T h e MOST VISIONARY BEHAVIORAL Health Leaders of 2025
How Senior Care Leaders Are Quietly Weaponizing AI to Redefine Workforce E ficiency Pg.22
The Undeniable Math: Why Your Hospital’s Future Is ‘Buy,’ Not ‘Build’ Pg.30 Your Hospital Is Leaking Talent. Plug the Dam with a Single Platform, Not More Pointless Apps Pg.40
Founder | Harford Counseling
Inaworlddefinedbydisruptionandconstantacceleration,thetruecrisisoftenliesbeneaththesurfacein thequietstrugglesofthemindandspirit.Thelastfewyearshavebroughtaseismicshiftinhowwe perceivementalandbehavioralhealth.Whatwasoncespokenaboutinwhispershasnowtakencenter stageinhealthcarereform,publicdiscourse,andcorporatestrategy Yet,awarenessaloneisn’tenough.It takescourageous,compassionate,andvisionaryleaderstotransformunderstandingintosystemsthatheal, empower,andrestorehumandignity.
Thesearethechangemakersredefiningbehavioralhealth,individualswhoviewtreatmentnotasa transactionbutasahumanconnection.Theyarebuildingorganizationsthatbridgeclinicalexcellence withempathy,datawithheart,andcarewithpurpose.
InthiseditionofTheGlobalHealthcareMagazine, “The 10 Most Visionary Behavioral Health Leaders of 2025,” wehonorthosepioneerswhoarenotjustshapingorganizationsbutredefiningwhatcaremeansin the21stcentury.Thesearetheprofessionalstransformingstigmaintosupport,dataintodirection,and compassionintosustainablesystemsofhealing.
Ourcoverstory,JenniferRedding,FounderofHarfordCounseling, exemplifiesthisevolution.Her journeybeganwithasingleactofchildhoodempathy,asimple,selflessmomentthatforeshadoweda lifetimeofservice.Guidedbybothintellectandcompassion,Jenniferturnedpersonalinsightinto professionalpurpose,buildingapracticethatbridgesscienceandsoul.Herleadershipremindsusthatin behavioralhealth,impactisn’tmeasuredbynumbersalone;it’smeasuredbythelivesquietlyreclaimed alongtheway.
ThiseditionalsohighlightstheinspiringworkofShirleyJ.Billigmeier,BrentKruel,TomHale,and LaurynM.Toby—leaderswhocontinuetoelevatethestandardsofbehavioralcarethroughcourage, innovation,andheart.Together,theyrepresentamovementreshapingglobalhealth—oneconversation, oneconnection,onelifeatatime.
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How a Three-Year-Old’s Act of Kindness Built a Healthcare Revolution
Therearewoundsthatdonotshowuponan
X-ray,fracturesthatcannotbesetinacast. Theyaretheinvisibleinjuriesofthehuman experience,thecomplexarchitectureoftrauma,grief, andlossthatshapeswhoweare.Tonavigatethisinternal landscaperequiresaspecialkindofguide,someonewho isnotonlyaskilledclinicianbutalsoasystemsarchitect, apersonwhocanseeboththeindividual’spainandthe organizationalstructuresthatcaneitherexacerbateor healit.JenniferReddingisthiskindofguide.Forover 28years,shehasworkedattheintricateintersectionof healthcare,education,lawenforcement,andsocial services,notasabystander,butasabuilder
AsthefounderofHarfordCounselingandthe visionarybehindPebblesThrowConsulting,Redding hasmovedfromtreatingtheindividualtotransforming theverysystemsdesignedtosupportthem.Sheis aleaderwhounderstandsafundamentaltruthofour time:thehealthofacommunityisinextricablylinkedto thewell-beingofitshelpers.Herworkisaquiet revolution,ashiftfromasking “What is wrong with you?” tounderstand “What has happened to you?” and, mostcriticallyfortheorganizationssheguides, “How can we build a culture that acknowledges this reality?” Herstoryisnotoneofasuddenepiphany,butofa lifetimeofobservation,ajourneythatbeganwitha single,simpleactofempathyandhasculminated inanationalmissiontobuildmorecompassionate, resilient,andprofoundlyhumaninstitutions.
Somepeoplefindtheircalling;othersseemtobeborn withitalreadyencodedintheirDNA.ForJennifer,the evidenceofherlife’spurposesurfacedbeforeshecould evenformcomplexsentences.Thestory,apieceof familylore,takesplacewhenshewasaroundthreeyears old.Hermothermentionedthatthetrashman’slittleboy didnothaveapacifier.Withouthesitation,young Jenniferwalkedtothetrashcanandplacedherown pacifierinside. “I wanted to help him,” sherecalls, “and the rest is history.”
Thissimpleactwasthefirstpebbledroppedinapond, theoriginpointofarippleeffectthatwoulddefineher entirecareer.Thatinnatedesiretoalleviateanother’s needwasnurturedbyacuriosityaboutthehuman condition. “I was drawn to behavioral health out of curiosity about why people do the things that they do,” Jennifersays.Butthiscuriositywasnotpurelyacademic.
Itwassharpenedbypersonalexperience,bywitnessing withinherownfamilythedevastating,generationaltoll thatuntreatedmentalillness,substanceuse,andtrauma cantake.Shesawhowthesestrugglescoulddefinea person,couldshrinktheirworld,anddimtheir potential.
Herpathwasset.Shewouldnotbeapassiveobserver. Shewantedtomakeadifference,tohelppeople rewritetheirstoriessothattheseissueswereachapter, nottheentirebook.Herjourneybeganonthefront lines,workinginavarietyofdirectcaresettings.She immersedherselfintherealitiesofherclients’lives, gainingadeep,firsthandunderstandingoftheirneeds. Butassheworked,shebegantoseethelimitationsof individualintervention.Tocreatelastingchange,she realizedshehadtoinfluencethesystemitself.
“Gradually I shifted into leadership,” Jennifer explains, “as I recognized I wanted to impact change on a larger scale, through creating skilled behavioral health professionals and programs that addressed gaps and needs in the communities I served.”
In2009,thisdesiretobuildsomethingbettertooka concreteform.JenniferfoundedHarfordCounseling basedonacriticalobservation.Atthetime,theworlds ofmentalhealthcareandsubstanceusetreatmentwere oftenseparate,siloedinstitutions.Apersonwastreated asiftheyweretwodifferentpeoplewithtwodistinct setsofissues,withoneoftenneedingtobeaddressed beforetheothercouldevenbegin. “Harford Counseling was created after recognizing that there was a real need in our local community to care for the ‘whole’person,” shestates.
Fromitsinception,thepracticewasbuiltona foundationofintegrated,trauma-informed,and person-centeredcare.Thephilosophywassimplebut profound:humansareimpactedbytheworldaround them,andtreatmentmustacknowledgethis interconnectedness.
Foroversixteenyears,HarfordCounselinghasbeena fixtureinitscommunity,providingaccessible,quality careforchildren,adolescents,adults,andfamilies. Itoperatesonprinciplesoftrust,respect,and compassion,becomingatangiblepartofthesolution forimprovingcommunityhealth.Buttheripplesof Jennifer’sworkweredestinedtotravelfurther
As humans we are all responsible for making the world a better place. Whether that’s on an individual level or on a grander scale.
Leaders who think it’s not their problem to address trauma for their team members are short-sighted.
Undertheumbrellaofherpractice,shecreatedPebblesThrow Consulting,aventuredesignedtotakethelessonslearnedwithin herclinicandapplythemtootherorganizationsnationwide. Throughconsulting,training,andstrategicplanning,shebeganto helpotherleadersbuildthekindofsafe,connected,andresilient environmentssheknewwerepossible.
CentraltoJennifer’sentirebodyofworkistheconceptof trauma-informedleadership.Thisisnotasoftskillorapassing managementfad;itisafundamentalreorientationofhowleaders viewtheirworkforce. “Trauma-informed leadership revolves around many of the same tenets used in trauma informed care,” sheexplains.Thecoreprinciplesareaboutcreatingasenseof emotionalandphysicalsafety,fosteringtrustworthinessand transparency,encouragingcollaboration,andempoweringteam membersbygivingthemvoiceandchoice.
Therationaleforthisapproachisgroundedinstarkreality “Research shows that approximately two-thirds of team members have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) and/or other traumatic event in adulthood,” Jennifernotes. “These experiences come to work with your staff.” Afterthe collectivetraumaoftheCOVID-19pandemic,thisrealitybecame impossibletoignore.Prioritiesshifted.Theconversationaround work-lifebalanceandmentalwell-beingbecameurgent. “Leaders who think it’s not their problem to address this for their team members are naïve and short-sighted,” shestateswithclarity
Toignoretheemotionallivesofemployeesistoignorethevery engineofproductivityandcreativity.AsJenniferpointsout,the humanneedtoconnectisoneofourmostvitaldrivers.Whenthat needismetintheworkplace,whenpeoplefeelsafeandsupported, theythrive.Tothisend,sheimplementspractical,effective strategieswiththeorganizationssheconsults.
