Becker’s Healthcare Podcast – Episode Summary

Guest: Kerri Webster, Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer, Children's Hospital Colorado
Host: Scott King, Becker’s Healthcare
Date: November 28, 2025
Duration: ~8 minutes

Episode Overview

In this episode, Scott King talks with Kerri Webster about the intersection of healthcare and technology, focusing on AI's potential, responsible technology adoption, data-driven culture, and leadership in a rapidly evolving environment. Kerri shares insights from her unique perspective as both a nurse and analytics leader, emphasizing the importance of purposeful innovation, data literacy, and nurturing a mission-driven culture at Children's Hospital Colorado.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Kerri Webster’s Background

• Kerri's journey combines nursing, healthcare innovation, technology, and leadership.
• Strong focus on empowering organizations to thrive digitally for patient outcomes.
• Quote:
  “Truly, I have a passion for empowering organizations to thrive in a digital era, helping our patients. I think that's why we're here.” (00:34 - Kerri Webster)

2. Opportunities and Headwinds in Healthcare

Main Topic: The rapidly growing role of AI

• AI offers transformative possibilities: predictive analytics, personalized care, and broad language models.
• Important to match technology to real problems, not force-fit solutions.
• Education is vital for both organizations and individuals to responsibly use and scrutinize AI.
• Data quality, standards, and governance are critical to avoid flawed logic and unintended outcomes.
• Quote:
  “I do think AI represents one of the most exciting opportunities in our industry... But we can't use technology in search of a problem. We have to really think about what our problems are and how technology can shape and change those.” (01:13 – Kerri Webster)

3. Adding Growth and Value – With and Without AI

• Growth comes from the responsible adoption of technology, underpinned by critical thinking.
• Example: Data analytics (not AI) reduced CLABSI (central line-associated bloodstream infections) rates at the hospital by providing clinicians with real-time insights.
• Quote:
  “A partnership between clinical leaders and our analytics team has found a way to deliver real time insights... that have helped drive our CLABSI rates down.” (03:08 – Kerri Webster)

4. Fostering the Right Culture Amid Rapid Change

• In times of “change fatigue,” it’s vital to keep the organization's “why” – serving children – at the forefront.
• Deliberately nurturing a culture focused on mission, self-care, diversity, and work–life balance.
• Quote:
  “I think thinking about the why helps keep the culture in this area of rapid change... We’re here for the kids... we talk about practicing ruthless self-care, we talk about diversity, we talk about work-life balance.” (04:05 – Kerri Webster)

5. Worthwhile Risks and Investments

• Investing in education for the “citizen data consumer” is crucial as digital tools proliferate.
• Focus: Help staff understand outputs, encourage skepticism, and foster prompt engineering skills.
• Time investment can be a risk due to demanding workloads, but it's “worth the investment.”
• Quote:
  “We need to start investing in the education of the citizen data consumer... helping them understand what outputs are coming out, questioning everything, helping them do prompt engineering...” (05:01 – Kerri Webster)

6. Growth Opportunities for the Future

• Best opportunities lie in fostering a culture that engages thoughtfully with technology.
• Emphasize a problem-first mindset—define needs, then apply technology.
• Quote:
  “Growth in the future relies on us fostering... a culture of thoughtful engagement with technology... problem centered and then adapting that technology to those problems versus the other way around.” (05:54 – Kerri Webster)

7. Leadership Journey and Philosophy

• Leadership evolved from clinical roles to technology; authenticity and openness are central.
• Importance of clear communication about purpose and expectations.
• Advocates for loving what you do, combining passion with work for better outcomes.
• Quote:
  “Authenticity is key and just letting people know what is, what's happening, why it's happening, what their roles are. I also believe in having fun. You have to love what you do... combine that with your passion to make amazing outcomes.” (06:53 – Kerri Webster)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI and Healthcare’s Future:
  “You're never going to have a conversation in the next couple of years without hearing the word AI.” (01:13 – Kerri Webster)

• On Responsible Tech Adoption:
  “We can't use technology in search of a problem.” (01:29 – Kerri Webster)

• On Data and Analytics:
  “As an analytics leader, I think very critically about the quality of data that's feeding our AI systems.” (01:48 – Kerri Webster)

Important Timestamps

• 00:34 – Kerri’s background and passion for digital transformation
• 01:13 – AI opportunities and headwinds in healthcare
• 03:08 – Enhancing growth and value; culture of critical thinking
• 04:05 – Building and sustaining the right culture
• 05:01 – Education as a key “risk/investment”
• 05:54 – Approach to future growth: Problem-first thinking
• 06:53 – Authentic leadership journey

Episode Tone

• Conversational, candid, and mission-driven.
• Kerri Webster balances optimism for technology with caution and critical thinking, always centering on patient impact and organizational culture.

This episode provides a grounded, executive-level roadmap for leveraging analytics, fostering culture, and leading organizations through healthcare’s ongoing digital transformation.