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June 29, 2026 l Issue #338

🔍 Top Insights

1. Mobile health tops early RHTP funding trends
2. Oracle partners with Theator to expand AI-powered surgical documentation to operating rooms
3. Patient portal messages doubled since 2020, study finds, underscoring challenges to physician workloads

The Big Unlock Podcast 

How St. Mary’s has improved patient safety and clinician experience by rethinking clinical decision support, reducing alert fatigue through careful curation, and involving frontline clinicians in governance decisions.

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Drawing on his experience as both a practicing clinician and a leading commentator on health policy, he argues that medicine is no longer the singular authority on health. 

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 Product Spotlight: Turn Every Patient Conversation into Actionable Intelligence 

Patient conversations are a rich source of operational intelligence. VoiceWell Insights uses AI to analyze every interaction for sentiment, intent, quality, and outcomes, helping healthcare organizations improve patient engagement, optimize contact center performance, and uncover actionable insights.

Built for healthcare with Epic integration and HIPAA & HITRUST-ready security. 

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Funding and M&A Moves

• xCures raises $46M to expand AI clinical data platform
• Assort Health lands $120M to scale patient journey AI agents
• Cadence raises $100M, announces Duke Health and Texas Health Resources collaborations
• Assort Health scores $120M series C to scale voice AI agent platform for healthcare

🤖 AI in Action

Use Case of the Week:  AI-Powered Revenue Integrity and OR Charge Capture  

Health System:  Owensboro Health  

 Hartford HealthCare launched PatientGPT, a generative AI assistant embedded within its patient portal and mobile app to provide patients with a safe, AI-enabled digital front door. The system leverages longitudinal patient records to answer health questions, explain lab results, identify medication interactions, and facilitate appointment scheduling, while escalating complex issues to clinicians when needed. Supported by rigorous clinical testing and governance, the initiative has driven strong patient adoption and demonstrated how AI can enhance access, engagement, and continuity of care while prioritizing safety. 

📊 Industry Spotlight

1. Three Approaches to Measuring and Managing AI ROI
2. Three things to watch amid Anthropic’s latest feud with the government
3. US health spending set to reach $9T by 2034: CMS report

🧠 Thought Leadership

• Beyond Adult Healthcare: Why Pediatric Digital Innovation Needs Its Own Playbook
• How AI is Helping Physicians Reclaim Time and Attention
  
• The Radical Transformation of Healthcare Through AI-Native Digital Platforms
• Doing More With Less: How Rural Health Systems Can Drive Tech Innovation Even With Significant Resource Constraints

💬 From the Frontlines

“AI won't replace humans in healthcare—it will make them better at their jobs. The future is about using AI to automate routine administrative work so clinicians can spend more time doing what only humans can do: caring for patients.”

—  Omkar Kulkarni, VP, Chief Transformation & Innovation Officer, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) (The Big Unlock Podcast Episode #210) 

📅 Upcoming Events

• RAISE Summit I July 7-9, 2026 I Carrousel du Louvre, Paris

📅 Upcoming Accelerator Submission

Startups eager to engage pharma as clients often find it challenging. PharmStars is the pharma-focused, virtual digital health accelerator whose mission is to bring startups and pharma together. Ten startups will be selected to join its 10-week pharma-oriented educational and mentoring program, PharmaU. PharmaU culminates with a Startup Showcase where startups present to and meet one-on-one with PharmStars’ pharma members. In addition to comprehensive education, expert mentoring, and unparalleled access to pharma clients, graduates receive an investment from the PharmStars Ventures Fund.

PharmStars is now accepting applications for its next virtual cohort, which begins September 9, 2026. The theme is “Digital Innovations in Immunology.” Applications are welcome from startups with innovative digital health solutions to help support and transform pharma’s multifaceted activities in immunology. Startups with a product or prototype related to the theme are encouraged to apply by July 12, 2026, here. 

Coming soon!! The Big Unlock Podcast with Naomi Fried, Ph.D., CEO & Founder PharmStars; Managing Partner PharmStars Ventures Fund.