Care Decoded

From Hype to Accountability: Lessons and Shifts in Healthcare Tech for 2026

Welcome back to Care Decoded, the podcast where we break down the complexities of healthcare technology, documentation, coding, quality, and clinical AI to help organizations work smarter, not harder. In this special New Year’s episode, hosts Dr. Sunil Nihalani and Mark McKeown turn the spotlight inward, reflecting on everything 2025 taught the industry and their own team at Inferscience. This year was nothing short of a stress test for healthcare, marked by evolving CMS expectations, tougher audits, turbulence in risk adjustment, and a critical shift for AI from pure hype to real accountability. Dr. Sunil Nihalani and Mark McKeown discuss why flashy new tools often fell flat and how true progress came from technology that reduces clinician burden, works seamlessly inside clinical workflows, and, most importantly, earns trust. Join them as they unpack the year's biggest lessons, share the real-world feedback they heard from hundreds of clinicians and leaders, and preview the themes that will define success in 2026: audit readiness, real-time intelligence at the point of care, and building genuine trust across the industry. Whether you're a clinician, health plan leader, or health tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare innovation. Timestamsp: 00:00 "Care Decoded: Healthcare Insights 2026" 03:29 "Compliance Evolution and Clinician Support" 06:38 "Clarity, Speed, Confidence" 09:46 Enhancing Healthcare Workflow Intelligence 12:59 "Decoding Care in 2026" Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/ [https://caredecoded.com/] Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/] Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/ [https://www.inferscience.com/] Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/ [https://tophealth.care/] “Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”

Transforming Clinical Care with AI: How Physicians Can Lead the Healthcare Revolution

Welcome back to Care Decoded, the podcast where we break down the complexities of documentation, coding, and clinical AI to empower better care. In this episode, host Dr. Sunil Nihalani, CEO of Inferscience, sits down with Dr. Hassan Bencheqroun, critical care pulmonary specialist, creator of Med AI Academy, and host of the AI Ready Doctor podcast, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare. Together, they dive deep into why AI is entering exam rooms faster than it’s entering medical training, and how physicians can move from feeling lost and overwhelmed to becoming proactive leaders in the AI revolution. They discuss the critical difference between AI tools that truly support patient care and those that just create extra noise, the importance of AI literacy (without needing to code), and the ethical challenges of bias, responsibility, and decision-making in an AI-driven world. If you’re a clinician, educator, or just curious about how AI will impact the doctor-patient relationship, this episode covers practical steps for developing a “tech mindset,” advocating for ethical guardrails, and harnessing AI as an empowering tool. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on how physicians can shape tomorrow’s medical landscape by asking informed questions and keeping compassion at the center of care. Timestamps: 00:00 "Bridging AI and Medical Training" 06:09 "AI Stages for Physicians" 09:34 "Spotting Good vs. Bad AI" 13:53 "Ethical Challenges of AI in Healthcare" 17:39 "Understanding AI to Question It" 19:07 "Redefining Medical Education" 21:50 "AI Empowering Physicians and Patients" Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/ [https://caredecoded.com/] Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/] Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/ [https://www.inferscience.com/] Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/ [https://tophealth.care/] “Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”

Navigating Healthcare Interoperability: Tailwinds, Headwinds, and the Human Impact

Welcome back to Care Decoded! In this episode, host Dr. Sunil Nihalani, CEO of Inferscience, sits down with interoperability expert Brendan Keeler, better known as the “health API guy.” Together, they tackle one of health tech’s biggest promises: interoperability. You’ll hear a down-to-earth exploration of what interoperability really looks like in practice, from the daunting challenges of connecting healthcare systems and sharing patient data, to the recent regulatory pushes trying to bridge the gaps. Dr. Sunil Nihalani and Brendan Keeler dive into the evolution of healthcare data exchange, discuss the real progress and persisting pain points, and unpack both the tailwinds and headwinds shaping the future of seamless data sharing. With candid stories from the front lines and practical insights, this episode cuts through the industry buzz, spotlighting where we’re at and where we need to go to make interoperability meaningful for providers, patients, and everyone in between. If you care about the future of healthcare, data access, and smarter care, you won’t want to miss this conversation! Timestamps: 00:00 "Healthcare, Consolidation, and Frustration" 03:57 "Progress and Continuous Improvement" 07:15 EHR Data Sharing Challenges 11:23 AI Modernizing EHRs and Visit Prep 15:59 "TEFCA Driving Patient Data Access" 18:03 "Boost for Tech-Enabled Care" 21:03 "Trust Strain Threatens Care Networks" 25:01 Illegal Loopholes Exploiting Patient Data 27:46 Identity Proofing vs Scribble Debate 31:42 "EPIC's Dominance in Vertical SaaS" 34:57 EHR Integration and Antitrust Rulings 39:04 EHRs, APIs, and Information Blocking 41:11 "Ubiquity Over Structured Data" 46:16 "Optimism Through AI and Interoperability" 47:40 "Driving Interoperability Through Advocacy" Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/ [https://caredecoded.com/] Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/] Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/ [https://www.inferscience.com/] Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/ [https://tophealth.care/] “Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”

The Future of Risk Adjustment: Preparing for CMS Audits, Extrapolation, and AI Technology

Welcome back to Care Decoded, the podcast where we make sense of the fast-evolving world of documentation, coding, and clinical AI to power better patient care. In today’s episode, host Michael Lesnik welcomes healthcare innovation and policy leader Dr. Shannon Decker for a deep dive into the major changes facing risk adjustment as we approach 2026. You’ll hear Michael Lesnik and Dr. Shannon Decker tackle the ripple effects of a recent court ruling that vacated CMS’s RADV final rule and what that means for audit compliance, health plans, and provider groups. As the landscape shifts, they’ll explore how AI is revolutionizing regulatory oversight, the urgent need for data accuracy, and why quality and total cost of care matter more than ever in the value-based care era. This episode is packed with practical insights for health plan leaders and providers alike, including firsthand stories, strategies to shore up documentation workflows, and tips for staying competitive as technology and compliance expectations accelerate. If you want to be ready for the future of risk-based contracting and avoid common blind spots, you won’t want to miss it. Timestamps: 00:00 "CMS Compliance Pause Insights" 06:26 AI in Medical Data Challenges 07:12 "Good Data is Essential" 10:16 "Risk Adjustment Impacts Provider Groups" 14:15 AI Advancements and Hiring Delay 17:27 Improving Claims & Patient Care 22:15 Optimize Documentation and Systems Effectively 24:49 Risk Improvement Strategies 31:18 Renegotiating Contracts and Data Strategy 32:16 Streamlining Medical Record Management 35:24 Unfair CAHPS Survey Impact 41:05 Advancing Physician Support Effectively 44:30 Investing for Growth and Healthcare Challenges 46:13 "Thoughtful System Implementation Strategy" 49:12 "Risk Adjustment: Accuracy Matters" Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/ [https://caredecoded.com/] Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/] Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/ [https://www.inferscience.com/] Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/ [https://tophealth.care/] “Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”

Moving Beyond Compliance: Building Teams for Population Health and Clinical Transformation

Welcome back to Care Decoded, the podcast where we simplify the complex world of healthcare documentation, coding, and clinical AI so we can power better care, today and for the future. In this episode, Dr. Sunil Nihalani is joined by Dr. Stella Onuoha-Obilor, a nationally recognized leader in clinical quality and population health. Her track record speaks volumes: she’s driven high-star ratings, optimized value-based programs, and built systems that put patient outcomes at the heart of performance. Together, they dive into how data leadership and human insight are converging to reshape quality and population health in the value-based era. With new CMS measures and a growing focus on health equity, it’s no longer enough to just check boxes; organizations must push beyond compliance and harness data for real clinical transformation. From bridging teams and building trust to leveraging AI and advanced analytics, Dr. Stella Onuoha-Obilor shares actionable strategies for moving from metrics to meaningful impact. If you’re curious about the future of healthcare, how technology can actually make care more compassionate, and what it takes to sustain high performance in a fast-evolving landscape, this episode has insights you won’t want to miss. Let’s decode care together. Timestamps: 00:00 Redefining Quality in Value-Based Care 03:48 "Whole Patient Care Focus" 08:11 Personalized Care Through Data Leadership 12:10 "Data Governance for Transparency" 16:23 "Data Drives Healthcare Decisions" 19:47 "Data Trust and Stewardship Challenges" 24:05 Proactive Healthcare Through Real-Time Data 26:34 People-Driven Leadership for Success 28:07 "Transformational Leadership for Progress" 32:29 Transforming Care: Data, KPIs, Trust 35:34 "Optimizing Care, Restoring Joy" 39:40 Future-Proofing Organizational Success 42:44 "Proactive Healthcare Transformation" 45:15 "Future of Value-Based Care" Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/ [https://caredecoded.com/] Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/] Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/ [https://www.inferscience.com/] Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/ [https://tophealth.care/] “Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”