HITea With Grace

Hosted by Grace Vinton

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Episodes

120

Latest episode

Jul 2026

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About the show

HITea with Grace, hosted by digital health expert Grace Vinton, spotlights women leaders in the healthcare IT and pharma innovation sector. What sets Grace's podcast apart is the intentional inclusion of women patient and caregiver leaders in the dialogue – whose perspectives are often overlooked in conversations about healthcare and research innovation. As a patient advocate, digital health influencer, and award-winning healthcare communications professional, Grace is deeply committed to promoting technologies that save lives and amplifying patient and caregiver voices in the process. She is well-known for telling powerful innovation stories and educating the industry on emerging trends, helping shape industry categories. Grace has interviewed over 80 women leaders on her podcast to date, magnifying their industry know-how, as well as their personal and professional stories. Her commitment extends beyond the microphone, actively contributing to the evolution of patient-driven healthcare and technology. Grace's standout quality lies in her audacious goal: to engage with every woman leader in the healthcare industry – spanning care, research, informatics, funding – and challenge them to incorporate real patient and caregiver voices and experiences into their work.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

July 1, 202622 min

Reclaiming Women's Voices in Healthcare: HIT Like a Girl Pod Is Back

After a much-needed pause, HIT Like a Girl Pod is back—and this time, Joy isn't doing it alone. Joy Rios reunites with Grace Vinton and Rebecca Love to relaunch the show as a trio: built on joy, fueled by love, and led with grace. In this first conversation, they catch up on where life has taken them—Joy's broken ankle and move to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Rebecca's deep dive into healthcare AI as a chief nursing and clinical officer; and Grace's work as a healthcare storyteller and patient advocate. Together, they explore the leadership vacuum in healthcare, the isolation women are feeling, and the need for authentic conversations without burnout. They also introduce their new format: themed mini-series with three distinct lenses—patient, nursing, and policy & tech. Plus: a first look at their upcoming November retreat in Puerto Vallarta for women leaders in healthcare and health IT. Welcome back. Something new is coming. 00:00 Reunion And Welcome 04:27 Why The Show Is Back 05:01 Leadership Vacuum And Trust 07:34 Women Finding Voices Again 11:19 Authenticity Without Burnout 15:08 Grief Community And Tagline 18:48 Building The Future Together

June 26, 202616 min

Sharon Blank Spills the Tea on the Prescription Translation Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

Welcome to HITeaWithGrace, where we spill the tea on HIT. Today I'm honored to welcome Sharon Blank, CEO of Language Scientific and RxTran - two organizations at the intersection of language access, patient safety, and pharmacy operations. Here's something most people outside the industry don't realize: right now, pharmacists across the country are quietly using ChatGPT and Google Translate to handle prescription instructions for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients; sometimes with a liability waiver pushed onto the pharmacy. It's common, it's underregulated, and it's putting patients at risk. Sharon has spent her career closing that gap. In this episode, she walks us through exactly where the prescription journey breaks down for LEP patients, why medication non-adherence isn't a behavior problem when you can't read the label, and what it means that 22% of U.S. hospitalizations trace back to patients not taking medications correctly. We also dig into the regulatory wave that's coming: Washington State's ESHB 1852 goes live in January 2027 requiring pharmacies to provide instructions in at least ten languages, and New York, California, Oregon, and Nevada are already there. Sharon breaks down what pharmacy leaders need to do right now, regardless of their state. And as a woman CEO building category authority in a space that's long been overlooked, Sharon has something to say about leading with purpose when the spotlight isn't pointed your way yet. This one matters. Pour your tea and tune in!

June 24, 202618 min

Olivia Osborn Spills the Tea on the Hidden Costs of Operational Drift in Healthcare

Today I'm honored to welcome to the pod Olivia Osborn, Clinical AI Success Consultant at Kontakt.io. Olivia brings a rare blend of frontline and strategic experience - from her days as an EMT to leading operational transformations at Boston Children's Hospital and advising health systems nationwide with Huron Consulting - before landing at the forefront of AI-powered hospital operations. In this episode, Olivia challenges one of the biggest myths in healthcare leadership: that operational improvement is a project with an end date. Spoiler - it's not a renovation, it's a garden. She breaks down why hospitals are especially vulnerable to operational drift, what signs tell you an optimization effort is losing steam, and how AI adds a real-time dimension that dashboards simply can't match. Olivia also shares what thriving health systems will look like five years from now, and leaves us with some wisdom for women navigating non-linear careers in healthcare IT. Pour your favorite tea and tune in!

