Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Guest: Jill McKinney, Chief Nurse Informatics Officer, Novant Health
Host: Gracelyn Keller
Date: November 21, 2025
Event: Recorded at the 10th Annual Health IT, Digital Health, and RCM Meeting

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode centers around the practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI), digital health technology, and evolving legislation in healthcare, through the lens of Jill McKinney’s experience as Chief Nurse Informatics Officer at Novant Health. Jill discusses successful AI implementations, strategies for balancing innovation with operational realities, navigating legislation, and advice for healthcare leaders amid rapid technological evolution.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jill McKinney's Background at Novant Health

• Novant Overview: Large nonprofit health system with operations in North Carolina and South Carolina, encompassing 19 hospitals and serving about 5 million patients.
• Jill’s Career Path:
  • "I started out there as a staff nurse and then went into IT about 15 years ago, gradually working myself up to Chief Nursing Informatics Officer." (00:48)

The Real Impact of AI in Healthcare

• AI Adoption Trends:
  • Nearly half of medical practices used AI in the past year.
  • AI is transitioning from a "buzzword" to tangible improvements in care delivery.
• High-Impact AI Use Cases:
  • Clinical Documentation Support:
    • Ambient listening to support providers.
    • Predictive analytics for identifying at-risk patients (readmission, ED admission, sepsis, etc).
  • At Novant Health:
    • Implementation of ambient listening for ambulatory clinic providers.
    • Improved physician satisfaction, reduced after-hours work ("pajama time"), and better reimbursement outcomes.
      • Notable mention: Dr. Aaron Malikzanian led the ambient listening initiative.
    • "It takes away some of that cognitive burden from the physician in helping with their notes and documentation." (01:59)
• Notable Quote:
  • "AI has really changed from being just a buzzword to actually being used in real patient care scenarios." — Jill McKinney (01:35)

Balancing Innovation and Operational Realities

• Dual Responsibility:
  • "It's a dual responsibility, continuing to care for the patients while introducing these AI tools that can also assist." (03:25)
• Operational Constraints:
  • High costs, legislative impacts, and technology integration challenges.
• Example - Virtual Monitoring (“Tele Sitter”):
  • Virtual monitoring for patients who require sitters.
  • Allows monitoring more patients with fewer resources, addressing both workforce shortages and patient safety.
  • "Virtual monitoring enables us to monitor more patients with less resources and has been very, very impactful for us." (03:40)
• Agility & Team Mindset:
  • Importance of agile teams that can quickly adapt and find new solutions for patient care.

Navigating Legislative Changes

• Recent Legislation:
  • Emphasis on interoperability (TEFCA), reimbursement changes for virtual care, and uncertainty due to possible government shutdown.
    • "There's been a lot of federal and state pushes on interoperability. Everyone's been working this year to implement tefca." (04:19)
  • Impact on Medicare reimbursement for virtual care if Congress does not act.
  • Despite the uncertainty, Novant commits to continuing current practices pending further decisions.
• Advocacy:
  • Jill’s participation in North Carolina Healthcare Association's Advocacy Day, meeting directly with legislators from both parties to discuss their healthcare priorities.
    • "I actually was able to visit with some of the state legislators, both Republican and Democrat, and really understand their stance on the healthcare items that are on the agenda for this year." (04:51)

Advice for Healthcare Leaders

• Strategic Tech Adoption:
  • Leaders should focus on technology that produces "meaningful improvements" rather than simply adopting new tools quickly.
  • Emphasis on reducing clinician burden and improving patient care outcomes.
• Key Quote:
  • "The leaders that will be most successful are not the ones that are implementing the AI solutions the fastest, but the ones that are really implementing those that really drive significant improvements in patient care and reduction of the burden on our clinicians." — Jill McKinney (05:31)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On AI moving beyond hype:
  "AI has really changed from being just a buzzword to actually being used in real patient care scenarios." — Jill McKinney (01:35)

• On ambient listening benefits:
  "It takes away some of that cognitive burden from the physician in helping with their notes and documentation." — Jill McKinney (01:59)

• On balancing innovation with care:
  "Really, the innovation is only going to work when it fits into real care scenarios." — Jill McKinney (03:20)

• On technology and leadership:
  "The leaders that will be most successful are... the ones that are really implementing those [technologies] that really drive significant improvements in patient care and reduction of the burden on our clinicians." — Jill McKinney (05:31)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jill McKinney’s Background & Novant Health: 00:48 – 01:13
• AI Use Cases & Implementation at Novant: 01:35 – 02:50
• Balancing Innovation & Operations (Tele Sitter example): 03:11 – 04:06
• Legislative Impact & Advocacy: 04:18 – 05:17
• Advice for Leaders: 05:26 – 05:53

Summary Takeaways

• Practical AI use—especially ambient listening and predictive analytics—is already improving provider satisfaction and operational efficiency at Novant Health.
• Adopting new technology requires balancing operational constraints and aligning with real clinical needs.
• Healthcare leaders should be strategic, focusing on meaningful improvement rather than speed, especially as regulation and reimbursement rapidly evolve.
• Legislative engagement and advocacy are increasingly vital as rules shift around interoperability and virtual care reimbursement.