Prasana Ruxmohan, MHA, Ambulatory Operations Transformation Specialist at UCI Health

Summary

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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.

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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]

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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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For more episodes and insight from healthcare leaders, visit Becker’s Healthcare Podcast.

Transcript

[A]

@ Athenahealth, we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier a healthier business, healthier care teams and healthier patients. But the complexities of modern healthcare tech make it hard for you and your care teams to focus on what matters most. That's where athenahealth can help our AI native all in one solutions reduce administrative burdens, streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights when clinicians need it most. That means fewer clicks, more time for patients and stronger bottom Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice can be that Much simpler with Athenahealth, see how simpler is healthier at athenahealth.com.

[B]

Hello everyone, this is Scott King with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. Thrilled today to be joined by a very special guest, Prasanna Ruxmahan, ambulatory Operations Transformation specialist with UCI Health. Prasanna, how are you doing today?

[C]

I'm doing fantastic. How about yourself?

[B]

Doing well. We're talking before the taping here. I got the nice fall weather in Chicago. A little chilly, but it's not the beautiful weather you have in California.

[C]

That is so true. That is so true. But at least you get to experience all the seasons in Chicago. That's the one thing I appreciate about that city.

[B]

We do appreciate that as well, just not when it's below zero. But anyways, we have, we have a lot of big health care topics to get to. But before we jump into some questions for you, just wonder if you could please introduce yourself and just tell us a little about your background.

[C]

Yeah, so I've actually spent my career focused on operational transformation, really in ambulatory care settings. As you mentioned. I currently serve as an ambulatory operations transformation strategist at UCI where I really help design strategies but also operationalizing them to make it easier for our patients and to connect with care. Whether that's through smarter scheduling or better use of technology or closer collaboration across teams. My background really blends healthcare technology and change management, all centered on creating sustainable growth models that support both patients and our providers at UCI. Outside of work, I actually developed and created a maternal health app and have sold that off which was really connecting resources in the community for our maternal health mothers. If that was doula programs or diaper banks, how do we make it easier access for our mothers that are out there?

[B]

What's the app called?

[C]

It is called aim. It's called Advocacy and Maternal Health but they probably rebranded what it was called now.

[B]

Well, congratulations. That's awesome. That's so innovative to do that and creative. Congratulations.

[C]

Yeah, we have a lot of great Resources right out there. When it comes to like government funds or if it's doulas that are out there helping support our mothers navigate their healthcare journey, it's how do you really connect to what's out there and available and kind of making it at people's fingertips like we have certain things today.

[B]

I think that's absolutely wonderful. And I was actually, before you mentioned the app, I was actually going to ask you, how happy are you that you kind of carved out this path for yourself and career trajectory where you are specialized in tech, seeing how prevalent and needed technology is in healthcare right now? Yeah.

[C]

I will say 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. I will say the one thing is you can have AI automation, but if we're not really using it, sometimes the value there is the struggle. But how do you get people to start to use some of that technology today?

[B]

Absolutely. And I wanted to ask you, what opportunities and headwinds do you kind of have your eye on right now in healthcare?

[C]

Yeah. So as I kind of mentioned, a little glimpse with the app and what we're doing at UCI is access to care continues to be one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare. And really the opportunity is really in rethinking how we connect patients to the right care at the right time. Right. We're using data, we're using automation and process improvement to make systems more responsive. The headwinds of course are right. Those competing priorities are limited resourcing or the right people. But I think when organizations sometimes make access a shared priority, it really drives real change across an organization, but also even in our communities.

[B]

Yeah, I think it's a great point about the access that's completely needed and necessary. How are you thinking about growth and adding value to your organization?

[C]

Yeah, for me, growth really starts with developing and investing in our people and really evolving their skill sets as.

[B]

Right.

[C]

I mentioned AI automation. As they handle more tasks, it's changing how we work. So the real question kind of becomes how do we shift our mindsets and build new skills that focus more on problem solving and collaboration or patient connection? Really helping our teams evolve in that direction is one of the best ways to add long term values to the organization. But by helping our teams build these new capabilities, we're not just adding value to the organization, but we're preparing for the next era of healthcare operations and patient expectations.

[B]

When you're making hires and you're getting new staff members in different roles, do you expect them to be almost as up to speed on all the emerging tech as you are, or do you figure that this is going to take some time to teach staff members how to implement some of these things?

[C]

Yeah, I think it definitely takes some time to teach staff of what technologies out there using Power Automate, for instance, how can you automate some of these tasks? Or leveraging and integrating in an EMR system some AI capabilities, like how airline systems have their no show rates. How do we actually see some of these things at the front line? So it does take some time, but it's really investing in the education for our teams. Therefore, the foundation is kind of set to take on these new shiny, bright tools that are kind of out there.

[B]

There are a lot of those right now, aren't there? Speaking of investing and making investments, what is one risk or investment you think is worth making this year?

[C]

Yeah. So instead of a technology or tool, I kind of would like to say investing in storytelling. We often focus right on data or metrics or tools which are critical. But stories really give that data or tool life. They help people understand the why behind the work. Whether it's a patient success story or a staff win, storytelling connects the mission to the outcome and it helps build momentum for change. It's an investment that pays off right in engagement and in culture. But storytelling is the biggest investment of making this year?

[B]

Absolutely. I think it's a great point of focus for any system or anyone in healthcare. Where do you see the best opportunities for growth in the future?

[C]

So this one I kind of have a long winded type of answer, but it's I see a huge opportunity in combining technology and human connection. Things like course intelligence, scheduling or virtual access and proactive outreach can really transform patient experiences when done thoughtfully. This starts with rethinking how every touch point, if it's people process technology, how they work together to serve the patient. So I'm going to kind of give you an example if you can imagine this. If we think about an outpatient visit, imagine walking into the clinic and everything feels seamless. You're greeted by your name, your basic vital signs are taken already digitally and that staff member walks you through, I like to say a playlist of the day of what is expected. So we might get your health history or you're going to do a blood draw imaging. That's what I like to call playlist of the day before seeing the provider. But what if you knew these things now? Let's say we get you into the clinic, you're in your room, but you didn't fill out a questionnaire online. Instead of delaying the visit or handing that patient a piece of paper, AI could step in, ask you those questions that a person would ask about your medications or your history and ambient technology can automatically pull that into your record. Then when the provider walks in, they have all that information they need.

[B]

And.

[C]

You talk through some of your next steps. Say you might need a referral or medications in that office. And what if that referral was scheduled with you that same day? Understanding the dates and times that are available to that patient, but you were offered it right then and there and then by the end of the visit you actually knew the top three things you need to do in your next step of that care journey. Whether that's the kind of connected, intelligent experience, not only saves time, but makes patients feel well informed and cared for in their next part of their journey. The future really isn't about technology replacing people. It's about using it to enhance operations, personalization and really outcomes in care delivery. That's where I see the best opportunities for growth in the future, is really redesigning how we take care of our patients.

[B]

I think you painted a great picture. I was actually picturing being a patient and walking in and being a part of all that. And as great as it sounds, I actually don't it doesn't seem like it's that far away with the way technology is. If you had to give a ballpark for some of those things you mentioned, where everything's kind of automated when you go in and it saves so much time. How long do you think till we're there?

[C]

I think in certain areas, like if it's capturing the referrals or same time delivery, I think we're about 78% there. But now the use of the technology and integration with people, the change management that comes with it, I think that is a piece that might take some time to adopt with our teams.

[B]

Absolutely. I think that shows that there's certainly some things to be very optimistic about and Persona. Thanks so much for joining us on the podcast. I think it was an awesome conversation. I look forward to working with you again soon.

[C]

Yes, I look forward to speaking with you again too, Scott.

[A]

At athenahealth. We know your ambulatory practice wants healthier, a healthier business, healthier care teams and healthier patients. But the complexities of modern healthcare tech make it hard for you and your care teams to focus on what matters. That's where athenahealth can help our AI native all in one solutions reduce administrative burdens, streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights when clinicians need it most. That means fewer clicks, more time for patients, and stronger bottom lines. Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice can be that much simpler with Athenahealth. See how simpler is [e-mail] Sarah.