I Don't Care with Kevin Stevenson

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have moved from a back-office upgrade to a frontline determinant of care quality, clinician burnout, and hospital economics. With U.S. hospitals often spending tens to hundreds of millions—sometimes exceeding $100 million—on EMR implementations, the stakes have never been higher for getting both the technology and the human adoption right. As healthcare continues shifting toward interoperability, outpatient care, and data-driven decision-making, the conversation around EMRs is no longer technical—it's strategic.So what does it really take to build a business in the EMR space—and more importantly, how do you know when it's time to walk away from it?Welcome to I Don't Care, hosted by Dr. Kevin Stevenson. In the latest episode, Dr. Stevenson sits down with Mark Embry, partner and co-founder of MedSys Group, to unpack decades of experience in healthcare technology consulting, the evolution of EMR implementation, and the personal side of exiting a company after 30 years.Top insights from the talk…How EMR consulting evolved from niche staffing to mission-critical healthcare transformation work: What started as staffing has become strategic work shaping how health systems operate.Why user adoption—not just technology—is the biggest determinant of EMR success: Without workflow change and clinician buy-in, even the best systems fall short.What founders should consider when transitioning out of a business they've built from scratch: A strong exit balances financial outcomes with team, culture, and timing.Mark Embry is the co-founder and EVP of Client Relationships at MedSys Group, where he has spent nearly three decades leading EMR advisory, implementation, and healthcare IT consulting services for providers across the U.S. He played a key role in building the company from its origins as Genesys Group into a nationally recognized firm supporting major initiatives, including federal EHR modernization projects with the DOD and VA. With over 20 years in IT consulting, Embry specializes in strategic partnerships, healthcare technology transformation, and scaling consulting organizations to deliver high-impact client outcomes.

Healthcare systems are under pressure almost everywhere, but the strain is especially visible in lower-resource settings where demand is rising faster than infrastructure. In Pakistan, that pressure is playing out across a system that has to serve more than 250 million people with limited public investment. Public health spending remains below 1% of GDP, making the need for smarter, more scalable healthcare delivery increasingly urgent. That is why major projects like the Jinnah Medical Complex are drawing attention as potential models for what the next phase of healthcare reform could look like.That raises the real question at the center of this episode: can a major new medical complex help transform healthcare delivery in Pakistan, or will lasting progress depend on broader system design far beyond a single hospital?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, Dr. Kevin Stevenson speaks with Dr. Muhammad Faheem Anwar, Chief Operating Officer of the Jinnah Medical Complex & Research Center, about the future of Pakistani healthcare. Their conversation explores the structural realities of Pakistan's healthcare system, the ambitions behind the Jinnah Medical Complex in Islamabad, and the larger issues of digital health, oncology, workforce retention, prevention, and primary care reform.Key takeaways from the conversation…Pakistan's healthcare system is not simply underdeveloped. It is highly uneven, with world-class care in some institutions but fragmented access and high out-of-pocket costs for much of the population.The Jinnah Medical Complex is being positioned not just as a large hospital, but as a replicable model for operational discipline, clinician training, digital health, and internationally benchmarked public sector care.The biggest long-term opportunity in Pakistan may not be tertiary expansion alone, but building a stronger primary care foundation, better data systems, and a more sustainable care delivery model.Dr. Muhammad Faheem Anwar is a healthcare operations and public health leader with more than 20 years of experience overseeing large multispecialty hospitals across Pakistan and the Gulf region, with deep expertise in hospital commissioning, operational readiness, governance, digital health integration, and health system strengthening. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Jinnah Medical Complex & Research Center, where he is leading the operationalization of a 1,460-bed quaternary care hospital, following senior leadership roles at The Indus Hospital, Central Park Teaching Hospital, Punjab Health Facilities Management Company, and the Punjab Information Technology Board. His career highlights include improving operational efficiency at scale, advancing quality and patient safety systems, leading HMIS implementation, and advising on health system reform, climate resilience, and performance improvement in low- and middle-income country settings.

