• A Successful Lifestyle Modification Program with former Philadelphia Eagles’ VP of Player Performance
    Feb 4 2025

    Ted Rath, former VP of Player Performance for the Philadelphia Eagles and two-time “NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year,” joins Eric to share the most effective approaches to creating a Super Bowl contender in the NFL and provide insights on goal setting, mindset shifts, and building sustainable habits. These lessons can be applied directly to your approach to lifestyle modification programs and value-based care strategies.



    About Ted

    About Ted Rath

    Ted Rath is the author of Beyond Comfort, Master a Growth Mindset with Excellence through Urgency and the former Vice President of Player Performance for the Philadelphia Eagles.

    He has two decades of experience working with athletes, almost all of them in the NFL …his resume beyond the Eagles job includes the LA Rams, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and his alma mater, the University of Toledo.

    Rath was voted “NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year” not once but twice and was elected as the inaugural President to represent the Professional Football Performance Coaches Association (PFPCA) in early 2023. Before Detroit, Rath was an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at The University of Toledo, where he directed the strength and conditioning programs for all fifteen of the school’s Olympic sports.

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    59 mins
  • Innovations in Senior Care & Value-Based Models with InnovAge’s Richard Feifer, MD
    Jan 28 2025

    Richard Feifer, MD, Chief Medical Officer of InnovAge, joins Eric to explore the transformative potential of the PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) model. Richard shares compelling stories and strategies showcasing how PACE integrates medical, physical, social, and emotional care to improve outcomes for seniors and individuals with complex needs.

    Listeners will gain insights into:

    • The unique interdisciplinary care team (IDT) approach and how it delivers personalized, efficient care.

    • Innovations in reducing hospitalizations and shifting care to home-based settings.

    • Lessons on advanced care planning and end-of-life support that prioritize patient goals.
      Operational strategies for managing costs while maintaining exceptional patient experiences.

    Richard explores the economic and practical sustainability of the PACE model, providing actionable insights for healthcare leaders aiming to replicate its success.

    Link to DC Bipartisan Report on PACE mentioned in podcast: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/press-release/improving-access-to-and-enrollment-in-programs-of-all-inclusive-care-for-the-elderly-pace/

    About Richard

    As a physician executive with broad healthcare industry experience, Dr. Richard Feifer helps organizations achieve their fullest potential in an ever-changing environment. Rich is a board-certified internist with clinical experience in primary care, geriatrics, and urgent care medicine. As a health system leader, he has also developed expertise in population health management, value-based payment models, clinical analytics, and technology-driven healthcare transformation.

    Rich has dedicated his career to improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare and the health of populations he has served. Most recently, as executive vice president and chief medical officer of Genesis HealthCare, he led one of the nation's largest skilled nursing and long-term care providers, operating over 400 facilities in 25 states in 2019. As president of Genesis Physician Services, a Genesis subsidiary with over 450 physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in 2019, he navigated the successful transition to value-based care delivery. In that capacity, he also launched and served as chief medical officer of the only national accountable care organization focused on nursing home residents, LTC ACO.

    Prior to joining Genesis, Rich was Aetna’s chief medical officer of National Accounts, leading the department of Clinical Consulting, Strategy, and Analysis, which helped large employers improve the health and productivity of their employees and dependents. Before Aetna, Rich served as vice president of Clinical Program Innovation and Evaluation at Medco, where he was responsible for the organization’s portfolio of care enhancement programs.

    A graduate of Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Rich received his master’s in health services management from Columbia University. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Connecticut and a board member of the Accreditation Commission on Health Care.

    About InnovAge

    Our passion and mission is to help frail seniors age in their own homes with dignity. InnovAge has done this through PACE for more than 30 years.

    As the largest provider of the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) based on participants served, InnovAge is dedicated to expanding this successful program to serve as many seniors as possible nationwide. In some communities, like Philadelphia, PACE is known as Living Independence for the Elderly.

    With InnovAge's Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), older individuals have a team of healthcare professionals focused on providing all the connected care they need. This helps seniors live at home for as long as possible, instead of going to a nursing home or other care facility.

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    54 mins
  • Where AI is Currently Saving Healthcare – the Clinic
    Jan 21 2025

    Kenneth Harper, VP & GM of Dragon at Microsoft, joins Eric to discuss how health systems are deploying AI to help busy clinicians. He explains how Microsoft’s AI tool, DAX Copilot, improves access to care by streamlining administrative tasks and lightening clinicians' documentation workloads. Ken shares several examples of health systems successfully using the tool with positive results. The conversation also covers overcoming implementation challenges, including clinician adoption and the future of AI in healthcare.

