Expanding Neighborhood Hospitals to Improve Access and Affordability in Healthcare with Vic Schmerbeck

In this episode, Vic Schmerbeck, Chief Executive Officer of Emerus, discusses the rapid growth of neighborhood hospitals and how partnering with health systems can bring care closer to communities. He shares insights on improving access, lowering costs, leveraging technology, and building strong teams to support the future of care delivery.

In this episode, Nida Shekhani, Chief Strategy Officer and Deputy COO at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, discusses Project Redwood, a major effort to redesign care delivery and support long term growth. She also shares perspectives on expanding patient access, navigating research funding uncertainty, and leveraging data and AI to shape the future of cancer care.

In this episode, David Fessel, MD, former University of Michigan radiologist turned author, coach, and speaker, shares how emotional intelligence drives better leadership, resilience, and relationships in healthcare. He explores practical micro practices, the power of feedback, and how awareness and positive emotions can help clinicians and executives thrive.

In this episode, Michelle McMacken, MD, Executive Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals, discusses expanding a systemwide lifestyle medicine program focused on preventing and improving chronic disease through nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and community support. She also shares how interdisciplinary care teams and group medical visits are helping patients achieve lasting health improvements.

In this episode, Salim S. Hayek, MD, Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer, and Interim Chair of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch, discusses how AI driven referral triage and operational redesign can reduce administrative burden and improve patient access. He also shares how health systems can build strong foundations for growth amid financial pressure and regulatory uncertainty.

In this episode, Bashir Agboola, DBA, MBA, MSc, CHCIO, CDH-E, Managing Partner at Interdym and former executive at Hospital for Special Surgery, discusses moving from AI experimentation to sustainable execution in healthcare. He shares insights on ambient documentation, predictive analytics, structured governance, and how disciplined strategy turns digital investments into measurable clinical and financial impact.

In this episode, Ravi K. Bashyal, MD, Vice Chairman of Patient and Provider Experience at Endeavor Health and Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, shares how patient centered culture, standardized pathways, and surgical specialization have built the busiest orthopedic hospital in Illinois. He discusses outpatient joint replacement, system wide growth, and why humility and human connection remain at the core of high performance care.

In this episode, Grant Zarzour, MD, orthopedic surgeon and Founder and CEO of Sperity Health, shares how a personal family journey inspired him to build a data driven, proactive approach to reducing cancer, cardiovascular disease, and dementia risk.

In this episode, Rob Heiser, CEO of UGen Health, and Dr. James Voos of University Hospitals discuss how wearable movement technology and standardized data are transforming recovery, improving outcomes, and reducing administrative burden. From caring for the Cleveland Browns to leading innovation in orthopedics, they explore how objective data and research-driven rigor are reshaping the future of care.

In this episode, Daniel J. Elliott, MD, MSCE, FACP, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer of Provider Experience at Centene Corporation, discusses how payers and providers can work together to address cost pressures, workforce challenges, and care coordination. He also shares perspectives on using AI, improving data sharing, and reducing friction in processes like prior authorization to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem.