The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards were announced April 8, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person June 4.
Next is Harish Nanda, Acentra Health chief technology officer and head of products and technology, and finalist in the CTO of the Year category. In this spotlight, he reflects on key achievements, offers advice for those following a similar path, shares current priorities and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2024/2025?
One of my key achievements was leading Acentra Health through the launch of our unified data platform (UDP) in 2024. We realized traditional payer ecosystems like Medicaid were limited in their ability to deliver personalized care because of siloed platforms, data constraints, and fragmented patient care insights. We knew that data accessibility, interoperability, and actionability would be key to solving this challenge. Driven by AI and machine-learning insights, our UDP eliminates inefficiencies and centralizes data flows into a single unified infrastructure, ultimately redefining how healthcare data is collected, processed, and leveraged.
The outcome has been truly transformational. Thanks to UDP’s near real-time data access, automated reporting and auditing, and streamlined integration with emerging healthcare technologies, Acentra Health has advanced our clients’ ability to make well-informed, timelier decisions on patient care, ultimately accelerating better outcomes.
I’m also proud of the pace at which we integrated generative AI and other innovative tools that continue to generate time and cost savings. For example, we launched Acentra Health Labs, giving employees permission to experiment, fail, and try again using AI to solve challenges and drive efficiency. This platform helped us deliver a complex project 23 days ahead of schedule.
Another example is the launch of our intelligent document processing solution, built on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. This solution has helped our Medicare clients process 35 million documents 50% faster, at 40% lower cost.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, so do we. Our team is focused on a data-first strategy and AI-powered “human-in-the-lead” healthcare decision-making to help our clients deliver timely, effective patient-centered care. Also, as states increasingly seek solutions to root out fraud, waste, and abuse, we see opportunities to further amplify our robust program integrity solutions and configure those to meet our clients’ needs. Our mission is to innovate health solutions that deliver maximum value and impact; a future-ready mindset is critical to achieving that mission.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Be intellectually curious. Every day is a learning opportunity, so take advantage of it.