Renton, Wash. [Nov. 9, 2026] — Leaders from across the country gathered at Providence headquarters in Renton, Washington, in October for the 2026 CHIME Innovation Summit, where they were challenged to think about transformation beyond technology adoption.
Over the course of the 1.5-day summit, physicians, healthcare executives and information systems leaders delved into the importance of creating the right conditions for innovation and discussed how healthcare organizations can utilize technology to improve the experiences of patients and caregivers, while always keeping humanity at the core.
Empathy is foundational
Empathy took center stage as leaders addressed the need to ensure technology remains grounded in human connection, especially against a backdrop of unprecedented challenges felt across the health sector and a proliferation of generative AI.
In the United States, healthcare providers are facing converging pressures, including inflation, labor shortages and regulatory demands. To deliver high-quality care in today's environment, Cherodeep Goswami, Providence chief information and digital officer, argued that it is more important now than ever for organizations to humanize the patient experience.
"Whatever we do in the name of technology, let's not compromise the empathy aspect of it," Goswami said during his opening presentation. "It is a very sacred relationship that is built between the patient and the caregiver that technology should assist but never replace.
Streamlining operations to accelerate innovation
While technology will play a significant role in overcoming many of the challenges facing the health sector, it is not the only solution to solving healthcare’s biggest problems.
Keynote speaker Darryl Elmouchi, M.D., Providence chief operating officer, shared that AI can serve as a great equalizer, but that leaders must remain “brilliant at the basics,” recognizing that innovation is most effective when built on a strong operational foundation.
“If you're not brilliant at the basics, I believe you don't really have a right to innovate in these spaces because you're not fixing the house,” Dr. Elmouchi said. “For us, we have done a ton of simplification and getting back to the basics of who we are and what our Mission drives us to do.”
At Providence, that simplification has equated to reexamining its portfolio, sharpening priorities and focusing resources where they can make the greatest impact.
“We had about 30 different portfolio companies that we were building and doing all these things. We're now down to less than half of that. We've simplified our processes. We're working alongside our entire organization and using our scale to its benefit.”
Through a disciplined approach, he said, healthcare organizations can create the right conditions for technology and innovation to deliver meaningful, sustainable results.
Leaning into partnerships and collaboration
Throughout the summit, leaders emphasized that improving access will require care delivery to extend beyond hospitals and clinics. They pointed to mobile clinics, virtual care, community outreach and health education as practical ways to meet people where they are, with particular attention to rural and underserved communities that often face greater barriers to care.
These models also could help ease workforce pressures. By cultivating partnerships, broadening the network of care and directing patients to the most appropriate setting, health systems can reduce undue strain on caregivers and patients.
Scaling these efforts, however, will require collaboration among policymakers, health systems and community organizations, with a sharp focus on the patient experience and thoughtful use of technology to support human connection.
"Let's not talk just technology. Let's talk solutions," Goswami said. "The secret sauce between technology and solutions is people."
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