Withings Report Reveals Why Menopause is a Critical Cardiovascular Window
What You Should Know New Withings report, The Menopause Transition 2026 analyzes real-world data from 2.5 million women across 11 countries to identify physiological shifts during the transition. Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) prevalence increases fourfold globally and 3.8x in the US between early reproductive years and late postmenopause. Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic ... Read More
<img width="784" height="959" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Menopause-Transition.jpg" alt="Withings Report Reveals Why Menopause is a Critical Cardiovascular Window" class="wp-image-96246" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Menopause-Transition.jpg 784w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Menopause-Transition-245x300.jpg 245w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Menopause-Transition-237x290.jpg 237w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Menopause-Transition-768x939.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 784px) 100vw, 784px" /> What You Should Know New Withings report, The Menopause Transition 2026 analyzes real-world data from 2.5 million women across 11 countries to identify physiological shifts during the transition. Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) prevalence increases fourfold globally and 3.8x in the US between early reproductive years and late postmenopause. Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic resilience, declines by 33% worldwide but only 17% in the US across the menopause stages. Arterial stiffness rises progressively by 27%, with Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) approaching established cardiovascular risk thresholds. The steepest acceleration in cardiovascular risk markers occurs between Stage 4 and Stage 5, the years immediately following menopause. For decades, menopause has been primarily viewed as a reproductive milestone. However, new large-scale data from connected health devices suggests it is actually a profound cardiovascular event. As estrogen—which promotes vasodilation and maintains healthy lipid profiles—declines, women lose critical autonomic and vascular protections. The result is a gradual convergence of women’s cardiovascular risk profiles with those of men. Aline Criton, Chief Regulatory and Clinical Affairs Officer at Withings, notes that these findings reframe menopause as a “critical window for cardiovascular awareness and earlier intervention” because many of these shifts occur silently and earlier than expected. The AFib Signal: Accelerating Risk Post-Menopause Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) follows a steep trajectory as women move through the transition. In the US, prevalence climbs from 1.86% in early reproductive years to 7.0% by late postmenopause. Globally, the rise is even more pronounced, reaching 10.5% by Stage 6—a fourfold increase. The report highlights that the risk accelerates most sharply in the postmenopause window (Stages 5 and 6), precisely when cardioprotective estrogen effects have been fully withdrawn. While men in the same age brackets still show higher absolute AFib rates, the female trajectory has historically been understudied, making these real-world findings essential for clinical awareness. The HRV Paradox: Autonomic Resilience in the US While American women in this dataset reported worse sleep scores and carried higher body fat than the global average, they demonstrated a unique form of autonomic resilience. Global HRV Decline: Median heart rate variability dropped from 43 ms to 29 ms, a 33% loss of autonomic adaptability. US HRV Decline: Median heart rate variability fell from 41 ms to 34 ms, a decline of only 17%. This “HRV Paradox” suggests that while US women face higher traditional metabolic risks, their autonomic nervous systems maintain higher resilience than women worldwide. This may be influenced by factors like medication use, genetic diversity, or healthcare access that warrant further investigation. Clinical “Translation” and Early Intervention One of the most concerning findings is the Recognition Gap: 44.5% of women do not declare perimenopause in-app until age 50 or older, despite the fact that measurable physiological changes—such as rising visceral fat (+18%) and systolic blood pressure (+1.8 mmHg)—begin a decade earlier, in their early 40s. Because nearly 70% of cardiovascular risk factors at menopause are modifiable through lifestyle interventions (such as resistance training to combat muscle loss and inward fat shifts), early awareness is critical. By tracking blood pressure trajectories and body composition over time—rather than relying on single, static readings—women and their doctors can act years before a clinical event occurs. Report Background/Methodology Cross-sectional analysis, Withings connected device users, United States, January 2025–March 2026. Reproductive stages defined by age-based proxies inspired by STRAW+10 (Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop), not clinically confirmed: Stage 1 (30–39, Early Reproductive), Stage 2 (40–44, Late Reproductive), Stage 3 (45–49, Perimenopause), Stage 4 (50–52, Menopause), Stage 5 (53–59, Early Postmenopause), Stage 6 (60–65, Late Postmenopause). Minimum data thresholds applied per metric. All findings represent between-cohort differences, not individual trajectories. Subject to Withings user selection bias, device-specific populations, and bioimpedance estimation variance. Users declaring menopause excluded due to data quality. Withings users may not represent the general US population. For more information about the report, visit https://www.withings.com/us/en/landing/menopause-transition
Healthcare Cybersecurity Has Become an Operational Risk, Not Just a Security Function
Gilda D Incerti, CEO and founder, PQE Group
Healthcare cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discipline handled by IT teams. That view has changed. Cybersecurity in healthcare has grown. It now sits at the intersection of operations, compliance, and patient safety. When systems fail, care is disrupted. These disruptions go beyond data loss, reaching clinical outcomes, financial stability, and regulatory exposure. This ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-1500x1877.jpg" alt="Healthcare Cybersecurity Has Become an Operational Risk, Not Just a Security Function" class="wp-image-96243" width="619" height="774" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-1500x1877.jpg 1500w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-232x290.jpg 232w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-768x961.jpg 768w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-1227x1536.jpg 1227w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-1636x2048.jpg 1636w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gilda-2024-1-scaled.jpg 2045w" sizes="(max-width: 619px) 100vw, 619px" /> Gilda D’Incerti, CEO and founder, PQE Group Healthcare cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discipline handled by IT teams. That view has changed. Cybersecurity in healthcare has grown. It now sits at the intersection of operations, compliance, and patient safety. When systems fail, care is disrupted. These disruptions go beyond data loss, reaching clinical outcomes, financial stability, and regulatory exposure. This is not a future concern. It is already happening. Cyber Risk Is Now Operational Risk Healthcare organizations have become deeply dependent on digital infrastructure. Electronic health records, scheduling platforms, imaging systems, connected medical devices, and revenue cycle technologies all work together to support care delivery. That connectivity has created efficiencies yet also introduced fragility. When a cyberattack occurs, it is rarely isolated to a single system. It cascades. Clinicians lose access to patient histories. Scheduling goes offline. Diagnostic workflows slow or stop. Often, organizations revert to manual processes. This introduces delays and increases the risk of errors. This is why cybersecurity cannot be framed as a back-office function. It directly affects whether care can be delivered safely and consistently. Recent healthcare incidents reveal this shift. Ransomware can shut down services, delay procedures and health system operations, and force hospitals into downtime protocols. These strains affect staff and patients, and are not abstract risks. These incidents are increasingly real and causing operational failures with actual consequences. From Privacy Concern to Care Continuity Challenge Historically, healthcare cybersecurity efforts were driven by compliance requirements, particularly those linked to protecting patient data. Regulations required confidentiality and privacy, and organizations built programs designed to prevent unapproved access to sensitive information. That foundation is still important, but it is no longer sufficient. Today’s threat landscape is focused less on stealing data and more on disrupting operations. Attackers increasingly target the systems that enable care delivery rather than just the data those systems contain. When those systems are encrypted, disabled, or otherwise compromised, the impact is immediate and visible. Care is delayed. Procedures are postponed. Communication breaks down. A data breach can often be contained. A disruption in care unfolds in real time with limited mitigation options. This shift is forcing healthcare leaders to rethink what cybersecurity is meant to protect. It is not just information. It is the ability to deliver care without interruption. The Financial and Clinical Cost of Disruption The consequences of cyber incidents in healthcare extend beyond IT recovery. Operational downtime can last days or weeks. Attack severity and preparedness level impact recovery speed. During downtime, revenue slows or stops, and costs continue to grow. Staff must work manually, often for longer hours under stress. At the same time, the clinical impact becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. Care delays can increase patient stays and postpone treatments. In high-acuity environments, even small disruptions cause big ripples, so without timely information, decision-making is harder and riskier. There’s also a longer-term cost that is harder to quantify but equally important: patient trust. Patients expect health systems to be reliable, and when compromised, confidence quickly erodes. Rebuilding that trust takes time, transparency, and sustained effort. Why Leadership Can No Longer Delegate Cybersecurity As cyber risk becomes operational risk, accountability is shifting. Executive teams and boards are increasingly expected to understand and oversee cybersecurity in the same way they manage financial or clinical risk. This does not mean they need to understand every technical detail. It does mean they need visibility into how prepared their organization is to respond to disruption. Key questions are starting to change: Can we continue delivering care if critical systems go offline? Do we have clear, tested plans for continuing operations during an incident? How quickly can we restore not just systems, but clinical processes? Where are our biggest vulnerabilities across vendors and partners? These are not IT questions, alone, but leadership questions, too. A gap remains in many organizations. Cybersecurity is discussed in technical terms that are hard to translate to operational or strategic management. Boards usually lack a clear understanding of their true risk exposure. Closing this gap demands reframing cybersecurity to emphasize business impact, patient safety, and organizational resilience. Where Healthcare Organizations Are Falling Short Despite growing awareness, many healthcare organizations are still in the early stages of this transition, and challenges remain. There is sparse integration between cybersecurity leaders and enterprise risk management leaders. Siloed decisions exist across IT, compliance, and clinical teams. Planning for care delivery during disruption is often insufficient. Vendor risk is another area of concern. Healthcare relies heavily on third-party platforms and service providers, many of which are deeply embedded in everyday operations. A vulnerability in one part of the ecosystem can quickly affect the entire organization. There is also the issue of preparedness. While many organizations have incident management plans, fewer have conducted realistic simulations that test how those plans hold up under pressure. Even fewer have aligned those plans with clinical operations in a meaningful way. The result is a disconnect between planning and execution. Building Cyber Resilience Into the System If preventing every cyber incident is not realistic, the goal must shift toward resilience. Resilience in healthcare cybersecurity, then, means developing effective care even when IT systems are compromised. Accomplishing this requires coordination across technology, operations, and governance. Several priorities are emerging. Cybersecurity must be integrated into enterprise risk management, with clear ownership and accountability at the leadership level. Organizations need to test not just their technical defenses, but their operational response, including how clinical teams will function during downtime. Vendor and supply chain risks should be continuously assessed and mitigated, with an understanding of how third-party disruptions can impact health system operations. Incident management plans need to align with clinical workflows, ensuring staff know how to adapt in real time. Boards and executives need consistent, actionable visibility into cyber risk, framed in terms that support decision-making. These steps are not about eliminating risk. They are about assuring that when a disruption occurs, the organization is prepared to respond effectively. A Defining Moment for Healthcare Cybersecurity Healthcare is at a turning point. Digital transformation has brought many benefits, but also new dependencies. While cyber threats evolve, the price of inaction grows. Organizations that continue to treat cybersecurity as a narrow technical function will find themselves unprepared for the operational realities of today’s healthcare. Those who take a wider view, integrating cybersecurity into leadership, strategy, and patient safety efforts, will be more prepared to navigate what comes next. The conversation is changing, and it needs to. Cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting systems or data, so leaders must demand immediate action to ensure that health systems fulfill their primary responsibility. Prioritize integrating cybersecurity with operations, strategy, and patient safety because preparedness today maintains resilience tomorrow. About Gilda D’Incerti Gilda D’Incerti is the CEO and founder of PQE Group, a global life sciences consulting firm. Since establishing the company in 1998, she has led its expansion from a small startup in Florence, Italy, to an international organization with over 2,000 employees and offices in more than 20 countries.
MedTech Breakthrough Announces 2026 Award Winners: Celebrating a Decade of Health Technology Innovation
What You Should Know MedTech Breakthrough has announced the winners of its 10th annual awards program, recognizing excellence in digital health and medical technology across more than 20 countries. The 2026 awards highlight a decade of evolution where artificial intelligence (AI), virtual care, and precision medicine have become central pillars of global healthcare delivery. This ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1012" height="906" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-MedTech-Breakthrough-Award-Winners.png" alt="2019 MedTech Breakthrough Award Category Winners Announced" class="wp-image-49193" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-MedTech-Breakthrough-Award-Winners.png 1012w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-MedTech-Breakthrough-Award-Winners-290x260.png 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-MedTech-Breakthrough-Award-Winners-300x269.png 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-MedTech-Breakthrough-Award-Winners-768x688.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px" /> What You Should Know MedTech Breakthrough has announced the winners of its 10th annual awards program, recognizing excellence in digital health and medical technology across more than 20 countries. The 2026 awards highlight a decade of evolution where artificial intelligence (AI), virtual care, and precision medicine have become central pillars of global healthcare delivery. This year’s program received a record-breaking number of nominations from startups, health systems, and leading global companies. Key categories honored include Patient Engagement, AI, Cybersecurity, Clinical Administration, and Medical Devices. Notable winners include athenahealth (EHR Innovation), Zimmer Biomet (Best Healthcare Robotics), and Teladoc (Mental Health Innovation). A decade ago, many of the technologies recognized in the 2026 MedTech Breakthrough Awards—such as ambient clinical AI and real-time remote monitoring—barely existed as commercial markets. Today, these “breakthrough” solutions are integrated across the clinical workflow, enabling personalized treatment at scale and continuous health monitoring through connected devices. Steve Johansson, managing director of MedTech Breakthrough, noted that this year’s winners were selected not just for their impressive technology, but for their ability to significantly improve patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and access to care. 2026 Award Highlights by Category The 2026 winners represent the full spectrum of the modern healthcare ecosystem: Clinical and Health Administration Best Clinical Efficiency Solution: symplr Best Core Administrative Processing System: enGen (EHS) Best Overall Health Informatics Solution: Ambry Genetics Health Administration Innovation Award: Laudio Care Management & Delivery Best Care Coordination Platform: WellBeam Best Care Delivery Platform: Artisight Best Care Orchestration Platform: Lumeris Best Healthcare Navigation Solution: Castlight Health Patient Engagement Best Patient Relationship Management Solution: Suvoda Best Overall Patient Engagement Solution: RevSpring Best Patient Portal: b.well Best Patient Education Solution: Paradigm Best Mobile App for Patient Engagement: Syneos Health Best Overall Patient Engagement Platform: Videra Health Best Overall Patient Engagement Service: Scout Patient Engagement Innovation Award: Mural Health Patient Experience Best Patient Experience Solution: CareDx Best Patient Experience Platform: Inspire Best Patient Experience Solution Provider: Paytient Practice Management Best Practice Management Solution: Alcon, Adi platform Practice Management Innovation Award: ChiroTouch Electronic Health Records Best Electronic Health Record Solution: PointClickCare EHR Innovation Award: athenahealth Best Overall EHR Solution Provider: CliniComp Privacy & Compliance Compliance Management Innovation Award: Vastian Best Compliance Management Solution Provider: Myriad Systems Genomics Genomics Innovation Award: Castle Biosciences Best Overall Genomics Company: BillionToOne PharmaTech Best Pharmacy Benefits Solution: RazorMetrics PharmaTech Innovation Award: DNAnexus Internet-of-Things (IoT) Healthcare Best Healthcare Robotics Solution: Zimmer Biomet, ROSA® Knee with OptimiZe Best IoT Healthcare Platform: Validic Best Overall Connected Healthcare Solution: Eitan Medical Artificial Intelligence Best Use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Candid Health Best Virtual Health Assistant: CVS Aetna Best AI-Assisted Software Solution: Navina AI Innovation Award: Elsevier ClinicalKey AI Data & Analytics Best Healthcare Data Repository Solution: Novellia Best Healthcare Big Data Platform: Datavant Best Healthcare Big Data Solution: IMO Health Best Provider Data Management Platform: Atlas Systems Best Data Visualization Solution: AArete’s Behavioral Health IntelliScan Best Overall Healthcare Data Analytics Platform: MedeAnalytics Best Overall Medical Data Solution Provider: Ontada Healthcare Analytics Innovation Award: SafeRide Health Health and Fitness Best Personal Health App: Noom Best Virtual Health Coach: Simple Life App, Avo Best Overall SleepTech Solution: Ognomy Sleep Best Fitness Mobile App: FITNESS ONLINE Telehealth Best Overall Telemedicine Platform: AmplifyMD Best Overall Telehealth Solution: TimelyCare Virtual Care Best Virtual Care Solution: Rula Health Best Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Solution: Nsight Health Virtual Care Innovation Award: Tellihealth Medical Device Best New Technology Solution – Endoscopy: FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation, ELUXEO® 8000 Endoscopic Imaging System Best New Technology Solution – Ultrasound: Canon Medical Systems, Aplio i-series Prism Edition Best New Technology Solution – Diagnostic: Epredia E1000 Dx Best New Technology Solution – Urology: Medtronic Altaviva Best New Technology Solution – Pathology: Proscia Aperture Best New Technology Solution – Therapeutic: Agiliti Best New Technology Solution – Radiology: Kallisio Stentra Best New Technology Solution – Cardiology: Elucid Plaque-IQ Best New Technology Solution – ECG: AccurKardia AK+ Guard Best New Technology Solution – Pain Management: Boston Scientific, Intracept EDGE J Stylet Best New Technology Solution – Drug Development: Incannex Healthcare Inc. Best New Technology Solution – Ophthalmology: Bruno Vision Care, Deseyne® Best New Technology Solution – Dermatology: Lumenis Stellar M22 Best New Technology Solution – Diabetes Management: Sequel Med Tech, twiist Best Overall Medical Device Product: Insulet Best Overall Medical Device Company: Remington Medical Healthcare Cybersecurity Best Overall Healthcare Cybersecurity Solution: P-n-T Data Corp Healthcare Cybersecurity Innovation Award: CloudWave Clinical Trial Technology Clinical Trial Innovation Award: TriNetX Best Clinical Study Design Solution: Advarra Best Overall Clinical Trial Platform: Medidata Best Clinical Trial Technology Solution Provider: Almac Clinical Technologies Healthcare Payments & InsurTech Best Healthcare InsurTech Solution: Simplify Healthcare Healthcare Payments Innovation Award: Zelis Healthcare Insurance Innovation Award: Perspecta Best Revenue Cycle Management Services Solution: Inovalon RCM Innovation Award: Waystar Women’s Health Women’s Health Innovation Award: Thorne Best Maternal Health Platform: Ultrasound AI Home Health Care Best Home Health Care Solution: ROMTech Best In-Home Healthcare Platform: AxisCare Home Care Home Healthcare Innovation Award: WellSky Holistic & Mental Health Best Mental Health App: CHESS Health Mental Health Innovation Award: Teladoc Industry Leadership Medical Device Engineering Breakthrough: Catalyst OrthoScience Best Health Network Technology Implementation: Arcadia Best MedTech Company CEO: Pat Leonard, CorroHealth Best Overall MedTech Software: Glooko Best Overall MedTech Company: Evergen Best Overall Digital Health Company: Welldoc
Mid-Cycle Revenue Integrity: Leveraging Clinician-Governed AI to Reduce Denials and Understated Acuity
Sari Green, MD, Physician Executive Director, Accuity
Health systems can deliver appropriate, high-quality care and still see financial and quality outcomes that do not reflect that care. Downgrades, understated acuity, and misaligned quality metrics often arise not because clinical decisions were wrong, but because the full complexity of those decisions and the resulting care were never clearly translated beyond the bedside. In ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-1500x1323.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-96223" width="557" height="491" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-1500x1323.jpeg 1500w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-300x265.jpeg 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-290x256.jpeg 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-768x677.jpeg 768w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-1536x1355.jpeg 1536w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sari-Green-Photo.-1-2048x1806.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 557px) 100vw, 557px" /> Sari Green, MD, Physician Executive Director, Accuity Health systems can deliver appropriate, high-quality care and still see financial and quality outcomes that do not reflect that care. Downgrades, understated acuity, and misaligned quality metrics often arise not because clinical decisions were wrong, but because the full complexity of those decisions and the resulting care were never clearly translated beyond the bedside. In today’s reimbursement environment, outcomes are shaped as much by how care is represented in documentation and coding as by the care itself. The translation required to move from clinical practice to administrative record is complex, and gaps often go unnoticed. When nuance is lost or ambiguity remains unresolved, value erodes quietly, frequently without a formal denial or a clear point of appeal. The challenge for health system leaders is determining how to govern this translation deliberately, before financial and quality outcomes are set. The Mid-Cycle: Where Translation Shapes Outcomes The mid-cycle is the point where documentation, CDI, and coding intersect to form the clinical and financial record evaluated by payers, auditors, and publicly reported quality programs. How severity, acuity, and risk are captured here determines reimbursement, expected utilization, performance metrics, and risk-adjusted outcomes that directly influence organizational reputation long before a claim is submitted. As payer scrutiny becomes more automated and more exacting, the stakes of mid-cycle accuracy rise sharply. Denial rates are nearing 10% for many hospitals, and unresolved denials alone can represent up to $5 million in annual revenue loss per organization. When clinical complexity is not fully or clearly translated, payment tends to default conservatively. Risk adjustment may understate true acuity, and quality measures can become distorted. Over time, these effects compound — not only through denials, but through underrepresentation that leaves no clear point of appeal. Because this work occurs after care has been delivered and documentation completed, but before claims are finalized, it is often treated as a procedural handoff between clinical and financial teams. In practice, it functions as a leverage point. Decisions made here shape how clinical reality is reflected across reimbursement, risk adjustment, and publicly reported outcomes. Organizations that recognize and deliberately govern this leverage point are better positioned to ensure the care they deliver is accurately reflected in their reported results. Strengthening Translation Through Clinical Interpretation To address this growing gap, many organizations are shifting upstream, ensuring that clinical complexity is fully and accurately represented before the record is finalized. Secondary review allows ambiguity to be resolved while it is still correctable, reducing downstream rework and strengthening the defensibility of both claims and quality reporting. This process requires clinical judgment. The goal is not to increase documentation volume or turn clinicians into coding experts. It is to ensure that clinical intent, severity, and causality are accurately represented at the point where care delivered becomes an administrative record. When precision is established here, preventable erosion decreases, and alignment between clinical reality and reported outcomes improves, without burdening clinicians or adding friction elsewhere in the system. Clinically Governed AI as the Enabler As organizations strengthen clinical interpretation in the mid-cycle, scale quickly becomes a constraint. Reviewing every record manually is not feasible, especially as volumes grow and payer review becomes more automated. Technology can play a meaningful role in addressing this pressure — provided it operates within a governance framework that preserves clinical authority. Physician-governed AI is designed for that purpose. It surfaces patterns, inconsistencies, and potential gaps in how patient complexity is represented, while physicians serve as the final interpretive authority. AI directs attention to where ambiguity or underrepresentation may exist; clinical expertise determines the most accurate and defensible outcome. The distinction is important. Automation without clinical governance can embed ambiguity at greater speed and scale. When governed by independent clinical interpretation, however, AI supports precision, helping organizations address underrepresentation and reduce preventable downgrades before claims are finalized. The result is a more defensible record and greater confidence in how clinical reality is translated across the enterprise. Translation Accuracy Is a Strategic Capability Payers do not evaluate care based on intent or effort. They evaluate what is documented, coded, and supported. As reimbursement grows more exacting, financial and quality outcomes will depend increasingly on how well organizations govern the point where clinical reality becomes administrative record. Health systems investing in this capability are building durability. By applying clinically governed AI to focus review where risk is highest, they reduce financial volatility, protect against understated reimbursement and misaligned risk adjustment, and ensure that clinical reality is accurately reflected in reported financial and quality outcomes. Looking ahead, the most resilient revenue cycle strategies will rely not on volume, automation alone, or after-the-fact recovery. They’ll rely on precision at the point of translation, ensuring that appropriate care is accurately reflected, defensible, and aligned with both financial and quality outcomes. In this environment, translation accuracy is not simply operationally valuable; it is essential. About Dr. Sari Green, MD Dr. Sari Green is a physician executive and strategic leader driving clinical excellence and revenue integrity at Accuity. With a foundation as a general surgeon, Dr. Green transitioned from clinical practice to healthcare operations, where she now leverages her clinical experience to shape and enhance service delivery across health systems. In her role as Physician Executive Director, she champions the integration of clinical insights into the revenue cycle—helping organizations strengthen documentation accuracy, improve denials mitigation, and fully capture earned revenue. Dr. Green builds and fosters strategic partnerships with health system leaders, serving as a strong advocate for the physician perspective within complex clinical revenue cycle processes. Her expertise bridges the gap between clinicians and coders, combining deep medical knowledge with operational strategy to ensure both patient care and financial performance are optimized. Dr. Green is also regularly featured in industry conversations on the transformative impact of physician involvement in revenue cycle management.
