Tom Langan leads Veradigm as its Interim CEO, driving the company’s mission of Transforming Health, Insightfully at the crossroads of payers, providers, and life sciences.
Langan has been instrumental in shaping Veradigm’s forward-thinking approach, rooted in data and collaboration.
Under his leadership, the company is transforming the future of healthcare by spearheading initiatives that strengthen collaboration between payers and providers, advancing value-based care, while exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), and utilizing real-world data to improve health outcomes.
Q: You’ve been leading Veradigm through a time of rapid innovation in healthcare. What excites you about the future of healthcare, and how is Veradigm positioned to impact that change?
Langan: The recent advancements within healthcare have been remarkable, from the rapid rise of telehealth services to advancements in AI and personalized medicine, and much more. But what excites me the most is the potential for a more efficient healthcare ecosystem, where data flows smoothly and securely to improve the experiences of providers, payers, and patients alike.
Today’s healthcare landscape often feels fragmented, and what we really need is a cohesive network that connects all stakeholders. I call this “dynamic interconnectedness,” and envision a future where care is enhanced at every stage of the patient journey.
The Veradigm Network is a great example of this vision. By leveraging open interoperability, we create meaningful connections between payers, providers, patients and data being produced. This approach not only drives efficiency but ensures that care is coordinated and effective.
Q: Interoperability has long been a challenge in healthcare. How is Veradigm working to break down barriers and impact data exchange across the ecosystem?
Langan: Interoperability is a constant challenge in healthcare, and one that’s important to address. The complexity stems from the fragmented ways the data is collected, organizational resistance to change, and the lack of standardized data formats and protocols across stakeholders. But I believe that just because it’s complex doesn’t mean the problems can’t be solved.
Veradigm is committed to addressing interoperability challenges by implementing key initiatives to ensure seamless data exchange across the healthcare ecosystem. With so many moving parts between payers and providers, it’s critical to improve care coordination and a meaningful flow of data. Today, often patients visit multiple providers and specialties, which can be frustrating if (or more likely, when) they don’t communicate and coordinate care.
Taking a step back to examine the entire healthcare ecosystem, the Veradigm Network helps to overcome the complexity of interoperability by connecting various data sources and allowing for secure, bi-directional data flow. With more effective communication and bringing together traditionally siloed information, payers and providers have improved access to actionable data from which to make more informed decisions can be made.
Ultimately, our vision is a healthcare ecosystem where all stakeholders have access to actionable data, enabling them to improve care delivery, optimize resources and outcomes. Veradigm is focused on ensuring that the data is not just more broadly available, but truly useful to help shape a more effective healthcare system.
Q: How can payer-provider collaborations improve healthcare outcomes?
Langan: Both payers and providers share a common goal of improving the health and well-being of patients. By working collaboratively, payers and providers can streamline care and communication to create more comprehensive and integrated care plans, identify gaps in care, and ensure that patients better adhere to their treatment plans. Closing these care gaps also highlights the benefits of interoperability, which facilitates more efficient care delivery across the healthcare ecosystem.
When payers and providers work well together, it’s not just about cutting red tape—it’s about improving healthcare outcomes and giving physicians more time to focus on patient care. By streamlining prior authorizations and referrals, providers can reduce their administrative load while reducing the cost burden for payers, making the ecosystem work better for all. Ultimately, a stronger payer-provider relationship is about creating a healthcare experience that’s more efficient, cost-effective, and focused on value-based care.
Q: As you’ve emphasized, data is central to healthcare. With the growing prevalence of AI and real-world evidence, how can the industry turn data into actionable insights?
Langan: Every minute, an immense amount of data is generated throughout the healthcare ecosystem, and it has the power to drive efficiency and improve outcomes. But unlocking the value of data hinges on accessibility and making it actionable.
That’s where AI like natural language processing (NLP) comes into play, turning unstructured data like clinical notes into structured information that stakeholders can use. At Veradigm, we’re using NLP to convert real-world data (RWD) into purpose-built datasets for research.
Data-driven care is about more than analytics, it’s about making sure that all stakeholders have access to timely and relevant information to better impact their decision-making. By improving access to actionable data, we can create a more connected and effective healthcare system.
Q: How do you see the healthcare industry continue to evolve?
Langan: Healthcare is undergoing rapid and transformative changes every day, which makes it hard to know exactly what the future holds. However, it’s clear certain trends are here to stay. AI, personalized medicine, and real-world data will continue to play important roles. AI will continue to enhance diagnostics, treatment planning, and predicting patient outcomes to help healthcare professionals make informed decisions.
Beyond AI, the future of healthcare will be defined by improved data exchanges and collaboration across stakeholders, which will drive more informed decision-making and greater efficiencies. I see these advancements as not just trends but fundamental shifts that are evolving the industry and will revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered and experienced.
At Veradigm, we’re committed to leading this revolution. As healthcare evolves, our focus will be on interoperability and strengthening connections between payers, providers, and life sciences to build an ecosystem that’s more connected and patient centric.