Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast

Hosted by Coleman Associates

Business Science Health

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Aug 2026

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About the show

This is the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast. A Podcast designed to challenge the way you think about how healthcare is delivered. We explore practical solutions and hear about how out of reach results are obtained.

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60 recent

August 12, 2026Episode 7854 min

#78: Quality-Flavored Kool-Aid

What if the biggest indicator of quality care isn't just what happens in the exam room—but how quickly patients can get there?In this episode of the Coleman Podcast entitled Quality-Flavored Kool-Aid (you'll find out why!) Megan DeMaagd-Rodriguez, Nurse Practitioner, draws from her experience at a Michigan Federally Qualified Health Center. Megan explains why meeting patients where they are, caring for them when they need you—not weeks or months later—and removing barriers to care leads to better outcomes, stronger patient relationships, and greater trust.If you've ever wondered how improving access can transform quality, strengthen patient loyalty, and reshape the way your team delivers care, this episode is for you. Megan goes beyond the "why" to share the "how," offering practical insights into the workflows, teamwork, and mindset shifts that helped her team at Catherine's create timely access that truly meets patients where they are.Because quality isn't just about what happens during the visit; it's about making sure the visit happens when it matters most.Books Mentioned in this Episode:Mastering Leadership the Coleman Way by Melissa StratmanGuest: Megan DeMaagd-Rodriquez, NP Host: Amanda LaramieThanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

August 5, 2026Episode 7742 min

#77: If You Are Always Putting Out Fires, You May Be An Arsonist…

If You're Always Putting Out Fires, You May Be An Arsonist...Why do some leaders spend every day reacting to crises while others seem to create calm, capable teams?In this episode, Amanda sits down with Coleman Associates CEO Melissa Stratman to unpack the provocative idea behind the title: many of the fires leaders are constantly extinguishing are unintentionally of their own making. Drawing from the new Coleman book, Mastering Leadership: The Coleman Way, Melissa shares lessons distilled from more than 30 years of coaching healthcare executives, developing leaders, and helping organizations build cultures where people—and performance—thrive.Together, they explore why leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about becoming more intentional, examining the stories we tell ourselves, taking ownership of our reactions, asking better questions, and building the habits that prevent tomorrow's fires instead of simply putting out today's.Whether you lead an organization, a clinic, a department, or a small team, this conversation will challenge the way you think about leadership—and leave you with practical ideas you can apply immediately to become less reactive and more intentional every day.Books Mentioned in this Episode:Mastering Leadership: The Coleman Way — Melissa Stratman, Amanda Laramie & Adrienne MannReality-Based Leadership — Cy WakemanEmotional Intelligence — Daniel GolemanThe Reengineering Revolution — Michael HammerStrong Ground — Brené BrownUnreasonable Hospitality — Will GuidaraGuest: Melissa StratmanHost: Amanda LaramieThanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

July 22, 2026Episode 7659 min

#76: First Team First

What happens when leaders stop leading from silos and start leading as a true first team? The First Team is defined by Patrick Lencioni in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team as the team you prioritize over the team you manage. In this episode, Amanda sits down with the leadership team from Catherine's Health Center to explore how intentionally investing in trust, vulnerability, and shared accountability transformed the way they work together. Rather than operating as individual department leaders, they've built a culture where the executive team puts the success of the organization ahead of their individual department's priorities—creating stronger relationships, better decisions, and a healthier workplace for everyone.Together, they discuss the practical habits that have strengthened their leadership team, the challenges they've overcome, and why building a "first team" is foundational to organizational excellence. Whether you're leading a health center, a department, or any mission-driven organization, this conversation offers practical insights into creating a leadership culture where collaboration isn't just encouraged—it's expected.Books Mentioned in This EpisodeMastering Leadership the Coleman Way by Melissa StratmanWhat the Heck is EOS? by Gino Wickman & Tom Bouwer (EOS®)Creativity, Inc. by Ed CatmullThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniStrong Ground by Brené BrownGuests:Megan Erskine, CEOSara Brooks, COODustin Maynes, CFOMark Contreras, CMOHost: Amanda LaramieThanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

