CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered.

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A lot can be learned by monitoring individual customer service calls, analyzing patient experience, and optimizing call performance, but a systemic and scalable approach has always seemed out of reach.

But new AI technologies are flipping the script on this age-old roadblock.

In this episode of CareTalk, David E. Williams and John Driscoll are joined by Amy Brown, CEO of Authenticx, to explore how AI can improve patient experiences, efficiently gather and analyze data from call centers, and what the future of AI in healthcare holds.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

TOPICS
(0:23) Sponsorship
(1:58) Taking on Patient Experiences in Healthcare
(3:54) How Has the Patient Experience Evolved After COVID?
(6:06) Why Aren't We in the Golden Age of Patient Experience?
(9:28) What Is the Eddy Effect?
(12:33) How to Improve Customer Service in Healthcare?
(14:08) Improving Prescription Renewal Processes
(16:38) Structuring Solutions for Patient Experiences
(20:52) Technology's Role in Improving Patient Experiences
(24:24) Why Was Amy Brown Skeptical of AI?
(25:24) How Can Call Centers Operate Differently with AI?
(28:23) Getting at the Ground Truth of Patient Needs

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT AMY BROWN
Amy Brown, the founder and CEO of Authenticx, has built a distinguished career in healthcare, advocating for underserved populations, leading teams to expand coverage, and mastering corporate operations. Drawing on two decades of experience across healthcare and insurance sectors, she founded Authenticx in 2018 to address the missed opportunities in utilizing customer interaction data. Authenticx provides healthcare organizations with a unified source of conversational data, bringing the authentic voice of the patient into the boardroom to drive growth, profitability, and improved healthcare outcomes.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT AUTHENTICX
Authenticx was established to revolutionize how healthcare organizations listen on a large scale. By harnessing the power of AI, Authenticx transforms everyday conversations into actionable insights, aiming to uncover transformative opportunities within the healthcare sector.

With over 100 years of collective leadership experience in pharmaceutical, payer, and healthcare organizations, the team at Authenticx understands the challenges and opportunities that clients encounter, having navigated similar landscapes themselves. This deep industry knowledge drives their commitment to delivering solutions that truly address the needs of their clients and enhance healthcare outcomes.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Value-based care often focuses on primary care rather than specialties.

But can and should that change?

Especially when it comes to cardiology.

In this HealthBiz Brief, George Aloth, CEO of Chamber, explains how they are enabling cardiology teams to excel in a value-based system by ensuring providers are rewarded for delivering the right care at the right time.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT GEORGE ALOTH
George is a seasoned healthcare operations and business executive with over 15 years of experience. He has held roles including Group President at Somatus, a leader in value-based kidney care, President & CEO of a BCBS health plan, and COO at a Medicaid/Medicare payer. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors at George Washington University Hospital.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT CHAMBER 
Chamber empowers cardiology practices to thrive in a value-based care environment by ensuring they are compensated for delivering the right care at the right time. Their technology facilitates comprehensive patient care and opens up new revenue streams.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Blind spots in our thinking and decision-making are an inevitable part of the human experience.

But what does this mean in the context of medicine?

In this episode of CareTalk, David E. Williams and John Driscoll explore these challenges with guest Dr. Marty Makary, author of Blind Spots, delving into our natural resistance to new ideas, the impact of these tendencies on healthcare, and strategies for addressing blind spots in modern medicine.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

TOPICS
(0:25) Sponsorship
(2:01) What got Dr. Makary into Medical Blind Spots?
(3:40) The Biggest Blind Spots in Medicine
(5:26) Looking Into the Questionable Data Around HRT and Cancer
(7:48) Where did Peanut Allergies Come From?
(10:08) Do Eggs Cause Heart Attacks?
(12:32) Understanding Dietary Cholesterol
(13:47) How to Reestablish Trust Between Patients and the Medical Community
(16:19) Exploring Historical Blind Spots
(18:19) How Human Nature Affects Medical Progress
(22:49) What Blind Spots will There be in the Future?
(25:00) How Should Patients Approach Blind Spots in Medicine?

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT DR. MARTY MAKARY
Dr. Marty Makary, a bestselling author and healthcare expert at Johns Hopkins University, is renowned for his work in improving healthcare systems and transparency. His latest book, The Price We Pay, earned him the 2020 Business Book of the Year Award and has been hailed by Steve Forbes as essential reading. As a leader in public health research, Dr. Makary focuses on redesigning healthcare to enhance reliability and coordination, especially for vulnerable populations. He is also the chief of Islet Transplant Surgery at Johns Hopkins, has received the Nobility in Science Award, and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. With over 250 peer-reviewed articles and extensive teaching experience, Dr. Makary's academic background includes degrees from Bucknell, Thomas Jefferson, and Harvard, along with surgical residency at Georgetown and specialty training at Johns Hopkins.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Despite ongoing attention and investment, significant disparities persist in the U.S. healthcare system.

A clear example of these disparities can be seen within the legacy of racial discrimination present in healthcare for Black communities.

