PODCAST

Bright Spots in Healthcare

Eric Glazer

Each episode, I interview innovators in the healthcare industry to extract the strategies, tactics, tools, and/or routines they utilize to generate extraordinary, positive outcomes. We highlight and breakdown these bright spots so you can apply them at your organization. "See a bright spot .... and clone it!"
Start Here
A Conversation with Cyrus Batheja, National Vice President, UnitedHealth Group
A Conversation with Cyrus Batheja, National Vice President, UnitedHealth Group
Nov 12 2021
55 mins
A Conversation with Cyrus Batheja, National Vice President, UnitedHealth Group
A Conversation with Cyrus Batheja, National Vice President, UnitedHealth Group
In this episode, UnitedHealth Group National Vice President Cyrus Batheja joins Eric to share his inspirational personal story and how it motivates his desire to break down the barriers to healthcare. During the conversation, it becomes clear Cryus is a remarkable individual. He details his family’s journey to America and his experience growing up in this country as a first-generation immigrant. We all get to understand how Cyrus’s background provides him a unique perspective that enables him to be exceptional at his work.  Cyrus advises us on the importance of utilizing empathy as a strategy by driving meaningful cultural change within the workplace. He discusses tactics like poverty simulation, motivational interviewing and special training.  This episode is full of thought-provoking concepts and ideas. Cyrus’s journey reminds us to be thankful for being born in this country and inspires us to improve the quality of life for the consumers we serve. This Bright Spots in Healthcare episode is sponsored by Icario. Icario is a health action platform that unites pioneering technology, data science, and behavioral insights to connect everyone to better health. Icario develops personalized healthcare experiences that move people to better health with every action while reducing member abrasion through the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. Learn more at icariohealth.com
Nov 12 2021
55 mins
A Conversation with the CIO of Blue Shield Of California, Lisa Davis
A Conversation with the CIO of Blue Shield Of California, Lisa Davis
In this episode, Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Blue Shield of California (BSC) sits down with Eric to talk about BSC's overall Health Reimagined strategy, BSC's Portfolio Product Models, and their new partnership with Google Cloud. In addition, Lisa dives into criminal and counterintelligence and how the overall data strategies at the Department of Defense and U.S. Marshals  Service influenced BSC’s current data strategy.  A jam-packed conversation full of strategies, tactics, and bright spots! This episode is sponsored by MedorionMedorion created the first and only Health Behavior engine, based on 50 years worth of Behavioral Science expertise integrated into a revolutionary AI Software as a Service (SaaS), focused on "Behavioral Persuasion". The Behavioral Persuasion platform solves healthcare management challenges by understanding the decision barriers members face when taking a decision regarding their health, with the goal of bettering healthcare management and improving the well-being of millions of individuals. Visit www.medorion.com for more information about the platform.
Oct 28 2021
32 mins
Banner Health, BCBSSC and SCAN Drive Engagement with Behavior-Focused Care
Banner Health, BCBSSC and SCAN Drive Engagement with Behavior-Focused Care
Our panel of experts from Banner Health, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, SCAN Health Plan and other leading healthcare organizations share case studies and best practices for engaging consumers in decision-making and behavior change to improve health outcomes. Find out why a human-centric approach may help persuade consumers to actively participate in their healthcare. Learn how AI technology and behavior science principles can improve health delivery by pinpointing the underlying psychological, environmental, and economic drivers and barriers behind people’s health decisions.    Panelists: William (Tripp) Jennings MD, FACEP, Vice President, Clinical Innovation Officer, BlueCross BlueShield of South CarolinaAlexandra Morehouse, Chief Marketing Officer, Banner HealthEve Gelb, Senior Vice President, Member & Community Health, SCAN Health PlanShai Levi, Co-Founder, and COO, Medorion TechnologiesAndrea Wallace, Manager, Product Development, Business Lab, Emergent Holdings This episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare is sponsored by Medorion Technologies Medorion aims to help organizations manage the entire process of health management more efficiently, and take strides that will change medical behavior across entire populations and improve the lives of millions of individuals. Medorion's behavioral intelligence software provides health insurers with an in-depth understanding of members and their concerns, enhancing health plans in all areas pertaining to human behavior. Utilizing behavior-based insights, the Medorion EBR™ platform enables payors to personalize and automate one-on-one member conversations at scale, based on health decision barriers. Medorion's SaaS facilitating proactive interactions that improve health delivery and financial outcomes.
Oct 22 2021
1 hr
How Consumer Data and Activation Will Drive Future Profitability in Healthcare
How Consumer Data and Activation Will Drive Future Profitability in Healthcare
Leaders from Humana, ProMedica, Health Plan of San Mateo, Alliance of Community Health Plans, and Insignia Health share case studies and best practices for leveraging health data to drive consumer activation, improve health outcomes and reduce costs. Topics include: Using AI, machine learning, and language processing to drive more effective communication and activationEngaging providers in consumer activation and engagementMeasuring ROI of data investmentsUtilizing social needs data to engage consumers in underserved communities This episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare is sponsored by Insignia Health Insignia Health empowers healthcare organizations and health professionals around the world to assess patient activation and develop strategies for the efficient application of healthcare resources. As activation increases and individuals become better managers of their health, utilization costs decline and patient satisfaction improves. The Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®) and over 15 years of health activation research form the cornerstone of a complementary suite of solutions that help clinicians, coaches and population health providers improve health outcomes and lower costs. Today, Insignia Health supports the health activation efforts of more than 250 organizations touching the lives of millions of patients in dozens of countries.
Oct 15 2021
58 mins
What’s Next in Behavioral Health - A Brighter Future for Mental Health Care
What’s Next in Behavioral Health - A Brighter Future for Mental Health Care
Panelists: Cara McNulty, President, Behavioral Health & EAP, CVS | Aetna Claire Neely, MD, FAAP, President & CEO, Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement   The mental health experience can be daunting and lonely with the stigma attached preventing many people from getting the care they need.  With the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health issues at an astonishing rate, the need for more accessible care has increased significantly.  This panel explores new approaches to reduce the stigma around mental health and make it easier for people to get the treatment they need. The discussion covers the collaborative care model of integrating mental and physical health as well as the components of a new care model being piloted in select CVS HealthHUB locations in partnership with Minute Clinic.   This Bright Spots in Healthcare episode is sponsored by Icario Icario is a health action platform that unites pioneering technology, data science, and behavioral insights to connect everyone to better health. Icario develops personalized healthcare experiences that move people to better health with every action while reducing member abrasion through the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. Learn more at icariohealth.com.
Oct 7 2021
52 mins
A Live Interview with Master Storyteller Cal Fussman
A Live Interview with Master Storyteller Cal Fussman
Drawing on his decades of interviewing some of the biggest names in sports, business, politics and pop culture, author and Esquire Writer-at-Large Cal Fussman shares how the power of storytelling can help hospitals and health plans make better connections with patients and members.
Oct 1 2021
58 mins
Why Patient Engagement Doesn’t Work: Lessons Learned to Drive Consumer Empowerment
Why Patient Engagement Doesn’t Work: Lessons Learned to Drive Consumer Empowerment
Experts from Mass General Hospital, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, AvMed and Appnovation discuss bright spots in consumer engagement and how to reinvent your patient engagement strategies. Panelists:  Ana Eberhard, Vice President, Member Experience, AvMedSusie Hume, Director of Digital Strategy, Experience and Delivery at Excellus BCBSSusan Edgman-Levitan, PA, Executive Director of the John D. Stoeckle Center for Primary Care Innovation, Massachusetts General HospitalSteve Peretz, Director, Health Experience & Product Strategy, Appnovation   This episode is sponsored by Appnovation Appnovation is a global digital consultancy that combines strategy, user experience and design, technology and managed services to deliver human-centered digital experiences.   Their award-winning team creates standout digital experiences by collaborating with brands to understand the individual challenges and goals for every initiative.    With extensive experience throughout the Life Sciences industry, they work alongside providers and payers to provide the framework to define, execute, and validate digital concepts with their intended patient and caregiver audiences.   To find out more, visit them at www.appnovation.com
Sep 24 2021
58 mins
How Payers and Providers Can Drive Better Health Literacy in Underserved Communities with Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick
How Payers and Providers Can Drive Better Health Literacy in Underserved Communities with Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick
How Payers and Providers Can Drive Better Health Literacy in Underserved Communities Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPA, MPH, CEO and Founder of Grapevine Health has dedicated her life to improving Health Literacy and diffusing the distrust around healthcare in our underserved communities. During this interview, Lisa shares strategies and tactics to help for payers and providers better address health literacy to reduce avoidable healthcare costs and inspire healthy behaviors. About Dr. Lisa  Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPA, MPH is the Founder, and CEO of  Grapevine Health, an organization that engages and collaborates with patients and the community to improve health literacy and engagement on their terms. improve health literacy and health care engagement by learning and deeply understanding motivations and factors influencing medical decision-making. Dr. Lisa is a medical doctor who has also worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Her career has spanned research, clinical medicine, global health, community health education and patient advocacy. She recently served as the medical director for Washington DC’s Medicaid program. She is also a clinical professor and professorial lecturer for the George Washington University School of Medicine and Milken Institute School of Public Health. A member of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network, she was selected as a 2017 Aspen Institute Health Innovator Fellow. Dr. Lisa has a Masters in Public Health from the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health and a Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Sep 16 2021
45 mins
Dr. Talya Schwartz, President & CEO of MetroPlus Health Plan
Dr. Talya Schwartz, President & CEO of MetroPlus Health Plan
Dr. Talya Schwartz, President & CEO of MetroPlus Health Plan joins Eric on the podcast!   Talya and Eric discuss overall strategy and approaches a CEO must consider and how to manage relations with both local municipalities and community--based organizations (CBOs). Talya shares specific examples around how to more effectively build roots within your community and how to implement successful incentive programs for the Medicaid population. Eric asks her about the “how tos” and “how local is local?” when health plans are revisiting their overall community-based strategy.   About Talya Schwartz Dr. Talya Schwartz was appointed President & CEO of MetroPlus Health Plan in 2019. During her tenure, MetroPlusHealth has achieved a 20% growth in membership, a five-star rating from New York State’s Consumer Guide, and an increase in overall net worth. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Schwartz served as the Chief Medical Officer at MetroPlusHealth She was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Fellow at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Schwartz earned her medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine, completed her residency in Pediatrics at (may-mon-i-dees) Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, and practiced at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC.     About MetroPlus Health Plan  MetroPlusHealth is the plan of choice for over 600,000 New Yorkers. It was recently ranked the #1 health plan among all 15 New York State Medicaid plans in overall quality. The health plan’s robust network of primary care doctors and specialists includes many independent community providers. Culturally sensitive, and fluent in more than 40 languages.   Interesting in extending your thought leadership, content market and networking? Consider partnering with Shared Purpose Connect, producers of the Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast. For information on how we can integrate your marketing goals into our programming, please contact Tony Flynn, head of business development & partnerships, at aflynn@sharedpurposeconnect.com.   View our upcoming shows, and past guests and episodes, at www.sharedpurposeconnect.com.
Sep 8 2021
52 mins
SDOH & Health Equity: How Aetna, Johns Hopkins & Arkansas BCBS Break Barriers and Take Action
SDOH & Health Equity: How Aetna, Johns Hopkins & Arkansas BCBS Break Barriers and Take Action
As new solutions emerge to help overcome common SDoH barriers, considering how health plans fit into the larger picture comes into focus. Our panel of healthcare leaders share new ideas and approaches to health equity in government programs, including broadband access, food access programs, and more. Panelists include: R.J. Briscione, Senior Director, Social Determinants of Health Strategy & Execution, CVS | AetnaCreshelle Nash, MD, MPH, CHIE, Medical Director for Health Equity and Public Programs, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue ShieldTejaswita Karve, Ph.D., Director, Quality Improvement, Johns Hopkins HealthCareLora Alexander, Vice President, Engagement & Design, Icario   This Bright Spots in Healthcare episode is sponsored by Icario Icario is a health action platform that unites pioneering technology, data science, and behavioral insights to connect everyone to better health. Icario develops personalized healthcare experiences that move people to better health with every action while reducing member abrasion through the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. Learn more at icariohealth.com.
Aug 25 2021
57 mins
Value-Based Insurance Design & the Digital Front Door with Dr. Mark Fendrick
Value-Based Insurance Design & the Digital Front Door with Dr. Mark Fendrick
Value-based care requires new thinking in both how we pay for care (i.e. alternative payment models) and how we engage consumers to seek care (i.e. benefit design). During this podcast, A. Mark Fendrick, MD, Director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design at the University of Michigan, discusses the origins and evolution of V-BID and why he believes designing health benefit plans to reduce financial barriers to essential, high-value clinical services is the answer to lowering healthcare costs. Mark, who is also a professor in medicine and public health at the University of Michigan, and shares real-world examples of V-BID implementation and how it has helped public and private payers increase the use of high-value services, lower consumer out-of-pocket costs, and reduce health care disparities. Hew also talks about incorporating digital into V-BID, the differences between V-BID and Value-Based Care, and the challenges of implementing V-BID and how to overcome them.   This episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare is sponsored by Healthy.io.  Healthy.io is the global leader in turning the smartphone camera into a clinical-grade medical device for an at-home urinalysis and digital wound management. Their home urinalysis kit aids in the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, urinary tract infections, and prenatal testing and is used by leading healthcare systems worldwide.
