What if the biggest opportunity to prevent hospital readmissions has less to do with medicine—and more to do with people?

On this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, Dr. Punatar and Dr. Goodwin of Meridian Health Partners join Kip Kruger, James Dieter, and Chris Light for a powerful conversation about what’s really happening inside skilled nursing and post-acute care.

After years of working as hospitalists, Dr. Punatar and Dr. Goodwin began following patients beyond the hospital walls and into skilled nursing facilities. What they discovered changed the way they thought about patient care.

Their biggest takeaway?

“The number one way to prevent avoidable RTAs isn’t medical. It’s social.”

A worried daughter who doesn't understand why Mom is coughing can quickly become a 911 call. A family that doesn't know what to expect from skilled nursing may assume something is wrong. And when physicians, nurses, facilities, hospitals, patients, and families aren't communicating, preventable hospital readmissions can follow.

In this episode, we dive into:

Why the first 24–72 hours in skilled nursing are so critical

How setting expectations can help prevent avoidable hospital readmissions

Why communication with families is a clinical strategy—not just customer service

The growing acuity of patients entering skilled nursing facilities

Why Friday admissions create unique challenges for SNFs

How weekend rounding and 24/7 provider access can change outcomes

The importance of continuity of care between hospitals and skilled nursing

Why physicians need to become part of the facility team

The challenges of measuring RTAs and outcomes across post-acute care

How value-based care could reshape skilled nursing and physician services

Why better outcomes may require a return to something surprisingly simple: relationships

Dr. Punatar and Dr. Goodwin also explain why they view senior care as a hospitality business, how Meridian Health Partners approaches the physician-facility relationship differently, and why treating the patient is only part of the job.

For administrators, DONs, physicians, operators, nurses, and anyone working in long-term care, this conversation challenges us to think differently about what actually drives great outcomes.

Because sometimes preventing the next hospital readmission doesn't start with another test, medication, or order.

It starts with trust.

Subscribe to Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the future of skilled nursing, senior care, and long-term care.

Matt Bishop, president and owner of RPG Procurement Group, explains how nursing homes can save millions without sacrificing quality, service, or resident care.

After spending 17 years with Medline, Matt took a leap of faith at age 48 and built a procurement business that now supports more than 500 nursing facilities. He shares how long-term care operators can uncover hidden expenses, negotiate stronger contracts, hold vendors accountable, and make smarter purchasing decisions.

Matt also discusses entrepreneurship, reimbursement, staffing, healthcare technology, and why cutting costs should never mean cutting corners. At its best, procurement creates the financial breathing room operators need to reinvest in their teams, facilities, and residents.

It’s a practical and inspiring conversation about betting on yourself, serving others, and improving long-term care from behind the scenes.

When should a family begin planning for assisted living? The answer is simple: before a crisis limits the available choices.

David Karnes, CEO of Nextphase Senior Living Advisors, joins Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast to explain how families can navigate assisted living, personal care homes, memory care, skilled nursing, and aging at home. He discusses senior living costs, levels of care, warning signs families shouldn’t ignore, and the questions to ask when evaluating a community.

David also shares his journey from professional musician to assisted living owner and private pilot, revealing how preparation, attention to detail, and a calm mindset influence his leadership.

This episode offers compassionate, practical guidance for anyone helping an aging parent plan the next phase of life—while protecting dignity, family relationships, and peace of mind.

Stephanie Saga Crook joins Our Purpose hosts Kip Kruger and Chris Light to talk about what really drives success in long-term care: relationships, trust, follow-through, and service. From her role as VP of Business Development at MasVita to her reputation as a “super connector,” Stephanie shares how vendors can bring true value to operators, support residents at the bedside, and build partnerships that last.

In this episode, Kip, Chris, and Stephanie discuss the vendor side of long-term care, why doing what you say you’ll do still matters, how to handle hard conversations when things go wrong, and why the future of skilled nursing depends on collaboration, innovation, and people who genuinely care.

What’s it like growing up in one of the most influential families in long-term care?

In this episode of Our Purpose, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Grayson Blake, Brand Ambassador at Creative Solutions in Healthcare and son of long-term care industry leader Gary Blake.

Grayson shares what it was like growing up around skilled nursing facilities, learning from his parents Gary and Melissa Blake, and navigating the pressure of carrying a well-known family name while working to earn his own place in the industry.

The conversation dives into leadership, mentorship, company culture, family legacy, attracting young talent to healthcare, and why long-term care needs the next generation of leaders now more than ever.

You’ll also hear Grayson discuss:

* Lessons learned from Gary and Melissa Blake
* Building credibility instead of relying on a last name
* Why follow-through and trust matter in leadership
* The future of long-term care and healthcare innovation
* How AI is changing operations and patient care
* Recruiting young professionals into healthcare
* The importance of recognition, culture, and purpose
* Faith, family, and finding your calling

Whether you’re a healthcare leader, administrator, caregiver, entrepreneur, or someone looking to make an impact through service, this episode is packed with insight, perspective, and inspiration.

👇 Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping skilled nursing, senior care, and long-term care.

