Putting Patients First: Hannah Anderson & Dr. Tom Keane on Health Tech

In this conversation from America First Policy Institute Studios, Hannah Anderson sits down with Dr. Tom Keane, Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy at HHS, to discuss how modern health technology can put patients back at the center of the American health care system.

Dr. Keane explains the critical role health information technology plays in making care more accessible, affordable, and efficient—from allowing patients to access their medical records on their phones to ensuring doctors, hospitals, and apps can securely communicate with one another. Together, they walk through how interoperability standards, electronic health records, and patient-controlled data are transforming the health care experience.

The conversation highlights major breakthroughs in price transparency, including real-time prescription benefit tools that allow doctors and patients to see drug costs at the point of care—eliminating surprise pharmacy bills and improving treatment adherence. Dr. Keane also explains how electronic prior authorization reforms will reduce delays in care, cut administrative burdens, and move the system away from outdated processes like fax machines.

Anderson and Keane further explore how wearable technology, secure data sharing, and nationwide health information networks can empower patients while protecting privacy. Dr. Keane outlines how these reforms support the broader mission to tackle chronic disease, improve outcomes, and make health care more affordable for everyday Americans.

This conversation offers a clear look at how commonsense, patient-first technology reforms can modernize health care without sacrificing privacy, choice, or trust.