July 8, 2026Episode 7539 min

#75: The Self-Reflective CEO

What does it take to grow an organization by more than 25% during one of the most challenging periods in healthcare?In this episode of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast, Amanda Laramie talks with Eloisa Perard, CEO of Gracelight Community Health, about the leadership journey behind Gracelight's remarkable growth. Rather than focusing on expansion alone, Eloisa shares how investing in leaders, embracing accountability, and creating a culture of healthy conflict laid the foundation for lasting success.Eloisa discusses moving beyond what author Patrick Lencioni calls "artificial harmony" to build greater trust, candor, and collaboration across her leadership team.She also offers an honest look at her own evolution as a CEO, sharing lessons on self-reflection, resilience, and the importance of caring for yourself while leading others.Whether you're leading a team, an organization, or your own leadership journey, this episode is filled with practical insights on how investing in people drives sustainable growth.Book Referenced in the Episode: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniThroughout the episode, Eloisa references Patrick Lencioni's concept of artificial harmony—the tendency for teams to avoid difficult conversations in the name of maintaining peace. Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team explores how healthy teams embrace constructive conflict as an essential step toward stronger commitment, accountability, and results. It's an excellent resource for leaders looking to build more effective executive teams and create cultures where honest dialogue strengthens relationships rather than threatens them.If you're interested in developing stronger leaders, building healthier organizational cultures, or creating operational excellence in community health, learn more about Coleman Associates' leadership development programs, including High Impact Management Program (HIMP™). Coleman's own book on leadership is called "Mastering Leadership the Coleman Way" by Melissa Stratman. Guest: Eloisa Perard, MSHost: Amanda LaramieThanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

June 24, 202651 min

#74: Integration: Impossible?

In this episode of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast, Amanda Laramie sits down with four leaders from Cherry Health in Michigan to discuss their organization's journey toward truly integrated, whole-person care.What started as an effort to better connect medical and behavioral health services evolved into a broader transformation of workflows, culture, patient access, and team-based care. Cherry Health shares how they redesigned operations, embedded behavioral health consultants, community health workers, nurse care managers, and other team members into primary care workflows, and created a more coordinated approach to serving patients.The results have been significant. Listen for their No-Show rate reduction improvement, how they organically improved their patients per hour as a result of lower No-Shows, how they expanded integrated care to offer patients more services during one visit, and how that impacted their quality and financial stability too. Throughout the conversation, the Cherry Health team discusses both the operational and cultural changes required to make integration successful, including redesigning workflows, clarifying team roles, creating accountability systems, and moving away from a permission-based culture toward one focused on finding ways to meet patient needs.Guests:Bill Joure, Chief Operating OfficerJulee Geib, Director of Practice OperationsCynthia Wagenhofer, Chief Financial OfficerAnna Gerard, Director of Behavioral HealthHost: Amanda Laramie Resources Mentioned:The 4 Disciplines of ExecutionBill Joure references The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling. The book's concepts around focusing on lead measures, creating visible scoreboards, and establishing a cadence of accountability influenced Cherry Health's approach to performance management and operational improvement.Learn more: https://www.4dxbook.comMastering Leadership the Coleman Way by Melissa Stratman Thanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

June 10, 202644 min

#73: Opening the Door to Capacity: The Tactical Nurse Story

What happens when nurses are empowered to practice at the top of their license? In this episode, Amanda sits down with Maria Durazo, RN and Isabelle Lunsford, RN, PHN, MSN, of Open Door Community Health Centers in CA, to discuss how they transformed the nursing role to improve access, support providers, and strengthen patient care in a highly rural environment. Learn how Open Door built a Tactical Nursing model, developed nurse-led flip visits, created career pathways for nurses, and more than doubled the number of patients served through nurse visits through innovative nursing workflows.Whether you're a clinical leader, nurse manager, or healthcare executive, this episode offers practical lessons on change management, workforce development, and maximizing the impact of your nursing team.Guests: Maria Durazo, RN, and Isabelle Lunsford, RN, PHN, MSNHost: Amanda LaramieThanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

May 27, 2026Episode 7227 min

#72: Part 2: Why Mattering Changes Everything with Zach Mercurio

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Amanda Laramie sits down with leadership researcher and author Zach Mercurio, PhD, to explore how leaders can create workplaces where people truly feel seen, valued, and connected.Zach shares practical, everyday ways leaders can apply the principles of mattering — not through grand gestures, but through intentional interactions that build trust, belonging, and purpose within teams.Together, they discuss how meaningful leadership impacts engagement, retention, resilience, and organizational culture.Whether you lead a team, support patients, manage operations, or influence workplace culture, this episode offers actionable insights you can immediately apply to strengthen relationships and help people thrive personally and professionally.Zach Mercurio is an author, researcher, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, meaningful work, and mattering. His work focuses on helping organizations create cultures where people feel valued and connected so they can thrive personally and professionally.In This Episode:What “mattering” really means in leadershipWhy small moments of acknowledgment have a lasting impactPractical ways leaders can help employees feel valuedHow connection influences performance and well-beingBuilding cultures where people thriveGuest: Zach MercurioHost: Amanda LaramieThanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

May 13, 2026Episode 7134 min

#71: The Power of Mattering at Work with Zach Mercurio

What makes people feel valued at work? Why do some teams thrive even under pressure, while others struggle with burnout, disengagement, and turnover?In Part 1 of this episode of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast, Amanda sits down with author, researcher, and speaker Zach Mercurio to explore one of the most important — and often overlooked — drivers of workplace performance and wellbeing: mattering.Zach Mercurio, author of The Power of Mattering, shares the research behind why people need to feel seen, valued, and essential to do their best work. Together, Amanda and Zach unpack how leaders shape culture through everyday interactions — especially in fast-paced healthcare environments where stress, overwhelm, and constant demands can easily crowd out meaningful connection.This conversation dives into:What “mattering” actually means in the workplaceWhy feeling valued impacts engagement, retention, and performanceHow leaders unintentionally create disconnectionThe difference between recognition and truly helping people feel seenHow healthcare leaders can lead with greater intention during difficult seasonsWhether you’re leading a clinic, managing a frontline team, or simply trying to create a healthier work culture, this episode offers practical insights and powerful reminders about the human side of leadership.Zach Mercurio, PhD, is an author, researcher, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, meaningful work, and mattering. His work focuses on helping organizations create cultures where people feel valued and connected so they can thrive personally and professionally.And don’t miss Part 2 of this conversation up next, where Zach shares practical ways leaders can apply the principles of mattering in everyday interactions with their teams.Guest: Amanda LaramieHost: Zach Mecurio Thanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

May 6, 2026Episode 7024 min

#70: The Little Clinic That Could (and Did) in the Southeast

What’s possible in the first few weeks of true transformation work? This episode answers that question with clarity—and proof.In this episode of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast, Amanda sits down with a powerhouse frontline team from a rural clinic in North Carolina that is already seeing remarkable results through the DPI™ (Dramatic Performance Improvement) Collaborative. In just two months, this small but mighty team has: Reduced No-Show rates consistently for 7 straight weeks Increased productivity by 27% at the time this was recorded. Since then, the average increase is 33% from baseline. Decreased cycle times overall by over 25%And they’re just getting started.You’ll hear directly from the people doing the work every day—provider Ashley, nurse Maddie (Madison), PSR Vanessa, and Peer Support Specialist Hannah, alongside Coleman coach Gabriel DelMuro. Together, they share what it really takes to turn intention into action, and action into measurable results.This episode pulls back the curtain on: What the early days of DPI™ actually look like on the ground The specific challenges this team faced—and how they pushed through them How aligning roles across the care team unlocks rapid improvement The unexpected wins that come from doing this work the right way Most importantly, this conversation highlights a powerful truth: you don’t have to wait months—or years—to see meaningful change.Whether you’re a frontline team member actively in DPI™ or a leader wondering what’s possible in your own organization—especially in rural settings—this episode offers both inspiration and practical takeaways you can act on immediately.Host: Amanda LaramieGuests: Ashley, Maddie, Vanessa, Hannah, and Coleman Coach, Gabriel DelMuro Thanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube

April 30, 2026Episode 6945 min

#69: From Open Slots to Optimized Capacity in LA

What does it really take to turn empty appointment slots into a high-performing, fully utilized schedule—and keep it that way?In this episode, Amanda sits down with three leaders from MLK Community Healthcare, a hospital-based primary care system in South Los Angeles. Five months after they graduated from the DPI™ Collaborative, they share how they didn’t just improve access—they fundamentally transformed how their system meets the demand of their patient community.The results speak for themselves: cycle times reduced by 31% (from 73 to 50 minutes), productivity increased by 16%, No-Shows dropped from 22% to 15%, and chart completion soared from 53% to 88%. But the real story? Capacity utilization—starting at 66% and climbing as high as 96%—unlocking access without adding more resources.Now, five months post-graduation, they’re sustaining those gains and continuing to build.If you’re still struggling with access issues despite having open appointments, this episode will challenge how you think about capacity—and what’s truly possible.Host: Amanda LaramieGuests: Chad Vargas, Nyree Ramos, & Julie Castillo Book shoutouts in this episode: Mastering Leadership, the Coleman Way High Impact Management Program™ by Melissa Stratman. Thanks for listening! Check us out on: FacebookInstagramLinkedInOur WebsiteTikTokTwitterYouTube