Technology

Mercy Executive Named Among Top Data/AI Leaders in Nation

Published

2 years ago

September 27, 2024

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Mercy’s industry-leading work in data and artificial intelligence has placed Byron Yount, PhD, chief data and AI officer and vice president of transformation operations, in good company with two prestigious organizations – the Gartner Research Board and Artificial Intelligence 150 (AI150) by Constellation Research. Both groups recognize innovative leadership from around the world in the fast-growing area of AI.

“It’s humbling to be listed among the leading voices in AI, and a testament to Mercy’s long commitment to innovation.”

Yount first joined the St. Louis-based health system in 2014 and has served in his current role since September 2023. He has been instrumental in Mercy’s development and use of AI to improve patient care by tapping into more than a decade of de-identified data in electronic health records. He has also been key in the collaboration with Mayo Clinic, as Mercy became the first health system to join the Mayo Clinic Platform_Connect.

The Gartner Research Board (GRB) brings together the most influential business leaders into a global forum in which members can test their thinking, gain a comprehensive view of the future and accelerate their impact. Mercy’s Yount is now one of many representing large-scale organizations that are part of this exclusive board, which are comprised of Fortune 500 organizations leading their respected industries.

The 2024 Constellation Research AI150 is an elite list of executives leading AI transformation efforts around the globe. In the inaugural year for the list, nominations from peers, industry influencers, technology vendors and analysts were included in a six-month selection process. Each executive on the list demonstrates an understanding of how the business environment is transforming in response to digital and exponential technologies –technologies that double in capability or performance over a short period of time – and are actively preparing their companies to excel during and after the transformation.

“It’s humbling to be listed among the luminaries and leading voices in AI from around the world, and a testament to Mercy’s long commitment to digital innovation,” Yount said. “AI is becoming increasingly common, vital and advanced for all industries. I’m proud to work with a world-class team dedicated to harnessing its power to create a meaningful, equitable impact for our patients and care teams.”

“This rapidly evolving field has pioneers, policy shapers and practitioners that will transform industries,” noted R “Ray” Wang, founder and CEO at Constellation Research. “The AI150 is our attempt of identifying a small slice of the innovators and change agents who are making substantial contributions to the advancement of this revolution.”

Mercy is a founding member of Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), an organization whose mission is to be the trusted source of guidelines for responsible AI in health. Yount worked with other CHAI members to draft an AI Assurance Standards Guide, recently released, which provides considerations to ensure standards are met in the deployment of AI in health care.

Mercy, one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and one of the nation’s largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including more than 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 900 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 4,500 physicians and advanced practitioners and 50,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2023 alone, Mercy provided more than half a billion dollars of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid.

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SOURCE Mercy

Technology

Why We Still Appreciate Bada Shanren’s Works Today

Published

4 minutes ago

October 19, 2026

NANCHANG, China, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from Jiangxi International Communication Center (JXICC): The year 2026 marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of Bada Shanren. He was an outstanding master of Chinese calligraphy and painting. His works are treasures of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting, embodying profound Chinese aesthetics and humanistic heritage, and exerting a far-reaching influence on international art.

Recently, the Event for the 400th Birth Anniversary of Bada Shanren “The Cosmos as Inner Heart: International Youth Step Into Bada Shanren’s World of Art” was held in Qingyunpu District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province— the hometown of Bada Shanren. Chinese and foreign youth representatives and guests from 19 countries and regions including the United States, Russia, Morocco, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea participated.

Brushstrokes Without Borders: A Cross-Cultural Art Dialogue

Four hundred years of ink transcends borders. Even with different cultural backgrounds and languages, people can transcend cultural differences and feel the resonance brought by art. Khollii, a Tajik student studying in Jiangxi, was captivated by the distinctive charm of Bada Shanren’s artworks and shared her story about brushstrokes, “This powerful personal expression aligns closely with the pursuit of individuality in Western modern art.”

Bada Shanren’s 400-Year-Old Inner Story Unfolds to Twin Students

Mexican twin international students Luis and Erick are studying in Jiangxi. At first, they were confused by Bada Shanren’s paintings, depicting fish and birds with upturned eyes amid expansive blank spaces. After learning about the artist’s life, they sensed the unyielding emotion in his brushwork. They hope to act as a cultural bridge, sharing the timeless charm of this Jiangxi master’s art with global audiences.

Why We Still Appreciate Bada Shanren’s Works Today

Why do we still appreciate Bada Shanren’s works today? As a foreigner, Mickie from Panama has her answer. To understand Bada Shanren’s works do not need mastery of classical Chinese, thorough knowledge of the complex history of the Ming Dynasty, or deep research into every detail of his life. “Simply feeling the emotions conveyed in his paintings can spark a spiritual dialogue across hundreds of years.”

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/why-we-still-appreciate-bada-shanrens-works-today-302912481.html

SOURCE Jiangxi International Communication Center(JXICC)