Scott Becker - 5 Stories We Are Following at Becker's Healthcare 10-2-26

In this episode, Scott Becker examines Medicare Advantage exits, physician cognitive testing, AI's impact on healthcare leadership, rising physician compensation, and the need to rethink the physician training pathway. 

In this episode, Jake Ghannam, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Insightec, discusses how MR-guided focused ultrasound can expand access to neuroscience care, the strategic case for health systems, and how to build a successful program.This episode is sponsored by Insightec.Statistics and data referenced in this episode can be found at the following sources:1.  Information and stats in this podcast were sourced from the following:Ney JP, Steinmetz JD, Anderson-Benge E, et al. US Burden of Disorders Affecting the Nervous System: From the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study. JAMA Neurol. 2026;83(1):20-34. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.44702.  Kowal SL, Dall TM, Chakrabarti R, Storm MV, Jain A. The current and projected economic burden of Parkinson's disease in the United States. Mov Disord. 2013;28(3):311-318. doi:10.1002/mds.252923.  Marras, C., Beck, J.C., Bower, J.H. et al. Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease across North America. npj Parkinson's Disease 4, 21 (2018).4.  https://essentialtremor.org/5.  Pearson C, Hartzman A, Munevar D, et al. Care access and utilization among Medicare beneficiaries living with Parkinson's disease. npj Parkinson’s Dis. 2023;9(1):108.6.  Dorsey ER, Sherer T, Okun MS, Bloem BR. The Emerging Evidence of the Parkinson Pandemic. J Parkinsons Dis. 2018;8(s1):S3-S8.7.  Nicole A. Silva, Ariana Hernandez, Alok K. Dwivedi, Paul Mihas, Daniel A. Roque, Vibhor Krishna; Exploring the Patient Pathway to Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Essential Tremor: A Mixed-Method Approach. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2026; https://doi.org/10.1159/0005519968.  https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/neurology-and-neurosurgery (July 2026)9.  Surpassing DBS -Source: Carevoyance & Insightec Data on file10. *Search: “Premarket Approval (PMA) Database” - https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfPMA/pma.cfmo P150038: Essential Tremor Indicationo P1550038/S006: Tremor Dominant Parkinson’s Indicationo P150038/S014: Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease (unilateral) Indicationo P150038/S037: Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease (Staged, bilateral) Indicationo P150038/S015: Post-approval study (PAS) results from the 5-year follow-up

In this episode, Kathy Donovan, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hospital Sisters Health System, joins the podcast to discuss developing a long-range capital plan and aligning investments with the health system’s broader growth strategy. She also shares insights on managing growth across the organization and planning for the resources needed to support continued expansion.

In this episode, Dr. Andy Anderson, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer at RWJBarnabas Healh, shares how the system is improving mortality outcomes and patient experience through rapid response teams, standardized best practices, and a strong culture of accountability. He discusses strategies for scaling success, coordinating care, and fostering growth across the health system.

In this episode, Scott Becker discusses physician shortages, the role of AI and advanced practice providers, and why shortening the lengthy medical education and training pathway could help bring more doctors into the workforce.

In this episode, Jakob Emerson, Associate News Director, Becker’s Healthcare, discusses Medicare Advantage insurers exiting markets, plan and benefit changes heading into 2027, and how major payers are using AI to simplify healthcare navigation and gain a competitive edge.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Katherine Adams, MS, Director, Clinical Operations, Primary Care, CommonSpirit, who discusses using ambient listening, unified health records and remote patient monitoring to reduce administrative burden and support better clinical decision making.In collaboration with Philips.

In this episode, Ceci Connolly, President and CEO, Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP), discusses Medicare Advantage market disruption, plan exits, beneficiary impacts, and the need for risk adjustment reform to support sustainable coverage in local communities.

In this episode, Nick Barcellona, Chief Financial Officer at West Virginia University Health System, joins the podcast to discuss creating a seamless experience for patients and identifying opportunities for growth across the health system. He also shares insights on balancing operational priorities with the evolving needs of patients and the organization.

In this episode, Peggy Norton-Rosko, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, SVP, Chief Nursing Officer, Trinity Health, discusses strengthening shared nursing governance, using nurse input and data to improve patient outcomes, and addressing workforce challenges through academic partnerships, residency programs, career development, and thoughtful technology investments.