Podcast
This Week Health: Newsroom
Hosted by This Week Health · EN
“This Week Health: NewsRoom” showcases our commitment to transforming healthcare one connection at a time, providing a dedicated space for timely discussions on industry news. Featuring programs like Today in Health IT, Newsday, UnHack (the News), and This Week Health: Live; this channel caters to healthcare professionals who face the constant challenge of staying informed despite their demanding roles. Guided by the seasoned insights of CEO and Host Bill Russell, and co-hosts Drex DeFord and Sarah Richardson—all of whom have firsthand experience in the trenches of health IT leadership—this channel delivers concise updates and expert analysis to keep you informed in the rapidly evolving world of health technology. Subscribe today for a reliable source of current information, accessible wherever you listen to podcasts.
10episodes
Episodes
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Newsday: Remote Patient Monitoring and Staffing Solutions with Margaret Ptacek
Aug 2500:23:05Tap to summarizeAugust 25, 2025: Margaret Ptacek, Vice President of Client Solutions from Experis Health, tackles three critical shifts happening in healthcare today. The conversation explores Hackensack Meridian's statewide hospital-at-home expansion and examines how healthcare systems can deliver acute-level care in patients' homes without compromising safety or quality. When staffing shortages threaten a new hospital's ability to provide basic services, the discussion turns to virtual solutions and workforce resilience strategies. Can technology and strategic partnerships solve healthcare's most pressing operational challenges while maintaining financial sustainability? Margaret shares insights from real-world implementations that are reshaping how care is delivered beyond traditional hospital walls. Key Points: 01:38 Remote Patient Monitoring and AI in Healthcare 07:01 Hospital at Home: Expanding Care Models 13:54 Addressing Staffing Shortages in Healthcare 18:22 Blending Technology and Human Touch in Healthcare News Articles: Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Devices Transform Patient Monitoring, Show Promise for Reshaping Cancer Care Hackensack Meridian Expands Hospital-at-Home to Improve Patient Care Statewide New Hospital Struggles with Staffing Shortages X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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2 Minute Drill: Salesforce Breach, CEO Deepfakes, and Otter AI Lawsuit with Drex DeFord
Aug 2200:05:11Tap to summarizeThis week's cybersecurity updates cover three critical stories: Workday discloses a data breach connected to ongoing Salesforce compromises by the Shiny Hunters group, CEO impersonation scams using deepfake technology surge past $200 million in Q1 losses, and transcription service Otter AI faces a class action lawsuit over alleged mishandling of sensitive meeting data. Drex emphasizes the importance of security awareness training, multi-factor authentication, and establishing "trust but verify" cultures that protect employees who take extra verification steps.Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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UnHack (the News): Cybersecurity Leadership and Rural Hospitals Under Attack with George Pappas
Aug 1800:29:06Tap to summarizeAugust 18, 2025: George Pappas, CEO of Intraprise Health, by Health Catalyst, joins Drex for the news. They tackle the pressing question of how CISOs can evolve from security scorekeepers into business transformation leaders who drive real organizational impact. As the hosts examine a recent White House initiative promising patient-centric healthcare, they question whether lofty proclamations can overcome the business interests maintaining today's fragmented systems. Can artificial intelligence finally deliver true healthcare interoperability, or will technical complexities and competitive pressures derail another promising solution? With $4 trillion at stake in the current healthcare ecosystem, they explore whether the industry has the willpower to prioritize genuine patient-centered care over preserving the current system. Key Points: 02:21 Discussion on Jigar Shaw's LinkedIn Article 08:20 Challenges Faced by Rural Hospitals in Cybersecurity 15:48 CMS News Release and Interoperability News Articles: CISOs that execute, make an impact & transform! Why rural hospitals are losing the cybersecurity battle White House, Tech Leaders Commit to Create Patient-Centric Healthcare Ecosystem
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2 Minute Drill: Cyber Subscriptions vs. Staff and CRM Systems Targeted with Drex DeFord
Aug 1300:05:57Tap to summarizeDrex covers three critical cybersecurity trends: companies swapping full-time security staff for platform subscriptions (requiring premium salaries for contract managers), the rise of AI agents in both cyber defense and attacks, and voice phishing campaigns targeting CRM systems like Salesforce that have compromised major brands including Adidas and Victoria's Secret. Healthcare organizations face unique risks from PHI exposure and must balance automation with human oversight while training staff on voice-based social engineering attacks.