Jenniferchampionslow-impactdebriefing,a methodforconductingone-on-oneorsmall group “autopsies” ofaprojectorsituationto analyzewhatworkedandwhatdidnot, withoutresortingtoblame.Shealsoadvocates forgatheringintentionally,respecting people’stimebyonlyholdingmeetingsthat arenecessaryandaddrealvalue.Thesearenot grand,sweepinggestures,butsmall,consistent actionsthat,likeapebbledroppedinwater, createpowerfulripplesoftrustandrespect.
Astheownerandexecutivedirectorofa thrivingpracticeandanationalconsulting firm,Jennifer’sresponsibilitiesarevast.She overseesahealthcareportfolio,ensuresthe qualityofcareatherclinic,andservesasan activeproblemsolverinhercommunity, tacklingissueslikesuicideanddrugoverdose preventionandsupportingthementalhealthof firstresponders.Shehasservedonnumerous boardsandchairedcommittees,alwayswith thegoalofimprovingthehealthofher community.
Yet,whenaskedwhatsheismostpassionate about,heranswerisnotaboutmetricsor growth. “The thing that I currently value the most about my role is being able to be part of the solution,” Jennifersays. “I’m a firm believer that as humans we are all responsible for making the world a better place.” This beliefmanifestsinherdedicationtomentoring otherleaders,tohelpingthemontheirown journeys,andtocreativelydeveloping solutionstothecomplexchallengesof behavioralhealth.
Hermeasureofachievementissimilarly human-scaled.Itisnotfoundinabalance sheet,butinthelivesshehastouched.
“My most meaningful achievements have come from prior clients and team members whom I have served, indicating that they have healed, grown, and are the person they were born to be,” Jennifershares. “Not that I was responsible for their growth, but that I earned their trust and was allowed to be a part of their journey is such a genuine privilege.”
Thisperspectiveisencapsulatedinaquotesheholdsdear,from TheodoreRoosevelt’sfamous “The Man in the Arena” speech. Itspeaksofthecreditbelongingnottothecritic,buttotheone “who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly.” ThisiswhereJennifer Reddinglivesandworks:inthearena.Sheisnotatimidsoulon thesidelines;sheisontheground,doingthedifficult,messy,and essentialworkofhealing.
AsJenniferlookstothefuture,herfocusremainsonthiswork. Sheisexploringnewopportunitiesthatwillallowhertocontinue growingandmentoringleaders,creatingspaceswhereinnovative behavioralhealthcarecanflourish.Herjourney,whichbeganwith apacifierinatrashcan,hasbecomeatestamenttothepowerofa lifespentdaringgreatlyinaworthycause.Sheisanarchitectof compassionatesystems,amentortoresilientleaders,andaliving exampleoftheprofoundandlastingimpactofasingleperson whodecides,againandagain,tobepartofthesolution.
Intoday’shealthcareindustry,technologyisno longerjustatool—it’sanecessity.Withrapid advancementshappeningdaily,leaderswhothrive inthisspacemustadaptorriskbeingleftbehind.Brent Kruel,founderandCEOofBioFunctionalHealth Solutions(BHS),isdoingmuchmorethankeepingup. He’sreshapinghowcompaniesandemployeesthink aboutoccupationalhealthbyintegratingtechnologyinto hands-onwellnesssolutionsthatarepersonal,effective, andscalable.
Kruel’svisionforBHScomesfromyearsofworkingin boththetechnologyandhealthcaresectors.Hisworkhas alwaysrevolvedaroundonecentralidea:howtouse technologytogenuinelyimprovepeople’shealth.But Kruelisnopassiveobserver.Heisactive,involved,andat thehelm,ensuringthatthesolutionshiscompanydelivers aren’tjustanotherapporsoftware—they’repracticaltools thatpeoplewilluse.Anduseeffectively.
“Ilovepeople,andI’mpassionateabouthelpingthem becomethebestversionsofthemselves,”Kruelsays.It’s notjustaboutcreatingcutting-edgesolutions—it’sabout deliveringtheminawaythatmakesrealchangepossible.
BrentKruel’sjourneybeganlongbeforefoundingBHS.A highschoolathletewithpotential,Krueloptedtoforgo athleticscholarshipstoserveintheAirForce.This decisionwouldsetthefoundationforhisfuture,exposing himtoadvancedtechnologiesthathewouldlaterleverage inhiscareer.Hismilitaryservicedidn’tjustshapehis technicalskills—italsosolidifiedhisbeliefinthevalueof healthandwellness,especiallyafterhesufferedaserious spinalinjuryduringhistrainingattheUnitedStatesAir ForceAcademy(USAFA)
ThatinjuryturnedouttobeapivotalmomentforKruel. Facedwiththepossibilityofacareer-endingsetback,Kruel didn’tjustovercomeit—hefoundanewpurpose.Health andwellnessbecamemorethanjustwords;theybecamea mission.
GraduatingfromUSAFAasaDistinguishedGraduatein 2000,Kruelembarkedonacareerinhealthcare administration.Evenasayounglieutenant,hequicklyrose throughtheranks,managingmulti-million-dollarprojects andearningrecognitionasoneofthetopinformation officersintheAirForce.By2007,Krueltransitionedinto thecorporateworld,wherehetookonhigh-levelexecutive roleswithinthehealthcaretechnologyspace.Itwasinthis environmentthatKruelrealizedthetruepotentialof combininghealthandtechnologyinawaythatwould addressthegrowingchallengesofmodernoccupational health.
Whilemanyhealthcarecompaniesfocusontechnology alone,Kruelknowsthat’snotenough.Hisapproachgoes beyondjustimplementingsoftwareandplatforms.“Youcan havethebesttechnologyintheworld,butitwon’tmakea differenceifpeopledon’tuseit,”hesays.That’swhere BHScomesin.Thecompanyintegratesitstechnologywith humanexpertise,employingregisterednurseswhocoach employeesthroughtheirwellnessjourneys.
Thishybridmodel—technologywithahumantouch—sets BHSapart.Thenursesdon’tjustimplementprograms;they buildrelationships,fostertrust,andensurethatemployees actuallyengagewiththetoolsprovidedtothem.From helpingemployeesmanagechronicpaintooptimizing mentalhealth,BHSnursesareattheheartofthe ompany’sapproach.
Andit’snotjustaboutcompliance—it’saboutmakingsure thetechnologyservestheindividual.BHShasdevelopeda proprietaryprocessthatallowsforahighlypersonalized approach,meetingeachemployeewheretheyareand tailoringsolutionsaccordingly Whetherit’sthrough functionaloccupationalmassage,lifestyleprograms,or brainfunctionoptimization,BHSensuresthatevery serviceisgroundedinpractical,real-worlduse.
Brent’sjourneyfromtheAirForcetothecorporateworld andeventuallytoentrepreneurshipwasn’twithoutits challenges.Leavingthesecurityofmilitaryservice,Kruel hadtonavigatethecomplexitiesofthecommercial healthcaresector.Hequicklyadapted,movinginto managementrolesthatgavehimoversightofmajor projects,includingan8-figureP&Lwithinfouryearsof leavingtheAirForce.
Theexperiencewasinvaluable.Kruellearnedhowtoscale businessesbytrustingtherightpeopleandcreatinga culturethatprioritizedqualityandgrowth.Hispassionfor healthandwellnesspermeatedeverypositionheheld,and whenthetimecametostarthisownventure,hewasready.
ButKrueldoesn’tseehissuccessasanendpoint.“It’snot abouthittingafinancialtargetorgrowingthecompanyfor thesakeofgrowth,”hesays.“It’saboutleavinga legacy—aboutimprovingpeople’slivesinawaythat lasts.”
AtthecoreofBHSisacommitmenttopersonalized wellness.Thecompanyoffersasuiteofservicesdesigned totackleeverythingfrommusculoskeletalpainto cognitivefunction.Eachsolutionistailoredtothe individual,aprinciplethathasguidedthecompanysince itsinception.
Brainfunctionoptimization,forexample,usesan AI-supportedsystemandsupplementstoimprove cognitiveperformance—somethingespeciallyvaluable forpeoplesufferingfromthelong-termeffectsof COVID-19.Lifestyleandwellnessprogramsfocuson creatingeasy,sustainablehabitsthatimprovephysicaland mentalhealth.Whetherit’shelpingsomeonemanage chronicbackpainorguidingthemthroughstress managementtechniques,BHSprioritizeslong-term, meaningfulchange.
Oneofthecompany’smostinnovativeservicesisitspatented3D MobilityHealthAssessment,whichusesdigitaltechnologyto assessandpreventmusculoskeletalinjuries.It’saproactive approachthathelpsemployeesstayhealthyandavoidcostly treatmentsdowntheline.
Thisdata-drivenmodelisbackedbyhands-oncare.Thecompany’s medicaldirector,arecognizedleaderinmusculoskeletalhealth, providesexpertconsultations,helpingclientsnavigatecomplex painmanagementchallenges.It’saholisticapproachthataddresses boththephysicalandmentalaspectsofoccupationalhealth.
BHSdoesn’tjustdeliversolutions—itfostersacultureofintegrity, empathy,andrespect.Kruelisquicktopointoutthatthe company’ssuccesscomesfromitspeople.“Wehavethebest nursesintheworld,andthat’snotbyaccident,”hesays.Each memberoftheteamiscommittedtotheirownhealthandwellness, andthatpassiontranslatesdirectlyintotheworktheydowith clients.
