InteropNow! Podcast

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Kristen Valdes founder and CEO of b.well, and Ryan Howells from Leavitt Partners for a lively and insightful conversation about the future of digital healthcare. This discussion dives into not only the policies and programs making headlines but also the practical, on-the-ground changes needed to make healthcare more connected, accessible, and patient-centered.Together, they unpack some of the biggest shifts happening in the industry right now, including:The latest updates from CMS on modernizing digital healthcareb.well’s transition to becoming a CMS-aligned networkCARIN Alliance’s accomplishments and bold vision for what’s aheadNational initiatives shaping the healthcare landscape—and what they mean for patients, providers, and innovatorsHow organizations can work alongside TEFCAThe three key steps needed to finally “kill the clipboard”The critical role of the private sector in advancing progressA Little About Kristen:Kristen Valdes is the founder and CEO of b.well Connected Health. She is a transformative force in today’s healthcare marketplace, spearheading the conversation on how empowering consumers can transform healthcare delivery. Kristen is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 20 years in the industry and has dedicated her life to pioneering inventive solutions. This quest has been largely driven by her powerful personal story as the mother of a child suffering from a significant autoimmune disorder.A Little About Ryan:Ryan Howells is a nationally recognized expert in digital health policy and interoperability. Based in Leavitt Partners’ Washington, D.C. office, he collaborates with the private sector, the White House, Congress, HHS, and the VHA to improve health care nationwide.

Ever wonder why your healthcare providers can't just send each other your medical records with a simple click? Or why coordinating care between your primary doctor and a specialist feels like watching a game of telephone played in slow motion?In today's episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Kathryn Ayers Wickenhauser, Chief Strategy Officer for DirectTrust, to unpack the complex world of healthcare communication security. DirectTrust are the architects working behind the scenes to build the digital bridges that could revolutionize how your medical information travels safely between providers. Identity-verified communication is absolutely critical for patient safetyIn this episode, they talk about:Why identity-verified communication is critical in healthcarePush-based interoperability vs. query-based exchange: What’s the difference and why it mattersHow DirectTrust enhances healthcare interoperability and secure communicationUnderstanding Direct Secure Messaging and its role in protected health information (PHI) exchangeThe challenges of creating a national directory of healthcare providersHow the Elizabeth Dole Veterans Act improves care coordination between the VA and community providersA Little About Kathryn:Kathryn Ayers Wickenhauser, MBA, CHPC, CHTS, is the Chief Strategy Officer at DirectTrust, where she leads strategic partnerships, community engagement, and national efforts to advance trusted health information exchange. With over 15 years in health IT, she’s helped shape standards, policies, and technology around privacy, interoperability, and provider communication. A former HIPAA compliance officer, Kathryn’s insights have been featured across top health IT publications and podcasts. She’s been recognized as one of Healthjump’s “10 Healthcare IT Leaders You Should Know” and the 2022 HITMC Marketing Professional of the Year. She also founded the Interoperability Hero and Team Interop initiatives, celebrating innovation and collaboration in healthcare tech.

When you hear T-Mobile, you probably think about smartphones and streaming—but there’s a whole lot more happening behind the scenes. In this episode of the InteropNow Podcast, host Sandy Vance sits down with Jay Noschese from T-Mobile to explore how their cutting-edge 5G Standalone (5GSA) network is revolutionizing the healthcare industry.In this episode, they talk about:How 5G is reshaping healthcare communication and workflowThe hidden impact of next-gen networks on healthcare infrastructureWhy many organizations are rethinking their connectivity strategiesThe real limits of Wi-Fi—and why 5G is the perfect companionBuilt-in security: How T-Mobile keeps sensitive data safeMaking the numbers work: How to track ROI on your network investmentsA deep dive into T-Mobile’s collaboration with SAVA Systems—and how their latest innovations are accelerating remote diagnosticsA Little About Jay:Jay is a T-Mobile senior sales manager, 5G ANS/Enterprise Connectivity Sales - T-Mobile for Business. As a Senior Sales Manager within T-Mobile for Business Solution Sales Organization, Jay leads a dedicated team of sales specialists who are knocking down walls and barriers to drive the adoption of T-Mobile’s 5G Standalone (5GSA) Advanced Network Solutions in the healthcare sector. Their mission is to empower healthcare providers with cutting-edge secure connectivity, including Hybrid and Private Networks, to enhance patient care, streamline clinical operations, and support digital health innovations.

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Charlie Harp, the CEO of Clinical Architecture to talk about the importance of data quality. They discuss the Patient Information Quality Improvement (PIQI) Alliance, an open-source framework for measuring healthcare data quality. The framework is designed to provide a standardized way to assess the usability and trustworthiness of clinical data across different formats like FHIR, CCDA, and HL7. Charlie emphasizes the importance of data quality for healthcare analytics, decision support, and AI, and explains how PIQI scores data quality with detailed metrics.In this episode, they talk about:PIQI Alliance provides a standardized framework to measure healthcare data quality. The framework is vendor-agnostic and works across multiple data formats (FHIR, CCDA, HL7).PIQI scores data at holistic and data-class levels (labs, medications, and immunizations).PIQI is open source to make it available for everyone.Clinical Architecture offers a commercial implementation called PIQXL Gateway for practical use.The framework is being balloted through HL7 for validation, but is not rooted solely in HL7 standards.Data quality is critical for effective AI use in healthcare.The alliance encourages industry participation to improve the framework.PIQI can help organizations meet regulatory requirements and improve data governance.The PIQI website offers resources, documentation, and ways to get involved.A Little About Charlie:Charlie Harp is the founder and CEO of Clinical Architecture, a pioneer in healthcare data innovation. With over 35 years in the industry, he led the creation of the first deterministic engine for semantic interoperability. Today, he drives Clinical Architecture’s mission to transform healthcare through cutting-edge software and expert-led services. A frequent speaker and thought leader, Charlie also hosts the Informonster podcast, where he dives into data quality, interoperability, and the future of health IT.

Host Sandy Vance chats with Chris Sault from Ping Identity. They discuss the importance of digital identity management in healthcare. Ping Identity aims to eliminate trust challenges in authentication and identity management, acting as a digital front door for organizations. The conversation highlights the importance of user experience and security, particularly in regulated environments like healthcare, where adherence to standards such as HIPAA is essential. Sault emphasizes the need for proactive measures in identity verification and the role of APIs in improving data interoperability. They also cover the evolving landscape of healthcare technology, the balance between security and user experience, and the importance of patient empowerment in selecting providers. In this episode, they talk about:The critical role of identity management in ensuring secure and efficient healthcare deliveryPing monitors API traffic, detects threats, and preemptively eliminates threats Specific challenges organizations face in healthcare identity managementGive up privacy for convenienceHow Ping Identity differentiates itself from competitors in the identity management spaceFuture trends in healthcare tech regarding interoperability and how healthcare security systems will lookA Little About Chris:Chris Sault is a passionate and results-oriented sales leader with over 24 years of experience in the software industry, focusing primarily on analytics and identity management. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded go-to-market development for the healthcare verticalization at Qlik, ForgeRock, and Ping Identity, driving massive business growth and revolutionizing user experiences. Chris resides in the Boston, MA area with his wife and two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his family, golfing, practicing yoga, and engaging in various outdoor activities.