FINN Voices: HIMSS26 with Diana Sage, CPHIMS, PMP, MURJ

In this episode of Fin Voices on Healthcare Now Radio, host Beth Friedman interviews Diana Sage, Director of Portfolio Management at Merge (M-U-R-J), live from HIMSS26. The conversation explores the evolving landscape of cardiac care, focusing on the critical intersection of clinical workflows and health technology. Diana shares her journey from implementing EHRs in academic hospitals to her current role at Merge, where she bridges the gap between clinicians and technical teams. She details the daily challenges faced by cardiology clinics—managing real-time data from diverse cardiac devices, prioritizing patient alerts, and streamlining billing through automated integration with EHRs. The discussion highlights interoperability hurdles due to fragmented device standards and the need for standardized, discrete data delivery. Diana envisions an ideal future where clinicians receive actionable, trendable data automatically, while patients experience seamless, passive monitoring with smart reminders. The episode concludes with reflections on HIMSS26’s focus on AI and interoperability, with a call for more real-world use cases to demonstrate tangible impact. Key takeaways include: 1) Successful health tech integration requires deep understanding of both clinical needs and technical capabilities; 2) Automated, discrete data delivery reduces clinician burden and improves patient outcomes; 3) Interoperability must prioritize data quality and relevance over volume; 4) Patient-centered design in remote monitoring reduces stress and improves adherence; 5) Real-world proof of AI and interoperability value is essential for widespread adoption. The episode maintains a positive, forward-looking tone, emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and measurable impact in healthcare transformation.