Wisdom Ventures Closes $77.7M Fund II to Invest in AI-Native Wellbeing Startups
What You Should Know Wisdom Ventures has closed its $77.7M Fund II, a significant increase from its $10 million Fund I. The fund is backed by prominent technology leaders, including Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Evan Sharp (Pinterest), and Stewart Butterfield (Slack). Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has joined as a Senior Venture Partner to ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1500" height="454" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-1500x454.jpg" alt="Wisdom Ventures Closes $77.7M Fund II to Invest in AI-Native Wellbeing Startups" class="wp-image-96235" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-1500x454.jpg 1500w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-300x91.jpg 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-290x88.jpg 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-768x232.jpg 768w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-1536x465.jpg 1536w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Wisdom-Ventures-2048x620.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /> What You Should Know Wisdom Ventures has closed its $77.7M Fund II, a significant increase from its $10 million Fund I. The fund is backed by prominent technology leaders, including Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Evan Sharp (Pinterest), and Stewart Butterfield (Slack). Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has joined as a Senior Venture Partner to advise on health and wellness investments. Fund I established a strong track record, reaching the top quartile of early-stage funds and including early investments in OpenAI and Anthropic. The firm maintains a strict commitment to diversity, with 74% of the Fund I portfolio featuring founding teams with diverse race, gender, and sexual orientations. As artificial intelligence reshapes the global landscape, the question of how technology impacts human flourishing has moved to the forefront of venture capital. Wisdom Ventures, a firm dedicated to “compassionate innovation,” has announced the close of an oversubscribed $77.7M Fund II to address this challenge. The fund aims to deepen investments in startups that use AI to advance human resilience, mental and physical health, and genuine connection at scale. The mission is supported by a unique leadership team that bridges high-level Silicon Valley product experience with deep roots in mindfulness. Led by General Partners Bradley Horowitz (former VP of Product at Google), Cecily Mak, and Soren Gordhamer (founder of the Wisdom 2.0 conference), the firm provides a “whole-founder” support model that integrates meditation and community check-ins alongside traditional capital. Scaling Wellbeing in the AI Era Fund II plans to deploy checks between $1M and $5M into approximately 40 mission-driven startups. This expansion follows the success of Fund I, which proved that mission-driven investing could deliver elite financial returns while adhering to core human values. Dr. Vivek Murthy, advising the fund, emphasized that the current mental and physical health crises demand a fundamental shift in how technology is built. By backing founders who prioritize human connection and emotional intelligence, Wisdom Ventures is positioning itself as the primary “Intelligence Layer” for the wellbeing economy. Performance and Inclusivity Metrics Wisdom Ventures has demonstrated that inclusivity is a mechanical driver of performance rather than a secondary goal. Key metrics from Fund I include: Top-Quartile Performance: Rapidly ascended to the top 25% of early-stage funds since 2022. Diverse Founding Teams: 74% of the portfolio includes diverse race, gender, and sexual orientations among founders. Strategic Markups: The 38-startup portfolio already includes 14 markups and major category-defining companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Function Health.
Eko Health Appoints Dr. Steven Steinhubl as CMO to Drive Cardiac AI and Global Clinical Strategy
What You Should Know Eko Health has appointed Steven R. Steinhubl, MD, a prominent cardiologist and digital medicine pioneer, as its Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and executive leadership team member. Dr. Steinhubl will oversee Eko’s clinical strategy, research initiatives, and scientific collaborations to accelerate the global adoption of AI-enabled cardiac detection. He currently serves as ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1280x960_wayne_steven_steinhubl_PR.jpg" alt="Eko Health Appoints Dr. Steven Steinhubl as CMO to Drive Cardiac AI and Global Clinical Strategy" class="wp-image-96229" width="894" height="670" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1280x960_wayne_steven_steinhubl_PR.jpg 1280w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1280x960_wayne_steven_steinhubl_PR-300x225.jpg 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1280x960_wayne_steven_steinhubl_PR-290x218.jpg 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1280x960_wayne_steven_steinhubl_PR-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px" /> Prominent cardiologist and digital health leader, Dr. Steven Steinhubl, joins Eko Health to advance clinical innovation and global impact of AI-enabled cardiac detection What You Should Know Eko Health has appointed Steven R. Steinhubl, MD, a prominent cardiologist and digital medicine pioneer, as its Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and executive leadership team member. Dr. Steinhubl will oversee Eko’s clinical strategy, research initiatives, and scientific collaborations to accelerate the global adoption of AI-enabled cardiac detection. He currently serves as the Vincent P. Reilly Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University and is a member of the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering. The appointment follows a landmark year for Eko, including CMS national payment for its SENSORA® platform and a major publication in The Lancet. Eko Health’s FDA-cleared platform has sold more than 700,000 devices worldwide, aiding in the early detection of heart and lung disease. Early detection of cardiovascular disease remains a global challenge, with over 60% of cases often going undiagnosed. Eko Health is bridging this gap by embedding artificial intelligence into the clinical tools providers use daily—the stethoscope and ECG. By naming Dr. Steven Steinhubl as Chief Medical Officer, Eko is doubling down on its mission to translate high-fidelity physiological data into seamless, point-of-care analytics that do not disrupt established clinical workflows. Dr. Steinhubl’s multidisciplinary background in engineering, physiology, and medicine uniquely qualifies him to advance Eko’s clinical evidence base. His career has been dedicated to using wearables and AI to address health inequities and transition care from late-stage hospitalizations to proactive, outpatient management. Accelerating Clinical Evidence and Global Reach Dr. Steinhubl joins Eko Health during a period of significant clinical and commercial expansion. Over the past year, the company has achieved several critical milestones: Landmark Clinical Validation: The TRICORDER study, published in The Lancet in early 2026, demonstrated that AI-assisted stethoscope exams increased detection of heart failure by 2.3x and atrial fibrillation by 3.5x compared to standard practice. Reimbursement Success: In July 2025, CMS finalized national payment for Eko’s SENSORA® platform under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), assigning a reimbursement rate of $128.90 per use. Global Expansion: Eko launched its AI-powered platform in the United Kingdom in April 2025 and expanded into Canada following Health Canada clearance of the CORE 500 Digital Stethoscope. Rural Healthcare Support: Eko partnered with Wayne General Hospital to deploy AI screening tools specifically aimed at improving cardiovascular care in rural, underserved communities. Dr. Steinhubl’s leadership is expected to further strengthen these clinical partnerships, ensuring that Eko’s technology continues to drive meaningful outcomes for the 1.5 million patients already being served by Eko-enabled clinicians globally.
