Commure 2025 Pinnacle Awards

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you like to do outside of work? 

I'm pretty active, I enjoy surfing, training for triathlons, and hiking. Most of my hobbies involve being outdoors in some form. In the evenings, my wife and I usually unwind with whatever show we're watching. We just finished Yellowstone and absolutely loved it.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

Initially, an artist, though that didn't last too long. Then I was set on becoming a doctor for quite a while. That path has changed, but my interest in healthcare never did!

Describe a day in the life of your role. 

Every day brings something different, which keeps things interesting. I typically start by organizing priorities for myself and my team, then we have a standup to discuss any issues and align on the day ahead. From there, it varies, including architecture design meetings, client calls, heads-down coding, addressing escalations, or helping teammates solve problems. There's always something new to tackle.

What made you decide to join Commure? 

I've always been drawn to healthcare. In college, I majored in Computer Science but also completed all the pre-med requirements because I was genuinely torn between the two paths. I ultimately realized I wanted to build technology for healthcare rather than practice medicine. I also knew I wanted to join a company where I could take on significant ownership and grow quickly. Commure offered exactly that combination.

How would you describe the Commure company culture? 

Passionate and driven. Everyone here genuinely cares about what we're building and the customers we serve. We move quickly and hold ourselves to a high standard, but people are energized by their work. There's a real willingness to roll up your sleeves and tackle the hard problems together.

What advice would you give someone on their first day at Commure? 

Be proactive. Ask questions when something isn't clear. Introduce yourself to people whose work you admire. Speak up if there's a particular problem you want to work on. The opportunities here are real, but you have to take initiative to seize them.

What has been your greatest accomplishment so far at Commure? 

I was on of a small team of engineers tasked with a complete rebuild of our payment infrastructure. Managing a project of that scale while supporting millions of dollars in payments wasn't something I expected to do this early in my career. It's a strong example of what's possible here when you're willing to take on challenging work.

Interested in a career building the next generation of healthcare technology powered by AI? We are always looking for talented people across our departments.

Explore Career Opportunities

“Coding that once took minutes can be reviewed in seconds, which adds up quickly across a full clinic day.”

As Commure’s Clinical Strategy Lead, Dr. Aabha Morey brings together her experience as a primary care physician in India and her work across healthcare technology to help organizations adopt AI thoughtfully and effectively.

In this edition of Commure Uncharted, she breaks down why coding remains such a burden for clinicians, how generative AI has changed the landscape, and what health systems should consider when evaluating autonomous coding tools and their ROI.

Q: Why is coding still such a persistent pain point for providers and health systems?

Clinicians are trained to care for patients, not to code. Their day is already filled with diagnosing, coordinating care, and documenting visits. Coding becomes yet another task layered on top of an overloaded workflow, and if it is not done or not captured correctly, the visit cannot be reimbursed. Because coding has never been core to medical training, it often falls through the cracks. This gap makes the process both burdensome for clinicians and well-suited for generative AI tools that can take on the administrative lift.

‍Q: Why is the industry finally ready for fully or near-fully autonomous coding after years of attempts?

The shift is largely driven by advances in generative AI. Models are improving every few months in how well they understand clinical text and even clinical images. At the same time, health systems are under increasing financial pressure from reimbursement cuts, so they are looking for tools that help them capture the revenue they have already earned. Human coding is imperfect and often leaves money on the table. With the technology now strong enough to interpret documentation with far greater depth and consistency, interest in autonomous coding has grown significantly.

There has also been a cultural shift. As generative AI has become more accessible, people can see its value firsthand in their daily lives, which makes them more open to using it in clinical settings. I also see health systems approaching adoption responsibly by focusing on accuracy and data standards. Overall, the industry is more welcoming of AI than ever before, especially in areas like coding that have been long-standing pain points.

‍Q: What kind of time savings can clinicians realistically expect, and how does that time translate back into patient care?

In a recent study with a customer using our autonomous coding solution, clinicians saved up to 83 percent of the time they previously spent coding. That is time they can redirect back to patients, their teams, or even themselves. In many cases, the savings can be even higher. What used to take three minutes to code manually now takes under thirty seconds because clinicians only need to review what the AI generated.

