Welcome back to Care Decoded, the podcast where we break down the complexities of healthcare technology, documentation, coding, quality, and clinical AI to help organizations work smarter, not harder. In this special New Year’s episode, hosts Dr. Sunil Nihalani and Mark McKeown turn the spotlight inward, reflecting on everything 2025 taught the industry and their own team at Inferscience.

This year was nothing short of a stress test for healthcare, marked by evolving CMS expectations, tougher audits, turbulence in risk adjustment, and a critical shift for AI from pure hype to real accountability. Dr. Sunil Nihalani and Mark McKeown discuss why flashy new tools often fell flat and how true progress came from technology that reduces clinician burden, works seamlessly inside clinical workflows, and, most importantly, earns trust.

Join them as they unpack the year's biggest lessons, share the real-world feedback they heard from hundreds of clinicians and leaders, and preview the themes that will define success in 2026: audit readiness, real-time intelligence at the point of care, and building genuine trust across the industry. Whether you're a clinician, health plan leader, or health tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare innovation.

Timestamsp:

00:00 "Care Decoded: Healthcare Insights 2026"

03:29 "Compliance Evolution and Clinician Support"

06:38 "Clarity, Speed, Confidence"

09:46 Enhancing Healthcare Workflow Intelligence

12:59 "Decoding Care in 2026"

Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/

Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/

Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/

Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/

“Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”

Welcome back to Care Decoded, the podcast where we break down the complexities of documentation, coding, and clinical AI to empower better care. In this episode, host Dr. Sunil Nihalani, CEO of Inferscience, sits down with Dr. Hassan Bencheqroun, critical care pulmonary specialist, creator of Med AI Academy, and host of the AI Ready Doctor podcast, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare.

Together, they dive deep into why AI is entering exam rooms faster than it’s entering medical training, and how physicians can move from feeling lost and overwhelmed to becoming proactive leaders in the AI revolution. They discuss the critical difference between AI tools that truly support patient care and those that just create extra noise, the importance of AI literacy (without needing to code), and the ethical challenges of bias, responsibility, and decision-making in an AI-driven world.

If you’re a clinician, educator, or just curious about how AI will impact the doctor-patient relationship, this episode covers practical steps for developing a “tech mindset,” advocating for ethical guardrails, and harnessing AI as an empowering tool. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on how physicians can shape tomorrow’s medical landscape by asking informed questions and keeping compassion at the center of care.

Timestamps:

00:00 "Bridging AI and Medical Training"

06:09 "AI Stages for Physicians"

09:34 "Spotting Good vs. Bad AI"

13:53 "Ethical Challenges of AI in Healthcare"

17:39 "Understanding AI to Question It"

19:07 "Redefining Medical Education"

21:50 "AI Empowering Physicians and Patients"

Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/

Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/

Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/

Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/

“Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”

Welcome back to Care Decoded! In this episode, host Dr. Sunil Nihalani, CEO of Inferscience, sits down with interoperability expert Brendan Keeler, better known as the “health API guy.” Together, they tackle one of health tech’s biggest promises: interoperability. You’ll hear a down-to-earth exploration of what interoperability really looks like in practice, from the daunting challenges of connecting healthcare systems and sharing patient data, to the recent regulatory pushes trying to bridge the gaps.

Dr. Sunil Nihalani and Brendan Keeler dive into the evolution of healthcare data exchange, discuss the real progress and persisting pain points, and unpack both the tailwinds and headwinds shaping the future of seamless data sharing. With candid stories from the front lines and practical insights, this episode cuts through the industry buzz, spotlighting where we’re at and where we need to go to make interoperability meaningful for providers, patients, and everyone in between. If you care about the future of healthcare, data access, and smarter care, you won’t want to miss this conversation!

Timestamps:

00:00 "Healthcare, Consolidation, and Frustration"

03:57 "Progress and Continuous Improvement"

07:15 EHR Data Sharing Challenges

11:23 AI Modernizing EHRs and Visit Prep

15:59 "TEFCA Driving Patient Data Access"

18:03 "Boost for Tech-Enabled Care"

21:03 "Trust Strain Threatens Care Networks"

25:01 Illegal Loopholes Exploiting Patient Data

27:46 Identity Proofing vs Scribble Debate

31:42 "EPIC's Dominance in Vertical SaaS"

34:57 EHR Integration and Antitrust Rulings

39:04 EHRs, APIs, and Information Blocking

41:11 "Ubiquity Over Structured Data"

46:16 "Optimism Through AI and Interoperability"

47:40 "Driving Interoperability Through Advocacy"

Podcast's Website - https://caredecoded.com/

Dr. Sunil Nihalani - CEO and Founder at Inferscience - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nihalani-a6983a5/

Inferscience - https://www.inferscience.com/

Podcast Powered by TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/

“Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”