Health Care Rounds

Pediatric care is one of the most fragmented and underfunded corners of the American health system. Parents are left as de facto care coordinators, specialists work in silos, and children with complex needs fall through the cracks. What would it look like to actually fix that? Danish Qureshi, Founder and CEO, Zarminali Pediatrics joins host John Marchica to discuss the personal experience that sparked a new model for pediatric care, why fragmentation in pediatrics is a problem the system has ignored for too long, and what it takes to build an integrated multi-specialty practice designed around children and families. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT DANISH QURESHI Having personally dealt with the struggles of finding comprehensive pediatric care for a child with an autoimmune disorder, and the overwhelming stress that can place on a family left having to coordinate their own care, Danish is committed to the mission of changing the way that pediatric care is delivered across the country. Prior to Zarminali, Danish was the Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of LifeStance Health (NASDAQ: LFST). Founded with the mission of increasing access to trusted, affordable, and personalized mental health care, LifeStance has grown into the nation’s largest provider of virtual and in-person outpatient mental health care, with approximately 7,000 clinicians and more than 550 centers across 33 states. Danish oversaw all operations nationwide of LifeStance-supported practices as well as the shared services teams including marketing, customer care, real estate, credentialing, integrations, and payor contracting. Prior to the role of President and COO, Danish served as the Chief Growth Officer of LifeStance, overseeing all growth initiatives, including de novo site openings and the expansion of LifeStance’s existing footprint into new markets, clinician recruiting, and patient marketing nationwide. Prior to LifeStance, Danish was the former SVP of Strategic Initiatives at Accelecare Wound Centers, Inc., and COO of the post-acute division, Accelecare Wound Professionals, LLC. During his tenure, the post-acute division launched and grew into a nationwide network of 400 skilled nursing facilities under contract, with physicians employed across 22 states. Prior to Accelecare, Danish worked at Nautic Partners, a Providence, RI-based mid-market private equity firm, with a focus on health care services. He began his career as a management consultant with Bain & Company. Danish holds a BA from Northwestern University. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

On Chicago's West Side, a 100-year-old safety net hospital serves a community where the average life expectancy is 20 years shorter than it is just seven minutes away. Loretto Hospital collects 32 cents on the dollar, runs on 84% Medicaid, and still finds ways to innovate, collaborate, and show up for people that the rest of the system has left behind. Tesa Anewishki, CEO, Loretto Hospital joins host John Marchica to discuss what it really takes to lead a safety net hospital, how community-rooted care models are closing the gap on health disparities, and why collaboration beats competition when people's lives are on the line. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT TESA ANEWISHKI Tesa Anewishki is the first African and Native American woman to serve as president and chief executive officer in the hospital’s 100-year history. Loretto is an acute care, safety net hospital that provides access to essential medical services to the Austin Community and adjacent west side neighborhoods. She governs operations for 20 primary care and specialty clinics and leads more than 500 team members. An equity advocate and patient ambassador, Tesa knows that accessibility to high-quality healthcare is more than an individual’s right – but what is, humane and just! Tesa seeks to address the death gap through transformative investment in communities of color that have often been overlooked and underserved. She is a catalyst for creative and innovative solutions that address the political and social determinants of health that contribute to the decrease in life expectancy. Tesa started working at Loretto Hospital in 2010 as the director of marketing and foundation administrator directing media, public relations, advertising, and community and clinical outreach. Later, she became the chief development officer and executive director, securing more than $36 million dollars in grant funding and donations. A seasoned strategist, she began her career working in advertising and brand management for national consumer products and media firms, including American Urban Radio Networks, GeoSegment Marketing for General Mill,s and Proctor & Gardner Advertising. She later joined the iconic Johnson Publishing Company as the marketing director of JET Magazine, with responsibility for the strategic planning, management, budget, execution, and evaluation of nationwide marketing programs and merchandising activities for advertisers. A Chicago native, Tesa holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management and is a graduate of Roosevelt University with a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Tesa has been a community advocate and involved in community service for over 30 years. She is a current Board Member and previous Board Chair of Featherfist, one of Chicago’s largest homeless outreach agencies. She also serves on the Westside Community Stakeholders Executive Committee. She is a 2023 recipient of the 100 Westside Women of Wisdom and Inspiration Awards and received an honorary award from the Westside Chamber of Commerce for outstanding service to the community. She often volunteers her time at Claudia’s & Eddie’s Place, a recovery home, to mentor women on job readiness and career paths. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

