What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Tim Lankes, Vice President of Healthcare at Rackspace, for a candid conversation on the realities behind cloud modernization in healthcare. Drawing on decades of experience leading large-scale healthcare technology and services initiatives, Tim shares how organizations are balancing innovation with security, cost, and continuity of care amid increasing regulatory and operational pressures.
Throughout their discussion, they explore what’s driving successful cloud and multicloud strategies today, including separating hype from practical value in AI adoption to scaling pilots into enterprise-wide impact.
Key Takeaways:
How digital health leaders can modernize infrastructure, strengthen data accessibility, and align technology with human adoption to deliver outcomes that matter.
Where multicloud strategies are creating the greatest operational value and what often gets overlooked.
What it takes to move cloud and AI initiatives from pilot projects to sustained, enterprise-wide platforms.
How AI is delivering practical benefits today by optimizing cloud environments and supporting data-driven decision-making.
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Rick Shepardson, Chief Strategy Officer at Optimum Healthcare IT, for a focused discussion on how healthcare organizations can move beyond implementation to realize meaningful value from digital health initiatives. Together, they explore practical insights on aligning people, data, and strategy to drive measurable progress — examine how digital health leaders are navigating modernization amid operational pressures—leveraging data to empower clinicians and patients, rethinking the role of legacy systems, and evaluating emerging technologies such as cloud, AI, and automation.
Key Takeaways
Where health systems are finding the greatest opportunities to improve clinician performance, patient experience, and operational results through smarter use of data.
How healthcare organizations can unlock hidden clinical, operational, and financial value from legacy systems as part of broader modernization efforts.
Practical approaches to unlocking value from legacy systems and integrating historical data into modern analytics and AI strategies.
Leadership insights on guiding teams through uncertainty while fostering alignment, trust, and continuous learning.
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with healthcare leader Clint Drawdy, Chief Executive Officer, for a thoughtful conversation on the evolving state of digital health. With decades of experience guiding teams through transition and transformation, Clint offers perspective on what health systems are facing today — from shifting organizational expectations to the growing influence of AI on workforce development and culture. Together, they explore how leadership, trust, and people-centered decision-making shape the success of digital initiatives, and what it takes to build resilient teams prepared for the future of care delivery.
Key Takeaways:
The emerging challenges, priorities, and expectations health systems are navigating as digital transformation accelerates.
How AI and automation are reshaping talent needs and strategies for fostering a culture where people and technology evolve together.
What leaders should prioritize when hiring for innovation, including balancing technical skills with collaboration and human judgment.
Strategies for building and supporting the digital health workforce of the future, including critical competencies required for sustained innovation.
What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier
The Case for Audacity in AI and Capacity Management Strategy
Russ Branzell welcomes Erik Barnett, Health Partner at Guidehouse and leader of the Health Technology Consulting Practice, for a candid discussion on the realities of AI adoption in healthcare. Drawing on his experience as both a clinician and business leader, Erik shares insights on building trust, establishing governance, and scaling AI initiatives — from optimizing patient flow and care team coordination to ensuring responsible, strategic implementation.
Key Takeaways:
How gaps in digital maturity and disconnected strategies can create organizational risk.
AI use cases that are overhyped versus those with tangible impact on patient care and operations.
The role of governance and leadership in operationalizing AI responsibly and building trust.
Strategies for selecting partners and scaling innovations effectively across health systems.
Why audacious goals and bold bets are essential for meaningful transformation in healthcare.
What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier
Empowering Providers and Platforms: How Digital Health Must Evolve
Host and Guest:
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Bob Segert, Chairman and CEO of athenahealth, for a candid conversation about the complexities, misconceptions, and opportunities shaping today’s ambulatory and independent practice landscape — discussing how technology must evolve to truly support front-line clinicians.
From ambulatory care as one of the most overlooked opportunities in U.S. healthcare, to why scalable innovation depends as much on trust and design as it does on data and automation, they explore how policymakers, payers, and tech leaders can better align to strengthen independent practices and why trust remains the most valuable currency in healthcare technology.