Thecompanyalsopartnerswithsomeofthetopmindsin healthcare,includingworld-renownedneuroscientistsand musculoskeletalspecialists,toensurethatitssolutionsarebacked bythelatestresearchandtechnology.Thiscombinationofelite partnershipsandadedicatedteamallowsBHStoofferinnovative, effectivesolutionsatcompetitiveprices.
AsBHSlookstothefuture,thecompanyissettoexpandits servicestoreachindividualconsumers,notjustlargecorporations. “Wewanttobringthesesolutionstoeveryone,regardlessofwhere theywork,”Kruelsays.Thecompany’supcominglaunchof TransformativeWellbeingInnovations™aimstodojustthat, offeringitstechnology-enabledwellnessprogramstoabroader audience.
Kruel’svisionforBHSisn’tjustaboutgrowth—it’sabouthealing. “Themorepeoplewereach,thefasterwecanmakeareal differenceinthedeclininghealthandwell-beingofthe population,”hesays.
ForBrentKruel,everystepforwardisaboutmakingapositive impact.Whetherit’sthroughgroundbreakingtechnology, personalizedcare,orsimplyhelpingsomeoneliveahealthier, happierlife,hisfocusremainsonwhatmattersmost:people. Andthat’sexactlywhatmakesBHSmorethanjustanother healthcarecompany—it’sarevolutioninhowwethinkabout occupationalhealth.
Let’scutthroughthenoise.
Thequestionisn’t artificialintelligencewill whether impactseniorcare—italreadyhas.Therealquestionis who’squietlycapitalizingonit…andwho’sgoingtoget leftbehind.
Seniorcare,forthelongesttime,hasoperatedinareality ofslowprocesses,papertrails,workforceshortages,and razor-thinmargins.Butthat’schanging—andnotwith massivePRfanfareorover-polishedtechbrochures.It’s changingquietly,strategically,andirreversibly—by leaderswhounderstandwhatAIis goodat. actually
Andno,it’snotjustchatbots.
Letmeshowyouhowahandfulofforward-looking organizationsareusingAI—nottoreplacehumans—but to theirpeople’stime,sharpenclinicalaccuracy, multiply andshoreuptheveryinfrastructureofagedcare.
TheRealOpportunity:MultiplytheHuman Workforce,Don’tReplaceIt
JoeVeldermanat getsit.Hedidn’tstart CypressLiving withsomegrandideaaboutAItakingovercare.He startedwithasimple,high-frictionproblem:falls.
Everytimearesidentfalls,aclinicianneedstogenerate apersonalizedplan.It’smanual.It’scomplex.
It’seasytomisssomething.Enter Hugo—their custom-builtAIassistant.Nottoreplacethe clinician—buttoofferafaster,smartersecondbrain. Itpullsevidence-basedinterventionsinreal-time.It doesn’tguess.Itguides.
That’showAIworksintherealworld.Notmagic. Notfuturistic.Just functional.
Anditgetssharpereverytimeaclinicianratesits output.ThestaffimprovestheAI.TheAIimproves theirdecision-making.Feedbackloopsthatusedto takeyearsnowcloseinweeks.
Letthatsinkin.
SeniorCare’sUnseenBottleneck:AdminWork
Inhealthcare,clinicalcaregetstheglory.Butadmin workbleedsyourtime—andyourbudget.
CypressLivingrecognizedthisearly.Sotheydidn’t waitforaperfectAItool.Theybuilt170+small automationsusingMicrosoftPowerAutomate.These aren’tbuzzworthy.They'reboring—but deadly effective.
Turnapaperformintoadigitalone.Auto-senditto therightinbox.Eliminateaphonecall.Savefive minutes.Nowmultiplythatbyeverysmalltask, everyshift,everyweek.
Theydidn’tneedtolayoffstafftoseegains.They gavehoursbacktoalready-stretchedteams.
Thisiswherestrategybeatshype.Veldermandidn’t ask,“What’stheshiniesttooloutthere?”Heasked, “What’sstealingourtime—andhowdowekillit?”
WhenAIPredictstheFallBeforeItHappens
Let’stalkaboutpredictivepower.
AtCypress,datascientistKristinaTroyertraineda machinelearningmodelthatnowpredicts—with90% accuracy—whoislikelytofallinthenext72hours.
That’snotjustastat.That’sthreedays’worthof forewarningtopreventalife-alteringinjury.That’s feweremergencytransfers.That’sfamilieswhoget peaceofmind.
Thisiswhatitmeansto augment clinical instinct withcold, hardmath.NoAIhallucinations.Justevidence-basedearly warningsystems.Andthey’reusingthesameresidentdata theyalreadyhad.
JuniperCommunities:FromRobotsinDiningHallsto AI-PersonalizedWellness
NowshiftgearstoJuniperCommunities,anetwork spreadacrossfivestates.They’reusingrobotsindining halls.Notbecauseit’sflashy—butbecauseitoffsetsstaff shortages.Buttherealactionishappeninginthedata.
TheirCOO/CTO,DonBreneman,isbettingbigon personalization.Andhere’swhy:Whenyouknowwhata residentloves,whatmotivatesthem,whatslowsthem down—youdon’tneedgenericprogramming.Yougive themtherightexperiencethefirsttime.
TheirCatalystprogramisalreadydoingthiswithhuman concierges.Nowthey’rebuildingtheAIto scale it.Imagine asystemthatcantrackaresident’sfullcarejourney—from GPtoneurologisttoPT—andthenrecommendtheright mixofwellnessactivitieswithsurgicalprecision.
Nomoreguesswork.Justintelligentorchestration. Also:they’repreppingtheirfilesystemstodaywith structuredmetadata.Why?Soinayearortwo,theirAI systemscansearch,summarize,andadviseinseconds—not hours.Strategicgroundworkalwaysprecedesvisible transformation.
GivensCommunities:PlayingtheLongGamewith Guardrails
NoteveryAImoveneedstoswingforthefences. Sometimes,thesmarteststrategyisjust controlled exposure
AtGivensCommunities,VPofITRichardFoorisletting histeamsexperiment—insideasandbox.
Theyappointedateamof“Copiloteers”—earlytestersof MicrosoftCopilot,embeddedintoWord,Outlook,and more.Sixtypercentofthemuseditintheirdailywork. Overhalfsaiditsavedthemtime.Thatnumber’snow rising.
Foor’splayingthegamelong.He’stestingmultiprocessAI agentstosmoothoutonboarding.He’sbuildinginternal botsthatnotonlyanswerpolicyquestionsbutreflectthe culture ofGivens.
Thevision:in10years,AItoolsthat understandyourorgsowell,theymake decisionsaVPwouldbeproudof.Foor’s notthereyet—buthe’sbuildingtherails now
TheWorkforceProblemIsn’tGoing Away.ButtheEquationisChanging.
Let’szoomout.
We’refacingaworkforcecliffinsenior care.Fewerhands.Moreresidents.And traditionalrecruitingisn’tscaling.
Soprovidersareflippingtheequation:
· AIcomplianceassistantsnowhandle reportingrequirements.
· Predictivemodelsflaglikely readmissionsorriskysituations.
· Automatedtranscriptionreplaces repetitivedocumentationinclinical workflows.
· NLP-drivenrecruitingtoolskeep prospectivehireswarm—with personalizednudgesand reminders—beforeHRevencalls.
Thisisn’taboutmakingaflashyAIpress release.It’saboutsurvival.Efficiencyisn’t a“nice-to-have.”It’stheonlywayforward.
Here’swhatnovendorwilltellyou:AI won’tsaveyouunlessyoudothehardwork first.
Ifyourdataismessy,yourworkflows outdated,oryourstaffoverwhelmedwith alerts—they’llrejectAI,notadoptit.AI isn’tabandaidforchaos.It’saforce multiplierforsystemsthatalreadywork.
Socleanyourdata.Audityourprocesses. Automatethebasicsfirst.ThenbringAI intothemix.
Youdon’tneedtogoall-intomorrow.But you do needtostart.
FinalTakeaway:AIIsNottheGoal.Time Is.
Everyone’stalkingaboutalgorithms.Butthe smartestleadersinseniorcarearechasing time
Timefornursestospendwithresidents. Timeforfamiliestotrustthesystem.
Timeforexecutivestolook ahead,notreact.
Timeforteamsto think again,notjustexecute. AI,doneright,givesthattimeback.
Ifyouleadaseniorcareorganization,here’s yournextmove:
Don’task,“HowdoweuseAI?”
Ask,“What’swastingourteam’stime—and whatwouldhappenifwegotthattime back?”
ThenfindtheAIthatquietlykillsthatfriction. Nohype.Nofluff.Justrealreturns.
