Provider frustration over prior authorization is real but doesn't tell the whole story of the patient journey, says Brian Smith, chief pharmacy officer at Shields Health Solutions.

By 2027, health systems must meet CMS regulations for issues including prior authorization and data access. eHealth Exchange's FHIR consultant Scott Rossignol says that complications including EHR readiness are delaying progress.

Policymakers seek to understand healthcare's AI applications so they can create guardrails that protect patients without stifling new technology developments, says Demetri Giannikopoulos, Rad AI CIO.

Lawrence Voyten, chair of the HIMSS Chapter Advocacy Task Force, says the task force educates chapter advocates on upcoming state and federal healthcare legislation and how it may impact vendors, patients and the industry.

Physicians have access to evidence-based guidance in the room as the conversation unfolds through a new partnership between Abridge and NEJM and JAMA, says Abridge Clinical Strategy Director Matt Troup, PA.

Federal lobbyist Brett Meeks of Jeffrey J. Kimbell & Associates says that advancing healthcare IT issues such as interoperability and data privacy is a daily mission and a personal passion.

Sarah Hatchett, Cleveland Clinic CIO, says that creating a smart hospital is less about implementing the latest hardware than creating a seamless longitudinal patient journey that starts before hospital admission.

Gayle Harrell, Florida state senator, says her background in managing a medical practice gave her insight she then used to help shape HITECH and e-prescribing legislation.