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

In this episode, Chris Johnson, Founder and CEO of Bluebird Kids Health, joins the podcast to discuss managing the health of a broader patient population and expanding access to pediatric care. He also shares insights on democratizing access to care and building a strong reputation within the community to better serve children and families.

In this episode, Jeremy Cauwels, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Sanford Health, joins the podcast to discuss how Sanford is using AI and virtual care to expand access across rural communities, including bringing specialty expertise closer to patients who face significant geographic barriers to care. He also shares insights on strengthening the rural physician workforce through graduate medical education, preparing clinicians to use emerging technologies while maintaining clinical judgment and trust, and leading change with a continued focus on safety, quality, and the patient experience.

In this episode, Leonardo Marchini, DDS, MSD, PhD, Professor and DEO of the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, and Brendan Young, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Preventive and Community Dentistry, The University of Iowa, discuss their article "Beyond Hand Skills: A Case Analysis of Empathy and Critical Thinking Instruction", published in the Journal of the California Dental Association’s Blue Sky Thinking Collection. They explore behavioral science, patient-centered communication, self-reflection and innovative tools designed to prepare dental students for more thoughtful patient care.

In this episode, Karen Ignagni, CEO, EmblemHealth, discusses the evolving Medicaid landscape, healthcare affordability, interoperability, and how health plans can use technology, AI, care management, and value-based care to better support members. She also shares insights on her return to the CEO role and EmblemHealth's ongoing transformation.

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Mark Clement, the former President and CEO of TriHealth, reflects on his decision to retire, the importance of succession planning and the leadership lessons he has learned from decades of marathon running. He also shares how staying active, rounding with frontline teams and finding inspiration in others have shaped his leadership approach.

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.