Newsday LIVE at HIMSS '26: AI Agents, Workforce Reality, and the CIO Pressure Cooker

March 16: What are healthcare leaders really talking about at HIMSS? Bill Russell sits down with Sarah Richardson and Drex DeFord to share insights from the executive and cybersecurity forums—and the hallway conversations in between. AI dominates the discussion, but not just in clinical care. The hosts highlight the overlooked opportunities in operational workflows, patient outreach, and administrative efficiency. They also confront uncomfortable realities around workforce displacement, escalating infrastructure costs, and whether large technology vendors can maintain their value as AI lowers the barrier to building solutions internally. For CIOs, the challenge is clear: manage today’s operations while preparing for an AI-driven future that’s evolving faster than any roadmap.

Key Points

• AI Arms Race in Cybersecurity
• Where AI Delivers the Fastest ROI
• Workforce Disruption and Leadership Responsibility
• Vendor Pricing Pressure and Infrastructure Costs
• The Future of Build vs Buy in Healthcare IT