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:
Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, welcomes Adnan Iqbal, CEO, Luma Health and Michelle Winfield-Hanrahan, Chief Clinical Access Officer, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to the show for a critical conversation about the complex realities facing clinical care teams, improving patient outcomes, and the power of preserving human connection in healthcare.
Tune in as we explore how leaders can balance technological innovation and automation with meaningful patient-provider interactions and experiences to define quality care.
Key Takeaways:
This episode is sponsored by Luma Health
CHIME President and CEO, Russ Branzell welcomes BJ Schaknowski, CEO at symplr and Matt Kull, EVP, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Inova Health as they discuss the key challenges and opportunities facing digital health leaders at the intersection of technology, innovation, and operational efficiency.
Hear critical insights on AI integration, ensuring long-term sustainability in cloud migration, and the importance of cybersecurity as a strategic enterprise risk. Our guests offer their perspectives on balancing financial pressures with the need for innovation and cultivating leadership to drive efficiency and resilience in an era of constant disruption.
Tune in for actionable advice on making smart technology investments, fostering interoperability, and building a foundation for sustainable, impactful transformation in digital health.
Guests
In the latest Leader-to-Leader episode, Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME, and Paul Slaughter, Chief Operating Officer of Nordic Global, discuss how digital health leaders can overcome operational challenges and support rural health initiatives through innovation.
The conversation explores the critical role of leadership in navigating critical challenges, supporting rural healthcare, and staying ahead of emerging trends in digital health innovation. Tune in to hear Paul’s thoughts on how leaders can empower their teams, maximize the potential of new technologies, and ensure patient-centered care in an ever-evolving industry.
CHIME President and CEO, Russ Branzell welcomes Dr. Heather Haugen, Vice President of Healthcare and Life Sciences at NTT Data to the L2L Podcast for an inspiring episode. An expert in health information technology, Dr. Haugen, author of the bestselling book Beyond Implementation: A Prescription for the Adoption of Healthcare Technology, shares her insights on how digital health leaders can drive the implementation of revolutionized innovation while prioritizing the wellbeing of their teams and organizations.
Tune in as Russ and Heather delve into NTT Data’s approach to navigating the digital revolution in healthcare, the growing role of artificial intelligence, and the importance of governance and security in these rapidly advancing technologies.
Heather discusses her approach to leadership in a complex healthcare ecosystem and shares her outlook on the future of information technology.
In this episode, Russ Branzell, CHIME President & CEO, talks with Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director at Apollo Hospitals, about digital health's role in global collaboration.