LaurynM.Toby,Ph.D.,BCBA,HSPP,is adedicatedleaderintheworldofautism care,servingasVicePresidentof PsychologicalServicesatLittleStarABA Therapy Withoveradecadeofexperience workingwithchildrenwhohave neurodevelopmentaldisabilities,shehasmadea significantimpactinthisfield.Dr.Toby’sacademic journeybeganattheUniversityofIllinois Urbana-Champaign,wheresheearnedher bachelor’sdegreeinpsychology.Furthermore, shecompletedherPh.D.inClinicalPsychology withaspecializationinSchoolPsychologyat IllinoisStateUniversity
Dr.Toby’sclinicalexpertisecomesfrom prestigiousinstitutionsliketheKennedyKrieger Institute,whereshecompletedherpostdoctoral fellowship.SheworkedattheNeurobehavioral Unit-OutpatientClinicatJohnsHopkinsSchoolof Medicine,whereshefocusedonautismspectrum disordersusingAppliedBehaviorAnalysis(ABA) techniques.Thisfoundationhasenabledherto contributetothefieldinwaysthatextendbeyond clinicalcare.Herworkasanadjunctprofessorat DrakeUniversity,teachingABAandethicscourses, showshercommitmenttosharingknowledgeand shapingthefutureofautismcareprofessionals.
SincejoiningLittleStarABATherapyin2019, Dr.TobyhasclimbedtheranksfromDirectorof PsychologicalServicestoVicePresident, showcasingherleadershipabilitiesanddeep understandingofautismtreatment.Shebringsa data-drivenapproachtoherwork,ensuringevery therapyistailoredtotheuniqueneedsofeach child.Herpassionforimprovingthelivesof individualswithautismandtheirfamiliesisevident throughherpublishedresearchinjournalslikethe Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis andher contributionstobooksonneurodevelopmental disabilities.
Dr Toby’sleadershipatLittleStargoesbeyond providingclinicalcare.Shefostersacollaborative environment,empoweringherteamoftherapists andclinicianstoachievethebestpossibleoutcomes fortheirpatients.Herholisticapproachensuresthat thetherapiesnotonlyaddressbehavioralchallenges butalsoenhancetheoverallqualityoflifefor childrenwithautism.
LittleStarABATherapy:TransformingLivesThrough AppliedBehaviorAnalysis
LittleStarABATherapyisaleadingorganizationdedicated toprovidingtailoredcareforindividualswithautism.Witha missiontomakeameaningfuldifferenceinthelivesof childrenandtheirfamilies,LittleStarusesApplied BehaviorAnalysis(ABA)therapytoofferspecialized supporttoindividualsofallages.Foundedonthebelief thateverychildcanreachtheirfullpotential,LittleStar providesasensory-friendly,structuredenvironmentwhere childrencanthrive.
OneofLittleStar’sstrengthsliesinitscommitmentto personalizedcare.Theirservicescatertodifferentage groups,fromearlylearners(18monthsto5years)to school-agedchildren(5to12years)andeventeensand adults.Thiscomprehensiveapproachensuresthatnomatter thestageofdevelopment,individualswithautismcanaccess therighttherapytohelpthembuildlanguage,socialskills, andindependence.
LittleStaralsogoesbeyondABAtherapywithadditional serviceslikespeechtherapyanddiagnosticevaluations. Theirspeech-languagepathologistsworktoenhanceboth verbalandnon-verbalcommunicationskills,whichareoften challengingforindividualswithautism.Theirdiagnostic serviceshelpfamiliesnavigatethecomplexworldofautism diagnosis,offeringguidanceandsupportfromthevery beginning.
WhattrulysetsLittleStarapartisitsfocusonfamily involvement.Recognizingthatfamiliesplayacrucialrolein achild’sprogress,LittleStarofferstrainingtoparents, empoweringthemtocontinuereinforcingtheirchild’s learningathome.Thisfamily-centeredapproachensuresthat therapyisn’tconfinedtotheclinicbutisintegratedinto everydaylife.
Bycombiningcutting-edgeresearch,personalizedcare,and acommitmenttoadvocacy,LittleStarABATherapyis shapingthefutureofautismcare.Undertheleadershipof expertslikeLaurynM.Toby,LittleStarcontinuestoprovide hopeandsupporttothousandsoffamilies,helpingthem navigatethechallengesofautismandbuildbrighterfutures fortheirchildren.
Let’sbedirect.Thatserverroominyourhospital’s basementisnotanasset.Itisaliability.
Youseeitasahubofcontrol,afortresssecuringyour patientdata.Iseeitasagildedcage,amonumenttoa pastera.Itlocksupyourcapital,drainsyour operationalbudget,andchainsyourbesttechnical mindstothethanklesstaskofmaintenance.Whileyour teamisbusyreplacingafailedharddriveat3AM, yourcompetitor,whoabandonedthismodellastyear, islaunchinganewpatient-facingtelehealthapp.
Fordecades,youoperatedonasimplepremise:to controlyourIT,youhadtobuildit.Youboughtthe servers,youlicensedthesoftware,youhiredthepeople toboltitalltogether.Thisapproachfeltsecure.Itfelt responsible.
Today,thatfeelingisanillusion.Thatapproachisnow thesinglegreatestthreattoyourorganization’sagility, financialhealth,andcompetitiveposition.
Thenewmandateissimpler,bolder,andformany, deeplyuncomfortable.Youmuststopbuilding.You muststartbuying.
Thisisnotadebateabouttechnology Thisisa conversationaboutstrategyandsurvival.Overthenext fewminutes,Iwilldismantletheold“build”modeland giveyoutheruthless,value-drivenlogicforthe“buy” model,knownasSoftwareasaService(SaaS).Thisis theclandestinetechniqueCEOsuse:theyreframethe problemtorevealanobvioussolution.Theycommand influencenotwithcomplexity,butwithclarity.
TheMythoftheFortress:DeconstructingYour On-PremiseLiability
Youbelieveyouron-premiseinfrastructuregivesyou control.Letmeaskyouafewquestions.
DidyoufeelincontrolwhenyourEHRwentdownfor sixhourslastquarterbecauseofaservercooling failure,forcingyourclinicianstoreverttopapercharts?
Doyoufeelincontrolknowingthatyourentiresecurity posturedependsonasmall,overworkedITteam fendingoffstate-sponsoredransomwaregangs?These gangshavebudgetsthatdwarfyourentireIT allocation.
Didyoufeelincontrolwhenyousigneda$2million checkforaserverrefresh,knowingthathardware wouldbefunctionallyobsoleteinthreeyears?
Thisisnotcontrol.Thisistheburdenofownership. Youhaveunintentionallygoneintothedatacenter business,abusinessyouarenotequippedtowin. Insistingonrunningyourownserverstodayislike insistingongeneratingyourownelectricity.Thepower gridismorereliable,morescalable,andexponentially cheaper Yourfocusshouldnotbeonkeepingthelights on;itshouldbeonwhatyoudowiththelight.
The“build”modelconsumesyourtwomostprecious resources:capitalandtalent.Thecapitalyouspendon steelboxesandenterpriselicensesiscapitalyoucannot spendonanewMRImachine,anoutpatientclinic,or patientexperienceimprovements.
Thetalentyouemploytopatchserversandmanage databasesistalentyoucannotdeploytoanalyzeclinical data,streamlineworkflows,orinnovateonpatientcare delivery
Youmustescapethiscage.
StrategicFlip:FromCapitalBurdento OperationalAdvantage
Thecoreofthisshiftisasimpleaccountingprinciplethat hasprofoundstrategicimplications.Youmustmoveyour technologyspendingfromaCapitalExpenditure(CapEx) modeltoanOperatingExpense(OpEx)model.
TheCapExModel(Build):Youmakelarge,infrequent, high-riskinvestments.Youspendmillionsoninfrastructure, hopingyouhaveaccuratelypredictedyourneedsforthe nextfiveyears.Ifyouoverestimate,youhavewasted capital.Ifyouunderestimate,yourperformancesuffers,and patientcareisimpacted.Itisarigid,unforgivingcycle.
TheOpExModel(Buy):Yousubscribetoservices.Your costsbecomepredictable,manageable,monthlyexpenses. Whenyouneedmorecapacity,youadjustyour subscription.Whenyouneedanewcapability,likea patientschedulingtool,youaddanewservice.Thisisnot justanaccountingtrick;itisthekeytoorganizational agility.ImaginethisconversationwithyourCFO.
OptionA(Build):“Ineed$1.5millionforastoragearray refresh.It’sacriticalcapitalexpensewemustmakethis year.”
OptionB(Buy):“Iameliminatingour$1.5million storagerefreshproject.Instead,wewillsubscribetoa HIPAA-compliantcloudstorageserviceforapredictable $20,000permonth.Wecannowreallocatethat$1.5 milliontofundthelaunchofthreenewurgentcare centers.”
Whichconversationdoyouwanttohave?Thesecond optionmovesyoufromtheITbusinessbackintothe healthcarebusiness.ThisisthestrategicpowerofSaaS.
Whenyoushiftfrombuildingtobuying,youarenotjust changingyourexpensemodel.Youareacquiringfour strategiccapabilitiesthatarenearlyimpossibletoreplicate in-house.
Intheoldmodel,launchinganewservice—apatient portal,abillingsystem,atelehealthplatform—wasa monumentalundertaking.Itinvolvedmonthsof procurement,development,integration,andtesting.
WithSaaS,yousubscribe.Yourteamcantest,iterate, anddeploynewideasinweeks,notyears.Youwantto trialanewpatientengagementplatform?Yousignupfor apilotprogram.Ifitworks,youscalethesubscription.If itfails,youcancelitandtrysomethingelse.Youfail fast,youfailcheap,andyoufindwhatworks exponentiallyquicker Thisspeedbecomesyourprimary competitiveadvantage.Itallowsyoutorespondto patientdemandsandmarketshiftswhileyour“building” competitorsarestilldraftingprojectproposals.
