What happens when a health system stops trying to recruit its way out of a workforce challenge, and instead redesigns the pipeline itself?

In this episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare, Eric Glazer sits down with Dr. Lindsay Mazotti, Chief Medical Officer of Medical Science and Education at Sutter Health, for a candid, system-level conversation about rethinking how physicians are trained, supported, and developed for the future of care.

Rather than focusing on workforce shortages as a policy or awareness problem, this conversation explores what happens after the reality is already clear—when leaders choose to redesign foundational systems instead of managing around constraints.

Dr. Mazotti shares how Sutter is treating graduate medical education as strategic infrastructure, not an academic side function, and what it takes to build a physician pipeline that can scale, adapt, and endure.

Using examples from rural training pathways, academic partnerships, research translation, and digital transformation, the discussion surfaces how education becomes the load-bearing structure that allows health systems to absorb change without breaking.

This episode is designed for health system leaders who are no longer asking whether change is needed, but are grappling with how to build systems that can carry what's coming next.

• Why physician shortages can't be solved through recruiting alone

• How Sutter is redesigning the physician pipeline end to end

• What changes when graduate medical education is treated as core infrastructure

• How training clinicians for place shapes rural and underserved care delivery

• Why education is the missing link between research, digital innovation, and day-to-day care

• Where clinician training determines adoption—or abandonment—of new technologies

• The leadership tradeoffs that come with moving from individual patient care to system-level impact

• What leaders must unlearn when building durable, long-term capability

About Dr. Lindsay Mazotti: Dr. Lindsay Mazotti leads system-wide initiatives at Sutter Health that advance medical education, research, and innovation in support of the organization's mission to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care to more than 3 million patients across 22 counties in Northern California. In her role, she focuses on strategically integrating medical education into the health system's infrastructure to align with long-term priorities, including Sutter's Destination 2030 initiative. Dr. Mazotti oversees undergraduate and graduate medical education across the system—spanning clinical rotations, scholarships, residency and fellowship programs, and academic partnerships—while working closely with aligned medical groups representing more than 14,000 physicians to develop and support physician educators. Her work centers on building innovative training pathways that address physician workforce needs, align with evolving care delivery models, and strengthen long-term system capability, with the goal of quadrupling Sutter's GME footprint by 2030 to become the largest community-based GME program in California. Learn more about Dr. Mazotti - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-mazotti Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email [email protected].

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

In Part Two of this special ViVE series, the conversation moves from why ViVE exists to how leaders and solution partners actually extract value from it.

Eric Glazer continues the discussion with Rich Scarfo, President of HLTH/ViVE, and Russ Branzell, President & CEO of CHIME, focusing on how different audiences experience ViVE and what separates attendees who walk away with clarity and momentum from those who don't.

Rich and Russ share practical perspectives on how senior healthcare leaders should navigate ViVE, how to balance content sessions with curated meetings, and what intentional preparation looks like before, during, and after the event. They also discuss what "showing up the right way" means for solution partners, what makes a partner conversation valuable from an executive standpoint, and how to build trust that extends beyond the conference.

If you're attending ViVE 2026, or deciding how to approach large industry convenings more strategically, this episode offers concrete guidance on how to turn time spent onsite into outcomes that last well beyond the event.

Resources:

Take a look at what's in store at ViVE 2026, taking place Feb. 22-25 in Los Angeles - https://hlth.com/events/vive

Attend ViVE using discount code V26BSV for $250 off the General Attendee ticket - https://hlth.com/events/vive/register

About Rich Scrafo and Russ Branzell:

Rich Scarfo - https://hyve.group/about/meet-our-leaders Russ Branzell - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-branzell-2888aa108

Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email [email protected]

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

ViVE was created to break the mold of healthcare conferences — fewer distractions, more meaningful conversations, and content leaders can act on.

In this first episode of a special two-part series, Eric Glazer sits down with Rich Scarfo, President of HLTH/ViVE, and Russ Branzell, President & CEO of CHIME, to unpack the origin of ViVE, the CHIME + HLTH partnership, and what senior leaders can expect in 2026.

Together, they explore why executives needed a new kind of platform, what problems they're trying to solve when they come to ViVE, and how topics like cybersecurity, cost pressure, operational performance, and real-world AI will show up in this year's programming. They also get into how ViVE approaches content design, moving beyond big ideas to practical context and decision-support leaders can use when they get home.

If you're a healthcare decision-maker evaluating which events matter in 2026, or how to make sense of a fast-changing landscape, this conversation offers clarity straight from the architects of ViVE.

Stay tuned for Part Two, where the conversation shifts to how leaders and solution partners get real outcomes from ViVE — from navigating the environment to turning connections into next steps.

Resources:

Take a look at what's in store at ViVE 2026, taking place Feb. 22-25 in Los Angeles - https://hlth.com/events/vive/

Attend ViVE using discount code V26BSV for $250 off the General Attendee ticket - https://hlth.com/events/vive/register/

About Rich Scrafo and Russ Branzell:

Rich Scarfo - https://hyve.group/about/meet-our-leaders Russ Branzell - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-branzell-2888aa108

Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email [email protected]

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

Championship Week delivers two postseason matchups and a flood of betting narratives. In this episode of the Sharp Squares Podcast, the team breaks down long-term playoff trends, rest advantages, market overreactions, overtime effects, and how coaching aggression shapes postseason outcomes.

You'll hear why quarterback changes don't always justify massive line swings, how pressure-based defense creates repeatable edges, and why tempo versus structure defines tight playoff games.

This episode focuses on market structure, identity-based handicapping, and how historical trends continue to shape modern postseason betting.

What actually determines whether a healthcare business compounds, or quietly stalls?

In this episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare, Eric Glazer sits down with Scott Becker, Founder and Publisher of Becker's Healthcare and host of the Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast, for a candid, experience-driven conversation about building businesses that scale with confidence.

Scott has spent decades building, advising, and investing in companies across healthcare, media, law, and private equity. Rather than walking through a framework or checklist, this conversation focuses on the real decisions founders and operators are facing right now, especially in a market defined by long sales cycles, regulated buyers, capital pressure, and increasing scrutiny on value.

Using Scott's new book, Building Great Businesses, as a backbone, the discussion explores how leaders can cut through noise and false urgency to focus on what actually matters.

• The difference between motion and real momentum in healthcare go-to-market

• Why founders often mistake pilots, logos, or activity for traction

• What healthcare leaders tend to over-optimize early, and under-invest in

• What true product-market fit looks like when buyers are risk-averse

• Why niche focus and reference customers matter more in healthcare than in other sectors

• How and when outside capital helps—and when it quietly distorts focus

• Why the right people matter more than the right idea when building enduring businesses

This episode is designed for founders, operators, and senior leaders who are already in the arena, and want clearer thinking about the few decisions that truly determine long-term success.

About Scott: Scott Becker is a distinguished entrepreneur, investor, and legal professional who has built a remarkable career at the intersection of healthcare, media, and law. As the founder and publisher of Becker's Healthcare, a leading healthcare media company, and a longtime partner at McGuireWoods, a top AmLaw firm, Scott has established himself as an authority in his field.

With a mission to provide valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs and business leaders, Scott draws upon his extensive experience to help others navigate the complexities of building and scaling successful ventures. His expertise spans across various industries, including healthcare, private equity, and venture capital, where he has made significant investments and contributes as an active investor.

Scott is also a prolific author, having written several books, including Health Care Law: A Practical Guide, The Physician's Managed Care Success Manual, The ASC Handbook, and The Entrepreneur's Edge. He hosts two highly ranked podcasts, Becker's Healthcare Podcast and Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast, where he shares his knowledge. He has interviewed prominent figures such as George and Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Nikki Haley, and Michael Strahan via Becker's Healthcare conferences.

Scott currently resides in the Chicago suburbs, Palm Beach Gardens, and Deer Valley. When he's not working on his business endeavors, he can be found pursuing his passions for golf, tennis, fitness, skiing, writing, and speaking.

Pre-Order Scott's book, Building Great Businesses: Create Momentum, Overcome Setbacks, and Scale with Confidence - https://a.co/d/3gDAz7B

• Measure What Matters — John Doerr

• Profit from the Core: A Return to Growth in Turbulent Times — Chris Zook & James Allen

• The ONE Thing — Gary Keller

• 10x Is Easier Than 2x — Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy

• Who Not How — Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy

• Unreasonable Hospitality — Will Guidara

• Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast — hosted by Scott Becker

Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email [email protected].

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

What if your next "new clinic" isn't a new build at all?

This episode features the opening presentation from the recently held ROI Centered Care Summit—a half-day virtual summit produced by Bright Spots Ventures in partnership with TytoCare and the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).

Jared Droze, Director of Virtual Care at Oklahoma State University (OSU) Medicine, and Bradley Anderson, DO, Medical Director of Virtual Care at OSU Medicine unpack a practical, scalable access strategy: repurposing vacant facilities and community spaces into hybrid care hubs, bringing "right care, right time" closer to rural and underserved Oklahomans.

You'll hear how OSU Medicine:

• Builds access models designed for critical access and rural communities

• Partners with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to launch a small-footprint hybrid clinic (with on-site staff + virtual clinicians)

• Extends reach through OSU Extension offices—leveraging trusted local infrastructure to support agricultural and rural populations

• Uses low-barrier technology and streamlined workflows to make virtual care operationally sustainable

• Focuses on reducing unnecessary transfers and keeping patients closer to home and family

• From "vacant buildings" to community care hubs

• The Choctaw Nation clinic model: staffing, footprint, patient scope, and sustainability

• Why a site-based hybrid model (vs. fully remote telehealth) can expand diagnostic capability

• Patient adoption and trust: what communities say when "the future" shows up on Main Street

• Extension offices as access points for agricultural workers and rural residents

• What makes virtual care actually work day-to-day: protocols, training, and reliability

If you're a health system leader, virtual care operator, rural health strategist, or payer/provider partner looking for a real-world blueprint to expand access without massive capital spend—this conversation is for you.

Bios: Jared Droze: With over 15 years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare operations, Jared has successfully driven innovation and growth across hospital, outpatient, academic, and virtual care settings. Skilled in strategic operations, physician alignment, and performance management, he has consistently improved financial performance, patient outcomes, and team cohesion in both non-profit and for-profit environments. Currently serving as the Director of Virtual Care at OSU Medicine, Jared is passionate about leveraging technology and collaborative strategies to enhance healthcare accessibility and delivery. Jared holds a Master's in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University – Center for Health Sciences and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Secretary of the Telehealth Alliance of Oklahoma.

Dr. Bradley Anderson: ​​Dr. Anderson is a distinguished board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, with deep ties to the rural landscapes of Missouri. He commenced his academic journey by obtaining a bachelor's degree in Health Science with a concentration in Radiology from Missouri Southern State University. Advancing his medical aspirations, he earned a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in North Carolina, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Anderson's commitment to healthcare excellence is further reflected in his pursuit of advanced qualifications. He holds a Master's in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Certificate of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare from Stanford University, and the designation of Certified Telehealth Professional from the American Hospital Association. His career journey led him to join the faculty at Oklahoma State University, where he is the AT&T Endowed Professor of Telemedicine and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine as well as multiple administrative roles including Vice Chair of OSUMC Internal Medicine Department, Medical Director of Virtual Care, Medical Director of the OSU Health Access Network, and Medical Director of the Hospitalist at Cleveland Area Hospital. He focuses on using technology to address healthcare gaps in underserved communities, schools, and hospitals, specifically through technology and Virtual Care, ensuring specialized medical expertise reaches those in need. He is interested in using artificial intelligence to enhance physicians' workflow.

Podcast Recommendation:

Check out Access Amplified, brought to you by TytoCare and hosted by Joanna Braunold - a podcast about how digital health is helping increase access to care and equity, one innovation at a time. We'll shine a light on what's actually working to make care more accessible and

inclusive.

If you're a healthcare leader, an innovator, a policy shaper, or anyone passionate about health equity, this podcast is for you. New episodes drop every two weeks. Follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.tytocare.com/resources/access-amplified/

TytoCare enables health systems and plans to deliver high-quality remote exams anytime, anywhere. Their FDA-cleared devices and AI-powered diagnostic platform support virtual specialty care, school-based programs, and home health models—reducing unnecessary ED visits and improving patient experience.

To learn more, visit tytocare.com.

Schedule a Meeting with a Senior Leader at TytoCare:

To explore how TytoCare can help your organization expand virtual specialty access and improve care coordination, reach out to [email protected] to schedule a meeting.

About Bright Spots Ventures: Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare, proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

What happens when the founder of Mint.com takes on one of healthcare's most broken experiences—patient communication?

In this episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare, Eric Glazer sits down with Aaron Patzer, Founder and CEO of Vital, to explore how simplicity, clarity, and human-centered design can drive real impact in healthcare. Drawing from his journey building Mint, Aaron shares why most healthcare technology misses the mark, how better communication improves outcomes and ROI, and what leaders must do to design experiences people actually use.

The conversation goes deep on:

• Why simplifying complexity—not adding more tech—is the real innovation

• How better patient communication drives measurable ROI for hospitals

• What healthcare leaders can learn from consumer tech about trust, adoption, and engagement

• The leadership principles Aaron relies on when innovating inside highly regulated, slow-moving systems

If you're a healthcare leader navigating digital transformation, AI investment decisions, or experience strategy, this episode offers clear thinking, hard-earned lessons, and proof that when you make it easier for people to understand what's happening, everything works better.

References: Book Reference - The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

About Aaron: Aaron Patzer is a renowned entrepreneur, engineer, and innovator best known as the founder of Mint.com, the personal finance platform that revolutionized money management for millions of users. After launching Mint in 2007, Patzer led it to rapid success, growing the user base to over 25 million and overseeing its acquisition by Intuit in 2009. A passionate advocate for user-centered design and simplicity in complex systems, Patzer built Mint.com by combining his technical acumen with a deep understanding of user experience and behavioral finance. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and a Master's from Princeton University. Following Mint, Patzer continued to push boundaries in tech and health innovation. He co-founded Vital, a healthcare startup focused on improving hospital emergency room, urgent care, and inpatient experiences using AI and design thinking. Ranked by KLAS as #1 in patient experience, Vital achieves concrete results: 30–50% fewer LWOBS/AMA, 10–15% higher NPS, stronger HCAHPS scores, reduced ED bounce- back, and 10% lower 30-day readmissions. Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing EHR systems, Vital provides a user-friendly interface that engages patients, resulting in 60%+ adoption rates, 5-10x higher than the competition. View our product overview.

Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email [email protected]

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

Recorded live at HLTH, this episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare features Dr. Carolyn Jasik, Associate Chief Clinical Officer at Verily, an Alphabet company focused on precision health innovation at scale.

Carolyn shares how Verily has evolved through multiple "moonshot" phases, from devices and research to its current focus on precision health, combining AI, data science, and clinical expertise to deliver the right intervention to the right person at the right time.

Drawing from her background as a pediatrician, behavioral scientist, and former digital health executive, Carolyn explains why healthcare transformation must move beyond the clinic and into people's daily lives, meeting them in moments that actually matter.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• What precision health really means beyond the buzzword, and why timing and context are everything

• How Verily Me enables consumers to interact with their health records, ask questions, and identify gaps in care

• The role of AI coaches and human clinicians working together, not in competition

• Why Verily is taking a direct-to-consumer-first approach to crack the engagement problem in healthcare

• How licensed nurses, HIPAA-protected AI, and real-time support can transform patient experience

• Carolyn's long-term vision for AI agents like Violet to meaningfully extend care teams and reduce clinician burden

This episode offers a thoughtful, human-centered look at how AI can help people feel seen, supported, and cared for while laying the foundation for scalable, enterprise-grade precision health.

If you're building, buying, or deploying digital health solutions, this conversation provides a grounded blueprint for what consumer trust, engagement, and impact really require.

Bio: https://hlth.com/speakers/2024/carolyn-bradner-jasik

References:

Verily Me - https://www.verilyme.com/

Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email [email protected]

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

In this Bright Spots in Healthcare episode, host Eric Glazer brings together senior Medicaid health plan leaders to explore how organizations are rethinking communication strategies in response to redetermination and upcoming work requirements. The conversation dives into how plans are combining cultural competency, behavioral insights, and data-driven personalization to strengthen member connections, improve retention, and support equity-focused outcomes.

Real-world examples and best practices provide actionable guidance for health plans navigating these sweeping policy changes.

Our guests include: Molly Whittle, Vice President, Medicaid Fiscal Strategy, WellSense Health Plan Terrie Hottle, Director of Product Implementation and Deployment, CareSource Abner Mason, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, GroundGame.Health

Together, they explore:

• How Medicaid health plans are adapting communication priorities in response to redetermination and evolving work requirements.

• Innovative strategies to reach and retain hard-to-contact populations through culturally responsive and personalized engagement.

• How to transform compliance-driven outreach into trust-based, member-focused communication that supports long-term retention and health outcomes.

• Practical examples of leveraging behavioral insights, life coaching, and personalized messaging to improve engagement, close care gaps, and support members' social and health needs.

Panelist Bios: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/events/medicaids-communication-wake-up-call-how-redetermination-and-work-requirements-are-forcing-a-new-member-engagement-playbook/

Download the Episode Guide: Get key takeaways and expert highlights to help you apply lessons from the episode. https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Episode_Guide_121125.docx.pdf

Download the Key Insights Summary: Find key insights from the discussion: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Key-Takeaways-Medicaids-Communication-Wake-Up-Call.docx.pdf

Resources:

HMA's new report on the CareSource JobConnect Program:

https://www.healthmanagement.com/insights/briefs-reports/the-impact-of-the-caresource-jobconnect-program-a-benefit-cost-and-return-on-investment-roi-analysisthe-impact-of-the-caresource-jobconnect-program/

Report: How Medicaid Payers can Prepare for New Work Requirements Coming in Early 2027

The Reconciliation Act of 2025, signed on July 4th, introduces new Medicaid work requirements. Beginning in January 2027, states will be required to verify at both application and renewal that members of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion group meet these requirements. A few highlights that stood out:

• The disruption will be significant: The CBO projects 10 million people could become uninsured by 2034 due to work requirements.

• Most losses aren't intentional: In Arkansas, 18,000 individuals lost coverage in seven months—largely because the reporting system was too complex to navigate.

• Waiting is the biggest risk: The report states plainly: "Payers need to act now… the biggest issue is waiting too long to engage."

• Five practical steps to start today: From identifying high-risk members early and communicating before the state does, to automating exemption processes and enabling consent-based data sharing.

To request your copy, email show producer, Vekonda Luangaphay at [email protected]

GroundGame is a human impact company that helps Medicaid members stay covered and get care by removing the real-world barriers that stand in their way. They do this through human connection. Community-based engagement. Meeting members where they are and creating a culturally tailored experience at the level of the individual.

Their Right Touch model blends personalized outreach with deep relationships across community organizations to close quality gaps, surface hidden needs, and actually solve them.

Learn more at https://www.groundgame.health/

Schedule a Meeting with Abner Mason, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at GroundGame.Health.

To explore how GroundGame.Health can help your organization reduce churn, build trust, and keep Medicaid members connected to care through human-to-human, community-based engagement, reach out to show producer, Vekonda Luangaphay, [email protected] to schedule a meeting with Abner Mason, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, GroundGame.Health.

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation.

We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare, proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.

In this Bright Spots in Healthcare episode, host Eric Glazer brings together Medicare Advantage leaders who are rethinking how digital first and whole person strategies can meet rising Stars expectations. The conversation explores how plans are simplifying engagement, strengthening provider alignment, and integrating specialty and virtual care models to improve quality, experience, and overall performance in the new ratings era.

Our guests include:

• Lisa Franklin, Director of Medicare Business, Product, and Marketing, Strategic Growth and Government Programs, Carefirst

• Christine McKinney, Vice President Customer Experience and Digital Transformation Blue Shield of California

• Mary O'Connor, MD, Chief Medical Officer & Co-Founder, Vori Health

Together, they explore:

• How CareFirst reduced member friction by consolidating 175 touchpoints a year into a coordinated digital first experience built around scrolling content cards, real time click behavior, and simplified onboarding.

• How Vori Health is integrating whole person MSK care with payers through value based arrangements that support coaching, nutrition, behavioral health screening, and earlier risk identification.

• How Blue Shield of California built a continuous CAHPS simulation program to uncover pain points and used those insights to create the Care Navigation Desk for real time access help.

• How digital tools like online scheduling, integrated member health records, and proactive pharmacy cost transparency are reducing friction and helping seniors navigate the ecosystem more independently.

• How plans are using AI and preference based engagement to support new Medicare members, improve medication adherence, and scale outreach during market disruptions.

Panelist Bios: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/events/falling-stars-rising-standards-how-digital-first-whole-person-care-is-fueling-success-in-the-new-ratings-era/

Download the Episode Guide: Get key takeaways and expert highlights to help you apply lessons from the episode. https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Episode_Guide_120425_Vori-Falling-Stars-Rising-Standards.docx.pdf

Key Insights Summary: Find key insights from the discussion, guest takeaways, and detailed moderator notes captured by Eric during the conversation. https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Key-Takeaways-Erics-Notes-Falling-Stars-Rising-Standards.docx.pdf

Resources:

Report: How Physician Led MSK Care Supports Stars Improvement and Whole Person Outcomes This companion report highlights how Vori Health's physician-led, virtual first musculoskeletal care model helps Medicare Advantage plans strengthen performance in the new ratings environment. It includes data and real member stories showing how hybrid specialty access, early gap closure, and whole person support improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary MSK spend, and enhance member experience.

Inside you will find insights on

• Improving access through forty eight hour specialty appointments

• Reducing opioid use and unnecessary surgeries

• Supporting preventive screenings and chronic condition management

• Elevating member satisfaction across measures tied to the 2026 Stars program

To request your copy, email [email protected].

Buyer's Guide: The Comprehensive Guide to MSK Care for Health Plans This companion report gives health plans a clear framework for improving MSK strategy, highlighting how fragmented, high cost pathways drive unnecessary imaging, procedures, and surgeries without resolving pain. It outlines four MSK care models and the key elements of a high value program such as physician led care, holistic support, non opioid management, strong engagement, and real claims based ROI. It also shows how solutions like Vori Health bring these components together through coordinated, hybrid access and measurable improvements in outcomes and cost.

Inside you will find insights on

• Improving MSK access and coordination across care models

• Designing physician led, whole person programs that address root causes of pain

• Reducing unnecessary imaging, procedures, and surgeries

• Driving stronger engagement, better outcomes, and meaningful cost savings

To request your copy, email [email protected].

Vori Health is a physician-led musculoskeletal care practice that delivers fast, evidence-based hybrid care for back, neck, and joint pain. Their whole person approach improves outcomes, reduces unnecessary MSK costs, and supports stronger Medicare Advantage Star Ratings. Learn more at vorihealth.com.

Schedule a Meeting with a Dr. Mary O'Connor of Vori Health:

To explore how Vori Health can help your organization strengthen whole person MSK care and support better Stars performance, reach out to [email protected] to schedule a meeting with Dr. Mary O'Connor, CMO and Co-founder, Vori Health.

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation.

We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare, proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.