Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Chief Medical Officer for Aetna Medicaid, discusses a new collaboration with National Association of Community Health Centers to improve hypertension control in underserved communities. She shares how data, community partnerships, and addressing social drivers of health can help reduce disparities, prevent chronic disease complications, and improve outcomes for Medicaid members.

In this episode, Karen J. McConnell, PharmD, MBA, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Michigan Medicine, discusses building a unified pharmacy strategy across multiple campuses, launching a systemwide pharmacy and therapeutics committee, and expanding specialty and ambulatory pharmacy services. She also shares how pharmacy leaders are preparing for rapid industry changes, drug pricing policy shifts, and the growing pipeline of complex therapies.

Harpreet Pall, MD, MBA, CPE, Chief Medical Officer at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, discusses efforts to reduce clinical variation and strengthen multidisciplinary care coordination. He also shares leadership strategies for improving patient flow, quality, and team engagement across complex health systems.

In this episode, William Scott Hurst, MBA, FACHE, CEO and President of PPNHCo Patient Physician Network Holding Co., L.L.C., shares how his 600 provider IPA is confronting payer disparities, scaling operations, and launching a multiple employer welfare arrangement to lower costs for practices and employers. He discusses the future of independent medicine, the need for operational alignment, and why thoughtful leadership must guide AI adoption in healthcare.

In this episode, JohnRich Levine, CNO of Reeves Regional Health, shares how Reeves Regional is strengthening rural nursing through leadership visibility, cross-training, and structured onboarding. He discusses the importance of culture, operational efficiency, and flexible staffing to retain talent and provide high-quality care in a small hospital setting.