In this episode of CareTalk, David E. Williams meets with Caretha Coleman, board chairman of the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda, to discuss the state of healthcare in the Black community, how disparities and racial biases are costing lives, and the efforts of leaders like her to drive change, equity, and progress.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

TOPICS:
(0:26) Sponsorship
(2:07) Understanding the key health issues facing Black Americans
(3:07) Looking at a legacy of racial disparities
(6:19) How health issues disproportionally affect the Black community
(8:52) The rates of infant and maternal mortality within the Black community
(11:49) Are racial disparities recognized in healthcare?
(14:26) Improving results with better minority care
(16:25) Shorting the good from the bad in race-based algorisms
(20:20) The Role of the Black Directors' Health Equity Agenda
(24:44) How her career and life experiences have driven Caretha Coleman
(26:44) What is driving the push-back against DEI and what can be done about it

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT CARETHA COLEMAN
Caretha Coleman is a seasoned board director, C-suite executive, adviser, executive coach, and community advocate with over 40 years of experience in the technology industry. Starting her career at Hewlett Packard, she worked with startups and early-stage ventures, specializing in organizational strategy and executive coaching. She played a key role as Chief Human Resources Officer at Software Publishing Corporation and later served as CAO at Interval Research, overseeing finance, HR, and facilities.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT BLACK DIRECTORS HEALTH EQUITY AGENDA
The Black Directors Health Equity Agenda (BDHEA) envisions a society where race and poverty no longer determine health or life outcomes. Despite years of efforts, disparities in Black communities persist, and BDHEA aims to eliminate them through trusted leadership and data-driven action.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Small medical practices are competing and often losing to the giants of the healthcare industry.

But what if AI could give them an edge?

In this HealthBiz Brief, Weave CEO Brett White discusses how they are innovating how practitioners use AI to attract, engage, and retain customers while competitively driving business growth.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT BRETT WHITE
Brett White is the CEO of Weave and has been on its board of directors since July 2020. He previously served as Weave's President and COO. White has been the Chief Financial Officer at Mindbody, Inc. since July 2013 and was its COO from 2016 to 2020. Additionally, he has been a member of the Dean Advisory Council and an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Orfalea College of Business, California Polytechnic State University, since April 2018. He holds a B.A. in Business Economics with honors and an Accounting emphasis from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT WEAVE
Weave is the leading all-in-one customer experience software platform designed for small and medium-sized healthcare businesses. It revolutionizes how practitioners attract, engage, and retain customers to drive business growth. By integrating payments, texting, scheduling, reminders, reviews, phones, and more into a single, user-friendly platform, Weave enhances efficiency and boosts revenue. Recognized for its achievements and work culture, Weave has been named a leader in Patient Engagement, Optometry, Dental Practice Management, and Patient Relationship Management by G2 in the past year.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Chances are you've been hit with a medical bill far more expensive than you expected.

If so, you're not alone.

In this episode of CareTalk, David E. Williams and John Driscoll dive into the complex, confusing, and often painful world of medical billing, discussing how you can protect yourself from unethical and erroneous charges.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

TOPICS:
(0:24) Sponsorship
(1:26) Why You Never Know How Much Your Medical Bill Will Cost
(2:29) How Complex Healthcare Systems Confuse Billing
(3:16) Why You Should Contest Your Bill
(5:45) Can Extroverts Demand Lower Medical Costs?
(8:11) Examining Itemized Billing
(9:06) How the Biden Administration is Fighting for Medical Cost Transparency
(10:00) Can you Plan for Medical Expenses?
(11:55) Understanding Medical Bill Payment Plans
(13:47) Doctors, Insurance, and Your Role in Medical Billing

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

GET IN TOUCH
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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

Send us a text

Polycystic Kidney Disease is consider to be an uncurable and irreversible disease.

But what if this long-thought unstoppable disease could, in fact, be slowed or even prevented from being passed on to future generations?

In this week’s episode of HealthBiz Briefs, guest Richard Kellner, founder of PKD Outreach, shares his connection to the disease and how his company is working to end this debilitating condition for future generations.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT RICHARD KELLNER
Richard Kellner is the founder of the PKD Outreach Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and funding genetic testing to eradicate Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a leading cause of kidney failure. His deep commitment to ending PKD is driven by his own family's tragic experience with the disease. PKD is a genetic condition that often leads to kidney failure by a patient's late 40s or 50s and has a 50 percent chance of being inherited by children. However, through IVF and genetic testing, families can prevent the disease from being passed on to future generations.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT PKD OUTREACH FOUNDATION
The PKD Outreach Foundation (pkDO) is dedicated to ending Polycystic Kidney Disease by preventing it from being inherited by future generations. As the only charitable organization with this specific mission, pkDO focuses on partnering with transplant centers and nutritionists to assist families in finding live kidney donors and discovering methods to slow the progression of PKD. In addition to working towards eradicating PKD, the foundation supports initiatives that aid families affected by the disease throughout its entire course. This includes increasing live kidney donations, slowing the progression of PKD in young adults, and preventing the disease from being passed down to future generations.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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There’s no doubt that physicians who take money from pharmaceutical companies prescribe more expensive drugs.

