In this episode of Beyond the Benchmarks, host Stephanie Dorwart, CEO of Altius Healthcare Consulting Group, sits down with Dr. Kay Kennedy — nurse, educator, researcher, and nationally recognized leadership expert — for a powerful conversation on what it truly means to lead in healthcare today.

Drawing on more than 40 years of experience from the bedside to the C-suite, Dr. Kennedy shares the story behind Human-Centered Leadership, a research-backed framework designed specifically for healthcare environments. Built from the voices of nurses and leaders across roles, this approach reframes leadership as something that starts with self-awareness, is sustained through relationships, and ultimately drives better outcomes for teams and patients.

Together, Stephanie and Dr. Kennedy explore:

• Why leaders people would “follow to the ends of the earth” all share the same traits

• How burnout, turnover, and disengagement are often leadership problems — not staffing problems

• The role of mindfulness, emotional regulation, and self-care in effective leadership

• Why frontline nurse leaders must be empowered — not sidelined — in staffing and productivity decisions

• How human-centered leadership improves engagement, retention, patient experience, and quality outcomes

Dr. Kennedy also shares exciting news about the expansion of her work through a new partnership with Healthcare Plus Solutions Group, allowing this leadership model to reach organizations nationwide — and internationally.

If you believe productivity is about more than numbers, culture is built through relationships, and leadership must be both human and accountable — this episode is for you.

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In this episode, we explore how thoughtful innovation can create real, measurable impact in healthcare—without losing sight of the people doing the work. We begin with the story of Klickitat Valley Health and how strategic automation helped the organization save more than $1 million annually, freeing staff to focus less on manual processes and more on patient care.

From there, the conversation looks ahead to what’s next. We discuss the growing role of 3D visualization and extended reality in surgical planning, and how these technologies are reshaping the way clinicians prepare, collaborate, and deliver care. But technology alone isn’t enough. A major theme of the episode centers on change management, trust, and why successful AI adoption depends just as much on people and culture as it does on tools and systems.

As Stephanie Dorwart puts it, “Automation done right gives people time back—and gives them their purpose back.” That idea serves as a throughline for the entire discussion.

Our guest, Ted Dinsmore, brings a global perspective to the conversation. As President of SphereGen, Ted has spent his career designing automation, AI, and extended reality solutions for healthcare systems around the world—from building multilingual electronic medical records in Switzerland to creating virtual assistants for hospitals across the United States. His passion lies in making advanced technology accessible and practical for healthcare organizations of all sizes, including rural and community-based facilities.

To learn more about SphereGen and the innovations discussed in this episode, visit the SphereGen Learning Center at www.spheregen.com. You can also explore Altius Healthcare Consulting Group at www.altiushcg.com.

Be sure to listen and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or Amazon Music—and join the conversation about what’s possible when healthcare innovation is grounded in purpose, trust, and leadership.

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In this episode, host Stephanie Dorwart, CEO of Altius Healthcare Consulting Group, sits down with Todd Birch and Robin Bradbury—the leadership team behind PrognostiCare—to explore how predictive intelligence is changing the way healthcare organizations make decisions. Drawing on decades of experience as hospital executives, Todd and Robin share why so many leaders remain stuck in reactive mode—and how real-time data can help them finally get ahead of the curve.

The conversation centers on two of healthcare’s most persistent and costly challenges: staff retention and patient leakage. Todd and Robin explain how “Moneyball-style” analytics can reveal patterns that traditional reports miss, allowing leaders to identify which employees are at risk of leaving before they resign, and to understand where patients are going, why they’re going there, and what can be done to keep them within the system.

Along the way, the discussion unpacks the hidden costs of turnover—expenses that rarely show up clearly on a balance sheet—and how organizations can begin to calculate the true financial and cultural impact of losing the wrong people. Stephanie, Todd, and Robin also explore how AI and predictive modeling shift leadership from looking backward at lagging indicators to making informed decisions based on what’s likely to happen next.

A recurring theme is the “Moneyball” mindset itself: focusing less on vanity metrics and more on the data points that truly drive outcomes in workforce stability and market share. The episode highlights how retaining the right people creates ripple effects that extend far beyond staffing—impacting morale, patient experience, and long-term financial health.

Interwoven throughout the conversation are real-world success stories, moments of CFO humor, and candid reflections that show how technology, transparency, and a human-centered approach can work together to reshape healthcare strategy.

Subscribe to Beyond the Benchmarks for more conversations that challenge traditional thinking and redefine leadership, data, and innovation in healthcare. To learn more about PrognostiCare and its predictive approach, visit www.prognosticare.org.