Healthcare has more data than ever. Clinical records, genomic data, imaging, claims, operational systems, research data and real-world evidence are all growing at speed. But for AI to make a real difference, that data cannot remain scattered, siloed or hard to trust. It needs to be connected, governed and ready for action.
In this episode of Re(AI)magine Conversations, Sameer Dixit, Corporate Vice President – Data, AI and Integration at Persistent Systems, speaks with Harris Thayer, VP and GM – Healthcare and Life Sciences at Databricks, about how healthcare and life sciences organizations can turn fragmented data into measurable AI impact.
The conversation begins with a simple truth: healthcare has always been data-rich, but AI is changing what “data-ready” really means. From hospitals and pharma companies to medtech, payers and providers, organizations are trying to bring together information from EHRs, ERPs, clinical systems, partner data, external sources and operational platforms. Until that foundation is unified, AI can only go so far.
Sameer and Harris explore what it takes to move from disconnected systems to intelligent, AI-ready ecosystems. They discuss the role of leadership, cloud modernization, data platforms and cross-functional collaboration in helping organizations unlock faster insights and stronger business outcomes.
Trust is a central theme throughout the episode. In healthcare, AI cannot be treated as a black box. When sensitive patient information, regulated workflows and business-critical decisions are involved, organizations need strong governance, secure access, traceability and human validation. The discussion highlights why trusted AI starts with trusted data — and why users must be able to rely on the answers AI provides.
The episode also brings the impact to life through real-world use cases across the healthcare and life sciences value chain. From accelerating drug discovery and improving clinical trial processes to reducing manufacturing defects, improving supply chain decisions, managing inventory, streamlining scheduling and simplifying revenue cycle operations, AI is already beginning to reshape how the industry works.
A particularly important part of the conversation focuses on people. AI is not just for data scientists or engineers anymore. Business users, clinicians, operations teams and leaders increasingly need to ask questions of their data in natural language and get answers they can trust. But adoption depends on confidence. If the data is incomplete or the answer is wrong, trust breaks quickly.
Sameer and Harris also discuss the rise of AI agents, the future of enterprise applications and the role of strong partnerships in helping organizations move from pilots to production. As AI becomes more embedded into healthcare workflows, the real opportunity is not just automation. It is enabling better decisions, faster responses and more time for care teams to focus on what matters most.
Tune in to learn how Persistent and Databricks are helping healthcare and life sciences organizations build AI-ready data foundations — and move from experimentation to real-world impact with speed, trust and scale.
Join the conversation. Contact us at podcasts@persistent.com.
Speakers
Sameer Dixit, Corporate Vice President – Data, AI and Integration, Persistent Systems
Harris Thayer, VP and GM – Healthcare and Life Sciences, Databricks