But is that really best for patients?

And what are the real dangers of these financial incentives?

In this episode of CareTalk, David Williams and John Driscoll talk with Dr. Aaron Mitchell, a genitourinary medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, about the precarious role of financial incentives on physician behavior.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

TOPICS
(0:22) Sponsorship: BetterHelp
(1:44) Why Should We Care About Incentives in Healthcare?
(2:40) The Nature of Relationships Between Doctors and Pharma
(4:48) The Average Size of Incentives
(6:53) The Impact of Incentives on Prescribing Patterns
(7:45) How Pharma Justifies Financial Incentives
(12:05) When Financial Incentives Lead to Prescribing Worse Drugs
(14:44) A Doctor's Perspective on the Ethics of Incentives
(17:31) Branded Drugs Versus Unbranded Drugs
(20:26) How Doctors Have Reacted to Findings on Financial Incentives
(23:26) Should Patients be Afraid of Getting the Wrong Drug?
(27:15) What's Next for Dr. Aaron Mitchell?

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT DR. AARON MITCHELL
Dr. Mitchell is an oncologist and health services researcher with extensive training. He completed his internal medicine residency at Duke University Hospital and his medical oncology fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research examines how financial incentives influence physician behavior and seeks to improve patient outcomes and reduce low-value care through changes in oncology reimbursement models.

Read Dr. Aaron Mitchell's research paper, "Are Financial Payments From the Pharmaceutical Industry Associated With Physician Prescribing? : A Systematic Review":
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33226858/

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
The team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) is driven by a unified mission: to end cancer for life. Their specialized care teams deliver personalized, compassionate, and expert care to patients of all ages. Guided by fundamental research from the Sloan Kettering Institute, MSK scientists work together on innovative translational and clinical research, advancing the understanding of cancer and enhancing methods for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Both patients and providers are more than familiar with the headaches associated with collecting payments.

But what solutions are there that support both patients and providers?

In this episode of HealthBiz Briefs, Tom Furr, CEO of PatientPay reveals how things like the Affordable Care Act are driving out-of-pocket costs and what the solutions are for supporting providers in collections without damaging patient opinions in the process.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT TOM FURR
Tom Furr is a seasoned entrepreneur and industry leader with a wealth of experience in the healthcare and technology sectors. Before establishing PatientPay, Tom held pivotal roles at MobileSmith Health, where he served as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and a Board member. His strategic leadership and operational expertise played a crucial role in driving the company's growth and innovation.

Tom's entrepreneurial journey began with Kinetics, Inc., a pioneering online commerce provider focused on serving small businesses. As a co-founder and president of Kinetics, Tom spearheaded initiatives that established the company as a key player in the early days of online commerce. Under his leadership, Kinetics formed strategic partnerships with major players such as Wells Fargo, First Union, and Netscape, further solidifying its position in the market.

🎙️⚕️ ABOUT PATIENTPAY
PatientPay offers comprehensive patient payment solutions tailored to the needs of patients, medical groups, hospitals, and revenue cycle management (RCM) companies. As a leading end-to-end solution, PatientPay addresses the financial complexities of specialty healthcare, partnering with medical groups and RCM firms to streamline patient payments throughout the care process.
With the rise of patients as major healthcare consumers in the U.S., PatientPay supports specialty services such as labs, radiology, and anesthesiology in improving payment collection efficiency. The platform enhances payment capture through patient-friendly statements aligned with Explanation of Benefits (EOB), flexible payment options, and streamlined billing workflows.

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CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.

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Mental health issues have surged at an alarming rate, affecting a vast swath of Americans.

In this episode, David Williams revisits our previous discussions on mental health, exploring topics such as the current state of mental health, its impact on various demographics, the future of care, and how new technology is innovating the mental health field.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

TOPICS
(0:42) Sponsor
(1:21) The Current State of Mental Health
(1:56) Changes in the Healthcare Perspective on Mental Health
(8:01) Understanding the Scope of the Mental Health Crisis
(9:39) How Mental Illness Affects Lifespans
(15:15) The Role of Telehealth in Mental Health Care
(16:00) Inspiring Guests on Mental Health
(16:23) Mental Health Concerns for Younger Generations
(18:00) Revolutionizing Mental Health in the Black Community
(20:05) Has the Public's Understanding of Mental Healthcare Changed?
(24:04) How New Technology is Improving Mental Health Treatment
(24:30) Should Employers Pay for Mental Health Services?
(26:12) The State of Mental Health with Gen Z
(28:15) The Lack of Access to Care for Mental Health Emergencies
(30:44) Conclusion

🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALK
CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.

GET IN TOUCH
Become a CareTalk sponsor
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Visit us on the web
Subscribe to the CareTalk Newsletter
Shop official CareTalk merch

FOLLOW CARETALK
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Support the show

CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media.