Pediatric Health Mergers & AI with John Henderson

In this episode of QuickHITs, Tyler Smith sits down with John Henderson, VP, CIO & Digital Officer at Rady Children's Health, for a timely conversation on leadership, integration, and mission-driven innovation in pediatric healthcare. John shares his journey into pediatric healthcare and how purpose-driven work has shaped his leadership philosophy. He offers an inside look at guiding a complex health system merger, bringing together platforms, teams, and cultures while maintaining a relentless focus on patient care. For John, technology is never the end goal — it is a means to simplify workflows, reduce friction for clinicians, and improve the experience for families navigating care. The conversation flows into what it truly takes to unify data across organizations, build strong governance models, and create a flexible architecture that can adapt to rapid shifts in AI and digital capabilities. John discusses the importance of simplification in digital ecosystems, the balance between accessibility and security, and why perfection cannot stand in the way of progress during large-scale transformation. Grounded in real-world experience, this episode explores how healthcare leaders can stay resilient, future-ready, and patient-focused while navigating mergers, modernization, and emerging technologies.