< + > Weekly Roundup – January 31, 2026

Welcome to our Healthcare IT Today Weekly Roundup. Each week, we’ll be providing a look back at the articles we posted and why they’re important to the healthcare IT community. We hope this gives you a chance to catch up on anything you may have missed during the week.

A Behavioral Health Clinician’s Perspective on AI Notetaking. John Lynn interviewed Dr. Aaron Weiner at Prevention Research Institute about what makes clinical documentation different in behavioral health, where visits are longer and side conversations are important, and how AI scribes have been able to improve the process. Read more…

The ROI for Interoperability Is Hiding in Plain Sight. Colin Hung caught up with Muhammad Chebli at NextGen Healthcare, who said interop proves its worth when organizations are clear on the problem they’re trying to solve. Read more…

AI Is No Longer Optional in Radiology Operations. GE HealthCare CEO Roland Rott chatted with Colin about tapping into the 97% of healthcare data that goes unused in order to improve the AI algorithms that improve capacity and efficiency. Read more…

Digital Health Solutions at CES 2026. CES has come a long way in 20 years, from a meager digital health presence to an entire track of content. John talked to companies innovating in remote monitoring, mental health, rehab, and predictive analytics. Read more…

Does Your EMPI Lead to Data Chaos – or Clean Identity? Today’s Enterprise Master Patient Index solutions have become very sophisticated matching patient identities, but EMPI can struggle when support calls spike, and that can erode an organization’s confidence. John highlighted a Rhapsody eBook that helps cut through the chaos. Read more…

Medication Management Traps for EHR Vendors. There are 832 different variations of “take one tablet daily,” which explains why medication management is so complex. Regulatory changes aren’t quite as convoluted, but they’re enough for vendors to prioritize compliance over innovation. John summarized a DrFirst resource that should help EHR vendors cope. Read more…

Life Sciences Today Podcast: Beyond the Science. Dr. Gary Zammit at Clinilabs talked to Danny Lieberman about the role of resilience, discipline, and culture in building a strong life sciences organization. Read more…

CIO Podcast: Sutter Sync. Dr. Richard Milani at Sutter Health joined John to discuss Sutter Sync, a medical device that syncs directly with Epic and will initially be used for high blood pressure and pregnancy. Read more…

3 Ways to Take Your Practice to the Next Level in 2026. Paul Vigario, Founder and CEO at SurfCT explained the importance of brand-building, patient compliance, and forward-thinking leadership for private medical and dental practices. Read more…

Best Software Platforms for Med Spa Management. This post from Meevo evaluated appointment scheduling, client management, inventory control, and other important features to support managing a modern medical spa. Read more…

What Does It Take to Obtain Health Equity Accreditation? This post from URAC outlined 7 steps for moving from intention to implementation for identifying and reducing disparities across populations. Read more…

This Week’s Health IT Jobs for January 28, 2026: Multiple IT supervisor roles, along with positions with health plans. Read more…

Bonus Features for January 25, 2026: 35% of patients would switch doctors if their digital tools were frustrating, while 20% of healthcare workers use unauthorized AI tools. Read more…

Funding and M&A Activity:

• OpenAI acquired Torch, which is building an AI app to bring disparate sources of patient data together.
• DirectMed Imaging acquired Tri-Imaging Solutions; the two companies will be combined into a single, integrated provider.
• Utilization management software maker Firstsource acquired TeleMedik, a Puerto Rico-based software company.
• Real-world data company Verana Health merged with COTA, an oncology real-world data company.
• Healthcare staffing platform IntelyCare acquired CareRev, an on-demand workforce platform for acute care.
• Oncology care software maker VieCure raised $43 million in funding.
• Behavioral health EHR and practice management platform ICANotes received an investment from Sheridan Capital Partners.
• Diagnostic insights company Avalon Healthcare Solutions announced a new majority investment.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our latest Healthcare IT Today Weekly Roundups.

< + > Beyond the Science by Gary Zammit – Life Sciences Today Podcast Episode 46

We’re excited to be back for another episode of the Life Sciences Today Podcast by Healthcare IT Today. My guest today is Gary Zammit, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer at Clinilabs. We often imagine medical breakthroughs as the result of data, protocols, and lab science alone. But Gary Zammit has seen firsthand that bringing therapies to patients requires far more: resilient teams, disciplined processes, and cultures that can weather setbacks.

In his new book, Beyond the Science: How People, Process, and Systems Transform the Business of Life Sciences, Zammit offers readers an inside look at the real drivers of innovation. From navigating near-bankruptcy at Clinilabs to helping advance more than twenty therapies across thirteen CNS indications, his stories highlight the human and organizational forces that shape the future of medicine.

Whether you are in healthcare, business leadership, or organizational strategy, Beyond the Science is both a practical guide and an urgent call to action: to build organizations as resilient and innovative as the science they support because patients are waiting.

Check out the main topics of discussion for this episode of the Life Sciences Today podcast:

• Tell me about your journey. How did that shape you as a leader, and how did those experiences lead you to write Beyond the Science?
• From your vantage point at Clinilabs, what’s the most misunderstood people-or-process failure in drug development — and how does Clinilabs create value by solving it? How do you prove to sponsors that you’ve actually solved it?
• CROs often look interchangeable from the outside, yet Clinilabs has built a reputation in one of the most challenging therapeutic areas. Where does your defensibility — your ‘moat’ — really come from? What does Clinilabs do that sponsors or big site networks like Velocity Clinical can’t easily copy?
• In the closing of the book, you emphasize pushing beyond ‘good enough’ and building teams, systems, and processes that strive for greatness. Looking ahead 12–18 months, what are the three things you want to do for your customers that will raise the bar — things that will materially improve the way CNS trials get run?

Now, without further ado, we’re excited to share with you the next episode of the Life Sciences Today podcast.

Subscribe to Danny’s newsletter to get strategic patterns for life science leaders building a defensible business.

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Along with the popular podcasting platforms above, you can Subscribe to Healthcare IT Today on YouTube.  Plus, all of the audio and video versions will be made available to stream on Healthcare IT Today. As a former pharma-tech founder who bootstrapped to exit, I now help TechBio and digital health CEOs grow revenue—by solving the tech, team, and go-to-market problems that stall your progress. If you want a warrior by your side, connect with me on LinkedIn.

If you work in Life Sciences IT, we’d love to hear where you agree and/or disagree with our takes on health IT innovation in life sciences. Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments of this post, in the YouTube comments, or privately on our Contact Us page. Let us know what you think of the podcast and if you have any ideas for future episodes.

Thanks so much for listening!

< + > OpenAI Acquires Healthcare Technology Startup Torch | Sheridan Capital Partners Completes Investment in ICANotes

Check out today’s featured companies who have recently completed an M&A deal, and be sure to check out the full list of past healthcare IT M&A.

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OpenAI Acquires Healthcare Technology Startup Torch for $60 million, Source Says

• OpenAI has Acquired the Healthcare Technology Startup Torch
• Torch was Building a “Unified Medical Memory” for AI that Aimed to Bring a Patient’s Health Data into One Place
• OpenAI and Torch Did Not Disclose the Terms of the Acquisition

OpenAI has acquired the health-care technology startup Torch, the company announced on Monday.

OpenAI purchased Torch for roughly $60 million, according to a source familiar with the deal who asked not to be named because the details are confidential.

Torch was building a “unified medical memory” for artificial intelligence that aimed to bring a patient’s health data, which is typically siloed and stored across a number of different vendors and formats, into one place.

Torch’s employees will join OpenAI as part of the acquisition, the companies said.

“I can’t imagine a better next chapter than to now get to put our technology and ideas in the hands of the hundreds of millions of people who already use ChatGPT for health questions every week,” Torch CEO Ilya Abyzov wrote in a post on X.

Abyzov previously co-founded another healthcare startup called Forward, which was a direct-to-consumer primary care business that carried out patient visits via tech-enabled “CarePods.” Forward abruptly shuttered operations in 2024.

OpenAI’s acquisition of Torch comes just days after it unveiled ChatGPT Health, a new experience that allows users connect their medical records and wellness apps to the AI chatbot…

Full release here, originally announced January 12th, 2026.

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Sheridan Capital Partners Completes Investment in ICANotes, a Purpose-Built Behavioral Health Electronic Health Records Platform

Sheridan Capital Partners today announced the completion of its investment in ICANotes, a Practice Management (PM) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) software platform purpose-built for the behavioral health market. The investment comes at a time when behavioral health providers are facing rising demand for care alongside expanding documentation and compliance obligations. This has increased the need for EHR platforms designed specifically around mental health workflows. The ICANotes product helps clinicians streamline clinical documentation, strengthen compliance, and simplify practice management. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Baltimore, Md., ICANotes delivers a comprehensive, cloud-based EHR platform designed specifically for mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, social workers, and nurse practitioners. The Company’s AI-enhanced system supports clinical workflows and integrates advanced features that save time, support regulatory compliance, and enhance patient care. ICANotes serves a broad range of behavioral health organizations across outpatient, inpatient, and residential settings, focused on medication management, psychotherapy, substance use disorder treatment, trauma-focused care, couples and family therapy, case management, and psychosocial rehabilitation.

“As we searched for a strategic capital partner who could help us meaningfully scale, it became clear that the Sheridan team was the ideal choice given our strong cultural alignment and their relevant experience building healthcare technology businesses,” said Jamie Morganstern, CEO at ICANotes. “We are excited to partner with Sheridan as we continue to invest in our core PM and EHR solutions, while expanding platform capabilities to drive greater efficiency for our clinician customers.”

“We believe ICANotes is an outstanding business that has earned the trust of a wide variety of behavioral health providers by enabling management of an entire practice with one secure system,” said Jeff Foote, Partner at Sheridan…

Full release here, originally announced January 13th, 2026.

< + > A Behavioral Health Clinician’s Perspective on AI Clinical Notes

As most readers of Healthcare IT Today know, AI medical scribes that automate clinical documentation are all the rage.  Over the past couple years, these solutions have really matured and you’re finding them taking care of the documentation and relieving that burden from clinicians.  As I’ve talked to dozens of companies that offer these solutions, I’d often ask them how they do across specialties.  Many of them answered that they worked in most specialties and then they’d offer the exception of behavioral health.  Most would acknowledge that they were working on it and would get there with behavioral health too.

In many ways, the behavioral health exception makes sense since it’s a very different style of visit.  Most visits in medical practices are 15-30 minutes.  In behavioral health they’re generally closer to 60 minutes.  That’s a lot more talking that needs to be summarized in the behavioral health note.  Plus, the side conversations that happen in a medical practice may not be relevant to the clinical documentation.  In behavioral health, those side conversations may be incredibly relevant to include in the documentation.

Given some of these nuances, I was excited to learn about Note Taker by SimplePractice which is taking on automating clinical notes for behavioral health clinicians.  To learn more about this solution, I interviewed Aaron Weiner, PhD, ABPP, Executive Vice President at Prevention Research Institute.  Check out our interview below.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Illinois, a master addiction counselor, and a board-certified counseling psychologist. I’ve engaged in private practice in a number of different ways, including full-time as part of a hospital, part of a group practice, my own private practice, and more recently on a part-time basis.

My specialties are in addiction and trauma, and I’m very interested in addressing mental health from a public health and scalable context. I like thinking critically about how to solve society’s problems through the creative use of technology and by leveraging—rather than ignoring—mental health.

Currently, I’m the Executive Vice President at a nonprofit called Prevention Research Institute, which creates curricula to help people change their relationship with alcohol and engage in fewer high-risk drinking choices.

2. Describe the life of a psychologist when it comes to session notes, crisis documentation, intake assessments, etc. without AI tools.

Without AI, documentation as a psychologist is an onerous task. You either have to take notes during a session—which can be fragmented and pull your attention away from the session at hand—or you have to spend time writing them after session, which can really add up, especially when you have to document complex cases or numerous sessions in a day.

Regular progress notes tend to take between five and ten minutes unless they’re highly templated and largely unspecific, and intake assessments done properly can take over ten minutes, depending on how many notes you take during the assessment.

3. Why did you decide to start using Note Taker in your practice? Why did you choose it over many of the other AI documentation assistants out there?

I decided to start using Note Taker in my practice because I was interested in seeing how effectively AI could capture and summarize sessions while removing some of the extra support time required every day. I found that clinical documentation and note-taking were not just taking time, but also required a lot of mental and emotional energy. My sessions often run close to 60 minutes, and finding time either during the middle or at the end of my day ended up being more challenging than I thought it would be.

I chose to use Note Taker within SimplePractice primarily because of the seamless integration with the clinical record, as well as my confidence in the security measures that SimplePractice has in place. The fact that it’s entirely housed on their own servers—where I’m already doing my telehealth sessions—meant a great deal to me in terms of feeling comfortable with the security, and I figured it would be reassuring to my clients as well, since they’re already working on that platform.

4. What was the onboarding process like for Note Taker? What are some of the things you had to do differently to make it work effectively?

The onboarding process was pretty seamless for Note Taker. I came on during a beta test phase, so there were some little glitches that had to be worked out at that point, but as the tool evolved into its current form, it’s been pretty easy to use.