Artera Launches AI Services Model and Agentic AI Squads for Specialty Care and FQHCs
What You Should Know Artera is the first agentic healthcare company to adopt an AI Services Model, moving away from traditional “homogeneous SaaS” to deliver bespoke, clinic-specific solutions. The company has deployed specialized AI Service Squads—small teams of AI builders who work directly with healthcare providers to co-innovate and eliminate legacy development cycles. The model ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1000" height="300" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Artera_v1_Logo-1.jpg" alt="Artera Launches AI Services Model and Agentic AI Squads for Specialty Care and FQHCs" class="wp-image-96226" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Artera_v1_Logo-1.jpg 1000w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Artera_v1_Logo-1-300x90.jpg 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Artera_v1_Logo-1-290x87.jpg 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Artera_v1_Logo-1-768x230.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> Artera (formerly WELL Health): The SaaS digital health leader in patient communications. What You Should Know Artera is the first agentic healthcare company to adopt an AI Services Model, moving away from traditional “homogeneous SaaS” to deliver bespoke, clinic-specific solutions. The company has deployed specialized AI Service Squads—small teams of AI builders who work directly with healthcare providers to co-innovate and eliminate legacy development cycles. The model supports high-demand solutions, including scheduling, prior authorizations, referral management, and closing care gaps across hundreds of specialty clinics and nearly 300 FQHCs. The platform facilitates over 2 billion patient communications annually, supporting roughly 200 million patients across the healthcare continuum. Traditional healthcare software often leaves providers trapped between two extremes: rigid, “one-size-fits-all” SaaS products or slow, expensive custom consulting projects. Artera is breaking this paradigm by introducing its AI Services Model, a structural shift that places AI builders directly in the clinic to solve front and back-office challenges at the “speed of software”. This approach allows Artera to function as a holistic AI partner rather than a collection of disconnected point solutions. Guillaume de Zwirek, co-founder and CEO of Artera, noted that traditional feedback loops are no longer competitive in the AI era. By deploying AI Service Squads, the company removes departmental friction, allowing for the rapid delivery of agentic AI that is intimately tailored to the unique workflows of specialty practices and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Specialized AI Squads: Bespoke Solutions for Every Specialty Artera’s AI Service Squads do not just deploy templates; they act as dedicated industry experts to ensure AI agents are seamlessly integrated into specific patient journeys. Specialty Groups: Artera supports hundreds of organizations in areas such as Behavioral Health, Oncology, Cardiology, and Women’s Health, tailoring AI to handle specialty-specific intake and pre-procedure instructions. FQHCs and Community Health Centers: Nearly 300 FQHCs utilize the platform to reach underserved populations efficiently, improving patient engagement and care access. Federal Agencies: Large-scale government entities utilize the Harmony Federal Edition, which is currently undergoing the FedRAMP High authorization process. The “Human-in-the-Loop” Agentic Vision At the core of this model is Artera Harmony, an agentic platform that allows humans and AI to work together to fix the patient experience. Co-Pilot Agents: These provide real-time staff support, including automatic translation for 98+ languages, conversation summaries, and message shortening to boost staff efficiency by as much as 50%. Semi-Autonomous Flows Agents: Rules-based AI assistants that handle routine execution—such as waitlisting, patient triage, and post-operative follow-up—while keeping staff in control of final decisions. Full Interoperability: Artera’s agents integrate with leading EMRs (including Meditech, NextGen, and Veradigm) to ensure a single holistic view of the patient journey.
Elation Health Integrates New AHA and ACC PREVENT™ Cardiovascular Risk Standard
What You Should Know Elation Health has licensed the American Heart Association (AHA) PREVENT™ risk equations, integrating them directly into its Clinical Insights AI tool. The PREVENT-ASCVD tool became the new clinical standard on March 13, 2026, replacing older models that often overestimated cardiovascular risk by 40–50%. The updated model now includes chronic kidney disease ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1500" height="881" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476-1500x881.png" alt="Elation Health Partners with SMG to Deliver Custom EHR for 5,000+ Physicians" class="wp-image-87582" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476-1500x881.png 1500w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476-300x176.png 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476-290x170.png 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476-768x451.png 768w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476-1536x902.png 1536w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_4476.png 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /> What You Should Know Elation Health has licensed the American Heart Association (AHA) PREVENT risk equations, integrating them directly into its Clinical Insights AI tool. The PREVENT-ASCVD tool became the new clinical standard on March 13, 2026, replacing older models that often overestimated cardiovascular risk by 40–50%. The updated model now includes chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a risk factor for the first time. Leveraging Anthropic’s Claude for Healthcare, Elation achieved a rapid rollout, making the tool live for clinicians on March 23, 2026—just 10 days after the guidelines were released. The integration is estimated to save clinicians 3 to 5 minutes per patient calculation by eliminating the need to manually transfer data to external online calculators. Cardiovascular disease currently affects nearly half of American adults, yet for decades, the technology used to assess risk has relied on external, manual calculators that often provide outdated results. Elation Health is addressing this “Information Vacuum” by embedding the American Heart Association’s PREVENT equations directly into the primary care workflow. Clinicians using Elation’s EHR no longer need to navigate to external websites like MDCalc; instead, Clinical Insights automatically pre-fills required inputs—such as demographics, vitals, labs, and medications—directly from the patient’s chart. This “Delightful Improvement” reduces administrative strain and allows physicians to focus on shared decision-making rather than data entry. Rapid Innovation Powered by Anthropic’s Claude The integration marks a significant milestone in medical technology speed. Elation utilized Anthropic’s Claude for Healthcare, which provided the AI-native infrastructure required to author and execute over 2,000 automated tests in just days. This process ensured the implementation precisely matched the AHA/ACC model while maintaining a transparent, guideline-based calculation that clinicians can trust. Kyna Fong, CEO and co-founder of Elation Health, emphasized that independent practices often lack the resources to adopt new standards quickly. By integrating PREVENT in near real-time, Elation is helping these practices maintain “Clinical Excellence” without the typical lag associated with legacy software updates. Comprehensive Cardiovascular Risk Features The PREVENT integration within Clinical Insights enables a range of advanced diagnostic capabilities: Longitudinal Risk Assessment: Calculates both 10-year and 30-year cardiovascular risk estimates. “What If” Scenarios: Allows physicians to demonstrate to patients how lifestyle modifications or new medications could specifically lower their risk scores. CKD Inclusion: For the first time, the model incorporates kidney function as a critical risk factor, aligning with the new 2026 Guidelines on the Management of Dyslipidemia. Flexible Reporting: Results are displayed in both conversational formats and structured tables, ensuring they are easy to share during patient encounters.
Kanvas Biosciences Raises $48M to Advance Spatial Biology Platform and Immuno-Oncology Trials
What You Should Know Kanvas Biosciences has raised $48M in Series A funding co-led by DCVC and Lions Capital LLC, bringing total funding to $78M. The capital will fund clinical trials for KAN-001, an immuno-oncology drug candidate designed for cancer patients who do not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The company utilizes a unique ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-96211" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-4.png 1024w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-4-300x150.png 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-4-290x145.png 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-4-768x384.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> What You Should Know Kanvas Biosciences has raised $48M in Series A funding co-led by DCVC and Lions Capital LLC, bringing total funding to $78M. The capital will fund clinical trials for KAN-001, an immuno-oncology drug candidate designed for cancer patients who do not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The company utilizes a unique spatial mapping platform to visualize microbial and host cell interactions, overcoming traditional roadblocks in microbiome therapeutic development. Kanvas is also partnering with the Gates Foundation to develop the first fully synthetic microbiome replacement for maternal environmental enteric dysfunction. Recent milestones include the opening of a GMP manufacturing suite and the development of the Kanvas Spectral Lightsheet, a high-resolution microscope for building a microbiome atlas. Despite the promise of immunotherapy, only 10% of solid organ cancer patients achieve complete responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Kanvas Biosciences, a full-stack spatial biology company, is working to bridge this “intelligence gap” by treating the microbiome as a distinct, modifiable organ. With a fresh $48M in Series A funding, the company is now prepared to transition its spatial imaging and manufacturing platform into the clinical arena, targeting the complex host-microbiome interactions that dictate treatment success. The funding will primarily support clinical trials for KAN-001, a live biotherapeutic product (LBP). While fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) have shown the ability to convert ICI non-responders into responders, they are hindered by scalability and safety risks. KAN-001 is designed to provide a standardized, manufactured alternative that restores microbiome health and enhances the efficacy of existing cancer therapies. Beyond Sequencing: The Power of Spatial Intelligence Traditional microbiome research has relied heavily on metagenomics sequencing, which identifies what is in the gut but often misses where those microbes are located and how they function. Kanvas’ platform provides a “visual intelligence layer” that outperforms these gold-standard methods, particularly in low biomass settings. Key technological differentiators include: Spatial Mapping: The ability to visualize LBP engraftment and activity in real-time within host tissues. Kanvas Spectral Lightsheet: A proprietary microscope that generates unprecedented volumes of spatial data to train the company’s AI platform. Synthetic Microbiome Consortia: The capability to manufacture complex microbial groups containing hundreds of members designed to restore gastrointestinal health. Expanding Global and Clinical Footprints Kanvas’ mission extends beyond oncology into global health and specialized maternal care. Supported by the Gates Foundation, the company is developing a synthetic microbiome product to address maternal environmental enteric dysfunction, a condition linked to neonatal health risks and undernutrition. Additionally, preparations are underway for a Phase 1 trial of KAN-004, a candidate targeting ICI-induced colitis to help patients remain on life-saving therapy longer. The addition of Stephen Quake to the Board of Directors further strengthens the company’s technical and scientific leadership as it operationalizes its new GMP manufacturing suite in Princeton, NJ.
