Scaling with Purpose: Francesca Pregano on Workforce Strategy and Innovation in Dental Care

In this episode, Dr. Zafar Chaudry, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital, AI, and Information Officer at Seattle Children’s, joins Laura Dyrda to share how his team is leveraging AI to transform pediatric care. He also reflects on evolving leadership roles in health IT, the importance of stakeholder engagement, and what it takes to drive meaningful change in a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Francesca Pregano, COO of Smile Makers Dental Center, shares how her organization is tackling workforce challenges, embracing dental tech innovations like AI, and preparing for expansion with scalable systems and strong team culture. She also offers key advice for leaders navigating the future of healthcare operations.

In this episode, Jeff Bak, President and CEO of Imagine360, discusses how his organization is innovating to make healthcare more affordable, equitable, and member-friendly. He shares insights on direct contracting, price protection, health equity efforts, and how better member engagement is driving improved outcomes.

In this episode, Dr. Sunny Bhatia, President and Chief Medical Officer of Prime Healthcare, joins Alan Condon to discuss the system’s largest acquisition to date—eight hospitals in Illinois—and shares insights on driving successful integration, strategic M&A, and the power of mission-driven growth in healthcare.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Matthew Hurford, President and CEO of Community Care Behavioral Health at UPMC, discusses how UPMC is advancing mental health support across staff, providers, and communities. He highlights practical steps to move from awareness to action and addresses pressing challenges like youth mental health and social isolation.

In this episode, Dr. Jerilyn Morrissey, Chief Medical Officer at CorroHealth, shares her unique insights from practicing medicine, working with payers, and leading innovation in the clinical revenue cycle. She discusses the rising friction in the payer-provider relationship, Medicare Advantage challenges, and how thoughtful technology adoption can transform hospital operations.

In this episode, Dr. Luis E. Taveras, SVP & CIO of Jefferson Health, shares how Jefferson is driving enterprise-wide integration, strengthening cybersecurity, and adopting a value-driven AI governance model—all while keeping people at the center of healthcare innovation.

 In this episode, Dr. Priyanka, Chief Medical Officer at MindPath Health, joins Rylee Wilson to discuss the organization's push to improve mental health access, invest in clinician well-being, and leverage technology to ease the patient journey and support specialty care

In this special takeover episode, filmmaker and marketing mind Peter Murphy Lewis flips the script and interviews Scott Becker, diving deep into how Scott built a media platform that shaped healthcare conversation, the power of team-building, and the mindset behind lasting impact.

In this episode, John Orsini, Executive VP and CFO of Northwestern Medicine, shares insights into managing financial sustainability amid federal reimbursement challenges, the health system’s strategic focus on service line growth, and how innovations like AI and hospital-at-home programs are shaping the future of care.