Hard Problems, Smart Solutions: The Newfire Podcast

Regulatory Compliance: Turning Overhead into an Opportunity

Newfire Global Partners — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:37:59 -0400

In this episode of “Hard Problems, Smart Solutions,” host Brendan Iglehart, Staff Healthcare Architect at Newfire, speaks with Deven McGraw, Chief Regulatory and Privacy Officer at Citizen Health and one of the nation’s leading voices on patient privacy, data access, and healthcare regulation. Together, they discuss how forward-thinking companies can turn data rights, compliance, and AI regulation into opportunities for differentiation and patient impact. Deven shares her extensive experience in healthcare privacy and regulatory policy, including her influential work with HIPAA at the US Department of Health and Human Services. They discuss the importance of early integration of compliance in product development, the challenges and opportunities in patient data access, and the regulatory landscape affecting health tech startups.

Listeners will gain perspective on how to:

Overcome the “sludge in the pipes” that still blocks seamless patient data access.
Design AI-driven tools that empower patients without crossing regulatory lines.
Build compliance cultures that encourage transparency instead of fear.
Anticipate privacy challenges that could redefine the next five years of digital health.
Turn regulation from a constraint into a strategic advantage for innovation.

Patient Access: Why Waiting is Healthcare's Biggest Mistake

Newfire Global Partners — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 06:23:00 -0400

In this episode of Hard Problems, Smart Solutions, Brendan Iglehart, Staff Healthcare Architect at Newfire Global Partners interviews Paul Wilder, the Executive Director of CommonWell Health Alliance.

They discuss the importance of not delaying integration in health IT and the incremental advancements in healthcare interoperability. Interoperability, Wilder explains, isn’t about one big breakthrough. It’s about a series of incremental steps that collectively create real progress. From startups building innovative patient tools to nationwide alliances shaping policy, the common thread is clear: the time to act is now.

Paul shares his journey from network support to health IT, emphasizing the significance of data exchange in improving patient care. They explore the role of CommonWell in promoting cross-vendor data availability and the challenges in ensuring patient access to their medical data. The conversation highlights recent governmental efforts, technological advancements in FHIR, and the application of AI in healthcare.

Don’t miss this episode. Tune in to hear Paul Wilder’s insights on the future of patient access and how organizations can navigate the complex, but rewarding, journey toward better data exchange.

00:00 Introduction and Opening Thoughts

00:28 Welcome to Hard Problems, Smart Solutions

01:36 Meet Paul Wilder: A Journey in Health IT

02:50 Understanding CommonWell Health Alliance

04:09 Challenges and Progress in Patient Data Access

06:39 Government Initiatives and Industry Movements

15:24 The Role of AI in Healthcare Data

18:32 Ensuring Patient Privacy and Data Security

21:13 The Future of FHIR and Interoperability

24:17 Advice for Healthtech Innovators

29:18 Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Turn Skeptics into Champions: Fostering Trust in Healthtech

Newfire Global Partners — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:40:18 -0400

In this episode of Hard Problems, Smart Solutions from Newfire, host Will Crawford explores the intricacies of building and scaling digital health platforms with Alexis Levine McKenna, Digital Health Product Leader and former Chief Product and Technology Officer at Huddle Up Care. Alexis discusses the importance of integrating clinician and patient feedback into product development, maintaining compliance in healthcare, and leveraging AI to augment, rather than replace, clinical roles. She highlights the significance of rigorous documentation, cross-functional collaboration, and a user-centered approach in navigating the evolving landscape of digital health. The conversation also delves into Alexis's career trajectory, offering insights into achieving scalable technology solutions and driving clinical outcomes while addressing commercial realities.

AI With Purpose: How to Build Products that Matter

Newfire Global Partners — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:24:10 -0400

In this episode of “Hard Problems, Smart Solutions: The Newfire Podcast,” Newfire’s VP of Data & AI, Gordon Wong, sits down with Lauren S. Moores, AI Catalyst and Strategic Advisor, better known as the Data Queen, to talk about the real-world impact of AI, and what it takes to move from buzzwords to meaningful product outcomes.
With over 30 years of experience in data innovation, Lauren shares insights on the critical role of context and storytelling in utilizing Large Language Models (LLMs), the evolving landscape of healthcare data, and the future of AI strategy. The conversation covers her experiences across various industries, practical advice on data strategy, the impact of generative AI, and the importance of focusing on the business problem at hand. Lauren emphasizes the need to stay curious, ask why, and continuously innovate to build meaningful solutions.

00:47 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

01:32 Lauren Moores: The Data Queen

07:18 Challenges and Innovations in Healthcare Data

10:15 The Role of AI in Drug Development and Food Science

18:16 Wearables and Personal Health Data

22:01 AI Strategy vs. AI Theater

27:49 Adapting Systems for AI

28:48 Challenges in Healthcare AI

31:26 The Importance of Storytelling in Data

35:38 Skills for Future Data Professionals

38:59 Building Effective Data Teams

42:35 The Role of BI Tools

49:22 Misconceptions About AI in Healthcare

50:13 Final Thoughts and Advice

Building in Healthtech: Product Strategies for Innovators

Newfire Global Partners — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:59:11 -0400

From scaling D2C mental health platforms to driving value-based care models, Omar Mousa has seen it all. In the latest episode of “Hard Problems, Smart Solutions: The Newfire Podcast,” Omar joins host Brendan Iglehart, Staff Healthcare Architect at Newfire, to unpack the challenges and lessons from building healthtech products at every stage of growth.

Omar, who most recently served as VP of Product and Engineering at Ventricle Health, shares his perspective on product-market fit, go-to-market experimentation, and making smart build-vs-buy decisions in healthcare.

Brendan and Omar discuss Omar’s experiences across various health tech companies, the lessons he has learned about product development in the sector, and the challenges of navigating both direct-to-consumer and clinical product environments. The conversation delves into topics such as the importance of focusing on core business areas in build versus buy decisions, the role of technology in enhancing patient care, and strategies for effectively engaging patients in value-based care models. Omar also shares his thoughts on the evolving landscape of health tech and the impact of AI on handling unstructured data. Tune in to gain strategic insights on scaling health tech operations and developing impactful healthcare products.

00:00 Introduction to Hard Problems, Smart Solutions

00:38 Guest Introduction: Omar Mousa

01:37 Omar's Career Journey in Healthcare Technology

08:40 Challenges in Healthcare Technology

15:51 The Role of AI in Healthcare

17:51 Navigating Healthcare's Complex Stakeholder Mix

22:47 Gathering and Utilizing User Feedback

24:03 User Feedback and Instrumentation

24:53 Patient Reported Outcome Measures

25:32 Build vs Buy Decisions in Product Development

27:03 Challenges of Buying All Solutions

28:37 Pitfalls of Building All Solutions

30:01 Advantages of a Hybrid Approach

30:27 Stages of Company Growth and Product Strategy

32:26 Considerations for Buy Decisions

36:13 Considerations for Build Decisions

37:34 Navigating D2C vs Clinical Product Development

39:02 Improving Patient Engagement in VBC Workflows

43:21 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

How Standards Drive Innovation

Newfire Global Partners — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 04:26:46 -0400

In this episode of Hard Problems, Smart Solutions, host Will Crawford, Head of Advisory Services and CTO at Newfire Global Partners, converses with Dr. Paulo Pinho, a practicing physician and seasoned health informaticist. Dr. Pinho shares his diverse career journey, combining clinical practice, payer technology, and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, you will gain insights into:

Why interoperability remains elusive despite decades of effort (hint: legacy systems + fragmented incentives).
How standards like SNOMED, LOINC, and ICD-10 evolved and why they often fall short for real-world care.
What clinicians really need from AI tools (and why trust, not just tech, is key to adoption).
How ambient listening and NLP are reshaping clinical documentation and enabling better decision-making.
Why data equity matters and how biases in healthcare documentation can quietly undermine even the best machine learning models.
Concrete examples of innovation: from COVID test standardization to fall risk modeling using multi-source data.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:18 Meet Dr. Paulo Pinho

00:36 The Evolution of Healthcare Standards

02:44 Challenges in Data Standardization

06:32 Advances in Medical Knowledge

12:23 AI in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges

23:54 The Role of Coding Systems in Healthcare

26:19 Success Stories in Healthcare Technology

40:04 Equity and Access in Healthcare

43:31 Advice for Clinicians and Non-Clinicians in Health IT

48:35 Conclusion and Future Topics

Unforeseen Consequences: The Power of (Accurate) Provider Directories

Newfire Global Partners — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:41:29 -0500

In this episode of Hard Problems, Smart Solutions, the Newfire Podcast, host Brendan Iglehart, Staff Healthcare Architect at Newfire Global Partners, discusses the critical role of accurate provider directories in healthcare with Ron Urwongse, co-founder of Defacto Health.

Ron, an expert in healthcare data interoperability, shares his journey and insights into the development and optimization of provider directories.

The conversation covers the intersection of various healthcare stakeholders, the importance of data accuracy, regulatory impacts, and the future of healthcare data standards.

Listeners are provided with actionable strategies for navigating healthcare interoperability and enhancing operational efficiency and patient care outcomes.

00:00 Introduction to Hard Problems, Smart Solutions

00:37 Meet Ron Urwongse: Pioneer in Healthcare Data

03:28 The Importance of Accurate Provider Directories

08:30 Regulatory Impact on Provider Directories

13:15 Challenges and Innovations in Data Standards

25:08 Future Trends in Healthcare Data

30:16 Actionable Strategies for Organizations

33:13 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Building Scalable Data Products: Lessons from Tech to Healthcare

Newfire Global Partners — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 07:32:31 -0500

In this episode of Hard Problems, Smart Solutions, the Newfire Podcast, host Gordon Wong, VP of Data AI at Newfire Global Partners, welcomes Sandeep Dhamale, Director of Engineering, Data and Intelligence at the American Medical Association. Sandeep shares his journey from fintech to healthcare, highlighting how his fintech experiences have shaped his strategies in tackling healthcare's data challenges. He discusses transformative projects at AMA, including Datalabs GPT and the AMA Intelligent Platform, and emphasizes the importance of scalable data solutions for improving patient and operational outcomes. Together, they explore how healthcare organizations can overcome data challenges, achieve interoperability, and measure the ROI of their data efforts. The conversation also covers the intersection of data product development, AI, and maintaining security and privacy in healthcare.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Hard Problems, Smart Solutions
00:21 Guest Introduction: Sandeep Dhamale
01:14 Career Journey: From Fintech to Healthcare
05:38 Challenges in Healthcare Data
07:47 Measuring ROI in Healthcare Data Efforts
10:07 Data Marketplaces in Healthcare
13:21 AMA Intelligent Platform
22:05 AI and Generative AI in Healthcare
30:10 Security and Privacy in Healthcare Data
33:32 Maintaining and Scaling Data Platforms
36:58 Emerging Technologies and Future Trends
45:18 Conclusion and Closing Remarks

Information Security in 2025: Doing More With Less

Newfire Global Partners — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On this episode of Hard Problems, Smart Solutions: The Newfire Podcast, Newfire’s Head of Advisory Services Will Crawford sits down with Laura Louthan, founder of Angel Cybersecurity. Laura, a seasoned virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO), discusses how businesses can creatively address security challenges without stretching their budgets. Drawing on her extensive experience with notable companies like Sephora and Equifax, Laura offers valuable insights into building secure infrastructures, managing risk, and crafting effective and budget-conscious security strategies. Listen in for a deep dive into maximizing your security impact while conserving resources.

Key Topics:

Introduction to Laura Louthan and her background in cybersecurity.
Balancing security and budget constraints for startups and smaller businesses.
Finding the right security leadership.
Unique security challenges within the healthcare sector.
Educating employees on the importance of security practices.
Managing third-party vendor risks and evaluations.
The role of AI in enhancing security tools and practices.
Implementing an effective incident response plan.
Advice for future security professionals.

AI-Driven Healthcare: Moving Beyond Analytics to Actionable Insights

Gordon Wong — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 04:33:27 -0500

In the inaugural episode of "Hard Problems, Smart Solutions," Newfire's VP of Data and AI, Gordon Wong, hosts Emily Lindemer, Executive Director of Data and Healthcare Innovation at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

They discuss AI's transformative potential in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of streamlining data and addressing administrative inefficiencies to improve patient outcomes. The conversation explores Emily's career journey, the current state of AI in healthcare, and practical advice for organizations looking to implement AI solutions with a focus on technical, regulatory, and ROI perspectives. Particular emphasis is placed on addressing healthcare disparities through robust data infrastructure and scalable platforms, with strategic insights for organizations looking to leverage AI effectively.

Key takeaways include focusing on feasible, high-impact applications and the necessity for robust data infrastructure.