Scaling Practice Management by Talkie.ai

What does it actually look like when a practice puts culture first - not as a slogan, but as an operating system?

Dr. Joy Evers - board-certified emergency physician, CEO and founder of Healthtopia Clinics, and host of the Your Doctor Wants to Quit podcast - joins Jakub Grajcar to share how she built a four-location integrative primary care practice serving 35,000 patients in Southern California.

From same-day walk-ins to real-time curbside consults between conventional and naturopathic providers, Dr. Joy breaks down what makes Healthtopia's model work - and why it starts with how leaders show...

Most practices know they should be doing more with technology. Fewer have actually built it out.

Dr. Elizabeth Edens - Founder of Health Meets Wellness and Medical Director at TouchCare Method - has. She joins Jakub to walk through what a fully digitized patient journey actually looks like in practice: a custom mobile app, an AI health coach, wearable integrations, and touchpoints that keep patients engaged between visits.

Dr. Edens' specialty is weight management. The lessons apply to anyone trying to introduce software, AI, or remote monitoring into their patient experience.

We discuss:<...

Why is the direct primary care (DPC) model gaining so much popularity? And what does it actually take to scale a direct primary care practice - from a single clinic to an 11-location organization with nearly 30 providers?

Dr. Kyle Rickner, co-founder and chairman of Primary Health Partners, joins Jakub Grajcar to share the full story. From the decision to leave the fee-for-service world, to the very real operational challenges of multi-site growth, to what it takes to build a practice genuinely centered on patients instead of billing codes.

We talk about:

💊 Dr. Rickner's #1 tip...

What's quietly burning out your best clinicians - and what can practice managers actually do about it?

Justin Lambert, CEO at Nomad Health - a leading digital marketplace with access to over 400,000 qualified clinicians - joins Jakub Grajcar to dig into the staffing and flexibility challenges that don't always show up on a P&L.

From how to triage patient calls the right way to why travel clinicians can be an unexpected competitive edge, this is an episode about the human side of running a modern practice - and what AI has to do with...

What does healthcare marketing strategy look like when you can't promise a happy ending? Jennifer Knowlton, Director of Digital Marketing at The Care Team and a 20-year healthcare marketing veteran, joins Jakub to pull back the curtain on one of the hardest niches in the industry: post-acute and hospice care marketing.

From navigating HIPAA constraints to building a patient acquisition strategy that actually converts - without the data you're not allowed to use - Jennifer shares a practical, trust-first framework that any medical practice can apply.

We dig into:

🤝 Why practices must earn a p...

What's the point of investing in marketing if your front desk lets the leads slip away? Cheri Cobb, founder of Cheri Cobb Creative and a 15-year veteran of healthcare growth strategy, joins Jakub Grajcar to expose the gap that's quietly costing medical and aesthetic practices thousands in lost revenue every month.

We dig into:

📊 Why your lead-to-consultation rate matters more than your Instagram follower count
📞 The "text, call, email" rule for following up with leads—without being pushy
🏘️ Grassroots marketing tactics that still work (and why in-person activities convert better)
🎥 How to film authentic p...

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In this episode, Jakub Grajcar sits down with Melissa DelFino, founder of Modern Distinction, a practice management and leadership consulting brand. Melissa’s mission is to help medical leaders move past "analysis paralysis" to create systems, culture, and teams that actually work.

We dive deep into the often-overlooked "human" side of practice management, exploring how emotional regulation can transform patient care and staff morale . Melissa also shares a modern framework for delivering feedback and explains why leaders should consider using AI as a neutral "witness" during sensitive HR...

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In this episode, Jakub Grajcar sits down with Amanda Buchanan, Director at Voyage Practice Management, a full-service medical billing company. With over 24 years of experience in healthcare management—including 16 years running a large ambulatory surgical center—Amanda shares her expert playbook for practice growth.

We dive into why the right software is the "heart" of any successful practice and how it serves as the foundation for everything from front-desk data entry to back-end insurance appeals. Amanda also reveals high-ROI opportunities often overlooked by practices, such as inte...

In this episode, healthcare success and compliance consultant Jacqueline Waterhouse, COT, joins Jakub Grajcar to dismantle the idea that compliance is just a "boring administrative hurdle." With over 25 years of industry experience—ranging from clinical work as a Certified Ophthalmic Technician to high-level consulting—Jacqueline shares why a "culture of compliance" is actually the secret to scaling a practice and protecting your most valuable asset: your staff.

