Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

In this episode,  Scott Becker outlines the eight biggest issues shaping U.S. healthcare as the industry heads into 2026, including physician shortages, rising costs, payer power, and more.

This episode recorded live at the 10th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Annual Meeting features Nabile M. Safdar, Chief AI Officer, Emory Healthcare. He discusses how Emory is leveraging AI across clinical, operational, and patient-facing applications, and shares strategies for governance, adoption, and safely integrating advanced AI tools into healthcare workflows.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Amy Lee, MJ, MBA, MBHA, FACMPE, President and COO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital/Mass General Brigham. She discusses the unique challenges of delivering care on an island, from workforce housing to telehealth partnerships, and how innovation and community support sustain high-quality care in a remote setting.

In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, Alan Condon, Editor in Chief, and Laura Dyrda, Vice President and Editor in Chief at Becker's Healthcare, discuss major healthcare stories shaping 2026, including hospital mergers and acquisitions, competitive market dynamics, and policy developments impacting rural and independent hospitals.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features James Heilsberg, CFO, Tri State Health. He discusses how his organization is using AI, automation, and strategic growth to strengthen care delivery, support clinicians, and sustain financial health in a rural community setting.

In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, C.J. Marbley, Chief Nursing Officer at University Medical Center New Orleans and Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at New Orleans East Hospital within LCMC Health, joins the podcast to reflect on how his organization responded to the New Year’s Eve terrorist attack at the start of 2025. He discusses efforts to expand access to care, initiatives focused on ensuring cancer patients receive the highest-quality treatment, and why staying grounded in the “why” of nursing is essential for resilience, leadership, and patient-centered care.

In this episode, Dr. Wael Barsoum, Professor of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and President and Chief Transformation Officer at HopCo, shares insights from his career leading Cleveland Clinic Florida and growing HopCo into the largest musculoskeletal specialty group in the U.S., offering lessons on strategic leadership, innovation, and improving health care outcomes.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features David Dunkle, CEO, Johnson Memorial Health. He discusses the financial challenges facing community hospitals, the struggle for fair reimbursement, and how strong culture and patient focus help sustain independent organizations in a difficult healthcare landscape.

In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, Dr. Daniel del Portal, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Temple Health, explains the vital role long-term acute care hospitals play in improving patient flow, supporting medically complex recoveries, and stabilizing hospital operations. He highlights how strong LTACH partnerships enhance outcomes, preserve inpatient capacity, and create smoother transitions across the continuum of care.

This episode is sponsored by ScionHealth.

In this episode, Christopher Newman, President and CEO of Mary Washington Healthcare, discusses stepping into the CEO role, driving cultural transformation, and strengthening workforce pipelines amid rapid regional growth. He also shares priorities around academic partnerships, financial headwinds, and expanding access to higher level care in the community.

In this episode, Laurie McGraw, Chief Commercial Officer at Transcarent and host of the Inspiring Women podcast, shares lessons from her 30+ year career in healthcare and technology, offering practical advice for emerging women leaders and insights on how innovation and mentorship can accelerate professional growth.

This episode recorded live at the 10th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Annual Meeting features Dr. Michael Han, Chief Medical Information Officer, MultiCare Health System. He discusses real world AI use cases including stroke detection and ambient clinical documentation, and shares why close partnership between IT and clinical leadership is critical to successful adoption and provider satisfaction.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Lisa Tank, President and Chief Hospital Executive, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health. She discusses how her team is using AI, governance, and culture to enhance clinical outcomes, streamline operations, and strengthen patient trust.

In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, Scott Polenz, Principal Consultant at CHG Healthcare Advisory Services, shares a practical roadmap for healthcare leaders to improve physician alignment, engagement, and retention. He discusses creating structured onboarding, fostering trust and communication, and establishing an Office of Physicians and APP Relations to support long-term success.

This episode is sponsored by CHG Healthcare.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Afroz Hafeez, MD, MBA, Manager of Telemedicine at RUSH University System for Health, as he discusses expanding virtual care and telemedicine services. He shares strategies for improving health equity, scaling hybrid care models, and partnering with communities to increase access and reduce hospital burdens.

This episode recorded live at the 10th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Annual Meeting features Dr. Mohammed Abdelaziz, Medical Director of Hospital Medicine, Kings Mill Hospital, Bon Secours Mercy Health. He shares how his organization is exploring AI tools like ambient scribe solutions and predictive models, and offers guidance on integrating virtual care and technology while maintaining high-quality patient care.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Jigar Thakkar, CEO of Longitude Rx, as he discusses reducing fragmentation in pharmacy care and addressing financial toxicity for patients. He shares insights on bringing specialty pharmacy services back into health systems through end to end technology, analytics, and payer integration.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Josephine Wilton, Chief Business Development Officer, CHCB, as she discusses growth through improved access to care, contract strategy, and community expansion. She shares perspectives on strengthening infrastructure, operational execution, and addressing behavioral health, dental, and maternal health needs in underserved communities.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features John Benko, Director Healthcare Coordination, Bellefaire JCB, as he discusses expanding behavioral health and special needs services across community based settings. He shares how innovative care models and breaking traditional Medicaid payer structures are helping improve access to physical, dental, and behavioral care for underserved populations.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Kelley Wells, Rph VP- Clinical Applications, Indiana University Health, as she discusses IU Health’s rapid growth and major capital projects. She shares insights on leading a large scale Epic conversion, building smart hospitals, and preparing clinical IT teams to support future innovation.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Martha Koo, MD, FASAM, FCTMSS, LFAPA, Chief Medical Officer, Your Behavioral Health, as she discusses delivering a full continuum of behavioral health care across virtual and in person settings. She emphasizes the importance of investing in both the workforce and patients, fostering supportive cultures, and remembering that health care is fundamentally a human service.

In this episode, John Voight, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, joins the podcast to discuss the growing impact of workplace violence in healthcare and the importance of improving access to mental health support for care teams. He shares how building and sustaining patient trust remains a leadership priority, and outlines his goals for 2026 focused on safety, culture, and delivering high-quality patient-centered care.

In this episode, Colleen Mallozzi, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Jefferson Health, discusses how her team is using technology and process improvements to reduce documentation burden, give nurses more time at the bedside, and prepare for an innovative ambient listening rollout that transforms patient care.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Lisa Scardina, Chief Strategy Officer, Providence, Provider Solutions and Development, as she shares how PS&D is expanding recruitment offerings to better meet physicians and hiring organizations where they are. She discusses lowering barriers to entry, leveraging marketing capabilities, and building healthier communities by helping providers connect with the right opportunities.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Dennis Disch, MD, MMM, FACC Vice President, Hospital-Based Specialties, Advocate Health, as he discusses fostering collaboration across hospital-based physician leaders and operational teams. He shares growth priorities including tackling ED boarding, improving engagement, and driving operational efficiency across Advocate Health’s hospitals.

In this episode, Andrew Molosky, President and CEO of Chapters Health System, shares insights on managing community-based healthcare amid an aging population, workforce challenges, and fixed resources. He discusses the principles guiding his leadership and the mission-driven focus on providing optimal patient care.

In this episode, Shannon Werb, CEO of Array Behavioral Care, discusses how an employed clinical workforce, interoperable technology, and evidence based care pathways are helping health systems deliver consistent, high quality behavioral health services. He shares lessons on integration, scalability, and why measurement based care is becoming an operational standard rather than a nice to have.