Yourlegacysystemsaredatasilos.Theywerebuiltfora differenttimeanddonotcommunicatewitheachother withoutexpensive,brittle,customintegrations. Interoperabilityisapipedream.
ModernSaaSplatformsarebuiltontheprincipleof connection.Theyuseopenstandards,likeFast HealthcareInteroperabilityResources(FHIR),toshare dataseamlessly YournewSaaS-basedEHRcanspeak directlytoyourSaaS-basedlabsystem,whichcanspeak directlytoyourSaaS-basedbillingplatform.
Thisiswheretheterm“360-degreeview”stopsbeinga buzzwordandbecomesaclinicalandoperational weapon.Whendataflowsfreely,youcanseeinreal-time whereoperationalbottlenecksarechokingyourrevenue cycle.Youcangivecliniciansatrulycompletepatient historyatthepointofcare,pullingdatafrommultiple systemsintooneunifiedview.Youstophoardingdatain stagnantpondsandturnitintoariverofactionable intelligence.
Let’sbeblunt.Yourorganizationcannotwinthe cybersecurityarmsrace.Microsoftwillspendover$20 billiononsecuritythisyear.AmazonandGoogleoperate onasimilarscale.Theyemploythousandsofthe world’stopsecurityengineers.Theirentirebusiness modelrestsontheirabilitytoprotectdataand maintaincompliance.
Whenyouuseareputable,healthcare-focusedSaaSprovider, youarenotjustbuyingsoftware;youarebuyingasliceof thatmulti-billion-dollarsecurityapparatus.Youarebuying their24/7threatmonitoring,theirautomatedpatching,their physicaldatacentersecurity,andtheirteamsofcompliance expertswholiveandbreatheregulationslikeHIPAA.
Maintainingcomplianceisnolongerafrantic,manual checklistforyourteam.Itisacorefeatureoftheserviceyou subscribeto,auditedandcertifiedatalevelyoucouldnever affordtoachieveonyourown.Youmovefromapositionof defensetoapositionofoutsourcedstrength.
Whatisyourdisasterrecoveryplan?Isitasetofbackup tapesinafireproofsafe?Haveyoueveractuallytesteda full-systemrestore?Howlongwouldittake?
ThisisascenariothatkeepshospitalCIOsawakeatnightfor goodreason.Formoston-premiseenvironments,true,tested resilienceisamyth.
AmatureSaaSsolutionprovidesthisbydefault.Yourdatais notjustononeserver;itisreplicatedacrossmultiple, geographicallydistinctdatacenters.Ifafloodtakesouta facilityinVirginia,yourapplicationsfailovertoadatacenter inOhio,oftenwithnoperceptibledowntime.Thisisn’tan expensiveadd-on;itisfundamentaltothearchitecture.This resiliencetranslatesdirectlytocontinuityofcare.Itmeans yourclinicianscanaccesspatientrecordsduringapower outage,ahurricane,oracyberattack.
Thisshiftchangestheverynatureoftechnologyleadership. YourCIOandtheirteamarenolongermaintenancecrews andsystembuilders.Theybecomestrategists,vendor managers,andservicebrokers.
Theirnewjobisto:
1.Vetpartnersruthlessly:Theymustconductdeepdue diligenceonpotentialSaaSproviders,scrutinizingtheir security,compliance,andfinancialstability
2.Negotiateironcladagreements:Theymustmastertheart oftheServiceLevelAgreement(SLA),definingclear termsforuptime,performance,andsupport.
3.Managetheintegration:Theymustensurethatthe servicesyoubuyworktogetherasacohesivewhole, managingtheflowofdatabetweenplatforms.
Thisisamorestrategic,morevaluablerole.Itfocuses humantalentonextractingvaluefromtechnology,notjust keepingitrunning.
ThefinalpieceofthislogicisArtificialIntelligence.AIis notaproductyouwillgooutandbuy.Itisafeaturethatis beingembeddeddirectlyintotheSaaSplatformsyouwill use.
AI-poweredclinicaldecisionsupportwillbeafeaturein yourEHRsubscription.AI-drivenpatienttriagewillbepart ofyourschedulingsoftware.AI-basedanomalydetection willbeacomponentofyourrevenuecyclemanagement tool.
ByadoptingaSaaS-firstmodel,youpositionyour organizationtoabsorbtheseAIadvancementsasthey happen.YoudonotneedtohireateamofPh.D.data scientiststobuildpredictivemodels.Yousimplyneedto enablethefeaturefromthetrustedSaaSpartneryouhave alreadyvetted.ThisallowsyoutoleveragetheR&D budgetsoftheworld’slargesttechcompaniesfora predictablemonthlyfee.
Weareataninflectionpoint.Theargumentsfor maintainingyourownon-premiseITinfrastructurehave crumbled.Itisslower,moreexpensive,lesssecure,andit shacklesyoutothepast.
Thepathforwardisclear,logical,andstrategicallysound. Youmustshiftyourmindsetfrom“building”to“buying.” FrameITnotasacostcentertobeminimized,butasa portfolioofstrategicservicestobemanaged.
Thisishowyouwillwin.Youwillbecomemoreagile, moreinnovative,moresecure,andmorefinanciallysound. Youwillfreeyourcapital,yourpeople,andyourfocusto dowhatyouactuallydo:deliveroutstandingpatientcare.
Thechoiceisyours.Youcancontinuetopatchthe crumblingwallsofyourfortress,oryoucanstepoutside andjointhenewera.Yournextleadershipmeetingshould haveonequestionontheagenda:Whatisourplantoget outoftheserverbusinessandfullyintothehealthcare business?
Yourfuturedependsontheanswer
Diettrendsandweightlossfadsconstantlyappearanddisappear Theypromisequickfixesbutoftendeliverfrustrationandselfdoubt.Amidstthischaos,trueleadersofferadifferentpath. Theyprovideunderstanding,lastingsolutions,andempowerment.These individualsdonotjustaddresssymptoms;theytacklerootcauses, transforminglivesfromtheinsideout.Theybuildmovementsthat resonatedeeply,helpingpeoplereclaimtheirinherentwisdom.
ShirleyJ.Billigmeierstandsoutassuchaleader.Shehasdedicatedher careertohelpingothers.Shepositivelyimpactstheirlives.Asthe FounderofInnergetics,anauthor,andaconsultant,shechampionsan energy-basedapproachtonaturalweightloss.Sheofferssolutionsto disorderedeatingandhealthstrugglesthatplaguemillions.Billigmeier bringsdeepempathyandpersonalunderstandingtoherwork.Shedoes notsimplyteachamethod;sheguidesindividualsbacktotheirbodies’ naturalintelligence.
ShirleyBilligmeier’sjourneybeganwithaverypersonalstruggle. Throughouthighschool,sheherselfgrappledwithpooreatinghabits. Thesehabitsworsenedovertime.Despiteherphysicalactivityasa cheerleader,shecontinuedtocarryextraweight.Thisremainedapersonal issueuntilshebecameateacher.
ShetaughtatSt.LouisParkPublicSchools inthe There,she 1970s(specifically1971) witnessedyounggirlsdealingwith strikinglysimilarissues.Theirdistress helpedherrecognizeherownlingering anxietiessurroundingweightandeating. Thisrealizationfueledapowerfuldesire withinher.Shewantedtounderstandthe complexinterplayofpsychology,nutrition, andphysicalexercisethatunderpinned thesestruggles.Consequently,she embarkedonextensiveresearch.Shesought todevelopasystemthatcouldtrulyhelp othersbreakfree.
Herresearchledhertoaprofound“aha moment. Itcameafterthebirthofherfirst ” child.Shewatchedherinfantdaughter exhibit verystrongeatingboundaries. “ ” Herchildknewpreciselywhentostart eating.Shecertainlyletherknowwhenshe wantedtostopeating.Thisnatural,intuitive eatingcontrastedsharplywiththestruggles adultsfaced.Billigmeierobservedthat researchersunderstoodtheconceptof hunger.However, nothingwasavailable “ ” toguideindividualspracticallyonhowto reconnecttothisinnatewisdom.Her missionsolidified:sheneededtohelp peoplegeteating backinorder.” “
Billigmeier sresearchculminatedinthe ’ publishingofherbook, InnerEating: “ HowtoFreeYourselfForeverfromthe TyrannyofFood, in .Dr.Michael ” 1991 JensenoftheMayoClinicwrotethe forewordforthebook,lendingsignificant validationtoherwork.
Thebookbroughtherapproachtoawider audience.Itspawnednumerousspeaking engagements.Shestartedspeakingatthe NationalConventionofCompulsiveEating. Theseopportunitiesfurtherrevealedthe depthoftheproblem.Atthe1994Summit onCompulsiveEating:TreatmentAtThe CrossroadsinDenver,Colorado,sheagain realizedthattheprevalent“rulesof eating”—imposedbydietsandexternal pressures—significantlyinterferedwith people’snaturaleatingboundaries.
