But across healthcare and highly regulated industries, there is a difficult reality beneath the ambition: Many organizations are not AI-ready. It’s not because systems and algorithms are not sophisticated enough, or the investment is not sufficient. It’s because the data foundation AI is built on is fragmented. 

Behind every stalled AI initiative or underperforming analytics program are three persistent challenges that directly impact AI readiness. 

The friction teams can’t avoid 

1. An ever-growing universe of data sources 

Customer, patient, provider, prospect, partner—enterprise data now flows in from everywhere: 

• Systems of record 

• Systems of engagement 

• Systems of insight 

• Cloud platforms 

• Legacy applications 

• Third-party enrichment sources 

Business leaders expect all of it to inform analytics and AI models. But as sources multiply, fragmentation increases, leading to inconsistent and incomplete identity, duplicated records, and ultimately, lost trust. 

More data should improve AI outcomes. Instead, without proper identity resolution, it introduces noise that undermines AI readiness. 

2. Faster iterations for analytics and AI 

Data and analytics teams are no longer given months to test, build, and deploy AI models. Modern cloud environments demand continuous iteration. 

But AI models are only as strong as the ever-changing data feeding them. 

If identity data is inaccurate or fragmented: 

• Feature engineering becomes unreliable 

• Model training is skewed 

• Longitudinal insights break down 

• Teams spend time reconciling records instead of innovating 

Speed without trusted identity data leads to rework, governance risk, and diminished AI performance. 

True AI readiness requires identity-first data architecture that supports both velocity and trust. 

3. Cloud innovation meets legacy reality 

Organizations are rapidly investing in modern cloud data platforms like Snowflake to power advanced analytics and AI. 

However, these platforms must still integrate with legacy enterprise systems. That’s where complexity emerges: 

• ETL-heavy integration patterns 

• Manual identity reconciliation 

• Slow change management cycles 

• Rigid, difficult-to-modify MDM systems 

The result is an AI data environment that looks modern on the surface but relies on outdated identity infrastructure underneath. 

And that gap directly impacts AI readiness. 

Your cloud platform is only as strong as its identity layer 

Investing in Snowflake or another cloud data platform does not automatically create AI-ready data. In fact, without unified identity, cloud platforms can amplify fragmentation. 

If duplicate records, inconsistent identifiers, and incomplete profiles are ingested into Snowflake, it leads to confusion and missed opportunities instead of better AI insights. 

To fully leverage Snowflake for AI, analytics, and operational intelligence, organizations need an identity layer that: 

• Resolves fragmented identities across systems 

• Creates a trusted 360-degree view of customers, patients, and providers 

• Continuously synchronizes updates across environments 

• Supports agility without heavy reengineering 

• Strengthens AI data governance and compliance 

That logical layer is cloud-native, identity-first MDM purpose-built for today’s AI-driven data ecosystems. 

Without it, your cloud platform becomes a high-performance engine running on unreliable fuel. 

Optimizing the tech stack: Snowflake plus trusted identity drives AI readiness 

Optimizing your technology stack for AI readiness is not about adding more tools. It is about strengthening the foundation so every downstream AI and analytics investment delivers value. 

Snowflake provides scalable compute, storage, and performance to power AI workloads. But unlocking its full potential requires clean, unified, AI-ready identity data flowing into it continuously. 

When modern MDM is deeply and natively integrated with Snowflake: 

Identity becomes an accelerator, not a bottleneck 

• Bi-directional data synchronization keeps identity intelligence current 

• Matched and enriched records are available directly within Snowflake 

• AI models operate on complete, trusted longitudinal profiles 

• Customer 360 and Patient 360 initiatives become actionable 

• Analytics teams spend less time cleansing data and more time delivering insight 

Engineering lift is reduced 

Modern native apps and secure data sharing reduce reliance on brittle, ETL-centric integrations. 

• No massive replatforming 

• No recurring reconciliation projects 

• No identity logic trapped in legacy systems 

This lowers operational burden while improving AI data quality. 

Time to insight shrinks 

With unified identity, pre-built data models, and enrichment, organizations move from raw data to AI-powered intelligence faster. 

This enables: 

• Precision marketing and personalization 

• Population health analytics 

• Growth strategy modeling 

• Network optimization 

• Regulatory and value-based reporting 

This is the evolution from basic data management to scalable AI data intelligence. 

