Specialty pharmacy plays a critical role in patient outcomes, but health systems often struggle to manage operations effectively while maintaining continuity of care. 

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host John Marchica talks with Jigar Thakkar, PharmD, CEO of Longitude Rx, about how his company is helping leading health systems reimagine specialty pharmacy through technology, data integration, and partnership.

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🎙 ABOUT JIGAR THAKKAR, PHARMD
Jigar is leading Longitude Rx, the first launched solution from Longitude Health. Previously, he built a $470 million specialty pharmacy at OU Health, served as Managing Director at FTI Consulting, and led engagements with health systems and Fortune 100 companies. He holds advanced degrees from Midwestern University, Dartmouth College, and Northwestern University. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. 

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is Produced by Grippi Media: https://www.grippimedia.com 

#healthcarepodcast #healthcare #valuebasedcare #healthcarepolicy #healthcarefinance #pharmacy #pharmacist

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Across the country, health systems are chasing the promise of value-based care, but few have figured out how to make it work. 

David Carmouche, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Lumeris, joins host John Marchica to discuss what it really takes to make value-based care work at scale. 

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🎙 ABOUT DAVID CARMOUCHE
David Carmouche, MD, is the Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Lumeris. Dr. Carmouche is a visionary leader in transformational healthcare delivery, with a unique blend of provider, payer, retail, and integrated delivery network leadership experience.

Prior to joining Lumeris, Dr. Carmouche served as Walmart’s Senior Vice President of Healthcare Delivery, where he led the fleet of Walmart Health centers, Walmart Health Virtual Care, a value-based care partnership with Optum, and Walmart’s work to address Social Determinants of Health. Dr. Carmouche has also held significant leadership roles with Ochsner Health, the largest nonprofit academic healthcare system in the Gulf South, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, where he introduced the company’s first value-based care contracts. Earlier in his career, he built and led a multidisciplinary internal medicine and preventive cardiology practice. 

Dr. Carmouche attended Tulane University and LSU Medical School in New Orleans. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, he completed his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he later served as Chief Resident. He serves as President of the Board of the Consortium for Southeastern Healthcare Quality and on the advisory board at Stellar Health. He has served on the board of the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

 ================================================

 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Burnout among health care workers remains a critical issue years after the height of COVID-19. 

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, Dr. Adele Webb, Executive Dean of Healthcare Initiatives at Strategic Education, Inc. shares insights from a national survey of health care workers, revealing what’s really driving nursing burnout and how education can help retain talent.

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🎙 ABOUT DR. ADELE WEBB 
Adele Webb earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Akron, her Master’s in Nursing from The Ohio State University, and her Ph.D. in Nursing from Wayne State University. She began her nursing career as a NICU nurse and transitioned into the emergency room in a pediatric setting. 

In the early 1990s, Adele began focusing on HIV in underdeveloped countries. Over the last 25 years, Adele’s focus has been on international nurse capacity building as it relates to both communicable and non-communicable diseases. She has received extensive funding for her international work and has published her findings in several refereed journals. She has contributed to WHO guidelines, testified to the Institute of Medicine, and given testimony to the White House on nursing workforce issues. 

A sought-out speaker on international nursing care issues, Adele continues to collaborate with the World Health Organization as well as the World NCD Congress. This work has resulted in Adele’s contributions to nurse capacity building in 56 countries. In recognition of her body of work, Adele has received not only the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Lifetime Achievement Award she has also received the Nicholas Andrew Cummings Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Practice from the National Academies of Practice. Adele is an International Council of Nurses Global Health Fellow, a Fellow in the National Academies of Practice, and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. 

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 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

What does it take to lead 100,000 health care workers through constant disruption? 

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host John Marchica sits down with John D’Angelo, MD, FACEP, President & CEO of Northwell Health, to discuss his journey from physician to chief executive. Dr. D'Angelo shares critical lessons learned from managing COVID-19 surges, his vision for maintaining organizational culture across 100,000 employees, and where he sees the greatest opportunities in healthcare delivery.

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🎙 ABOUT JOHN D’ANGELO, MD, FACEP 
A physician first and foremost, Dr. John D’Angelo leads with compassion. With over 25 years of practical experience, he continues to transform health care operations with his recent appointment as president and CEO of Northwell Health, the Northeast’s largest nonprofit health system.

Dr. D’Angelo oversees a complex network of 28 hospitals and 104,000 employees, including over 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians with an operating budget of $22.6 billion. Northwell cares for more than 3 million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, western Connecticut and beyond. 