Recognizingtheneedforastructured processtoguidethisreconnection,she createdhercompany,Innergetics,in1994 (launchingin1995).Innergeticsembodies theprocessof“resurfacingthenaturaleating boundarieswithoutdrugs.”Billigmeier firmlybelievesthatpeoplearebornwith theirnaturaleatingboundaries—hungerand taste.Shestates,“Wearebornwithour naturaleatingboundaries-hungerandtaste. Wejuststoppedlistening.”TheInnergetics processinvolvesremovingtheinterference thatblocksthesesignals.Itguides individualstoowntheirinternalboundaries. Ithelpsthemrestoretheirnaturaleating habits.
TheCoreofInnergetics:Reclaiming PowerandJoy
Innergeticsstandsapartfromconventional dietingmethods.Itscoreprincipleliesin restoringaperson’snaturalabilityto regulatetheireatingbasedonhungerand taste.Unlikeothermethods,Innergetics allowsforcompletefreedomofchoicein eating.Billigmeierbelievesunequivocally thatpeopleshouldonlyeatwhenhungryand stopwhenfull.Thisfreedomofchoice formsthekeyelement.“Thekeyistotal choiceofallfoods,”sheasserts.This approachempowerstheindividual. “Whoeverownsthechoiceownsthe power,”shenotes.Peopleneedtoreclaim theirownchoicesregardingfood—what sustainstheirlife—torediscoverthejoyof eatingwhilelivinginabodytheylove livingin.
TheInnergeticsprocessdoesnotrecognize“failure.”Itprovidesapathway backtoaperson’soriginal,naturalboundaries:hungerandtaste.Billigmeier hascontinuouslyrefinedtheInnergeticsProcessthroughouttheyears.She developeda“multitudeoftools”tosupportindividualsonthisjourney.Her goalissimplebutprofound:helpeveryoneresurfacethejoyofeatingwhile beinginabodytheylovelivingin.Sheworkswithindividualsone-on-one. Shestrivestopositivelyimpactlivesthroughpersonalizedguidance.
ShirleyBilligmeieroffersauniqueperspectiveonbodyweight,particularly whatsocietycalls“fat.”Sheusestheterm“storage”instead.“Iusetheterm storagebecauseitrepresentsstoredinformation—ourbodiesholdingonto pastintakethatisnolongerneeded,”shementions.Sheexplainsthatbodies wereoncemeanttohaveextrastorageforfamine.However,shenotes,“asof yet,noonehaspredictedafamineinthenearfuture.”Consequently,carrying extrastoragesimplydoesnotfeelgoodorserveapurposeintoday’s environment.“Carryingextraweightsimplydoesnotfeelgood,”shesays.
Billigmeieremphasizesthedisconnectthatoccurswhenpeoplefocussolely onanumberortheexternalgoaloflosingweight.Thisfocuscausesthemto losetouchwiththeirnaturalconnectiontoeating.“However,whenwefocus onanumberorthegoaloflosingweight,wecanlosetouchwithournatural connectiontoeating,”sheadds.
Hunger,sheargues,isnotsomethingto fear.“Hungerisnotsomethingto fear—it’savaluablesignalthathelpsus determinewhenwetrulyneedfood.”By listeningtohunger,individualscantrust theirbodiestofindbalancewithoutthe pressureofexternalgoals.
Shealsoaddressesbodyimagedirectly. Innergeticsfostersamindsetof self-acceptance.Itrecognizesthatbody imageismerelyavisualinterpretation ratherthananinternalsensation.“The appearanceofthebodyisavisual,an interpretationofourbrain,”Shirley explains.“Itisnotasensationfelt internally,likehunger.”Innergetics teachesindividualsthathonoringthe gut’ssimplehungerandtastemessages resultsinaslenderbodythatachieves overallbalancenaturally
ShirleyBilligmeier’sdrivetohelpothers extendsbeyondtherealmofeating habits.Asabreastcancersurvivor herself,sheexperiencedthedifficult realityofchemotherapy Whenshe neededtoundergochemotherapy,she hadtopurchaseawig.Herresearchfora wigledhertodiscovercoldcaptherapy. Thistechniqueallowspatientstokeep theirhairduringchemotherapy treatment.Recognizingtheprofound impactthiscouldhaveonotherpatients facinghairloss,shetookaction.
In2010,sheco-foundedTheRapunzel Projectwithherco-founder,Nancy. Theystartedthisnonprofitorganization withaclearmission:helpother chemotherapypatientskeeptheirhair throughouttheirtreatment.This endeavorshowcasesBilligmeier’s compassionateleadership.It demonstrateshercommitmentto alleviatingsufferingandsupporting othersthroughchallenginghealthcrises, againdrawingpowerfromherown personalexperience.
Challenges:AdaptingtoaDigital World
Likeanypioneerintroducingatrulydifferentconcept, ShirleyBilligmeierfacedsignificantchallengesin spreadinghermessageandexpandingherreach.One ofhergreatestobstaclesinvolvedleveraging technologytoconnectwithabroaderaudience.She didnotgrowupinthedigitalera.However,she adaptedandembracedthenecessarytools.Shecreated anonlinecourse.Thisallowedhertoextend Innergetics’reachglobally,overcominggeographical barriers.
Today,herdedicationhasbuiltaglobalnetwork.She hascertifiedcoachesfromSouthAfrica,Australia,the USA,andtheUK.Thesecoachescommitthemselves tocarryingforwardhermission,bringingthe Innergeticsprocesstoindividualsaroundtheworld.
ThefoundationofInnergeticsrestsonmutual respect—respectforoneselfandfortheworldaround us.ShirleyBilligmeier’sprogramteachesindividuals thatestablishingahealthyrelationshipwithfood positivelyextendstootheraspectsoftheirlives.It fostersasenseofautonomyandempowermentthat resonatesthroughoutdailychoices.
Throughherwork,Shirleyhasnotonlychanged individuallivesbutalsobuiltamovementthatgains momentumworldwide.AsInnergeticscontinuesto grow,sheremainsintenselyfocusedontrainingmore coaches.Thisexpandsherimpactandbringsher messagetomorepeople.“Theexcitementofchanging livesisthemotivation,”shesays.Theteamat Innergeticsconsistsofindividualswhohavelivedthe processthemselves.Theyknowthejoyof rediscoveringahealthyrelationshipwithfood.They possesspassionforsharingitwithothers.
Herultimategoalremainsclear:eliminatefoodand weightstrugglesworldwide.Shefirmlyasserts, “Eatingismeanttogiveusenergy,notdrainit.”She believesthatsociety’sfixationonbodysize perpetuatesunnecessarystruggles.Itcreatesacycleof frustrationandself-doubt.Instead,sheadvocatesfora fundamentalshiftinfocus.Shechampionshonoring thebody’snaturalhungercuesandembracingfoodas asourceofnourishmentandpleasure.
Shehasputherconsultingonholdtocomplete necessarypreparationsforpromotingherapproach andreachingthiswideraudience,demonstratingher determinationtoachievehervision.
ShirleyBilligmeier’ssignificantimpactand pioneeringworkhaveearnedhernotable recognition.Asatestamenttoherinfluence,shehas beennamedBestFoodRelationshipAdvisoratthe Food&DrinkAwardshostedbyLUXlifeMagazine forthreeconsecutiveyears:2021,2022,and2023 TheTop100Magazinealsolistedheramongthe Top100InnovatorsandEntrepreneursin2023 Theseaccoladeshighlightthegrowingrecognition forheruniqueandeffectiveapproachtohealthand well-being.
ShirleyBilligmeier’sjourneyprovidesapowerful inspirationtoentrepreneursandchange-makers worldwide.Heradvicetothoselookingtomakea meaningfulimpactoffersclearguidance.“Havea passionforwhatyoudothatwillbringjoytoothers and/orhelpothers,”sheadvises.Sheencourages aspiringleaderstodevelopthatpassion continuously Theymustlearnandgrowpersistently Shestatesaprofoundcallingforall:“Beinthis worldtomaketheworldabetterplacebecauseyou werehere.”
Herrelentlesspursuitofaworldfreefromeating strugglesstandsasatestamenttoherdedicationand vision.ThroughInnergetics,ShirleyBilligmeierhas proventhatfoodshouldbeasourceofjoy,nota battleground.Sheleadsaquietbutpowerful revolution,oneperson,onemealatatime,helping individualsreconnectwiththeirbodies’innate wisdomandreclaimtheirlives.
Let’sbedirect.Yourmostvaluableasset walksoutthedooreverysingleevening, andyouaredoingalmostnothingtostopa growingnumberofthemfromnevercomingback.
I’mtalkingaboutyournurses.
Youarelosingthem.Nottothehospitalacross town,buttoburnout.Toexhaustion.Tothesoulcrushingweightofathousandadministrativetasks thathavenothingtodowithpatientcare.Youare losingthemto“deathbyathousandclicks.”
Andthetechnologyyou’vepurchasedto“help” them?It’smakingtheproblemworse.
You’vegiventhemadozendifferentapps,a chorusofuncoordinatedalerts,andapatchworkof single-point“solutions”thatforcethemtobedataentryclerksinsteadofclinicians.Everynew deviceaddsanotherlogin,anotherinterface,and anotherlayerofcomplexitytoanalreadychaotic workflow Youthinkyou'reinnovating,butyou're justcreatingdigitalnoise.
Stop.