AI readiness in healthcare and regulated industries starts with identity 

In highly regulated sectors, AI readiness carries additional weight: 

• Data accuracy impacts patient safety 

• Compliance failures carry legal risk 

• Inaccurate identity matching can distort outcomes 

• Governance requirements are strict 

Modern identity-first MDM strengthens: 

• AI data governance 

• Auditability 

• Cross-system consistency 

• Longitudinal patient and customer views 

Without trusted identity resolution, AI innovation in regulated industries adds compliance risk and operational burden rather than supporting growth. 

Join us at Gartner: building AI-ready Customer 360 in Snowflake with trusted identity 

If these challenges resonate, we’ll be expanding on this conversation at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit. 

Wednesday, March 11 at 10:00 AM 
Building AI-Ready Customer 360 in Snowflake with Trusted Identity 

We’ll explore: 

• Why AI readiness starts with identity, not algorithms 

• How modern identity intelligence moves beyond data hygiene to power AI outcomes 

• What native Snowflake integration looks like in practice 

• Real-world lessons from organizations modernizing their AI data foundation 

If you’re attending Gartner D&A and looking to accelerate AI readiness with trusted identity data, connect with us to continue the conversation. 

The post AI readiness starts with identity: Why modern MDM is the missing link  appeared first on Verato.

A recent report published by Becker’s Healthcare in collaboration with Verato examines how leading health systems are improving patient experience by addressing a fundamental challenge: fragmented, unreliable data. The findings highlight a common conclusion across organizations. Without a trusted, enterprise-wide Customer 360, even well-funded experience initiatives struggle to deliver results. 

This post explores these key themes and what they mean for healthcare organizations working to modernize patient experience strategies. 

Why patient experience has become a business imperative 

Patient experience is no longer treated as a single initiative. It is increasingly viewed as a core driver of growth, loyalty, reimbursement, and performance. Nearly half of health system C-suite leaders now rank patient experience as their top strategic initiative, a significant shift from just a few years ago. 

To meet rising expectations, organizations are investing in personalization, seamless engagement, and omnichannel care journeys. Each of these depends on one underlying capability: knowing who the patient is across every interaction. 

The hidden barrier to better experiences: fragmented identity 

Healthcare organizations generate enormous volumes of data, but much of it remains unused or untrusted. The challenge is not volume alone. Patient data is fragmented across EHRs, CRMs, lab systems, imaging platforms, and point solutions, often creating multiple records for the same individual. 

When identity is fragmented, patient experience suffers. Scheduling delays, denied claims, repeated intake, and inconsistent communications all stem from systems that cannot reliably recognize the same person across touchpoints. These issues also create operational drag, increase compliance risk, and contribute to administrative waste. 

From disconnected records to a true Customer & Patient 360 

Customer 360 might go by different names in different organizations—Patient 360, Consumer 360, Person 360—but it all relies on the same principle: bringing together clinical, financial, consumer, marketing, and household data into a single, accurate, longitudinal profile. This unified view enables personalization across the care journey and forms the foundation of effective healthcare strategies. 

Achieving Customer 360 requires more than data aggregation. It depends on a strong identity foundation that can break down silos, enrich incomplete records, and consistently match data to the correct individual over time. Without that foundation, personalization remains inconsistent and fragile. 

Why identity sits at the center of Customer 360 in healthcare 

Identity is the connective tissue of patient experience. Traditional matching approaches often fail when demographic information changes or contains errors, treating identity as static rather than evolving. 

Modern Customer 360 healthcare strategies treat identity as a strategic capability. By continuously resolving identity across systems, organizations can maintain accurate patient profiles that support consistent engagement, care coordination, and analytics. 

Health systems applying this approach have demonstrated measurable improvements in loyalty, operational efficiency, and cost reduction by delivering a consistent person view across clinical and non-clinical touchpoints. 

Interoperability makes connected experiences possible 

A unified identity view only delivers value when it can move across the enterprise. Interoperability ensures that trusted identity and complete data are available wherever care is delivered. 

When interoperability is in place, organizations eliminate manual workflows, reduce duplication, and enable real-time data sharing. This allows teams to deliver the small but critical moments that define patient experience, such as accurate greetings, proactive reminders, and seamless handoffs between care settings. 

Why AI depends on a 360-degree view 

AI initiatives are only as strong as the data behind them. Models trained on incomplete or conflicting data produce unreliable insights, which in healthcare can introduce safety and financial risk. 

A strong Customer 360 foundation provides AI systems with clean, connected, and enriched data tied to the correct individual. With trusted identity in place, AI can move beyond prediction to action with confidence. 

Customer 360 as a growth strategy 

Leading organizations are increasingly treating identity as business capability rather than technical projects. Marketing, digital, and strategy leaders are partnering with IT to use trusted data to re-engage patients, improve attribution, and reduce operational friction. 

These efforts demonstrate that Customer 360 is not an abstract concept. When built on accurate identity, it becomes a driver of engagement, efficiency, and sustainable growth. 

Go deeper: Read the full research 

To explore concrete examples of how health systems are using trusted identity and unified data to improve patient experience, download the full white paper, “Accuracy is the new currency: Inside 4 systems’ data-driven push for better patient experiences.” 

The post Customer 360 in healthcare: The data foundation behind better patient experiences  appeared first on Verato.

The identity challenge 

The pandemic exposed just how fragile identity consistency is across care settings and digital systems. As telehealth, online portals, and digital services expanded, many organizations discovered duplicate records, demographic mismatches, and disconnected identity data. These gaps don’t just create inefficiency — they compromise trust, data security, and the ability to deliver seamless, personalized experiences. 

Most organizations recognize the importance of offering connected digital experiences but struggle to achieve them. Without a trusted identity foundation, even the best data and AI strategies falter. Siloed identity systems lead to incomplete customer views, wasted investments, and missed opportunities to build meaningful engagement. 

Why identity maturity matters 

A clear, connected, and trusted view of identity enables operational efficiency and powers transformation. Organizations with advanced identity maturity can: 

• Deliver truly personalized experiences across every touchpoint 

• Improve safety, satisfaction, and loyalty through accurate data 

• Enable AI and analytics initiatives with high-fidelity identity data 

• Reduce compliance risk and manual rework 

• Create a unified foundation for innovation and growth 

Verato’s Identity Intelligence Maturity Assessment reveals where organizations stand and provides a structured path forward, guiding organizations from basic data practices to enterprise-wide mastery. The assessment uses a five-level model, ranging from Exploring to Mastering, to benchmark your organization against industry best practices. Whether you’re just starting to centralize identity data or already have automated, enterprise-wide capabilities, this tool helps you pinpoint exactly what’s next. 

From exploring to mastering 

• Exploring: Initial discussions and manual processes, with limited visibility or strategy. 

• Doing: Basic use of clinical or central systems for identity, but silos persist. 

• Becoming: Centralized strategies emerge, yet processes remain manual. 

• Being: Identity becomes automated, real-time, and connected across data types. 

• Mastering: Identity intelligence is woven into the organization’s culture — driving data-driven decision-making and powering personalized experiences at scale. 

Organizations that progress along this curve turn identity into a competitive advantage. They gain a true 360-degree view of their customers, enhance interoperability, and establish a foundation that fuels future-ready innovation. 

Start your journey toward mastery 

Digital transformation begins with Knowing Who Is Who. The Verato Identity Intelligence Maturity Assessment helps organizations evaluate their current identity capabilities, uncover gaps, and chart a roadmap toward mastery. 

Download the full white paper to learn how advancing identity maturity can transform your enterprise and start building your foundation of trusted identity today. 

The post How identity data maturity drives transformation appeared first on Verato.

Sure, I’m a 51-year-old Midwest guy. I grew up outside of Chicago and am originally from Detroit, a serial entrepreneur working for startups. I’ve had the benefit of working for three really successful startups, including Verato. I started my career as a consultant and applications developer. I held technical and project management roles in those companies, did pre-sales, account management, and ran services. Toward the second of those startups, I gravitated into more of a commercial sales role and eventually into sales leadership. I’ve been focused on this MDM space—master data management and EMPI—since 2003, which is the exact same age as my twin sons. So, they’re as old as my career in this space, which is kind of interesting. 

I lead sales teams here at Verato across all of our multiple segments. I help our sales folks engage with prospective customers to identify challenges, understand their programs, and align our solutions. As we’ve matured, I’ve moved away from day-to-day support of market-facing teams and now focus on creating an environment where they and our sales leaders can be productive and solve problems for our customers. 

Verato’s message lit up Times Square. It’s a moment that reflects years of steady growth and leadership in identity intelligence. As someone who’s been part of that journey, what does this moment mean to you? 

It’s a proud moment for me, and one that I’m really grateful for. I’m grateful to all of the folks across our nearly 200-employee organization who work hard every day to create opportunities like this. I fondly remember my first few days here, ten years ago, with Nick and Rachel and the commercial sales team playing foosball in an old dentist office that served as our workspace. Now we’ve gone from that to having a billboard in Times Square announcing our role in mastering data. I think it’s fitting—we solve gigantic problems and play a big part in helping healthcare and other industries meet consumer needs. Within the commercial team, there’s no doubt we can go out and help every company on the planet. It was a proud and fitting moment for us and for what comes next. 

You’ve led Verato’s sales and revenue organization through significant transformation. What has driven that success, and how do you think about building lasting partnerships with customers? 

It’s more simple than you think. The main driver for our success is that we solve real problems for our customers. That’s it. We continue to solve problems our customers are facing, and that creates an environment where they turn to us and have a positive working relationship with Verato. The revenue and sales success, and the growth of the company, are complete byproducts of that. It’s part of our culture to be customer-obsessed, and that’s evident in our ability to grow this company and work with innovative customers doing truly transformative things. That customer obsession is really at the root of our success. 

Verato has become known for helping organizations build trusted connections, whether that’s patients and providers, members and plans, or consumers and brands. How do you see that mission playing out today? 

The world is getting more complex. There are more apps, more workflows, more AI, more automation—and all of those rely on quality, trusted data to be productive. As the world grows in complexity, driven by consumer demand and experience, data becomes the fuel for success. Our role is becoming increasingly important: focusing on the underlying, foundational data that drives all that change, workflow, and automation. That aligns directly to our mission and to where the market is going. 

You’ve watched the market evolve over the years, from early conversations about matching patient records to today’s enterprise focus on identity as a strategic asset. What’s changed most, and where do you see opportunity ahead? 

A lot has changed—market dynamics, economies, and consumer behavior. But the most significant change, in my view, is consumer expectations. I can order a burrito, hail a car, or book a flight instantly on my phone. People expect instant gratification and personalized engagement from companies. They also expect those companies to know their preferences—for example, whether I like chicken or steak in my Chipotle burrito. Consumer expectations, especially in healthcare, are driving major shifts in how organizations engage. Companies are trying to master not only patient data but consumer data, and to understand consumers’ relationships with providers, organizations, and locations. In this complex world, getting a handle on all that data is imperative. To meet expectations, you must know who your customers are, what they prefer, and how they connect with others in your ecosystem. That’s the most significant change. 

You’re known for your focus on people, both customers and the teams you lead. What principles guide you as a leader, and how are you shaping Verato’s culture of growth and connection? 

That’s a really good question, and one I think about a lot. The guiding principle for me—and it’s a bit of a nod to Simon Sinek—is empathy. Organizations and companies don’t exist as entities; they’re collections of people. When people are aligned to the right objectives and mission, they need leadership through empathy. We all have lives and challenges, and at the end of the day, if people are participating in this organization and contributing to our mission, we have to lead with empathy. Everyone is capable; no one is a finished product. We just need to provide the right environment, counsel, coaching, and resources for people to be successful. Naturally, people want to do well—and empathy helps them get there. 

Watch the video:

The post Guiding growth through simplicity and trust: A conversation with Jason Bihun appeared first on Verato.

But while expectations have evolved, most agencies are still operating on fragmented, outdated systems that can’t keep up. The result is a growing identity crisis — one that’s eroding efficiency, equity, and trust in government. 

Disconnected data is slowing progress and undermining trust 

According to new research commissioned by Verato, the challenge starts with identity.  Nearly every public sector leader surveyed — 97% — agrees that constituents now expect seamless, personalized experiences across every channel. 

Yet only 38% feel confident their organizations can deliver them. And nearly 9 in 10 say fragmented data directly limits their ability to serve effectively. 

Without a unified view of the people they serve, agencies face duplicated records, redundant outreach, and incomplete information that slows down everything from benefit processing to fraud detection. 

The consequences are more than operational. When a citizen has to re-enter information, submit duplicate documents, or wait weeks for a decision, it undermines confidence in the very institutions meant to serve them. 

As the McKinsey Center for Government has found, citizens who are satisfied with a government service are nine times more likely to trust the agency delivering it. Getting identity right is not just a data issue — it’s a trust issue. 

From siloed systems to seamless experiences 

The problem lies in fragmentation. Identity data is scattered across systems — eligibility and benefits, tax, licensing, housing, health, and more. Each uses different identifiers, formats, and governance standards. 

Agencies have tried to bridge the gaps through manual processes, file transfers, or patchwork integrations. But those approaches can’t scale to meet the speed and complexity of modern constituent engagement. 

That’s where identity intelligence comes in. It’s the ability to unify, enrich, and govern constituent identity data across systems — securely and at scale — to create a single, accurate view of every person an agency serves. 

When agencies achieve that, everything changes: 

• Benefits are delivered faster. 

• Fraud detection improves. 

• Outreach becomes more precise and equitable. 

• Employees can make better, faster decisions. 

In short, the government becomes easier to trust. 

Identity intelligence in action 

Some agencies are already proving what’s possible. 

For example, Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Social Services consolidated identity data from more than 40 legacy systems into a single digital platform. The results: application processing times dropped by 25%, duplicative outreach decreased, and staff could provide more responsive support — especially to underserved populations. 

This kind of progress isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about equity. Unified identity data helps ensure every constituent is seen, verified, and served consistently — regardless of which program they’re accessing or how they engage. 

Modern MDM: The backbone of digital government 

Behind every successful identity intelligence initiative is a modern Master Data Management (MDM) strategy. 

Today’s MDM platforms do more than clean and connect data. They continuously reconcile and enrich identity records across systems, creating a single, trusted source of truth that powers real-time decisions, compliance, and reporting. 

It’s why 60% of public sector leaders say they plan to invest in modern identity solutions within the next year. 

By doing so, agencies can modernize without overhauling every legacy system — connecting what they already have into a unified, actionable foundation for digital transformation. 

The opportunity ahead 

The research is clear: the public sector’s digital future depends on getting identity right. 

Agencies that unify and trust their data will lead the next wave of modernization — delivering services that are faster, fairer, and more secure. And as constituent expectations continue to rise, the ability to understand and serve every individual accurately will define the next era of government performance. 

Download the full Public Sector Identity Report to explore the complete research findings, real-world examples, and practical strategies for modernizing identity and rebuilding public trust. 

The post The public sector identity crisis: Why unified data is the key to public trust  appeared first on Verato.

I’ve been at Verato for ten years now — ten years and one month, but who’s counting? I started here in a marketing role. When I joined, we had some government business but no commercial customers. I came right after Series A funding, along with what was then our new CEO. I’d worked with him before, and we had this amazing technology we were trying to figure out how to use — where it could have the most impact and what the market opportunities were. 

When I joined, there were only about twenty of us. It was a pretty small office. I came in wanting to get into sales, knowing it was something I wanted to explore. In traditional tech companies, the path to sales is usually cold calling for three or four years, and if you get along with your manager, maybe you become an AE. That didn’t sound appealing — doing soul-sucking cold calls for years and hoping someone liked me enough to promote me. 

So, I wanted a different path into sales, and Mark LaRowe offered that. He said, “Come to this company. We don’t have a sales team yet because we’re just getting started, but if you put the work in and help us get settled, I’ll give you that opportunity to move into sales.” 

And that’s exactly what happened. Now I’m VP of Sales. I’ve been in sales for about seven years — as an AE, in management, inside sales, sales operations — basically everything surrounding the go-to-market motion. Today, I lead sales for our commercial sector, which includes industries outside of traditional healthcare, like payers, government, tech, OEM, and beyond. 

Verato’s message lit up Times Square — an exciting milestone for the company. After ten years with Verato, what does this moment mean to you personally and professionally? 

Ten years — it’s wild to think about. Now, I’ve got three little girls and a dog. When I started, I didn’t have any of that, so those ten years just kind of flew by. Day by day, I don’t know if I had a big “aha” moment when I saw the Times Square ad, because frankly, I saw it on a computer screen — it wasn’t right in front of my face. But I’ve had a lot of smaller reflection moments over the years, just looking back at how far we’ve come — even in how we do our operations, the way we do our pricing, and the overall maturity of the organization. It’s really surprised me compared to where we started. 

You’ve helped Verato grow from an emerging innovator to an established market leader. What has that journey taught you about building trust with customers, partners, and the market? 

Building trust is hard, but it’s also really easy. It’s hard in the sense that it takes a long time, but it’s easy because if you just do the right thing by the other human on the other side of the screen, trust becomes a natural byproduct. Sometimes the right thing is also the hard thing — like telling a customer, “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” But when you do that, when you consistently act with integrity, trust just happens. It takes time, but it’s simple at its core. 

As VP of Sales for Emerging Markets and Partner, you’re focused on helping new industries harness the power of identity intelligence. Where are you seeing the most exciting opportunities today? 

I see a lot of opportunity in AI, especially in the sense that it still has a long way to go before we can really trust it. Verato and our trusted infrastructure are going to be key to making AI more reliable over time. There’s opportunity whenever there’s a lot of focus and momentum behind something, and right now that’s AI. When you have these big movements, that’s where opportunity lives. 

You’ve been part of Verato through every major phase of growth. What do you think has stayed consistent, and what continues to set Verato apart as the market evolves? 

The challenge of knowing who’s who is never going to go away. It’s going to evolve, but it will always be there in our daily interactions and operations — understanding who you are, what you do, the context of what you do, and your relationship to others. That’s constant. 

Where Verato shines is our dedication to getting that right at the very core. We’ll continue to extend our platform, bring in more data, and do more interesting things with tools like Cohort Analyzer and our analytics suite, but we’re not going to forget what got us here. Our foundation is understanding who’s who, and that core strength will keep us valuable to customers while our vision on expanding the platform keeps us relevant in an ever-changing environment. 

You’ve spent a decade building relationships and leading teams across marketing, business development, and partnerships at Verato. What advice would you give to others — inside or outside the company — about growing a career in a fast-moving, purpose-driven organization? 

Be open to different paths your career could take. It’s good to have a vision, but also give yourself room to explore. When I joined Verato, I wanted to try sales — I had a feeling it might be something I’d be good at, but I didn’t know for sure. I didn’t think, “This is what I’ll do for the next 20 years.” It was just a skill I wanted to explore. 

Framing it that way, as something to try, not as a make-or-break goal, allowed me to be honest with myself about whether I liked it. So, my advice is to stay open and find a mentor. Find someone you trust who’s been there before and ask yourself, “Do I want to do what they do?” Sometimes the answer is no, and that’s really informative too. Having a mentor has been a big part of why I’m still here. 

Watch the conversation:

The post Building trust, leading change: Rachel Blum on Verato’s growth and the power of identity appeared first on Verato.

Their message was clear — you can’t power AI or digital transformation until you solve identity. 

The bedrock of trust: Knowing Who Is Who 

In a world where every digital initiative depends on data, identity resolution has quietly become the keystone of enterprise success. As Aaron Miri described it, identity is “the seat of the stool” that connects people, process, and technology. Without it, everything else wobbles. 

For Baptist Health, that truth became urgent as the organization modernized its systems and data infrastructure. The goal went beyond digital housekeeping. It was to truly know patients, staff, and providers across a sprawling regional network. 

“Our patients told us exactly what they wanted,” said Miri. “They held up their phones and said, get to know me here.” 

By integrating Verato’s referential identity data into Snowflake’s data cloud, Baptist Health built a foundation that allows the health system to understand every person across millions of records and dozens of systems accurately, securely, and in real time. 

From patients to consumers: Reimagining experience in healthcare 

Healthcare generates 30% of the world’s data, yet only a fraction of it is used effectively to improve care or experience. Utilizing this wealth of information in a holistic way is becoming more urgent as today’s patients expect the same personalized, seamless experiences they know from other industries. 

This shift is forcing healthcare to think differently about its consumers. Increasingly, providers are being asked to treat patients like retail customers—personalizing outreach, improving access, and building trust. 

Todd Crosslin explained that this transformation depends on identity as the bridge between fragmented systems: “Across healthcare, you’ve got the same patient represented 50 different ways. You can’t engage them confidently or gain their trust until you unify that data and know it’s the same person.” 

That trust, he said, is also what enables organizations to safely and responsibly bring AI into the experience. 

AI that serves people: From efficiency to humanity 

While much of the conversation at Gartner centered on AI, the panel agreed that AI success depends on humility, courage, and precision. 

“AI and digital transformation will only succeed if you define the problem statement with crystal clarity,” said Miri. “You can’t boil the ocean. Solve for something specific, apply AI appropriately, and build from there.” 

Baptist Health has done exactly that by deploying AI to improve patient safety and even combat human trafficking. A machine learning model now helps clinicians flag potential trafficking victims who might otherwise go unnoticed. Since launching, the algorithm has helped save over 100 children. This is just one example of how AI can support healthcare providers in providing holistic care. 

What’s happening in healthcare mirrors what’s unfolding across industries, from financial services to retail to the public sector. Every organization is trying to unify its data, automate insights, and deliver personalized engagement at scale. But the same challenge appears again and again: fragmented, duplicate, and incomplete data about people. 

As Crosslin put it, “whether you’re talking about patients, consumers, suppliers, or members, identity is what makes AI use cases possible.” 

Take Fidelity, for example—a joint Verato and Snowflake customer preparing for the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history. By resolving identity across data silos, Fidelity can see who future benefactors are likely to be and start building relationships today. 

Where to start: The crawl-walk-run of AI readiness 

For many organizations, the question isn’t if they’ll adopt AI—it’s how to get ready. The answer, the panel agreed, starts with data fidelity and identity trust. 

1. Crawl: Clean, connect, and govern your data with a trusted identity layer. 

2. Walk: Integrate the unified data into systems of insight, like Snowflake, to enable analytics and automation. 

3. Run: Confidently activate AI models that deliver personalized experiences, operational efficiency, and innovation. 

As Ritchey summarized, “First things first—focus on identity. It’s what makes your data trustworthy, your AI effective, and your experiences exceptional.” 

Watch the full session and hear firsthand how healthcare innovators are making a difference. 

The post How Baptist Health unlocked AI-ready digital transformation with Verato and Snowflake  appeared first on Verato.

When identity steps into the spotlight

When Verato’s message lit up Times Square, it was a moment of real pride, not just for our team but for what it represents. Seeing our name up there wasn’t about a promotion; it was a reflection of how far the conversation around identity in healthcare has come. For so long, identity was treated as a back-office problem, something only the data or IT teams worried about.

Now it’s front and center in how organizations think about delivering care and the promise of healthier more connected communities. Because the truth is, mastering data isn’t just about systems or records, it’s about people. It’s about being able to see and understand every individual across every point of care. When we talk about identity at Verato, we’re really talking about trust.

The health systems and providers we serve depend on that trust. They need confidence that the data they use every day is accurate, connected, and complete so they can treat patients as whole people. For me, that’s what the Times Square moment symbolized: a broader recognition that identity touches everything in healthcare, from patient experiences to provider efficiency and outcomes.

Knowing Who Is Who, then and now

With more than 30 years in healthcare, I’ve watched the challenge of identity evolve dramatically. In the early days, it meant reconciling spreadsheets, charts, white boards, post-it-notes and patient records across systems that couldn’t communicate. Fast-forward to today, and data is flowing faster and more freely than ever, from EHRs, apps, wearables, telehealth, and partner networks, all in real time. The challenge hasn’t disappeared; it’s grown more complex.

That’s where Verato helps bridge the gap. Using our patented Referential Matching® approach, we bring together the many pieces of a person’s health story into one connected record, a single, longitudinal view that spans every interaction and every point of care. When organizations can finally see the whole person, not just their data, care becomes more coordinated, decisions become clearer, and connections across the healthcare ecosystem become stronger.

The quiet hero behind connected care

Identity intelligence has quietly become the hero behind truly connected care. Think about it: a patient doesn’t care how many systems their provider uses, they just expect their information to be right and their care to feel seamless.

But it’s not just about the patient. When identity is mastered, everyone in the care ecosystem benefits. Physicians gain confidence in the accuracy of the data in front of them. Care coordinators can see the full picture of a patient’s journey. Administrative teams reduce duplicates, speed up referrals, and eliminate friction that frustrates both patients and staff. And when provider data is accurate, clinicians are easier to credential, easier to find, and more connected to the right networks.

That means patients can access the right care faster, and providers spend less time navigating bureaucracy and more time delivering care. Identity intelligence is the thread that ties together the patient and provider journey, strengthening the relationships that define great care.

Building AI on a trusted foundation

Today, every organization is racing to adopt AI and accelerate digital transformation. But here’s the truth: AI is only as good as the data it learns from. If your data is fragmented or filled with duplicates, your insights and your AI are going to be flawed. That’s why identity resolution is such a critical foundation for transformation.

At Verato, we ensure every digital initiative starts with accurate, trusted data about people. When organizations master identity, their AI models perform better, their analytics are more reliable, and their digital tools finally deliver on the promise of personalization, connecting behavioral, social, and household insights to the clinical picture. It’s the difference between guessing who you’re serving and truly knowing who you’re serving.

What’s next for healthcare

We’re entering an era where data mastery will define success. The organizations that thrive will be those that connect every part of the ecosystem,payers, providers, and partners; around a shared, trusted view of people. And the next frontier is experience, not just the patient experience but the provider experience too. Both groups want simplicity, transparency, and connection. They want care that feels personal and data that works seamlessly in the background. It all starts with identity.

At Verato, we believe identity is the connective tissue of healthcare’s digital future. The more we help organizations master it, the more we’ll see care that feels human again, for patients, providers, and everyone in between.

Watch the Q&A with Joe Hickey:

The post The heart of connected care: Trust, data, and identity intelligence appeared first on Verato.

Organizations are racing to implement AI, but most are discovering that the true challenge isn’t adoption — it’s the ability to utilize AI in a way that accelerates work and achieves trusted results. Despite unprecedented investment, only one in five AI initiatives delivers disruptive business value. While technology is advancing fast, most enterprises are still building the foundations needed to sustain and scale it. 

AI relies on human readiness 

Research shared during the opening keynote shows that the average organization operates at about 50% AI readiness and about 25% human readiness. In other words, companies may have the tools to deploy AI, but not the structure, skills, or trust to maximize it. 

A strong foundation spans two critical dimensions: 

• Technical readiness: Requires reliable, accurate data; scalable infrastructure; and seamless integrations. AI models are only as powerful as the data ecosystems and governance structures supporting them. 

• Human readiness: Requires workforce alignment; trust in leadership; and the right skill sets to guide and interpret AI outcomes. Without this, even the best technology fails to deliver impact. 

The takeaway: AI transformation is as much a people challenge as it is a technology challenge. 

Fragmented infrastructure is the barrier to readiness 

Many CIOs face familiar obstacles on the path to AI maturity: 

• Accuracy and reliability: GenAI error rates can reach up to 25%, undermining confidence in automated outputs. 

• Hidden costs: Post-implementation expenses often exceed initial estimates as organizations uncover integration, training, and governance needs. 

• Fragmented vendor landscape: With over 1,000 AI vendors in the market, CIOs must evaluate solutions not only for capability but also for sovereignty, data integrity, and long-term interoperability. 

These challenges make clear that strong foundations start with clean, connected, and trusted data before layering on complex AI capabilities. 

The human layer: Building trust and capability 

AI transformation also requires cultural readiness. Gartner found that only 10% of HR leaders have proactive AI upskilling programs, and just 26% of employees trust their leadership to guide AI adoption. 

This gap underscores the importance of human enablement: 

• Building skills in context engineering, agent management, and data literacy. 

• Aligning workforce strategies around how roles will evolve with automation. 

• Empowering managers to communicate transparently about AI’s impact on work. 

Ultimately, organizations that treat their people as co-pilots rather than bystanders in the AI journey will be the ones that realize lasting ROI. 

Redefining IT for 2030 

Gartner predicts that in only five years, 75% of IT work will be AI-augmented. This evolution demands new infrastructure, new leadership models, and a reimagined mandate for IT itself. CIOs must lead the transition toward agent-ready architectures — systems that are designed to scale, adapt, and continuously improve with AI integration. Those who establish this foundation today will not only weather the next wave of disruption but create it. 

Building toward transcendent value 

When both technical and human foundations are strong, organizations reach what Gartner calls “transcendent value” — where AI doesn’t just automate work, but redefines business models, pricing, and industry norms. This is the new horizon of digital transformation: one that rewards readiness, not just ambition.

Learn more about how Verato supports AI initiatives with a trusted identity foundation.

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