In this episode of Our Purpose - The LTC Podcast, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Ron McGaughy, Senior Vice President of Strategy at HMG, to discuss how AI, strategy, leadership, and purpose are changing the future of long-term care.

Ron shares how HMG is using AI to improve admissions, streamline workflows, support clinicians, and create more time for meaningful resident care. The conversation also explores managed care, Medicare Advantage, shrinking margins, calculated risk, company culture, employee appreciation, and why long-term care leaders must do a better job telling the positive stories happening inside skilled nursing facilities.

This episode is a must-listen for LTC operators, administrators, admissions leaders, clinicians, and anyone passionate about the future of skilled nursing.

State survey can make or break a nursing home — and in this episode of Our Purpose - The LTC Podcast, Hosts James Dieter and Kip Kruger sit down with Stacia Boeckstiegel to talk about what it really takes to survive survey, lead through compliance, and support nursing home teams during some of the toughest moments in long-term care.

Stacia shares her journey from second-generation nursing home administrator to Assistant Director of Regulatory Compliance at Avir Healthcare, overseeing more than 60 skilled nursing facilities across Texas. From F-tags and infection control to immediate jeopardy situations, fall prevention, staffing challenges, and family communication — this conversation dives deep into the realities administrators and DONs face every single day.

Topics Covered:

* How to prepare for state survey before surveyors walk in
* The importance of family communication in long-term care
* Reducing Immediate Jeopardies (IJs) and compliance risk
* Why infection control remains the #1 cited deficiency
* Fall prevention strategies in skilled nursing facilities
* Leadership lessons for nursing home administrators
* Building strong teams and promoting from within
* Managing stress during state survey investigations
* Why regulatory compliance ultimately protects residents

If you work in skilled nursing, assisted living, healthcare operations, or long-term care leadership — this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world experience.

👇 COMMENT BELOW:
What’s the biggest challenge your building faces during survey season?

👍 Like, Subscribe & Share to help us continue telling the stories shaping long-term care.

#LongTermCare #SkilledNursing #HealthcareLeadership #StateSurvey #NursingHomeAdministrator #Compliance

Brad Underwood, CEO of Voyage LTC, joins Our Purpose Podcast to share his leadership journey, the culture behind Voyage LTC, and the challenges facing long-term care in Oklahoma.

In this conversation, Brad opens up about turning around distressed nursing homes, building trust with frontline staff, leading with vulnerability, and creating a culture where employees feel seen, supported, and valued. He also shares the heart behind Voyage Cares, VCamp, and the VIP Awards, programs designed to invest in employees beyond the workplace.

Brad also discusses the difficult realities facing Oklahoma long-term care, including reimbursement challenges, regulatory pressure, and why local operators must continue fighting for residents, staff, and community-based care.

This episode is a powerful look at what happens when leadership, culture, purpose, and advocacy come together in long-term care.

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, Hosts Kip Kruger and James Dieter sit down with Cody Campbell to talk about his incredible journey from CNA to nursing home owner and the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way.

Cody shares how he built his career in long-term care over more than two decades, why leadership buy-in matters at every level, and what it really takes to create a strong culture inside a facility. We also dive into some of the biggest challenges facing LTC today, including burnout, staffing, retention, compliance, reimbursement, agency use, and survey readiness.

If you’re a nursing home administrator, DON, operator, owner, or leader in skilled nursing and long-term care, this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world encouragement from someone who has lived it at every level.

In this episode, we cover:

* Cody Campbell’s path from CNA to owner
* Building culture and leadership in long-term care
* How to create staff buy-in at the facility level
* Burnout, retention, and supporting administrators
* Reducing agency reliance and becoming fully staffed
* Why collaboration matters in LTC leadership
* The role of social media in connecting nursing home administrators
* Lessons Cody wishes he knew earlier in his career

If you’re passionate about skilled nursing, senior care, healthcare leadership, and the future of long-term care, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe for more conversations that shine a light on the people, purpose, and leadership behind long-term care.

#longtermcare #skillednursing #nursinghomeadministrator #healthcareleadership #seniorcare #ltc

What does it take to build a healthcare company from the ground up and grow it across 12 states?

In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Kip Kruger sits down with James Dieter, CEO of Principle Health Systems, and Chris Light, COO, to unpack the origin story behind Principle Health Systems and how the company grew from an independent lab startup into one of the largest mobile lab and imaging providers serving long-term care.

They talk about the early days of the business, the unexpected shift into skilled nursing, the challenges of scaling across multiple states, and why communication, trust, innovation, and patient outcomes remain at the center of everything they do.

This conversation also dives into:
 • how Principle entered the long-term care space
 • the challenges of mobile lab and imaging in skilled nursing
 • building culture in a fast-growing healthcare company
 • leadership lessons from scaling a people-driven business
 • why transparency and accountability matter in patient care
 • how technology and AI may shape the future of diagnostics in LTC

If you work in skilled nursing, long-term care, post-acute care, lab services, or healthcare operations, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the leadership, mission, and vision driving one of the fastest-growing companies in the space.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone in the LTC industry.