Theanswerisnotanotherapp.Theanswerisnota fancieralertsystem.Theanswerisaradical strategicshift.Youmustmovefrombuying fragmentedtoolstoimplementingasingle, integratedclinicalautomationplatform.Thisisnot atechnologyproblem;itisacommand-andcontrolproblem.It’stimeyousolveditlikea strategist.
TheAnatomyofFailure:WhyYourCurrent “Solutions”BleedYouDry
Beforewefixtheproblem,youmustacceptits truenature.Thechaosinyourclinicalworkflowis aself-inflictedwound,bornfromaflawed procurementstrategy.Foryears,departmentshave identifiedaproblemandboughtatooltofixit.
· Patientfalls?Buyabedalarm.
· Inconsistentvitals?Buyanewmonitor
· Communicationbreakdown?Buyanew messagingapp.
Eachpurchase,madeinavacuum,seemslogical. Butinpractice,youhavearmedyournurseswitha collectionoftoolsthatrefusetospeaktoeach other Theresultisanursewhospendstheirshift togglingbetweenadozenscreens,tryingto synthesizeahurricaneofdisconnecteddatapoints intheirhead.Theyareforcedtoconnectthedots thatyourtechnologycan’t.Thisisnotsupport;it issabotage.
Thisfragmentationhastwocatastrophiccosts:
1.FinancialHemorrhage:Thecosttoreplacea singlenurseisstaggering—estimatesoften exceed$50,000whenyoufactorin recruitment,training,andlostproductivity. Multiplythatbythenumberofnursesyou losetoburnouteachyear Thefigureislikely inthemillions.Youarepayingapremiumfor aproblemthatyourowntechnologychoices areactivelyfueling.
2.ClinicalInefficiency:Everyminuteanursespends wrestlingwithtechnologyisaminutetheyarenot spendingwithapatient.It’saminutetheyaren’tusing theirclinicaljudgment.It’saminutewhereacritical changeinapatient’sconditioncouldbemissed amidstthenoiseofadozenmeaninglessalerts.
Youwouldneverrunyourfinancedepartmentwithfive different,non-integratedaccountingprograms.Whydo youacceptthischaosintheonedepartmentresponsible forpatientlivesandyourorganization’sreputation?
TheStrategicShift:AUnifiedCommandCenterfor PatientCare
Youmustreplacethisdisjointedarsenaloftoolswitha unifiedcommandcenter.Wewillcallthisstrategythe IntegratedCareEnvironment.It'snotabouta“room ofthefuture”;it’saboutaplatformforthe now.Itworks byconsolidatingtechnologyintoasingle,intelligent system.
Hereistheoperationalblueprint.
TheIntegratedCareEnvironmentunifiesfivekey technologiesontooneplatform:
1. MachineVision:Camerasthatmonitorforpatient movement,fallrisks,ordistress.
2. MachineAudio:Microphonesthatcandetectcries forhelporsoundsofafall.
3. AdvancedSensors:Touchlesssensorsthat continuouslycapturevitals,movement,andsleep patternswithoutdisturbingthepatient.
4. PatientInteraction:Smartscreensthatprovide entertainment,education,andadirectlinefornonurgentcommunication.
5. Telehealth:In-roomcamerasandaudiofor seamlessvirtualconsultationsandfamilycheck-ins.
Individually,thesearejustgadgets.Butwhenintegrated intoasingleplatform,theybecomeapowerful,cohesive system.Insteadoffivedifferentalertsfromfivedifferent devices,theplatformsynthesizesthedata.Itunderstands context.
· OldWay:Abedalarmbeeps.Avitalsmonitor showsaslightdipinoxygen.Thepatient’sfamily callsthenurse’sstation.Thenursehasthree separate,competingdemandsfortheirattention, withnoideawhichismostimportant.
· NewWay:Theplatform’sAIdetectsthata patientistryingtogetoutofbed(vision),notes theirbreathingisslightlylabored(audio),and seestheirheartrateiselevated(sensors).Itsends asingle,specific,high-priorityalerttothenurse’s mobiledevice:“FallriskforJohnSmithinRoom 302.Patientappearsunsteady.Possible respiratorydistress.Recommendimmediate check.”
Inonestroke,youhaveeliminatedthenoise.You havereplacedraw,disconnecteddatawithactionable intelligence.Youhavegivenyournursetheonething theyneed:aclearsignal.Youhaveautomatedthe chaosaway,freeingyourcliniciantodowhatonly theycando:providehumancare.
TheImplementationMandate:ThisIsNota Democracy
Overcomingthebarrierstothistransformationisnot abouttechnology.Itisaboutleadership.Theprimary obstaclesarecultureandfinance,andyoumust dismantlethemwithstrategicintent.
1.TheCultureProblem:Yourclinicianshave “solutionfatigue.”Theyhavebeenburnedbya decadeoffailedtechnologypromises.Donotask themiftheywant“anothernewsystem.”Thatisthe wrongquestion.
Yourjobasaleaderistoreframethemission.Youare not adding atool;youare subtracting five.Youare notaskingthemtolearnsomethingnew;youare askingthemtounlearnadozeninefficienthabitsthat wereforceduponthem.
Thisrequiresamandate,notacommittee.You,the leader,mustsitdownwithyourclinicalandITchiefs andidentifythesinglebiggest,mostpainful,andmost expensiveproblemyouhave.Formosthospitals,it’s patientfalls.Ithasaclearhumancostandabrutal financialimpactthateveryonefromtheboardroomto thebedsideunderstands.
Declareyourintent:“Wearegoingtocutpatientfalls by50%inthenext12months.Todothis,weare implementingasingleplatformthatwillautomatefall riskdetection.Thiswillreplaceourexistingbed alarms,manualchecks,andahostofother uncoordinatedsystems.”
Themissionisclear.Thetargetisdefined.Thestrategyis singular.
2.TheFinancialProblem:Donotframethisasa technologyexpense.Frameitasastrategicinvestmentto stopamulti-million-dollarfinancialleak.
Calculatethefully-loadedcostofyournurseturnoverfor thelast24months.Calculatethedirectcosts(claims, extendedstays)ofpatientfallsoverthesameperiod. Presentthisfiguretoyourboard.Thisisthecostof inaction.
Then,presenttheplatformasthesolution.TheROIisnot inthetechnologyitself,butintheproblemsiteliminates.A platformthatreducesnurseturnoverbyjust15%andcuts fallsby50%willlikelypayforitselfinundertwoyears. It'soneoftheclearestbusinesscasesinhealthcaretoday.
ACriticalNoteonInteroperability:Thisplatformmust notbecomeanotherdatasilo.Anon-negotiablerequirement isthatitintegratesseamlesslywithyourElectronicHealth Record(EHR).Theplatform’sjobistoautomatethe collectionandinitialanalysisofdata,thenfeeditcleanly anddirectlyintothepatient’schart.Nomanualre-entry.No dataduplication.Thiseliminatesthedocumentationburden, whichisaprimarydriverofnurseburnout.
MeasuringVictory:TheMetricsThatMatter
Youwillmeasurethesuccessofthisinitiativewithcold, harddata.Forgetsoft,feel-goodmetricsinitially.Focuson thenumbersthatprovethestrategyisworking.
· PrimaryKPIs:
o NurseRetentionRate(Month-over-monthandYearover-year)
o CostofNurseTurnover(Quarterly)
o RateofPatientFalls(Per1,000patientdays)
o TimeSpentonDocumentation(Measurebeforeand after)
· Secondary,LeadingIndicators:
o ClinicianSatisfactionScores(Ahappynurseisa retainednurse)
o PatientExperienceScores
o NumberofCompetingAlerts(Shouldtrendtoward zero)
Trackthesenumbersrelentlessly.Sharethemwithyour board,yourmanagers,andyourfrontlinenurses.Provethat thestrategyisdeliveringonitspromise.
Youareahealthcareleader,notasystemsarchitect. Yourjobistosetthevisionandthestrategy You mustdelegatetheexecutiontoanexpert.
DonotrelysolelyonyourinternalITteam,whoare alreadyoverburdened.Partnerwithadedicated technologyintegrator.Theirjobistobeyourforce multiplier.Theywillvetthevendors,pressure-test thetechnology,managethephysicalinstallation, and,mostimportantly,handlethecomplexworkof ensuringthisnewplatformspeaksflawlesslyto yourexistingEHR.
Thisallowsyouandyourleadershipteamtofocus onthemostcriticalpartofthetransformation: leadingtheculturalshiftontheground.
Implementingthisplatformisthefirststep.The ultimategoalisatrulytouchlessandpredictive careenvironment.Asthetechnologyadvances, ambientsensorswillbecomesosophisticatedthat theywillgathernearlyallnecessarydatawithout evertouchingthepatient.
Documentationwillbecomefullyautomated, capturedfromspokenconversations,sensordata, andclinicalactions.Therealendgame,however,is prediction.Byanalyzingthousandsofdatapointsin real-time,theplatformwillmovebeyondsimply alertingyoutoaproblem.Itwillpredictthe problembeforeithappens.
“PatientinRoom302hasa90%probabilityof developingsepsisinthenextsixhours.”“Patientin 411isshowingearlysignsofcardiacdistress; interventionisrecommendedwithinthehour.”