Jun 24 2021
1 hr
Discover the Secret to Building a Successful Medicaid Rewards Program
Discover the Secret to Building a Successful Medicaid Rewards Program
When intrinsic motivation isn't enough, a different approach to close gaps and increase satisfaction is needed. We know that rewards are effective, particularly with Medicaid members, but what's the magic number, reward, or incentive that sparks action? Our panel of experts - MaryAnn Faralli, Highmark Health Options - Deleware, Marty Janssen, Colorado Access, Daniel Weaver, Gateway Health and Cory Busse, Icario - offer real-life examples of leveraging rewards and incentives to drive Medicaid beneficiaries to take action to improve their health. Learn everything you need to start an effective rewards program for your Medicaid beneficiaries   This Bright Spots in Healthcare episode is sponsored by Icario Icario is a health action platform that unites pioneering technology, data science, and behavioral insights to connect everyone to better health. Icario develops personalized healthcare experiences that move people to better health with every action while reducing member abrasion through the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. Learn more at icariohealth.com.
Jun 11 2021
1 hr 1 min
How Rosen Hotels & Resorts Reinvented Healthcare and Saved $460M
How Rosen Hotels & Resorts Reinvented Healthcare and Saved $460M
With healthcare costs skyrocketing, one employer found a solution to the high cost of providing healthcare to associates and their dependents. In 1991, Harris Rosen, President & COO, Rosen Hotels & Resorts actively took control of the hotel chain’s healthcare spending with extremely successful results: healthier employees –  and a savings of $460 million in healthcare costs.    Rosen and two members of his executive team - Ashley Bacot, President of Provinsure, and Kenneth Aldridge Jr, RN, BSN, MS-HSA, the Director of Health Services at the Rosen Medical Center - discuss the hotel chain’s cutting-edge healthcare system, which enables associates to achieve quality care, improved outcomes and lower costs.   Hear how the program is structured and the critical factors contributing to its success. Find out if this novel approach is right for your organization.
Jun 4 2021
59 mins
Healthcare Design & Experience: A Live Interview with Dr. Erika Pabo, Chief Health Officer, Author by Humana
Healthcare Design & Experience: A Live Interview with Dr. Erika Pabo, Chief Health Officer, Author by Humana
To be successful in a rapidly evolving and crowded healthcare marketplace, health plans must find innovative ways to connect with consumers where they are and on their terms. While rethinking how to engage consumers, Humana created a fundamentally new service experience to deliver better outcomes and meet the whole-health needs of seniors. During the conversation, Dr. Pabo shares details on the insurer’s journey to create the new service experience — from conception to the marketplace. Hear the trials and tribulations the insurer faced as it implemented Author by Humana and find out how consumers are responding to the new experience. Learn the steps your organization can take a similar approach to elevate the consumer experience.   This episode is sponsored by Insignia Health Insignia Health empowers healthcare organizations and health professionals around the world to assess patient activation and develop strategies for the efficient application of healthcare resources. As activation increases and individuals become better managers of their health, utilization costs decline and patient satisfaction improves. The Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®) and over 15 years of health activation research form the cornerstone of a complementary suite of solutions that help clinicians, coaches and population health providers improve health outcomes and lower costs. Today, Insignia Health supports the health activation efforts of more than 250 organizations touching the lives of millions of patients in dozens of countries.
May 7 2021
1 hr 1 min
Stop the Hardship: Why Providers Should Abolish Patients’ Debt
Stop the Hardship: Why Providers Should Abolish Patients’ Debt
Every day 79,000,000 Americans choose between paying their medical bills and basic needs like food and shelter. Medical debt destroys the financial stability of large segments of America’s most vulnerable communities and also targets the middle class, driving many families who are barely getting along into poverty. Craig Antico, Co-Founder, RIP Medical Debt and Tammie Jackson, Vice President, Go-to-Market Strategy and Sales, TransUnion Healthcare discuss why they believe it is a smart business decision for healthcare providers to abolish medical debt. Hear why they believe forgiving medical debt can help improve an individual’s health and wellness, and how providers can benefit from debt forgiveness.