    About Kenn

    Kenn Harper has been working in the conversational AI industry for 15+ years, helping to shape virtual assistant solutions across mobile phones, TV’s, cars, wearables, robotics, and most recently healthcare systems. He is currently responsible for running the Healthcare Virtual Assistant business at Dragon, a divisionof Microsoft ( formerly Nuance), which leverages an advanced suite of technologies combined with purpose-built hardware to streamline interactions with the EHR and creation of clinical documentation, allowing physicians to remain 100% focused on the patient without technology getting in the way. Kenn holds a B.S. in human factors engineering from Cornell University and a M.S. in human factors from Bentley University

    About DAX Copilot

    Serving as an AI assistant for automated clinical documentation, the Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot solution enables physicians to do more with less and improve clinical efficiency, physician and patient satisfaction and financial outcomes. Amplified by the power and scale of the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, it combines Nuance’s proven conversational and ambient AI with the newest and most capable generative AI model.

    Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures

    Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized peer events, and sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot and cloning it is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime.

    Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

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    35 mins
  • Driving Digital Healthcare Innovation
    Jan 14 2025

    Michael Serbinis, CEO and Founder of League, sits down with Eric to for a compelling discussion on how digital innovation is reshaping healthcare.

    Discover how League’s platform empowers health plans like Highmark to deliver personalized, data-driven experiences that simplify navigation, improve engagement, and enhance member satisfaction. Mike shares fascinating insights on:

    • The power of a unified digital front door for healthcare consumers

    • Real-world examples of how League amplifies care access and reduces costs

    • The role of personalization in creating Amazon-like experiences for healthcare

    Mike also reflects on lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, including his time working with Elon Musk and how it inspired his vision to transform healthcare.

    Listen in for actionable strategies on leveraging technology to meet evolving consumer expectations and drive better outcomes.

    About Mike

    Michael Serbinis founded League in 2014. League accelerates the digital transformation of the healthcare consumer experience (CX). Serbinis has led the company since its inception, raising over $235 million in funding and driving exponential growth as League powers healthcare’s biggest brands.

    Mike has had a long and distinguished career as a serial entrepreneur, rocket scientist, engineer and investor. Most recently, Serbinis was the founder and CEO of Kobo, a digital reading company that rivals Amazon’s Kindle worldwide. Before that, he founded cloud storage pioneer DocSpace and then built Critical Path, a messaging service that handled one-third of the world’s email. Serbinis is also Chair of the Board of Directors for the Perimeter Institute, the world’s leading center for scientific research in theoretical physics.

    Now, as the CEO of League, Serbinis is focused on healthcare transformation. Payers, providers and pharmacy retailers build on the League platform to accelerate digital transformation and deliver high-engagement, personalized digital experiences. Millions worldwide use and love solutions powered by League to access, navigate and pay for care.

    About League

    Founded in 2014, League is the leading healthcare consumer experience platform, reaching more than 20 million people around the world and delivering the highest level of personalization in the industry. Payers, providers, and consumer health partners build on League’s platform to deliver high-engagement healthcare solutions that improve health outcomes. To date, League has raised $235 million in venture capital funding, powering the digital experiences for some of healthcare’s most trusted brands, including Highmark Health, Manulife, Medibank, and Shoppers Drug Mart.

    Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures

    Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized peer events, and sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot and cloning it is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime.

    Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

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    58 mins
  • Exploring Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies with the VA's Dr. Shereef Elnahal
    Jan 7 2025
    Shereef Elnahal, MD, MBA Under Secretary for Health at the Department of Veterans Affairs, joins Eric to discuss the transformative potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans. The conversation explores the VA's groundbreaking initiatives, including their funding of studies on MDMA and psilocybin, and how these therapies address conditions like PTSD, depression, and addiction. Dr. Elnahal highlights the VA's role as a leader in mental health research and shares a vision for how these breakthrough therapies could revolutionize care for millions. Learn how veterans themselves have driven this agenda, the promising outcomes from early studies, and the significant hurdles in bringing these therapies to scale. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of mental health treatment for veterans and how the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies could revolutionize care and improve the quality of life for those who have served. About Dr. Elnahal Dr. Shereef Elnahal is Under Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 21, 2022. As the Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Elnahal directs a health care system with an annual budget of approximately $102.2 billion, overseeing the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled Veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at over 1,300 health care facilities, including 171 VA Medical Centers and 1,120 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics). VHA is the nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research. More than 73,000 active volunteers, 127,000 health professions trainees, and more than 362,000 health care professionals and support staff are an integral part of the VHA community. Dr. Elnahal is physician leader who previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of University Hospital in Newark, NJ from 2019 through 2022. Dr. Elnahal led University Hospital through the COVID-19 public health emergency. The hospital has served as a model for urban hospital and regional response efforts. In addition to his leadership during the pandemic, Dr. Elnahal oversaw substantial improvements in care quality and patient safety at University Hospital, leading to improvements against national benchmarks. Prior to his time at University Hospital, Elnahal served as New Jersey’s 21st Health Commissioner, appointed to the Cabinet post by Governor Phil Murphy and confirmed unanimously by the New Jersey Senate. During his nearly two years as Commissioner, he expanded the New Jersey Health Information Network, an interoperability platform that allows for electronic exchange of patient health information among healthcare providers. He worked closely with New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy on her Nurture NJ campaign to help improve infant and maternal health outcomes and reduce health disparities—a mission he continued at University Hospital, with its top tier maternal health services. He also made strides in curbing the opioid epidemic, granting funding to institutions to facilitate data sharing and public health reporting, and marked NJ as the first state in the nation to allow EMS responders to use buprenorphine in the field to prevent withdrawal after naloxone. Dr. Elnahal previously served as VA’s Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Quality, Safety, and Value from 2016 through 2018, overseeing national policies around quality of care for the VHA, and as a White House Fellow in the VA from 2015-16. During that time, he co-founded the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, a program that continues to foster the spread of innovation and best practices that improve Veteran care across the nation. Dr. Elnahal holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and an M.B.A. with Distinction from Harvard Business School. Press Release from VA New research would determine the benefit of psychedelics for treating PTSD and depression in Veterans: https://news.va.gov/press-room/to-improve-care-for-veterans-va-to-fund-studies-on-new-therapies-for-treating-mental-health-conditions/ VA Health: https://www.va.gov/health-care/ VA Mental Health Resources: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized peer events, and sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot and cloning it is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime. Visit our website at ...
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    46 mins
  • How AI is Reshaping Healthcare - An Interview with NVIDIA’s Vega Shah
    Dec 24 2024

    Vega Shah, PhD, Product Marketing Manager Lead for Healthcare & Life Sciences, NVIDIA, joins Eric to explore the evolution of generative AI in healthcare and how harnessing the technology will transform the future of patient care. Vega delves into the cutting-edge ways NVIDIA’s AI tools are enhancing clinician-patient relationships and optimizing the healthcare experience for everyone.

    Get real-world examples of AI in action, insights into overcoming common challenges, and strategies for implementing AI effectively in healthcare organizations. This episode is packed with valuable takeaways for anyone looking to understand the transformative potential of AI in reshaping patient care.

    Don’t miss it!

    This episode was recorded live on October 22, 2024 at HLTH 2024 in Las Vegas.

    About Vega

    Vega leads go-to-market strategies for Healthcare & Life Sciences Solutions at NVIDIA, collaborating with a diverse range of partners including cloud service providers, biotech, and digital health companies. Her expertise in biotech software stems from her previous role as a product manager at Dotmatics, where she developed cloud-based tools for research analytics. Her career trajectory also includes shaping product strategies for drug discovery at Benchling, a prominent lab data management company. Outside of her professional life, Vega is passionate about building scientific communities in the Bay Area. She is founder of Techbio Transformers - a community of operators working at the intersection of biology and AI.

    About NVIDIA

    NVIDIA’s invention of the GPU sparked the PC gaming market. The company’s pioneering work in accelerated computing—a supercharged form of computing at the intersection of computer graphics, high-performance computing, and AI—is reshaping trillion-dollar industries like healthcare and fueling the growth of many others. NVIDIA Clara – a healthcare application framework for imaging, genomics, smart hospitals, and drug discovery – is accelerating the journey to precision medicine.

    About NVIDIA Healthcare & Life Sciences Solutions

    To meet the need for personalized medicine, next-generation clinics, enhanced quality of care, and biomedical breakthroughs to treat disease, the healthcare industry has to embrace new computing capabilities. With NVIDIA, institutions can harness the power of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) to define the future of medicine.

    NVIDIA Healthcare & Life Sciences: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/industries/healthcare-life-sciences/

    Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures

    Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized, peer events along with sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot, and cloning it, is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime.

