Unlocking the future of nursing and healthcare technology!

In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Ani Bilazarian, Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co., shares insights on improving nurse retention and patient care through better technology and management practices. She highlights how gaps in care coordination drive ER overuse for patients with complex chronic conditions. Ani explains how AI tools, telehealth, and robotics can reduce nurse workload while enhancing engagement and support from managers. She also emphasizes the transferable skills nurses gain at the bedside and the power of 

proactive networking to open new career opportunities.

Tune in to learn how innovation and strategy can transform the nursing experience!

About Ani Bilazarian:
Ani Bilazarian is a PhD-prepared Registered Nurse and healthcare consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she supports health systems in clinical operations, consumer engagement, and nursing workforce strategy. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University and worked as an emergency department nurse at a level one trauma center in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ani received her PhD in public health from Columbia University and has conducted research with institutions including Ariadne Labs under Dr. Atul Gawande and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with Dr. Susan Haas Miller, producing peer-reviewed publications and media features in outlets such as The Boston Globe and the New England Journal of Medicine. She is also the recipient of the 2019 Nurse Fig’s Grant and is recognized for her work on reducing emergency department utilization and improving care coordination for complex patient populations.

Things You’ll Learn:

• Patients with complex chronic conditions often overuse the ER due to poor care coordination between specialists and medication management.
• Effective healthcare technology must involve nurses in its design to enhance workflows and minimize complexity.
• Nurse retention is driven more by manageable workload and supportive management than by compensation.
• AI, telehealth, robotics, and other tools can automate routine tasks, freeing nurses to focus on patient care.
• The human touch and clinical judgment of nurses are essential and cannot be replaced by technology.
• Many frontline nurses transition into management roles without adequate training, and supporting their skill development enhances workforce stability.
• Skills gained at the bedside, such as strategic thinking, risk assessment, and problem-solving, are highly transferable to other careers.
• Proactive networking and outreach are critical for nurses to access new professional opportunities.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow Ani Bilazarian on LinkedIn.
• Follow McKinsey & Co on LinkedIn and discover their website!
• Check out the Medcity article, The Critical Link: How Supporting Nurse Managers Can Help Nurses — And Improve Healthcare, here!