July 20, 2025 • 10 mins
In this episode, Sharon Easterling, CEO and VP of Revenue Cycle at Upskillz, discusses AI's growing impact on healthcare, the need for upskilling in an evolving workforce, and her development of “Shakira,” an AI solution designed to transform the revenue cycle. She also shares powerful advice for leaders navigating the future of care and technology.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Becker's Healthcare podcast.
My name is Chanel Banger. Today, I'm thrilled
to speak with Sharon Easterling, the CEO and
VP of revenue cycle at Upskills,
who joins the podcast today to share insights
into her background,
health care trends she's keeping an eye on,
and a bit more. Sharon, thank you so
much for joining me. Could you get us
started out by introducing yourself and sharing a
bit about your background and organization?
(00:21):
Sure. Absolutely, Chanel. Thank you, first of all,
for having me here today. So glad to
be here.
I have a long history of CDI and
denial management,
but also I have a strong interest in
closing AI gaps.
I'm the CEO
of Upskills and, VP of revenue cycle management,
(00:42):
and I've been working with documentation and AI
tools
probably for about twenty years now, Chanel.
That's amazing. I'm happy that you can join
us. And to get us started out, can
you talk about the trends that you're currently
watching in your role today in health care?
Sure. Absolutely. You know, Chanel, so much is
happening right now.
So we have increasing
(01:04):
AI adoption
from consumer use to business use as well
as health care. And, you know,
AI is embedded in everything.
So it will be exciting to see what
some of the new technologies
that will continue to arise from this.
I think from a health care standpoint,
you know, we're gonna see more impact with,
(01:26):
you know, health care and patient friendly billing
and, of course, that financial transparency
piece. You know, helping to reduce that confusion
that patients experiences
as well as the process to improve
collections there. I I do think there's gonna
be significant,
you know, continued focus,
(01:47):
as well as expansion of revenue cycle outsourcing.
You know, as we journey into this,
age of AI,
right,
I think we're gonna move even more into
outsourcing
as we've been doing in the recent years.
You know? It's gonna move more strongly
to us monitoring things versus the doing
(02:11):
of tasks. So, therefore,
when you're just monitoring, it gives that increased
ability
to outsource some of those functions
within the revenue cycle,
such as the coding and the CDI
and the billing because
that job is gonna shift somewhat.
And, also, in integrated end to end
(02:33):
hospital systems, you know, from the front end
to the back end, bringing in that clinical
administration,
administrative and financial data into unified
platforms, I think,
which is gonna help increase and optimize workflow
and efficiencies
and, of course,
enhance that patient care coordination,
(02:54):
because, of course, healthy
consumers
is is what we ultimately want. And to
be able
to grasp that, we're gonna be able have
to be able to manage those process differently
and be able to analyze that data in
a different way.
Also, I would like to mention the virtual
visit.
And the reason I mentioned this, Chanel, is
(03:15):
because my husband had a a recent
hospital visit,
and we had the opportunity to have a
virtual nurse.
And I would and he was on the
floor.
So I would say
that
providers,
as they implement these new systems where we're
doing that
on-site patient monitoring,
(03:37):
we remember that patient and make sure that
they feel comfortable with it, have that education,
and even the person
performing that task,
be somewhat more oriented to this new patient
type experience.
Absolutely.
And now looking forward into the second half
(03:57):
of twenty twenty five, what would you say
you're most focused on and excited about?
Yeah. So, you know, it has been an
exciting
couple of years for me. So I would
say I am most excited about
we've been working on a very
innovative AI solution,
And this solution
(04:18):
is,
will address the entire revenue cycle from front
end to back end,
and it is going to level the pain
field between
the provider
and the payer,
making it better for the community.
You know, I've been working with RCM Healthcare
Solutions
on this,
and they had a vision
(04:39):
just to make sure that we can unwind
payer algorithms,
that we can have a comprehensive
workflow
to help overturn the dials
and,
create
transparency
with what's going on with the payer.
So I'm very excited about Shakira.
She is the name of, our AI,
(05:02):
and, she is gonna really impact how work
is done within the hospital
and success within that facility as well.
I love that. I love that name, obviously.
