Episode #233. AI Doesn’t Matter If Patients Don’t Win, with Michael Archuleta, Chief Information Officer with Mount San Rafael Hospital and Clinics

Summary

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Risk Never Sleeps Podcast, Episode #233

Title: "AI Doesn’t Matter If Patients Don’t Win"
Guest: Michael Archuleta, Chief Information Officer, Mount San Rafael Hospital and Clinics
Host: Ed Gaudet
Date: June 11, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode, recorded live at HIMSS 2026 in Las Vegas, features an engaging conversation between Ed Gaudet and Michael Archuleta, CIO of Mount San Rafael Hospital and Clinics. The central theme revolves around digital transformation in healthcare and ensuring that AI innovations are meaningful only if they result in better patient outcomes. The pair dive into AI’s current impact in healthcare, practical strategies for rural care, leadership philosophies, and advice for the next generation of healthcare IT professionals.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Patient-Centric Innovation in Healthcare

[00:55 - 03:05]

• Patient as CEO: Michael stresses, "We have a new CEO in healthcare, and that’s the patient." (01:12)
• Equity in Care: Emphasizes that “your zip code should never determine your healthcare outcomes.”
• AI with Purpose: Warns about 'AI theater'—urging that unless technology directly benefits patients, it's just noise.

  “If it’s not patient-centric, then it’s... more of a theater, innovation, noise.” (02:27 — Michael Archuleta)

• Process First: Stresses the importance of focusing on patient care processes before adopting technology and making sure tech is not the goal in itself.

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2. AI’s Current & Practical Impact

[03:05 - 08:00]

• Level Playing Field: Healthcare is entering AI together with other industries, no longer a laggard.
• Real Clinical Impact: AI is being used as a true clinical tool, e.g., in radiology to detect brain bleeds and strokes, particularly enhancing emergency medicine where “every minute matters.”

  “We incorporated a strong AI program within our radiology practices that have been life-saving...” (03:22 — Michael Archuleta)

• Hospitals as Digital Companies: Michael reframes hospitals and clinics as “digital companies that deliver healthcare services.” (03:40)
• “Asynchronous Tools”: Technology leaders need to build tools benefitting patients “both inside and outside of our organization.”

  “If we’re not building strong asynchronous tools that benefit our patients... we’re not going to be successful.” (04:22 — Michael Archuleta)

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3. Elevating Rural Healthcare

[04:44 - 06:32]

• Public Investment: Discusses the Rural Hospital Transformational Program—a multi-billion dollar initiative to support transformation and innovation in rural hospitals.
• Remote Patient Monitoring: Using technology (e.g., wireless-enabled glucose monitors) integrated into EHRs to better care for rural patients, especially for chronic conditions like diabetes.

  “Imagine... having that ability [for blood pressure/glucose monitors] to integrate directly into the EHR. That’s a game changer.” (05:41 — Michael Archuleta)

• Additional Revenue Streams: Incorporating remote monitoring as a reimbursable service line “is a win... you’re innovating and adding an additional strategic revenue contributor.”

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4. Strategic Initiatives at Mount San Rafael

[06:32 - 09:55]

• EHR Transformation: Recently unified eight disparate systems under Oracle Health instead of following the industry trend to Epic, in order to remain autonomous and independent while incorporating leading-edge AI tools.

  “We always try to do the best of the best... to continue to be a good focus for our overall patients.” (07:44 — Michael Archuleta)

• AI in Documentation and Billing:
  • Ambient AI: For hands-free, real-time clinical documentation, minimizing physician data entry burden.
  • AI Charge Assist: Embedded in EHR, recommends appropriate CPT codes—improves revenue cycle and relieves providers from coding tasks.
  • Medical Necessity Automation: Aims to reduce care denials by automating and strengthening justification of services.

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5. Leadership, Advocacy, and Teamwork

[09:55 - 10:24]

• Strong Patient Advocacy: The hospital has a cross-functional team of patient advocates and a “phenomenal leadership team.”
• Recognition of Leadership: Michael gives kudos to his CEO, describing her as a “powerhouse individual,” and emphasizing the value of mentoring and team-building.

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6. Personal Insights and Inspirational Moments

[10:24 - 15:01]

• Family and Fitness: Michael is passionate about his family and finds fitness crucial for mental health (“Fitness is more of a mental item for me... Just to say, hey, let’s keep on moving, let’s keep on grinding.” — 10:36)
• Entrepreneurship: Involved in multiple startups and innovation projects, including gubernatorial appointment to the e-Health Commission and supporting entrepreneurial education for underserved youth.
• Life Lessons:

  “The greatest lesson in life is don’t forget where you come from.” (11:27 — Michael Archuleta)
  Stresses staying humble, grit, and “GSD” (get stuff done) mentality.

• Boxing Background: Michael was an amateur boxer as a youth, with 50 fights and only 5 losses (“I was a pretty skinny kid... it's a sport I love, the science is definitely one of my favorite sports.” — 12:20)
• On Mentors: Details how mentorship shaped his career, citing Guillermo Diaz (first Latino CIO for Cisco) as a key influence and “inspiration” (15:01).
• Advice for New Entrants:
  • Pursue internships and mentorships.
  • “Bring up your next leader. Pull up, push up. That’s the bottom line.” (15:56 — Michael Archuleta)
  • Invest in the next generation and community outreach (e.g., Emergent Campus, cybersecurity bootcamps).

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Notable Quotes

• "We have a new CEO in healthcare, and that’s the patient."
  — Michael Archuleta (01:12)

• "If it’s not patient-centric, then it’s just more of a theater, innovation, noise. That’s not what we want to do."
  — Michael Archuleta (02:27)

• "Hospitals, clinics are digital companies that deliver health care services. That’s what we are."
  — Michael Archuleta (03:40)

• "Imagine...having that ability to integrate directly into the EHR. That’s a game changer."
  — Michael Archuleta (05:41)

• "Providers need to be providers. They need to get away from these workstations and these EHRs..."
  — Michael Archuleta (08:00)

• "The greatest lesson in life is don’t forget where you come from."
  — Michael Archuleta (11:27)

• "[To leaders:] Bring up your next leader. Pull up, push up. That’s basically the bottom line."
  — Michael Archuleta (15:56)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:55: Michael introduces his patient-first philosophy.
• 02:22: Discussion of AI’s place in healthcare strategy.
• 03:22: Examples of AI improving clinical outcomes.
• 04:44: Rural Hospital Transformational Program and remote monitoring.
• 06:39: Strategic EHR and AI initiatives at Mount San Rafael.
• 07:54: Description of new AI documentation and charge tools.
• 09:55: Building and supporting strong patient advocacy teams.
• 11:27: Life lessons and importance of humility.
• 12:16: Michael’s boxing background and inspirations.
• 15:12: Advice to students and new healthcare IT professionals.
• 15:56: The importance of mentorship in leadership.

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Tone and Style

True to the collaborative, energetic vibe of the conference setting, the conversation is lively, candid, and often laced with humor and personal anecdotes. Both Michael and Ed are optimistic but realistic about challenges—emphasizing relentless focus on the patient, technological adaptability, and the power of mentoring, grit, and giving back to the community.

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This episode is a must-listen for those interested in the intersection of AI, rural healthcare, and leadership. Michael Archuleta’s practical insights and personal story highlight what it takes to be an authentic, patient-centered innovator in healthcare today.

Transcript

[Michael Archuleta]

Foreign.

[Ed Gaudet]

Welcome to Risk Never Sleeps, where we meet and get to know the people delivering patient care and protecting patient safety. I'm your host, Ed Gaudet.

[Ed Gaudette]

Welcome to the Risk Never Sleeps podcast in which we learn about the people that are on the front lines protecting patient safety and delivering patient care. I. I'm Ed Gaudette, the host, and I am here live at Vegas Hymns 2026 with the man, the myth, the legend, Michael Archuleta.

[Michael Archuleta]

Thank you very much for having me. Really honored to be here.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah, good to see you.