‍Q: How do you balance physician oversight with automation to maintain trust in the system?

Clinicians still review and sign off on every AI-proposed code. AI can make mistakes, but most issues we see stem from conflicting information within the note itself. The key is using established guardrails already familiar in coding. For example, code edits flag combinations that should not appear together. If a note triggers a code edit or reflects a higher-complexity visit, it can be routed for additional review.

Autonomous coding does not mean bypassing clinicians. Instead, it gives them a faster way to validate codes with clear rationale and citations from the note, which turns what used to be a lengthy search into a quick review.

‍Q: Do you think we will ever reach a point where clinicians no longer need to sign off on notes and the coding process becomes fully automated?

Yes, it is a matter of when, not if. Lower-complexity, highly predictable visit types already follow patterns that lend themselves well to full automation. Those cases could be coded without a human in the loop. Higher-complexity visits or notes with inconsistencies will still need clinician review. Over time, as models improve and guardrails like code edits mature, more of the routine coding work can move toward full autonomy.

‍Q: What key metrics should health systems track to assess the ROI of autonomous coding?

I usually recommend looking at three areas: revenue impact, workflow efficiency, and clinician quality of life.

For revenue, track changes in claim volume, denials, and time to submission. When we compare periods of autonomous coding to prior seasons with manual coding, we see more claims going out and fewer denials. Many organizations also recover revenue simply because claims are submitted faster.

For workflow efficiency, measure how much time and how many clicks clinicians save. Coding that once took minutes can be reviewed in seconds, which adds up quickly across a full clinic day.

And for quality of life, reduced administrative burden often shows up in lower burnout and higher satisfaction. At a recent conference, clinicians actually applauded when they heard about autonomous coding, which speaks to how much frustration coding has caused over the years.

‍Q: What are the biggest adoption barriers you see, and how can organizations overcome them?

The first barrier is documentation quality. AI-generated codes will only be as accurate as the information in the note. Ensuring strong documentation standards and consistent templates goes a long way, and using the same ambient AI vendor as your autonomous coding vendor helps because upstream data flows cleanly into the coding model.

The second barrier is data flow from the EHR. Sometimes notes, especially those created by advanced practice providers, are not sent to the coding system until an attending co-signs them. That creates missed opportunities for autonomous coding. In several implementations, the remaining gap in utilization came down to notes that simply never reached us from the EMR. Working with the EHR team to make sure the right data is transmitted reliably is essential.

‍Q: What advice would you give a health system evaluating autonomous coding tools?

Start by looking at how well the vendor performs for your specific specialty. Many companies say they can handle everything from OB to neurology to facility coding, but accuracy often breaks down in areas like unspecified codes or laterality. Make sure you understand their real performance for the cases you see every day.

It is also a positive sign if a vendor tells you they need to fine-tune the model to your data. Documentation patterns vary widely across health systems, so an out-of-the-box model will never fit perfectly. Tailoring it to your environment is essential for accuracy.

Finally, consider what else the system can support. Coding is downstream from many other steps in the clinical workflow, so working with a vendor that also provides ambient documentation or intake can give you a more connected and accurate result. A shared backend ensures that all of the visit complexity is captured and reflected in the final claim.

‍Q: What makes Commure’s autonomous coding tools stand out from other solutions on the market?

One major advantage is our forward-deployed engineering model. It is one thing to tune a model for a specialty and another to tune it for a specific health system with its own payer mix, documentation standards, and nuances. Our teams work directly with customers to tailor the model so it performs optimally and scales across departments and facilities.

Another differentiator is our shared architecture with Ambient AI. Because all of the patient conversations, pre-visit information, and historical context flow through the same system, the coding model has a far more complete clinical picture. That means it captures visit complexity, patient co-morbidities, and other details that often go uncoded with manual processes.

Together, those capabilities lead to more accurate, context-rich coding that reflects the full care delivered.

Want to learn more about autonomous coding?

See What's Possible

Nurses today juggle relentless documentation requirements on top of direct patient care. To help health systems reduce this burden, we are excited to share that Commure Ambient for Nursing can now be integrated as part of Epic’s Ambient Voice Recognition Toolbox, enabling a native, in-workflow ambient experience directly inside Epic Rover.