June 16, 202629 min

Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib Spills the Tea on the Women's Sleep Apnea Crisis

In this episode of HITea, Grace welcomes Chelsie Rohrscheib, PhD, sleep expert and scientist at Wesper, whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, sleep medicine, and diagnostic innovation. Women are diagnosed with sleep apnea at roughly half the rate of men, and yet the consequences of going undetected are just as serious. Dr. Rohrscheib is on the front lines of changing that. Together, Grace and Dr. Rohrscheib unpack why women's sleep apnea looks so different from the textbook picture, how hormonal transitions like perimenopause dramatically raise risk at the exact moment symptoms get dismissed, and what years of undiagnosed sleep-disordered breathing quietly does to cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health. They also explore what's actually moving the needle: home sleep testing, wearables, and a growing shift in how primary care providers are being trained to listen differently to women. And of course, no HITea With Grace episode would be complete without finding out what tea Dr. Rohrscheib brought to the conversation and the story behind her favorite mug. Join us for a conversation about innovation, equity, and the sleep crisis hiding in plain sight. Connect with Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crohrscheib/ Learn more about Wesper: https://wesper.co/ Listen, subscribe, and stay connected with HITea With Grace for more conversations with healthcare leaders making a difference. Cheers! ☕

June 11, 202618 min

Dr. Robin McLeod Spills the Tea on How NSAP Is Uniting the Autism Community

In this episode of HITea, Grace Vinton welcomes Robin McLeod, PhD, LP, CEO of the National Society of Autism Professionals (NSAP), clinical psychologist, and systems-level leader whose career has spanned clinical practice, executive leadership, and field-wide transformation. Dr. McLeod is building something the autism field has never had: a unified professional home for the multidisciplinary community of clinicians, educators, researchers, advocates, and support professionals working across the autism ecosystem. Together, Grace and Dr. McLeod explore what NSAP is and why it was needed, why the autism field has long operated in silos and why now is the right moment to change that, how NSAP plans to integrate the voices of autistic individuals and their families, and what it will take to bridge the persistent gap between research and real-world implementation. They also tackle the increasingly polarized conversation around autism care philosophies and how the field can move toward more collaborative, evidence-informed dialogue. Join us for a candid conversation about community, innovation, and the future of autism care. Connect with Dr. Robin McLeod: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmcleodphd/ Learn more about NSAP: https://www.catalight.org/press-release/national-society-of-autism-professionals-nsap-launches-to-create-a-unified-voice-to-move-the-field-forward Listen, subscribe, and stay connected with HITea With Grace for more conversations with healthcare leaders making a difference. Cheers! ☕

June 10, 202620 min

Dr. Julie Wood Spills the Tea on Brain Health Advancements

Welcome to HITea With Grace, where we spill the tea on healthcare IT, innovation, leadership, and the people transforming healthcare. In this episode, Grace welcomes Julie Wood, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Director at Linus Health, family physician, public health leader, and longtime advocate for advancing patient-centered care. After nearly three decades in family medicine and executive leadership roles within healthcare, Dr. Wood is now helping shape the future of brain health through AI-enabled cognitive assessment and early detection tools. Together, Grace and Dr. Wood explore why brain health has historically lagged behind other preventive health priorities, the realities primary care clinicians face when trying to address cognitive concerns during brief patient visits, and how emerging technologies are changing the landscape of Alzheimer's detection and intervention. And of course, no HITea With Grace episode would be complete without finding out what tea Dr. Wood brought to the conversation and the story behind her favorite mug. Join us for an insightful conversation about innovation, prevention, and the future of brain health. Connect with Dr. Julie Wood:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-wood-md-mph-2873112a/ Learn more about Linus Health:https://www.linushealth.com Listen, subscribe, and stay connected with HITea With Grace for more conversations with healthcare leaders making a difference. Cheers! ☕

