Modern Healthcare's Healthcare Insider Podcast

In this episode of Healthcare Insider , Sarah Loeffler of the Modern Healthcare Content Studio speaks with Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope , about the forces reshaping cancer care—and why expanding access to specialized expertise may be just as important as developing the next breakthrough. Stone shares his perspective on how health systems can turn data and AI into better care, respond as treatments become more personalized and complex, and rethink collaboration to bring advanced cancer expertise to patients beyond the walls of major cancer centers. Listen now for insights on the future of cancer care and the strategic decisions healthcare leaders face as science, technology and patient needs continue to evolve. Featured guest: Robert Stone, Chief Executive Officer, City of Hope

Aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance and poorly coordinated capital projects can create bottlenecks that affect everything from patient flow to an organization's ability to grow. Yet building something new isn't always the answer. In this Healthcare Insider podcast, Gordian's Mark Kenneday shares his best advice for being more strategic with facility planning. Drawing on 40 years in healthcare facilities leadership, Kenneday explains: Ways addressing a bottleneck in one department can simply move the problem downstream How leaders can better connect capital planning to service-line strategy Why deferred maintenance should be viewed through the lens of operational risk—not just facility condition Kenneday also shares a striking example from his own career: a $2 million flood-mitigation investment that helped keep one Texas hospital operational when Tropical Storm Allison struck just 13 days after the project went into use. Listen to learn how healthcare leaders can better prioritize facility investments, protect continuity of care and get more value from the buildings they already have.

The No Surprises Act's independent dispute resolution process has become a costly and complex operational challenge, and the arbitration win rate tells only part of the story. For health plans, the bigger question may be what happens before a dispute ever reaches a final determination. As IDR requirements evolve, documentation, eligibility decisions and day-to-day workflows can have significant implications for how efficiently disputes move through the process. In this episode of Healthcare Insider , host Sarah Loeffler talks with Maisie Weir, VP of Strategic Solutions at Zelis, about what payers should be watching as the IDR landscape changes and ways reducing administrative friction could benefit both sides of the payer-provider relationship. They'll also discuss implications of new Zelis-commissioned research. Listen to hear what a more effective approach to IDR could look like and where technology, process improvements and human expertise fit into the equation.

In this episode of Healthcare Insider with Modern Healthcare 's Content Studio, host Sarah Loeffler speaks with August Boehnlein of Midmark Corporation about the latest accessibility requirements hitting ambulatory care organizations, what healthcare leaders should know about compliance with the 2017 U.S. Access Board standards and 2024 updates, and how providers can prepare for enforcement. You'll learn: Why accessibility is becoming a strategic priority in ambulatory care The key requirements of the U.S. Access Board's medical diagnostic equipment standards What 2024's updates mean for equipment purchasing and future compliance How organizations can assess current equipment and build a practical compliance roadmap Why improving accessibility can enhance both regulatory readiness and the patient experience As accessibility standards continue to evolve, healthcare organizations have an opportunity to plan ahead, improve care delivery and make informed investments that support both compliance and patient-centered care.

Military and veterans' health systems operate in some of the most complex, high-demand environments in healthcare. Their experience managing limited resources, coordinating care across large populations and adopting new technologies offers valuable lessons for health systems nationwide. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Modern Healthcare Content Studio host Shannon Mortland speaks with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Telita Crosland, MD, MPH, MS, former director of the Defense Health Agency, and The Honorable David J. Shulkin, MD, former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The conversation explores how government-driven innovation, operational discipline and emerging care models can help healthcare leaders improve access, strengthen coordination and address challenges such as fragmented care and delayed diagnosis.

Value-based care continues to evolve as healthcare organizations balance new policy priorities, growing technology capabilities and the realities of delivering coordinated, patient-centered care. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, host Shannon Mortland sits down with Dan Brillman, deputy administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and director of the Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services (CMCS), and Dr. Rob Bessler, CEO of Honest Health, for a timely discussion on what's driving the next generation of value-based care. Drawing on experience from both the public and private sectors, Brillman and Bessler explore how CMS is shaping policies that support coordinated care, the role of technology and data connectivity in improving outcomes, and the practical challenges health systems and physicians face as they transition to increasingly sophisticated value-based care models. The conversation also examines how organizations can simplify risk for clinicians, invest strategically in infrastructure and prepare for the future of healthcare transformation.

In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Sarah Loeffler, host with Modern Healthcare 's Content Studio, speaks with Yusuf Qasim, President of Payments Optimization at Zelis, about how health plans can strengthen payment security without sacrificing speed. Drawing on insights from one of the nation's largest payer and provider payment networks, the conversation explores why traditional fraud strategies are no longer enough and what leading organizations are doing differently. You'll Learn: Why fraud prevention must extend beyond claims integrity into the payment lifecycle. How fraudsters exploit gaps between claims review and payment execution. The role of real-time intelligence, provider validation and network-wide data in identifying payment risk. How health plans can accelerate digital payments while maintaining strong security controls. Practical strategies for building a more proactive, scalable approach to payment integrity.

Breakthroughs in cancer care often begin long before a therapy reaches patients. Foundational research into disease biology, cellular mechanisms and immune system function continues to drive innovations that are transforming how cancer is understood and treated. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Shannon Mortland sits down with Dr. Siddharth Balachandran, PhD, of Temple Health's Fox Chase Cancer Center, to discuss the scientific discoveries helping fuel the future of cancer immunotherapy. The conversation explores how research into influenza viruses and cell death pathways contributed to advances in immunology, why foundational science remains critical to clinical innovation, and how today's laboratory discoveries are informing tomorrow's cancer treatments. What You'll Learn How foundational research helps drive breakthroughs in cancer care The connection between influenza research and advances in immunology Why basic science remains essential to developing new therapies How immune system discoveries are influencing cancer immunotherapy The role of translational research in bringing innovations from the lab to patients What emerging research may mean for the future of cancer treatment and clinical trials

Hospitals are under pressure to maintain safe, efficient care environments while managing rising operating costs, aging infrastructure and limited capital budgets. In this episode of Healthcare Insider , Christy Fetsch and Michael Pickard of Trane discuss how healthcare leaders can rethink deferred maintenance, evaluate the hidden cost of inaction and structure facility investments in more predictable, budget-friendly ways. The conversation explores how aging building systems can affect patient care, why emergency repairs often cost more than planned modernization, and how aligning facilities, finance and clinical leaders can help organizations move from reactive spending to strategic infrastructure planning. What You'll Learn How deferred maintenance can disrupt clinical operations and patient environments Why aging infrastructure may affect lending, bond ratings and long-term financial risk How flexible financing can help turn large capital projects into predictable payments Ways to align facility upgrades with patient care, safety, resilience and operating performance

What does the future of lung transplantation look like? In this new podcast episode, Dr. Rachel Ann Criner of Temple Health explores how one of the nation's leading transplant programs is advancing pulmonary care through innovation, operational excellence and research-driven treatment strategies. The conversation examines how Temple Health is expanding transplant eligibility, integrating clinical research into patient care and supporting increasingly complex patient populations through coordinated multidisciplinary care. Listeners will hear insights on: Advances in lung transplant technology and donor organ innovation How leading programs are redefining transplant candidacy The role of coordinated care and remote monitoring in improving outcomes Why clinical trials and targeted therapies are reshaping pulmonary medicine Tune in to learn how Temple Health is helping redefine what's possible in complex pulmonary and transplant care.

Health systems are under increasing pressure to detect cancer earlier and deliver more personalized care, but scaling those capabilities across a large organization remains a complex challenge. In this episode, leaders from AdventHealth share how they are addressing that challenge through their Genomics Risk Assessment for Cancer and Early Detection (GRACE) program, an initiative designed to identify high-risk patients earlier and guide them into appropriate care pathways. Dr. Wesley Walker, vice president of genomics and precision health, and Dr. Clark Rogers, medical director of the GRACE program, explain how the model integrates risk assessment seamlessly into routine clinical workflows. They also share how health systems can successfully implement a similar program at their own organization.

Chronic disease management is growing more complex as new therapies reshape the treatment landscape. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Gourdine, senior vice president of CVS Health and chief medical officer of CVS Caremark , discusses how pharmacy leaders are balancing access to innovative treatments with long-term affordability and clinical outcomes. As more options emerge for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, Gourdine outlines how evidence-based benefit design can help improve access while managing cost. She also explores the role of coordinated pharmacy support in improving medication adherence.

Lung transplantation is often associated with surgical expertise, but expanding access depends just as much on the systems behind donor identification, evaluation and transport. Daniel Remer, transplant procurement manager at Temple University Hospital , explains why procurement serves as the operational engine of a transplant program and why strong systems are essential to helping more patients reach transplant. Remer also shares how donor evaluation has evolved over the past decade and how technologies such as ex vivo lung perfusion and portable organ preservation systems are allowing transplant teams to safely consider lungs that may once have been declined.

Healthcare mergers and acquisitions often focus on financial alignment and clinical integration, but physical infrastructure can play an equally critical role in long-term success. Christy Fetsch, healthcare vertical market strategy leader at Trane , shares why building systems and facility performance are frequently overlooked during M&A and how that oversight can introduce unexpected risks. Drawing on her experience advising health systems, Fetsch explains how infrastructure assessments can reveal hidden capital needs. She also outlines how these challenges can influence integration timelines and overall deal value. Additionally, the conversation offers strategies for aligning building systems across newly combined organizations, while highlighting opportunities to improve energy efficiency, advance sustainability goals and modernize facility operations.

Ambient AI has quickly moved from buzzword to bedside. In this new Healthcare Insider Podcast, Simon Kos, chief medical officer of Heidi , shares why he believes this moment represents a true turning point for clinicians. Unlike past top-down digital initiatives, ambient voice technology "returns time and attention back into their clinical workflow and frees them up for what they want to do, which is spend time and attention with their patients," he says. Kos explains why the ambient scribe is just the beginning — and how the next wave of AI care partners will address cognitive burden, regulatory demands and global scalability. He also outlines what health systems should measure during pilots, from activation and adoption rates to clinician and patient satisfaction. To learn more about Heidi's AI care partner and its approach to expanding healthcare capacity, visit heidihealth.com .

AI is poised to support value-based care by improving outcomes, reducing administrative burden and helping clinicians focus on what matters most: patient care. In this episode, Dr. Rob Bessler, CEO of Honest Health, and Seema Verma, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Oracle , explore how AI can be applied responsibly and effectively to advance healthcare transformation. Tune in for expert insights on: How AI is reducing administrative burden and helping clinicians focus on care What health systems should consider when evaluating AI solutions Guiding principles for making smart, sustainable AI investments

Hospitals are under mounting financial pressure while also navigating a complex shift toward value-based care. In this episode, Dr. Rob Bessler, CEO of Honest Health, and Rick Pollack, CEO of the American Hospital Association, examine the critical decisions health systems face today and the long-term strategies needed for success tomorrow. Tune in for a timely discussion on: Strategic considerations for internal development vs. external partnerships What "success" in value-based care could look like a decade from now Practical guidance for CEOs planning for long-term transformation