Health Care Rounds

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.

Value-based care is more than just a buzzword - it’s a fundamental shift in how we measure success in health care. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, John Marchica sits down with Dr. Trafford Crump, Associate Professor at McGill University, to discuss how patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can help us better understand the value of care from the patient’s perspective. Trafford explains where PROs fit into clinical trials, delivery systems, and the broader goals of value-based care and why measuring what actually matters to patients is harder (and more important) than it looks.  

In another installment of our Pharma Series,  we're joined by Dr. Tyson Frodin, Assistant Vice President of Pharmacy at MultiCare, to explore the evolving role of pharmacy in health care. Tyson shares insights from his diverse career path - from his early experience in telehealth on a Navajo reservation, to leading pharmacy initiatives at a top health system in the Pacific Northwest. They dive into the challenges of critical access hospitals, the importance of innovation in pharmacy, and how MultiCare is leveraging technology to improve patient care.

In this episode of Health Care Rounds, Host John Marchica sits down with Jason Bryll, Principal at Parable Associates, to unpack why health care organizations struggle with managing financial and patient data. They discuss the challenges of revenue cycle management, the headache of disconnected systems, and how better data practices can lead to better care. Jason also breaks down where AI and automation can help - and where they fall short.

TOPICS(0:19) Introduction(0:45) Meet John Driscoll(2:40) The Future of Pharma(8:28) How Pharmacies Can Put Patients First(12:25) Key Trends in Primary Care(15:16) The Challenges of Improving Quality Patient Care(19:25) Incoming Health Care Policy(25:48) The Impact of RFK and Trump's Nominees on Health Care(30:12) Where AI Can Have the Biggest Impact on Health Care(33:04) Increasing Efficiency with AI(35:04) John Driscoll's New Book: Pay the People(37:29) The Importance of Paying Workers a Living Wage

TOPICS(0:19) Introduction(0:45) Meet John Driscoll(2:40) The Future of Pharma(8:28) How Pharmacies Can Put Patients First(12:25) Key Trends in Primary Care(15:16) The Challenges of Improving Quality Patient Care(19:25) Incoming Health Care Policy(25:48) The Impact of RFK and Trump's Nominees on Health Care(30:12) Where AI Can Have the Biggest Impact on Health Care(33:04) Increasing Efficiency with AI(35:04) John Driscoll's New Book: Pay the People(37:29) The Importance of Paying Workers a Living Wage 

TOPICS(0:50) Introduction(1:33) Karthik Ganesh: Background and Transition to OnMed(6:02) Lessons Learned in Health Care(11:39) Navigating the Complexity of Health Care(14:00) Obstacles in Rural Health Care(23:50) Why Health Care Issues Differ from Other Industries(27:16) Exploring OnMed Care Stations(34:35) OnMed's B2B Growth Strategy(38:23) Expanding Access and Collaborating with IDNs(42:18) Conclusion 

TOPICS:(0:15) Intro(1:17) What Got Vinay Patel Into the Industry(4:00) Understanding Drug Pricing Models(11:01) What Is a Limited Distribution Network?(13:46) What Is Distribution Direct?(15:21) Looking at the Supply Side of Pharmaceuticals(19:34) Structuring Pharmacy Benefits(26:00) The Difference Between Fixed Dollar Rebates and Percentages(31:14) What Role Do Generic Companies Have in Product Use?(37:24) Moment-to-Moment Drug Pricing and Buying(39:07) How MakoRx Is Tackling Drug Pricing Issues(42:44) The Argument for Giving Drug Cost Transparency(47:19) What Is MakoRx's Value Proposition?(50:12) What's Behind the Drive for Pharmacy Innovation?(54:54) How Pharmacies Will Change in 2025 

TOPICS(0:20) Introduction(1:05) What Led Jasmine Bhatti to Healthcare(4:00) Going from Nurse to Business Owner(7:58) Looking at the Success of Care Transitions(12:38) The Difference in Home Care Coverage(15:40) The Complexities of Home Care(18:54) The Cost Equation for PRNs(23:43) How to Prevent Readmissions(25:12) Do Health Systems Understand Home Care?(28:40) How Can Home Care Generate a Profit?(31:09) Real-World Benefits of Navi Nurses(36:00) The Future of Home Health Care 