His background in emergency medicine informed his leadership in Northwell’s operational response to COVID-19, expanding his role to become the chief of integrated operations for the entire health system. He also co-led an innovative, award-winning data solution, Real-Time Actionable Data, to enhance operational visibility. Previously, he oversaw all of Northwell’s emergency departments and was instrumental in the health system’s lifesaving sepsis prevention initiatives. A Long Island native, Dr. D'Angelo received his medical degree from SUNY Stony Brook and subsequently completed a residency in emergency medicine at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA. He also served as medical director to numerous EMS agencies throughout his career and served in the United States Army Reserve from 2001-2011. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. 

================================================

 CONNECT WITH US:

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🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Insurance denials are exploding, and they’re costing lives.

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host John Marchica sits down with Neal Shah, CEO of CareYaya and Counterforce Health, to unpack the broken insurance system and the AI-driven surge in claim rejections. Neal shares how his personal caregiving experiences shaped his mission, why most patients never appeal, and how new tools can help level the playing field for families, physicians, and hospitals.

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🎙 ABOUT NEAL SHAH

America's Chief Elder Officer. CEO of CareYaya Health Technologies. Working hard to improve healthcare. Author of “Insured to Death: How Health Insurance Screws Over Americans - And How We Take It Back". Chairman of Counterforce Health.

After a successful career as a $250 million hedge fund manager, deeply personal caregiving experiences inspired a pivot to social entrepreneurship. Now, determined to transform care delivery through technology.

Building a rapidly-growing tech startup to expand access to affordable care. Pioneering cutting-edge AI applications to fundamentally elevate quality of life for those needing care. Motivated by creativity and humanitarian progress.

Leveraging experiences guiding multi-billion dollar investments to make an impact on improving care for our most vulnerable populations. Leading with both heart and analytical rigor. Wearing scrubs to elevate the important role of caregivers in our healthcare system.

Building unrivaled technical capabilities and strategic partnerships to establish CareYaya as America's leading launchpad for care innovation.

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS

Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. 

 CONNECT WITH US:

🌐 Visit us on the web

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📺 Watch Health Care Rounds on YouTube

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Why do people trust Google and TikTok more than their doctors?

Dr. Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, the author of Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare's Misinformation Illness, joins the show to break down how misinformation spreads, why patient trust continues to decline, and what health leaders must do to lead the cure. 

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🎙 ABOUT DR. GEETA NAYYAR 
Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, is a globally recognized chief medical officer, technologist, and bestselling author who helps leaders leverage a human approach to innovation, including rapid advances in AI, to achieve better health and business outcomes. 

A widely sought-after speaker and author of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller “Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness,” Dr. G has appeared on CNBC, CNN, FOX, and other prominent media outlets. She has served as chief medical officer for Salesforce and AT&T, among other executive roles. She currently serves on the board of the American Telemedicine Association and as an advisor to the American Medical Association. 

A rheumatologist, Dr. G earned her medical degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where she was admitted into an accelerated program at age 17, and her MBA at The George Washington University School of Business. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

 ================================================ 

 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play a pivotal role in drug pricing, yet their practices often remain shrouded in a black box of rebates, spread pricing, and misaligned incentives. In this installment of our Pharma Series, Alan Pannier, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at SmithRx, breaks down how legacy PBMs use opaque contracts and vertical integration to drive up costs, why employers are beginning to push back, and how transparent, cost-based models are reshaping the future of pharmacy benefits.

🎙 ABOUT ALAN PANNIER 
Alan Pannier, Pharm D,MBA has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a background in managed care pharmacy. Alan has held various leadership positions at companies such as SmithRx, Magellan Health, and Veridicus Health. Alan completed their Doctorate of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration at Idaho State University, following a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Westminster University. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Specialty pharmacy is big business. And while PBMs and big pharma dominate the spotlight, health systems are quietly carving out their own advantage. 

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, host, John Marchica, sits down with Tim Affeldt, PharmD, Vice President, Specialty/Infusion Operations, Fairview Pharmacy Services, to unpack why health systems don’t just belong in specialty pharmacy - they may be unqiuely positioned to lead it. 

From tighter care integration and faster clinical decisions to improved outcomes and patient experience, Dr. Affeldt lays out a clear case: when pharmacists are embedded in the care team, everyone benefits, except the status quo.

🎙 ABOUT DR. TIM AFFELDT 
Tim Affeldt, PharmD serves as the Vice President of Specialty/Infusion Operations at Fairview Pharmacy Solutions. Dr. Affeldt is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy. He joined Fairview Pharmacy Services in September 2013. Prior to being a VP, he was the Director of Specialty/Infusion Operations. During his time with Fairview, he has provided overall strategic direction and leadership to the Specialty and Mail Order pharmacies, Infusion Center pharmacy, Home Infusion, Compounding pharmacy, Specialty Clinic and Discharge pharmacy, Facilities and Shipping/Receiving. He is a former Pharmacy Alumni Society board member, mentor to first year students and preceptor for APPE leadership rotations for the College of Pharmacy. 

