MCG Health

03/12/2026

Earlier this week, the MCG Health Government Affairs team hosted a cross-functional meeting at Hearst Tower in New York City, bringing together colleagues from Product Management, Sales, and Marketing to discuss the evolving landscape of government-related programs.

First and foremost, the group also had the opportunity to attend a special session with Eve Burton, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Hearst. She spoke about Hearst’s long history of defending First Amendment rights across its information businesses and reminded us that, above all, our first duty is to the truth. This was followed by an engaging discussion with other members of the Hearst Legal team, including Deputy General Counsel Ravi Sitwala.

We were also fortunate to welcome two distinguished MCG advisors who joined us onsite to share their perspectives: Heather Podesta, Founder and CEO of the bipartisan government relations firm Invariant, and Gary Jessee of Sellers Dorsey. They were joined by other colleagues who contributed to the bipartisan discussion, including Drew Snyder, former Deputy Administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and former Director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services. Their insights into the future direction of government healthcare programs and potential state and federal legislative developments sparked thoughtful discussion about how MCG can continue to support our customers and strategic partners.

During the visit, MCG team members also joined Hearst’s celebration of International Women’s Day (pictured below), where they connected with other colleagues from across Hearst Health and Hearst Media. On Wednesday, Mar. 11, the team visited HearstLab, which invests in women-led startups, during a stop coordinated by Lia Tavarez, Senior Manager of Community & Events. And finally, the group enjoyed a experience with the Good Housekeeping Tour inside Hearst Tower, where they learned about the science behind the product reviews.

The entire week was a great opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen among MCG, Hearst (our parent company), and our valued strategic advisors. Our team had the opportunity to reflect on the important role that trusted information plays in shaping healthcare and public policy.

03/11/2026

The MCG Health team is on the ground at the HIMSS Conference in Las Vegas (Mar 9–12), connecting with strategic partners and sharing how we’re advancing AI and clinical authorization automation to support better care delivery. Yesterday, Naqi Khan, MD, FAMIA, VP Product, Health at MCG, co-presented a Brunch Briefing with Anthony Akosa, MD, MBA, Corporate VP of Care Management at Franciscan Alliance, Inc., titled “Evidence-Based AI in Utilization Review: Measured Outcomes and Lessons Learned.”

The session explored how organizations are addressing rising inpatient volumes, complex documentation, and denial pressures by pairing AI-enabled reasoning with MCG’s evidence-based care guidelines through MCG Synapse. Presenters shared measured outcomes, including reduced review time, improved reviewer productivity, and stronger care coordination, along with practical insights on building clinician trust and ensuring AI-assisted decisions hold up during appeals.

03/10/2026

In the latest installment of our "Source of Truth" series, MCG Health Sr. Physician Editor & Director of Content Development, Blair Washington, MD, MHA, interviews MCG Sr. Clinical Integration Analyst, Miriam Moerbe, MS, BSN, RN. In this video episode, our experts discuss how MCG is validating our agent (MCG Synapse) through rigorous and extensive user testing to maintain its clinical integrity:

JANUARY 14, 2026: MCG Sr. Physician Editor & Director of Content Development, Blair Washington, MD, MHA, interviews MCG Sr. Clinical Integration Analyst, Miriam…

03/04/2026

MCG Health is excited to unveil the newly published agenda for our Client Forum 2026, taking place June 1–3 in Aventura, Florida. This year’s program highlights unique learning opportunities in -driven innovation, emerging technologies, and forward-thinking clinical and operational practices via dynamic breakout sessions and inspiring keynotes. Our client attendees and guests will gain practical insights they can take back to their organizations, and and can earn credit. Explore what’s in store and register before the Early Bird rate ends in mid-March: https://clientforum2026.eventscribe.net/agenda.asp?BCFO=&pfp=&fa=&fb=&fc=&fd=&all=1

03/03/2026

MCG Health is proud to announce the release of the 30th edition of our industry-leading MCG care guidelines. As continues to evolve in the era of , we recognize the importance of ensuring our solutions evolve alongside it. This latest edition introduces enhancements designed to support our AI agent, MCG Synapse, enabling it to thoughtfully interpret clinical content and deliver clear, evidence-based recommendations. These advancements are built to strengthen utilization review and activities, helping organizations make informed decisions with confidence.
Learn more in our press release:

Trusted leader in clinical guidance releases new updates for cardiovascular surgery, gene therapy, and orthopedic procedures SEATTLE, Wash., March 3, 2026

02/27/2026

Last month, members of MCG Health's Interrater Reliability and Clinical Support teams (see pic below) spent several days together in Fort Myers, Florida, for focused , strategic planning, and hands-on problem-solving. Stepping away from day-to-day responsibilities allowed them to strengthen alignment, build momentum, and make meaningful progress on key priorities that support the clinicians and clients MCG serves.

