Modern Healthcare's Healthcare Insider Podcast

Behind the Medicine: Why Pharmaceutical Distribution Matters

Gene Cavacini, president of U.S. Pharmaceutical Distribution at McKesson, is a diversified healthcare services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients everywhere. In his role, Gene oversees distribution and customer service operations in the United States, supporting McKesson's customer and channel partnerships across manufacturers and providers, leading more than 7,500 employees tasked with delivering one-third of America's medicines. In this episode of Healthcare Insider , we explore how distributors drive greater agility across the healthcare ecosystem, supporting access to emerging therapies and essential medicines for patients and communities across the country. You'll learn why the distributor's role is becoming increasingly critical to the future of healthcare.

Cancer care is advancing. Can access keep pace?

In this episode of Healthcare Insider , Sarah Loeffler of the Modern Healthcare Content Studio speaks with Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope , about the forces reshaping cancer care—and why expanding access to specialized expertise may be just as important as developing the next breakthrough. Stone shares his perspective on how health systems can turn data and AI into better care, respond as treatments become more personalized and complex, and rethink collaboration to bring advanced cancer expertise to patients beyond the walls of major cancer centers. Listen now for insights on the future of cancer care and the strategic decisions healthcare leaders face as science, technology and patient needs continue to evolve. Featured guest: Robert Stone, Chief Executive Officer, City of Hope

How to Get More From Existing Healthcare Infrastructure

Aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance and poorly coordinated capital projects can create bottlenecks that affect everything from patient flow to an organization's ability to grow. Yet building something new isn't always the answer. In this Healthcare Insider podcast, Gordian's Mark Kenneday shares his best advice for being more strategic with facility planning. Drawing on 40 years in healthcare facilities leadership, Kenneday explains: Ways addressing a bottleneck in one department can simply move the problem downstream How leaders can better connect capital planning to service-line strategy Why deferred maintenance should be viewed through the lens of operational risk—not just facility condition Kenneday also shares a striking example from his own career: a $2 million flood-mitigation investment that helped keep one Texas hospital operational when Tropical Storm Allison struck just 13 days after the project went into use. Listen to learn how healthcare leaders can better prioritize facility investments, protect continuity of care and get more value from the buildings they already have.

Beyond the Win Rate: Rethinking How IDR Actually Works

The No Surprises Act's independent dispute resolution process has become a costly and complex operational challenge, and the arbitration win rate tells only part of the story. For health plans, the bigger question may be what happens before a dispute ever reaches a final determination. As IDR requirements evolve, documentation, eligibility decisions and day-to-day workflows can have significant implications for how efficiently disputes move through the process. In this episode of Healthcare Insider , host Sarah Loeffler talks with Maisie Weir, VP of Strategic Solutions at Zelis, about what payers should be watching as the IDR landscape changes and ways reducing administrative friction could benefit both sides of the payer-provider relationship. They'll also discuss implications of new Zelis-commissioned research. Listen to hear what a more effective approach to IDR could look like and where technology, process improvements and human expertise fit into the equation.

Accessibility in Ambulatory Care: Preparing for New Compliance Enforcement

In this episode of Healthcare Insider with Modern Healthcare 's Content Studio, host Sarah Loeffler speaks with August Boehnlein of Midmark Corporation about the latest accessibility requirements hitting ambulatory care organizations, what healthcare leaders should know about compliance with the 2017 U.S. Access Board standards and 2024 updates, and how providers can prepare for enforcement. You'll learn: Why accessibility is becoming a strategic priority in ambulatory care The key requirements of the U.S. Access Board's medical diagnostic equipment standards What 2024's updates mean for equipment purchasing and future compliance How organizations can assess current equipment and build a practical compliance roadmap Why improving accessibility can enhance both regulatory readiness and the patient experience As accessibility standards continue to evolve, healthcare organizations have an opportunity to plan ahead, improve care delivery and make informed investments that support both compliance and patient-centered care.

Beyond the Budget: A Smarter Approach to Funding Healthcare Infrastructure

Lessons From the Front Lines of Military and Veterans' Healthcare

Military and veterans' health systems operate in some of the most complex, high-demand environments in healthcare. Their experience managing limited resources, coordinating care across large populations and adopting new technologies offers valuable lessons for health systems nationwide. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Modern Healthcare Content Studio host Shannon Mortland speaks with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Telita Crosland, MD, MPH, MS, former director of the Defense Health Agency, and The Honorable David J. Shulkin, MD, former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The conversation explores how government-driven innovation, operational discipline and emerging care models can help healthcare leaders improve access, strengthen coordination and address challenges such as fragmented care and delayed diagnosis.

The Next Phase of Value-Based Care: Policy, Tech & What Comes Next

Value-based care continues to evolve as healthcare organizations balance new policy priorities, growing technology capabilities and the realities of delivering coordinated, patient-centered care. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, host Shannon Mortland sits down with Dan Brillman, deputy administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and director of the Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services (CMCS), and Dr. Rob Bessler, CEO of Honest Health, for a timely discussion on what's driving the next generation of value-based care. Drawing on experience from both the public and private sectors, Brillman and Bessler explore how CMS is shaping policies that support coordinated care, the role of technology and data connectivity in improving outcomes, and the practical challenges health systems and physicians face as they transition to increasingly sophisticated value-based care models. The conversation also examines how organizations can simplify risk for clinicians, invest strategically in infrastructure and prepare for the future of healthcare transformation.

Protecting Healthcare Payments: New Strategies to Reduce Fraud Risk

In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Sarah Loeffler, host with Modern Healthcare 's Content Studio, speaks with Yusuf Qasim, President of Payments Optimization at Zelis, about how health plans can strengthen payment security without sacrificing speed. Drawing on insights from one of the nation's largest payer and provider payment networks, the conversation explores why traditional fraud strategies are no longer enough and what leading organizations are doing differently. You'll Learn: Why fraud prevention must extend beyond claims integrity into the payment lifecycle. How fraudsters exploit gaps between claims review and payment execution. The role of real-time intelligence, provider validation and network-wide data in identifying payment risk. How health plans can accelerate digital payments while maintaining strong security controls. Practical strategies for building a more proactive, scalable approach to payment integrity.

Advancing cancer care through foundational research and immunotherapy

Breakthroughs in cancer care often begin long before a therapy reaches patients. Foundational research into disease biology, cellular mechanisms and immune system function continues to drive innovations that are transforming how cancer is understood and treated. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Shannon Mortland sits down with Dr. Siddharth Balachandran, PhD, of Temple Health's Fox Chase Cancer Center, to discuss the scientific discoveries helping fuel the future of cancer immunotherapy. The conversation explores how research into influenza viruses and cell death pathways contributed to advances in immunology, why foundational science remains critical to clinical innovation, and how today's laboratory discoveries are informing tomorrow's cancer treatments. What You'll Learn How foundational research helps drive breakthroughs in cancer care The connection between influenza research and advances in immunology Why basic science remains essential to developing new therapies How immune system discoveries are influencing cancer immunotherapy The role of translational research in bringing innovations from the lab to patients What emerging research may mean for the future of cancer treatment and clinical trials