Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Episode Summary: Clay Holderman & Neil Gomes, CEO and EVP at AVIA

Date: November 22, 2025
Host: Scott Becker

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation with Clay Holderman (CEO) and Neil Gomes (EVP, Insights and Advisory) of AVIA, a leader in digital transformation for healthcare systems. The discussion focuses on AVIA’s expanding role at the intersection of healthcare and technology, with an emphasis on digital transformation, responsible AI adoption (especially agentic AI), recent strategic acquisitions like Panda Health, and building collaborative networks among health systems. The conversation is rich with insights into operational challenges, accelerating responsible innovation, and the future vision for AVIA and its partners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Backgrounds

• Clay Holderman shared his extensive leadership experience in healthcare, having served in roles from HCA LifePoint to CEO of UnityPoint Health, highlighting the complex pressures on health systems—from capacity and access to regulatory changes and technology waves. He explained his transition to AVIA from being a customer, motivated by AVIA’s unique approach to digital transformation and its capacity to drive change across a large network.
  • "[...] I've got over 25 years in health system leadership [...] I became CEO at Avia about nine months ago. I had been a customer of Avia. They had helped us dramatically change the friction of practice for providers at Presbyterian." (B, [00:54])
• Neil Gomes described his career focus on digital strategy and transformation, including roles as Chief Digital Officer in large health systems and insurers. Neil framed AVIA’s mission as helping organizations achieve digital value through network-driven collaboration, referencing their "5 Cs" framework (Calibrate, Curate, Connect, Catalyze, Celebrate).
  • "My career focus has been mostly on translating complex technologies, particularly AI, machine learning and automation, into strategies that drive measurable impact for healthcare organizations." (C, [02:26])
  • "At AVIA, we operate through [...] five core Cs [...] Calibrate, Curate, Connect, Catalyze and Celebrate." (C, [03:20])

2. AVIA's Focus for the Future: 2026 and Beyond

• Emphasis on Agentic AI & Responsible Innovation
  • Clay Holderman explained that agentic AI—the next phase beyond generative AI—is the hottest topic, with health systems eager to harness its potential but wary due to high rates of project failure (estimated 40% cancellation rate) from unclear value, cost, and risk.
    • "It seems like the entire ecosystem is buzzing and people are doing what calling agent. Everything is now an agent, whether it was really just machine learning or rpa." (B, [05:53])
    • "About 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled in the next year due to escalating costs or unclear business value or inadequate risk control." (B, [06:37])
  • AVIA's approach: create learning cohorts, responsible use frameworks, peer collaboration, and deep dive into real-world use cases (e.g., patient access, nursing, contact centers).
    • "We've already pulled together more than 50 health systems on the learning journey about responsible use of AI, appropriate governance [...]" (B, [07:10])
    • "If autonomous AI was the brain in a jar, agentic AI gives us the arms and legs to take the next best action without human intervention." (B, [07:45])
  • Recent launch of "agentic AI thinking" cohort with 10 leading health systems; more cohorts forming to drive both strategic and operational implementation.

3. Best Practices for Adopting AI in Health Systems

• Skepticism and Pragmatism in Decision-Making
  • Clay emphasized that healthcare leaders are cautious due to past failed tech promises; real-world data and evidence—especially lessons from other systems’ mistakes—are critical.
    • "Health system leaders [...] are very skeptical of the promises that are made." (B, [09:22])
    • "There is safety and proof in learning from other health systems who are on the journey, not just where they've had some success, but more importantly where they've hit potholes and where they've seen risk." (B, [09:49])
• The Value of Networked Collaboration
  • Neil described the value of having a collaborative partner to vet technology, share research, and accelerate learning, which helps avoid the pitfalls of "shiny object syndrome."
    • "[...] having a partner like AVIA [...] to vet these types of promises and to get you to the right research, curate that research and get that to you so that you can make the right decisions, connect you to other health systems that are on that same path [...]" (C, [10:50])
    • "Being able to catalyze some of that change, even in small increments, sometimes can help." (C, [12:07])

4. Panda Health Acquisition: Driving Scale and Depth

• Clay detailed AVIA’s recent acquisition of Panda Health—a platform similar to AVIA’s own Marketplace. Both offer searchable, validated information on thousands of digital health solution companies, enhancing their reach and data quality.
  • "Panda Health platform was very similar to Avia Marketplace. Both dealt in trying to sort through this confusing landscape of thousands of new solution companies." (B, [13:07])
  • "We now have 80,000 health system users in the platform, which creates a community that's giving feedback and ratings into the marketplace and giving us intelligence." (B, [14:06])
  • Panda brings a "human validation" layer to AI-driven recommendations, adding trustworthiness and depth to their solution catalog.

5. Collaborative Programs and Access for All

• AVIA’s most exciting development is the growth of their collaborative cohorts, particularly around agentic AI and autonomous enterprise, now engaging not just major systems but also smaller and independent health providers—making advanced transformation affordable and accessible.
  • "To watch people come together and discover together, co develop, build frameworks, vet use cases and leave with individual implementation plans—that's an exciting way and we're doing it at a syndicated cost that is bringing affordability to health systems of any size." (B, [15:40])

6. The Promise and Maturity of Healthcare AI

• Neil reflects on the shift from AI hype to genuine, scalable momentum, crediting improvements in the technical infrastructure (e.g., EHR, ERP integration) for enabling real transformation. However, he warns that effective vetting and implementation remain crucial for sustained impact.
  • "We are in this opportune time in the industry when AI and the promises of AI aren't just like vapor [...] There really is something positive about this, right. We see it every day." (C, [16:33])
  • "But that even more so requires us to be able to vet solutions well, make sure that we are working with the right organizations that have our interests in mind and also that we're able to produce momentum and results as we move forward, you know, and not just talk about these things [...]" (C, [17:24])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Real-World Collaboration for AI in Healthcare:
  • "There is safety and proof in learning from other health systems who are on the journey, not just where they've had some success, but more importantly where they've hit potholes and where they've seen risk." (Clay Holderman, [09:49])
• On Avoiding the AI Hype Trap:
  • "You can get really pulled into the marketing, into the sales pitches and think that this is the one thing that will solve all of your problems. And with AI even more so. [...] So you got to be really careful about that." (Neil Gomes, [10:51])
• On the Synthesis of Technology, People, and Process:
  • "If autonomous AI was the brain in a jar, agentic AI gives us the arms and legs to take the next best action without human intervention." (Clay Holderman, [07:45])
• On Healthcare’s New Phase with AI:
  • "We are in this opportune time in the industry when AI and the promises of AI aren't just like vapor [...] There really is something positive about this, right. We see it every day." (Neil Gomes, [16:33])

Important Timestamps

• [00:54] — Clay Holderman’s introduction and AVIA’s mission
• [02:26] — Neil Gomes’ background and the "5 Cs" framework
• [05:53] — GenAI and agentic AI: trends and challenges in healthcare
• [07:45] — AVIA’s approach to responsible AI and learning cohorts
• [09:22] — Skepticism and pragmatism in health system leadership
• [10:50] — The unique value of collaborative partnerships in adopting AI
• [13:07] — Strategic rationale for acquiring Panda Health
• [15:40] — Expanding collaboration and accessibility for health systems
• [16:33] — AI’s evolving role: current opportunities and cautions

Episode Tone and Style Notes

The conversation is candid, approachable, and optimistic but grounded in realism. Both Clay and Neil openly share their experiences and lessons from leading health systems. Their focus is on practical digital transformation, collaboration, and the careful, responsible adoption of cutting-edge technology for meaningful—as opposed to incremental—improvement in healthcare.

This summary captures the key themes and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive guide for anyone seeking to understand AVIA's strategy and the broader digital transformation landscape in U.S. healthcare.