The VA is one of the largest integrated health systems in the country, but it operates unlike anything in the private sector. What can pharmacy leaders and health system executives learn from an organization that has embedded pharmacists into clinical care for decades, given them prescriptive privileges, and built virtual urgent care teams from the ground up? Dr. Eric Scott, Former Chief of Pharmacy, US Department of Veterans Affairs, joins Health Care Rounds to discuss what makes the VA uniquely positioned to innovate, how the evolving role of pharmacists challenges private sector norms, and what a mission-driven health system looks like from the inside. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT DR. ERIC G. SCOTT Eric G. Scott, PharmD, is an innovative health care leader and recently retired from VA as the founding Chief of Pharmacy at VHA VISN 2 VA Health Connect, a virtual health care center serving the Veterans of New York and New Jersey. Throughout a distinguished 28-year career in VA, Dr. Scott has specialized in bridging the gap between complex clinical services and large-scale contact center technology. As a champion of "upstream" health care, he developed the first-of-its-kind virtual urgent care Clinical Pharmacist Provider (CPP) model and has overseen clinical operations handling millions of annual contacts. His work focuses on pharmacist-led disease management, clinical quality, and the strategic modernization of federal health care infrastructure. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Physician leadership can make or break a health system. What does it really take to earn doctors’ trust and move an organization forward? Dr. Jonathan Stallkamp, Chief Medical Officer of Main Line Health, joins host John Marchica to discuss building physician engagement, developing future clinical leaders, and strengthening culture inside a complex health system. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT JONATHAN STALLKAMP Dr. Jonathan Stallkamp serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Main Line Health. Dr. Stallkamp, a leader focused on safe, high-quality and equitable care, joined the System in 2005. As the Chief Medical Officer for Main Line Health, Dr. Stallkamp provides executive oversight of all clinical operations, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality and patient-centered care across the System. He leads initiatives that advance clinical excellence, quality improvement, patient safety and physician engagement, while fostering collaboration among Main Line Health’s hospitals, physician practices and clinical programs. In this role, Dr. Stallkamp works to align clinical performance with organizational goals, regulatory standards and best practices that support Main Line Health’s mission to deliver superior care to the communities it serves. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Regional health leaders are being asked to do the impossible right now: deliver on systemwide strategy while staying deeply responsive to the realities on the ground. In rural markets especially, the pressures around access, staffing, and infrastructure are forcing health systems to rethink what “care delivery” looks like in practice. Natalie Baggio, President, Corewell Health South joins Health Care Rounds host John Marchica, CEO of Darwin Research Group, to discuss balancing local priorities with system strategy, strengthening workforce pipelines to improve retention and reduce burnout, and expanding access through partnerships and new care models. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT NATALIE L. BAGGIO Prior to joining Corewell Health, Baggio served in multiple health care leadership roles at Mercy Health South in St. Louis, Missouri. Natalie earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Greenville College, a bachelor of science in nursing from Chamberlain College of Nursing, a master of business administration from Webster University, and a doctor of nursing practice from Baylor University. Natalie is currently enrolled in the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship Program 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Independent community health systems are under increasing pressure as health care continues to consolidate. What does it really take to remain independent while continuing to deliver high-quality care at scale? Dr. Allen Smith, President & CEO, and Dr. Sam Ash, CIO of South Shore Health join Health Care Rounds host John Marchica, to discuss maintaining independence as a community health system, building connected infrastructure across care settings, and approaching technology adoption with discipline and purpose. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT ALLEN L. SMITH, MD, MS Allen L. Smith is President and CEO of South Shore Health. Previously Dr. Smith was President of the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization (BWPO), a faculty practice plan for over 1,800 physicians. Earlier in his career, Dr. Smith served as Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Business Planning at Tufts Health Plan. He began his medical career as a primary care physician at North Shore Medical Center. Dr. Smith earned his Master of Science degree in Health Administrative Medicine and Population Health from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He earned his Medical Degree at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has a BA from Dartmouth College, graduating magna cum laude. 🎙 ABOUT SAMUEL ASH, MD, MPH Samuel Y. Ash, MD, MPH is Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Information Technology Operations and Innovation at South Shore Health, where he also practices as a critical care physician. At Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr. Ash serves as an Assistant Professor of Medicine, blending clinical expertise with leadership in health technology. His work focuses on creating innovative solutions that enhance patient safety, improve clinician experience, and advance interoperability across care settings. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

