Healthcare generates enormous amounts of data, yet much of it still goes unused. So what needs to change before AI can make a meaningful impact?

In this episode, Shirley Macbeth sits down with Arun Rangamani, SVP of Healthcare Payment Services at EXL, to explore what it actually takes to apply AI across one of the most complex industries in the US. Arun explains why getting the data right is the first step, how combining structured and unstructured healthcare data can unlock new insights, and why context and domain expertise are just as important as the technology itself.

They also discuss why healthcare organizations should avoid simply bolting AI onto existing processes, how AI can help healthcare professionals make better decisions rather than replace them, and where Arun sees the biggest opportunities ahead, from reducing administrative inefficiencies and waste to improving care coordination and managing chronic conditions more effectively.

Key takeaways:

• Why healthcare AI transformation starts with getting the data right
• How unstructured medical records can unlock deeper clinical and financial insights
• Why context and domain expertise are essential to effective AI
• How AI can augment healthcare professionals and improve decision-making
• Why point solutions can fall short in a highly connected healthcare ecosystem
• Where AI could have the greatest impact on care, cost, and efficiency

Highlights:
(00:00) Introducing Arun Rangamani
(02:35) The current state of AI in healthcare
(04:00) Why transformation starts with data
(05:24) Unlocking unstructured healthcare data
(08:08) What healthcare can learn from other industries
(10:38) Why context is critical to AI
(13:13) How AI can support healthcare workers
(16:25) Why point solutions fall short
(18:46) The future of AI in healthcare

Resources:

Arun's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arunrangamani/

EXL website:https://www.exlservice.com/

EXL LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/exl-service/home/

Shirley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirleymacbeth/