Driving Healthcare Innovation: Insights from Sentara Health Plans

Availity® is excited to launch a new podcast—Availity On Air. This healthcare technology and business podcast is for provider and health plan professionals at the forefront of technological innovation.

Join us at the intersection of healthcare and technology, delivering insightful discussions on the latest trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory updates shaping the business and administration of healthcare today.

Each episode engages with industry leaders, renowned experts, product and technology thought leaders, and frontline professionals who are revolutionizing the healthcare landscape. Uncover the transformative power of artificial intelligence, data analytics, interoperability and more. Discover how technology and people are reshaping patient care, operational efficiency, and the overall healthcare experience.

Episode 1: Organization Transformation

In today’s dynamic healthcare landscape, fostering innovation isn’t just crucial—it’s a cornerstone of growth and sustainability. This episode of Availity On Air explores this imperative with Jesson Zafar and Dennis Kramer from Sentara Health Plans, offering valuable insights into their journey of establishing Sentara’s Transformation Center.

Breaking Down Barriers to Innovation

Jesson and Dennis navigate the complexities of healthcare solution development, highlighting challenges like departmental silos and bureaucratic inertia that often hinder progress. Despite these obstacles, they’ve forged a collaborative system at Sentara that promotes cross-departmental collaboration and innovation.

The episode focuses on the lifecycle of solution development—from initial ideation to market implementation. Listeners gain insights into how Sentara identifies and nurtures ideas from across the organization, ensuring every concept has the opportunity to thrive.

Central to their success is Sentara’s Transformation Center, a pivotal hub for innovation. Jesson and Dennis detail its role in vetting and developing ideas, showcasing real-world examples of its impact on streamlining processes and expediting execution.

Key Insights for Healthcare Leaders

For healthcare leaders looking to drive meaningful change, this episode provides actionable strategies. Jesson and Dennis share methods to overcome resistance to innovation, foster a culture of creativity, and implement scalable solutions that deliver measurable results.

Engage with Availity On Air

Listeners are encouraged to join the conversation by sharing feedback and guest suggestions. Whether scaling a Transformation Center or navigating healthcare innovation, this episode offers practical wisdom and inspiration.

Produced by Availity LLC, Availity On Air explores the convergence of healthcare, innovation, and technology. Industry experts share their perspectives, providing listeners with insights into the future of healthcare.

Listen to the episode here or wherever you access your favorite podcasts. Have a show idea? Contact me at the email below.

Matt Schlossberg is the Director of PR and Communications at Availity. He can be reached at [email protected].