    Visit our webiste: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

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    21 mins
  • A Conversation with Highmark Leaders - Innovations in Digital and Hybrid Care
    Dec 17 2024

    Doug Henry, PhD, Vice President and Medical Director of Enterprise Behavioral Health at Highmark Health, and Mari Vandenburgh, Vice President of Health Programs and Solutions at Highmark Health, join Eric to share Highmark’s innovative approaches to transforming care delivery through digital and hybrid solutions.

    Topics include:

    • Post-Acute Care Innovations: AHN At-Home Care program’s multidisciplinary approach integrates mental health support to reduce readmissions and save $600 PMPM in total care costs.

    • Addressing Network and Access Gaps: Highmark’s strategic initiatives to expand access through geo-analysis, virtual-first strategies, and enhanced provider partnerships.

    • Virtual Mental Health: A closer look at Highmark’s partnership with Spring Health to provide personalized, outcome-driven mental health care, achieving symptom remission in six weeks or less for 70% of patients with moderate to severe conditions.

    • Living Health Strategy: Leveraging personalized nudges and integrated digital platforms to boost member engagement, with 79% receiving their first mental health care through the program.

    • Innovation for Loneliness and Beyond: Doug shares groundbreaking grant projects, such as using technology and social prescriptions to address loneliness and improve senior care outcomes.

    This episode is packed with actionable insights for health plans seeking to close access gaps, enhance member experience, and drive measurable outcomes in mental health and beyond.

    Tune in to learn from Highmark’s bright spots and discover strategies to replicate their success.

    About Doug and Mari

    • Doug is a clinical psychologist licensed in Pennsylvania and California and brings over 20 years of experience in professional applied psychology, including inpatient, outpatient, and administrative assignments. Attracted by the integrated payer-provider model and emphasis on patient-centered treatment, he joined the Allegheny Health Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Institute in 2017 as vice president. In addition to his role at the enterprise, he continues to serve as a leadership dyad for the Institute.

    Before joining AHN, Dr. Henry served as clinical administrator at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic for UPMC Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services, the UPMC Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders, and the UPMC Center for Eating Disorders.

    • Mari is responsible for identifying and managing best-in-class healthcare solutions to improve Quadruple Aim outcomes related to chronic and episodic clinical conditions and validating multi-year business case value drivers and ROI. She has been with Highmark in various roles since 2005. Mari has a Bachelor of Science from Duquesne and a Master of Health Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

    About Highmark Health

    Highmark Health is a $27 billion national, blended health organization with one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network. Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., Highmark Health’s 44,000 employees serve millions of customers nationwide through the nonprofit organization’s affiliated businesses, including Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, HM Insurance Group, United Concordia Dental, enGen, and Helion.

    We’d love to hear from you!

    Send your comments, suggestions and ideas to hello@brightspotsinhealthcare.com

    Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures.

    Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized, peer events along with sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot, and cloning it, is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime.

    Visit our website to learn more about the show!

    www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

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    55 mins
  • Responsible GLP-1 Strategies: Structuring Benefits for Economic Viability and Proven Member Results
    Dec 10 2024

    Leaders from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, CVS Caremark, Independent Health and Vori Health explore how healthcare leaders tackle members’ weight management challenges by creating comprehensive programs that responsibly integrate GLP-1 medications while controlling costs.

    Key Discussion Topics:

    • Benefit Design and Prior Authorization Programs: Crafting strategies to balance access and affordability.

    • Integrated, Whole-Person Care: Addressing weight management holistically to improve outcomes.

    • Leveraging Bright Spots: Applying successful approaches from other areas to optimize GLP-1 management.

    • Future Innovations: Exploring emerging opportunities to enhance weight management programs.

    Panel:

    Ryan A. Grant, MD, MS, MBA, FAANS, CEO and Co-Founder, Vori Health

    Martin Burruano, Vice President, Pharmacy Services, Independent Health

    Mark T. Jansen, M.D., Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield

    Ilona Smith, SVP of Employer, Government and Coalitions, CVS Caremark

    Bios: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/events/responsible-glp-1-strategies-structuring-benefits-for-economic-viability-and-proven-member-results



    Request Whitepaper

    To request the whitepaper, Integrating GLP-1s into the Future of MSK Care, from our partner Vori, please submit this form: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/request-a-copy-of-the-integrating-glp-1s-into-the-future-of-msk-care/

    Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures

    Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized, peer events along with sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot, and cloning it, is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime.

    Visit our website: www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

    We’d love to hear from you!

    Send your comments, suggestions and ideas to hello@brightspotsinhealthcare.com

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    1 hr and 1 min