Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Guest: Prasanna Ruxmohan, MHA, Ambulatory Operations Transformation Specialist, UCI Health
Host: Scott King
Date: November 9, 2025
Episode Focus: Operational transformation, technology adoption, and human connection in ambulatory care.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Scott King speaks with Prasanna Ruxmohan about transforming ambulatory care operations at UCI Health. Their conversation centers on how technology—especially AI and automation—can streamline processes, improve patient access, and foster better care experiences. Prasanna also shares her passion for human-centered transformation and emphasizes the power of storytelling in healthcare innovation.

Guest Introduction & Background

[01:19-02:36]

• Prasanna introduces her career in operational transformation, focusing on ambulatory care settings.
• She describes her role at UCI Health: designing and operationalizing strategies to enhance patient access and team collaboration.
• Her background combines healthcare technology, change management, and sustainable growth.
• Notably, she founded and sold a maternal health app for connecting new mothers to community resources:

  “Outside of work, I actually developed and created a maternal health app...connecting resources in the community for our maternal health mothers.” [01:49, Prasanna]

The Role of Technology in Healthcare Careers

[03:10-03:53]

• Prasanna discusses the changing landscape:

  “It has been a beautiful path in some way to figure out how you connect technology, but also how you connect the people to the technology.” [03:29, Prasanna]

• She notes that while AI and automation are valuable, their impact depends on adoption and practical use:

  “You can have AI automation, but if we're not really using it, sometimes the value there is the struggle.” [03:37, Prasanna]

Opportunities & Challenges in Healthcare Access

[04:02-04:51]

• Access to care remains a central challenge.
• Technology, data, and automation are tools to make healthcare systems more responsive.
• Top barriers include competing priorities and limited resources/personnel.
• She emphasizes making access a shared organizational priority:

  “When organizations sometimes make access a shared priority, it really drives real change across an organization, but also even in our communities.” [04:35, Prasanna]

Growth and Adding Value: People First

[05:02-05:55]

• Sustainable growth is rooted in investing in staff, evolving skill sets, and supporting adaptability.
• The future value lies in nurturing problem solving, collaboration, and patient connection:

  “Helping our teams build these new capabilities...we're preparing for the next era of healthcare operations and patient expectations.” [05:42, Prasanna]

Staff & Technology Adoption

[06:11-06:47]

• Prasanna does not expect staff to be fully up-to-speed upon hiring; education is key.
• Tools like Power Automate and EMR-integrated AI require training and foundational learning.
• Example: Using airline-style no-show rate analytics for patient scheduling.

Non-Traditional Investment: Storytelling

[06:59-07:45]

• Prasanna advocates for investing in storytelling as a catalyst for engagement and change:

  “Stories really give that data or tool life. They help people understand the why behind the work.” [07:10, Prasanna]
  “Storytelling connects the mission to the outcome...it helps build momentum for change.” [07:23, Prasanna]

• She sees stories—about patient or staff successes—as vital to building engagement and a strong culture.

The Future: Merging Tech & Human Connection

[07:55-10:34]

• Major opportunity: thoughtfully combining technology with human interaction.
  • Examples: intelligent scheduling, virtual access, proactive outreach.
• She illustrates a future clinic scenario—a “playlist of the day” for patients:
  • Seamless check-in, digital vitals, a clear sequence of expected activities.
  • AI-powered intake if history isn't completed online.
  • Ambient tech automatically transfers responses into the medical record.
  • Immediate scheduling of referrals before leaving the office.
  • Clear, actionable care instructions as patients depart.
• Key point:

  “The future really isn't about technology replacing people. It's about using it to enhance operations, personalization, and really outcomes in care delivery.” [10:25, Prasanna]

Timeline for Innovation Adoption

[10:57-11:22]

• Prasanna estimates some aspects (e.g., referral capture, on-the-spot delivery) are “about 78% there.”
• The technology exists, but change management and team adoption will take more time.

Notable Quotes

• On Staff Development:

  “The real question becomes how do we shift our mindsets and build new skills that focus more on problem solving and collaboration or patient connection?” [05:24, Prasanna]

• On Storytelling:

  “It's an investment that pays off right in engagement and in culture.” [07:36, Prasanna]

• On the Patient Experience of the Future:

  “Imagine walking into the clinic and everything feels seamless...That's what I like to call playlist of the day before seeing the provider.” [08:25, Prasanna]

• On the Human-Tech Balance:

  “The future really isn't about technology replacing people. It's about using it to enhance operations, personalization and really outcomes in care delivery.” [10:25, Prasanna]

Key Takeaways

• Operational transformation in ambulatory care must combine technological innovation with robust change management and human-centered design.
• Training and upskilling staff are as crucial as technological investments.
• Storytelling is a potent tool to drive engagement and momentum for systemic change.
• The most promising growth opportunities involve making every patient touchpoint more connected, personal, and seamless—without losing the human element.
• Widespread adoption of tech-augmented processes is progressing, but the real challenge—and opportunity—is effective change management.

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