Key Takeaways
What it takes to design technology that truly supports front-line clinicians and daily practice operations.
The systemic barriers that limit scalable digital adoption and how industry stakeholders can help remove them.
Why trust is central to successful innovation and how tech leaders can earn it through design and delivery.
How AI can be applied realistically in independent practices to improve documentation, workflow, and revenue cycle management.
This episode introduces the identity crisis facing healthcare and explores why 80% coverage isn’t the ceiling — it’s just the floor. With a candid conversation between Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, and Clay Ritchey, CEO, Verato, they unpack the future of patient identity, the risks of fragmented data, and why clean, connected, and complete records are essential to transforming care.
What Keeps You Up at Night? – Tales from the Digital Frontier
Trust, Scale, and Strategy: What We Still Get Wrong About Digital Health Execution
Host and Guest:
Russ Branzell, CHIME President & CEO
Phil Sobol, Chief Commercial Officer, CereCore
Podcast Description
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Phil Sobol, Chief Commercial Officer at CereCore, to explore the real pressures and opportunities facing digital health leaders today. From navigating operational realities and scaling EHR innovations to separating hype from impact in data and interoperability, Phil shares candid insights from the frontlines of healthcare technology. Together, they explore the importance of trust, relationship-driven strategy, and bold investments in people and long-term growth.
Key Takeaways:
The operational complexities – including staffing shortages and large-scale tech transitions – that are challenging digital health leaders to rethink strategy and execution.
Overhyped trends in digital health, and the solutions driving measurable impact inside health systems to improve interoperability and patient care.
Strategies for scaling successful pilot programs to enterprise-wide adoption of EHR and other digital initiatives.
Best practices for building trust and credibility with healthcare leaders in a crowded technology landscape.
Bold leadership strategies to drive sustainable growth and innovation in healthcare services.
In this episode, CHIME President and CEO Russ Branzell is joined by Fran Rosch, CEO of Imprivata. Together, they delve into one of digital health’s most critical challenges: how to secure access in a distributed, digitally dependent, and rapidly evolving care environment.
From the growing risks of third-party access to the real-world adoption of passwordless workflows and mobile identity, Fran shares how healthcare organizations can protect patient safety while enabling clinical efficiency. They discuss the imperative need for strategic leadership in times of change, the evolution of digital identity beyond traditional hospital walls, and the innovative solutions shaping the future of trusted access.
Key Takeaways:
Discover proactive strategies to manage third-party access and reduce risk.
Understand the true impact of passwordless authentication on clinical workflows, trust models, and user experience.
Hear what successful organizations are doing to implement mobile identity at scale while balancing legacy systems and cultural change.
Explore how digital identity is evolving into a strategic asset that supports distributed care and clinical collaboration.
Identify the trends shaping the next generation of trusted access, including AI, cloud, and system interoperability.
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Dr. Okan Ekinci, Chief Digital Officer at Roche Diagnostics, to explore the evolving role of digital strategy in one of the world’s largest biotech organizations. From aligning diagnostics and pharmaceutical innovation to enhancing cybersecurity and unlocking AI’s clinical potential, Dr. Ekinci shares how Roche is navigating digital transformation on a global scale. This insightful conversation also addresses the cultural and leadership shifts necessary to sustain innovation and ensure long-term impact in healthcare and life sciences.
Key Takeaways:
Key challenges and opportunities in integrating diagnostic data with treatment decisions.
Emerging frameworks to overcome data silos and drive clinical interoperability.
Biotech-specific cybersecurity threats and strategies for balancing protection with innovation.
The top technologies transforming patient care and shaping the future of precision medicine.
Leadership imperatives for building a culture of sustainable innovation in life sciences.
As healthcare extends beyond traditional walls, leaders are rethinking how, where, and by whom care is delivered. In this episode of CHIMEcast, CHIME President and CEO Russ Branzell sits down with Dr. Ben Zaniello, Chief Medical Officer at Best Buy Health, to unpack the future of Hospital-at-Home and remote care.