You do need to spend time editing when you use an AI note-taking tool, as opposed to composing notes from scratch. That said, it’s still less time than writing the notes yourself, and the level of detail captured is far beyond what I think many therapists are currently capturing in their notes. To use the tool ethically and responsibly, you still need to read what’s written, and that takes some time, but that review process is much more efficient.

5. How would you describe the impact of Note Taker on your work day? What have been the benefits you’ve seen from it?

Note Taker has had a clear impact on my work day in a couple of ways. First, knowing that Note Taker is capturing all the important and relevant detail from sessions is a huge weight off my shoulders in terms of documentation. I no longer have to worry about getting an initial note draft done quickly, or that I might forget salient details—the whole session is in there, and that’s very helpful.

This also means that I can complete the review process at whatever time is convenient for me, as opposed to trying to do it in close proximity to the session so that I don’t forget details. I can just slide in time to review notes whenever it’s convenient. It also simply takes less time to do the editing and reviewing work as opposed to raw composition, so that’s even more time back in the day. On the whole, what you’re getting is a better note that takes less clinician time and is less stressful to produce. It’s a win all-around.

6. How have patients reacted to you using Note Taker during the visit?

There were a couple of comments from patients right after I first started using Note Taker. Nobody had an explicit problem with it and asked for me to stop using it, except for one, which I was happy to accommodate. A couple of patients made lighthearted comments about how AI is everywhere, including now in the therapy room. But they confirmed that they didn’t have any problem with using it.

We’re becoming more comfortable with AI tools being integrated into a number of different facets of life. Speaking for myself, my medical providers use AI note-taking now when I go in for visits with my primary care doctor or a specialist. The idea that AI is being used in healthcare to reduce documentation time is becoming normalized and makes a lot of sense.

To me, it’s the next evolution in how technology can improve and streamline care while freeing up more time for providers to actually attend to patients. For example, I can remember plenty of medical appointments where I’d be talking to the doctor, they’d ask a question, type in the response, and for most of the appointment, they would just be looking at their screen, not at me. Now using AI, the notes are better, they take less energy, and it allows providers to deliver a better experience when you’re in an appointment with them.

< + > Tri-Imaging Solutions and DirectMed Imaging Merge | Firstsource Acquires TeleMedik

Check out today’s featured companies who have recently completed an M&A deal, and be sure to check out the full list of past healthcare IT M&A.

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Tri-Imaging Solutions and DirectMed Imaging Merge to Create a Scaled Imaging Solutions Platform

DirectMed Imaging, a portfolio company of Frazier Healthcare Partners, has announced that it has acquired Tri-Imaging Solutions. DirectMed and Tri-Imaging will be combined into a single, integrated provider of aftermarket diagnostic imaging parts, systems, service, and technical training, and operate under the Tri-Imaging name.

The combined organization will be led by the current Tri-Imaging leadership team, with Eric Wright as CEO, and bring together two complementary imaging platforms serving healthcare networks, independent service organizations, and equipment manufacturers. DirectMed is a leading global provider of aftermarket diagnostic imaging parts, systems, and repair services across MRI, CT, and X-ray modalities, with LBN in Denmark and ScanMed in Omaha, NE as complimentary business.

Tri-Imaging provides customer-focused data analytics, replacement parts, on-site service, technical support, and industry-recognized training programs for medical imaging professionals. It supports customers nationwide across major OEMs and modalities.

Together, the combined Tri-Imaging platform offers customers a scaled partner focused on maximizing imaging uptime, extending equipment life, and lowering total cost of ownership.

Expanded Capabilities for Customers

The combination strengthens Tri-Imaging’s ability to support customers through:

• Broader and deeper inventory of multi-modality imaging parts across all major OEMs
• Expanded service capabilities, including depot repair, field service, and technical support
• Enhanced training and education programs for engineering teams

“DirectMed and Tri-Imaging share a common purpose of keeping critical imaging equipment up and running so providers can focus on patient care,” said Eric Wright, CEO at Tri-Imaging…

Full release here, originally announced January 6th, 2026.

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Firstsource Acquires TeleMedik

To Bolster Digital Offerings and Expand Presence in U.S. Healthcare Payer and Provider Market

Firstsource Solutions Limited, a leading global provider of business management services and an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group company, today announced the acquisition of TeleMedik, a Puerto Rico-based pioneer in the development and implementation of technological solutions. The acquisition significantly strengthens Firstsource’s end-to-end clinical and utilization management capabilities, expands its footprint across payer-provider networks, and further enriches the company’s fully integrated and differentiated Business Process as a Service (BPaaS++) offering for health plan clients.

As health plans face higher utilization rates and rising financial burdens, the need for cost containment solutions is greater than ever. This, combined with the shift to value-based models requiring more personalized and outcome-focused care, has created a pivotal turning point where health plans are seeking digital solutions to advance capabilities across care coordination, member engagement, and data integration while retaining operational efficiencies.

By integrating digital and generative AI capabilities with clinical operations and utilization management into a unified service model, Firstsource has become a key partner for health plans looking to modernize the full medical management lifecycle—from intake and authorization through care coordination, clinical intervention, and ongoing member engagement without significant in-house investment. The acquisition combines Firstsource’s market-leading AI and automation capabilities with TeleMedik’s operational footprint in Puerto Rico and around the U.S. to help more payers improve quality, reduce administrative costs, and enhance member and provider experiences.

Dr. Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman of RPSG Group and Firstsource, said, “Firstsource remains committed to driving innovation and disruption in the healthcare space with intelligent automation and emerging technologies. Our company has built a significant presence in the U.S. healthcare space as well as an unmatched digital offering, and this strategic acquisition further elevates our capabilities and amplifies our reach across the industry…

Full release here, originally announced January 13th, 2026.

< + > Are You Experiencing Data Chaos or Clean Identity with Your EMPI?

Identity management is one of the most challenging problems healthcare IT organizations face.  For those not familiar with identity management, you may wonder why it’s such a big problem.  I saw it first hand when I first started working in healthcare at a student health center at a university.  We automatically uploaded the patients each evening from a list provided by the registrar.  About 27,000 students uploaded each day and very basic data matching.  A simple process until you started to realize how many duplicate patient records end up being created.  Plus, what shocked me more was how even within that small population there were two people with the same name and same birthdate.  Hard to believe, but it was true.  You couldn’t just merge their records or we would have merged two different people which would have had all sort of HIPAA and safety issues.

The good news is that patient identity has come a long way since those days.  Next generation EMPI (Enterprise Master Patient Index) solutions have become very sophisticated at ensuring a person’s identity matches.  This is important because John Does still show up at your hospital which creates a duplicate record and health data interoperability built into most solutions literally requires good identity management.

One problem I’ve seen with health IT applications is that they haven’t addressed good EMPI within their solution.  Sure, their tech team coddles together some solution, but in most cases they really don’t understand the key nuances required to do high quality EMPI.  They limp along with their homegrown system until troubles start to pop up.  And pop up it does.

Healthcare IT Today recently collaborated with Rhapsody to create a new eBook called From Data Chaos to Clean Identity: 9 Signals You Need an EMPI at the Core of Your Solution.  This eBook dives into a wide variety of scenarios we see healthcare IT companies face when they haven’t implemented a high quality EMPI in their solution.

In this article, I’ll highlight two of the 9 signals in the eBook which stand out to me.  The first is when your support queue spikes.  The challenge with this one is that many companies don’t realize that this is a problem for their customers until it’s too late.  Plus, most provider organizations aren’t designed for this type of spike in customer service calls.  It creates a real pain point for hospitals and health systems that use your system because it stretches their support teams thin.  No health IT vendor wants to be known as the software that’s difficult to support.

Extending that point is Signal #3 in the eBook From Data Chaos to Clean Identity: 9 Signals You Need an EMPI at the Core of Your Solution: Higher Churn and Lost Renewals.

As I mentioned, poor patient data matching and data anomalies inhibit the workflow, put patients at risk, and organizations are potentially liable for mistakes related to these errors.  Over time, these issues add up and lead to customers who likely enjoy your software and are advocates for your solution to feel almost forced to start looking elsewhere.

A purpose built EMPI avoids these issues and builds trust with the user.  What’s fascinating about this is that when your EMPI fails, it starts to sow the seeds of doubt in your customers’ minds.  Your customer may reasonably consider, “If they can’t do identity matching well, what else are they not doing right?”  This may be totally unfair since EMPI is challenging.  However, once your solution fails your customer it starts to sow the seed of doubt in their minds about your competency as a vendor.

The good news is that there are a lot of great EMPI solutions out there including from the experts at Rhapsody.  These solutions are built to be the hiddent layer that makes your patient identifcation work and avoid the pitfalls mentioned above and many others.  When you see how sophisticated EMPI has gotten, it’s no wonder that a home grown EMPI effort would fall short.

Of course, I just highlighted 2 of the 9 signals shared in the eBook From Data Chaos to Clean Identity: 9 Signals You Need an EMPI at the Core of Your Solution.  Go and download the free eBook to learn about the other 7 and evaluate if those are issues in your organization.

The reality is that modern healthcare platforms truly depends on identity management as the foundation of a great application and not just a feature added on after the fact.  Creating that strong EMPI foundation reduces an organization’s risk, allows them to innovate, and earns trust with their customers.

< + > This Week’s Health IT Jobs – January 28, 2026

It can be very overwhelming scrolling through job board after job board in search of a position that fits your wants and needs. Let us take that stress away by finding a mix of great health IT jobs for you! We hope you enjoy this look at some of the health IT jobs we saw healthcare organizations trying to fill this week.

Here’s a quick look at some of the health IT jobs we found:

• Healthcare Support Analyst (Remote) – Experian
• Executive Director, Health IT Operations – UCSF Health
• Managed Care & Revenue Integrity Lead – Clear Health
• Health Services Analyst II – Elevance Health
• Clinical Informatics Specialist – Digital Health – Wellstar Health System
• Healthcare Claims EDI Manager – HPC
• Home Health Revenue Cycle Specialist – Advanced RevCycle
• Sr. Healthcare Data Analyst (New Mexico Health Plan – Remote) – Molina Healthcare
• Health Services IT Supervisor – TEKsystems
• ROI Medical Records Specialist – MRO
• EPIC Analyst – Access and Revenue Cycle – University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMC)
• Director, Digital Lead, Pharma Commercial Data US – Bayer
• CIO Advisory Supervisor – RSM US LLP
• Healthcare Revenue Cycle Systems Analyst – CenterWell Home Health
• IS Applications Manager 1- Ambulatory & Specialty (Hybrid) – Baylor Scott & White Health
• IT Supervisor – UC Davis Health
• OSU Health Plan | Health Information Privacy and Security Compliance – The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
• Supervisor, IT – LifeStance Health
• Systems Director, Population Health Service Organizations – CommonSpirit Health
• Director Information Services-IM Health Plans – CHRISTUS Health

If none of these jobs fit your needs, be sure to check out our previous health IT job listings.

Do you have an open health IT position that you are looking to fill? Contact us here with a link to the open position and we’ll be happy to feature it in next week’s article at no charge!

*Note: These jobs are listed by Healthcare IT Today as a free service to the community. Healthcare IT Today does not endorse or vouch for the company or the job posting. We encourage anyone applying to these jobs to do their own due diligence.

< + > AI Is No Longer Optional in Radiology Operations According to GE Healthcare

Healthcare systems are not constrained by lack of technology. They are constrained by staffing shortages, rising demand, and limited capacity. In imaging, those pressures are changing how AI is evaluated and adopted.

What this conversation revealed

AI in imaging has crossed a threshold according to Roland Rott, CEO and President of Imaging at GE Healthcare. AI is no longer an efficiency add-on, it has become a requirement to maintain access and operational stability. To accelerate AI capability, healthcare needs to unleash the potential of dormant health data.

From optional tool to operational requirement

AI adoption in imaging is now driven by necessity. Rott explained it this way: “There is tremendous interest and growing trust [in AI]. There is an openness from healthcare practitioners, but also healthcare systems to say without AI, I cannot imagine running my operation.”

That is a significant change in the attitude towards AI in healthcare. It was only a few years ago where AI was viewed with skepticism as claims far exceeded actual capability. However, with the reality of tight staffing and growing waitlists, AI with it’s power to automate administrative tasks and remove friction from clinical workflows has become foundational.

“Radiology teams need to save time,” said Rott. “As a leader, I cannot do nothing. It is imperative that I give my users the tools to help them care for patients faster.”

Turning dormant data into capacity

AI is fueled by data and healthcare has a lot of it. Rott, however, pointed to an interesting fact about healthcare data: “We learned that 97% of all healthcare data has been unused until recently.”

To improve AI algorithms, researchers and companies are looking to these previously untapped data sources in healthcare.

“The beauty of AI is that it is able to deal with large amounts of data,” said Rott. “We can apply smarter solutions to various challenges. One can be [clinical] workflow optimization.”

GE Healthcare, for example, is tapping into DICOM data with AI tools to help optimize the time for each appointment. The system looks at prior histories of that patient and is able to suggest either to lengthen or shorten the time. This means that patients who need more time are not rushed while those that can be seen quicker create openings for other patients.