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UnHack (the News): Summer Breach’s Surge and Hidden Security Lessons with Josh Howell
Aug 1100:23:48Tap to summarizeAugust 11, 2025: Josh Howell, Healthcare CTO from Rubrik, joins Drex for the news. They examine the spike of healthcare organization breaches in summer 2025, with threat actors now moving from breach to data exfiltration in minutes rather than weeks. Josh reveals research showing ransomware attacks trigger a 20-40% decline in patient volumes within the first week, but what happens when notification costs exceed settlement amounts? They challenge conventional disaster recovery thinking, questioning whether traditional DR measures address the real problem of rebuilding trust through isolated recovery environments. The discussion also tackles a critical industry issue—how can healthcare organizations break through legal barriers to share vital attack and recovery knowledge when every breach response happens in isolation, potentially leaving the entire sector vulnerable? Join the Rubrik Healthcare Summit on September 10 and learn how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks. Register at events.rubrik.com/healthcare. Key Points: 03:34 Current Cybersecurity Landscape in Healthcare 05:37 Challenges and Trends in Cybersecurity 11:36 Importance of Knowledge Sharing in Cybersecurity 16:01 Financial Impact of Ransomware Attacks News Articles: The Heat Wasn't Just Outside: Cyber Attacks Spiked in Summer 2025 Deloitte Paper
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2 Minute Drill: Hacker Infiltration, Corporate Leaks, and North Korean Updates with Drex DeFord
Aug 600:04:42Tap to summarizeThis episode covers three critical cybersecurity developments affecting healthcare organizations. First, FBI warnings about Scattered Spider ransomware group targeting employees through Slack and Microsoft Teams, including their alarming tactic of creating fake identities to join incident response calls and monitor remediation efforts. Second, leaked chat logs from the Conti ransomware group reveal these criminal organizations operate like structured tech startups with HR policies, management layers, and performance reviews - highlighting the sophisticated nature of modern cyber threats. Finally, CrowdStrike intelligence reveals over 900 North Korean operatives have quietly embedded themselves in US companies using deepfakes and fake identities, wiring paychecks back to the regime. The episode also mentions CISA's new free Thorium tool for malware analysis and forensic investigations.X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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Newsday: Prior Auth AI and Breaking Down Geographic Barriers with Colin Banas
Aug 400:24:10Tap to summarizeAugust 4, 2025: Colin Banas, MD, CMO of DrFirst, joins Bill for the news. With recent legislation expanding telehealth coverage before deductibles are applied, they examine how healthcare delivery boundaries are dissolving and what this means for the future of patient care. Drawing on fresh insights from the AMDIS conference, the conversation shifts to AI implementation done right, examining Ochsner Health's physician-led approach that delivers measurable results while other systems struggle with governance. Key Points: 03:39 Major US Health Insurers' New Pledge 08:59 Telehealth Coverage Expansion 14:05 AI in Healthcare: Ochsner Health's Approach 17:38 The Future of AI and Healthcare News Articles: Ochsner Health provides the AI support physicians are looking for Congress allows first-dollar telehealth coverage for high deductible health plans in reconciliation bill Major U.S. health insurers say they will streamline controversial process for approving care
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2 Minute Drill: North Korean Cyber Infiltration & Dating Site Leaks With Drex DeFord
Jul 3000:04:51Tap to summarizeDrex covers three critical cybersecurity threats impacting healthcare and beyond: North Korean operatives using deepfakes and stolen identities to infiltrate US companies as remote workers, the Allianz life insurance breach affecting 1.4 million customers through social engineering attacks, and the TTEA dating app's massive data exposure that compromised women's safety information. Essential insights on vetting remote employees, defending against social engineering, and app security risks.Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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Newsday: Breaking Down Silos and Exploring Agentic AI With Jacob Hansen
Jul 2800:26:09Tap to summarizeJuly 28, 2025: Jacob Hansen, Chief Product and Technology Officer at AvaSure, examines how healthcare is shifting from siloed departments to cross-functional journey teams. How are these collaborative approaches finally breaking through traditional barriers that have slowed healthcare innovation? The conversation explores the emerging world of agentic AI while grappling with where automation enhances care versus where the human touch remains irreplaceable. As ambient clinical documentation technology gains traction and physician acceptance, Jacob shares insights from AvaSure's virtual care maturity model and reflects on what patients actually want from healthcare technology. Can incremental implementation build the trust needed for widespread adoption, and will AI finally serve as the equalizer that brings healthcare innovation up to speed with other industries? Key Points: 03:17 Virtual Care Maturity Model 08:13 AI Agents in Healthcare 16:31 AI for Clinical Documentation 24:04 Closing Thoughts and Future Tech News Articles: How journey teams transformed IT at Ochsner Health AI Agents Are Coming To Healthcare Abridge Secures $300M Series E Led by a16z to Pioneer a New Paradigm of Care Intelligence X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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2 Minute Drill: SharePoint Attacks and Why Cybersecurity Training Isn't Working with Drex DeFord
Jul 2400:04:41Tap to summarizeThis week's cybersecurity roundup covers three critical healthcare security developments. Microsoft patched an actively exploited SharePoint zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2024-38023) that allows attackers with basic permissions to execute remote code and pivot through networks. Two major dermatology practice breaches - Mount Laurel Dermatology and Anne Arundel Dermatology - exposed over 1.9 million patient records through third-party vendor compromises, highlighting the risks of business associate agreements. Plus, cybersecurity expert Paul Conley challenges the healthcare industry's reliance on annual training and phishing simulations, advocating for personalized, continuous human risk management approaches that build actual cyber culture rather than just checking compliance boxes.Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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