Dr. Affeldt has chaired and served as a member on multiple committees and is a current member of the National Home Infusion Association Board (Past Chair), the National Home Infusion Association Government Affairs Committee, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation MinnDakotas Chapter Board (Board of Chancellors), the Health System Owned Specialty Pharmacy Alliance Board (Vice President) and the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (GAC Committee). 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

What happens when state health policymakers lose access to the very data they rely on?

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, John Marchica talks with David C. Radley, Ph.D., M.P.H., Director of Data and Analytics at The Center for Evidence-Based Policy and Senior Scientist at the Commonwealth Fund. They explore how states use administrative data to make informed Medicaid decisions, and why recent threats to public data infrastructure could undermine that progress.

Dr. Radley breaks down how his team turns raw data into actionable insights, how states are planning for the financial impact of high-cost therapies, and why cutting long-standing federal data sets could cripple efforts to address health disparities. 

🎙 ABOUT DAVID C. RADLEY 
David C. Radley is the Center’s inaugural Director of Data and Analytics. Dr. Radley has 18 years of experience in health policy evaluation, quality and performance measurement, and in public reporting and visualization of healthcare data. Prior to joining the Center, David served as scientific lead for the Commonwealth Fund’s Health System Performance Tracking initiative, where he was responsible for defining national, state, and sub-state performance evaluations; measure selection and development; procuring and analyzing relevant data; and curating performance information for visualization and public reporting. He has authored over 50 articles, issue briefs, and technical reports focusing on access to care, healthcare affordability, healthcare quality, health equity, and population health outcomes. Dr. Radley received his PhD in Health Policy from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and M.P.H. from Yale University. As Director of Data and Analytics, Dr. Radley will direct data related research and build the Center’s capacity to meet the growing data needs of states. 

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS 
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media

Value-based care isn’t a new idea—but making it work in today’s fragmented system is anything but simple. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, John Marchica talks with Dr. Tom Yackel, Chief Clinical Excellence Officer at CenterWell Senior Primary Care, about what it really takes to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care to Medicare patients.

Dr. Yackel shares insights from his decades-long career in primary care, informatics, and practice leadership, explaining how CenterWell is scaling value-based care models in communities that need it most. From the business realities of Medicare Advantage to why primary care must be run like a business, not a charity, this is a frank and timely conversation about the future of senior care.

🎙 ABOUT TOM YACKEL, MD, MPH, MS, MBA 

Dr. Tom Yackel is a seasoned physician executive with a distinguished career in clinical informatics, graduate medical education, and health system leadership. He currently serves as the Chief Clinical Excellence Officer for Humana’s Primary Care Organization, which includes CenterWell and Conviva Senior Primary Care, which together make up the largest senior-focused primary care group in the United States. The organization delivers comprehensive, team-based care to older adults through a value-based model that strives for patient-centered, quality outcomes for Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage populations across the country.

In his role at CenterWell, Dr. Yackel leads initiatives to advance evidence-based care, specialty programs, clinical education, informatics, and clinical governance. He brings deep expertise in healthcare operations, quality improvement, and health information technology, with board certifications in internal medicine and clinical informatics.

Dr. Yackel has been a strong advocate for graduate medical education and workforce development, particularly in clinical informatics. He played a key role in the early establishment of ACGME-accredited clinical informatics fellowships, contributing to one of the first accredited programs in the country. His work has helped shape medical informatics education and training, ensuring a pipeline of physician leaders proficient in health IT, data-driven care models, and digital transformation.

Prior to joining CenterWell, Dr. Yackel was President of MCV Physicians and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), overseeing clinical strategy and faculty practice operations. He also served as Chief Health Information Officer and Value-Based Care Officer at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), leading enterprise-wide initiatives in health system performance, digital transformation, and value-based care. He has also chaired the American Hospital Association’s Committee on Clinical Leadership, shaping policies and strategies to improve health system/faculty relationships and patient outcomes.

Dr. Yackel earned his medical and public health degrees from George Washington University and holds additional qualifications in medical informatics and business from OHSU. He is a recognized thought leader in electronic health records, value-based care, and clinical leadership, frequently sharing insights through publications and national presentations.

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS

Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments. 

 CONNECT WITH US:

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⚙️ Health Care Rounds is produced by Grippi Media