This integration allows nurses to document patient interactions simply by speaking during the encounter. Commure’s ambient AI securely captures the conversation, converts it into structured flowsheet and LDA suggestions, and surfaces it in Epic for nurse review and filing. The entire experience is embedded in Rover, so nurses stay in the tools they already use without extra steps or separate apps.

Bringing Commure Ambient into Epic Rover unlocks several advantages. Nurses can center more of their workflow around patient conversations instead of manual data entry. Structured fields populate faster and more consistently, supporting higher documentation quality. Because the experience lives directly inside Rover, organizations gain a unified workflow that reduces toggling, minimizes friction, and supports quicker adoption.

Ambient AI helps nurses reduce repetitive charting tasks and frees time for direct care, whether during admission assessments, rounding, or reviewing devices and lines. Instead of typing in the moment or catching up at the end of a shift, nurses can focus on clinical decision-making while Commure’s AI assists in the background.

With this Epic Toolbox integration, Commure can now deliver an integrated ambient experience in Epic Rover that supports accurate documentation and a more efficient, patient-first workflow.

Trademark Statement: Epic and Rover are registered trademarks of Epic Systems Corporation.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you like to do outside of work?

I was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and because of that, nature has always been a grounding force in my life. I love any kind of adventure that helps me disconnect, from fishing and hiking to water sports or getting lost somewhere with no signal at all. There’s something deeply restorative about being fully present, far from screens and notifications.

My friends often joke that I’m their favorite dinner guest because I always know what to order. I love discovering new restaurants around town, and somehow, I’ve become the designated menu curator wherever we go. Ordering for the entire table and watching everyone love what arrives. It’s one of my small joys.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by computers. My mom was incredibly tech-savvy and gave me my first Apple computer when I was very young. It was love at first sight. I’d spend hours exploring Photoshop, drawing, and creating things just for the joy of making.

I was always a builder, whether I was knitting, crafting, or designing on a screen, I loved figuring out how things came together. There was never a project I couldn’t find a way to make; I’d experiment until I understood how to bring an idea to life. That curiosity for creating and problem-solving has stayed with me ever since.

I dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, an interior designer, or an artist of some kind. Always something creative, always something that allowed me to build worlds from imagination. Over time, I realized design was the perfect intersection of everything I loved: creativity, technology, and storytelling. It gave me the ability to build, not just objects or art, but experiences that connect people, simplify complexity, and make a difference.

Describe a day in the life of your role.

I love starting my day early; those quiet morning hours before the meetings begin are sacred. My timezone gives me a head start, and I use that time for deep creative work: thinking, sketching, and exploring ideas without distractions.

As the day unfolds, I shift from focus to collaboration. I connect with product and engineering partners, mentor designers, and review work. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is speaking directly with clients and power users, seeing their reaction when they interact with a new design for the first time is electric. Hearing someone say, “This is so much better than what we had before,” makes every iteration worth it.

Leading the design team means helping others unblock, grow, and find their creative rhythm. My mornings build the ideas, my afternoons bring them to life through collaboration. Alone time fuels my creativity; teamwork gives it purpose.

What made you decide to join Commure?

I originally joined Commure through an acquisition during the height of COVID, when the company was bringing together talented teams under one shared vision to transform healthcare through technology. It was a time when the world was collectively redefining what care, connection, and purpose meant, and that mission immediately resonated with me.

I decided to stay because I saw an opportunity to design for one of the most human and impactful industries there is. Designing for healthcare means designing for people who dedicate their lives to caring for others: doctors, nurses, administrators, patients, and families. Every improvement, no matter how small, has the potential to make their day easier, their work more efficient, and their experiences more meaningful.

How would you describe the Commure company culture?

Commure’s culture is all about momentum and collaboration. We move fast, take initiative, find answers, and never let uncertainty slow us down. Everyone here has an ownership mindset; we’re curious, proactive, and driven by purpose.

What makes Commure special, though, goes beyond the work itself. It’s the people. It’s a place where you truly enjoy the teams you collaborate with, where engineering, product, and design come together with a shared respect for craft and curiosity. We celebrate progress as much as outcomes, support one another through challenges, and know how to laugh in between.

There’s a spirit of experimentation and trust that encourages you to stretch beyond your comfort zone, learn fast, and keep improving. It’s a culture built not only to build products, but to build people.

What advice would you give someone on their first day at Commure?

Ask questions, lots of them. There’s no such thing as a dumb question here. The biggest blockers often come from being afraid to ask and learn. Curiosity is your greatest tool; use it generously. You’ll be surprised how many answers open up once you start the conversation.

What has been your greatest accomplishment so far at Commure?

Over the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of shaping many of Commure’s core products from the ground up, from our EHR and Patient Portal to the Kiosk experience, Strongline, and multiple RCM modules, including the Posting Tool, Appointments, Check Deposit Manager, and Claims. Each project became an opportunity to turn complex workflows into intuitive, human-centered experiences that genuinely support the people who use them every day.

But what I’m most proud of goes beyond the products themselves; it’s the team we’ve built along the way. Watching designers grow, mentoring them, and seeing their ideas come to life across our suite has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey here. Building a culture rooted in creativity, trust, and excellence has been my proudest accomplishment.

Interested in a career building the next generation of healthcare technology powered by AI? We are always looking for talented people across our departments.

Explore Career Opportunities

At the Becker’s Health IT + RCM Conference, leaders from Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, Compassus, and MultiCare Health System unpacked a practical question: how do you turn ambient AI from promise into measurable results? Moderated by Dr. Jamie Colbert of Commure, the session surfaced clear, metric-driven lessons for executives. Speakers included:

• Evan Kramer, MBA, SVP of Innovation and Operational Excellence with Compassus, a nationwide home-based care provider with over 8,000 nurses

• Michael Han, MD, MBA, Enterprise Chief Medical Information Officer and Vice President with MultiCare Health System (Tacoma, Wash.)

• Gian Varbaro, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Ambulatory Services at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center (Paramus, N.J.)

1) Reclaiming time for providers
‍

Few technologies in healthcare have spread as quickly as ambient AI. Compassus, an integrated home-based care provider operating across 35 states with more than 8,000 nurses, has seen especially strong results in applying AI to streamline documentation.

The organization began by automating its interdisciplinary group (IDG) note workflow, a process that typically required nurses to spend significant time manually summarizing large sections of the medical record every two weeks. With the new AI-powered documentation tool from Commure, Compassus nurses can now generate IDG notes in a fraction of the time.

Early results are promising:

• ~70% reduction in documentation time for nurses

• ~70% adoption and growing, with expectations to reach 80–90%

• Clinicians reporting that automation has “given them their Saturdays back.”

This rapid adoption stems from deliberate change management—from executive sponsorship and AI champions in every office to clear communication of the benefits clinicians feel most directly: more time for patients, and more time for themselves.

“These tools don’t just create capacity to drive access to care, they make a real difference in clinicians’ day-to-day satisfaction,” said Evan Kramer, SVP of Innovation and Operational Excellence at Compassus.

2) Burnout down, satisfaction up

At MultiCare Health System, who is piloting multiple Ambient AI solutions, ambient AI is moving the needle on workforce wellbeing. Survey results among active users showed a reduction in the percentage of providers reporting burnout from ~25% to <4%, while the share of clinicians who said they enjoy their job rose from 8% to 36%.

As Dr. Michael Han, CMIO at MultiCare, noted: “In 15 years of informatics, I’ve seen no intervention this successful at reducing burnout.”

3) Track revenue, not just efficiency

The panelists cautioned that efficiency alone isn’t enough to justify investment. Health systems are measuring outcomes that directly tie to financial and operational health, including organic RVU growth, HCC/RAF performance, and patient satisfaction.

By moving beyond “time saved” to metrics like revenue, retention, and care continuity, organizations are building stronger business cases for AI.

Dr. Varbaro explained: “We’re measuring engagement and reductions in burnout, but we’re equally focused on how this approach can drive internal referrals and foster more integrated care across our teams.”

‍

4) Value across the care journey
‍

Ambient AI’s impact spans before, during, and after the visit:

• Before: chart summarization, pre-visit prep, care gap surfacing.

