Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

In this episode, Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, RN, CRNA, Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Advocate Health, joins the podcast to discuss the workforce, workflows and work environment factors shaping the nursing profession. She shares insights on using flexible work hours and staffing and scheduling systems to support nurses, the retention strategies that are delivering results, and how healthcare organizations can help new graduates thrive as they begin their careers.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Lavonia Thomas, Chief Nursing Informatics And Innovation Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who discusses connecting patient data, strengthening care transitions, and ensuring nurses help define problems and workflows before AI and technology solutions are implemented.

In collaboration with Philips.

In this episode, Michael Morgan, SVP Strategic Analysis, Community Hospital Corporation, discusses the Rural Health Transformation Program, financial pressures facing rural hospitals, and strategies involving revenue cycle, partnerships, operational efficiency, and community support to strengthen long-term sustainability.

This episode is sponsored by Community Hospital Corporation.

In this episode, Amber Wood, DNP, RN, MBA, Vice President of Clinical Education & Clinical Placements, SSM Health, discusses how SSM Health is using accessible education, clinical cohorts, and leadership development to strengthen talent pipelines, improve retention, and support workforce growth.

This episode is sponsored by InStride.

In this episode, Erica Rubinstein, Vice President of Patient Experience at Mount Sinai Health System, joins the podcast to discuss the patient and staff experience in ambulatory surgery and the opportunities to improve care beyond the clinical encounter. She shares insights on creating a more seamless experience for patients while also supporting staff and addressing the operational factors that shape how patients experience their care.

In this episode, Xavier de Gracia, Co-Founder, Prosper AI, discusses how AI agents automate patient calls, appointment scheduling, insurance verification and prior authorization workflows to reduce administrative burdens, prevent revenue leakage and improve practice revenue.

In this episode, Patrice Harris, MD, MA, Executive Vice President and Chief Health Impact Officer, Nemours Children's Health, discusses whole child health, kindergarten readiness, early intervention and the leadership needed to drive meaningful healthcare transformation.

In this episode, Kim Tzoumakas, CEO, VytlOne, discusses how AI can streamline complex pharmacy operations, strengthen 340B compliance, reduce administrative burden, and support better revenue management while keeping clinical decisions with qualified teams.

This episode is sponsored by VytlOne

In this episode, Dr. Chris Thomas, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at FMOL Health, joins the podcast to discuss new innovations and the importance of feedback in improving healthcare quality. He also shares insights on how diagnostic accuracy can create more patient-centered outcomes and the importance of evaluating and improving care for sepsis patients.

In this episode, Lauren G. Wirth, President and CEO of New London Hospital, shares lessons on building relationships, listening, embracing complexity, supporting teams and taking risks to pursue new leadership opportunities.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Nirav Shah, Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer, AI and Innovation, Endeavor Health, who discusses using AI to reduce cognitive burden, unify fragmented clinical data, improve care transitions, and responsibly scale AI tools through measurable value and trust.

In collaboration with Philips.

In this episode, Eddie Borrego, SVP & CEO, Regional Hospitals & Physician Services, Chief Patient Experience Officer, Jackson Health System, discusses how standardized care practices, frontline engagement and stronger communication have improved patient experience and helped Jackson Health System advance its quality and experience ratings.

In this episode, Stephanie Everett, Administrator, CEO, Foundation Director, and PR and Marketing Director at Mountrail Bethel Home, Mountrail County Medical Center, and Mountrail County Health Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of remaining balanced while leading across multiple areas of healthcare. She also reflects on the handling of COVID-19, the ongoing need for greater attention and support for nursing homes, and the challenges facing long-term care.

In this episode, Chirag Choudhary, MD, MBA, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, and Marc Babi, MD, MBA, FNCS, Professor of Neurology at Cleveland Clinic and Case Western University, Florida Region, and Center Director for Neurocritical Care, Neurohospitalist, Stroke, and Neuro-Intervention, join the podcast to discuss improving access to care for stroke patients and the best practices and quality metrics that support high-quality stroke care. They also share insights on putting patients and caregivers first while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety.

In this episode, Robert Rose, DNP, System Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Nursing at Ascension, joins the podcast to discuss strategies for improving nurse retention and building a stronger nursing workforce. He also shares insights on developing nurses and strengthening leadership capabilities to support both individual growth and the future of nursing.

In this episode, Fiona Fang, CEO of Aetna Better Health of Florida, discusses Medicaid challenges, maternal and infant health, whole person care and efforts to help members maintain coverage. She also shares how data, community partnerships and targeted outreach can improve outcomes.

In this episode, Dr. Lee Kojanis of Premier Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in New Jersey joins the podcast to discuss the impact of private equity on oral and maxillofacial surgery practices and how changes in the practice environment are shaping the delivery of care. He also shares insights on patient-specific surgery and the use of digital treatment planning to develop more individualized approaches to surgical care.

In this episode, Terry McDonnell, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Duke University Health System and Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at Duke University School of Nursing, joins the podcast to discuss the growing clinical skills gap and the importance of preparing nurses with the skills and confidence needed to succeed at the bedside. She also shares insights on introducing specialized training earlier in education and addressing high turnover rates among bedside nurses.

In this episode, Aqib Zehri, MD, Neurosurgeon practicing in Portland, Ore, discusses the importance of long term outcomes in spine surgery, using patient reported data to evaluate success, and how standardization and technology can improve sustainable spine care.

In this episode, Meredith Duncan, president and CEO of Texicare, discusses expanding access to affordable health coverage for small businesses, virtual care, provider network growth and the importance of building strong local relationships with providers and brokers.

In this episode, Jill Mabry, Vice President of Patient Experience, Novant Health, discusses how investing in team member engagement, recognition, culture, and patient feedback can strengthen patient experience and drive meaningful improvements across a growing health system. She also shares how Novant Health’s SPARK program brings these strategies to life.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Cheng-Kai Kao, MD, FACP, SFHM, Chief Medical Information Officer, UChicago Medicine, who discusses using AI to turn complex patient data into actionable insights, improve care transitions, streamline AI adoption, and close gaps in care coordination.

In collaboration with Philips.

In this episode, Dr. Anthony Hilliard, President of Loma Linda University Health and CEO of Loma Linda University Health, Hospitals, shares lessons from his healthcare journey, the resilience he developed through sports and serious injuries, and his approach to leading with vulnerability, reflection and purpose. He also discusses his transition from interventional cardiology to health system leadership and his focus on strengthening the patient and caregiver relationship across the organization.

In this episode, Alan Condon, Editor-in-Chief at Becker's Healthcare, discusses improving financial performance among major health systems, growth strategies amid reimbursement pressures, and the latest wave of hospital M&A and market consolidation.

In this episode, Laura Dyrda, Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Becker's Healthcare, discusses health system restructuring, the shift toward strategic partnerships, and how leaders are rethinking what they should own, outsource, or build in-house.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Nari Gopala, Chief Digital Officer, Mayo Clinic, who discusses using AI and remote monitoring to separate meaningful clinical signals from noise, improve care coordination and preserve context across patient journeys.

In collaboration with Philips.

In this episode, Dr. Ryan J. Gates, Senior Vice President and Executive Dean, Western Governors University Leavitt School of Health, discusses using rural health funding to build sustainable local workforce pipelines, expand flexible education pathways, and address shortages in nursing, pharmacy and allied health. 

This episode is sponsored by Western Governors University.

In this episode, Shea Swick, Lead Pharmacist, RxCare Charitable Pharmacy, OhioHealth Riverside Community Medicine, discusses how pharmacist-led remote blood pressure monitoring is improving hypertension control through medication management, patient education and personalized outreach. She also shares the program’s clinical and financial results, barriers to patient engagement and plans to expand remote monitoring across OhioHealth. 

This episode is sponsored by American Heart Association.

In this episode, Sean Bitts, CRNA and Vice President of Clinical Affairs at CCI Anesthesia, and Alex Gorecki, President of CCI Anesthesia, explore why a singular focus on anesthesia can make a meaningful difference for clinicians, patients, and hospital operations. Moderated by Doug Simpler, the conversation examines how specialized leadership can strengthen clinician retention and autonomy, improve OR efficiency and patient outcomes, and create a more collaborative partnership between anesthesia teams and health system leaders.

This episode is sponsored by CCI Anesthesia. 

In this episode, Scott Becker highlights physician shortages, health system CEO turnover, healthcare job growth, rising hospital costs, physician non-compete disputes, and the growing focus on cost-conscious surgical care.

In this episode, Schneck Medical Center Vice President and Chief Information Officer Craig Rice discusses the importance of interoperability for independent hospitals, the challenges of data exchange across health systems, and how MEDITECH’s Traverse Exchange is helping advance connected care.

This episode is sponsored by MEDITECH.

In this episode, Matthew Ewend, MD, President, UNC Physicians; Chief Clinical Officer, UNC Health, discusses how AI-powered ambient scribing and chart summarization are reducing administrative burden, strengthening clinician and patient engagement, and reshaping medical education. 

In this episode, Garrick Stoldt, CPA, FHFMA, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, joins the podcast to discuss opportunities for growth and the leadership qualities needed to guide healthcare organizations through a changing financial environment. He also shares insights on the impact of 340B restrictions and how evolving program requirements can affect health system strategy and financial planning.

In this episode, Mark Smith, CMO, MSU Health Care, discusses operational transformation, Epic implementation, physician engagement and expanding primary care while advancing value based care. He also shares leadership lessons on culture, technology and keeping patients and caregivers at the center of change.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Stephen Williams, MD, MBA, MS, FACS, Associate CMO, UTMB Clear Lake, UTMB Health System, who discusses using AI and patient data to create a more connected care continuum, reduce fragmentation across settings, and strengthen clinical communication.

In collaboration with Philips.

In this episode, Steve Mason, President, MedHQ, and Zachary Phillips, Vice President of Advisory Services, MedHQ, discuss the growing staffing, cost, and coverage pressures facing anesthesia organizations and how data, flexible coverage models, and proactive planning can support more sustainable operations.

This episode is sponsored by MedHQ.

In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Mark Clement, the former president and CEO of TriHealth, discusses the healthcare bets that have paid off, the shift toward proactive and value-based care and the need to rebuild trust in healthcare. He also shares why listening and authentic communication are among the most underrated leadership traits.

In this episode, Chris Allen, CFO, UChicago Medicine, discusses his priorities for strengthening financial operations, supporting system growth, modernizing revenue cycle processes, and developing responsible AI governance while building a resilient finance team.

Learn more about relentlessly raising RCM yield here: https://med-metrix.com/?utm_source=beckers&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=brand

In this episode, Victor Zamora, Executive Vice President of Customer Care, Med-Metrix, discusses how accurate patient intake, technology integration, real-time eligibility, and clear ownership can improve revenue realization, reduce downstream rework, and strengthen the patient experience. 

This episode is sponsored by Med-Metrix.

In this episode, Patrick Velliky, Chief External Affairs Officer, HaloMD, discusses new research on the No Surprises Act, emergency medicine reimbursement, and the impact of the IDR process on healthcare spending. He examines pre and post NSA payment trends, utilization assumptions, and what the findings could mean for policymakers and providers. 

This episode is sponsored by HaloMD.