[Michael Archuleta]

Nice seeing you as well. The thing is, I'm in front of the man, the myth, the legend as well. This guy's doing so many amazing things, it's unreal. So congratulations. Thank you, sir.

[Ed Gaudette]

Thanks, I appreciate that. So let's start off with sharing a little bit about yourself, your role, your company, for new listeners that may not know you.

[Michael Archuleta]

Yeah, absolutely. So, Michael Archlotta, Chief Information Officer with Mount San Rafael. Big focus around digital transformation and big focus around your zip code should never determine your health care outcomes. I've always stated that really bringing in technology initiatives that are really going to enhance better patient care outcomes is really number one, because I've always said that we have a new CEO in healthcare, and that's a patient.

[Ed Gaudette]

Love that. I remember that from last time.

[Michael Archuleta]

Absolutely.

[Ed Gaudette]

You should look at over the next three days you're leaving tomorrow. What were you hoping to take away from this event?

[Michael Archuleta]

It's always a great networking opportunity. I think we have so many different initiatives in place. Project wise continuing to focus around digital transformation, cybersecurity outcomes, which is such a critical element there too. The big topic around here is AI. It's embedded to almost every single specific aspect we have in place. I mean, believing it, it's do this long enough, it's a wild thing. But you know what? So I spoke at the AI forum here at HIMS and last year, several years ago, we were talking about how healthcare has been behind the curve when it comes to digital transformation. Right. We see the oil and gas, we see the finance industry there. There are many more years ahead of us. But for the first time ever, we're really driving the innovation towards artificial intelligence, which is huge because we're doing the most critical thing out there, and that's dealing with human lives. That's enhancing better patient care. So if we're using this technology to improve on those outcomes, that's a big win moving forward.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah.

[Michael Archuleta]

And I think that's what we really have to drive towards as well. Because when I look at artificial intelligence. And of course a lot of people want to say, hey, I want to, I have an AI strategy in place. But to me that's more like does it, is it patient centric? If it's not patient centric, then it's just more of a theater, innovation, noise. To me, it's like that's not what we want to do. We want to focus on what matters the most and that's patient care. It has to be about patients process and then technology. We've heard that saying many times. But we come to these technology conferences and we hear tech, but we forget that the most important element is definitely looking at how do we create the overall strategies around enhancing better patient care outcomes.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah, I love that focus on patients. And unlike any other technology trends where healthcare's been a couple years behind everybody else, every other industry, what's the level playing field? Right. We're all approaching AI together.

[Michael Archuleta]

We really are. And that's, it's such a, again, an amazing evolution of what's happening here too, that we're really utilizing this as a clinical tool set, which is such a huge thing. We incorporated a strong AI program within our radiology practices that have been life saving. Several algorithms that we've incorporated from validating brain bleeds to validating specific strokes. This has really been incorporated into our emergency medicine initiative, which you figure every minute matters moving forward. So if you can create that enhancement, that's such a critical thing. And you said this too is at the forum. I'm like, this is an awesome time to be in healthcare. It's because we're digitalizing, we're innovating, we're really driving these initiatives forward. We're going away from the brick and mortar theology of what health care has been built on. I've always said that hospitals, clinics are digital companies that deliver health care services. That's what we are. We're a digital company that delivers health care services. But again, the main item here though is the enhancements of better patient care. Yeah, the patient is our CEO. And as technology leaders, as I've always said, is if we're not building strong asynchronous tools that benefit our patients both inside and outside of our organization, we're not going to be successful.

[Ed Gaudette]

We've always talked about moving care to the home as well, 100%. And this is a. I think finally we'll be able to realize that. Right?

