Healthy Dose of Dialogue

In this episode, we look to the far horizon, thinking about healthcare's fast-changing future and listening to industry insiders as they spotlight three major catalysts transforming care.

Kate Brown, the leader of Mercer’s Center for Health Innovation, delivers an outlook and overview of virtual first care, its growth, and the diverse array of telehealth and digital solutions entering the market. In the discussion with host Dr. Nina Birnbaum, medical director for Innovation Acceleration at Blue Shield of California, Kate details the unprecedented growth of virtual first care, highlighting how it might evolve in a post-pandemic world and what employers can do to streamline the wave of telehealth and digital solutions. After listening, visit this link to learn more about Mercer’s Center for Health Innovation.

The cost of medications has skyrocketed and pharmacists are still filling prescriptions behind the counter instead of being used for their expertise to help patients at the point of care. In this episode, Dr. Edward Fotsch, CEO and founder of Gemini Health shares his perspectives with Salina Wong, Senior Director of Clinical Pharmacy Programs at Blue Shield of California, on how the industry can crack the code on drug cost savings through price transparency with lower cost alternatives, the critical role pharmacists can play as part of the overall care team, and the need for more competition to help reduce healthcare costs.

In Episode 6, we talk about the prescription drug market and the innovative approaches several companies are using to make inroads in drug affordability, accessibility, and effectiveness.

In Episode 6, we talk about the prescription drug market and the innovative approaches several companies are using to make inroads in drug affordability, accessibility, and effectiveness.

Gina Guinasso, president at CivicaScript, talks about the exorbitant costs in today’s prescription drugs and how her organization – together with the industry – is leveling the playing field by distributing generic drugs directly to pharmacies. In her conversation with host Andy Chasin, Blue Shield of California’s Vice President of Federal Policy and Advocacy, she discusses the beginnings of CivicaScript, spotlights industry factors that have led to inflated drug costs, and outlines how transparent drug pricing and direct distribution to pharmacies can make drugs like insulin more affordable and accessible to patients across the country. Visit Civicarx.org to learn more about CivicaScript and the company’s mission to provide equitable pharmaceuticals at the lowest sustainable prices to patients.

Sarah Hill, CEO at Healium, offers an inside look at the company’s virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) therapeutics for anxiety and stress. In her discussion with host Vic Tandon, Blue Shield of California’s director of health innovation product strategy, she points to the latest advances in wearable devices, breakthroughs in digital mental health solutions, and how immersive media represents a new and drugless aid for patients coping with stress. Visit tryhealium.com to learn more about Healium and how it combines wearables, neurofeedback, and immersive apps to improve mental fitness.

In Episode 5, we hear from health entrepreneurs, investors, analysts, and doctors about the digital technologies and innovative trends shaping the next generation of healthcare services.

Scott Becker, founder and publisher of Becker’s Hospital Review publications, host of the Private Equity Podcast and partner in the health firm McGuire Woods, and R “Ray” Wang, founder, chairman, and principal analyst of Silicon Valley-based research and advisory firm Constellation Research and host of the weekly Web series, DisrupTV, join host Lisa Davis, Blue Shield of California’s senior vice president and CIO, to talk about health tech and where they see opportunities for digital innovation to impact the health care industry in 2022. The three speak about notable health tech innovations emerging from Silicon Valley and the business strategies allowing the health care industry to increasingly personalize experiences and improve the quality of care. The discussion also focuses on the consumerization and digitization of health care and how the pandemic will continue to accelerate analytics, automation, and Artificial Intelligence in 2022.

Dr. Dana Udall, chief clinical officer at Headspace Health, discusses mental health trends and the unprecedented adoption of digital solutions. In her conversation with host Angela Kalousek Ebrahimi, Blue Shield of California’s senior director of lifestyle medicine, she talks about how employers can adapt to employee needs ignited by the Great Resignation, the crucial role telehealth plays in expanding access to services, and the mental health sector’s supply/demand imbalance in the pandemic. She also reveals opportunities for the healthcare industry to transform both its services and its reach. Visit headspace.com to learn more about Headspace Health and the company’s mission to increase accessibility in quality mental health care.