And now that we've looked into the future
of it, looking back at the last six
to eighteen months, what would you say you're
most proud of?
Yeah. So as I just mentioned, Chanel Shakira,
(05:26):
Shakira AI.
I would say she is definitely something,
that I am most proud of, you know,
being a part of the team of
getting that provisional patent for
the entire flow that Shahira will be able
to perform.
And then as well as, you know, I
wrote a recent book, Chanel.
(05:47):
It's called The Career Phoenix,
Rise, Reinvent, and Reclaim Your Future.
And I have been really focused on upskilling
health care professionals
for the future.
Because as I mentioned, Chanel, we're gonna move
to somewhat more of monitoring,
and we're gonna be building and we're gonna
be analyzing.
(06:08):
And to be able to do those things,
we need
to have awareness of what's happening with with
AI,
be able to hone in on those critical
thinking skills,
and be able to shift ourselves.
So when I say shift ourselves,
I mean, we're gonna have to be a
part of
the AI.
Right?
(06:29):
AI is the baby, the very smart baby,
but we're gonna be learning how to build
and manage
the AI more.
So we're gonna have to some of us
are are gonna have to shift
how we've worked in the past,
and have that increased knowledge because it's gonna
(06:51):
be there, Chanel. It's gonna be in everything
we do.
And how we prepare ourselves
for the future is critical.
So definitely the career Phoenix.
Absolutely. You don't wanna get left behind. And
now, Sharon, with all of the hats that
you wear, being a keynote speaker and author
and heading up UpSkills
(07:12):
and the passion that you're exuding in this
short conversation, I think you're the perfect person
to ask this question.
Could you maybe share some advice,
that you would give to evolving leaders maybe
looking to have the same impact and success
in their careers as you have?
Oh, gosh. Absolutely.
So definitely be proactive, Chanel, in understanding
(07:33):
AI. You know, we're gonna have to familiarize
ourselves with those tools so we can be
proactive in our current roles
because there is gonna be some impact in
job loss,
Chanel. So to be able to get ahead
of that, you need to put yourself above
and make yourself indispensable.
And to become indispensable
(07:55):
in this new AI driven age,
you're gonna have to go a little step
further.
Prepare for the change, right, and be agile.
You know, change is is inevitable,
especially with technology
advancement.
So leaders, we're gonna have to anticipate that,
embrace our change, prepare our staff, and prepare
(08:16):
ourselves
as we adapt these skills
and change our perspective.
Something I talked about early that patient centric
virtual care. You know, we got hospital at
home. We have all these devices that are
gonna be doing remote type
of monitoring.
You know, recognize
(08:37):
that our patients are still
adjusting to all this. They're still adjusting to
telehealth and virtual interaction.
So we have to ensure that that technology
and that engagement
is designed so the patient still feels supported
and connected and not isolated
because maintaining patients
(08:58):
is gonna be as critical and crucial as
ever.
And, of course, the main thing, Chanel,
I talk about and I I talk about
this with my friend sometimes,
strengthening that critical thinking.
Gotta be thinking at a different level
in in many different degree
in position. So in this time in honing
(09:19):
critical thinking skills,
you know, the future leaders will not be
able
to just manage technology.
They're gonna have to
integrate that. They're gonna have to develop new
things. They're gonna have to have analytical
skills and
decision making capabilities
for
the future. So for you to be able
(09:41):
to go forward, I think that's gonna be
a huge piece of it, Chanel. And I
can't wait to see what's happening because, really,
it's an exciting time. A little scary,
but exciting at the same time.
Absolutely. Excellent advice. Well, Sharon and I have
enjoyed our time together. But before before I
let you go, is there anything else listeners
should know, and where can they find you
(10:01):
if they wanna learn more?
Yeah. Sure. So, of course, definitely
connect with me on LinkedIn.
I have a newsletter out there where I'm
talking about
different AI
strategies
and tools and things impacting,
health care as well as business.
(10:21):
You can
email me @infoatupskills.org.
You can reach out there or you can
find me at excel with a I
dot org.
Got it. Well, Sharon, I wanna thank you
once again for joining me today and for
sharing your insights on the Becker's Healthcare podcast.