[Michael Archuleta]

Definitely. It's an interesting time. So when you look at some of these smaller facilities, especially the rural areas, you're seeing what's coming out of the big beautiful bill. Sometimes we say, maybe it's not so beautiful, but it is a big bill. It's big. One thing that is coming out of the big beautiful bill is the Rural Hospital Transformational Program, which is going to be several billions of dollars that are allocated to specific states that are basically participating in this overall program. Nice. It's going to be interesting to see how this overall initiative tries to really transform rural America, because this is a great opportunity to look at how are we enhancing those better patient care outcomes, like, for example, remote patient monitoring. It has such a huge driving force of really changing the way we deliver care. Imagine, okay, so if we do an analysis of our population, we see a high population value of diabetes in our community. How do we track that information? Especially with people that are in remote locations utilizing technology like remote patient monitoring, maybe putting in a cellular device, pack it into the overall blood cuff or their glucose monitor that they're basically looking at and having that ability to integrate directly into the ehr. That's a game changer. And one thing too though, is if you can incorporate remote patient monitoring and conduct care management as a specific service line into your organization, theoretically that's an additional revenue driver for your group as well. So again, you're innovating. You can utilize those specific initiatives around that rural Hospital Transformational program. So theoretically, it could be paid for and then plus you're adding in an additional strategic revenue contributor to the group itself. It's a win, man. No doubt.

[Ed Gaudette]

I love that. As you look out over the next couple years, what are you doing specifically in your organization? What are strategic initiatives?

[Michael Archuleta]

We have a lot of focus. We signed a multi deal with Oracle Health was cluny because when I signed it, when we signed the deal, there were so many podcast vendors saying, hey, want to do an interview with you? Why? Why'd you move in this direction? And it was mostly on a focus of. We didn't get on the same bandwagon as everyone else is going with epic. We looked at different initiatives around how do we stay autonomous? Were you meditech before or. No, we were a med host before.

[Ed Gaudette]

Med host.

[Michael Archuleta]

No. Yeah. So unfortunately, we had almost about eight different disparate systems in place and we're unifying them all into one. This was the best solution. This was allowing us to stay autonomous, allowing us to stay independent, and then also allowing us to incorporate these additional artificial intelligence tools that we're going to be one of the first to really showcase on a smaller facility standpoint. We're always trying to do the best of the best and that's what we do. It's really shown in individuals and organizations and recognitions have been, they've seen what we've been able to accomplish. But again we do these items to really see how we can continue to be a really a good focus for our overall patients that we serve as well.

[Ed Gaudette]

What are some of the AI tools

[Michael Archuleta]

that you're going to incorporate? Yeah, absolutely. So of course everyone is used to AI ambient. I think that's going to be a massive improvement for physician documentation. I've always stated that providers need to be providers. They need to get away from these workstations and these EHR is utilizing this technology to do the automatic dictation into the system validation. That's going to be a game changer. We're also incorporating a specific product called AI Charge Assist. So what this is, this is going to be incorporated into the ehr. It's embedded into the ehr. So with when our providers are done with documentation, you figure they're the ones that have to select the CPT code. And in the end our providers shouldn't be billers, they shouldn't be coders, they're providers. They need to be doing better. The enhancement of patient care. But using this tool is going to allow us to select the proper CDC code based off of that, off of that documentation, which theoretically would give us potentially more of an enhancement of revenue back to the group itself. That's a real time operation and that's a real time thing. And another thing too is we know about medical necessity. That's such an issue too. You know, it's like is these providers are having to select specific items at times, especially if an end of. If a patient needs more enhanced care, they have to run that through medical necessity. Is it medically necessary? And that's such an issue, which bugs me because sometimes you're getting the insurances to deny those specific services. That's a problem. Yeah. So we're using this technology to improve on the complete operational efficiencies of what we do as an organization for full enhancements of financial sustainability.

[Ed Gaudette]

I love the focus of patient as a CEO too.

[Michael Archuleta]

100%.

[Ed Gaudette]

I haven't heard that.

[Michael Archuleta]

So. And that's the thing, I've always said that patient care, we have to have patient centric initiative around anything that we do. And I said I don't care what position you have in your healthcare organization, your new CEO is a patient. And that's basically the bottom line.

[Ed Gaudette]

Do you have a strong Advocacy group that works cross functionally with 100%.

[Michael Archuleta]

We do, yeah. We definitely do have patient advocates that we do that. They do reach out to specific patients. They really coordinate as well. So excellent group of individuals. We've. We've done so much within the organization. We have a phenomenal leadership team. I give big kudos to our CEO. She's an amazing, powerhouse individual. It's really been a honor and a pleasure working with her and really being under her leadership as well.

[Ed Gaudette]

Nice. If you weren't doing this job, what would you be doing? What are your hobbies?

[Michael Archuleta]

The thing is, I. My. My wife teases me. She's like, you're involved in so many different items. You were appointed by the governor to be on the E Health Commission. You were. You're part of all these startups. You're doing entrepreneur items. She's like, you literally create your own chaos. And I said, you're absolutely correct on that. So I. It'd be interesting to see what I would be doing because I like staying busy, active, going. I'm definitely a family man. That's, you know, my family's number one with anything that I do in fitness too. I remember. And fitness as well. I think fitness is more of a mental item for me as well. Just to say, hey, let's keep on moving, let's keep on grinding. I need some push on it. I think I would be focused a lot on these startups. I love entrepreneurial initiatives just because there's a lot of these startups are really disruptors to a field that needs a lot of disruption, period.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah, I like that. Greatest lesson in life for you.

[Michael Archuleta]

The greatest lesson in life is don't forget where you come from. I think that's really the most critical thing moving forward. I would have, where I came from, started very humble, grew up in a very rough area. I would have never thought I'd be where I'm at right now. But I still appreciate all those specific items. I love that really developed me to who the human I am moving forward. Having that grip mentality of moving forward, that GSD mentality that we always talk about. I think that's a biggest driver of creating actionable items. Yeah. Is really getting that done. I love it. And we know how we do that because I know you do the exact same thing, man.

[Ed Gaudette]

Grinder. I'm Grinder. Grit. Right.

[Michael Archuleta]

I love it.

[Ed Gaudette]

Rather have the grit.

[Michael Archuleta]

Amen to that. What.

[Ed Gaudette]

What's one thing about you that most people don't know? One. One secret about Michael.

[Michael Archuleta]

When I was a Kid. I was an amateur boxer.

[Ed Gaudette]

Ah, all right.

[Michael Archuleta]

So I had 50 fights and five losses. I was actually doing very well back in what weight class. So I was a very straw weight. So I was a lot smaller than I am now. So I was. I was a pretty skinny kid. But. But it was. It's a sport. I love the science is definitely.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah.

[Michael Archuleta]

One of my favorite sports of all times.

[Ed Gaudette]

Any inspirations who was your go to boxer?

[Michael Archuleta]

I had a lot of good boxers. I like Sugar Ray, Rob. Yeah. And I like Oscar De La Hoya. I like Fernando Vargas. Nice. A lot of good, good fighters in place that really were Duran. Good. Roberto Duran. So they used to call them. They used to call him the Hands of Stone.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yes.

[Michael Archuleta]

He was absolutely amazing at everything that he's.

[Ed Gaudette]

My dad trained boxers. He was a boxer in the military.

[Michael Archuleta]

Oh, really?

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah. Amazing. And he was a Roberto Duran fan.

[Michael Archuleta]

Oh, yeah, I know. And that was just watching that fight. Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Robinson, all the Tommy Hearns, Rocky Marciano, Hagler. Man, these guys were just beasts.

[Ed Gaudette]

Yeah.

[Michael Archuleta]

You still do it? I don't anymore. The nice thing about it though, so when I go work out, there's at least a speed bag. Yeah. And that's never has lost me. It's still a momentum. My kids are like, wow, man, I didn't know that you're that fast on that.

[Ed Gaudette]

The hand speed.

[Michael Archuleta]

It's a. There you go. You got to have that mind speed in the hand speed. Oh, that's very cool.

[Ed Gaudette]

All right. You go back in time and see your 20 year old self, what would you tell them?

[Michael Archuleta]

Would definitely tell them. Just keep moving forward. Don't. Don't get yourself distracted. I think that's really a critical thing. Keep moving forward and try to stay out of trouble.