In this episode, we look back at 2021, reflect on the insights of featured guests, and focus on the unique challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.

Hank Schlissberg, CEO of pharmacy solutions startup Evio, pulls back the curtain on how patients can realize big benefits from evidence-based medicine. In his conversation with host Alison Lum, Blue Shield of California’s vice president of Pharmacy Services, he explains how Evio is reimagining the pharmacy experience, improving prescription accuracy, and laying a foundation for better health outcomes. He also spotlights data and digital tools fueling pharmacy innovation and the need to increase data transparency in pharmacy. Visit evio.com to learn more about Evio and the company’s work to reshape the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Clare Purvis, vice president of Clinical Product and Content at Headspace, shares how meditation and mindfulness can reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing. In conversation with host Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi, Blue Shield of California’s senior director of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Purvis dives into the latest in mental health, highlighting the Headspace app and the research behind meditation. Visit headspace.com to learn more about how we all can cultivate mindfulness and meditation in our everyday lives.

In Episode 3, we discuss how some Americans are left out of the healthcare system and what industry leaders are doing to change that. Featuring Sara Teppema, Dr. Michael Penn, and John Baackes.

Jeremiah Aja, a clinical counselor and assistant director of the national youth mental health service provider Wellness Together, talks with host Jennifer Christian-Herman, Blue Shield of California's executive director of Mind Body Medicine, about how COVID-19 has spiked demand for youth counseling and how telehealth can fill gaps in care. Jeremiah also shares how schools and Wellness Together are working to make mental health services a foundational part of the education system. Visit wellnesstogether.org to learn more about the group’s ongoing mission to help youth in need.

Host Bryce Williams, Blue Shield of California’s vice president of MindBody Medicine, speaks with Sami Inkinen, co-founder and CEO of Virta, about breakthrough treatments for type-2 diabetes and how the right diet can reverse the potentially deadly disease. In this episode, Sami explains how his personal encounter with diabetes turned into an entrepreneurial venture that aims to safely and sustainably reverse type-2 diabetes in more than 100 million people by 2025. Visit Virtahealth.com to learn more about its mission and its clinically-proven diabetes treatment program.

Host Bryce Williams, Blue Shield of California’s vice president of lifestyle medicine, chats with Gary Mendell, founder and CEO of Shatterproof, about the tragic toll of substance abuse in the U.S. and the latest strategies for addiction prevention, support, and recovery. In this episode, Gary shares his personal journey – a profound and heart-breaking story – which led him to start a nonprofit helping millions overcome addiction through evidence-based treatments, contact-based education, and high-quality treatment standards. Visit Shatterproof.org to learn how the organization is transforming addiction prevention and care.

COVID-19's impact on the healthcare industry reaches far and wide, and we've discussed the pandemic with almost all of the HDoD guests over the past year. So we've curated the most compelling insights into our latest episode of Big Topics in Small Doses, featuring three experts in under five minutes.

Big Topics in Small Doses is a 5 episode video collection of the best Healthy Dose of Dialogue takes on the most important topics in healthcare right now, all under 5 minutes. In Episode 1, we gathered insights from industry experts about the evolving landscape of mental health and what can be done to ensure this essential service is effective and accessible for everyone. This podcast episode contains the audio version of the first episode of the series. You can check the video on our YouTube Channel or at www.doseofdialogue.com.

In the struggle to chart the future of health care, technology and data are primed to determine success. Guest Host Lisa Davis, Blue Shield of California's senior vice president and CIO, talks with Aashima Gupta, Google Cloud's director of Global Healthcare Strategy and Solutions, to discuss how the tech industry will contribute to next-generation health and the new interplay of strategic partnerships, advanced technologies, and data strategies in health care. In this episode, Aashima also highlights inroads in digital transformation and how women in tech can drive this momentum. Visit cloud.google.com/solutions/healthcare-life-sciences to learn how Google is transforming tomorrow's health care services.