Apr 29 2021
46 mins
GYANT vs. Decoded Health: What is the Best Approach to Create an Exceptional Consumer and Provider Experience
GYANT vs. Decoded Health: What is the Best Approach to Create an Exceptional Consumer and Provider Experience
Decoded Health CEO Mark Hanson and GYANT CEO & Co-Founder Stefan Behrens, MBA, PhD, joined us for our first-ever innovation debate to discuss their separate approaches to creating a virtual front door for hospitals and health systems, and how their strategies and tools dramatically change both the consumer and provider experience. This Bright Spots in Healthcare Podcast is Sponsored by Inflect Health   Silicon Valley healthcare innovation hub Inflect Health was spun off from parent company Vituity to form a new nationwide, multispecialty investment partnership, owned and led by physicians and healthcare business experts. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices across America, Inflect Health provides guidance and financial support to early-stage healthcare and health-tech companies building promising solutions that offer to meet the needs of today’s evolving healthcare landscape. With its robust access to frontline providers, health systems, and industry players, Inflect Health connects the capital to innovators to physicians, catalyzing real-time, real-world innovation and disruption unlike anyone else.
Apr 16 2021
58 mins
A Conversation with Fmr. U.S. Sec. of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin, MD
A Conversation with Fmr. U.S. Sec. of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin, MD
Secretary Shulkin, the 9th Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shares bright spots within the Veterans Administration that may be applicable at private hospitals, health systems and health insurers. The discussion touches on topics including consumer centricity, whole-person care, digital health, mental health and innovation. This episode is sponsored by Insignia Health Insignia Health empowers healthcare organizations and health professionals around the world to assess patient activation and develop strategies for the efficient application of healthcare resources. As activation increases and individuals become better managers of their health, utilization costs decline and patient satisfaction improves. The Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®) and over 15 years of health activation research form the cornerstone of a complementary suite of solutions that help clinicians, coaches and population health providers improve health outcomes and lower costs. Today, Insignia Health supports the health activation efforts of more than 250 organizations touching the lives of millions of patients in dozens of countries.
Apr 9 2021
58 mins
Consumer Activation in Healthcare: Unlocking Power of the Consumer
Consumer Activation in Healthcare: Unlocking Power of the Consumer
Experts from Banner Health, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Highmark, Insignia Health and UPMC Health Plan share success stories and best practices on how increasing activation not only helps consumers become better managers of their health but utilization and costs decline and consumer/patient satisfaction improves. Learn how you can implement their innovative ideas in your organization. This episode is sponsored by Insignia Health Insignia Health empowers healthcare organizations and health professionals around the world to assess patient activation and develop strategies for the efficient application of healthcare resources. As activation increases and individuals become better managers of their health, utilization costs decline and patient satisfaction improves. The Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®) and over 15 years of health activation research form the cornerstone of a complementary suite of solutions that help clinicians, coaches and population health providers improve health outcomes and lower costs. Today, Insignia Health supports the health activation efforts of more than 250 organizations touching the lives of millions of patients in dozens of countries.
Apr 2 2021
1 hr 1 min
How to Finance Direct Primary Care to Change Our Healthcare System
How to Finance Direct Primary Care to Change Our Healthcare System
David Contorno, Founder of E Powered Benefits and Dr. Alex Lickerman, Founder, Chief Medical Officer, and Direct Primary Care Physician, ImagineMD, discuss why primary care should be the foundation of our healthcare system. They also talk about why the financial incentive model for primary care doesn’t work and why direct primary care is a better model. Learn how to financially design a direct primary care program and find out which organizations have implemented successful direct primary care models.
Mar 31 2021
49 mins
Words Matter: Raising the Bar in Mental Health
Words Matter: Raising the Bar in Mental Health
Kevin Lynch is the Founder, President and CEO of The Quell Foundation, discusses how healthcare payers and providers can employ empathy to remove the stigma of mental health and help the millions of Americans suffering from mental illness get the treatment they need.    The Quell Foundation’s mission is to reduce the number of suicides, overdoses, and the incarceration of people with mental health illnesses. Just five years after its inception, The Foundation is a nationally acclaimed mental health organization known for turning advocacy into statistical change, through its prestigious scholarship program and educational documentary series, Lift the Mask.   This Bright Spots in Healthcare episode is sponsored by Icario Icario is a health action platform that unites pioneering technology, data science, and behavioral insights to connect everyone to better health. Icario develops personalized healthcare experiences that move people to better health with every action while reducing member abrasion through the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. Learn more at icariohealth.com.
Mar 19 2021
1 hr 1 min
0:00