Positivedeviance Podcasts

Preventable hospital readmissions cost the healthcare system approximately $25 billion annually, and it is estimated that one of every five Medicare patients is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Our panel of experts shares insights and best practices on lowering readmission rates for patients with chronic health conditions thr…

Digital technology can give organizations more data, giving them more visibility not only into patients’ clinical profiles but also population health profiles and socioeconomic profiles. Our panel of experts will discuss how health plans can effectively tap the potential of digital technologies to improve care delivery, outcomes and equity for trad…

Risk adjustment is much more than a regulatory requirement for Medicare Advantage plans – it can improve the quality of care by providing an accurate picture of each member’s health status and ensuring each member receives the right interventions and treatment. Providers play an important role in risk adjustment, too. An engaged partnership between…

Engaging high-needs Medicare and Medicaid members can be a huge barrier to better health and a consistent challenge for even the most innovative health plans. In order to successfully engage these members, health plans must meet them in the communities they live and work and provide the right solutions and resources. Our expert panel of leaders fro…

Socially Determined Co-Founder and CEO Trenor Williams, MD, talks with Eric about the importance of accessing and unlocking the potential of member demographic data, including race, ethnicity and language, to identify social risk. Specifically, he shared details of his organization’s partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield to optimize inter…

Loneliness is associated with worsening health-related quality of life, increased mortality, higher risk for a variety of physical and mental health conditions, and other poor health outcomes. While loneliness is typically applied to seniors, it can apply at any age. Michelle Bentzien-Purrington, SVP, Senior Vice President, MLTSS, Molina Healthcare…

Featuring: David Shulkin, MD, Former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Kacey L. Serrano, MPA, CPC, CRC, Director, Medicare Stars and Risk Adjustment, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Sean Libby, President, BeneLynk Today, 22% of Medicare Advantage members are veterans of the United States Armed Forces and 5% of Medicare Advantage members use th…

Reaching hard-to-reach populations takes heart, determination, and support. And it’s hard. Just because you’re communicating, doesn’t mean you’re connecting. Our panel explores ways health plans can make sure they meet their members where they're at and how to navigate the complicated outreach process. Panelists: Merrill Friedman, RVP, Inclusive Po…

In order to implement an effective SDOH strategy, healthcare organizations must develop an infrastructure to integrate both clinical and social interventions. Our panel of experts from Melanin & Medicine, MetroPlus Health, Priority Health, ProMedica, and Socially Determined shares best practices, lessons learned, and key considerations to help you …

Dr. Jonah Mink, Medical Director of Health.io discusses how health plans can convert data into actionable insights by leveraging focused chronic care service providers with at-home or last-mile care or diagnostics. Jonah also shares how health plans are generating clinical results and revenue from partnerships with service providers and offers guid…

Achieving health equity begins with an ability to identify health disparities and their causes Without adequate data and measures, inequities remain unseen and unaddressed. Our expert panel discusses the importance of leveraging data and analytics to understand, measure, and support equity improvement efforts. They will share successful strategies …

Eric goes one-on-one with Chris Delaney, Founder, and CEO of Insignia Health. During the episode, Chris talks about consumer centricity and the importance of the patient activation measure (PAM) for health plans and providers. He provides various case studies and overall guidance on how to successfully implement activation programs that work. This …

Experts from Cigna, SCAN Health Plan and UPMC Health plan share strategies and best practices for generating higher HEDIS and STAR ratings by advancing a holistic approach to their members’ care including “last mile” strategies and caregiver support coupled with physical, behavioral and social needs. Panelists include Ellen Bjeckford, PhD, MPH, Ass…

Dr. Cynthia Brandt joins Eric to discuss her mission to unlock philanthropy to improve health for children and mothers around the world through the foundation, which directs all fundraising for the Lucile Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and for the maternal and child health programs at Stanford University School of Medicine. Cynthia sha…

Our panel of experts from Commonwealth Care Alliance, Molina Healthcare of Ohio and BeneLynk share best practices for addressing the SDOH needs of your dual eligible members. Walk away with ideas you can implement in your own organization to close gaps in care, improve outcomes, and reduce costs. Topics include: Topics include: Combining technology…

Anthem’s Chief Health Officer Shantanu Agrawal, MD, talks to Eric about what the insurer is doing to lessen the effect of social determinants of health (SDOH). He shares the results from Anthem’s recently released report, Driving Our Health: A study exploring health perceptions in America, a national survey of 5,000 U.S. adults. Anthem conducted th…

Health plans today are facing simultaneous pressures to improve member experience, increase healthcare quality and reduce costs. Hear how leading health plans are designing and implementing exceptional member experiences, boosting quality rating and helping members achieve better health outcomes! Also, learn how looking at the member experience thr…

As healthcare works toward value-based care, closing care gaps and engaging consumers in preventive health is a high priority among payers and providers as it reduces costs and improves health outcomes. In this podcast, leaders from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Clover Health, Health.io and Humana share successful strategies for closing gaps …

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 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…

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 par…

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 communi…

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 iss…

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.