We dive into the psychological side of practice management, exploring how burnout leads to clinical errors and why compliance shouldn't be a "once-a-year" event. Jacqueline also shares practical advice on how...

In this episode, host Jakub Grajcar sits down with Tiffany Burke, an independent consultant with 22 years of experience in healthcare IT and practice management. As an expert in Athena Health implementations, Tiffany shares her playbook for helping practices grow smarter. We dive deep into why staying ahead of trends is the key to success , how to make tough but necessary staffing decisions , and the right way to foster a positive, team-oriented culture.

We cover:

💡 The #1 tip for practice growth: Why jumping on innovation and trends sets successful practices apart
⚙️ Expert Athena Health tips: How to...

In this episode, Jakub Grajcar sits down with Sanjeet Kumar, CEO of OnSure Health LLC and a 20-year veteran in US healthcare. Sanjeet shares his expert playbook for practice growth, built from over two decades of experience in revenue cycle management. He breaks down the critical steps new practices must take before opening their doors and how existing practices can stop revenue leaks they don't even know they have.

We cover:

🔑 How to use CMS.gov data to pick the right demographic area
💸 Why credentialing and billing secondary/tertiary insurance is the key to profit...

In this episode, Evan Grossman, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Affineon Health, joins Jakub Grajcar to break down how AI-driven inbox solutions are transforming physician workflows and practice efficiency. From reclaiming hours spent on administrative work to freeing up time for strategic growth, Evan shares practical strategies for practice managers to maximize productivity.

We cover:

⏱ How AI can save providers 3–5 hours per week—and staff too
📨 Why tackling the inbox is the key to reducing burnout
💡 Real examples of doctors gaining time to grow their practice
⚙️ How integrating AI into existing EHRs avoids fric...

In this episode, healthcare strategist, speaker, and compliance expert Shereese Maynard joins host Jakub Grajcar to expose one of the biggest hidden barriers in practice growth—policy fatigue. From empowering frontline staff to automating repetitive tasks, Shereese reveals how practice managers can boost patient trust, stay compliant, and stop drowning in new regulations.

We cover:
🔑 Why “trust is the currency of growth” in healthcare
💼 How to turn frontline staff into your strongest marketing channel
📚 What policy fatigue looks like—and how to fix it with clarity
⚙️ How automation and AI can save your practice time and mon...

In this episode, Christina King, Vice President of Revenue Cycle Operations at Nevada Heart and Vascular Center, sits down with Jakub Grajcar to explore how successful healthcare practices must prioritize people over profit. Christina discusses how to cultivate an empathetic environment for both patients and staff, and how practices can leverage technology—without losing their human touch.

We cover:

💡 The secret to thriving practices: Why prioritizing people over profits is non-negotiable
🤝 Hiring for empathy: How to spot the right candidates who will put patients first
⚙️ Integrating technology: Using AI in ways that enhance human care...

Jonathan S. Cummins has spent two decades helping practices and payers solve one critical problem: keeping patients engaged. As CEO at GuideUp Health and CRO/Partner at Incept Digital Marketing, he shares with Jakub Grajcar the real-world tactics practice managers can use to improve outcomes and grow revenue.

We explore:
📊 Why traditional outreach leaves practice managers overwhelmed
📍 How geofencing and streaming ads attract the right patients
🤝 What keeps patients loyal between annual visits
💸 How incentives tied to outcomes can drive value-based revenue
🚀 Where AI fits in the future of patient communication

👤 Guest: Jona...

In this episode, Evan Steele, CEO of rater8, joins Jakub Grajcar to break down the do’s and don’ts of managing your practice’s online reputation. From why you should stop relying on QR codes to how AI overviews are rewriting the rules of patient search, Evan explains what practice managers must know to stay ahead.

We cover:

🔍 Why fixing Google is the #1 priority for any practice
📊 How automation balances reviews across 100+ listings
⏱ The best time to request patient reviews (backed by data)
🚨 How to handle negative reviews while staying HIPAA compliant

Veteran podcaster and Founder / Chief Editor of Healthcare IT Today, John Lynn, joins Jakub Grajcar to tackle one of the biggest questions in medicine today: what should AI be doing in healthcare?

