QuickHITs

From Policy to Practice with Dr. Bill Winkenwerder: A Career at the Intersection of Healthcare, Data, and Leadership

In this episode of QuickHITs, Tyler Smith, CEO of Health Data Movers, sits down with Dr. Bill Winkenwerder [https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamwinkenwerder/], Chairman of CitiusTech [https://www.linkedin.com/company/citiustech/posts/?feedView=all], for a wide-ranging conversation spanning four decades at the highest levels of healthcare leadership. Dr. Winkenwerder's career began with a simple but powerful realization: that the physician-patient relationship, while meaningful, wasn't enough to fix a broken system. That conviction drove him well beyond the clinic. He went on to serve as Medical Director at Kaiser Permanente, Vice President at Emory Healthcare, CEO of Highmark Health — the 7th largest health insurer in the U.S., serving more than 34 million Americans — and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, overseeing healthcare across the entire U.S. military. Today, he brings that depth of experience to his role as Chairman of CitiusTech. Together, Tyler and Bill explore the forces reshaping healthcare today — consolidation, aging infrastructure, and the accelerating pace of technological change. Bill makes the case that clean, reliable data isn't just an IT priority; it's the prerequisite for everything else, including AI. And he offers a grounded, experience-backed take on where agentic AI will actually deliver in the next three to five years, and where human judgment remains irreplaceable. The conversation also turns to the bigger picture: what it means to build a healthcare system that helps everyday people live healthier, more informed lives, rather than just treating them when they're sick. This episode is for healthcare leaders who want perspective from someone who has operated at every level of the system and still believes the most important work is ahead. Topics covered: * How Bill's career evolved from medicine to policy to healthcare leadership * The compounding challenges of legacy systems, consolidation, and constant change * Why data quality is the true foundation for AI in healthcare * Where CitiusTech and HDM fit in the next phase of healthcare IT * The real-world potential of agentic AI and its limits * Empowering patients through better data, education, and technology

From Sick Care to Healthcare — Unlocking the Power of Multiomics with Andrew Thompson

On this episode of QuickHITs, Tyler Smith sits down with Andrew Thompson, management board member at the Estonian Multiomics Company (EMC), to explore how healthcare can evolve from a system focused on treating illness to one designed to prevent it. Andrew shares his journey building technology-enabled life sciences companies and how his work in Estonia led to the creation of EMC—an organization focused on unlocking the value of multiomics data to drive better clinical, economic, and societal outcomes. Drawing on his experience across both technology and healthcare, Andrew brings a global perspective on what it takes to rethink healthcare at scale. Andrew breaks down the concept of multiomics and why genomics alone only tells part of the story. He explains how integrating genetic, clinical, and behavioral data creates a more complete picture of health, shifting the focus from static insights to dynamic understanding of how individuals actually live and express disease risk. The conversation also explores Estonia's digital-first infrastructure, where citizens own their data and health systems are built on trust, transparency, and connectivity. Andrew outlines how this foundation enables a fundamentally different approach to healthcare, one that prioritizes prevention, empowers individuals, and leverages data in ways that traditional systems cannot. Finally, Andrew challenges healthcare leaders to think beyond optimizing today's "sick care" model and instead consider how to build systems that keep people healthy at home. He shares practical insights on the role of consumer engagement, data ownership, and emerging technologies like AI in shaping the future of healthcare, and what organizations can do today to begin that shift.

Josh Wilda on Digital Transformation, AI, and the Future of Healthcare IT

On this episode of QuickHITs, Tyler Smith sits down with Josh Wilda [https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-joshua-wilda-59787020/], Associate Vice President for Information Systems and Chief Information Digital Officer at University of Iowa Health Care [https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-of-iowa-health-care/], to explore how healthcare organizations are evolving from technology operators to strategic enablers of care. Josh shares his unique journey into healthcare IT, from his early days at Epic to leading digital transformation initiatives across major academic health systems. With over 25 years of experience, he brings a perspective grounded in both technical expertise and a deep understanding of healthcare's broader ecosystem. Josh discusses the shifting role of IT leadership—from managing infrastructure to driving enterprise-wide strategy—and how today's leaders must act as connectors across clinical, operational, and technological domains. Josh outlines how organizations can build trust, embed IT into the business, and move from transactional support to true partnership. We also explore the growing impact of AI, data, and digital health, and why success starts with a strong foundation of clean, accessible data. Josh shares how his team is balancing innovation with operational stability, prioritizing initiatives that reduce friction and allow clinicians and staff to operate at the top of their license. Finally, Josh highlights the importance of aligning digital strategy with the core mission of healthcare—improving patient and provider experiences—while ensuring technology enhances, rather than distracts from, that connection.

Bryan Dechairo on Genomics, Rare Disease Diagnosis, and the Future of Precision Care

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:b0f35b17-a284-4974-b16a-e4d12aedf304-2" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> In this episode of QuickHITs, Tyler Smith and Ken Booth are joined by Bryan Dechairo [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryandechairo/], COO of GeneDx [https://www.linkedin.com/company/genedx/posts/?feedView=all], to explore how genomic testing is transforming the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Bryan shares insights from his 30-year career in diagnostics—from the early days of PCR technology to the emergence of CRISPR and today's rapidly advancing genomic medicine. He explains how GeneDx is working to shorten the "diagnostic odyssey" many families face, where it can take five to six years for children with rare diseases to receive an accurate diagnosis. The conversation goes into how genomic data, large-scale testing, and advanced analytics are helping clinicians uncover answers faster. Bryan also discusses the importance of integrating genomic diagnostics into clinical workflows through EHR platforms like Epic, enabling providers to identify patients sooner and act on complex genetic information more effectively. Looking ahead, Bryan shares his vision for "genomes for life"—a future in which genomic information helps guide care from birth through adulthood, improving outcomes through earlier detection, personalized treatments, and proactive healthcare decisions. Tune in to hear how advances in genomics, data integration, and collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem are helping move the industry closer to faster diagnoses and better care for patients with rare diseases.

Pediatric Health Mergers & AI with John Henderson

In this episode of QuickHITs, Tyler Smith sits down with John Henderson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-henderson-926728/], VP, CIO & Digital Officer at Rady Children's Health, for a timely conversation on leadership, integration, and mission-driven innovation in pediatric healthcare. John shares his journey into pediatric healthcare and how purpose-driven work has shaped his leadership philosophy. He offers an inside look at guiding a complex health system merger, bringing together platforms, teams, and cultures while maintaining a relentless focus on patient care. For John, technology is never the end goal — it is a means to simplify workflows, reduce friction for clinicians, and improve the experience for families navigating care. The conversation flows into what it truly takes to unify data across organizations, build strong governance models, and create a flexible architecture that can adapt to rapid shifts in AI and digital capabilities. John discusses the importance of simplification in digital ecosystems, the balance between accessibility and security, and why perfection cannot stand in the way of progress during large-scale transformation. Grounded in real-world experience, this episode explores how healthcare leaders can stay resilient, future-ready, and patient-focused while navigating mergers, modernization, and emerging technologies.