Even better, there is no extra burden on staff. GE Healthcare’s AI tools do most of the work.

For more on this capability, be sure to read/watch GE Healthcare Uses DICOM Data and Image Clarity to Improve Radiology Workflows.

What Healthcare IT Leaders Are Asking

1. Why is AI becoming a requirement in radiology operations?
Staffing shortages, rising imaging volumes, and patient access pressures have outpaced what manual workflows can support. AI is increasingly used to absorb operational strain by reducing wasted time, automating routine tasks, and improving throughput without adding staff.

2. What problems is AI actually solving for radiology departments?
AI is being applied to reduce exam duration, optimize appointment length, surface workflow inefficiencies, and help teams manage more patients with the same or fewer resources. The value shows up in access, throughput, and staff workload, not just analytics.

3. How does AI use imaging and DICOM data to improve capacity?
By analyzing prior exam data, patient history, and scan characteristics, AI can recommend more accurate appointment lengths. This reduces overbooking and underutilization, helping radiology departments open capacity without extending hours.

Listen and subscribe to the Healthcare IT Today Interviews Podcast to hear all the latest insights from experts in healthcare IT.

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< + > Verana Health Merges with COTA | IntelyCare Acquires CareRev

Check out today’s featured companies who have recently completed an M&A deal, and be sure to check out the full list of past healthcare IT M&A.

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Verana Health Merges with COTA to Dramatically Expand Scale, Velocity, and Depth of Real-World Data Offerings Across Oncology and Other Specialties

Combined Teams and Proprietary AI-Technology to Multiply Capabilities and Services as a Leading Provider of Real-World Data for Clinical Research

Verana Health, a digital health company dedicated to revolutionizing patient care and clinical research through real-world data (RWD), has announced a merger with COTA, Inc. The merger expands the company’s therapeutic offerings in data and software solutions for real-world insights that accelerate clinical research, expedite treatment options, and improve patient care.

This merger strengthens Verana Health’s relationships within the biopharma industry. The combined company will serve 17 of the top 20 global biopharma companies, with access to over 95 million patients, over 20,000 contributing clinicians, including expanded network access to more than 30 Academic Medical Centers, increasing accessible oncology patients to over 10 million.

Together, the companies will deliver deeper, more clinically rich real-world data and insights, supported by trusted, research-ready evidence designed to meet the rigor required for clinical and regulatory decision-making. This combination helps accelerate the leveraged, multitherapeutic area strategy that Verana Health has successfully delivered on.

With its focus on real-world patient data in oncology, COTA complements Verana Health data and technology offerings across ophthalmology, urology, and neurology. The combined portfolio supports life sciences companies with clinical trials, drug submissions, health economics research, market-access strategies, and clinicians with MIPS advisory services.

“We’re very excited to welcome COTA as we significantly broaden and amplify our capabilities for the life sciences community,” said Sujay Jadhav, CEO at Verana Health…

Full release here, originally announced January 8th, 2026.

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IntelyCare Acquires CareRev to Create Comprehensive Workforce Staffing Platform for Health Systems

IntelyCare, a leading technology-enabled healthcare staffing platform, today announced the acquisition of CareRev, the on-demand workforce platform purpose-built for acute care. The acquisition brings together two of the industry’s most experienced operators in healthcare workforce management, creating one of the most comprehensive clinical labor solutions in the market.

The acquisition positions the combined company to meet rapidly shifting workforce needs across acute and post-acute care settings, leveraging a flexible technology platform. Together, the company’s offerings span clinician-facing job boards, recruiter and sourcing solutions, contingent labor resources, and internal resource pool capabilities.

“Health systems are under enormous pressure to deliver high-quality care while managing unprecedented workforce complexity. By bringing IntelyCare and CareRev together, we’re creating a more integrated and reliable way for facilities to manage permanent staff, internal resource pools, and contingent labor through a single tech platform,” said Matthew Levesque, CEO at IntelyCare and CareRev. “Our goal is to help healthcare providers operate more efficiently while maintaining consistency and quality across care settings.”

“As an early investor in IntelyCare, we’ve had a front-row seat to the evolution of the sector and the shifting workforce needs across acute and post-acute care. This milestone represents a significant next chapter for IntelyCare, one that expands its best-in-class post-acute solution into a full-spectrum platform with the addition of CareRev’s acute care platform,” said Keith Figlioli, Managing Partner at LRVHealth.

“This acquisition brings together two companies with exceptional operational expertise and a clear thesis for where the market is heading. Health systems need partners who can simplify workforce complexity while improving clinician experience, and this combined organization is positioned to lead that transformation,” said Jared Kesselheim, Managing Partner at Transformation Capital…

Full release here, originally announced January 8th, 2026.

< + > Digital Health Solutions at CES 2026

I think this is the 20th year since I first attended the annual CES conference in Las Vegas.  When I first started attending CES, there wasn’t any healthcare to be seen.  I know.  I searched everywhere for it so I could justify the time off work to attend.  Fast forward 20 years and there’s massive sections of CES with digital health and an entire track of content.  It’s great to see digital health having such a consumer focus that they’d be present at a conference like CES.

While at the conference, I took a moment to do a series of short videos with digital health companies so we could feature them here on Healthcare IT Today.  As is usual with CES, there’s quite the eclectic mix of companies.  Check them out below.

P.S. At CES 2027, we’re considering doing a healthcare IT leader tour, dinners, etc.  CES is massive and so having someone show you around a bit is helpful.  Plus, the dinners with other healthcare IT leaders would be fun.  Reach out if you’re interested and we can share details.

Darren Sabo, CEO at Primefocus Health

Lucas Last, Director of Product at ReliefAI Health

Alberto Clemenzi, CEO and Founder at Salute360

Sijung Yun, CEO and Co-Founder at Predictive Care

Jasper Mark, Co-Founder at Impulse Wellness

Thank you everyone who took time to chat with us at CES.  Looking forwar to next year.

< + > CIO Podcast – Episode 107: Sutter Sync with Richard Milani

For the 107th episode of the CIO podcast hosted by Healthcare IT Today, we are joined by Richard Milani, MD, Chief Clinical Innovation Officer at Sutter Health, to talk about Sutter Sync! We kick this episode off with Milani explaining what exactly Sutter Sync is. Then we talk about what went into the decision-making process to do their own device with direct connection to Epic, rather than using the other available devices/RPM vendors on the market. We also get into why they chose to start with high blood pressure and pregnancy. Next, Milani shares where he sees Sutter Sync going next after high blood pressure and pregnancy, as well as if they are exploring other devices.