We’re ringing in 2026 with Mark Cuban! Prescription pricing remains one of the most opaque and frustrating parts of the health care system, leaving employers, providers, and patients struggling to understand where costs come from and who truly benefits. Mark Cuban joins Health Care Rounds to talk about why prescription pricing became so complex, how a lack of transparency drives higher costs, and how his company Cost Plus Drugs is stripping away unnecessary layers and markups to deliver simpler, more predictable pricing built on trust. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT MARK CUBAN Mark Cuban is a self-made billionaire entrepreneur known for his early tech ventures like Broadcast.com, his ownership of the Dallas Mavericks, and his role as a "Shark" on ABC's Shark Tank, investing in numerous startups and expanding into media, film, and healthcare, always championing innovation and disruption. In 2019, Mark co-founded Costplusdrugs.com with the aim of lowering generic drug prices for end consumers in the U.S., starting the company after receiving an email from a radiologist named Alex Oshmyansky, who pitched the idea of an online-based pharmacy. He often refers to Cost Plus Drugs as a critique and disruptor of the US health care system, including offering transparent, direct-to-consumer pricing and reducing the role of pharmacy benefit managers. Mark has earned a number of accolades including being named to the Texas Business Hall of Fame, the Horatio Alger Award, the SXSW Hall of Fame, Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and GQ Man of the Year. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Health systems are facing unprecedented pressure as physician burnout, workforce shortages, population growth, and rapid technology adoption collide. Leaders are being asked to improve care quality, support clinicians, and transform delivery models all at once. Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan, Chief Physician Executive at BayCare Health System, joins Health Care Rounds podcast to discuss physician engagement and burnout, BayCare’s shift toward academic medicine, how technology and AI can restore joy in practice, and why flexible physician alignment models are critical for the future of care. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan, MD, MHCM, MBA, FACP, is the chief physician executive for BayCare Health System and president of BayCare Medical Group. BayCare is one of the nation’s top-performing academic health systems, serving West Central Florida through 16 hospitals, 400+ care centers, and a network of over 6,000 physicians. Dr. Viswanathan oversees enterprise-wide clinical operations, strategy, and innovation, driving high-quality, value-based care across hospitals, ambulatory services, graduate medical education, research and digital health. An internal medicine physician with over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Viswanathan has held leadership roles at major health systems including Dartmouth Hitchcock, UMass, and Tenet Health, and has taught at Harvard School of Public Health. She earned her MHCM from Harvard and is a nationally recognized speaker and mentor for emerging physician leaders. In 2025, Becker’s Hospital Review named her a “CMO to Know.” 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Primary care sits at the center of American health care, yet clinicians face mounting burnout, shrinking margins, and a system that often rewards procedures over prevention. With physician shortages growing and patient needs rising, the future of primary care is at a crossroads. Dr. Greg Whisman, Chief Medical Officer at CareMore Health, joins Health Care Rounds to discuss the pressures driving the primary care crisis, why reimbursement and workforce models need a reset, and how team-based care, tech enablement, and value-based strategies can restore sustainability and meaning to frontline medicine. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT DR. GREG WHISMAN MD, MBA Chief national clinical leader for Advance Primary Care responsible for comprehensive care delivery. Leading population health innovation over CareMore's chronic and complex patients. Oversees the Medical Services Organization including the Case Management, Medical Management and Pharmacy. Develops, implements, and directs the clinical activities that impact health care quality and cost outcomes across the continuum. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Behind every headline about rising premiums is a deeper truth: our health care system is structurally unsustainable. Former VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin explains why real reform requires more than subsidies and payment tweaks. While politicians argue over short-term fixes, the true path forward is aligning incentives across payers, providers, pharma, and government, and learning from population-based models like the VA. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT THE DR. DAVID SHULKIN The Honorable David J. Shulkin was nominated by President Trump to serve as the ninth Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 13, 2017. Prior to his confirmation as Secretary, Dr. Shulkin served as VA’s Under Secretary for Health for 18 months, leading the Nation’s largest integrated health care system, with over 1,700 sites of care serving nearly nine million Veterans. Before he began his service with VA, Dr. Shulkin held numerous chief executive roles at Morristown Medical Center, and the Atlantic Health System Accountable Care Organization. He also served as President and CEO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Shulkin has held numerous physician leadership roles including Chief Medical Officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Temple University Hospital, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital. He has also held academic positions including Chairman of Medicine and Vice Dean at Drexel University School of Medicine. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Shulkin founded and served as Chairman and CEO of DoctorQuality, one of the first consumer-oriented sources of information on quality and safety in healthcare. A board-certified internist, Dr. Shulkin is also a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and he completed his internship at Yale University School of Medicine and a residency and fellowship in General Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Presbyterian Medical Center. He also received advanced training in outcomes research and economics as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Shulkin has been named as one of the “50 Most Influential Physician Executives in the Country” by Modern Healthcare. He has also previously been named among the “One Hundred Most Influential People in American Healthcare.” He has been married to his wife, Dr. Merle Bari, for more than 30 years. They are the parents of two grown children. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Specialty pharmacy plays a critical role in patient outcomes, but health systems often struggle to manage operations effectively while maintaining continuity of care. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host John Marchica talks with Jigar Thakkar, PharmD, CEO of Longitude Rx, about how his company is helping leading health systems reimagine specialty pharmacy through technology, data integration, and partnership. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT JIGAR THAKKAR, PHARMD Jigar is leading Longitude Rx, the first launched solution from Longitude Health. Previously, he built a $470 million specialty pharmacy at OU Health, served as Managing Director at FTI Consulting, and led engagements with health systems and Fortune 100 companies. He holds advanced degrees from Midwestern University, Dartmouth College, and Northwestern University. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ 🌐 CONNECT WITH US: 👉 Visit us: https://www.darwinresearch.com/ 👉 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-care-rounds/ 👉 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/darwin-advisory-partners/ 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-care-rounds/id1380448243 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6vIJnyykYvGys9JAEGDu77 ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is Produced by Grippi Media: https://www.grippimedia.com #healthcarepodcast #healthcare #valuebasedcare #healthcarepolicy #healthcarefinance #pharmacy #pharmacist CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Across the country, health systems are chasing the promise of value-based care, but few have figured out how to make it work. David Carmouche, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Lumeris, joins host John Marchica to discuss what it really takes to make value-based care work at scale. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT DAVID CARMOUCHE David Carmouche, MD, is the Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Lumeris. Dr. Carmouche is a visionary leader in transformational healthcare delivery, with a unique blend of provider, payer, retail, and integrated delivery network leadership experience. Prior to joining Lumeris, Dr. Carmouche served as Walmart’s Senior Vice President of Healthcare Delivery, where he led the fleet of Walmart Health centers, Walmart Health Virtual Care, a value-based care partnership with Optum, and Walmart’s work to address Social Determinants of Health. Dr. Carmouche has also held significant leadership roles with Ochsner Health, the largest nonprofit academic healthcare system in the Gulf South, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, where he introduced the company’s first value-based care contracts. Earlier in his career, he built and led a multidisciplinary internal medicine and preventive cardiology practice. Dr. Carmouche attended Tulane University and LSU Medical School in New Orleans. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, he completed his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he later served as Chief Resident. He serves as President of the Board of the Consortium for Southeastern Healthcare Quality and on the advisory board at Stellar Health. He has served on the board of the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Burnout among health care workers remains a critical issue years after the height of COVID-19. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, Dr. Adele Webb, Executive Dean of Healthcare Initiatives at Strategic Education, Inc. shares insights from a national survey of health care workers, revealing what’s really driving nursing burnout and how education can help retain talent. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT DR. ADELE WEBB Adele Webb earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Akron, her Master’s in Nursing from The Ohio State University, and her Ph.D. in Nursing from Wayne State University. She began her nursing career as a NICU nurse and transitioned into the emergency room in a pediatric setting. In the early 1990s, Adele began focusing on HIV in underdeveloped countries. Over the last 25 years, Adele’s focus has been on international nurse capacity building as it relates to both communicable and non-communicable diseases. She has received extensive funding for her international work and has published her findings in several refereed journals. She has contributed to WHO guidelines, testified to the Institute of Medicine, and given testimony to the White House on nursing workforce issues. A sought-out speaker on international nursing care issues, Adele continues to collaborate with the World Health Organization as well as the World NCD Congress. This work has resulted in Adele’s contributions to nurse capacity building in 56 countries. In recognition of her body of work, Adele has received not only the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Lifetime Achievement Award she has also received the Nicholas Andrew Cummings Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Practice from the National Academies of Practice. Adele is an International Council of Nurses Global Health Fellow, a Fellow in the National Academies of Practice, and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