TOPICS(0:16) Intro(1:07) How Natalie Davis Got Started in Health Care(3:25) The Origins of United States of Care(8:00) Where Can We Find Common Ground in Health Care?(14:34) Where Do Policymakers Stand on Medicare for All?(19:00) Are People Paying Attention to Health Care in This Election?(21:08) Is United States of Care an Advocacy Organization?(21:54) United States of Care's Biggest Policy Wins(23:17) How AI Relates to Health Care Advocacy(25:25) How Do Patients Feel About AI?(30:57) The Current State of Value-Based Care(39:38) The Complicated Nature of Universal Health Care 

ABOUT ARIC BURKE Aric brings over eighteen years of experience in ASC consulting, development, and operations. He oversees the strategic vision, operational management, and organizational structure of Atlas, driving its profitability and strategic direction. Before founding Atlas, Aric was the West Market President for United Surgical Partners International (USPI), the leading ASC management company in the industry. In this role, he managed the development and operations across USPI’s Western markets. During his five-year tenure, Aric expanded the West Market to include over 30 ASCs and three surgical hospitals, which collectively handled more than 150,000 cases annually and generated over $450M in net revenue and $90M in EBITDA, employing over 2,500 staff. He also collaborated with major not-for-profit health systems, such as Dignity Health in Phoenix and Las Vegas, Centura Health in Denver, and Carondelet Health in Tucson, to develop their ASC networks. ABOUT ATLAS HEALTHCARE PARTNERS Founded in 2018 to add

ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDSHealth 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. ABOUT MATT PORTCHMatt Portch is a seasoned professional in the life sciences sector, currently serving as an independent consultant specializing in supporting clients within the industry. With a focus on fostering B2B relationships with Organized Customers and Payers, Matt collaborates closely with market and portfolio teams to bolster Key Account Management capabilities.Prior to his consultancy role, Matt held notable leadership positions at renowned pharmaceutical companies including Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb. His tenure in these organizations provided him with extensive experience in strategic management, business development, and enhancing operational efficiency

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 healthcare business news and policy developments. ABOUT BILL LANE Bill is ilumed’s Executive Vice President of Network Development, leading the ACO REACH’s contracted provider and beneficiary growth over 200% from 2022 to 2024. Prior to ilumed, he spent over 15 years with Humana and held leadership roles in hospital/hospital system contracting, alternative payment model creation and deployment, including the nationwide lead for Humana’s adoption of CMS’ Primary Care First model. Before Humana, Bill was with the national PPO, MultiPlan for over ten years, where he held progressively responsible network leadership roles in the southeast. Bill and his wife of 32 years, Kathy, live in south Florida, where he enjoys golf most of the time and looks forw

Topics:(2:12) Dr. Pearl’s initial experience with Chat GPT(4:17) The potential benefits of AI and medical information for patients (9:43) What makes large language models different when it comes to analyzing clinical data?(13:30) What are the potential dangers of AI in healthcare? (24:21) Use cases and current limitations of generative AI(27:22) What other use cases will generative AI bring in future state? About Health Care RoundsHealth Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for healthcare leaders who are at the forefront of healthcare delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in healthcare business news and policy developments. About Dr. Robert PearlDr. Robert Pearl, former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group (Kaiser Permanente), led a team of 12,000 physicians and 43,000 staff, overseeing healthcare for over 5 million members. Recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s influential leaders, Dr. Pearl advocates for integrate

Topics:(11:00) Pharmacy benefit management basics(15:28) Rebates and pricing benchmarks(18:34) Blue Shield of California’s pharmacy care reimagined initiative(21:25) Capturing real-world evidence to asses new medications(23:52) Transforming the pharmacy benefits industry with partnerships and alliances(29:32) Baseline drug prices and innovative contracting approaches(33:52) Shifting to a value-based model to make drug pricing more cost-effective(37:13) The need for systemic change and holistic health in the pharmacy benefit industry About Health Care RoundsHealth Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for healthcare leaders who are at the forefront of healthcare delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in healthcare business news and policy developments. About Alison LumAs Blue Shield Vice President, Pharmacy Services, Alison Lum leads the team that is transforming the Blue Shield pharmacy benefit into one that is worthy o