We then move on to Artificial Intelligence usage at Sutter Health. First, we talk about how they are leveraging AI in areas like radiology. Next, we discuss their AI use with diabetes and blindness, and what they are doing there. Lastly, we end this episode with Milani passing along the best piece of advice he’s been given in his career.

Here’s a look at the questions and topics we discuss in this episode:

• What is your recently announced Sutter Sync?
• Why did you decide to do your own device with direct connection to Epic rather than using one of the other devices/RPM vendors on the market?
• Why did you decide to start with high blood pressure and pregnancy?
• Where do you see Sutter Sync going next after high blood pressure and pregnancy? Are you exploring other devices?
• How are you leveraging AI in areas like radiology?
• How about your use of AI with diabetes and blindness? What are you doing there?
• What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given in your career?

Now, without further ado, we’re excited to share with you the next episode of the CIO Podcast by Healthcare IT Today.

We release a new CIO Podcast every ~2 weeks. You can also subscribe to the Healthcare IT Today podcast on any of the following platforms:

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We’d love to hear what you think of the podcast and if there are other healthcare CIO you’d like to see us have on the program. Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments of this post with @techguy on Twitter, or privately on our Contact Us page.

We appreciate you listening!

Listen to the Latest Episodes

< + > What Does It Take to Obtain Health Equity Accreditation? Process Explained

The following is a guest article by URAC

Health equity accreditation has become a critical benchmark for healthcare organizations striving to deliver fair, data-driven and inclusive care. However, it can be challenging to comprehend the steps required to achieve health equity accreditation, especially within frameworks designed for today’s digital healthcare landscape. This guide breaks down the accreditation process step by step, considering URAC’s approach and how healthcare technology leaders can prepare for success.

What Are the Steps to Obtain Health Equity Accreditation?

URAC can help break down the complexities of achieving health equity accreditation, especially as standards evolve alongside advances in healthcare technology. These steps outline a clear, structured path to achieving health equity accreditation through URAC, helping organizations move from intention to implementation with confidence.

1.   Understand Health Equity Accreditation Standards

Health equity accreditation ensures that healthcare organizations provide fair, inclusive and data-driven care to all patients, regardless of background. Unlike general quality programs, these standards specifically focus on identifying and reducing disparities across populations.

URAC offers a structured framework that emphasizes transparency, accountability and technology-enabled interventions to advance equity. By adhering to these standards, organizations can demonstrate measurable progress in serving diverse patient populations while strengthening trust and outcomes.

2.   Conduct an Organizational Health Equity Readiness Assessment

The first step in obtaining health equity accreditation is a thorough assessment of current capabilities and resources. This involves evaluating leadership commitment, internal governance and operational readiness. Organizations should examine existing health IT systems, data capture methods and reporting workflows to determine whether they support equity goals.

Identifying gaps in care delivery, population health management and patient engagement ensures that interventions are targeted and effective. Readiness assessments provide a clear baseline and help organizations prioritize resources for successful accreditation.

3.   Establish Leadership, Governance and Strategic Oversight

Effective governance is essential to achieving health equity accreditation. Executive sponsorship and cross-functional leadership, encompassing clinical, IT, compliance and diversity teams, ensure that equity initiatives are prioritized throughout the organization. Clear accountability structures and strategic oversight ensure that operational practices align with organizational goals.

Integrating equity objectives into broader digital transformation efforts enhances efficiency and ensures that interventions are sustainable and effective. Leadership engagement also signals to staff and stakeholders that health equity is a long-term organizational priority rather than a temporary initiative.

4.   Collect, Stratify and Analyze Health Equity Data

Data forms the foundation of health equity accreditation. Organizations must collect patient-level data, including race, ethnicity, language and socioeconomic indicators and then stratify this information to identify disparities. Advanced healthcare technology platforms facilitate accurate analysis and reporting while maintaining privacy and interoperability standards.

The goal is not just data collection but actionable insights like identifying patterns, informing targeted interventions and measuring impact over time. Accurate, actionable data is a critical step toward meaningful improvements in care delivery.

5.   Implement Targeted Interventions to Reduce Disparities

Organizations must implement interventions designed to close gaps in care. Examples include digital tools that improve access, language services for non-English speakers, remote care programs and community-focused health initiatives.

Interventions should be measurable, documented and integrated into clinical workflows. Healthcare technology plays a key role in tracking outcomes, enabling real-time adjustments and ensuring interventions effectively reduce inequities across patient populations. Continuous monitoring ensures that improvements are sustained over time.

6.   Prepare Documentation and Apply for Accreditation

A successful application requires comprehensive documentation that demonstrates compliance with URAC standards. This includes governance policies, operational workflows, performance metrics and evidence of data-driven interventions. Organizations should ensure all processes are clearly outlined and supported with measurable outcomes.

Common challenges include incomplete documentation or misalignment between reported policies and actual practices. Careful preparation not only facilitates the review process but also reinforces internal accountability and operational consistency.

7.   Undergo Review, Validation and Continuous Improvement

URAC accreditation entails a comprehensive review and validation process to verify compliance with health equity standards. This may include on-site evaluations, data audits and policy assessments. Post-accreditation, organizations must engage in continuous improvement — monitoring outcomes, updating strategies and refining interventions.

Technology solutions can streamline ongoing reporting and provide dashboards to track progress over time. Accreditation is not a one-time achievement — it requires a consistent commitment to advancing health equity across all patient populations.

How URAC Compares to Other Health Equity Accreditation Bodies

URAC stands out for its structured, technology-forward approach. Compared with bodies such as NCQA, URAC places a stronger emphasis on data transparency, measurable interventions and digital health integration. Both frameworks support organizations in reducing disparities. However, URAC provides detailed guidance on leveraging technology to achieve and sustain equitable outcomes. Understanding these differences enables organizations to select the accreditation that best aligns with their operational model and long-term goals.

Accreditation That Measures Up

Achieving URAC health equity accreditation is both a certification and a roadmap for transforming care delivery. By following each step from readiness assessments to leadership alignment, data-driven interventions and continuous improvement, organizations can demonstrate a genuine commitment to fair, inclusive and measurable healthcare outcomes. Technology and strategic oversight ensure that equity is not just a goal but a sustainable practice. With URAC accreditation, healthcare organizations can transform standards into action, ensuring that every patient receives care that meets high standards.

URAC is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

< + > VieCure Raises $43 Million to Help Democratize Access | Avalon Healthcare Solutions Announces Strategic Investment

Check out today’s featured companies who have recently raised a round of funding, and be sure to check out the full list of past healthcare IT fundings.