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, AvMed Susie Hume, Director of Digital Strategy, Experience and Delivery at Excellus BCBS Susan Edgman…

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 hel…

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…

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 Direct…

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…

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, Color…

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 mi…

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 t…

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 Med…

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…

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 b…

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 i…

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 m…

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…

Leaders representing CVS Health, Magellan, medical Mutual and UPMC Health Plan join Eric to share bright spots in chronic disease management programs. View bios: https://www.sharedpurposeconnect.com/bios-03112021/): Ellen Beckjord, Associate Vice President, Population Health and Clinical Transformation, UPMC Health Plan, Caroline Carney, MD, MSc, F…

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, health plans are transforming how they engage with their members. Expectations are raised as consumers change how they shop, socialize, and live their everyday lives, driving health plans to change their relationships with their members to be more consumer-centric An all-star panel of experts from Anthem, Highm…

Hear proven results from a successful group medical visit program. Learn how group visits helped patients adopt healthy habits and significantly change behaviors. The session features perspectives from experts representing the different stakeholders — lead physician, advanced provider, team leader, and patient — in a successful group visit program.…

Randy Oostra, DM, FACHE, President & CEO, ProMedica, and Vic Strecher, PhD, MPH, Professor, University of Michigan School of Public Health, discuss how ProMedica is incorporating “personal determinants of health” to improve care and outcomes. They also share how having a strong life purpose is essential to health and well-being. Bios: https://www.s…

Healthcare advocate, entrepreneur, and author Dave Chase discusses why healthcare is so expensive and shares some radical ways to reinvent healthcare during this episode. Dave highlights case studies featured in his new book, Relocalizing Health: The Future of Healthcare is Local, Open and Independent, which details the solutions employers and loca…

Our expert panel discusses the importance of listening and responding to the voice of the healthcare consumer to improve the overall patient/member experience, clinical outcomes, and personalized care. Panelists include: David Langer, MD, Chair, Neurosurgery, Lenox Hill Hospital and star of Netflix docuseries Lenox Hill; Melinda Karp, MBA, Executiv…

Our expert panel discusses the importance of listening and responding to the voice of the healthcare consumer to improve the overall patient/member experience, clinical outcomes, and personalized care. Panelists include: David Langer, MD, Chair, Neurosurgery, Lenox Hill Hospital and star of Netflix docuseries Lenox Hill; Melinda Karp, MBA, Executiv…

The world of medicine moves fast and constantly changing as evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic David Nash, MD, MD, MBA, Founding Dean Emeritus, Jefferson College of Population Health, Dr. Daniel David, MD, Medical Director, K2P and Mary Ellen Beliveau, MEd, Founder and CEO, K2P discuss why It’s essential for physicians and providers to keep pace wi…

Our incredible panel of experts discusses how to effectively identify roadblocks to virtual care for patients in more vulnerable and underserved communities. They share strategies for bridging the “digital divide” and improving health outcomes from leaders “in the trenches” trying to improve quality and access. Panelists include Kemi Alli, MD, CEO,…

With information on COVID-19 evolving daily, our expert physician panel shares their thoughts on what we can expect from the virus over the next several months. They will also discuss lessons learned from the past seven months. Their conversation addresses topics tied to antibodies, treatment best practices, racial inequalities, innovation, and mor…

Reliant Medical Group CMO Dr. Thad Schilling and Chief Behavioral Health Officer Dr. Samuel Nordberg walk us through the health system’s decision to rethink its approach to primary care by embedding mental health into primary care practices. They also discuss the business drivers behind the decision. and why they chose the full spectrum model, whic…

Cara McNulty, DPA, President, Aetna Behavioral Health and Sara Ratner, Senior Vice President, Government Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Revel Health discuss the importance of removing the stigma behind mental illness in order to reach “silent sufferers” - patients suffering in silence rather than seek treatment for their mental disorder. Topic…