Blogs

Featuring insights from Aaron Todd, CEO, Kari Pape Rosentrater, Director of Technology, and Kyle Pedersen, Director of Customer Success & Network Strategy at Iowa Primary Care Association

Tell us about Iowa Primary Care Association and your roles there.

Aaron Todd: I’m the CEO of Iowa Primary Care Association. We represent a network of 14 community health centers across the state and provide training, technical assistance, and shared services to help our network of health centers be as successful as possible. Through affiliated organizations, we support electronic health records, data analytics, and value-based care through payer relationships. Because of that broad scope, we’ve gotten very interested in AI, specifically how we can help health centers be thoughtful and intentional as they step into this space.

Kari Pape Rosentrater: I’m the Director of Technology. I work closely with IT leaders across all 14 health centers, helping them navigate cybersecurity, develop policies, and evaluate and implement AI solutions. A big part of my role is helping translate emerging technology into practical guidance for teams that are already stretched thin.

Kyle Pedersen: I’m Director of Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCN) Strategy. My role focuses on how we use shared infrastructure and federal funding to support innovation across our network of health centers. I’ve been focused on AI strategy and thought leadership, thinking about how it aligns with our broader goals, where it can improve patient outcomes, and where it can create operational efficiencies.

What role do you see AI playing in primary care, particularly in community health settings?

Aaron: There are a lot of opportunities. One is from an analytics perspective, using AI to better identify clinical and care management needs across the populations we serve. Community health centers are part of the safety net, which means we work with patients who face a lot of barriers, and AI can help us better understand how to engage those populations and support better outcomes.

There are also clear opportunities around operational efficiency, such as making better use of limited resources within health centers. Something unique for us is thinking about this at the network level. How do we pilot tools, learn quickly, and then scale what works across all 14 health centers? That’s where we see a lot of potential.

How are you prioritizing AI use cases across the network?

Kyle: We started by asking: Of all the things we could do, what should we do first?

We landed on four primary areas. First, leveraging vendor-native solutions within our EHR platforms. Those are already integrated, tested, and often lower cost. Second is revenue cycle management, especially around Medicaid eligibility and redetermination. There’s a lot of administrative burden there, and AI can help create efficiencies. Third is value-based care, using AI to identify care gaps and better capture the work being done. And fourth is operational efficiency. That’s a broad category, but it includes things like infrastructure tools and even use cases like AI-powered translation services to reduce costs.

Kari: Ambient documentation is another big one, though many health centers are already moving on that independently. We’re also looking at AI embedded in tools we already use, like Microsoft, particularly for cybersecurity.

Where are you already seeing AI deliver value?

Kyle: We’re still early, but we’re starting to see momentum. Ambient documentation is a good example. Even in small pilots, providers are seeing real benefits—less after-hours work and more time back in their day. That’s creating organic demand. We’re also seeing early traction with AI-driven call automation.

Kari: One health center is piloting an AI tool that handles appointment rescheduling directly in the EHR. It frees up staff time and helps ensure patients still come in for care. It’s a simple use case, but the impact is immediate. That’s why it’s getting a lot of attention from other health centers.

How are you approaching AI governance across your health centers?

Kari: Governance has been a big focus, especially because our health centers vary so much in size and structure. One of the biggest challenges early on was that teams didn’t even know what questions to ask. We’ve used CHAI resources like risk and evaluation frameworks to help fill that gap. From there, we’ve built playbooks that health centers can adapt. We’re not prescriptive about roles, because in smaller organizations, one person may be wearing multiple hats. Instead, we focus on making sure the right perspectives are involved and that teams are asking the right questions.

What capabilities are most critical to get governance right early on?

Kari: A few things stand out. You need clinical input for clinical tools. You need some level of security evaluation. And you need a way to build organizational buy-in. AI can’t live in a silo. It has to be a joint effort across teams to be successful.

How did Iowa PCA become involved with CHAI?

Kari: We were hearing from our health centers that they didn’t know where to start with AI. At the same time, we didn’t have the capacity to track every new development, regulation, or best practice. CHAI provided practical resources that we could use right away and share across the network.

Aaron: It was also about alignment. This is a fast-moving space, and we’re trying to move an entire network forward in a responsible way. Having a credible partner that understands our mission and the realities of working in the safety net made a big difference.

What role do partnerships play in responsible AI adoption?

Kyle: We take a “best of suite” approach. We start with what our existing vendors offer, especially within the EHR, because integration is critical. If something isn’t available there, then we look outside. But we’re thoughtful about adding complexity.

Aaron: We’re also looking for partners who understand our space. That includes being thoughtful about bias, understanding the populations we serve, and being willing to engage with us as a partner. There’s a lot of opportunity here, yet it has to be done the right way.

Any final thoughts?

Aaron: Things are moving fast, and our goal is to help the entire network move forward together. If we can pilot effectively, learn quickly, and scale what works, we can create real impact for both patients and care teams.