Augmented Intelligence: Dr. John Whyte on the Next Era of Digital Health

The American Medical Association's (AMA) new Center for Digital Health and AI is designed to put physicians at the heart of healthcare innovation. Join Dr. John Whyte, CEO of the American Medical Association, as he discusses the importance of physician leadership in harnessing the power of health technology to improve care quality and outcomes.

Discover what’s next in digital health innovation — from clinical integration and data ethics to physician education and patient empowerment.

The conversation will be moderated by Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER. There will be Q&A from the audience following the main discussion.

Agenda (all times in Central Time)

3:00 PM | Doors open

3:30 PM | Program begins

4:30 PM | Networking

5:00 PM | Event concludes

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

CEO and Executive Vice President, American Medical Association

John J. Whyte, MD, MPH, serves as the CEO and executive vice president of the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest physician organization.

Prior to the AMA, Dr. Whyte served as the chief medical officer at WebMD, leading initiatives that expanded strategic partnerships, created new business opportunities, and positioned WebMD at the forefront of digital health innovation. He was a pivotal force in evolving WebMD’s digital platforms from content delivery engines to powerful tools connecting consumers directly to care, establishing critical new revenue models. He is a recognized leader in health care delivery and regulation and is consistently named as one of the Top 20 Health Influencers.

Before joining WebMD, Dr. Whyte served as director of professional affairs and stakeholder engagement at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. There, he spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives to modernize clinical trial design, expand diversity in research, and advance the regulatory use of real-world evidence—efforts that continue to impact patient-centered drug development today.

Earlier, as chief medical expert and vice president of health and medical education at Discovery Channel, Dr. Whyte launched educational programming that captured both medical and mainstream audiences, successfully aligning mission-driven health education with corporate funding strategies and building new multimedia brand identities.

At the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Whyte played a pivotal role in formalizing Medicare’s national coverage decision process, directly shaping payment policies and advancing innovative models to improve health care outcomes. His experience at CMS demonstrates a deep understanding of health policy, reimbursement strategies, and the critical intersection of clinical innovation and payment models.

A board-certified internist, Dr. Whyte completed his MD at Hahnemann University School of Medicine, his residency at Duke University Medical Center and earned his MPH in Health Policy and Management at Harvard University. He previously served as a health services research fellow at Stanford University. An accomplished author, Dr. Whyte has written extensively for both professional and consumer audiences, including five best-selling books.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Steven Collens

CEO, MATTER

Steven Collens is CEO of MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub. MATTER opened in February 2015 and nurtures entrepreneurs and innovators building next-generation health IT, medical device, diagnostic and biopharma technologies. MATTER has worked with more than 1,000 healthcare technology ventures and the company partners with dozens of industry-leading companies, health systems and universities.

Prior to assuming his current role, Steven was senior vice president at Pritzker Group, the investment firm led by Tony and J.B. Pritzker. In that capacity, he led the team that created 1871, Chicago’s center for digital startups, which became the top-ranked business incubator in the world in 2018. He previously worked at Abbott in a variety of domestic and international functions, including product management, policy and public affairs. In 2005, Steven helped found ConstantWellness.com to give patients control over their health data and allow healthcare providers to coordinate care of their patients. Prior to Abbott, Steven served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun.

Steven holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BA from Washington University in St. Louis. He chairs the board of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and serves on the boards of 1871 and the Chicago High School for the Arts. He is a member of ChicagoNEXT, the Chicago mayor’s council on technology and innovation, a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and the Commercial Club of Chicago.

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