Episodes

In this episode, Scott Becker explores key healthcare trends including the rapid growth of nurses and AI use, while highlighting major challenges such as physician shortages, rising costs, hospital financial strain, and the urgent need to address supply and demand across the system.

In this episode, Dr. Narayana Murali, Chief Medical Officer of Medicine Services and Professor at Geisinger College of Health Sciences, shares how Geisinger redesigned its approach to advanced care planning, increasing engagement from 5% to nearly 50% among high risk seniors. He also discusses driving physician and APP alignment, scaling high reliability and zero harm principles, and expanding home based care to deliver compassionate, patient centered outcomes.

In this episode, Katrina Anderson, Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth at Clinician Nexus, and Jessica Wells, Principal at ECG Management Consultants, discuss how health systems can better align clinical education, technology, and workforce strategy to build a sustainable clinician pipeline. The conversation explores student placement, preceptor support, and how intentional, data driven approaches strengthen workforce planning and employer brand.

In this episode, Erin Shipley, CEN, MSN, RN, Vice President of Consumer Experience at Cooper University Health Care, joins the podcast to discuss the Cooper Experience Excellence Program and its impact on patient and team engagement. She shares how expanding access to technology and training is empowering team members, improving efficiency, and creating new opportunities for organizational growth.

In this episode, William A. Wertheim, Executive Vice President at Stony Brook Medicine, joins the podcast to discuss embedding care directly into the communities they serve, including the development of a new East Hampton emergency center. He shares how structural transformation and shared governance are helping merge clinical and academic priorities, and reflects on the importance of living out core values as a leader during times of growth and change.

In this episode, Vineet Gupta, PhD, FASN, Vice President of the Office of Innovation and Commercialization and CEO of Medical Branch Innovations at The University of Texas Medical Branch, discusses embedding innovation as a fourth pillar alongside clinical care, research, and education. He shares how strategic focus areas such as brain health, kidney health, healthy aging, and AI driven solutions are advancing commercialization, public private partnerships, and systemwide transformation.

In this episode, Jennifer L. Kowalski, Vice President of the Public Policy Institute at Elevance Health, discusses how rigorous research and data shape Medicare Advantage strategy, from supplemental benefits to dual eligible integration. She shares insights on affordability, care navigation, and how evidence based policy can strengthen value, access, and long term sustainability in the program.

In this episode, Dr. Kenneth Altman, Chair of Otolaryngology at Geisinger Health System, shares how his team is improving access to head and neck cancer care, empowering frontline providers, and building interoperable systems across a growing rural network. He also reflects on cultivating professionalism, supporting the next generation of clinicians, and investing in people to drive long term organizational growth.

In this episode, Vikram Kashyap, MD, FACS, Endowed Chair of the Frederik Meijer Heart and Vascular Institute and Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Corewell Health, discusses reducing mortality through systemwide collaboration, navigating anesthesia workforce transitions, expanding into heart and lung integration, and building a unified cardiovascular strategy across the state.

In this episode, Ericka Powell, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital within WellSpan Health, discusses reducing length of stay variation, strengthening physician engagement, and using data driven care pathways to improve quality, workforce stability, and value based performance.

In this episode, Dawn Maroney, President of Alignment Health and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, joins the podcast to discuss how payer–provider relationships are evolving amid cost pressures and workforce shortages. She explores common gaps between strategy and execution, the importance of disciplined operational follow-through, and why healthy competition remains essential to driving innovation, value, and improved outcomes across the healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Christopher Burks, Vice President of Laboratory and Support Services at Brown University Health, discusses integrating newly acquired hospitals, aligning revenue and operations, and building the laboratory bandwidth needed to support ambulatory growth and long term system expansion.

In this episode, Deirdre Salanger, Chief Operating Officer of Strong Memorial Hospital at University of Rochester Medical Center, discusses returning from maternity leave into a new leadership role, strengthening workforce engagement, and balancing access and capacity amid financial pressures. She shares how digital tools, disciplined investment, and academic partnership are positioning the organization for long term growth and innovation.

In this episode, Dr. Bill Cooper, Senior Vice President for Professionalism and Clinical Excellence at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, shares how structured feedback, credo based evaluations, and peer led cup of coffee conversations strengthen culture and patient safety. He explains how timely, respectful interventions improve clinician behavior, engagement, and overall care deliv...

In this episode, Clair Kuriakose, Vice President and Chief Advanced Practice Officer at Stanford Health Care, shares how intentional team based care drove a 17 percent rise in ambulatory APP visits, outlines efforts to ease capacity strain through Stanford Health Care at Home, and discusses building strong governance to responsibly scale AI and advanced practice innovation.

In this episode, Alen Brcic, Chief Human Resources Officer at Methodist Health System, shares how a focus on engagement, retention, and culture has driven top percentile performance in turnover and employee engagement. He discusses leveraging AI in talent strategy, strengthening leadership accountability, and upskilling the workforce to elevate patient experience and prepare for the next century of care.

In this episode, Dr. Janice Walker, DHA, RN, inaugural Chief Nursing Officer of UF Health, discusses building an integrated nursing strategy, driving quality outcomes, and creating a culture of shared governance. She shares insights on recruitment, retention, and developing talent pipelines to strengthen workforce stability across the system.

In this episode, Jakob Emerson, Associate News Director at Becker's Healthcare, breaks down the latest Medicare Advantage enrollment trends, including slowing overall growth, major gains for regional and system owned plans, and mounting federal scrutiny of large insurers. He explores what CMS actions, risk adjustment settlements, and market exits mean for payers, providers, and the future of the program.

In this episode, Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at CVS Health, discusses how her experience at Kaiser Permanente and Providence shaped her mission to simplify care delivery. She shares how CVS is leveraging its national footprint to improve access, navigation, and cost transparency while reducing payer provider friction and rebuilding trust across the healthcare ecosystem.

In this episode, Dutch Rojas, Founder of Bliksem Health, shares his candid perspective on structural misalignment in healthcare, arguing that payment reform and site neutral policies are key to lasting change.

In this episode, Tesa Anewishki, CEO and President of Loretto Hospital, shares how her team is preparing for Medicaid cuts and rising uncompensated care while doubling down on access, partnerships, and workforce investment. She discusses launching a hospital based free grocery store, strengthening community collaborations, and advocating for sustainable funding to close health equity gaps on Chicago’s West Side.

In this episode, Dr. Aref Rifai, ophthalmologist and President of the Syrian American Medical Society, shares how the organization has expanded care across all 13 Syrian provinces following liberation. He discusses scaling hospitals and centers of excellence, launching a new radiation oncology center, strengthening medical education, and partnering with U.S. health systems to rebuild infrastructure and elevate quality of care.

In this episode, Nirav Shah, MD, President of US Digestive Health at U.S. Digestive Health and Assistant Professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, shares insights on physician shortages, the future of colonoscopy, AI in endoscopy, and balancing autonomy with scale in a multi state GI platform. He also discusses advancing clinical research, ASC strategy, and building transparent physician led leadership for long term growth.

In this episode, Sierra Garvin, Senior Associate Director of Above Brand Marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim speaks with Mandy Leonard, Senior Director of Drug Use Policy and Formulary Management at Cleveland Clinic about the key drivers of rising healthcare costs, including chronic disease, multiple comorbidities, rare diseases, and wasteful spending. They explore practical strategies to lower total cost of care while maintaining quality and improving patient outcomes. This episode is sponsored ...