[Ed Gaudette]

Easier said than done.

[Michael Archuleta]

Isn't that the truth, though? Isn't that the truth?

[Ed Gaudette]

But the grace of God, Right?

[Michael Archuleta]

You know what? That's the honest truth. By the grace of God, I'm still here right now and moving forward and in the stage in this podcast with an amazing individual like yourself. So thank goodness for God.

[Ed Gaudette]

You thank goodness for God.

[Michael Archuleta]

Amen.

[Ed Gaudette]

You're on a desert island. You can bring five records with you. What would they be?

[Michael Archuleta]

Five records? What kind of records are we talking about?

[Ed Gaudette]

What kind of music you like?

[Michael Archuleta]

Okay, so five records. There we go. So I'm a guy of all kinds of music. I grew up with hip hop. I grew up with electronic music, which I like now. Country, believe it or not, Classical. Andre Bocelli. Oh, you actually got me some Tickets to go see him. It was an absolutely beautiful concert. I've. I've gotten a little bit more civilized over my time frame.

[Ed Gaudette]

Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[Michael Archuleta]

Red Hot Chili Peppers. There you go. I like some. Some rock. Lincoln Park. Lincoln Park. You know that. That was some good group as well. Yeah, good.

[Ed Gaudette]

Just Nine Inch Nails.

[Michael Archuleta]

Hey, There you go.

[Ed Gaudette]

You like a little?

[Michael Archuleta]

Yeah, absolutely. Okay. We had. I did individual race on your island.

[Ed Gaudette]

A piece of advice to those coming out of school that want to get into healthcare. Want to get into it.

[Michael Archuleta]

Absolutely. I think internship is always a critical thing. Trying to get involved with your overall schooling to see what type of organizations are doing those type of mentorship programs, I think it's important. I also think trying to get organized with a mentor itself, it's really critical there too. I've had so many successful mentors that have really mentored me and I've been super lucky with everything moving forward. One of my key mentors that I had, his name was Guillermo Diaz, so he went to Silicon Valley. They could have pronounced his name as Guillermo, so they would call him G. So they'd say, hey, G, how are you? So he became the first Latino CIO for Cisco Systems, which, you know, is not a small company of its own itself. So it was pretty amazing to see his overall progression and he's been a pretty good inspiration for me. And the cool thing about it is we're from the same area in southern Colorado, so I think that even gave us more of that connection in place. But again, you need a mentor. You need someone to guide you towards what to do, what not to do, and really move forward. And this is the thing though too, is when this goes to all the CIOs out there and all the C level individuals, bring up your next leader. Pull up, push up. That's basically the bottom line because I've seen a lot of individuals not wanting to basically bring up some of these new leaders in place, do that, need a number two. That's a bottom line. And if you look at what I'm doing too. So we have an awesome program in Trinidad. It's called the Emergent Campus. So the Emerging Campus is basically a huge little micro startup initiative that's also focusing and having a lot of different interactions with the college, with our cybersecurity program, with our technical program. We did the very first hackathon we did. I supported and basically funded several cyber security boot camps for the youth as well, you know, so for looking at the underserved individual, which I basically was part of that category when I was a kid of having these services is such a critical thing. So get out there, mentor, bring up these next leaders per year.

[Ed Gaudette]

Give back to the community.

[Michael Archuleta]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Ed Gaudette]

Michael, always a pleasure to have you on the show.

[Michael Archuleta]

It's all you. Keep on doing what you're doing.

[Ed Gaudette]

All right, Edgar Definite from the Risk Never Sleeps podcast brought to you by Senseinet, the leader in risk management for healthcare. If you're on the front lines protecting patient safety and delivering patient care, remember to stay vigilant because risk never sleeps.

[Ed Gaudet]

Thanks for listening to Risk Never Sleeps. For the show, notes, resources and more information and how to transform the protection of patient safety, Visit [e-mail] that's C E N S I N E T dot com. I'm your host, Ed Gaudet. And until next time, stay vigilant because Risk never sleeps.