• During: accurate documentation and coding, streamlined ordering, clearer patient communication.

• After: automated summaries, scheduled follow-ups, revenue cycle acceleration.
‍

As Dr. Han explained: “The value of ambient clinical documentation is not just in the note—it’s in the data, and everything you can do with that data.”

These leaders cautioned that success depends on more than choosing the right vendor. Health systems must align governance, operations, and change management to ensure the technology translates into value.

Ambient AI is delivering real, measurable results across diverse healthcare organizations, from safety net hospitals to large integrated systems to nationwide home health providers. As more health systems progress from pilots to enterprise-scale deployments, these incremental “singles and doubles” will add up to deliver not only operational and financial ROI, but also the broader transformation of the clinical experience.

“Some providers may be hesitant at first, but once they start using it, they see how naturally it fits into their workflow. Ambient technology can adapt to any environment, and the key is to work with it rather than against it. When you do, it becomes a real partner in care delivery.”

In this installment of Commure Uncharted, Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune, Executive Medical Director and member of the Commure Clinical Council, sits down with Sarah Wildermuth, Senior Operations Manager on Commure’s Enterprise Ambient Implementation Team. They discuss what successful AI deployments look like in the field, the lessons learned  from large-scale rollouts, and the impact of Ambient AI on the provider experience.

A “Boots on the Ground” View from the Frontlines of Healthcare

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

Great to speak with you again, Sarah. You’re one of our in-house experts on making Ambient AI work in the field. To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your recent projects at Commure? 

Sarah Wildermuth:

As a Senior Operations Manager on the Enterprise Ambient Implementation Team, I focus on enterprise-scale deployments across large multi-specialty organizations. Some of our most recent deployments have been with a 600-provider group and a 500-provider plus urgent care network. We are also beginning pre-planning with one of the largest health care facilities across several markets.

Each organization brings unique challenges. I have enjoyed learning those nuances and adapting our implementations accordingly.

We also manage pilot programs with providers ranging from tech-savvy early adopters to those who prefer a slower approach, which helps ensure the product works seamlessly for everyone.

What The Deployment Process Entails

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

When working with a large national hospital chain that is rolling out new technology, what is step one? How do you even begin an engagement of that scale?

Sarah Wildermuth:

It starts with planning. We usually give ourselves a few months to prepare because you cannot just jump right in. Every department needs to know the project is getting underway, even those not directly involved in training, like revenue cycle teams. While they are not leading provider training, they see the downstream impact of better documentation and billing, so early communication is key.

We reach out to department leaders to let them know the project is happening and invite them to an initial kickoff meeting. That meeting covers timelines and an overview of the Commure Ambient solution, which sets the foundation for a smooth deployment.

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

How do you align executives and frontline staff on expectations for new technology? 

Sarah Wildermuth:

The most successful deployments start with strong leadership buy-in. Many of the executives we work with are clinicians themselves, so they have either tested the product personally or know colleagues who have. When they see the benefits firsthand, it makes a big difference.

When leaders champion the solution internally, it sets the tone. Providers are much more likely to engage when they hear directly from their Chief Medical Officer or another respected leader that the technology works and will help them. It creates awareness ahead of training and helps the deployment be received more positively across the board.

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

For many providers, this can feel like new initiative number one hundred. How do leaders promote the real value of adopting Ambient AI?

Sarah Wildermuth:

We rely heavily on pilot programs. Before a full-scale rollout, we run time-bound pilots with a small group of providers who become our champions. They use Commure Ambient for several months, which allows us to gather both qualitative and quantitative data.

We measure things like documentation time saved, reductions in after-hours “pajama time,” and even improvements in E&M coding levels, especially in urgent care. When we share those results with the broader organization, it helps new providers see the tangible value from day one.

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

Once the organization is aligned, what technical and operational steps must happen before deployment?

Sarah Wildermuth:

There is quite a bit happening behind the scenes. We start by integrating with the customer’s electronic health record, or EHR. That allows us to both pull and send information, which helps create a complete note with fewer clicks for the provider. Once the integration is live, they can generate and send their final note with a single click.

Alongside that technical workstream, we also have a compliance and security workstream focused on policies like data retention and patient consent. Then there is the provider operations and training workstream, which covers how we will train hundreds of providers over the rollout period.

In the best case, planning can be completed in about thirty days, depending on how quickly the customer moves. In more complex cases, it can take up to four months.

Evaluating Effectiveness & Impact

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

When evaluating an ambient AI deployment, what metrics do you look at to determine whether it is working? And on the flip side, what are the early signs that something might be off track?

Sarah Wildermuth:

The main metrics are provider adoption and utilization. Adoption measures how many providers use Ambient AI at least once in a given day, while utilization tracks how often they use it across all their appointments.

If training completion is high but adoption is low, that is a red flag. It usually means providers do not feel fully confident using the technology. To close that gap, we conduct quick post-training surveys (just two questions via QR code) to assess readiness and identify anyone who might need extra support. We also run live test sessions in the EHR so providers can see the technology in action before they start using it with patients.

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

And you also look at provider satisfaction and time savings, right?

Sarah Wildermuth:

Exactly. We track time-in-note metrics and conduct surveys to capture how the technology affects work-life balance and overall satisfaction. If providers are spending less time documenting, they are usually happier. 

Burnout is a real issue in healthcare, and one reason I enjoy this work is seeing the direct impact on providers’ lives. We often hear stories like, “I got to pick up my kids from school today,” or, “I actually had dinner with my family.” Those moments are a reminder that the product really is making a difference. We are also implementing use cases for AI beyond clinical scribing, such as scheduling/front office workflows, appointment reminders and follow-ups, RCM, and much more.

Driving Adoption & Trust

Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

Some providers clearly love the technology and see the benefits right away. But there is always a small group who resist change. How do you build trust with that group?

Sarah Wildermuth:

Those providers usually take longer to become consistent users, but getting the technology in their hands is the first step. The platform is simple to use, and we handle backend setup so that the final note looks and feels like what they are already used to seeing. The goal is to reduce friction and make the experience as familiar as possible.

At its core, the workflow is straightforward: start recording, see your patient, end recording, and your note is ready. Once they realize how easy it is, they start to see the benefits for themselves. Even the most hesitant users often begin slowly, one patient at a time, but over a few weeks they build confidence and fully adopt it.

‍Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune:

What advice would you give healthcare leaders who are just beginning to prepare for ambient technology?

Sarah Wildermuth:

I would tell them that this technology is not going anywhere. One of our pilot providers put it perfectly when he said, “AI is not going to replace doctors, but doctors using AI are going to replace doctors not using AI.”

I have never seen a specialty or provider type where it does not work. Some providers may be hesitant at first, but once they start using it, they see how naturally it fits into their workflow. Ambient technology can adapt to any environment, and the key is to work with it rather than against it. When you do, it becomes a real partner in care delivery.

‍

You likely had several options — why did you choose Commure?‍

Dhanvee Ivaturi,  Head of Engineering, Infra (BS Computer Science ‘21): School taught me that I derive a lot of joy from work, and I wanted to make sure I had that with my first job. I was looking for two things: working on products that solve real problems in fields I care about, and having the opportunity to work really hard and be recognized for it. I joined Commure because it checked those boxes: we build products that reshape the healthcare industry, and we are a meritocracy. I felt like I had a real chance at making an impact on the healthcare industry (and it turned out to be true!).

Sri Kanipakala, Tech Lead, Ambient AI (BS Computer Science ‘23): I wanted the startup experience, the chance to learn fast, take high ownership, and build meaningful products. Also, I wanted to improve healthcare by building tools that directly help clinicians and patients. I saw Commure as a place where I could grow faster and take on real responsibility early, compared to the narrower roles often found in big tech.

Jarrar Haider, Operations Manager (MS Business Analytics ‘23): There were multiple reasons. First, I have always been fascinated by fast-growing startups and the opportunities for growth they present. Second, I wanted to be in a space where I was getting exposure to clients as well as getting a chance to be more technical (build dashboards, write SQL, etc). This role at Commure offered the best mix of both, which further solidified my choice to join Commure.

How did UMD prepare you for working at Commure?

Dhanvee: At UMD, I spent a decent amount of time on extracurriculars. I’d spend my evenings at Startup Shell working on random side projects, going to hackathons, or helping organize Bitcamp and Technica. These experiences turned me into a self-starter and someone who is always looking for problems to solve and solving them. I think these qualities of a good engineer at Commure, so I’m glad I spent time with those organizations at UMD.

Sri: Courses in algorithms, programming, HCI, product design, and business gave me a strong foundation for both technical and user-focused problems. On top of that, the entrepreneurship community through Startup Shell and the Dingman Center gave me the chance to build multiple startups, which helped me develop a founder mindset that has carried over directly to my work at Commure.

Jarrar: My role at Commure involves extensive work with data using SQL, and my time at UMD provided a strong foundation in database concepts, enabling me to understand how queries actually work at the backend, which helps me write more efficient and scalable SQL scripts. Additionally, the case studies we explored during the program offered valuable insights into real-world business scenarios, helping me develop a better understanding of how organizations operate. This perspective allows me to better prioritize tasks and align my work with broader business goals.

How have you grown?

Dhanvee: I’ve grown in tons of ways. My technical skills have grown a bunch. I know about the details of various Python libraries, ways in which Kubernetes misconfigurations can lead to production downtime (oops), and best practices to stand firm on for protecting quality. I’ve also learned how to deliver products end-to-end, which requires a lot of communication, planning, organization, and attention to detail (I used to think it was just a matter of writing the code). I’ve also learned to be a good teammate, either by giving meaningful feedback to folks, mentoring newer engineers, or fighting fires with the team to get stuff out.

Sri: I went from a scrappy “hacker” engineer building quick startup prototypes to learning how to deliver for high-stakes enterprise clients. That meant focusing on infra, tooling, maintainability, and reliability, and understanding what it really takes to build good software, from code quality to user experience. In just over a year, I also grew into a tech lead, mentoring engineers and guiding projects across a 20+ person team.

Jarrar: The growth has been tremendous. At Commure, I’ve had the opportunity to take full ownership of key workflows within my team, which has strengthened my sense of accountability and initiative. I’ve also deepened my understanding of the complexities within the healthcare industry and gained valuable experience in client engagement. These experiences have significantly contributed to my professional development and broadened my perspective both technically and strategically.

What is something you are really proud of accomplishing?

Dhanvee:  I built one of the first core features for our RCM product, a rule engine for submitting claims. It was the first project I led, and I had the opportunity to design and ship it end-to-end. A few weeks after it shipped, I walked into the office one day to see people teaching each other to use the tool I made. Years later, the feature is still alive and has been built on top of for many more use cases. It’s been rewarding to see the growth of the project I worked on.

Sri: Building the first writeback to EMRs, which made it possible for our product to not just read from medical records but also write back into them. This solved a major pain point for clinicians and opened an entirely new product line for the company. I expanded its scope by using web automation and reverse engineering to make integrations possible with complex and outdated systems. What began as a scrappy prototype has since grown into its own dedicated team, now powering a core part of Commure’s platform.

Jarrar: One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is the tooling work I led for my team’s dashboard. What began as small improvements gradually evolved into full ownership of the tool, giving me the freedom to redesign and enhance it based on team needs and my own vision. I incorporated feedback to make it more powerful and user-friendly—helping the team track client performance and debug issues more efficiently. Knowing that the tools I built are still actively used and making a meaningful impact is incredibly rewarding.

What’s something you love about your team that has nothing to do with work?

Dhanvee: I love that I can spend time with my team as if they’re friends I made outside work. We crack jokes with each other at lunch, watch movies together, and make trips to SF every now and then. I consider my team my friends, and I’m thankful for that ability.

Sri: The people. We get along really well outside of work, whether it’s grabbing food together or just hanging out. What I appreciate most is that each team member brings a unique perspective, and everyone has a growth mindset and the drive to build something we’re proud of.

Jarrar: My team is probably the funniest group in the entire Operations department. They have a knack for turning even the most mundane situations into something hilarious with their playful idioms and quick wit. Just the other day, I was struggling to explain the phrase “fighting a losing battle,” and a coworker jumped in with, “It’s like trying to light a fire with rocks”—a perfect, and unintentionally funny, analogy. Moments like these keep the team dynamic light and make even the toughest days enjoyable.

What would you tell another UMD student considering Commure today?

Dhanvee: Think deeply about what you want to optimize for early in your career. Do you want to focus on your career, build meaningful products, and make an impact on an industry? If that’s what you want, and if you’re open to pushing yourself for that goal, you should join us. We love driven new grads and have opportunities to grow really fast.

Sri: You’ll get a lot of ownership early and the chance to learn quickly while working on problems that actually matter.

Jarrar: Don’t think twice, Commure offers incredible growth opportunities. It’s not every day that you get a front-row seat to drive meaningful change in the U.S. healthcare system. If you're passionate about making an impact, this is the place to be. Come in, stay focused, work hard, and you’ll see your contributions make a real difference.

Interested in a career building the next generation of healthcare technology powered by AI? We are always looking for talented people across our departments.

Explore Career Opportunities

The crowded healthcare AI market is reaching its next phase: survival of the most connected. Point solutions that can’t link patient care to payment will be replaced by unified platforms that do. On a recent HIMSS podcast, Commure’s SVP of Commercial Operations, Pat Winter, discussed why health systems must move past fragmented point tools toward unified platforms that connect intake, documentation, and RCM to see truly transformative outcomes. You can listen to the full podcast here.

From Point Solutions to Platforms

Solution sprawl makes it harder to run a health system (the average health system now relies on more than 150 solutions). As Winter explained, “It’s hard to have an integrated platform when you have disconnected software. We believe that these point solutions should be removed, and a platform like Commure is the future.”

The risk of point solutions is straightforward: if intake and eligibility aren’t connected to documentation and billing, preventable errors show up as denials and inaccurate patient bills. “Everything that we do at Commure starts at the beginning of the patient and goes all the way through claim submission,” Winter noted, so teams can manage outcomes instead of managing vendors.

Ambient + RCM for Measurable ROI

When looking at the ROI of Ambient AI, health systems are looking beyond just time-savings and looking at financial metrics. Describing a recent deployment, Winter said: “A lot of our deployments are focused on demonstrating hard ROI. In one instance, we saw pre-bill denials reduced by 16%, the error rate reduced by 35%, and the billing omission error rate reduced by 32%.  Holistically, we see our role as how do you get the most value from your ambient solution and how do you have a measurable impact on revenue cycle outcomes.”

Those gains come from treating ambient AI as a revenue system, not just a note-taker: billing rules are embedded in the workflow, documentation captures what payers require the first time, and the output flows cleanly into claim submission. Winter reported a ~97% first-pass rate and sub-2% denials when organizations take this prevention-first approach, which shortens days to  Accounts Receivable (AR) and lets teams concentrate on the smaller set of more complex claims.

Patient Access and Loyalty as Revenue Levers

Operational burden at the front desk erodes experience and throughput (at least 50% of patients experience operational friction, including long hold times, difficulty getting an appointment, or accessing follow-up information). Winter framed a more human model: “What if we could remove that burden with agentic workflows so that front office staff doesn’t have to do the scheduling, doesn’t have to answer the phone. When you come in for your appointment, you can be looked in the eye and they can really assist you.”

When agentic workflows handle scheduling and incoming calls, front desk staff can focus on people. That clarity supports leaner staffing models with fewer overtime spikes and less reliance on agency coverage, since call volume and check-in tasks are absorbed by the system. Fewer reschedules and fewer documentation gaps reduce rework for clinical and billing teams, which lowers downstream costs from avoidable denials, repeat outreach, and idle room time. The result is a smoother day that protects margins while keeping patients on track.

Building Intelligent, Human-Centered Systems

As the hope and hype of AI reaches new heights, health systems must find ways to drive measurable ROI from these solutions. To transform AI solutions from simple time-savers into true operating advantages, leading health systems are taking a platform-based approach, connecting adjacent workflows from documentation to RCM, and automating administrative tasks so clinicians can focus on people.

‍

Want to hear more on driving ROI with AI tools? Listen to the full podcast here.