Executive Interview: The AI-Enabled Vendor Problem and Necessary Transparency with Ed Gaudet

October 3, 2025: Healthcare leaders are sitting on a cybersecurity time bomb, and most don't even know it. Censinet CEO and Founder Ed Gaudet reveals that 80% of healthcare vendors have quietly AI-enabled their products while organizations still rely on outdated SOC 2 certificates for risk assessment. Drawing lessons from the Change Healthcare crisis, Ed explains why hope has become the default security strategy and how single points of failure are hiding throughout health system operations. From building a $7M ARR startup to transforming third-party risk management, this conversation exposes the uncomfortable truth about vendor compliance and offers a blueprint for healthcare leaders ready to stop playing cybersecurity roulette with patient care. Key Points: 00:35 Challenges of Founding a Healthcare Startup07:43 Addressing Third-Party Risk in Healthcare15:49 The Critical Role of Business Processes 18:21 Challenges in Vendor Risk Management25:55 Personal Insights and Podcasting X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer