Becker’s Healthcare - Clinical Leadership Podcast

This episode features Marwan G. Fakih, MD - Medical Oncologist, Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, Deputy Director, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division Chief, GI Medical Oncology, Co-director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at City of Hope. Here he shares his thoughts around potentially screening younger patients, due higher rates of colon cancer. He also discusses the importance of educating patients to not overlook potential symptoms, clinical trials, and more.

In this episode, Meena Bansal, MD, FAASLD - System Chief, Division of Liver Diseases Director, MASH/NASH Center of Excellence, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses newly approved therapies for MASH and the growing impact of GLP-1 medications. She also shares insights on personalized treatment, early intervention, and the future of liver disease care.

In this episode, Rebecca Baute, BSN, RN, Chief Nurse Executive of Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, and Brittany Barasa, DNP, RN, Manager of Patient Care for Nursing Throughput and PCT Float Pool, join the podcast to discuss how executive leadership support drives frontline success. They share insights on initiatives like annual nursing skills days, strategies for identifying and managing bottlenecks, the impact of discharge lounges, and approaches to improving patient satisfaction across the care continuum.

In this episode, Kenny Cole, MD, System Vice President of Clinical Improvement at Ochsner Health System, joins the podcast to discuss ongoing clinical and operational pressures facing health systems. He shares his perspective on solutions for primary care reimbursement, along with strategies to expand access to care while minimizing clinician burnout.

In this episode, Dr. Arash Motamed, Anesthesiologist and Medical Director of Sustainability with Keck Medicine of USC, shares how his team successfully eliminated nitrous oxide use, highlighting its environmental impact, the path to clinician alignment, and broader opportunities to reduce healthcare waste and emissions.

In this episode, Victor Navarro, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Central Region, Jefferson Health System, shares insights on the growing role of artificial intelligence, virtual care, and precision medicine, along with strategies to manage capacity across a large health system. He also discusses leadership lessons on flexibility, resilience, and driving high-quality, mission-focused care.

In this episode, Neil Tanna, MD, MBA, FACS, Senior Vice President of System Perioperative Services & Strategy at Northwell Health, joins the podcast to discuss the growing potential of AI in surgical and perioperative care. He shares the importance of strong stakeholder engagement and how access to reliable, actionable data is critical to driving better decision-making and improving outcomes across the system.

In this episode, Cicely “CC” Brooks, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., shares how innovative pipeline programs, career development, and residency redesign are strengthening the nursing workforce. She also discusses key pediatric trends, including vaccine education and workforce readiness, and why investing in children's health today shapes outcomes for generations.

In this episode, Dr. William Scharf, Executive Clinical Director of Quality and Safety at AdventHealth, shares how patient safety science, leadership behaviors, and system-wide training initiatives are shaping a high-reliability culture. He highlights the importance of psychological safety, frontline engagement, and cross-functional collaboration to drive continuous improvement.

In this episode, Frankie Hamilton, Vice President of Nursing Operations at Maimonides Medical Center, shares how he is strengthening night shift engagement, launching safety huddles, and preparing the organization for Magnet designation. He also discusses strategies to improve throughput, elevate quality metrics, and support frontline staff amid rising emergency department demand and growing uninsured populations.

In this episode, FJ Campbell, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Ardent Health, discusses how virtual nursing, virtual physicians, and AI powered documentation tools are reducing clinician burnout while improving patient care and operational efficiency. He also shares how these technologies are expanding specialist access, strengthening rural hospitals, and helping health systems build a more sustainable workforce.

In this episode, Dr. Chirag Choudhary, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Cleveland Clinic Martin Health in Florida, discusses his priorities in the first year leading clinical operations across three hospitals. He shares how the system is using data, physician recruitment, and coordinated care models to deliver consistent quality, expand specialty services, and strengthen patient safety.

In this episode, Michelle McMacken, MD, Executive Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals, discusses expanding a systemwide lifestyle medicine program focused on preventing and improving chronic disease through nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and community support. She also shares how interdisciplinary care teams and group medical visits are helping patients achieve lasting health improvements.

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, Jose Azar, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Quality and Clinical Service Line Officer at Hackensack Meridian Health and Professor of Medicine at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, discusses launching the Agile Institute to rapidly implement evidence based care and drive systemwide culture change. He shares how physician led collaboratives, CMS five star performance, and AI enabled access strategies are advancing quality, safety, and equitable access across the network.

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.

In this episode, Kate FitzPatrick, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive at Jefferson Health, discusses integrating nursing teams across a newly expanded 33-hospital system, strengthening community partnerships, and scaling flexible workforce models. She also shares how nurse leaders can improve care transitions, support a growing number of early-career nurses, and redesign care delivery for the future workforce.

In this episode, Deesha K. Brown, Senior Director of Community Clinics Network Operations at UCLA Health, shares how she leads more than 200 community clinics to expand access, strengthen leadership culture, and advance population health. She reflects on navigating the Los Angeles fires, driving measurable improvements in hypertension management, and building team based care models to support long term growth.

In this episode, Dr. Narayana Murali, Chief Medical Officer of Medicine Services and Professor at Geisinger College of Health Sciences, shares how Geisinger redesigned its approach to advanced care planning, increasing engagement from 5% to nearly 50% among high risk seniors. He also discusses driving physician and APP alignment, scaling high reliability and zero harm principles, and expanding home based care to deliver compassionate, patient centered outcomes.

In this episode, Ericka Powell, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital within WellSpan Health, discusses reducing length of stay variation, strengthening physician engagement, and using data driven care pathways to improve quality, workforce stability, and value based performance.

In this episode, Dr. Janice Walker, DHA, RN, inaugural Chief Nursing Officer of UF Health, discusses building an integrated nursing strategy, driving quality outcomes, and creating a culture of shared governance. She shares insights on recruitment, retention, and developing talent pipelines to strengthen workforce stability across the system.

In this episode, Tesa Anewishki, CEO and President of Loretto Hospital, shares how her team is preparing for Medicaid cuts and rising uncompensated care while doubling down on access, partnerships, and workforce investment. She discusses launching a hospital based free grocery store, strengthening community collaborations, and advocating for sustainable funding to close health equity gaps on Chicago's West Side.

In this episode, Robert A. Figlin, MD, FACP, Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology Oncology and Interim Director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer and the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, discusses aligning cancer strategy with system priorities, embedding research into clinical care, and building innovative, patient centered models to improve access and outcomes across the continuum.

In this episode, Mara Nitu, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Indiana University School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children, IU Health, joins the podcast to discuss improving care quality and access across pediatric and academic settings. She shares insights on hospital-acquired condition reduction efforts, optimizing access and care coordination, building partnerships for long-term sustainability, and identifying growth opportunities focused on expanding access to care.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Mabus, Chief Medical Informatics Officer at Parkview Health, shares how his team rapidly scaled generative AI across clinical and revenue cycle operations, driving efficiency, reducing burnout, and strengthening ROI. He also discusses governance, provider adoption, and expanding equitable access to AI tools across rural communities.

In this episode, James E. Moore, President of Connecticut Children's Specialty Group and System Chief Medical Officer at Connecticut Children's, discusses boosting clinic and OR efficiency to grow volume, strengthening culture to retain workforce talent, and expanding regional centers of excellence including advanced cellular and gene therapy and fetal care to ensure long term sustainability.

In this episode, Dr. Geralda Xavier, Regional Chief Medical Officer at Atlantic Health System, shares how her team reduced length of stay and improved throughput through multidisciplinary collaboration, while navigating workforce fatigue, financial pressures, and a continued focus on quality, safety, and equity in 2026.

In this episode, Dr. Mayank K. Shah, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Advocate Condell Medical Center, part of Advocate Aurora Health, shares how his team elevated safety and quality to top Leapfrog grades, advanced AI adoption, and is building agility to navigate regulatory uncertainty and expand community focused care.

In this episode, Dr. Joshua Moskovitz, System Medical Director of Utilization Management at NYC Health + Hospitals, discusses how centralizing emergency department utilization reviews improved care quality and reimbursement. He also explores using technology and AI to streamline workflows, reduce unnecessary tasks, and enhance staff efficiency across the health system.

In this episode, Stacey-Ann Okoth, Chief Nursing Executive Officer at CommonSpirit Health Mountain Division, discusses strengthening workplace safety, enhancing patient experience, and addressing economic and workforce challenges. She shares strategies for nurse retention, rural care access, and innovative programs that prepare the system for future growth.

In this episode, Douglas A. Ross, MD, CPE, FACS, Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth Carrollwood, discusses rising pressures from age related neurological conditions, the shift toward team based and community anchored care models, and how biomarkers, functional imaging, and AI supported screening are reshaping early detection and treatment across the AdventHealth network.

In this episode, Nancy Beran, MD, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of ambulatory care at Northwell Health, shares how her team screened more than 700,000 patients for depression, redesigned ambulatory quality oversight across 1,000 sites, and is leading integration and Epic implementation to drive safer, more standardized care.

In this episode, Matt Boles, MD, MHA, MSc, Chief Medical Officer at Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics, joins the podcast to reflect on the early stages of his executive journey in medicine. He discusses procedural capacity challenges, key priorities for 2026 including physician shortages, and areas for organizational growth, with a focus on the evolving role of the medical executive committee.

In this episode, Nariman Heshmati, MD, MBA, FACOG, Chief Physician and Operations Executive at Lee Physician Group, joins the podcast to discuss extending life expectancy through improved diabetes care and chronic disease management. He outlines priorities for 2026, the importance of supporting work-life balance for clinicians, and strategies to expand access to care across the community.

In this episode, Ije Akunyili, MD, MBA, MPA, FACEP, Chief Medical Officer at Jersey City Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, joins the podcast to discuss building a mortality and safety council, advancing women's health initiatives, and expanding partnerships to strengthen care delivery. She also shares how health systems can manage rising patient volumes while maintaining quality and safety.

In this episode, Perry M. Gee, Enterprise Director of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice, Nurse Scientist, and Associate Professor of Research at Intermountain Health, joins the podcast to discuss efforts to grow nursing locally and standardize care delivery. He shares how streamlining practices can lead to better long-term patient outcomes and outlines 2026 initiatives focused on measurable results, stronger workplace culture, and improved communication across care teams.

In this episode, Sadie Durham, DNP, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County in Middleburg, Fla., shares how refocusing on bedside shift reporting and hourly rounding led to a 40 point increase in net promoter score. She discusses sustaining frontline accountability, standardizing nursing practices, and why getting back to basics can drive meaningful gains in patient experience.

In this episode, Amit Garg, MD, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Presbyterian in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, New Mexico, discusses key innovations in precision radiotherapy, shifting perceptions around radiation treatment, and how community based health systems can deliver high quality cancer care while improving access and efficiency for underserved populations.

In this episode, Dr. Lisa Fort, Assistant Chief Medical Information Officer at Ochsner Health, discusses how her team is using virtual care to reduce emergency department overcrowding and streamline patient care. She shares insights on integrating technology, improving care transitions, and creating a patient-centric approach across the health system.

In this episode, Dr. Sidney H. Raymond, Chief Medical Officer at Ochsner Health Network, discusses leading population health across more than 600,000 lives and advancing value based care beyond contract boundaries. He shares how care model redesign, prevention focused strategies, digital health, and patient centered culture are driving measurable gains in quality, cost, and care coordination across diverse communities.

In this episode, Sowmya Viswanathan, Chief Physician Executive at BayCare Health System, joins the podcast to discuss building strong academic programs through research and teaching, managing rapid population growth, and supporting value-based care models. She also shares her priorities for 2026, including moving care upstream while continuing to deliver high-end, specialized care across the system.

In this episode, Scott Jessie, Chief Nursing Officer at SUNY Upstate University Hospital, shares how his team earned Magnet redesignation, launched a high tech throughput operations center, and built a virtual nursing program that improves efficiency, quality, and staff satisfaction.