Tech It to the Limit Episode 3.11 - HLTH-Y Dose Part 2: The Future of Agentic, Ambient, and Diagnostic Artificial Intelligence

In this second part of HLTH, Sarah Harper and Elliott Wilson dive back into the cutting-edge world of AI, focusing on technology that not only acts but also listens and sees what humans can’t. The episode features three insightful conversations from HLTH this fall, proving that the future isn't just about AI, it's about AI that works for you.

First, meet Jon Wang, CEO of Assort Health, who explores the frontier of agentic AI.

Next, Dr. Adam Glasofer of Vertex Health brings a reality check to the flashy health tech landscape.

Finally, Dr. Zachary Tan and Jeff Dunkel of Optain Health demonstrate how their AI-powered retinal exam transforms diagnostic care.

In This Episode:

• [00:47] Welcome back: Bonus episode 2.0
• [02:16] Exploring agentic AI with Assort Health
• [06:03] Interview with Jon Wang, CEO of Assort Health
• [21:47] The future of ambient innovation with Vertex Health
• [23:12] Interview with Dr. Adam Glasofer of Vertex Health
• [30:33] Survival tips for health tech startups
• [32:43] Navigating health conferences as a founder
• [42:37] AI and retinal screening innovations
• [49:23] Scaling precision imaging in frontline care
• [55:00] Wrapping up and looking ahead

Resources:

Tech It To The Limit Podcast

• Website
• Apple Podcast

Jon Wang

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonxwang
• Assort Health - https://www.assorthealth.com/

Dr. Adam Glasofer

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-glasofer-md
• Vertex Health - https://vertexhealthconsulting.com/

Dr. Zachary Tan

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharytan

Jeff Dunkel

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-dunkel-5529aa4

Sarah Harper

• LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbethharper

Elliott Wilson

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewelliottwilson

In this special HLTH bonus episode of Tech It to the Limit, hosts Sarah Harper and Elliott Wilson battle post-conference fatigue and full-blown health FOMO by bringing the conference floor straight to your earbuds. While Sarah recovers from a “very real case of health FOMO,” Elliott reports from the trenches after surviving days of buzzwords, badge scanners, and $9 lattes. To shake up the usual format, they press play on two standout booth interviews from HLTH.

First, Elliott sits down with Dr. Lynne Nowak of Surescripts for a deep dive into seamless prescribing, touchless prior authorization, interoperability, and price transparency. Dr. Lynne breaks down how automation is shrinking prior auth from a multi-day nightmare into a near-instant, 30-second reality, reducing burnout for clinicians and removing friction for patients who just want their meds on time and at a price they can afford.

Then, the episode shifts into venture-building mode with returning guest John Beadle of Aegis Ventures. John unpacks how his consortium model is helping health systems move from “innovation theater” to real innovation delivery by building and scaling AI companies faster than the market average. From ambient AI becoming table stakes to the rise of patient-facing agents, he offers a clear view of where healthcare innovation is headed next.

In this episode:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [01:16] Health conference recap setup
• [07:13] Interview Dr. lynne Nowak automation and burnout
• [10:25] Touchless prior authorization explained
• [12:59] Interoperability and data exchange
• [18:11] Trust and data governance
• [19:55] Future of data science at Surescripts
• [21:12] Interview wrap up Dr. lynne
• [24:42] Interview John Beadle AI startups and health systems
• [26:02] Startup success metrics and examples
• [28:11] Clinician experience and ambient AI
• [32:19] Advice for health conference attendees
• [33:07] Sponsor segment HIPAA compliance tool
• [34:22] Episode wrap up and teaser for part two
• [35:40] Healthtech haiku and sign-off

Resources:

Tech It To The Limit Podcast

• Website
• Apple Podcast

Dr. Lynne Nowak

• LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnee-nowak-md-62054583/
• Surescripts - https://surescripts.com/

John Beadle

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpbeadle/
• Aegis Ventures - https://aegisventures.com/

Sarah Harper

• LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbethharper

Elliott Wilson

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewelliottwilson

In this final episode of Season 3 of Tech It to the Limit, hosts Sarah Harper and Elliott Wilson go global and get grounded with a very special guest. After sharing travel tales from Germany and the HLTH conference, Sarah and Elliott debut their new game, “Trust-O-Meter,” rating real-world health tech scandals and solutions on a scale from “hospital stairwell cell signal” to “grandma’s green bean casserole.”

Then, they sit down with Dr. David Rhew, Global Chief Medical Officer at Microsoft, for a wide-ranging, surprisingly personal conversation on everything from his pivot from academia to industry ( a VA grant pushed him out) to the future of oculomics, voice biomarkers, and responsible AI. Dr. Rhew breaks down the three layers of bias, explains why implementation is everything, and doesn’t shy away from the hard truth about AI and the future of the healthcare workforce. It’s a deep, funny, and profoundly human conversation to close out the season.

The episode wraps with Wise Nugs and a final health tech haiku, leaving listeners hopeful and ready for Season 4.

Key Takeaways

• Trust needs humans in the loop :AI earns credibility when it supports clinical workflows, not replaces them.

• Bias hides in plain sight :Data, model design, and deployment all carry bias. Responsible AI means addressing all three.

• Implementation eats innovation for breakfast: Technology does not change healthcare; adoption and usability do.

• Your eyes and voice are the new vital signs :Oculomics and voice biomarkers are turning everyday signals into early detection tools.

• Equity must be built in, not bolted on:“Neutral AI” does not exist. Fairness and transparency have to be engineered from the start.

• Automation is not the enemy; stagnation is :AI will replace tasks, not purpose. The key is reskilling and redefining human work.

In this episode:

• [00:00:13] Welcome to the season 3 finale
• [00:01:19] Host travel log
• [00:05:24] Game debut: Trust-o-meter
• [00:22:01] Interview: Dr. David Rhew
• [00:23:34] Dad jokes and Korean BBQ regrets
• [00:25:27] From white coat to cloud
• [00:30:52] Bridging the hype-reality gap
• [00:34:50] Oculomics: The 2-minute eye scan
• [00:38:02] The DMA of bias
• [00:45:27] The TRAIN consortium
• [00:48:45] Cloud consolidation and data stewardship
• [00:58:29] Call to action: Operationalizing trust
• [01:05:32] Spicy nugs: Key takeaways
• [01:14:09] Health tech haiku and sign-off

Resources:

Tech It To The Limit Podcast

• Website
• Apple Podcast

Dr. David Rhew

• LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rhew-m-d-1832764/

Sarah Harper

• LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbethharper

Elliott Wilson

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewelliottwilson