In this powerful episode, Seth Kahan sits down with Dale Cyr, CEO of Inteleos, to explore how bold leadership, smart technology, and collaborative ecosystems are reshaping global healthcare, starting with portable ultrasound.
Cyr leads Inteleos, a nonprofit certifying over 150,000 healthcare professionals across 100 countries, with a mission rooted in patient safety through clinical proficiency. But this isn’t just about credentials—it’s about saving lives.
A Global “Moonshot”: Ultrasound Proficiency by 2030
The centerpiece of the conversation is Inteleos’ Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge, an ambitious global effort to ensure all healthcare professionals using ultrasound are proficient by 2030. It’s a big goal—but it’s already producing results.
Cyr shares how the initiative launched in Kenya, where maternal mortality rates are alarmingly high. By collaborating with the Ministry of Health, local midwives, and over a dozen stakeholder groups, Inteleos helped create a national policy that requires education and certification for handheld ultrasound devices. The impact? Thousands of lives could be saved annually, especially mothers and babies in rural communities.
From Washing Machines to Smartphones
Cyr explains how ultrasound technology has gone from $250,000 machines the size of washing machines to $2,000 handheld devices that connect to smartphones. This game-changing shift is putting powerful diagnostic tools into the hands of midwives, nurses, and clinicians in remote areas, but only if they know how to use them properly—Inteleos’ core mission.
Building an Ecosystem, Not Just a Program
One of the most innovative aspects of the initiative is the use of “interaction field” thinking—a business model built on shared value and collaborative ecosystems. Cyr emphasizes that 95% of impactful change can’t be done alone. Instead, Inteleos partners with governments, equipment manufacturers, professional societies, and local communities to create win-win solutions where everyone contributes—and everyone benefits.
Scaling with Vision, Tech, and Trust
The fastest policy adoption Dale has seen in his career—from pilot to national strategy in just two years.
He highlights:
- How AI is becoming a “cognitive partner” at Inteleos, freeing professionals from repetitive tasks and unlocking creative, mission-driven work
- Inteleos’ governance transformation to support global scaling and cross-sector impact
Final Word: “We’re In It for the Long Haul”
Cyr concludes with a call to action: though USAID funding was recently cut, Inteleos is pressing forward. The board has committed to continuing the Kenya initiative and scaling across East Africa and beyond. For Dale, it’s not about temporary impact. It’s about sustainable, systemic change.
“We’re not here for a quick hit—we’re building lasting infrastructure that transforms lives.”
