At HIMSS 2026, the conversations that matter most aren't always about the newest platform or the flashiest demo. Sometimes, the most valuable insights come from the people who have spent decades navigating the complex, relationship-driven world of healthcare IT. In episode 4 of Doceree Dialogue, Larry Kaiser, Chief Marketing Officer at Optimum Healthcare IT, joined us to unpack what it truly takes to serve health systems — from the staffing crunch and the AI imperative to the deeply human dynamics that govern every enterprise sale.
When asked about the headwinds health systems are navigating right now, Kaiser doesn't hesitate: staffing and AI. While the clinical staffing shortage — physicians, nurses, and frontline care staff — is well-documented, the consultant talent gap is less visible but equally impactful.
"There are only so many consultants out there. You have a lot of healthcare organizations doing a lot of projects, whether that be switching from one EHR to another or implementing another platform like ServiceNow or Workday", says Larry Kaiser.
The pressure is compounded by healthcare's historically cautious pace of adoption. But that pace, Kaiser notes, is changing. The COVID-19 pandemic was a forcing function that moved telehealth from a buzzword to an operational necessity almost overnight. In its wake, health systems have developed a new muscle — a greater willingness to move from "we think we need this" to full deployment, faster than ever before.
AI sits squarely at the intersection of both challenges. It is simultaneously a solution to the staffing burden and a new layer of complexity that requires guidance, governance, and implementation expertise. As Kaiser put it simply: "Staffing and AI are the two biggest hurdles."
One of the most striking insights from Kaiser's conversation is his reframing of how healthcare IT vendors should think about their go-to-market motion. While the industry operates in a B2B context on paper, he argues that the reality on the ground is fundamentally person-to-person.
"We're actually B2C, because we are specifically working with individuals first — which is why, in this industry, relationships are so important," says Kaiser.
That individual relationship — built with one champion, then extended to a team, then to a committee, then to a board — is what drives every enterprise deal. The CIO is rarely the only decision maker. Governance panels weigh in. Budget neutrality is often a prerequisite. The expectation, increasingly, is a "net zero" financial impact: new capabilities must offset existing costs before they can be approved.
This complexity is why Kaiser is candid that there is no shortcut or "secret sauce" to accelerating the sales cycle in healthcare. The length and shape of each cycle is unique. What matters is building genuine relationships and demonstrating tangible value at each stage of the journey.
For a professional services firm, the AI conversation could easily default to hype. Kaiser takes a more grounded approach, rooted in where AI actually creates value in implementation workflows today.
Optimum has built a suite of internal AI agents — tools constructed primarily within ChatGPT — that support specific workflow needs for both internal teams and client engagements. One example is a change management tool designed to support the implementation process. The tool is provided to clients as a value-add, not sold as a product, and health systems are often able to continue using it independently after go-live.
"We're identifying areas where we can help. The AI you're going to use is going to help you be more efficient in your projects — we may bring costs down for your clients."
Kaiser frames the AI opportunity for a services company across three distinct models: developing agents that improve project efficiency internally, building tools that run in conjunction with the healthcare organization during an engagement, or designing custom solutions on their behalf. Each model carries different commercial implications — and different expectations around ownership and sustainability post-deployment.
What ties all three together is the underlying insight that technology is never the whole answer. Deploying the right tool in the right workflow, with the right organizational change management behind it, is where services firms like Optimum create irreplaceable value.
What stands out across Larry Kaiser's perspective is a consistent throughline: healthcare IT is, at every level, a human enterprise. The platforms change, the terminology evolves, the acronyms multiply — but the fundamental drivers of success remain relationship depth, trust built over time, and an unwavering commitment to helping organizations do more with less.
As AI continues to mature and health systems become more comfortable with faster adoption cycles, firms that have invested in both technical capability and human connection will be best positioned to lead. Optimum's journey — from Epic staffing shop to multi-service, award-winning professional services firm — offers a compelling model for what that evolution can look like.
At HIMSS 2026, the energy around AI is undeniable. But the firms that will define the next decade of healthcare IT aren't just the ones building the smartest tools — they're the ones who understand that every great deployment starts with a single conversation between two people.