Together, they explore what it takes to build scalable, tech-enabled care models—from integrated platforms to in-home logistics—while tackling the policy, operational, and cultural challenges leaders must navigate. This is a real-world conversation about leading through transformation, future-proofing care, and staying grounded in the clinical mission.
Participants
In the latest Leader2Leader episode, Russ Branzell, President & CEO of CHIME, sits down with John Chirillo, Principal Security Architect at Connection, for a timely conversation on cyber resilience, digital trust, and the future of healthcare security.
Together, they explore the evolving cybersecurity landscape, the challenges healthcare organizations are facing, and how leadership, continuous learning, and community engagement are key to staying ahead. From real-world insights to future-forward thinking, this episode is a must-listen for digital health leaders navigating today’s complex threat environment.
In this episode of CHIME’s Leader-to-Leader Podcast, Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, sits down with Jason Rose, CEO of Clearsense, to explore the evolving role of data in healthcare. Jason shares his insights on data-driven innovation, overcoming security and access challenges, and the importance of leadership in healthcare technology.
Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of healthcare data and the strategies that leaders can use to drive meaningful change and improve patient outcomes.
In this episode, CHIME President and CEO, Russ Branzell welcomes Rachael England, Associate Principal of Digital Technologies at Vizient, to unpack the complex realities facing digital health leaders who are driving innovation amid mounting economic pressures. Rachael shares insights from working closely with provider CIOs and IT teams to reduce costs, streamline vendor relationships, and ensure digital strategies align with long-term goals. Together, they explore the balance between visionary leadership and sustainable execution, discussing how strategic partnerships can maximize value without sacrificing agility.
Key Takeaways:
In this episode, Harmeet Chauhan, CEO of GS Lab | GAVS Technologies, shares his insights on the evolving role of AI and data infrastructure in healthcare. He emphasizes the importance of building robust, scalable data foundations before implementing AI and advanced analytics to ensure measurable outcomes. Harmeet discusses his perspective on how emerging trends, such as the integration of unstructured and patient-generated data into AI models, are shaping the future of healthcare.
Key Takeaways:
Allyson Fryhoff, Managing Director of Global Healthcare and Life Sciences at Amazon Web Services (AWS) joins Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME to discuss how healthcare organizations are navigating various phases of cloud adoption and the implications for data interoperability, cybersecurity, and the human element of care. Recently recognized as the 2025 Best in KLAS award winner for Public Cloud, Allyson highlights AWS' approach to customer success and the significance of relationship management to drive desired outcomes in effective cloud migrations.
Key Takeaways:
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME welcomes PV SubbaRao, Senior Vice President of Global Healthcare and Life Sciences at Rackspace for an in-depth discussion on the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud strategy in healthcare. PV shares his insights on the biggest shifts in cloud strategy, common challenges, and how digital health leaders can best balance scalability, security, and flexibility in a hybrid or multi-cloud environment.
Key Takeaways:
Jason Barr, Vice President of Healthcare at ID.me joins Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME to breakdown the complexities of federated identity in healthcare – including the implications of TEFCA and its impact on patient authentication and interoperability. Jason discusses identity verification’s impact on data sharing, security, and patient trust in an increasingly digital healthcare ecosystem and advises healthcare leaders on how to secure workforce identities from the cyberattacks targeting healthcare employees throughout the industry.
Key Takeaways:
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME welcomes fellow CHIME Board Member, Jon Manis, SVP and CIO at CHRISTUS Health to the show for an insightful conversation about the transformative power of a "Think Differently" mindset in healthcare. A long-time leader in digital health, Jon shares his perspectives on challenging conventional thinking to drive innovation and the need for modern CIOs to evolve from IT managers to strategic business leaders.
Key Takeaways:
Key Takeaways:
Adam Gale, Founder and CEO of KLAS and Shiv Rao, MD, Founder, CEO of Abridge join Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME as they discuss the significance of the KLAS Trailblazer Award, the impact of its recognition, and what broader trends in digital health and AI-driven solutions healthcare executives should consider as they seek to future-proof their organizations.
Key Takeaways: