How do healthcare organizations decide which initiatives, partnerships, and innovations to pursue? This panel will take a candid look at the vetting process—how it began, the internal strategies used to assess opportunities, and the long-term vision guiding decisions.

Leaders will share lessons learned from building a structured approach to evaluation, how they balance short-term needs with long-term priorities, and what strategies have proven most effective in ensuring alignment across their teams and organizations.

Attendees will leave with insights into:

• The origins of a vetting process and why it matters
• Internal strategies for alignment and decision-making
• Long-term strategic planning considerations
• Practical takeaways to strengthen your own approach

Join us for a forward-looking discussion that connects today’s decisions with tomorrow’s success.

Moderator
Zachary Giebler, COO
Hudson Physicians

Panelist
Andrew Kester | Chief Information Officer
Ridgeview

Andy Kester has been employed by Ridgeview for nearly seven years and is currently serving as the Chief Information Officer for the independent, regional health care system that serves communities across seven counties in the southwest metro region of the Twin Cities and beyond. As Chief Information Officer, Kester is accountable for Ridgeview’s enterprise Information Technology infrastructure, clinical applications, informatics, analytics, security, biomedical equipment and service management across its four hospital campuses, 11 primary care locations and its specialty practices, support services, rehabilitation and outreach programs, and more.
Kester is an energized health care technology leader who believes in collaborating closely with clinical and operations leadership and staff to continually improve access and enhance the ways in which Ridgeview serves the diverse needs of its patients.
Prior to joining Ridgeview, Kester served in a variety of leadership roles at Health Partners and Essentia Health. Kester holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and the Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO) and CPHIMS certifications.

Panelist
Ryan McFarland, MD
Hudson Physicians

Dr. Ryan McFarland is a dedicated Family Medicine physician at Hudson Physicians, where he also serves on the Physician Board of Directors. With a strong commitment to compassionate and efficient care, Dr. McFarland specializes in Family Medicine with Obstetrics, allowing him to build long-term relationships with patients and support families through every stage of life—from pregnancy to childhood and beyond.
He earned his medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed his residency at Self Regional Hospital. Board-certified in Family Medicine, Dr. McFarland is known for his patient-centered approach, emphasizing individualized treatment plans and meaningful relationships that enhance health outcomes.
Dr. McFarland has been integral in the implementation of layered AI within Hudson Physicians’ documentation practices. Most recently, he has assisted in the integration of an AI tool allowing for dictation and orders to be completed and placed real-time during a patient visit.

Panelist
Max Lipset | Director Health Quotient
i-Health

Max Lipset joined Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO) in 2021 as a Therapy Director to lead TCO’s Direct to Employer program called Health Quotient (HQ). Health Quotient’s mission is to make Minnesota the healthiest and safest place to work and HQ has a goal of saving Minnesota employers $1 billion by 2030. Max studied Philosophy and Pre-Medicine at Claremont McKenna College including a specific focus on artificial intelligence (AI). With the labor shortage in the healthcare industry, Max believes healthcare leaders must be finding ways to leverage AI to assist their employees and providers. Because of Max’s background in AI and technology, he has been closely involved with the implementation of AI at TCO.