Fathom Secures Strategic Investment from CVS Health Ventures to Scale Autonomous Medical Coding
What You Should Know Fathom, a leader in autonomous medical coding, has announced a strategic investment from CVS Health Ventures. The funding follows a period where revenue cycle management (RCM) has become the top priority for health IT investment, according to a 2025 Bain & Company/KLAS report. Fathom’s platform achieves 90%+ automation rates across multiple ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-96203" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-3.png 1024w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-3-300x150.png 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-3-290x145.png 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-3-768x384.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> What You Should Know Fathom, a leader in autonomous medical coding, has announced a strategic investment from CVS Health Ventures. The funding follows a period where revenue cycle management (RCM) has become the top priority for health IT investment, according to a 2025 Bain & Company/KLAS report. Fathom’s platform achieves 90%+ automation rates across multiple specialties, providing an alternative to slow, department-by-department AI rollouts. The company was recognized as the #1 solution for Reducing the Cost of Care in the 2025 KLAS Emerging Solutions Top 20 Report. The investment will be used to serve growing demand from both providers and health plans nationwide. As health systems face intensifying margin pressures, the manual task of medical coding has become a primary operational bottleneck. Fathom is addressing this “documentation tax” through its autonomous coding platform, which has now secured a strategic investment from CVS Health Ventures. The partnership signals a shift in the RCM market toward enterprise-grade AI that delivers immediate, measurable financial impact rather than theoretical efficiency gains. By fusing deep learning and natural language processing, Fathom automates medical coding with high accuracy, reaching an inflection point where AI adoption in RCM is delivering demonstrable ROI. Andrew Lockhart, CEO of Fathom, noted that higher coding accuracy and consistency serve as a “true catalyst for financial performance at scale”. System-Wide Implementation: Moving Beyond Point Solutions A key differentiator for Fathom is its multi-specialty approach. Traditional AI implementations in healthcare often suffer from “technical debt” caused by sluggish, IT-intensive rollouts that tackle one department at a time. Fathom’s platform allows health systems to deploy autonomous coding across multiple departments in a single motion. This system-wide model is designed to: Achieve 90%+ Successful Automation: Removing the need for manual intervention in the vast majority of coding tasks. Deliver Immediate Margin Impact: Providing a “light-lift” ROI that CFOs and revenue cycle leaders are increasingly demanding. Strengthen Payer-Provider Relationships: Using high accuracy to create a “trusted, consistent, and neutral representation” of care delivered, which can reduce friction during the claims process. Validated Performance and Industry Recognition Fathom’s market momentum is backed by significant third-party validation. In August 2025, the company received a 95.5/100 overall performance score in KLAS Research’s inaugural autonomous coding report. Furthermore, a 2024 KLAS Emerging Company Spotlight report indicated that 100% of interviewed customers expressed the highest level of satisfaction with the platform. Carter Prince, Partner at CVS Health Ventures, emphasized that Fathom is delivering real ROI at a critical time. As the nation’s leading autonomous coding platform, Fathom is now supported by a world-class group of investors, including 8VC, GV, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, to meet the accelerating demand for enterprise AI in the healthcare ecosystem.
Carlyle Acquires Knack RCM and EqualizeRCM to Build Global AI-Native Healthcare RCM Platform
What You Should Know Carlyle has acquired a majority stake in Knack RCM and EqualizeRCM, merging them to create a global, multi-specialty, AI-native revenue cycle management (RCM) platform. The combined platform targets high-complexity segments, including rural hospitals, behavioral health, anesthesia, and durable medical equipment (DME). EqualizeRCM contributes proprietary AI tools like Bill Smart for denial ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1500" height="844" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2-1500x844.png" alt="" class="wp-image-96200" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2-1500x844.png 1500w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2-300x169.png 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2-290x163.png 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2-768x432.png 768w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2-1536x864.png 1536w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-2.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /> What You Should Know Carlyle has acquired a majority stake in Knack RCM and EqualizeRCM, merging them to create a global, multi-specialty, AI-native revenue cycle management (RCM) platform. The combined platform targets high-complexity segments, including rural hospitals, behavioral health, anesthesia, and durable medical equipment (DME). EqualizeRCM contributes proprietary AI tools like Bill Smart for denial prediction and an AI-native platform built on large language models (LLMs) and agentic AI. Knack RCM brings a global delivery footprint with 8,000 employees and its Workmate orchestration engine to manage end-to-end revenue workflows. Carlyle intends to use this new entity as a platform for further acquisitions in the fragmented RCM industry. The U.S. healthcare revenue cycle is currently besieged by a “triple threat” of margin compression, acute workforce shortages, and the accelerating shift toward value-based care. To address these systemic pressures, global investment firm Carlyle has consolidated two industry leaders—Knack RCM and EqualizeRCM—into a single, AI-native operating system for healthcare finances. This strategic merger is designed to move beyond simple task automation and toward a “Medical Intelligence Layer” that can solve the most critical financial risks faced by specialty providers. By combining Knack’s global operational scale with Equalize’s specialized advisory and agentic AI capabilities, Carlyle is building a platform capable of displacing established, large-scale vendor contracts through superior outcomes and denial avoidance. Solving for Complexity: Rural Health and Specialized DME The primary differentiator of this new platform is its focus on the most difficult-to-automate segments of the revenue cycle. While many RCM vendors focus on high-volume, low-complexity claims, the Knack-Equalize platform is purpose-built for: Rural Hospitals: Specialized support for Critical Access Hospitals and cost reports to preserve community care access. Durable Medical Equipment (DME): Managing complex intake and reimbursement workflows that frequently trigger insurance denials. High-Acuity Specialties: Addressing the nuanced billing requirements of anesthesia, eyecare, and behavioral health. Gautam Barai, CEO of Knack RCM, emphasized that success in this new era is measured by a provider’s ability to “meet payroll and support their communities,” not just the amount of automation deployed. The Rise of the Agentic RCM Engine A core tenet of the investment is the integration of EqualizeRCM’s Bill Smart technology—an AI-driven tool for denial prediction—with Knack’s Workmate orchestration platform. Unlike traditional “bot-based” automation, this agentic AI approach uses LLMs to parse unstructured data and proactively navigate evolving payer and regulatory environments. This technology has already demonstrated significant commercial traction, proving that an AI-native infrastructure can deliver the transparency and accuracy required to safeguard margins in high-pressure clinical environments.
The Hidden Data Discovery Problem Inside Modern Healthcare Enterprises
Avinash Maddineni, Lead Data Engineer and AI Strategist
Enterprise data teams spend a great deal of time discussing infrastructure. Conversations often revolve around cloud warehouses, lakehouses, AI platforms, and the newest analytics tools. Organizations invest millions in modernizing their technology stacks, expecting that better platforms will automatically accelerate data initiatives. Yet inside most enterprises, the biggest delay in data work has very little ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Avinash-Maddineni-Headshot1.jpeg" alt="The Hidden Data Discovery Problem Inside Modern Healthcare Enterprises" class="wp-image-96191" width="619" height="716" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Avinash-Maddineni-Headshot1.jpeg 911w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Avinash-Maddineni-Headshot1-260x300.jpeg 260w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Avinash-Maddineni-Headshot1-251x290.jpeg 251w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Avinash-Maddineni-Headshot1-768x888.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 619px) 100vw, 619px" /> Avinash Maddineni, Lead Data Engineer and AI Strategist Enterprise data teams spend a great deal of time discussing infrastructure. Conversations often revolve around cloud warehouses, lakehouses, AI platforms, and the newest analytics tools. Organizations invest millions in modernizing their technology stacks, expecting that better platforms will automatically accelerate data initiatives. Yet inside most enterprises, the biggest delay in data work has very little to do with technology. The real obstacle appears much earlier in the process. Before anyone can build a model, design a dashboard, or deliver a report, the team must first find the right data and determine whether it can actually be trusted. That process, which should take minutes in a well-organized environment, often stretches into weeks. Across many healthcare organizations, the beginning of a data initiative follows a familiar pattern. Engineers dig through catalogs trying to understand what datasets exist. Analysts send messages to data stewards asking whether a table is reliable. Someone writes exploratory queries to verify whether the documentation accurately reflects the data. In many cases, lineage must be traced manually to understand how a dataset is produced and what upstream systems influence it. This work rarely appears on project timelines, yet it consumes a significant portion of them. In reality, the problem is not a lack of tools. It is a lack of reliable metadata. The Hidden Bottleneck in Data Projects At a large Fortune 500 healthcare organization where I led data engineering, we repeatedly observed the same pattern. New initiatives often spent one to two weeks simply identifying the appropriate data sources before meaningful work could begin. Whether the project involved AI modeling, analytics development, compliance reporting, or system integration, the first step was always a prolonged discovery process. Teams needed to answer several basic questions before building anything. What data are available to support this initiative? How reliable is it? Where did it originate? What systems depend on it? And what would happen if something upstream changed? In theory, enterprise data catalogs are designed to answer these questions. Organizations invest heavily in governance platforms precisely so teams can quickly find and understand their data. However, the reality inside most environments looks very different from the ideal architecture diagrams. Catalog entries are often incomplete or outdated. Metadata descriptions may have been written years earlier during a migration or compliance effort and never revisited. Quality metrics, if they exist at all, are buried in monitoring systems that few people regularly consult. Lineage diagrams frequently require manual investigation because pipelines evolve faster than documentation. As a result, the simple task of identifying a trustworthy dataset becomes a small investigative project of its own. Engineers and analysts must validate information that should already be available, creating a hidden bottleneck at the beginning of every data initiative. The consequences are not trivial. Delivery timelines can stretch past ninety days, leadership grows frustrated with the perceived slow pace of data teams, and organizations accumulate a backlog of initiatives that stall before they ever reach production. The underlying issue is rarely discussed openly because most enterprises assume their metadata systems are already doing the job they were designed to do. The Stale Catalog Problem There is a difficult truth that many data leaders hesitate to acknowledge. In most enterprises, the data catalog is not an accurate representation of the environment. When catalogs are first implemented, teams often put significant effort into documenting datasets. Column definitions are written, tables are categorized, and ownership is assigned. At that moment, the catalog may indeed reflect the system. The problem is that enterprise data environments change constantly. New pipelines are created, schemas evolve, transformations are modified, and additional sources are integrated. Documentation rarely keeps pace with these changes. Over time, the catalog becomes filled with descriptions that no longer reflect reality. Some tables end up with definitions that are technically correct but incomplete. Others contain descriptions that refer to logic that was removed years earlier. In many cases, datasets exist on the platform but have never been documented. Despite these inconsistencies, teams still rely on catalog entries when deciding what data to use. To address this challenge, many organizations are beginning to rethink how metadata is generated and maintained. Instead of relying solely on static descriptions written manually during migrations or governance efforts, emerging approaches use AI to analyze the data itself and generate contextual metadata automatically. By examining sample records, machine learning models can produce descriptions that reflect what the dataset actually contains today, rather than what someone assumed it contained years earlier. This type of enrichment typically operates at multiple levels within the data environment. At the most granular level, models analyze individual columns and generate descriptions based on observed values, formats, and patterns. At the dataset level, they evaluate how columns interact to infer the table’s overall structure and purpose. A broader layer of analysis can also examine relationships across datasets, identifying likely joins, dependencies, and structural connections that may not be explicitly documented. Because these descriptions are derived directly from the underlying data, they tend to reflect the current state of the environment more accurately than static documentation. When implemented well, this approach allows metadata to evolve alongside the data itself, reducing the gap between how datasets are documented and how they actually behave in production. Early implementations suggest that automated metadata generation can significantly improve description accuracy, providing teams with a more reliable starting point when searching for data to support a new initiative. Making Data Discoverable and Trustworthy Improving metadata accuracy is only one part of solving the broader discovery problem. Teams also need visibility into data quality, upstream dependencies, and changes that occur across the environment. Without that context, even well-documented datasets can pose risks for downstream initiatives.. One emerging capability is AI-driven discovery. Instead of manually searching through catalogs or contacting data owners to locate relevant datasets, users can ask plain language questions about the data they need. Systems can then analyze available metadata, lineage signals, and historical usage patterns to surface datasets that are likely to support the task. This type of assisted discovery can dramatically reduce the time required to identify potential sources, especially in large environments with thousands of tables and pipelines. Another shift involves evaluating data quality in the context of how the data will actually be used. Traditional data quality tools often focus on identifying anomalies or missing values without explaining whether those issues matter for a particular initiative. A more contextual approach evaluates whether a dataset is suitable for the specific purpose at hand. For example, a dataset might be sufficient for exploratory analysis but not precise enough for regulatory reporting or financial calculations. By tying quality evaluation to the intended use case, teams can make faster and more informed decisions about which datasets are appropriate. Together, these capabilities significantly reduce the time required to begin new initiatives. Identifying a trustworthy dataset can drop from one to two weeks to just a few minutes. Upstream changes that once took days to discover can now be identified within an hour. Most importantly, teams gain confidence that they understand the data they are building on. The deeper issue is that teams cannot move quickly when the data they depend on is difficult to understand, difficult to trust, and difficult to monitor. Solving the metadata problem does not require replacing the entire technology stack. It requires improving the connective layer that allows people to find and interpret data with confidence. Once that layer works properly, the rest of the data ecosystem begins to move at the speed organizations expected all along. About Avinash Maddineni Avinash Maddineni is a lead data engineer and AI strategist with over 14 years of experience building enterprise-scale data infrastructure and advancing AI adoption across Fortune 500 companies in healthcare, financial services, energy, and travel. He is also the co-founder of StemSenseAI, a health tech venture focused on mood prediction and early Alzheimer’s detection, and the founder of Pure Stroke, an AI-powered tennis platform delivering real-time biomechanics insights.
UnitedHealthcare to Eliminate 30% of Prior Authorizations by Year-End: A Strategic Shift Toward Transparency and Rural Support
What You Should Know UnitedHealthcare (UHC) will eliminate an additional 30% of prior authorization requirements by the end of 2026, targeting outpatient surgeries, diagnostic tests (like echocardiograms), and chiropractic care. The initiative aims to reduce administrative friction, as 92% of current authorizations are already approved, typically in under 24 hours. UHC is expanding its National ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="601" height="257" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/UnitedHealthcare.png" alt="UnitedHealthcare Launches Virtual Prescription Renewal Option" class="wp-image-72703" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/UnitedHealthcare.png 601w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/UnitedHealthcare-300x128.png 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/UnitedHealthcare-290x124.png 290w" sizes="(max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px" /> What You Should Know UnitedHealthcare (UHC) will eliminate an additional 30% of prior authorization requirements by the end of 2026, targeting outpatient surgeries, diagnostic tests (like echocardiograms), and chiropractic care. The initiative aims to reduce administrative friction, as 92% of current authorizations are already approved, typically in under 24 hours. UHC is expanding its National Gold Card Program, which exempts provider groups with proven track records of evidence-based care from most authorization hurdles. By fall 2026, a specialized program will exempt 1,500 rural hospitals and their practitioners from prior authorizations to ensure stability and access in underserved communities. The company has standardized electronic submission requirements for over 70% of its authorizations to improve interoperability and real-time status tracking. For decades, the “prior authorization” process has been a primary source of friction between insurers and the clinical community. UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest insurer, is moving to fundamentally alter this dynamic by announcing a massive reduction in the number of services requiring advance approval. By the end of 2026, the company will have eliminated 30% of its remaining requirements, allowing clinicians to focus more on direct patient care and less on administrative paperwork. This shift reflects a broader maturation of the payer-provider relationship. Tim Noel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, noted that while authorizations are a safeguard, they should only be used when they “truly protect patients and improve care.” Given that UHC already approves more than 9 out of 10 requests, the company is betting that the administrative cost of the remaining 10% outweighs the clinical benefit of the review process. Strengthening the Rural Safety Net A significant component of this strategy is a targeted intervention for rural healthcare. On April 20, 2026, UnitedHealthcare announced it would exempt many rural providers from prior authorization requirements entirely. By the end of 2026, this program will cover 1,500 rural hospitals, including all Critical Access Hospitals. This move is designed to improve the financial stability of rural institutions, which often operate on thin margins and with smaller administrative teams. By accelerating payments and removing the “authorization tax,” UHC aims to ensure that patients in geographically isolated areas can access high-quality care without the delays inherent in traditional insurer review cycles. Modernizing the “Clinical Signals” Layer To manage the authorizations that do remain, UHC is championing a new industry standard for electronic submissions. This initiative, launched in April 2026, lays the groundwork for greater automation and interoperability. By moving away from manual portals and toward standardized, real-time status tracking, the goal is to make the remaining reviews “quicker, simpler, and more efficient.” The expansion of the Gold Card Program further rewards clinical excellence. By recognizing provider groups that consistently adhere to evidence-based guidelines, UHC is moving toward a model of “earned autonomy.” This allows top-performing clinicians to bypass the standard approval process, effectively treating them as trusted partners in the care delivery chain.
