Policy precision for health tech and AI governance
We help small hospitals, clinics and state partners adopt AI safely, prepare for federal requirements, and get ready for Rural Health Transformation funding without adding administrative burden.
Who we help
About
Our mission
We believe where you live should never decide the quality of care you receive. We believe that organizations caring for the most vulnerable patients deserve the same policy expertise as the largest health systems.
When a rural hospital or community clinic closes, patients can lose their nearest provider for many miles. That is why Themis exists: to put practical, affordable AI capacity in the hands of the teams serving medically underserved and rural communities, so every patient has equitable access to high-quality care.
Advanced AI strategy and regulatory clarity should never be reserved for billion-dollar health systems. Our mission is to make enterprise-grade AI governance, compliance roadmaps and AI-focused technical assistance available to solo providers, small and under-resourced facilities, state agencies and national trade associations that serve our most vulnerable patients.
Natalia Vargas, MPH, is a former federal government official with 13 years of service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she received multiple awards and recognitions for her work. She is a dedicated health policy leader who has spent her career, within and outside the federal government, improving healthcare access and quality for medically underserved communities.
In her last two years of federal service, Natalia was a designee to the HHS AI Taskforce and held the data modernization portfolio in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), within the Office of the Secretary. Before joining the top levels of HHS, she led the national program for rural hospital quality improvement, reaching 1,450+ hospitals across 45 states. After retiring from an accomplished public service career, she founded Themis Digital Health to turn health IT and AI policy into practical plans for safety-net providers.
At the Office of the Secretary, Natalia served as ASPE's subject-matter expert on AI policy, directed a data modernization initiative for the HHS Data Council, and advised leadership on AI executive orders and TEFCA implementation.
Earlier, at the Health Resources and Services Administration's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, she led the national Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program and oversaw technical assistance for the Medicare Rural Flexibility Program. She built partnerships with state governments and state hospital associations, and received HRSA's 2023 Innovator and Collaborator Award.
Natalia holds a Master of Public Health and a Graduate Certificate in Hospital Infection Control from the University of South Florida. She completed executive training at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, Johns Hopkins University, and The Evaluators Institute at George Washington University.
Generalist firms often deliver multi-hundred-page decks. Themis pairs former HHS regulatory experience with hands-on hospital quality improvement work. We build practical, productized AI governance toolkits, aligned with federal and accreditation frameworks, that small clinical teams can use.
Capabilities
Five areas of work, each with concrete deliverables you can put to use.
Practical oversight for the AI tools your organization already uses and the ones it is considering. Aligned with CHAI guidance, Joint Commission themes and NIST frameworks.
Example work: AI tool inventory, risk tiers, use policy, vendor questions and a 90-day action plan.
Plain-language analysis of ASTP/ONC, CMS and HHS rules, with what each one means for your decisions and budget.
Example work: a 3 to 5 page brief on a proposed or final rule, with an impact assessment for your board or partners.
Low-burden implementation plans and training that reduce documentation fatigue and protect clinical oversight.
Example work: scribe risk review, privacy and HIPAA checks, clinician training plan and oversight protocol.
Technical assistance and workflow planning for Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Health Clinics preparing for Rural Health Transformation Program funding.
Example work: readiness assessment, application support, technical assistance toolkits for state partners.
Connecting federal agencies, Medicaid agencies, state governments and national trade associations around shared goals.
Example work: stakeholder maps, partner briefings, member webinars and public comment strategy.
Service offerings
Healthcare leaders should not have to guess what consulting costs. Themis lists starting prices for its core services so you can plan. Every paid engagement begins with a signed agreement and a retainer or deposit, and no work starts before both are in place. Larger or different needs are quoted.
An introductory conversation about the AI tools in use, your state's Rural Health Transformation plans or your regulatory exposure. You leave with high-level gaps and a recommended next step.
Best for: hospitals, associations and prime contractors deciding where to start.
A one-on-one strategy session on AI policy, HHS and ONC rules, RHTP subcontracting or vendor selection. Includes a short pre-call intake and a written executive summary after the call.
Best for: leaders with one specific decision to make.
A tailored 3 to 5 page analysis of one federal rule, CMS announcement or ASTP/ONC requirement, such as HTI-1 decision support rules or the NIST AI framework, with an impact assessment.
Best for: boards, executive teams and prime partners preparing bids.
An inventory of clinical and administrative AI tools, a gap analysis against CHAI and Joint Commission themes, a draft risk policy and a 90-day action roadmap.
Aligned with: Joint Commission AI guidance, CHAI governance themes and rural technology readiness planning.
A risk review of ambient scribes, automated documentation and AI triage. Covers HIPAA data rules, EHR vendor alignment and clinical oversight protocols.
Aligned with: the technology and AI categories of the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program.
A custom governance roadmap and toolkit: policy templates, staff checklists, prompt guides and a board training deck, built for your size, staff and state.
Best for: state hospital associations, health networks and RHTP prime contractors that need scalable technical assistance.
Add-on to any service
Attach a bundle of advisory hours to any package above, or a quoted add-on scoped to your needs. Bundle pricing is confirmed in your agreement.
Request an add-onCustom scope
For needs that do not fit a package. Scope and price are set after a call, based on your goals, timeline and size. Billed under a signed agreement.
Request a quoteDo not see what you need? Themis can co-design a tailored service around your organization's goals, size and timeline, and we welcome client proposals. Tell us what you have in mind and we will respond with a scope and fee.
Submit a proposal requestSigned agreement? Your deposit will be invoiced to you.
Starting prices apply to the scope described. Prices exclude travel and may change. Themis provides policy, strategy and planning advice, not legal, clinical or compliance opinions.
Request a proposal
A few questions so the proposal fits your situation. You will hear back within one business day. Please do not include patient information.
Capability statement
A one-page summary of what Themis does, how it is registered and how to buy from it.
Core competencies, differentiators, NAICS codes, registration status and how to contract with Themis.
Free resources
Eight pages: a 10-question readiness check, governance structures by organization size, a 30-60-90 day roadmap, ten vendor questions and a starter AI use policy outline.
Where AI can help close the gap. A two-page brief by Natalia Vargas on the January 2026 HHS OIG bulletin, a 2025 Senate investigation and the federal AI tools that could monitor this channel.
Read the brief (PDF)Contact
Sheridan, Wyoming. Serving clients nationwide.
