• Introduction: Host Rick Gannotta and producer Joe  discuss their commitment to provide regular updates on the latest trends and news in healthcare.
• Healthcare sector in the markets:
  • Q1 2023 saw a pullback in private equity investment in healthcare, possibly due to the post-COVID shakeout.
  • The sector had previously been flush with cash with some less-than-realistic initiatives.
  • The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the resulting complications for accessing capital for smaller firms also contributed to this downturn.
• Positives and negatives of the current state:
  • Positives: Continued strong investment in models of care, especially with a future focus on Medicare Advantage.
  • Increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, including its impact on platforms and backend operations.
  • Promising advancements in the field of mental health, especially in the telehealth space.
  • Negatives: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scrutinizing valuation dynamics and investment ownership, regulatory considerations, and potential market instability.
• Impact of the Debt Ceiling Crisis on healthcare:
  • Partisan politics causing potential disruptions and creating uncertainty in the healthcare sector.
  • While not directly impacting care delivery, the crisis is affecting strategic decisions, planning, and capital investments.
  • Public insurance programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and others accounted for 42.5% of national health expenditures in 2021. If the debt ceiling is breached, this figure could temporarily decrease.
• Affordable Care Act (ACA) ruling:
  • Recent federal appeals panel decision paused the lower court ruling regarding preventative care under the ACA.
  • If upheld, it would lead to out-of-pocket charges for preventative care services, potentially causing financial burden for individuals and the risk of them foregoing preventative care.
• The Backlash from hospital groups regarding site-neutral payments:
  • Hospital outpatient clinics, part of a hospital's infrastructure, would be disadvantaged due to site-neutral payments.
  • Hospital groups are lobbying against the proposal due to the high operational costs of maintaining a hospital infrastructure compared to independent clinics.
• AI in Healthcare:
  • AI gaining momentum in healthcare, as demonstrated in the previous episode with Dr. Michael Ivan.
  • Importance of understanding regulatory guardrails and budgeting for AI implementation in healthcare.
  • Notable initiatives include the executive branch's blueprint for a healthcare AI Bill of Rights.

For more in-depth discussions, tune into the Healthcare Nation podcast.

• The podcast features Thad Calabrese, Associate Professor of Public and Non-profit Financial Management at NYU's Wagner School. He has a wealth of experience in financial management theories and techniques for public sector, public services, and healthcare organizations.
• Thad Calabrese's professional background includes serving on the board for the Journal of Public Administration Research in Theory and Public Budgeting and Finance. He was also with the New York City Office of Management and Budget, specializing in tax policy.
• Discussing financial management in healthcare, both hosts stress the importance of generating a margin, regardless of whether an organization is for-profit or not-for-profit. If an institution fails to drive a margin, it loses the ability to control its destiny.
• Calabrese points out the financial challenges faced by healthcare institutions, especially with the aftermath of the pandemic. While public programs and resources offered some relief, it only delayed the need for difficult budget decisions, often leading to a "kick the can down the road" scenario.
• Other challenges discussed include shortages of key personnel, workforce burnout, supply issues, increased cost of energy, and tightening of credit. These stressors are causing an explosion in operating expenses for healthcare organizations.

• Healthcare Nation Podcast discusses healthcare innovation and technology with guest Dr. Michael Ivan, a renowned neurosurgeon.
• Dr. Ivan specializes in complex brain tumor and skull-based surgery and is an associate professor at the University of Miami.
• His research focuses on minimally invasive brain tumor management using endoscopic approaches and robotic keyhole surgery.
• The podcast covers new Alzheimer's drugs and the use of technology such as artificial intelligence in healthcare.
• Dr. Ivan's work at the University of Miami Brain Tumor Initiative has been a source of hope for many patients.
• In his practice, Dr. Ivan aims to integrate various data points across a patient's treatment to improve patient outcomes.
• He is developing an augmented reality and artificial intelligence system to better estimate tumor locations and update algorithms during surgery.
• The goal is to use this detailed information to create more precise, personalized treatment plans for patients, such as targeted radiation therapy.

You can reach out to him through the University of Miami's website and also on social media @michaelivanmd

• Eli Lilly's experimental Alzheimer's drug shows promise, slowing disease progression by 35% compared to a placebo, but still needs further vetting and FDA approval.
• OpenAI's ChatGPT shows more empathy in answering patient questions than human physicians, potentially improving patient experience and addressing physician burnout.
• AI tools like ChatGPT can be valuable in supporting healthcare professionals and enhancing communication but they must ensure accuracy, reliability, and fairness.
• Effective AI integration depends on training, user input, and ethical considerations such as informed consent and minimizing bias.
• A shift towards consumer-centric capitalism in healthcare is driven by increasing patient demands, empowerment, and the need for personalized care.
• Telemedicine services, wearables, and personalized medicine are examples of innovation in the consumer-oriented healthcare sector.
• The rise in consumer-centric healthcare is driven by a focus on improving patient satisfaction, availability of data, and demand for personalized care.
• Technology and social media impact consumer behavior in healthcare by providing information and promoting consumer-centric companies, such as telemedicine providers and wearable manufacturers.
• Successful consumer-centric companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Apple have demonstrated the value of leveraging technology and business models for customer satisfaction.
• In the health sector, companies like Teladoc, Zocdoc, and One Medical embrace consumer-centric approaches, with telemedicine playing a major role.
• Social media has impacted consumer behavior and engagement, but the credibility and accuracy of information are crucial.
• The Digital Divide could leave low-income populations, the elderly, rural communities, and underserved groups without equal access to consumer-based healthcare and technology.
• Addressing the Digital Divide requires financial assistance, community-based programs, digital literacy, culturally sensitive healthcare services, and public-private partnerships.
• The acquisition of Geisinger Health and Kaiser Permanente presents both opportunities and challenges; success depends on collaboration, innovation, and maintaining positive customer experiences.
• The CDC's shift in focus towards tracking severe COVID-19 cases in hospitals signals an adaptation to COVID as an endemic illness.
• Hospital-at-home care is the next generation of care delivery, with cost-effective and safer care for patients; however, it requires addressing infrastructure, technology, workforce, safety, and equitable access challenges.

• Dr. Nasim Afsar is currently the Chief Health Officer at Oracle Health, focusing on improving healthcare delivery systems in a data-driven manner.
• Oracle Health aims to deliver healthy people, healthy workforce, and healthy business by partnering with healthcare delivery systems and managing populations of patients.
• Oracle Health addresses burnout among healthcare professionals by streamlining workflows and leveraging technology.
• Oracle's acquisition of Cerner has expanded its capabilities in building a broader ecosystem of healthcare, integrating human management and supply chain data.
• Oracle Health has a learning health network where over a hundred different health systems anonymously share data for research and insights.
• The learning health network has enabled Oracle Health to bring innovative clinical trials to hospitals and communities that previously didn't have access to them, increasing diversity and inclusion in the trials.
• Oracle Health is partnering with the FDA and John Snow Labs to develop artificial intelligence tools that extract critical information from clinical notes in EHRs, helping the FDA better understand the effect of medicines on large populations of patients.
• Oracle Health focuses on data connectivity, interoperability, and integration of information from wearables and other sources to provide a comprehensive and connected approach to healthcare.

• Welcome to Healthcare Nation Podcast - discussing new and noteworthy healthcare topics.
• Hosts and guests express opinions for informational purposes only, not tied to specific companies or institutions.
• Today's guest: Dr. Paul Coyne, VP, and Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
• Dr. Coyne's background includes nursing, finance, technology, and being a stroke survivor at age 22.
• HSS, the world's leading academic medical center for musculoskeletal health, is building a new 12-story clinical building over FDR Drive.
• HSS transformed from an orthopedic hospital to a COVID hospital during the pandemic.
• Dr. Coyne focuses on the intersection of clinical practice, technology, and nursing.
• He emphasizes the importance of empathy, authenticity, and sharing personal stories in healthcare.
• Dr. Coyne has been recognized for his work in design, innovation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
• Innovation at HSS often driven by necessity and the desire to make a positive impact on patients.

• Healthcare Nation Podcast features Dr. Bruce Quinn, a national expert on Medicare, business innovation, and federal health policy.
• Dr. Quinn has been tracking genomics policy since 2006 and authored numerous white papers on CMS payment and coverage for genomics.
• Dr. Quinn's background includes an MD, Ph.D. from Stanford, postdoc in neuroscience at MIT, UCLA Path and Neuropathology, and an MBA from Kellogg.
• The podcast discusses the impact of technology on healthcare, including telemedicine, remote care, genomics, and precision medicine.
• Challenges faced by startups in the healthcare sector include difficulties navigating the Medicare system and aligning with payment structures.
• Dr. Quinn shares a case study about HeartFlow, a company that struggled for years to enroll in the Medicare program and faced pricing issues.
• CMS has been struggling to adapt to new digital innovations outside of telemedicine, often colliding with AMA coding systems or payment policies.
• The healthcare industry's approach to bundling payments can be problematic for companies trying to introduce cutting-edge innovations.
• Startups must recognize the importance of understanding CMS and insurance provider requirements to avoid roadblocks during commercialization.
• The podcast emphasizes the need for alignment between healthcare innovations and existing payment structures to ensure successful implementation.

Healthcare Politics and Policy with Andrew Barnhill, JD Head of Policy and Chief Government Affairs Officer for IQVIA, the world’s largest clinical research organization.
In this episode, Rick discusses Healthcare Policy and Politics, the implications associated with the ending of PHE, Medicaid expansion, data modernization, the impact of technology on access to clinical trials, the future of the CDC, and the upcoming legislative agenda; what’s next for Congress???

Jaclyn shares her insights and advise on the common and not so common issues that challenge leaders at every level of the organization, they discuss the healthcare environment where the stakes are high and each encounter with a patient, handoff to another staff member, miss communication or lack of compliance with protocol can have a significant consequence, the impact of burnout and finally the consequences of misalignment in an organization where the companies mission and leaderships values are out of sync.

On this episode: Creators & Guests