While there, these team members also took time to reflect on the broader impact of our responsibility to the communities around us. Utilizing their MCG benefit, the team members volunteered on Sanibel Island, participating in cleanup efforts related to Hurricane Ian. The opportunity to give back together made the trip especially meaningful and deepened their connection as a team.

02/26/2026

AI and LLMs are rapidly reshaping , but successful adoption in requires more than just new technology. Join MCG Health Principal Healthcare Consultant, Cynthia Young, MBA, BSN, RN, CMPC, for our upcoming webinar (March 24) as we explore how organizations can thoughtfully integrate into care management workflows to enhance patient outcomes, improve efficiency, and drive more equitable healthcare systems.

Attendees will learn how to identify key industry drivers accelerating AI adoption, explore how emerging technologies support care and healthcare consumer management, and outline structured AI governance strategies. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights and position your organization for the future of AI-enabled care: https://info.mcg.com/webinar-ai-cm.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=consulting&utm_content=wbr-in-2026-ai-cm

02/24/2026

MCG Health Sr. Physician Editor & Director of Content Development, Blair Washington, MD, MHA, recently interviewed MCG Director of , Zack Kimble, for our "Source of Truth" series. In the video below, Mr. Kimble discusses how MCG addresses the risk of algorithmic bias as well as MCG's rigorous process for validating our agent (MCG Synapse), the reliability of its answers for clinical decision-making, and the role of transparency/interpretability. Watch here: https://vimeo.com/1154418518?fl=pl&fe=s

JANUARY 7, 2026: MCG Sr. Physician Editor & Director of Content Development, Blair Washington, MD, MHA, interviews MCG Director of Data Science, Zack Kimble.…

02/18/2026

On January 26, MCG Health team members in the Denver area came together for a Volunteer Outreach & Community (VOC) event at Community Food Share in Lafayette, Colorado. During the event, the team packed 150 bags of fresh produce and 200 bags of dry goods to support individuals and families facing food insecurity in the region. In 2024 alone, Community Food Share distributed 13.3 million pounds of food—equivalent to 11 million meals—serving 60,000 individuals. Notably, 72% of the food distributed included fresh produce, dairy, and high-protein items, and contributions account for 25% of the organization’s total hours worked.

We’re proud of our team members for giving their time and energy to support such an impactful organization. The group had a great experience and is already planning its next VOC event this fall.

Pictured below: Karin Trenkel-Wilson, Holly Zimmerman, Erin Elisabeth Parker, Ann Lacy-Balliet, and Jennifer Webb.

02/12/2026

MCG Health Director of Content Emily Ferguson, DNP, RN, CCM, and RN Editor Rebekah Koutny, RN, BSN, CCM, have published an insightful article on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' newly launched TEAM Program. In this piece, our clinical experts examine how evidence-based decision support can help improve , smooth transitions between care settings, reduce unnecessary readmissions, and drive successful outcomes. Read more:

The Transforming Episode Accountability Model, or the CMS TEAM Model, is a mandatory program that will emphasize optimal transitions of care.

02/11/2026

MCG Health recently partnered with Wolters Kluwer Health to implement the Health Language Data Quality Workbench. This solution allowed our teams to bulk-load legacy spreadsheets and convert them into intensional value sets — logic-based algorithms that automatically update as terminologies evolve. This helped MCG further enhance our solution and help our clients reduce times by up to 85%. Learn more via the link:

Discover how MCG Health moved from static spreadsheets to algorithmic logic, saving thousands of hours and improving decision confidence.

02/10/2026

In the video below, MCG Health Sr. Physician Editor & Director of Content Development, Blair Washington, MD, MHA, interviews MCG Physician Editor, Alanna Tzarfati, MD, MPH. In this episode, Dr. Tzarfati discusses how MCG physicians are validating the performance of MCG Synapse, our agent, as it reasons over the evidence-based MCG care guidelines. Dr. Tzarfati also shares how MCG's source of truth creates optimal efficiency for professionals. Watch the video:

JANUARY 14, 2026: MCG Sr. Physician Editor & Director of Content Development, Blair Washington, MD, MHA, interviews MCG Physician Editor, Alanna Tzarfati, MD.…