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VieCure Raises $43 Million to Help Democratize Access to the Highest Caliber Cancer Care in Community Practices

• Round Led by Legendary Business Icon Mitch Rales, Co-Founder of Danaher, One of the World’s Most Successful Companies, and Northpond Ventures
• Funds Will Accelerate the Expansion of VieCure’s AI Platform and its Growing Footprint of Community Oncology Clinics
• VieCure is Partnering with Mitch Rales’s Business-Building Firm, New Bearing, to Instill in VieCure World-Class Operational Capabilities Through the New Bearing Foundational Business System

VieCure, a leading provider of intelligent software platforms for oncology care, has raised $43 million in funding to accelerate its mission to democratize access to precision medicine in community cancer care practices.

The round was led by Mitch Rales, Co-Founder of Danaher, and Northpond Ventures, with significant participation from Durable Capital Partners, Socium Ventures – a venture firm backed by Cox Enterprises, and Sator Grove Holdings. Additionally, Mitch Rales and Howard “Skip” Burris III, M.D., a past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), have joined the company’s Board of Directors.

Addressing the Growing Complexity of Cancer Care

Community oncology clinics in the U.S. treat more than 80% of cancer patients each year, yet they are increasingly overburdened by the rapidly expanding complexity of delivering care. As a result, the pace of adopting precision medicine protocols is lagging, putting both the financial stability of practices and patient outcomes at potential risk.

VieCure’s Halo Intelligence platform supports clinics in reducing these complexities by ensuring clinicians have real-time access to everything they need to deliver the right treatment to every patient. As an AI-powered clinical decision support and smart electronic medical record platform, Halo combines structured patient data, artificial intelligence, and workflow automation to enhance the speed and precision of clinical decision-making while reducing the operational barriers associated with delivering best-in-class care.

“This investment marks a pivotal moment in our mission to transform how cancer care is delivered to patients everywhere,” said Michael Power, CEO at VieCure…

Full release here, originally announced January 12th, 2026.

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Avalon Healthcare Solutions Announces Strategic Investment to Accelerate the Future of Diagnostic Intelligence

Avalon Healthcare Solutions, a trusted partner for Diagnostic Intelligence across the payer ecosystem, today announced a new majority investment from WindRose Health Investors, with continued support from existing investor Francisco Partners. The transaction strengthens Avalon’s foundation for future innovation and growth.

Avalon supports more than 90 million members and serves over 30 national, regional, and community health plans through its proprietary Diagnostic Insights Platform, which powers its Benefit Management and Analytics solutions. Avalon’s patented real-time automated policy enforcement engine (APEA) processes over 18 million claims per month, ensuring evidence-based, precise, and cost-effective diagnostic care.

Driving the Next Era of Diagnostic Intelligence

Diagnostics inform 70% of medical decisions, making diagnostic data one of the most powerful — and historically underleveraged — assets in healthcare. Avalon has built the only technology platform solely dedicated to unlocking clinical and financial value from diagnostics at scale.

This new investment will allow Avalon to:

• Expand its Diagnostic Intelligence capabilities
• Accelerate improvements in predictive analytics and evidence-based policy automation
• Strengthen its Diagnostic Insights Platform
• Scale into new markets, including TPAs and Brokers serving self-funded employers starting in 2026
• Deliver even more quantifiable value to health plans, providers, and members

Commitment to Clients, Partners, and Employees

There will be no changes to operations, service delivery, SLAs, client teams, pricing, or provider relations as a result of the transaction. Avalon’s mission — To be the driving force that unlocks the full potential of diagnostic science — empowering healthcare payers and providers with proven solutions that enable personalized care and enhance patient outcomes remains unchanged and is further strengthened by this investment.

“Avalon is entering an exciting new chapter,” said Bill Kerr, MD, CEO at Avalon…

Full release here, originally announced January 15th, 2026.

< + > Bonus Features – January 25, 2026 – 35% of patients would switch doctors if their digital tools were frustrating, 20% of healthcare workers use unauthorized AI tools, plus 33 more stories

Welcome to the weekly edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features. This article will be a weekly roundup of interesting stories, product announcements, new hires, partnerships, research studies, awards, sales, and more. Because there’s so much happening out there in healthcare IT we aren’t able to cover in our full articles, we still want to make sure you’re informed of all the latest news, announcements, and stories happening to help you better do your job.

Studies

• Though patient acuity has increased by approximately 5% in the last six years, according to a Vizient report, overall mortality declined by 33% from 2019 to 2025.
• Misuse of AI chatbots topped ECRI’s annual list of health technology hazards, followed by a lack of preparedness for sudden loss of access to electronic systems and patient records.
• Meanwhile, a Wolters Kluwer Health survey found nearly 20% of healthcare professionals use unauthorized AI tools in the workplace.
• A Software Finder survey found 35% of patients would switch doctors if their digital tools were frustrating or outdated.
• While 85% of healthcare IT leaders view passwordless authentication as very important, only 7% have fully implemented passwordless access for clinical and non-clinical staff, according to an Imprivata survey.
• A Hinge Health report found 40% of providers lack the time or resources to help patients fully understand musculoskeletal condition and treatment options.
• Credentialing issues lead to $1 million in lost bills annually for as many as 25% of providers, according to a survey from Intelliworx.
• More than half (53%) of healthcare organizations expect supply chain challenges to get worse in 2026, according to a symplr survey.
• Medicare and Medicaid cuts are having a moderate or significant impact on 81% of health system pharmacies, according to research from Cencora.
• Along the same lines, a survey from MRO found 72% of healthcare leaders are concerned about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will impact their organizations financially.
• A ProgenyHealth study found 96% of the nation’s potential birth-giving population lives in an area with a shortage of mental health professionals.
• A report from InStride Health and The Wharton School’s Health Care Management Department found 88% of clinical evaluators said AI scribing tool allowed them to be more present in sessions with patients and families.
• Research from Innovaccer found 62% of healthcare organizations say fragmented data systems are the top barrier to scaling AI. In addition, Community Care of North Carolina selected Innovaccer for decision support in care management.
• A report from Bessemer Venture Partners found AI companies captured 55% of all health tech funding in 2025, a total that has nearly doubled from 29% in 2022. In other news, Bessemer Venture Partners promoted Sofia Guerra to Partner.

Partnerships

• Pharmacy management software from Inovalon is now integrated with AlayaCare‘s nursing management platform. Meanwhile, Inovalon launched Clinical Trial Eligibility Screener, which evaluates patient eligibility against study-specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.
• Prenatal and oncology testing capabilities from BillionToOne are now integrated with Epic‘s Aura diagnostics suite.
• Virtual care form Equum Medical is now available on AvaSure‘s enterprise virtual care platform.
• Disease detection and care coordination company Viz.ai launched a real-time clinical intelligence service for Salesforce’s Agentforce Life Sciences.
• Pathology reporting tools from Voicebrook are now integrated with Fujifilm‘s Synapse Pathology PACS.

Products

• Amazon One Medical launched Health AI, an assistant within its One Medical app.
• Greenway Health launched its Agentic AI Factory, developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services.
• Kontakt.io introduced Patient Flow Agent to help hospitals manage patient movement admission to discharge.
• Reputation management company rater8 added AI Insights to the rater8 Visibility Engine to help medical practices get real-time answers from patient feedback data.
• Reveleer announced EVE Hybrid AI, its next-generation prospective risk adjustment engine built on Google Cloud.
• SandboxAQ today launched AQAffinity, an AI model for predicting drug affinity before clinical trials enter the wet lab.
• Ventra Health launched vCision, an RCM improvement platform, in partnership with CitiusTech.

Company News

• Aidoc received FDA clearance for its AI triage solution, which aims to address ED crowding and imaging backlogs.
• Michigan-based Corewell Health launched organ donation registration in MyChart through a Donate Life America partnership.
• Ohio-based Aultman Health System implemented Nabla‘s ambient AI within Oracle Cerner.
• Qure.ai secured a grant from the Gates Foundation to build AI-powered, point-of-care ultrasound.

People

• Medication management company DrFirst appointed Valerie Mondelli as Chief Commercial Officer.
• Consultancy Chartis welcomed Sara Vaezy as Chief Product and Technology Officer.
• Quality and care management technology vendor Acentra Health appointed Deborah Ricci as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
• Multi-specialty provider network Akido Labs named Matt Siegler as Chief Network Officer.
• Virtual care provider Ovatient announced seven leadership appointments and promotions.

If you have news that you’d like us to consider for a future edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features, please submit them on this page. Please include any relevant links and let us know if news is under embargo. Note that submissions received after the close of business on Thursday may not be included in Bonus Features until the following week.

Stay warm, everyone! I promise not to go running while it’s actively snowing.

< + > Weekly Roundup – January 24, 2026

Welcome to our Healthcare IT Today Weekly Roundup. Each week, we’ll be providing a look back at the articles we posted and why they’re important to the healthcare IT community. We hope this gives you a chance to catch up on anything you may have missed during the week.

Healthcare Doesn’t Need More Technology; It Needs Tools to Work Together. The IHI’s Josh Clark joined Colin Hung to unpack why healthcare needs more intentional and strategic technology implementation – which typically comes from aligning technology, data, and process around outcomes. Read more…

A Healthcare IT Leader Preview of ViVE 2026. Alifya Parekh and Leah Callahan at HLTH sat down with John Lynn to discuss the key focus areas of ViVE 2026 content, networking events, and the opportunity to earn free registration and a $750 travel voucher. Read more… 

A Reality Check on Manual Data Exchange and Shrinking Roadmaps. Greenway Health’s David Cohen explained the company’s shift to 6- to 12-month product roadmaps to help ambulatory care providers meet the needs of the moment. Read more…

2026 Health IT Predictions: Improving the Patient Experience. This is always a critical topic for the Healthcare IT Today community, which anticipated AI agents, digital touchpoints, hyper-personalization, and the impact of administrative automation will be difference makers in the year ahead. Read more…

2026 Health IT Predictions: AI Tools. The experts see plenty of AI use cases gaining momentum this year, including clinical documentation, prescription support, diagnosis, treatment plan selection, clinical trial operation, and clinical navigation. Read more…

2026 Health IT Predictions: Healthcare AI Potpourri. Miscellaneous thoughts on AI from the Healthcare IT Today community include autonomous systems, integrated platforms, process improvement, and faster custom development. Read more…

Bringing Mobile Imaging to the Ground Level. Henry Howe and Greg Sitkiewicz at Akumin talked to Colin about the company’s mobile drop trailer that means patients don’t need to use stairs or lifts to access imaging equipment, offering a capacity boost and improved experience. Read more…

Radiology Is Where AI Actually Earns Clinician Trust. Colin connected with Demetri Giannikopoulos at Rad AI, which emphasizes displaying information in the exact way radiologists want to see it to ensure it aligns with their workflows. Read more…

Cloud Imaging Is About Time and Access, Not Infrastructure. Dario Arfelli at Philips told Colin cloud infrastructure has given radiologists the freedom to operate from anywhere. That means organizations need to shift the focus to improving flexibility and productivity. Read more…

Life Sciences Today Podcast: Natural Health Superfood Protein. Jamie Luu and Ronja Krieger at Almased joined Danny Lieberman to discuss realistic expectations for using a high-protein total diet replacement, especially in the context of headline-grabbing injectable GLP-1 drugs. Read more…

Healthcare IT Today Podcast: How Will Consumer Health Tech Impact Provider Organizations? John and Colin debated the consumer health tech trends with the most and least potential. They also wondered how long it will take for us all to have AI doctors. Read more…

Without Patient Input, AI for Healthcare Is Fundamentally Flawed. Fewer than 0.2% AI or machine learning healthcare applications included any form of community engagement, noted Dr. Nabila El-Bassel at the Columbia University School of Social Work. That means models may miss the barriers to care that are the real reasons for missed appointments. Read more…

Patient Experience Is More than Just Numbers in the Revenue Cycle. RCM leaders must embrace a holistic perspective on patient feedback and recognize that even minor improvements can signify substantial progress, said Matt Lauer at Qualtrics. Read more…

Prior Authorization Reform Will Fall Short Without Clinically Trained Agentic AI. To meet requirements for electronic prior auth, health plans need technology that understands medicine like a clinician and supports transparent, evidence-based decision-making, according to Dr. Gigi Yuen at Cohere. Read more…

This Week’s Health IT Jobs for January 21, 2026: New Jersey-based Hunterdon Health seeks a CIO. Read more…

Bonus Features for January 18, 2026: Only 1 in 25 orgs confident third-party risk assessment aligns with actual risk; AI and automation are top investment priority for 56% of orgs. Read more…

Funding and M&A Activity:

• Financing and payments platform HPS/PayMedix closed $33 million in equity and debt financing.
• Safety and location intelligence company Canopy secured $22 million in Series B funding.
• Customer service call automation company Flip announced $20 million in Series A funding.
• Oncology workflow improvement startup RISA Labs closed $11.1 million in Series A funding.
• Drug discovery company Topos Bio emerged from stealth with $10.5 million in seed funding.
• Behavioral health platform Oasys Health announced $4.6 million in funding, including a $4 million seed round.
• Data and analytics professional services company Cardamom announced a minority investment from Valspring Capital.
• Digital biomarker solution provider IMVARIA announced strategic investments.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our latest Healthcare IT Today Weekly Roundups.