Thank you so much.
Oh, you're very welcome. Thank you for having
(10:42):
me, Chanel. This has been a great conversation.
Hello, and welcome to the Becker's Healthcare podcast.
My name is Chanel Banger. Today, I'm thrilled
to speak with Sharon Easterling, the CEO and
VP of revenue cycle at Upskills,
who joins the podcast today to share insights
into her background,
health care trends she's keeping an eye on,
and a bit more. Sharon, thank you so
much for joining me. Could you get us
started out by introducing yourself and sharing a
bit about your background and organization?
(00:21):
Sure. Absolutely, Chanel. Thank you, first of all,
for having me here today. So glad to
be here.
I have a long history of CDI and
denial management,
but also I have a strong interest in
closing AI gaps.
I'm the CEO
of Upskills and, VP of revenue cycle management,
(00:42):
and I've been working with documentation and AI
tools
probably for about twenty years now, Chanel.
That's amazing. I'm happy that you can join
us. And to get us started out, can
you talk about the trends that you're currently
watching in your role today in health care?
Sure. Absolutely. You know, Chanel, so much is
happening right now.
So we have increasing
(01:04):
AI adoption
from consumer use to business use as well
as health care. And, you know,
AI is embedded in everything.
So it will be exciting to see what
some of the new technologies
that will continue to arise from this.
I think from a health care standpoint,
you know, we're gonna see more impact with,
(01:26):
you know, health care and patient friendly billing
and, of course, that financial transparency
piece. You know, helping to reduce that confusion
that patients experiences
as well as the process to improve
collections there. I I do think there's gonna
be significant,
you know, continued focus,
(01:47):
as well as expansion of revenue cycle outsourcing.
You know, as we journey into this,
age of AI,
right,
I think we're gonna move even more into
outsourcing
as we've been doing in the recent years.
You know? It's gonna move more strongly
to us monitoring things versus the doing
(02:11):
of tasks. So, therefore,
when you're just monitoring, it gives that increased
ability
to outsource some of those functions
within the revenue cycle,
such as the coding and the CDI
and the billing because
that job is gonna shift somewhat.
And, also, in integrated end to end
(02:33):
hospital systems, you know, from the front end
to the back end, bringing in that clinical
administration,
administrative and financial data into unified
platforms, I think,
which is gonna help increase and optimize workflow
and efficiencies
and, of course,
enhance that patient care coordination,
(02:54):
because, of course, healthy
consumers
is is what we ultimately want. And to
be able
to grasp that, we're gonna be able have
to be able to manage those process differently
and be able to analyze that data in
a different way.
Also, I would like to mention the virtual
visit.
And the reason I mentioned this, Chanel, is
(03:15):
because my husband had a a recent
hospital visit,
and we had the opportunity to have a
virtual nurse.
And I would and he was on the
floor.
So I would say
that
providers,
as they implement these new systems where we're
doing that
on-site patient monitoring,
(03:37):
we remember that patient and make sure that
they feel comfortable with it, have that education,
and even the person
performing that task,
be somewhat more oriented to this new patient
type experience.
Absolutely.
And now looking forward into the second half
(03:57):
of twenty twenty five, what would you say
you're most focused on and excited about?
Yeah. So, you know, it has been an
exciting
couple of years for me. So I would
say I am most excited about
we've been working on a very
innovative AI solution,
And this solution
(04:18):
is,
will address the entire revenue cycle from front
end to back end,
and it is going to level the pain
field between
the provider
and the payer,
making it better for the community.
You know, I've been working with RCM Healthcare
Solutions
on this,
and they had a vision
(04:39):
just to make sure that we can unwind
payer algorithms,
that we can have a comprehensive
workflow
to help overturn the dials
and,
create
transparency
with what's going on with the payer.
So I'm very excited about Shakira.
She is the name of, our AI,
(05:02):
and, she is gonna really impact how work
is done within the hospital
and success within that facility as well.
I love that. I love that name, obviously.
And now that we've looked into the future
of it, looking back at the last six
to eighteen months, what would you say you're
most proud of?
Yeah. So as I just mentioned, Chanel Shakira,
(05:26):
Shakira AI.
I would say she is definitely something,
that I am most proud of, you know,
being a part of the team of
getting that provisional patent for
the entire flow that Shahira will be able
to perform.
And then as well as, you know, I
wrote a recent book, Chanel.
(05:47):
It's called The Career Phoenix,
Rise, Reinvent, and Reclaim Your Future.
And I have been really focused on upskilling
health care professionals
for the future.
Because as I mentioned, Chanel, we're gonna move
to somewhat more of monitoring,
and we're gonna be building and we're gonna
be analyzing.
(06:08):
And to be able to do those things,
we need
to have awareness of what's happening with with
AI,
be able to hone in on those critical
thinking skills,
and be able to shift ourselves.
So when I say shift ourselves,
I mean, we're gonna have to be a
part of
the AI.
Right?
(06:29):
AI is the baby, the very smart baby,
but we're gonna be learning how to build
and manage
the AI more.
So we're gonna have to some of us
are are gonna have to shift
how we've worked in the past,
and have that increased knowledge because it's gonna
(06:51):
be there, Chanel. It's gonna be in everything
we do.
And how we prepare ourselves
for the future is critical.
So definitely the career Phoenix.
Absolutely. You don't wanna get left behind. And
now, Sharon, with all of the hats that
you wear, being a keynote speaker and author
and heading up UpSkills
(07:12):
and the passion that you're exuding in this
short conversation, I think you're the perfect person
to ask this question.
Could you maybe share some advice,
that you would give to evolving leaders maybe
looking to have the same impact and success
in their careers as you have?
Oh, gosh. Absolutely.
So definitely be proactive, Chanel, in understanding
(07:33):
AI. You know, we're gonna have to familiarize
ourselves with those tools so we can be
proactive in our current roles
because there is gonna be some impact in
job loss,
Chanel. So to be able to get ahead
of that, you need to put yourself above
and make yourself indispensable.
And to become indispensable
(07:55):
in this new AI driven age,
you're gonna have to go a little step
further.
Prepare for the change, right, and be agile.
You know, change is is inevitable,
especially with technology
advancement.
So leaders, we're gonna have to anticipate that,
embrace our change, prepare our staff, and prepare
(08:16):
ourselves
as we adapt these skills
and change our perspective.
Something I talked about early that patient centric
virtual care. You know, we got hospital at
home. We have all these devices that are
gonna be doing remote type
of monitoring.
You know, recognize
(08:37):
that our patients are still
adjusting to all this. They're still adjusting to
telehealth and virtual interaction.
So we have to ensure that that technology
and that engagement
is designed so the patient still feels supported
and connected and not isolated
because maintaining patients
(08:58):
is gonna be as critical and crucial as
ever.
And, of course, the main thing, Chanel,
I talk about and I I talk about
this with my friend sometimes,
strengthening that critical thinking.
Gotta be thinking at a different level
in in many different degree
in position. So in this time in honing
(09:19):
critical thinking skills,
you know, the future leaders will not be
able
to just manage technology.
They're gonna have to
integrate that. They're gonna have to develop new
things. They're gonna have to have analytical
skills and
decision making capabilities
for
the future. So for you to be able
(09:41):
to go forward, I think that's gonna be
a huge piece of it, Chanel. And I
can't wait to see what's happening because, really,
it's an exciting time. A little scary,
but exciting at the same time.
Absolutely. Excellent advice. Well, Sharon and I have
enjoyed our time together. But before before I
let you go, is there anything else listeners
should know, and where can they find you
(10:01):
if they wanna learn more?
Yeah. Sure. So, of course, definitely
connect with me on LinkedIn.
I have a newsletter out there where I'm
talking about
different AI
strategies
and tools and things impacting,
health care as well as business.
(10:21):
You can
email me @infoatupskills.org.
You can reach out there or you can
find me at excel with a I
dot org.
Got it. Well, Sharon, I wanna thank you
once again for joining me today and for
sharing your insights on the Becker's Healthcare podcast.
Thank you so much.
Oh, you're very welcome. Thank you for having
(10:42):
me, Chanel. This has been a great conversation.
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