In this episode, David Goldberg, President & CEO of Mon Health System and Davis Health System and Executive Vice President at Vandalia Health, shares how his organizations are keeping quality care at the forefront by expanding access to care close to home through telehealth. He discusses strengthening community health through partnerships, rural healthcare transformation grants, and a deep commitment to giving back, and offers thoughtful advice for emerging leaders navigating today’s evolving healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health, joins the podcast to discuss tackling healthcare workforce challenges through collaboration and intentional planning. She addresses common misconceptions around talent acquisition, highlights strategies for bringing untapped talent into the healthcare workforce, and shares real stories from healthcare workforce journeys.

In this episode, Chris Gay, CEO and Co-Founder of Evry Health, joins Jakob Emerson to discuss how technology, scale, and business model alignment can dramatically reduce prior authorization friction. He shares why Evry Health’s approach delivers faster decisions, lower denial rates, and a better patient and provider experience, and what the industry needs to change next.

In this episode, Xiaofei Zhou, MD - Associate Program Director, Neurosurgery, Section Chief of Neurosurgery, Southwest General Hospital, Director of Endoscopic Spine Surgery, discusses how surgical innovation should be guided by patient outcomes and real data, not just flashy trends. They also explore the early role of AI in spine surgery, plus the financial forces shaping care including insurance, spine coding, bundled models and the need for broader systems and medical training education. 

In this episode, Shelly Schorer, FHFMA, MBA, California CFO at CommonSpirit Health, joins the podcast to discuss the close connection between high-quality care and strong financial performance. She shares how health systems are navigating economic pressures, shifting more care to the ambulatory setting, modernizing the revenue cycle, and adopting new technologies—while continuing to expand patient access and support sustainable growth.

In this episode, Nathaniel Beers, CEO of Blythedale Children’s Hospital, joins the podcast to discuss caring for children with complex disabilities and the importance of meeting patients where they are. He shares how partnerships with school systems help improve quality of life, why bringing patients home is a critical goal, and how healthcare teams can support children in doing what matters most—being kids.

In this episode, Holly McCormack, Chief Executive Officer of Cottage Hospital, discusses how a bold investment in the workforce helped stabilize staffing, reduce reliance on contract labor, and strengthen care delivery. She also shares her priorities for financial stewardship, rural access to care, and service line focus as the organization looks ahead to 2026.

In this episode, Raymond Hino, CEO of Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center, shares strategies for expanding access to care, improving clinical services, and building a clinically integrated network of rural hospitals in Oregon. He also discusses initiatives like opening a new retail pharmacy, enhancing surgical capabilities, and supporting senior mental health programs.

In this episode, Clay Ashdown, CFO at Intermountain Health, joins the podcast to discuss navigating financial leadership during times of uncertainty. He shares how AI and emerging technologies are helping streamline processes—particularly within the revenue cycle—and reflects on how the CFO role has evolved to prioritize adaptability, innovation, and strategic resilience.

In this episode, Dan Hackner, MD, Chief Clinical and Academic Officer, Southcoast Health, joins the podcast to discuss the role of concurrent data in improving clinical decision-making. He addresses gaps in educating and supporting caregivers, how health systems can anticipate the future affordability of care, and why deeply understanding community needs is essential to driving meaningful innovation in healthcare.

In this episode, Dr. Aaron Chamberlain, orthopedic surgeon and Senior Medical Director for the Musculoskeletal Clinical Program at Intermountain Health, discusses the evolution of shoulder surgery and how the Intact subscapularis sparing technique is reshaping anatomic shoulder arthroplasty and patient recovery.

This episode is sponsored by DePuy Synthes.

In this episode, Robert Chestnut, SVP and CFO at LMH Health, joins the podcast to discuss how health systems are preparing for market shifts heading into 2026. He shares perspectives on embracing change, addressing workforce skill shortages through internal training programs, and diversifying talent to build a more resilient and adaptable organization.

In this episode, Dr. James McCarthy, Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive at Memorial Hermann Health System, discusses initiatives to expand patient access, integrate physician practices, and improve value-based care. He also shares strategies for managing growth, enhancing employee health programs, and upgrading the system's aeromedical fleet to support high-acuity care.