Methodist is reimagining the entire surgical journey. Discover why AI is "like glitter at a craft party"—it's everywhere now—and learn the surprisingly simple strategy for getting started: start small, but plan big. Plus, Sarah shares career advice that's guided her through decades of healthcare innovation.

Key Points:

• 03:09 Innovations in Surgical Care
• 09:17 Balancing Technology and Human Touch
• 13:28 Advice for Health Systems: Starting Small
• 15:06 Lightning Round

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November 18, 2025: Ever wonder why empathy gets dismissed as a "soft skill" when it's actually your most powerful leadership tool? Eric Williamson went from being what he calls an expert jerk to becoming a jerk expert, and his transformation story will change how you think about workplace dynamics. From invisible disengagement in hybrid teams to managing star performers who steamroll everyone, Eric shares practical wisdom on navigating today's most challenging leadership scenarios. Discover his three-step AAA method for staying measured under pressure, learn why your one-on-ones might be completely missing the mark, and find out how to hold people accountable without losing your humanity. This conversation is packed with real talk about creating connections in environments where face-to-face interaction is increasingly rare.

Key Points:

• 01:25 Eric's Transformation Journey
• 02:28 The Importance of Empathy in the Workplace
• 04:21 Recognizing Jerk Behavior
• 07:35 Interview Tips to Identify Toxic Cultures
• 10:01 The AAA Method: Assess, Analyze, Act
• 16:19 Empathy in Hybrid Work Environments
• 23:46 Building Remote Culture
• 27:49 Speed Round: Funniest Jerk Stories
• 29:41 Practical Steps to Show Up Better at Work
• 33:44 Empathy as a Powerful Tool

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November 17, 2025: How does a 25-bed critical access hospital successfully stop a cyberattack when larger health systems fall victim? George Pappas, CEO of Intraprise Health, unpacks the Colorado hospital that shows how security culture beats expensive technology. The conversation reveals why vendor transparency remains elusive despite high-profile breaches, explores the harsh reality of hospitals that know their vulnerabilities but lack resources to fix them, and tackles AI governance challenges that traditional testing methods can't address. From Oracle-Cerner incidents to the frozen HIPAA NPRM, this episode delivers hard truths about healthcare security's funding gaps and the practical strategies that actually work for margin-pressed organizations.

Key Points:

• 01:45 Vendor Contracts and Legal Challenges
• 06:21 Challenges with Cloud Security
• 11:26 Critical Access Hospitals and Cyber Preparedness
• 17:47 AI in Healthcare: Opportunities and Risks

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November 12, 2025: After a major consolidation and Epic implementation during COVID-19, Ballad Health could have focused solely on survival. Instead, Pam Austin, CIO at Ballad Health, partnered with Chris Jenkins, EVP of Digital Strategy and Enterprise Imaging at Healthlink Advisors, to build a comprehensive five-year digital roadmap anchored in six strategic pillars. This conversation explores how they established IT governance that turns noise into clarity, created an Office of the CIO to free leadership for strategic thinking, and achieved millions in savings through application rationalization. Pam and Chris reveal why transparency drives engagement, how they keep 400+ team members aligned with the organizational mission, and their essential advice for healthcare leaders embarking on large-scale digital transformation.

Key Points:

• 00:53 Creating a Five-Year Roadmap
• 07:49 Maintaining Focus and Prioritization
• 12:26 Office of the CIO and Strategic Impact
• 17:52 Sustained Success and Future Advice
• 20:12 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

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November 10, 2025: When AWS experienced a major outage affecting over 500 companies, healthcare IT leaders were reminded that cloud architecture isn't just a technical decision; it's a strategic imperative. Vik Patel, COO from Tido, dives into the cascading failures that exposed vulnerabilities in healthcare's cloud dependencies. From Epic instances running on AWS to the emerging challenges of AI data lakes, this conversation reveals why simplicity in architecture might be healthcare IT's most undervalued strategy. Discover how de-identifying data reduces risk, why multi-cloud strategies matter, and whether healthcare organizations have the skills needed to architect their cloud future safely.

Key Points:

• 01:00 AWS Outage Breakdown
• 13:00 Data Management in the Cloud
• 24:21 Simplicity in IT Design
• 30:01 Conclusion and Farewell

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November 6, 2025: From loading backup tapes in a Phoenix data center to becoming a sought-after disaster recovery expert, Melissa Muñiz, Principal Consultant at Zion Resiliency, proves that curiosity and preparation trump luck every time. In this episode, she reveals how rigorous DR testing at HCA created teams so well-prepared that major outages were handled without her even knowing. Melissa shares hard-won lessons from manufacturing, retail, and healthcare about building true organizational resilience, plus the networking strategies that landed her consistent consulting contracts through a single LinkedIn message. Whether you're leading operations or considering entrepreneurship, Melissa's insights on staying hungry, building reputation, and embracing calculated risks offer a refreshing perspective on career growth.

Key Points:

• 03:52 Lessons from Full-Scale Recovery
• 08:40 Transitioning Across Industries
• 13:03 Building a Resilient Career and Network
• 17:15 Speed Round and Final Thoughts

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November 3, 2025: What are healthcare IT leaders really concerned about? Fresh from three 229 Project summits across the country, Bill Russell, Sarah Richardson, and Drex DeFord pull back the curtain on the most pressing conversations happening right now. From simplifying AI governance with a two-track vendor approach to rethinking hiring strategies for an agent-driven future, this episode captures the pulse of healthcare leadership in real time. Discover why some organizations are solving hundreds of problems while others struggle with their first five, and learn the one-word qualities leaders are seeking in their next hires to thrive in today's rapidly changing landscape.

Key Points:

• 04:24 AI Success Factors
• 09:57 Balancing Moonshots and Practical Solutions
• 14:37 Sourcing Strategy and Engagement
• 22:32 Building Organizational Culture
• 26:27 Leadership and Succession Planning

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October 30, 2025: After 25 years leading transformational change in healthcare IT, Erik Howell, VP and Head of Technology at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, made an unconventional decision that most leaders only dream about: he took a sabbatical. Following major EHR implementations, enterprise PMO leadership, and scaling a Silicon Valley AI startup's delivery team, Erik stepped away to travel, reflect, and rediscover what truly mattered in his career. The result? A complete reframing of success, renewed energy, and a mission-driven role leading technology at an LGBTQ-focused community health center in New York City. Join as Erik shares the lessons from his intentional career pause and why stepping away might be the secret to stepping forward with clarity and purpose.

Key Points:

• 07:08 Erik's Pivot to a Silicon Valley Startup
• 12:46 Lessons from the Sabbatical
• 19:23 Finding the Right Career Fit
• 25:26 Speed Round and Final Thoughts

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