Thisisthefutureofclinicalautomation.Itgives yourcliniciansthemostpowerfultoolofall:time. Timetoact.Timetoprevent.Timetocare.
Yourhospitalisbleedingtalent,money,and efficiency.Stoptryingtopatchtheleakswithmore pointsolutions.It’stimetomakethesingle, strategicdecisiontoplugthedam.Yournurses, yourpatients,andyourbottomlinewillthankyou forit.
Rehabilitation Services
Assisted Living
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Areyoutiredofhealthadvicethatis confusing?Doyoucraveastraightforward pathtowell-being,freefromempty promisesandcomplicatedjargon?Millionsseek genuinehealthimprovement,butnoiseand complexityobscuretheway.TomHale,Chief ExecutiveOfficerofŌURA,understandsthis frustration.Hedoesnotoffermorenoise;hedelivers clarity.ŌURA,thecompanyheleads,providesnot justanothergadget,butatoolforunderstanding,a ringthatcutsthroughthehypeandrevealsactionable insights.Haledoesnotjustsellaproduct;he championsarevolutioninpersonalhealth,one groundedinsimple,understandabletruth.
Isthehealthtechmarketdrowningyouindata,yet leavingyouthirstingforrealanswers?Areyou promisedpersonalizedhealth,butreceiveonlygeneric advice?Doyouwantmorethanjustmetrics;doyou demandmeaningfulguidance?TomHalerecognized thisdisconnect.Hesawthepotentialofwearable technologyburiedunderlayersofcomplexity.He acted.HefocusedŌURAondeliveringwhattruly matters:clarity,simplicity,andactionablestepstoward betterhealth.Thisisnotaboutchasingtrends;itis aboutprovidingenduringvalue.
ClarityasCurrency:TheFASTPathtoHealth Leadership
TomHaledidnotarriveatŌURAbychance.Heisa seasonedoperator,abuilderofbusinesses,anda leaderwhounderstandsscaleandgrowth.Hehas navigatedproductdevelopment,marketingstrategies, andfinancialcomplexitiesacrossdiverseindustries, fromtraveltofintech.Thisisnotjusttechexpertise;it isreal-worldbusinessacumen,appliednowtothe realmofpersonalhealth.Hebringsasingularfocusto ŌURA:clarity
Haleunderstandsthatinthehealthspace,clarityis currency.Peoplearebombardedwithconflicting advice,endlessstreamsofdata,andconfusing metrics.ŌURA,underHale’sleadership,offersa refugefromthischaos.Itdistillscomplexinformation intosimple,understandableinsights. Thisisnot dumbingdownhealth;itissmarteningupthe approach,makingactionableknowledgeaccessibleto everyone,regardlessoftheirtechnicalexpertiseor healthbackground.
ŌURA’ssuccessisnotaccidental;itisadirectresult ofHale’sleadershipprinciples,principlesrootedin hisFASTframework:Focus,Accountability, Simplicity,andTransparency Thesearenotabstract concepts;theyarethedrivingforcesbehindŌURA’s remarkablegrowthandthetangiblebenefitsusers experience.
Focus:ŌURAdoesnotchaseeveryhealthtrend.It focuses.Haledirectsthecompany'senergytoward corehealthfundamentals:sleep,activity,recovery, andnow,hearthealthandstressmanagement.Thisis notaboutfleetingfads;itisaboutenduringpillarsof well-being.ŌURAconcentratesitstechnologyand researchontheseessentialareas,deliveringdeep, meaningfulinsights,notsuperficialmetricsscattered acrossadozendifferentdomains.
Accountability:ŌURAempowersuserstotake ownershipoftheirhealthjourney TheOuraRing providesdata,butmoreimportantly,itdelivers guidance.Itholdsusersaccountable,notthrough naggingreminders,butthroughpersonalizedinsights andpracticalrecommendations.Thisisnotabout outsourcingresponsibilitytotechnology;itisabout equippingindividualstobecomeactiveparticipantsin theirownhealthmanagement.ŌURAprovidesthe tools;userstakecommand.
Simplicity:TheOuraRingiselegantinits simplicity.Itisdiscreet,comfortable,and effortlesslyintegratesintodailylife.TheŌURA apppresentscomplexdatainaclear,intuitive format.Thisisnotaboutoverwhelmingusers withtechnicaldetails;itisaboutproviding actionableinformationinauser-friendlyway Halechampionssimplicityindesign, communication,andintheentireŌURA experience.Simplicitymakeshealthinsights accessible,notintimidating.
Transparency:ŌURAbuildstrustthrough transparency Theyvalidatetheirtechnology againstmedicalgoldstandards.Theypublish research,openlysharingthescientificbasisof theirfeatures.Thisisnotaboutblack-box algorithmsorunverifiableclaims;itisabout scientificrigorandopencommunication.Hale fostersacultureoftransparency,ensuringusers understandthedataŌURAprovidesandthe sciencebehindit. Transparencybuilds confidence,andconfidencedrivesengagement andresults.
ŌURA’sremarkablesuccessisnotjust marketinghype;itisdemonstratedbyverifiable numbers.Over2.5millionOuraRingssold. Thisisnotanicheproduct;itisamainstream phenomenon,embracedbyindividualsacross demographics,frombiohackerstobusy mothers,andmarathonrunnerstothose recoveringfromillness.Thisbroadadoptionis notbasedonfleetingtrends;itisbuilton demonstrablevalueandword-of-mouth recommendation.
ŌURAusersarenotpassiveconsumers;they areactiveparticipantsintheirhealthjourneys. TheyopentheŌURAappmorethanthreetimes daily,engagingdeeplywiththeirdataand insights.Approximatelythreeoutoffour membersaccesstheappatleastfivetimes weekly.Thishighengagementisnotdrivenby novelty;itissustainedbytheongoingvalue ŌURAprovides,thecontinuousstreamof personalizedinsightsthatempowerusersto makemeaningfulchangesintheirdailylives.
ŌURA’smembershipbasehasmorethantripledsince introducingitsmembershipprogramin2021.This exponentialgrowthisnotfueledbyaggressiveadvertising alone;itisdrivenbyusersatisfactionandorganicreferrals. NearlyhalfofOuraMemberswereintroducedtoOura Ringbyfamilyorfriends.Thisorganicgrowthisthemost powerfultestamenttoŌURA’seffectiveness.Satisfied usersbecomeevangelists,sharingtheirpositive experiences,andbuildingacommunityaroundŌURA,a communitygroundedinthesharedpursuitofbetterhealth.
ŌURAdoesnotstandstill.UnderHale’sleadership,the companycontinuouslyinnovates,expandingbeyondits foundationinsleepandactivitytracking.ŌURAnow delvesintocriticalareaslikedaytimestress,cardiovascular health,andwomen’sspecifichealthneeds.
DaytimeStressandResiliencefeaturesprovideuserswith actionableinsightsintotheirstresspatterns,helpingthem balancedailybehaviorstobuildresilienceandmitigate chronicstress’snegativeimpacts.CardiovascularAgeand CardioCapacityfeatures,developedinpartnershipwith cardiologistsandresearchinstitutions,offerawindowinto long-termhearthealth,providinguserswithcritical informationtoproactivelymanagetheircardiovascular well-being.
ŌURA’scommitmenttowomen’shealthisequally significant.CycleInsightsprovidesdetailedinformation aboutmenstrualcycles,andtheReadinessScorenow incorporatesphysiologicalchangesthroughoutthecycle. Thisfocusedinvestmentinwomen’shealthisnotjusta marketexpansion;itisarecognitionofasignificant,often underserveddemographic.Asaresult,
ŌURA’smemberbasehasshifted,nowcomprising59 percentwomenand41percentmen.Thisisnotjusta demographicshift;itisatestamenttoŌURA’srelevance andimpactacrossdiversepopulations.
ŌURAisnotjusttrackingdata;itisdrivingresearchand innovationinwomen’shealth.Thecompanycollaborates withClueandtheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley, inagroundbreakingresearchstudyusingOuraRingto betterunderstandandpredictthechangeswomen experienceduringperimenopauseandmenopause.This commitmenttoscientificrigor,todata-driveninnovation, setsŌURAapart.
ŌURA,underTomHale’sguidance,doesnotremainconfinedtoearly adoptersandtechenthusiasts.Theyactivelyexpandaccess,making theOuraRingavailabletoawideraudience.Retailpartnershipswith BestBuy,Amazon,Target,JohnLewis,andElkjøphaveplacedOura Ringinover1,000retailstores.Thisexpandedretailfootprintisnot justaboutincreasingsales;itisaboutdemocratizingaccessto personalizedhealthinsights,makingŌURAavailabletoeveryone, everywhere.
TomHaledoesnotjustleadacompany;heleadsamovementtoward clearer,moreaccessible,andmoreactionablehealthinformation.He offersnotjustaproduct,butaphilosophy:clarityempowers, simplicityenables,andtransparencybuildstrust.ŌURA,underhis leadership,deliversonthispromise.Areyoureadytoexperiencethe clarityŌURAprovides?Areyoureadytotakecontrolofyourhealth, guidedbysimple,actionableinsights,notoverwhelmedbyconfusing hype?TomHaleandŌURAofferyoutheway Thepathtoclearer health,toahealthieryou,startsnow
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