Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

In this episode, Laura Dyrda, Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Becker's Healthcare, shares key themes emerging from conversations with healthcare CEOs and CFOs, including access to care, financial sustainability, workforce resilience, and policy advocacy. She also discusses how leaders are balancing uncertainty around reimbursement and Medicaid changes with growing optimism about AI, innovation, and the future of healthcare transformation.

In this episode, Jakob Emerson, Associate News Director, Becker’s Healthcare, shares insights from a rare behind-the-scenes visit to UnitedHealth Group’s headquarters, exploring how the company is investing in AI, software, and data infrastructure to reshape healthcare.

In this episode, Scott Becker reviews 8 key healthcare developments, including telehealth expansion, Medicare Advantage challenges, CEO turnover, AI governance, and more.

In this episode, Dorsey Morrow, CEO of Liberty HealthShare, discusses the growing affordability challenges facing healthcare consumers, the rise of alternative healthcare payment models, and the importance of transparency, trust, and prevention in improving access to care.

This episode is sponsored by Liberty HealthShare.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Dr. William Levine, Frank E. Stinchfield Professor and Chair, Orthopedic Surgery Department, Chief, Shoulder Service, and Co-Director, Center for Shoulder, Elbow and Sports Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center. He discusses navigating financial and operational pressures in academic medicine, expanding ambulatory care, and the leadership principles that help organizations adapt and thrive during times of constant change.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's Rural Health Leadership Summit features Kyle Kramer, Chief Executive Officer, Day Kimball Health. He discusses strengthening access to care in rural communities, leading through rapid change, developing innovative transportation solutions, and advancing initiatives focused on equity, affordability, and preventive care.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's Rural Health Leadership Summit features Mark Marsh, President and Chief Executive Officer, Owensboro Health. He discusses leading through healthcare policy uncertainty, the importance of communication and trust across a 5,000-person workforce, and how culture, transparency, and strategic focus are helping Owensboro Health navigate a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Michael Ezzie, MD, President, OhioHealth Physician Group, and Frank Panzarella, Principal, ECG Management Consultants, discuss how healthcare organizations can lead meaningful physician enterprise transformation at scale. They explore the challenges of access, governance, communication, and culture change while sharing practical strategies for sustaining long-term improvement in today’s high-pressure healthcare environment.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Dr. Ravi Bashyal, Vice-Chairman, Patient and Provider Experience and Director, Outpatient Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery, Endeavor Health; Clinical Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He discusses leading through healthcare consolidation, maintaining a relentless focus on patient outcomes and experience, and delivering high-value outpatient joint replacement care in an evolving healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Ericka Beeler, MBA, CEO, Beeler Consulting, LLC, shares her journey from frontline healthcare roles to entrepreneurship, discussing the firm's work supporting rural hospital turnarounds and helping independent physicians launch and grow successful practices.

In this episode, Annmarie Lyons, VP, Women's Health Service Line, UPMC Health, discusses strategies to improve access to women's healthcare, address maternity care gaps, and better meet the evolving needs of patients across generations. She also shares leadership lessons on staying curious, aligning work with purpose, and building a career centered on impact and fulfillment.

In this episode, Chris Bradbury, CEO of IHCS, and Ashish V. Shah, Founder and CEO of Dina, join the podcast to discuss the strategic vision behind Dina and the opportunities technology creates to improve care coordination. They explore how AI agents are supporting staff by reducing administrative burdens, enhancing workflows, and enabling care teams to focus more on delivering high-quality patient care.

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Gates, Executive Dean and Senior Vice-President of the Leavitt School of Health at WGU, discusses his journey from educator and pharmacist to healthcare executive and academic leader. He shares how WGU is addressing critical workforce shortages through industry partnerships, technology-enabled learning, and innovative approaches to expanding access to healthcare education.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Dr. Martin Jenter, Orthopedic Surgeon, Integrowth Orthopedic Specialists and Henry Ford Health System & Medical Director, Michigan Outpatient Surgical Center ASC. He discusses the rapid growth of outpatient joint replacement, the challenges posed by health system consolidation and electronic health records, and how physician-led ambulatory surgery centers can enhance efficiency, patient experience, and clinical outcomes.

In this episode, Omkar Kulkarni, MPH, Vice President, Chief Innovation & Transformation Officer, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Founder & Managing Director, KidsX, discusses how AI and digital health are transforming patient access, care delivery, and operational efficiency.

In this episode, Kelly Munson, President and CEO of Independence Health Group, discusses the evolving Medicaid and ACA landscape, the impact of policy changes on coverage and affordability, and the role of managed care in improving health outcomes. She also shares insights on food as medicine, healthcare innovation, and leadership lessons from becoming the organization's first female CEO.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Eduardo Conrado, President, Ascension. Here, he discusses Ascension’s ambulatory growth strategy, investments in serving Medicaid and uninsured populations, and how the organization is redesigning care delivery to improve access, patient experience, and long-term community health.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Desi McCue, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. Desi discusses rebuilding human-centered healthcare, engaging frontline teams through transparency and listening, and creating flexible workforce strategies that support resilience, accountability, and meaningful connection.

In collaboration with Insight Global.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Luis Taveras, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer, Jefferson Health. He discusses how AI is reshaping healthcare leadership, the importance of disciplined investment decisions focused on speed to value, and why building mission-driven teams remains the foundation for successful transformation.

In this episode, Jawad Khan, Vice President, Enterprise Analytics, Akron Children's, discusses how healthcare organizations can move beyond AI pilots to build trusted, scalable capabilities that improve clinical workflows and decision-making.

In this episode, Jennifer Worthy, Executive Vice President of Revenue Optimization at Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), joins the podcast to discuss the technology gap between payers and providers and the challenges it creates across the healthcare ecosystem. She also shares her perspective on the leadership attributes needed to navigate change, foster collaboration, and drive sustainable improvements in financial and operational performance.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Kevin Zeng, Chief Nurse Executive, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Sutter Health. Kevin shares how his team is expanding patient access while supporting workforce well-being, and discusses the importance of mission-driven leadership, organizational culture, and turning strategy into consistent execution during times of rapid change.

In collaboration with Insight Global.

In this episode, Ozarks Healthcare CMIO and Hospitalist Dr. Priscilla Frase joins MEDITECH Chief Nursing Executive Cathy Turner, RN to discuss how technology, interoperability, and a bold approach to innovation is driving meaningful change across the health system and helped to earn the organization national recognition as a rural healthcare leader.

This episode is sponsored by MEDITECH.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Dr. Nicholas Grosso, President, The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics. He discusses the launch of MedVanta, the importance of physician ownership in healthcare operations and technology, and how strong teams help organizations navigate rapid change while preserving long-term value.

In this episode, Michelle Stansbury, Associate Chief Innovation Officer and Vice President of IT Applications at Houston Methodist, joins the podcast to discuss the organization’s digital priorities for 2026 and the technologies shaping the future of healthcare delivery. She shares insights on the growing role of ambient listening solutions in reducing documentation burden, improving clinician efficiency, and enabling care teams to spend more time focused on patients.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's Rural Health Leadership Summit features Michael Coyle, Chief Executive Officer, Veterans Memorial Hospital. He discusses leading a major technology transformation, addressing workforce and payer challenges, and why innovation, strategic partnerships, and forward-thinking leadership are essential for rural hospitals navigating rapid change.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Trey Crabb, Chief Executive Officer, Deaconess Associations Incorporated. He shares lessons from successfully merging organizations and cultures, discusses strategies for growth through partnerships and acquisitions, and explains how flexible workforce models and collaborative leadership help drive resilience across home health, hospice, personal care, and therapy services.

In collaboration with Insight Global.

In this episode, Tomas Gregorio, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Information Officer at Care New England Health System, joins the podcast to discuss the organization’s partnership with Rhode Island College and the development of training programs that help prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals. He also shares insights on the use of ambient listening technologies and how he is leveraging AI to improve efficiency, support clinicians, and advance digital innovation across the health system.

In this episode, Andy Anderson, MD, MBA, Chief Medical and Quality Officer at RWJBarnabas Health, joins the podcast to discuss how healthcare organizations are navigating rapid changes in automation and digital transformation. He shares insights on the evolving responsibilities of clinical and technology leaders, highlighting how the roles of Chief Medical Officers and Chief Information Officers are becoming increasingly interconnected as organizations work to improve care delivery, quality, and operational performance.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Greg Sieg, Chief Information Security Officer, University of Michigan Health Regional Network. He discusses aligning cybersecurity programs across a growing health system, navigating the rapid rise of AI, and why communication, cultural alignment, and workforce-focused technology decisions are essential to strengthening healthcare resilience and security.

In collaboration with Insight Global.

In this episode, Dr. Michael Han, Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare, discusses how ambient AI is reducing clinician burnout, improving documentation quality, and driving adoption at scale by focusing on clinician trust, workflow integration, and measurable outcomes.

This episode is sponsored by Ambience Healthcare.

In this sponsored episode, George Stein, Vice President of Digital at Montefiore Einstein, and Dr. Shivani Agarwal, Senior Director of Community Healthcare Improvement & Strategy at Montefiore Einstein, join the podcast to discuss innovative approaches to improving preventive cancer screening rates. They share how agentic AI outreach and digital solutions are helping patients navigate the screening process, reduce barriers to care, and connect more people with timely preventive services.

In this episode, David W. Zaas, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Duke University Health System, joins the podcast to discuss expanding access to care and bringing high-quality healthcare closer to home for patients and communities. He shares his vision for shaping the future of Duke Health, highlighting strategic growth initiatives, innovation, and the organization's commitment to meeting the evolving healthcare needs of the populations it serves.

In this episode, Baligh Yehia, MD, President of Jefferson Health and Executive Vice President of Jefferson, joins the podcast to discuss keeping patient well-being at the center of every organizational decision. He shares insights on the importance of fostering an aligned workplace culture, emphasizing how shared values, collaboration, and a unified mission help healthcare organizations deliver better outcomes for patients and communities.

In this episode, Baligh Yehia, MD, President of Jefferson Health and Executive Vice President of Jefferson, joins the podcast to discuss keeping patient well-being at the center of every organizational decision. He shares insights on the importance of fostering an aligned workplace culture, emphasizing how shared values, collaboration, and a unified mission help healthcare organizations deliver better outcomes for patients and communities.

This episode recorded live at the Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting features Tesa Anewishki, President and Chief Executive Officer, Loretto Hospital. She discusses leading a safety net hospital through an electronic health record transformation, expanding access to care amid community hospital closures, and leveraging workforce development, communication, and resourcefulness to meet growing healthcare challenges.

In collaboration with Insight Global.

In this episode, Sarah Greichen, Chief Information & Innovation Officer at Sedgwick County Health Center, joins the podcast to discuss addressing staffing demands and reducing administrative burden through technology and innovation. She shares strategies for solving capacity challenges and explores opportunities to strengthen and improve healthcare delivery in rural communities.

In this episode, Dwight Raum, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Information Officer at Rochester Regional Health, joins the podcast to discuss the rise of AI in healthcare, including its costs, benefits, and long-term potential. He shares how technology can help reduce clinician burnout and address growing supply-and-demand challenges by supporting care teams, improving efficiency, and expanding access to care.

In this episode, Dr. H. Kurtis Biggs, Orthopedic Surgeon and Founder of the Joint Replacement Institute in Florida, joins the podcast to discuss how AI-powered chatbots can improve efficiency and streamline patient communication. He also shares his perspective on the fee-for-service model, strategies for delivering high-value orthopedic care, and efforts to limit opioid prescriptions while supporting safe and effective pain management.

In this episode, Carmela Rocchetti, MD, Assistant Dean of Community Engaged Medical Education and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, joins the podcast to discuss an innovative educational program designed to bring the social determinants of health to life for future healthcare professionals. She shares how teaching the human element of care helps clinicians better understand patients’ experiences, build trust, and foster stronger relationships that lead to more compassionate and effective healthcare.