From replacing phone call hold music to diagnosing patients, John shares a visionary—and sometimes a pinch controversial—take on what’s ahead for medical practices.

We unpack:

🤖 How AI scribes are already transforming burnout and billing
📈 Why practice managers need to embrace AI agents, not fear them
⚠️ The real reason US prior authorizations are a bureaucratic nightmare
🧠 What separates stra...

In this episode, independent Epic consultant and career coach Nacole Hodge joins Jakub Grajcar to unpack the twin challenges of silent burnout and clunky tech.

From her workshop ‘Reclaim the You Behind the Badge’ to practical Epic automations, Nacole shows practice managers how to put people first and improve their ops.

We cover:

💡 A simple monthly ritual that reconnects staff and patients
💡 Why every clinician needs to rediscover their origin story
🤖 How Epic’s automation features slash denial rates
🚧 The hidden cost of 'copycat culture' in hospitals
❤️ A 3‑step exercise to end eac...

How can practice managers balance business growth with patient care? In this episode, Jennifer Lagemann, founder of NextJenn Copy, reveals how to grow smarter, not harder, while maintaining an empathetic approach to healthcare.

We dig into:

👂 Why listening to your patients (and their families) is the key to success
⚠️ The obstacles healthcare providers face in being proactive rather than reactive
🎨 The importance of branding beyond logos—how your team’s experience shapes patient perception
🔑 Tips for making branding decisions align with your practice’s values and vision

Plus, Jennifer shares her experien...

Max Salamonowicz, Head of AI at MIGAM, joins the show with a powerful sense of purpose: to bring real-time, AI-powered sign language interpretation to the Deaf community. He walks us through the misconceptions that plague Deaf accessibility, the technical hurdles of building an ASL model that works in 3D, and why AI developers in healthcare carry a responsibility far bigger than just product success.

We explore:

🔍 Why captions aren’t enough—and how deaf users are being left behind
🧠 The challenge of building a 3D AI language model for ASL
💬 What Netflix, Zoom, and patient p...

In this episode of Scaling Practice Management, host Jakub Grajcar sits down with Fareed Taghvaee, Senior Director of Partnerships at Elation Health, one of the leading EHR platforms for independent primary care providers. They talk about the challenges practice managers face around medical billing — and yes, they power through a literal earthquake mid-conversation.

From startup clinics struggling with credentialing to established practices buried in denials and rejections, Fareed shares practical advice and real empathy for healthcare professionals wearing multiple hats.

We covered:

🏥 How to build a KPI-driven practice from Day 1
🏥 Why days in...

What do a 15-passenger ski van, unintentional healthcare careers, and patient acquisition have in common? They all come up in this chat with Calvin Gooley, CEO of Cicada. We dive into how practices can improve patient access, reduce wait times, and actually get reviews from happy patients.

We cover:
🏥 Why patient acquisition is broken (and how clinics can fix it)
 📹 Using video testimonials for both retention and growth
 🌍 Why most practices underuse Local SEO—and how to fix that fast
 🧠 Healthcare innovation: from wearables to smarter intake workflows
 📊 When should a clinic start using CRM tools...

What’s standing between groundbreaking healthcare tech and the people who actually need it? Bureaucracy, outdated incentives, and yes—still those faxes.

Angela Presley, Program Manager for Healthcare Accelerators at Dartmouth, joins the show to unpack why it takes 20 years (yes, really) for most innovations to reach clinical practice—and what we can do about it.

We cover:
🧠 Why ‘first do no harm’ makes innovation hard—but necessary
📉 The most frustrating bottleneck for clinicians (spoiler: reimbursement)
📈 One change management tip that actually works
📬 Why practice managers should negotiate smarter with payers
📱 Medtech’s future: m...

In this episode, Rafi Salazar (CEO of RehabU Practice Solutions, host of the Better Outcomes Show) joins Jakub to unpack what really scales in healthcare—and it's not just better tech or more SOPs.

We dig into:

🏥 Why promoting top clinicians can backfire (and how to avoid it)
🏥 The 'four Ps' every practice must consider when positioning services
🏥 What’s broken about point solutions and what’s coming next
🏥 Two underrated trends healthcare leaders should prep for now
🏥 How Rafi turned his podcast into a consulting pipeline

Resources mentioned:

👤 Guest: Rafael...