ANA Releases Landmark Consensus Report on Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice
What You Should Know The American Nurses Association (ANA) has released a historic consensus report defining the guardrails for AI in nursing, following a specialized Think Tank held in April 2026. The report identifies “Automation Bias” and the erosion of professional judgment as primary risks to patient safety. A fundamental principle established is that AI ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="962" height="1264" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ANA-Survey.jpg" alt="ANA Releases Landmark Consensus Report on Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice" class="wp-image-96195" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ANA-Survey.jpg 962w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ANA-Survey-228x300.jpg 228w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ANA-Survey-221x290.jpg 221w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ANA-Survey-768x1009.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px" /> What You Should Know The American Nurses Association (ANA) has released a historic consensus report defining the guardrails for AI in nursing, following a specialized Think Tank held in April 2026. The report identifies “Automation Bias” and the erosion of professional judgment as primary risks to patient safety. A fundamental principle established is that AI must support, not replace, professional nursing judgment; nurses remain the final accountable decision-makers. The ANA is calling for mandatory AI literacy as a core professional competence for all registered nurses. Strategic priorities include curating a “Nursing AI Playbook” and strengthening national advocacy for nurse-led AI governance. Artificial Intelligence is no longer a theoretical future for healthcare; it is already materially shaping the daily work of the world’s five million registered nurses. However, as AI tools move from the lab to the bedside, the profession faces a critical inflection point. To address this, the American Nurses Association (ANA) convened a national Think Tank on April 22, 2026, to establish a unified professional stance on the risks, principles, and near-term priorities for AI in nursing practice. The resulting consensus report, released today, makes one thing clear: while AI offers immense potential for efficiency, it must never be allowed to substitute for the clinical reasoning and ethical responsibility of a professional nurse. Navigating the “Automation Bias” and Accountability Gaps The Think Tank identified several “material risks” that require immediate attention from health system leaders and regulators. Chief among these is the potential for cognitive off-loading—where nurses might over-rely on AI outputs at the expense of seeing the “whole patient”. This erosion of critical thinking is not just a professional concern; it is a direct risk to patient safety. Furthermore, the report highlights a significant “accountability vacuum”. Currently, the division of liability between the nurse at the bedside, the institution deploying the tool, and the AI developer remains dangerously ambiguous. Without clear standards, nurses face an increased risk of license exposure when AI-influenced care decisions lead to unexpected outcomes. Foundational Principles: Human-in-the-Loop is Non-Negotiable To ensure that innovation strengthens rather than undermines the profession, the ANA Think Tank converged on a set of foundational principles: Final Authority: Human oversight is non-negotiable; nurses must be positioned as the final authority in all care decisions. Ethical Alignment: AI use must strictly align with the ANA Code of Ethics, focusing on beneficence and the reduction of health inequities. Explainable AI: Opaque “black box” systems are viewed as incompatible with professional accountability; nurses must understand how outputs are generated. Lifelong Literacy: AI literacy is now a baseline professional expectation, requiring continuous education across all career stages. The Path Forward: A Call for Nurse-Led Innovation The ANA is moving beyond observation and into active governance. The report outlines five priority actions, including the development of a Nursing AI Playbook to provide practical implementation guidance and a commitment to centering nursing perspectives in national policy conversations. “The profession is at a pivotal moment that requires deliberate, nurse-led action,” says Brad Goettl, Chief Nursing Officer of the American Nurses Enterprise. “We are excited by the clear, immediate actions that have emerged… that will define how the organization moves forward in putting the nurse voice at the center of AI and patient care.”.
Med Tech Solutions (MTS) Acquires Avarion HIT Advisory to Expand Acute Care Managed Services
What You Should Know Med Tech Solutions (MTS) has acquired Avarion (formerly Huntzinger Management Group), a two-time Best in KLAS healthcare IT advisory firm. The acquisition allows MTS to support the full continuum of care, bridging its existing strength in ambulatory and community-based care with Avarion’s expertise in complex acute care environments. The combined entity ... Read More
<img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="1200" src="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MTS-Avarion-1200x1200-1.webp" alt="Med Tech Solutions (MTS) Acquires Avarion HIT Advisory to Expand Acute Care Managed Services" class="wp-image-96197" srcset="https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MTS-Avarion-1200x1200-1.webp 1200w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MTS-Avarion-1200x1200-1-300x300.webp 300w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MTS-Avarion-1200x1200-1-290x290.webp 290w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MTS-Avarion-1200x1200-1-768x768.webp 768w, https://hitconsultant.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MTS-Avarion-1200x1200-1-100x100.webp 100w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /> What You Should Know Med Tech Solutions (MTS) has acquired Avarion (formerly Huntzinger Management Group), a two-time Best in KLAS healthcare IT advisory firm. The acquisition allows MTS to support the full continuum of care, bridging its existing strength in ambulatory and community-based care with Avarion’s expertise in complex acute care environments. The combined entity will pair MTS’s hands-on managed services (EHR management, cloud hosting, cybersecurity) with Avarion’s strategic leadership and consulting services. Robert Kitts, Avarion CEO and Founding Partner, will join MTS to lead the firm’s strategic advisory and staffing divisions. The move addresses growing industry demand for partners that can handle both data-driven strategy and long-term operational execution under one roof. Healthcare IT has traditionally been split between two worlds: the advisors who design the strategy and the managed service providers (MSPs) who keep the lights on. Med Tech Solutions (MTS) is moving to collapse that divide by acquiring Avarion, a firm renowned for its high-level advisory work with hospitals and health systems. This merger creates a unified “Medical Intelligence Layer” for IT infrastructure—one that can advise a health system on its digital transformation and then manage that infrastructure indefinitely. The acquisition comes at a time when healthcare organizations are facing unprecedented workforce strain and regulatory complexity. By integrating Avarion’s deep clinical and executive leadership expertise, MTS is positioning itself as a “lifelong” partner that can help providers navigate these challenges across both ambulatory and acute care settings. From Strategic Clarity to Operational Scale Avarion, previously known as Huntzinger Management Group, has built its reputation on delivering “disciplined execution” for large-scale implementations, revenue cycle optimizations, and enterprise analytics. By joining MTS, these high-level advisory services are now backed by a HITRUST-certified cloud and cybersecurity infrastructure. Mona Abutaleb, CEO of Med Tech Solutions, noted that healthcare organizations are no longer looking for point-in-time consultants but for partners who can support them over the long term. The combined organization aims to provide a “lower-friction” way for providers to gather clinical signals and optimize business systems without the human-machine bottlenecks that often clog traditional care delivery. Closing the “Care Continuum” Gap While MTS has long been a leader in managing IT for ambulatory and community-based settings, the addition of Avarion accelerates its growth in the acute care sector. This “enterprise-wide” visibility is critical for health systems pursuing “Payvider” alignment and interoperability, as it ensures that data flows seamlessly from the physician’s office to the hospital bedside. Robert Kitts, CEO of Avarion, highlighted that this represents a “natural evolution” for his firm. Together, MTS and Avarion can now support a hospital from the initial board-level strategy down to the end-user support for a nurse at 3:00 AM. This continuity is designed to drive “meaningful, lasting value” by ensuring that the strategic vision of an IT project isn’t lost during the hand-off to operations.