May 12, 202615 min

Dr. Bridget Duffy Spills the Tea on a New AI Guardrail for Patient Communication

Welcome to HITea with Grace, where we spill the tea on all things health IT—and the moments shaping the future of care. In this episode, Grace sits down with Dr. Bridget Duffy, the nation’s first Chief Experience Officer, longtime patient experience leader, and co-chair of the AI Care Standard™, for a timely conversation at the intersection of AI and human-centered care. Dr. Duffy shares the journey that led her from championing patient experience to helping define one of the first comprehensive standards for patient-facing AI. As health systems rapidly adopt chatbots, portals, and automated communication tools, she breaks down what prompted the creation of the AI Care Standard—and why existing governance frameworks simply weren’t built for this moment. Together, they unpack the 10 Core Pillars of the Standard and the real-world challenges organizations will face in operationalizing them. From treating AI communication with the same rigor as clinician interactions to addressing bias, health literacy, and accessibility, this conversation gets into what responsible AI actually looks like in practice—not just in principle. Looking ahead, Grace and Bridget Duffy, MD, board member of Vital.io and co-chair of the PatientAI Collaborative™ explore how the AI Care Standard could shape regulation, accreditation, and industry norms—and what success really looks like five years from now. As always, the episode closes on a more personal note, with reflections on leadership, resilience, and advice for women building careers in healthcare and health IT. It’s thoughtful, forward-looking, and grounded in one core idea: technology should strengthen—not replace—the human experience in healthcare.

May 5, 202616 min

Pharmacist Havy Ngo-Hamilton Spills the Tea on Medication Costs and the Broken Rx Journey

In this special episode of HITea, Grace sits down with Havy Ngo-Hamilton, PharmD, a pharmacy innovation leader at Buzz Health, to unpack what’s really happening between the moment a prescription is written and when a patient actually gets their medication. Havy brings a front-line perspective on where the prescription journey breaks down most—whether it’s access barriers, affordability challenges, or friction at the pharmacy counter. Together, they dig into how cost isn’t just a financial issue, but a major driver of medication adherence, and why “price transparency” often falls short of what patients actually need at the point of care. This conversation goes beyond buzzwords to explore what meaningful transparency and better patient experiences should really look like. They also take a closer look at prescription savings models and digital platforms, separating what simply raises awareness from what truly improves outcomes. From the role health systems should play to the innovations worth paying attention to, this episode highlights why medication affordability is a system-wide issue—not just a pharmacy problem. As always, the conversation closes with a more personal note, as Havy shares what drives her, how she navigates challenges, and her advice for women building careers in healthcare and health IT. It’s a thoughtful, practical, and refreshingly honest discussion—served with a side of tea, of course.

April 28, 202613 min

HIMSS Special: Dr. Niki Panich Spills the Tea on Fixing Women’s Health and Governing AI Right

Live from the HIMSS conference, HITea with Grace serves up another candid conversation as Niki Panich, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Penguin Ai, joins Grace to dig into one of healthcare’s most persistent—and overlooked—challenges: women’s health. From gaps in research and care delivery to the opportunities for innovation, this episode explores where the system is falling short and where momentum is finally building. Niki brings a sharp, strategic perspective to the conversation, connecting the dots between women’s health and the rapid rise of healthcare AI. As new technologies promise to reshape care, Grace and Niki unpack the real questions: Who are these tools being built for? What data are they trained on? And how do we ensure they don’t reinforce the very gaps we’re trying to close? Of course, no conversation about AI is complete without governance. Together, they get into what responsible AI actually looks like in practice—from oversight and accountability to the policies and guardrails needed to build trust. It’s a thoughtful, forward-looking discussion that blends innovation with realism—and a clear reminder that better health outcomes start with more inclusive, intentional design.

April 24, 202613 min

HIMSS Special: Robin Roberts Spills the Tea on Rural Health Transformation and Supporting Senior Populations

Live from the HIMSS conference, HITea with Grace brings the conversation straight from the floor as Grace sits down with Robin Roberts, Director of Health IT Regulatory Affairs at PointClickCare, to spill some timely tea on the future of health data. From the CMS Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program to the broader push for more equitable care, this episode dives into how policy and innovation are colliding to reshape what’s possible—especially for rural communities. Robin breaks it down with a regulatory insider’s perspective, unpacking what the RHT Program really means in practice and where health information exchanges (HIEs) fit into the bigger picture. As the industry continues to talk about interoperability, this conversation gets real about what’s working, what’s not, and what it will take to actually connect the dots across the healthcare ecosystem. Of course, it wouldn’t be HITea without getting into the human impact. Grace and Robin explore why connected, longitudinal data is especially critical for senior populations navigating complex care journeys—and how better data sharing can move us closer to truly coordinated, patient-centered care. It’s equal parts policy, perspective, and practical insight—served up fresh from HIMSS.

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