Podcast Summary: Finding ROI in your AI Program—Rebalancing People and Technology in Healthcare
Becker’s Healthcare Podcast | Host: Lucas Voss | Guest: Tali Segaff, VP of Customer Success, MindYou
Date: October 28, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Lucas Voss speaks with Tali Segaff, Vice President of Customer Success at MindYou, about effectively balancing people and technology in healthcare—particularly as organizations implement AI solutions. The conversation focuses on strategies for finding measurable ROI (Return on Investment) in digital health programs, the integration of AI like MindYou’s “Eleanor,” and best practices for workforce optimization and patient engagement. Tali shares insights from her experience working at the intersection of technology and patient care, offering actionable advice for healthcare leaders and practitioners navigating new tech adoption.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Defining and Prioritizing ROI in Digital Health
- Discuss ROI from the Beginning:
- Many tech vendors emphasize general improvements to patient care, but Tali stresses the importance of addressing ROI early in conversations.
- Quote:
"Once you just recognize that ROI is something that has to be discussed from the get go... you are not buying or selling programs that do not already have a spelled out ROI on the table."
— Tali Segaff [02:36]
- Continuous Measurement:
- MindYou’s process involves a one-month post-implementation check, followed by quarterly ROI-focused reviews to ensure alignment with original financial goals.
- Quote:
"We do a one month, are we on track? Check in. ... Then we do quarterly check ins after that that are focused almost solely on ROI..."
— Tali Segaff [04:54]
- Joint Ownership of Metrics:
- Emphasis on collaboration between technology vendors and healthcare program leaders for transparent and ongoing measurement.
2. Practical Examples of AI Implementation
-
“Eleanor”—Conversational AI in Patient Engagement:
- MindYou’s AI, Eleanor, engages patients post-discharge, pre-procedure, and for chronic disease management.
- Quote:
"Our core product, her name is Eleanor. She’s a conversational AI that talks to patients after they’re discharged from the hospital..."
— Tali Segaff [00:52]
-
Direct and Indirect ROI:
- Direct lines to ROI are healthiest for all parties; closing gaps in care with AI and care teams shows clear value.
- Quote:
"...wherever you can create that direct line to ROI, it’s so much healthier for all parties involved to have clarity."
— Tali Segaff [14:34]
3. Balancing People and Technology
- Optimizing, Not Replacing, Care Teams:
- Technologies must support clinicians’ passion for patient care rather than erase their core responsibilities.
- Emotional & Economic Factors:
- Emotional: Avoid stripping away the aspects of care clinicians value most—direct patient impact.
- Economic: Reevaluate staffing plans, leverage AI to augment teams, and consider turnover as an opportunity for tech-driven optimization.
- Quote:
"You cannot take away from care teams what they love most, which is making an impact on patients... choose the technologies that will optimize them and help them focus their time and energy on doing those things that they love..."
— Tali Segaff [08:02] - Workflow Integration:
- AI is used to filter and triage patient contacts, reserving clinician time for high-complexity or high-touch cases.
- Quote:
"We reserve those more complex, higher level conversations that need someone operating at the top of their license...directly to the care teams."
— Tali Segaff [09:13]
4. Change Management in Tech Adoption
- Clinicians’ Initial Resistance and Eventual Embrace:
- While adoption anxiety is common, proper integration and workflow alignment lead to enthusiastic uptake—sometimes to leaders’ surprise.
- Quote:
"If you do it in the right way and you give it the attention it deserves, they will start asking for more. ... There is more resilience, there is more curiosity..."
— Tali Segaff [12:17]
- Employee Retention:
- Integrating well-designed AI tools can become a tool for retention by offloading undesirable work like redundant outreach or administrative tasks.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On ROI Conversations:
"You are not buying or selling programs that do not already have a spelled out ROI on the table."
— Tali Segaff [02:38] -
On Emotional Side of Change:
"The care teams love working with patients...So making that choice, there are economic factors, but there's also that very emotional and person centered factor..."
— Tali Segaff [08:58] -
On Clinician Buy-in and Employee Retention:
"...they start asking, oh, can Eleanor help us there? Can Eleanor help us there? ...she’s now also part of their employee retention program..."
— Tali Segaff [12:45] -
On Achieving Direct ROI:
"We’re able to show that 90% of these gaps would not have closed without this team..."
— Tali Segaff [14:39]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:52 — Introduction to MindYou & “Eleanor” AI
- 02:23 — Defining ROI and vendor conversations
- 04:44 — Example of program implementation and measurement
- 06:48 — Importance of balancing workflow between people and AI
- 08:52 — Emotional and economic reasons for staff augmentation
- 11:08 — Change management: lessons from clinician adoption
- 14:29 — Direct vs. indirect impact on ROI
- 15:54 — Final takeaways: workflow clarity and ROI integration
Final Takeaways
- Start with clear ROI goals in any technology discussion.
- Embed measurement and reporting at every stage of implementation.
- Optimize (don’t replace) care teams; focus on emotional and economic needs.
- Engage clinicians early and build workflows that support their strengths.
- Celebrate and communicate direct lines to ROI when possible for clarity and long-term success.
This episode is a valuable primer for healthcare leaders considering AI adoption, with actionable steps for ensuring technology delivers on its promise to both patients and staff.