What does it take to lead 100,000 health care workers through constant disruption? In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host John Marchica sits down with John D’Angelo, MD, FACEP, President & CEO of Northwell Health, to discuss his journey from physician to chief executive. Dr. D'Angelo shares critical lessons learned from managing COVID-19 surges, his vision for maintaining organizational culture across 100,000 employees, and where he sees the greatest opportunities in healthcare delivery. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT JOHN D’ANGELO, MD, FACEP A physician first and foremost, Dr. John D’Angelo leads with compassion. With over 25 years of practical experience, he continues to transform health care operations with his recent appointment as president and CEO of Northwell Health, the Northeast’s largest nonprofit health system. Dr. D’Angelo oversees a complex network of 28 hospitals and 104,000 employees, including over 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians with an operating budget of $22.6 billion. Northwell cares for more than 3 million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, western Connecticut and beyond. His background in emergency medicine informed his leadership in Northwell’s operational response to COVID-19, expanding his role to become the chief of integrated operations for the entire health system. He also co-led an innovative, award-winning data solution, Real-Time Actionable Data, to enhance operational visibility. Previously, he oversaw all of Northwell’s emergency departments and was instrumental in the health system’s lifesaving sepsis prevention initiatives. A Long Island native, Dr. D'Angelo received his medical degree from SUNY Stony Brook and subsequently completed a residency in emergency medicine at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA. He also served as medical director to numerous EMS agencies throughout his career and served in the United States Army Reserve from 2001-2011. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Insurance denials are exploding, and they’re costing lives. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host John Marchica sits down with Neal Shah, CEO of CareYaya and Counterforce Health, to unpack the broken insurance system and the AI-driven surge in claim rejections. Neal shares how his personal caregiving experiences shaped his mission, why most patients never appeal, and how new tools can help level the playing field for families, physicians, and hospitals. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT NEAL SHAH America's Chief Elder Officer. CEO of CareYaya Health Technologies. Working hard to improve healthcare. Author of “Insured to Death: How Health Insurance Screws Over Americans - And How We Take It Back". Chairman of Counterforce Health. After a successful career as a $250 million hedge fund manager, deeply personal caregiving experiences inspired a pivot to social entrepreneurship. Now, determined to transform care delivery through technology. Building a rapidly-growing tech startup to expand access to affordable care. Pioneering cutting-edge AI applications to fundamentally elevate quality of life for those needing care. Motivated by creativity and humanitarian progress. Leveraging experiences guiding multi-billion dollar investments to make an impact on improving care for our most vulnerable populations. Leading with both heart and analytical rigor. Wearing scrubs to elevate the important role of caregivers in our healthcare system. Building unrivaled technical capabilities and strategic partnerships to establish CareYaya as America's leading launchpad for care innovation. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Why do people trust Google and TikTok more than their doctors? Dr. Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, the author of Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare's Misinformation Illness, joins the show to break down how misinformation spreads, why patient trust continues to decline, and what health leaders must do to lead the cure. ================================================ 🎙 ABOUT DR. GEETA NAYYAR Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, is a globally recognized chief medical officer, technologist, and bestselling author who helps leaders leverage a human approach to innovation, including rapid advances in AI, to achieve better health and business outcomes. A widely sought-after speaker and author of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller “Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness,” Dr. G has appeared on CNBC, CNN, FOX, and other prominent media outlets. She has served as chief medical officer for Salesforce and AT&T, among other executive roles. She currently serves on the board of the American Telemedicine Association and as an advisor to the American Medical Association. A rheumatologist, Dr. G earned her medical degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where she was admitted into an accelerated program at age 17, and her MBA at The George Washington University School of Business. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. ================================================ CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play a pivotal role in drug pricing, yet their practices often remain shrouded in a black box of rebates, spread pricing, and misaligned incentives. In this installment of our Pharma Series, Alan Pannier, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at SmithRx, breaks down how legacy PBMs use opaque contracts and vertical integration to drive up costs, why employers are beginning to push back, and how transparent, cost-based models are reshaping the future of pharmacy benefits. 🎙 ABOUT ALAN PANNIER Alan Pannier, Pharm D,MBA has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a background in managed care pharmacy. Alan has held various leadership positions at companies such as SmithRx, Magellan Health, and Veridicus Health. Alan completed their Doctorate of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration at Idaho State University, following a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Westminster University. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Specialty pharmacy is big business. And while PBMs and big pharma dominate the spotlight, health systems are quietly carving out their own advantage. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host, John Marchica, sits down with Tim Affeldt, PharmD, Vice President, Specialty/Infusion Operations, Fairview Pharmacy Services, to unpack why health systems don’t just belong in specialty pharmacy - they may be unqiuely positioned to lead it. From tighter care integration and faster clinical decisions to improved outcomes and patient experience, Dr. Affeldt lays out a clear case: when pharmacists are embedded in the care team, everyone benefits, except the status quo. 🎙 ABOUT DR. TIM AFFELDT Tim Affeldt, PharmD serves as the Vice President of Specialty/Infusion Operations at Fairview Pharmacy Solutions. Dr. Affeldt is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy. He joined Fairview Pharmacy Services in September 2013. Prior to being a VP, he was the Director of Specialty/Infusion Operations. During his time with Fairview, he has provided overall strategic direction and leadership to the Specialty and Mail Order pharmacies, Infusion Center pharmacy, Home Infusion, Compounding pharmacy, Specialty Clinic and Discharge pharmacy, Facilities and Shipping/Receiving. He is a former Pharmacy Alumni Society board member, mentor to first year students and preceptor for APPE leadership rotations for the College of Pharmacy. Dr. Affeldt has chaired and served as a member on multiple committees and is a current member of the National Home Infusion Association Board (Past Chair), the National Home Infusion Association Government Affairs Committee, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation MinnDakotas Chapter Board (Board of Chancellors), the Health System Owned Specialty Pharmacy Alliance Board (Vice President) and the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (GAC Committee). 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

What happens when state health policymakers lose access to the very data they rely on? In this episode of Health Care Rounds, John Marchica talks with David C. Radley, Ph.D., M.P.H., Director of Data and Analytics at The Center for Evidence-Based Policy and Senior Scientist at the Commonwealth Fund. They explore how states use administrative data to make informed Medicaid decisions, and why recent threats to public data infrastructure could undermine that progress. Dr. Radley breaks down how his team turns raw data into actionable insights, how states are planning for the financial impact of high-cost therapies, and why cutting long-standing federal data sets could cripple efforts to address health disparities. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Value-based care isn’t a new idea—but making it work in today’s fragmented system is anything but simple. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, John Marchica talks with Dr. Tom Yackel, Chief Clinical Excellence Officer at CenterWell Senior Primary Care, about what it really takes to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care to Medicare patients. Dr. Yackel shares insights from his decades-long career in primary care, informatics, and practice leadership, explaining how CenterWell is scaling value-based care models in communities that need it most. From the business realities of Medicare Advantage to why primary care must be run like a business, not a charity, this is a frank and timely conversation about the future of senior care. 🎙 ABOUT TOM YACKEL, MD, MPH, MS, MBA Dr. Tom Yackel is a seasoned physician executive with a distinguished career in clinical informatics, graduate medical education, and health system leadership. He currently serves as the Chief Clinical Excellence Officer for Humana’s Primary Care Organization, which includes CenterWell and Conviva Senior Primary Care, which together make up the largest senior-focused primary care group in the United States. The organization delivers comprehensive, team-based care to older adults through a value-based model that strives for patient-centered, quality outcomes for Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage populations across the country. In his role at CenterWell, Dr. Yackel leads initiatives to advance evidence-based care, specialty programs, clinical education, informatics, and clinical governance. He brings deep expertise in healthcare operations, quality improvement, and health information technology, with board certifications in internal medicine and clinical informatics. Dr. Yackel has been a strong advocate for graduate medical education and workforce development, particularly in clinical informatics. He played a key role in the early establishment of ACGME-accredited clinical informatics fellowships, contributing to one of the first accredited programs in the country. His work has helped shape medical informatics education and training, ensuring a pipeline of physician leaders proficient in health IT, data-driven care models, and digital transformation. Prior to joining CenterWell, Dr. Yackel was President of MCV Physicians and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), overseeing clinical strategy and faculty practice operations. He also served as Chief Health Information Officer and Value-Based Care Officer at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), leading enterprise-wide initiatives in health system performance, digital transformation, and value-based care. He has also chaired the American Hospital Association’s Committee on Clinical Leadership, shaping policies and strategies to improve health system/faculty relationships and patient outcomes. Dr. Yackel earned his medical and public health degrees from George Washington University and holds additional qualifications in medical informatics and business from OHSU. He is a recognized thought leader in electronic health records, value-based care, and clinical leadership, frequently sharing insights through publications and national presentations. 🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. CONNECT WITH US: 🌐 Visit us on the web 🌐 Follow Health Care Rounds on LinkedIn 🌐 Follow Darwin Research Group on LinkedIn 📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify ⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media