Medicine isn't what it used to be—not for the people practicing it. Independent physicians are becoming the exception, not the norm, as more doctors move into hospital systems, corporate groups, and academic networks. At the same time, the pipeline of specialists isn't keeping pace with growing patient needs, particularly in complex fields like vascular surgery, where workforce models show demand is set to outstrip supply in the years ahead. The result is a profession being pulled in two directions at once: toward consolidation on one hand, and rising clinical demand on the other.In that kind of environment, what does it really mean to make a major career move—and how do you weigh opportunity, stability, and personal priorities when the ground beneath the profession is shifting?That question sits at the heart of the latest episode of I Don't Care. Host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with vascular surgeon Dr. Bradley Trinidad to unpack the realities behind a major geographic and professional transition. Their conversation explores how evolving medical technology, shifting employment models, and personal values intersect to shape modern physician careers.Key takeaways from the episode…Family can outweigh career momentum: Dr. Trinidad left a high-volume, successful practice to prioritize proximity to family and improve quality of life.Alignment is everything in hospital employment: Success depends on shared goals between physician and institution, especially in a system where most doctors are now employed.The future of vascular surgery is less invasive—and more complex: Advances in endovascular techniques are reducing the need for open surgery while increasing the need for specialized expertise.Dr. Bradley Trinidad is a board-certified vascular surgeon with expertise in both complex open and advanced endovascular procedures. He serves as Director of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Ascension Providence in Waco, Texas, where he leads program development and the delivery of high-acuity vascular care. He previously founded and led the vascular division at Northwest Texas Hospital and now contributes to surgical education as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Healthcare isn't short on strategy right now—it's short on people, access, and experienced leadership where it matters most. In Texas alone, more rural hospitals have closed than in any other state over the past decade, leaving entire communities with limited access to care. At the same time, many health systems are realizing they haven't built strong pipelines for the next generation of leaders—making the transfer of real-world experience more critical than ever.So what happens when seasoned executives step away from operational leadership and into academia—and can that shift help solve healthcare's talent and access challenges?The latest episode of I Don't Care focuses on what happens when decades of healthcare leadership experience meets the classroom. Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Michael Wiggins, Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, to explore his transition from hospital CEO to educator. The conversation spans leadership development, rural health innovation, academic medicine, and the evolving role of technology in care delivery.What you'll learn…Why healthcare leaders need both practical experience and academic grounding to handle modern system complexity.How rural health challenges are reshaping leadership priorities, from access and infrastructure to community-centered care models.What emerging forces—AI, industry consolidation, and financial pressure—mean for the future of healthcare delivery and how leaders must adapt.Dr. Michael Wiggins, DBA, FACHE, is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across academic medical centers, pediatric health systems, and community-based care. He has served as President and CEO of nationally recognized children's hospitals, where he led strategic planning, operational excellence, physician partnerships, and philanthropy initiatives to improve care delivery and community health outcomes. Now an Assistant Professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, he focuses on developing future healthcare leaders, advancing research, and guiding organizations on strategy, leadership alignment, and performance improvement.

As healthcare costs continue to rise, more patients are finding themselves navigating not just illness, but the growing complexity of paying for treatment. Specialty pharmacy sits right at the center of that challenge—often out of sight, but increasingly essential to how modern care actually works. These high-cost, high-touch therapies now make up more than half of total U.S. drug spending, despite representing only a small share of prescriptions, a shift that's reshaping how patients access and stay on treatment.Why has specialty pharmacy become the linchpin between access, affordability, and outcomes in modern healthcare?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Grant Knowles, SVP of Clinical Services and Payer Strategy at Senderra Specialty Pharmacy, to unpack the evolving role of specialty pharmacy in improving patient outcomes. Together, they explore how clinical oversight, financial navigation, and emerging technologies are reshaping how patients access and adhere to life-changing therapies.Top insights from the talk…Specialty pharmacy goes beyond dispensing medication, serving as a central coordinator across fragmented healthcare stakeholders to manage complex therapies and patient needs.Financial toxicity remains one of the biggest barriers to adherence, with 23–25% of patients delaying or abandoning treatment due to cost pressures.Technology and AI are transforming patient engagement, shifting communication from phone calls to digital-first experiences while maintaining critical human touchpoints.Grant Knowles is a healthcare executive with over 15 years of experience across specialty pharmacy, managed care, and pharmaceutical operations, with expertise in business development, contracting, and supply chain strategy. He has held senior leadership roles, including SVP of Clinical Services and Payer Strategy at Senderra Specialty Pharmacy and executive positions at Ardon Health, where he led growth, operations, and industry partnerships. A managed care residency-trained pharmacist, Knowles is recognized for driving innovation, improving patient experience, and delivering sustainable growth in highly competitive healthcare markets.

There's a growing tension inside healthcare right now—between the people leaving the workforce and the patients still arriving every day. It's a dynamic that leaders can no longer afford to ignore. The numbers make that clear: the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the U.S. could be short of as many as 86,000 physicians by 2036, fueled by an aging population and a wave of retirements.So, how do healthcare organizations compete for talent at a time when the workforce is shrinking, expectations are shifting, and technology is rapidly changing how care is delivered?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with River Meisinger, Regional Vice President of MSP & Strategic Accounts at AMN Healthcare, to unpack the evolving landscape of healthcare recruitment. Together, they explore how systems can build sustainable pipelines for executives, physicians, and the next generation of leaders.Top insights from the talk…Workforce shortages are structural, not temporary, driven by burnout, aging clinicians, and insufficient talent pipelines.AI and data are reshaping workforce planning, but success depends on pairing technology with a human-centered strategy.Gen Z is redefining career expectations, forcing healthcare leaders to rethink mentorship, growth pathways, and workplace culture.River Meisinger is a senior healthcare executive at AMN Healthcare, specializing in enterprise workforce solutions, strategic partnerships, and talent optimization across physician, leadership, and clinical staffing. With more than eight years of experience, he has led large-scale efforts in executive search, interim leadership, and workforce planning to strengthen operations and support patient-centered care. He holds a Healthcare MBA from Simmons University and is recognized for his work in healthcare workforce innovation.

Healthcare today can feel overwhelming—not just for patients, but for the teams caring for them. After a major illness or injury, recovery isn't handled by one doctor alone; it often involves a whole network of specialists, from physical therapists to nurses to social workers, all trying to help someone regain their independence and quality of life. Even with all the advances in modern medicine, one question still lingers: how do you get everyone working together in a way that truly feels seamless?So what happens when a physician approaches medicine not just as a science, but as a performance? What can healthcare learn from the way musicians interpret, adapt, and lead in real time?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Kevin Estes, a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) physician whose career spans both the concert hall and the clinic. Together, they explore how Estes' background in orchestral conducting and classical music informs his unique approach to patient care, team leadership, and medical decision-making.Key takeaways from the conversation…PM&R physicians as “conductors”: How these specialists lead and coordinate complex, multidisciplinary care teams—bringing together physical therapy, nursing, and medical specialists to deliver unified, patient-centered treatment across every stage of recovery.Creativity and flexibility in care: Why the ability to adapt, interpret, and think beyond rigid protocols is essential not only in music performance, but also in navigating unpredictable patient outcomes and personalized rehabilitation plans.An unconventional career path: The journey from Juilliard-trained musician to physician—and how that unique background shapes a more holistic, creative, and empathetic clinical perspective in modern medicine.Dr. Kevin Estes is a board-certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician specializing in post-acute care and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Before entering medicine in his early 40s, he built a successful career as a professional musician and conductor, earning a master's degree from the prestigious Juilliard School. His work included serving as music director at a prominent New York City church and collaborating with elite musicians in one of the world's most competitive artistic environments. Today, he brings that same discipline, creativity, and leadership into his medical practice, helping patients rebuild function and meaning after life-altering conditions.

The U.S. healthcare system is facing a quiet but accelerating crisis: a widening gap between where specialists are needed and where they actually practice. In urology alone, there are roughly 1,100 open positions but only about 400 new specialists trained each year—a mismatch that's only getting worse. As physician burnout rises and more clinicians seek autonomy and flexibility, traditional care delivery models are being pushed to their limits. The stakes aren't abstract—they show up in delayed diagnoses, long travel distances, and communities left without access to care.So how do you deliver specialty care differently in a system that no longer fits how physicians want to work?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Joe Pazona, CEO of VirtuCare, to unpack a deeply personal and highly practical journey: from clinical frustration to entrepreneurial innovation. The conversation explores how one physician turned systemic gaps into scalable solutions—rethinking how specialty care can be delivered across underserved communities while improving physician quality of life.Top insights from the talk…The physician workforce shortage is no longer just a rural problem—it's spreading into urban markets due to shifting lifestyle priorities and structural inefficiencies.“Top-of-license care” and team-based models are essential to scaling access without overburdening physicians.Entrepreneurship in medicine isn't glamorous—it's messy, risky, and full of failure—but it may be one of the most viable paths forward.Dr. Joe Pazona is a board-certified urologist and CEO of VirtuCare, where he develops scalable, team-based specialty care models that expand access and drive revenue for rural hospitals through hybrid care delivery. He has over a decade of clinical and leadership experience, including launching robotic surgery programs, building private practices, and pioneering telehealth-enabled service lines. As an entrepreneur, he specializes in healthcare innovation, physician workforce optimization, and aligning clinical operations with sustainable business models to address systemic gaps in specialty care.

Healthcare is being pushed to modernize faster than ever, as AI tools, virtual care, and digital patient experiences shift from innovation to expectation. Recent survey data from McKinsey & Company indicates that about half of U.S. healthcare leaders say their organizations have already put generative AI into practice, underscoring how quickly the technology is moving from experimentation to real-world use. But this acceleration comes with real tension: while AI makes it easier than ever to build software, healthcare still demands systems that are secure, scalable, and clinically reliable—raising the stakes for how these platforms are designed, developed, and deployed.So here's the real question: In an era where AI can build healthcare platforms faster than ever, what actually separates a solution that works for the long haul from one that looks good at launch—but fails under real-world pressure?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Princy Dhupar, Director and Global Partnerships Head at Ditstek Innovations, for a conversation grounded in experience—not theory. Drawing on years of building healthcare platforms across global teams, Dhupar pushes back on the idea that speed and automation alone can deliver results. Instead, the discussion focuses on what actually drives success—clear communication, understanding the “why” behind a product, and combining AI with human expertise to build systems that can scale and last.What you'll learn…How to use AI without over-relying on it: Why the strongest healthcare platforms combine AI speed with human oversight—and where AI alone falls short.Why defining the problem matters more than writing code: How getting clear on the “why” early can dramatically reduce rework and set the foundation for scalable systems.What actually makes offshore development work: The communication habits, transparency, and trust-building steps that separate successful partnerships from failed ones.Princy Dhupar is Director and Global Partnerships Head at Ditstek Innovations, with over a decade of experience in sales, business development, and strategic partnerships across healthcare and technology. She specializes in driving digital transformation through SaaS solutions, AI-driven automation, and legacy modernization, helping organizations scale efficiently while reducing operational costs. Her work spans startups and enterprises globally, where she has led high-growth initiatives, built long-term client partnerships, and delivered measurable outcomes across healthcare platforms and enterprise systems.

The U.S. healthcare system is under real strain—and it's something both patients and physicians are feeling in everyday care. In Texas, those pressures are even more visible, where rapid population growth, rural access challenges, and regulatory complexity are making it harder for patients to get timely care and for doctors to focus on medicine instead of administrative work. These challenges aren't driven by a single issue, but by a combination of workforce gaps, growing bureaucracy, and structural inefficiencies that have been building for years.So what happens next? As policymakers, insurers, and healthcare systems compete to shape the future of care, one central question emerges: Can physicians reclaim control of patient care in an increasingly corporatized system?That's the question at the heart of this episode of I Don't Care. Host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Brad Holland, President of the Texas Medical Association, to unpack the organization's top priorities for 2026. Their conversation spans workforce shortages, regulatory reform, insurance power, and the evolving role of physicians in modern medicine.What you'll learn…How prior authorization and insurance barriers are getting worse, delaying patient care while placing an increasing administrative burden on physicians.Why physician shortages aren't about lack of interest, but instead driven by systemic training bottlenecks that turn away qualified candidates each year.How healthcare consolidation and insurance dominance are reshaping care, pushing costs higher and weakening the core physician-patient relationship.Dr. Brad Holland is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon with specialized expertise in voice and swallowing disorders, pediatric ENT, oncology, and facial reconstructive surgery. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Texas Medical Association and has held multiple leadership roles, including Speaker of the House for TMA and President of the Texas Association of Otolaryngology, reflecting deep influence in healthcare policy and physician advocacy. He also serves as clinical faculty at Baylor University and holds an Executive MBA, bringing both medical and leadership expertise to healthcare.

Healthcare leadership is being redefined in real time. With the rise of AI, mounting financial pressures, and workforce burnout, executives today are operating in an environment of continuous disruption and uncertainty. In fact, industry leaders now rank workforce shortages and digital transformation among their top concerns—forcing a new kind of leadership that blends decisiveness with humility.So what does it actually take to lead through uncertainty, especially when you don't have all the answers?On I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Joel Allison, former CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health and current Chairman of the Baylor University Board of Regents, for a candid conversation about leadership, faith, and legacy. This episode explores the defining moments of Allison's career, the risks that shaped one of the nation's largest faith-based health systems, and the personal principles that guided him through decades at the top.The conversation delves into…The high-stakes decision to merge Baylor Health Care System with Scott & White—a bold, controversial move that initially alarmed board members and nearly derailed Allison's career, yet ultimately became one of the most transformative and successful healthcare mergers in the country.How great leaders operate without certainty—why Allison believes you don't need all the answers to lead effectively, and how mentorship, trusted advisors, and humility become far more valuable than projecting confidence in rapidly changing environments.The enduring role of faith, purpose, and personal values—how Allison's sense of calling and belief system shaped his toughest decisions, grounded his leadership style, and helped him navigate decades of high-pressure challenges with clarity and conviction.Joel Allison is a veteran healthcare executive who served as President and CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health, leading its transformation into one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States. Over his decades-long career, he has been recognized for his commitment to quality care, leadership development, and faith-based service. Allison earned his degree from Baylor University and has remained deeply connected to the institution, currently serving as Chairman of its Board of Regents. Throughout his career, he has driven large-scale transformation, including system expansion, quality improvement initiatives, and the development of accountable care models focused on patient-centered outcomes.

Healthcare systems are facing a workforce crisis that's no longer temporary—it's structural. Even before COVID-19, staffing shortages across nursing, technical, and administrative roles were already straining capacity; today, those gaps are wider, costlier, and directly impacting patient access. With labor shortages persisting and burnout rising, health systems are being forced to rethink not just hiring—but the very composition of their workforce.So here's the question: What if the solution to healthcare's staffing crisis isn't just hiring more experienced workers—but strategically building a pipeline from those who haven't entered the field yet?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Brock Hughes of Propel Clinical to explore how pre-clinical students—pre-med, pre-PA, pre-nursing—can be deployed to fill critical, hard-to-staff roles across healthcare systems. The conversation dives into workforce innovation, the economics of staffing, and how early-career exposure could reshape both patient care and clinician pipelines.This episode breaks down how…Healthcare systems are shifting toward workforce development strategies that prioritize pipeline-building over short-term staffing fixes.Pre-clinical students can fill entry-level and support roles effectively, often improving efficiency and reducing costs while gaining critical experience.“Planned turnover” among these students isn't a liability—it's a feature that enables continuous talent flow and long-term workforce sustainability.Brock Hughes, MBA, is a healthcare entrepreneur with over a decade of experience building and scaling solutions across clinical and operational domains. At Propel Clinical, he focuses on addressing workforce shortages by integrating pre-clinical talent into healthcare systems through structured, managed programs. Hughes has co-founded multiple ventures—including Chartpro, Chartjoy, and Zup—and previously led strategic expansion as SVP of Strategic Growth at CareATC and as a growth and strategy leader at CareTeam (acquired). His expertise spans business development, healthcare innovation, and building scalable models that improve access, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency.

Healthcare systems are entering 2026 under mounting pressure. A growing, aging population and rising disease burden are colliding with persistent workforce shortages—highlighted by projections that new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. will surpass two million this year alone. The stakes are no longer theoretical: delays in care, limited specialist access, and widening disparities are becoming everyday realities across the system.Where is healthcare actually headed as we move deeper into 2026—and can advances in technology, workforce strategy, and policy reform realistically keep pace with the growing complexity and demand facing the system?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Scott Becker, founder of Becker's Healthcare, to unpack the defining healthcare trends shaping 2026. Rooted in firsthand experience and industry perspective, the conversation explores the growing strain on the healthcare workforce, the practical use cases—and limits—of AI, and the widening gaps in access to care across the system.What you'll learn…Why specialist shortages—not just overall staffing gaps—are becoming the biggest constraint in healthcare, with some regions facing extreme imbalances in access to care.How healthcare is splitting into distinct access tiers, from concierge and commercially insured patients to Medicare, Medicaid, and underserved populations—with very different levels of availability.How AI is being used today to automate administrative tasks, assist diagnostics, and support clinicians, while still requiring human expertise for judgment, patient interaction, and complex care.Scott Becker is the founder, publisher, and chief content officer of Becker's Healthcare and a longtime partner at McGuireWoods, where he previously chaired the healthcare department and served on the firm's board. He is a recognized leader in healthcare and private equity, hosting top-ranked industry podcasts, speaking widely on business and healthcare trends, and investing in venture capital and private equity ventures. A graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Illinois, Becker has also interviewed prominent global figures and built a reputation as a trusted voice in healthcare leadership and policy.

Mental health care isn't a new problem—but it's finally being treated like an urgent one. After years of being sidelined, the cracks in the system are becoming impossible to ignore: overstretched clinicians, long wait times, and entire communities without consistent access to care. In the U.S., the scale is striking—more than one in five adults live with a mental health condition. What's different now is the push to rebuild the system itself: bringing mental health into primary care, rethinking how it's funded, and using technology not as a buzzword, but as a practical tool to close the gap.So what will it take to redesign mental health care into a system that delivers—one that aligns access, outcomes, and economics at scale?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Kacie Kelly, Chief Innovation Officer at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, to unpack how policy, innovation, and real-world healthcare delivery intersect. Their conversation explores how mental health care can evolve from a fragmented, reactive system into a proactive, integrated model driven by both policy and technology.What you'll learn…Policy as a growth lever: How forward-thinking organizations use policy not just for compliance, but to accelerate innovation, scale solutions, and unlock new market opportunities.Early detection & integrated care: Why embedding behavioral health into primary care is essential for improving outcomes, reducing delays in treatment, and lowering long-term costs.AI & innovative funding models: How emerging technologies and smarter reimbursement strategies are expanding access to care while optimizing and extending the mental health workforce.Kacie Kelly is the Chief Innovation Officer at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, where she leads efforts to integrate scalable, data-driven innovation, AI, and public-private partnerships into mental health systems to improve early detection and access to care. She brings deep expertise in policy implementation, funding model reform, and cross-sector collaboration, with a track record of aligning healthcare, government, and private stakeholders to scale high-impact solutions. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the George W. Bush Presidential Center, where she led national mental health initiatives, managed multimillion-dollar programs, and advanced evidence-based care for veterans and broader populations.

Healthcare innovation is having a moment. With over 500 startups applying annually to leading accelerators like Health Wildcatters, the sector is seeing a surge of founders eager to tackle inefficiencies in care delivery, diagnostics, and patient experience. At the same time, digital health is regaining momentum—after a period of market correction, funding went up for the second consecutive year in 2025, reaching a whopping $22.3 billion globally, a rebound that signals renewed but more selective investor confidence. Yet unlike consumer tech, healthcare remains highly regulated, capital-intensive, and slow-moving—raising the stakes for entrepreneurs who get it wrong.So what separates the founders who break through from those who stall out? More importantly, what does a credible healthcare entrepreneur actually look like in today's environment?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Hubert Zajicek, CEO, co-founder, and partner at Health Wildcatters, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a healthcare startup. From early-stage credibility to funding strategy and founder mindset, the conversation offers a candid look at the realities behind the hype.Top insights from the talk…Credibility comes from experience and proximity to the problem. Most successful founders have deep domain knowledge or firsthand exposure to the issues they're solving.The biggest pitch mistake? Over-indexing on the tech. Investors care more about the problem, go-to-market strategy, and execution than technical minutiae.Money doesn't fix bad fundamentals. Poor product-market fit, weak teams, or the wrong partners can sink a startup regardless of funding.Dr. Hubert Zajicek is a healthcare entrepreneur and investor who co-founded and leads Health Wildcatters, a leading seed accelerator that has supported over 130 early-stage companies and helped them raise more than $350M in funding. He specializes in venture capital, strategic planning, and startup development, with deep expertise in guiding healthcare innovations across digital health, medtech, and biotech from concept to commercialization. In addition to his entrepreneurial leadership, he founded the Health Hacking Crisis Network during COVID-19 and serves as the Austrian Honorary Consul in Dallas, reflecting his broader impact across healthcare, innovation ecosystems, and international relations.

Hospitals and surgery centers own millions of dollars in equipment — but owning assets and having actionable visibility into them are two different things. Most systems maintain inventories, yet many struggle with outdated records, fragmented tracking, and limited insight into useful life or service contracts. With nearly half of U.S. hospitals reporting negative operating margins in recent years, that gap between ownership and visibility is no longer just an operational nuisance — it's a financial risk.So here's the real question healthcare leaders are asking: How can we measure the true health of our capital assets — and what does that mean for long-term revenue stability?That's the question at the heart of this episode of I Don't Care. Host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Grant Luke, Strategic Account Manager at CapExpert, to explore how healthcare organizations can diagnose their capital asset health. The conversation dives into the operational blind spots that drive unnecessary spending and how AI-powered inventory technology is helping hospitals and ASCs gain baseline visibility over their medical equipment, service contracts, and lifecycle data.Top insights from the talk…Many organizations unknowingly repurchase equipment they already own due to lack of system-wide visibility. Without a reliable, consolidated inventory across facilities or departments, teams often buy new devices instead of reallocating existing assets — driving redundant capital spend.Surplus and underutilized equipment consumes valuable space and capital that could be redeployed more strategically. Idle devices sitting in storage rooms or clinical areas tie up square footage, inflate depreciation schedules, and represent missed opportunities for resale or redistribution within the system.Vendor fragmentation and non-standardized preventive maintenance contracts create avoidable financial waste. When multiple vendors service similar equipment across locations, organizations lose leverage, complicate oversight, and miss opportunities for consolidation and cost containment.Grant Luke is a healthcare technology and SaaS leader with more than a decade of experience spanning sales, ASC operations, IT project management, and supply chain strategy. He has held leadership roles with organizations including Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA Health), United Surgical Partners International (USPI), and HST Pathways, where he led ASC innovation initiatives, EHR implementations, operational efficiency projects, and enterprise vendor evaluations. Now serving as Strategic Account Manager at CapExpert, Luke helps ambulatory surgery centers leverage AI-driven supply chain and asset visibility solutions that deliver measurable cost savings, operational efficiency, and strong first-year ROI.

Behind every city vote, hospital budget or zoning decision is a leader navigating tough, often conflicting priorities. Right now, public leaders are operating in an environment of rising healthcare costs, workforce shortages and heightened community expectations—especially within safety-net systems that collectively provide billions in uncompensated care each year. The stakes are real—they affect patients and their families on some of the hardest days of their lives.When the pressure is loud and the resources are limited, how does a leader decide what's right—and how do they stay grounded in purpose along the way?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Ann Margolin, former Dallas City Council member, investor, community leader and artist. The conversation explores how values-driven leadership operates under pressure—from contentious zoning battles to healthcare budget crises—and how creativity and civic engagement remain essential tools for effective governance.Top insights from the talk…Why principled leadership matters when representing 85,000 constituents—and how to make tough public decisions amid vocal opposition.How creative governance can stabilize a safety-net health system, from managing budget shortfalls to launching cost-saving care models like nurse midwife programs and community-based clinics.The overlooked role of art and creativity in strengthening communities, improving healthcare environments and helping leaders reconnect with purpose.Ann Margolin is a former Dallas City Council member and the first woman to serve as Chair of the Parkland Hospital Board, where she led finance and strategic planning efforts and oversaw the launch of the system's first community-based primary care clinics. She brings deep expertise in public governance, budget oversight, economic development and nonprofit leadership, having chaired and served on numerous civic and philanthropic boards while advancing initiatives in healthcare, arts advocacy and education. Furthermore, she is a founding member of the Texas Women Ventures Fund and an active investor in technology, real estate and women-led enterprises.

Emergency departments across the U.S. are under unprecedented strain, with overcrowding, staffing shortages, and inpatient bed constraints converging into a throughput crisis. The American Hospital Association reports that hospital capacity and workforce growth have lagged, intensifying delays from arrival to disposition. At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence are moving from experimental to operational—raising the stakes for how technology can meaningfully improve patient flow rather than add complexity.So, how can emergency departments reduce bottlenecks and move patients more efficiently through care without compromising clinical judgment or trust?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Mitch Quinn, Director of AI/ML at ChoreoED, to explore how AI-driven insights can help hospitals anticipate admissions and discharges earlier, coordinate downstream services, and ultimately improve ED throughput. Their conversation spans the real-world operational challenges ED leaders face, the practical application of machine learning in high-acuity settings, and what it takes to deploy AI tools that clinicians actually trust and use.What you'll learn…How AI models trained on a hospital's own historical data can accurately anticipate admissions up to hours earlier, enabling parallel workflows.Why focusing on “high-certainty” admissions and discharges—rather than rare edge cases—creates immediate operational value in the ED.How adaptive, continuously retrained models can support both experienced clinicians and newer providers in high-turnover environments.Mitch Quinn is a Director of AI and Machine Learning and a computer scientist with 20+ years of experience building production-grade AI systems across healthcare and cybersecurity. He specializes in deep learning, large-scale model architecture, and end-to-end ML pipelines, with leadership roles spanning applied research at Blue Cross NC, enterprise AI consulting, and real-time cyber threat detection. His career highlights include designing high-performance deep neural networks, anomaly detection systems operating at enterprise scale, and foundational software frameworks used by large engineering organizations.

As hospitals across the U.S. shorten length of stay and push more recovery into the home, families are increasingly left to manage complex care needs without formal training or support. Roughly one in five patients with chronic conditions like COPD or congestive heart failure is readmitted within 30 days—a cycle that costs the healthcare system billions annually and places enormous strain on caregivers. Against the backdrop of hospital-at-home models, aging demographics, and caregiver burnout, in-home senior care has become a critical piece of the post-acute care puzzle.So how can families ensure their loved ones are truly supported at home—not just medically, but functionally and emotionally—after discharge?In this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Lance Summey, Franchise Owner at Home Instead. Together, they unpack the realities of nonmedical in-home senior care, how it integrates with hospitals, home health, and hospice, and why seemingly “small” daily tasks can dramatically impact health outcomes.Key Topics Covered in This Episode…Why nonmedical care matters: How help with activities of daily living—bathing, dressing, meals, transportation, and companionship—directly influences clinical outcomes and reduces hospital readmissions.Hospital-to-home transitions: The growing importance of in-home care as hospitals discharge patients earlier and rely on the home environment to support recovery.Caregiver burden and sustainability: Why family caregivers often reach a breaking point, and how professional in-home care allows loved ones to remain family—not full-time caregivers.Lance Summey is a franchise owner with Home Instead, the world's largest provider of nonmedical in-home senior care. He holds a Master's in Social Work from Baylor University and brings firsthand experience from both hospital systems and personal family caregiving. Motivated by his mother's battle with breast cancer and his grandmother's experience with multiple sclerosis, Summey has dedicated his career to bridging gaps in post-acute and long-term care—particularly where traditional medical models fall short. His work focuses on reducing hospital readmissions, integrating care teams, and supporting families through some of life's most challenging transitions.

As healthcare systems worldwide face rising costs, workforce shortages, and increasing pressure to balance quality with financial sustainability, traditional classroom-based management education is struggling to keep pace. According to the World Economic Forum, healthcare spending now accounts for nearly 10% of global GDP, making leadership decision-making more consequential—and more complex—than ever. At the same time, educators and executives alike are searching for ways to prepare leaders for real-world uncertainty, not just theoretical case studies.So how do you train healthcare leaders to make better decisions when the stakes are high, the data is imperfect, and the environment is constantly changing?That's the core question explored in the latest episode of I Don't Care, hosted by Dr. Kevin Stevenson, featuring Jeremy Lovelace, Founding Director of HFX Technologies Group. Stevenson and Lovelace dive into how simulation-based healthcare management education is reshaping the way future and current healthcare leaders learn strategy, finance, and human-centered decision-making—across borders, systems, and sectors.Key Takeaways from the Conversation…Simulation over static cases: Dynamic, financially driven simulations provide a more realistic and measurable way to train healthcare decision-makers than traditional case competitions or lectures.Global adaptability: A simulation originally modeled on a leading Brazilian hospital has proven effective across diverse systems, including U.S. health systems, European providers, and the UK's NHS.Human skills under pressure: Beyond financial metrics, simulations reveal leadership gaps in teamwork, stress management, and judgment under uncertainty—often the most powerful learning outcomes.Jeremy Lovelace is the Founding Director of HFX Technologies Group, a firm specializing in simulation-based training for strategic and financial decision-making. With a background in management consulting and decision science, Lovelace has worked extensively with universities, healthcare organizations, and public-sector institutions across Europe, the Americas, and beyond. His work includes partnerships with global business schools such as University College London and simulations inspired by top-tier healthcare institutions like Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Brazil. Lovelace holds an MBA and brings decades of experience in leadership development, education technology, and applied strategy.

Across America, rural hospitals are facing an existential crisis. From physician burnout and recruitment struggles to malpractice insurance woes and shrinking OB units, the challenges facing small health systems are multiplying. According to the National Rural Health Association, roughly 190 rural hospitals have closed down or discontinued inpatient care since 2010 — and many more are at risk. As healthcare administrators grapple with these realities, leaders like Wayne Gillis are voicing hard truths that the industry can't afford to ignore.So, what's really happening behind the scenes in rural healthcare — and what can leaders do to ensure these communities don't face a “quiet collapse”?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, Dr. Kevin Stevenson is joined by Wayne Gillis, President & CEO of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services. Together, they explore the state of rural healthcare, the pressures facing modern physicians, and the evolving mindset of leadership in the post-COVID era. From the dangers of the boardroom to the rise of the “gig” healthcare workforce, this episode pulls no punches.Top insights…The Boardroom Effect: How decision-making too far removed from the front lines can create inefficiencies — or even risk patient safety.Burnout and Bureaucracy: Why younger physicians fear burnout as the norm and how administrative burdens and insurance interference are fueling the exodus.The Quiet Rural Collapse: How workforce shortages, declining reimbursements, and dwindling births are driving small-town healthcare toward a breaking point.Wayne Gillis is a healthcare executive and former health system CIO who blends clinical expertise with business strategy to drive transformation, operational excellence, and financial turnaround. As President & CEO of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services, he led the organization to eliminate $15 million in debt, restore financial stability, and deliver its first positive EBITDA in years. Previously, as Market CEO of Great Falls Health Network, Gillis doubled EBITDA from $13 million to $27 million, oversaw a $70 million hospital expansion, and launched new heart and spine service lines. Earlier in his career at Wake Forest Baptist Health, he modernized reporting systems, integrated major acquisitions, and achieved multi-million-dollar cost savings through technology innovation and process redesign.

Cardiovascular care is entering one of its most transformative periods in decades. Advances in AI imaging and minimally invasive procedures are transforming the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 19.8 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2022, representing approximately 32% of all global deaths. This makes early detection, innovation, and prevention critical. New technologies promise faster procedures and better outcomes. However, the challenge is to ensure that access, affordability, and quality keep pace with innovation.As technology redefines what's possible in cardiovascular medicine, how can health systems balance innovation with sustainability and make excellence more than just a marketing term?In this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson reconnects with longtime colleague Jorge Parodi, a cardiovascular service-line leader with experience across major hospitals and health systems. Together, they trace the evolution of cardiovascular care from the rise of service-line models to the latest AI-driven tools shaping diagnosis and treatment. They also unpack what “centers of excellence” really mean today.Key Points of Conversation:From Service Lines to Systems Thinking: How hospitals began aligning cardiovascular services around the patient journey and cutting across departments to improve coordination, quality, and outcomes.Technology at the Heart of Care: Advances like pulse field ablation, AI-assisted CT imaging, and next-generation diagnostic tools are revolutionizing early detection and treatment while reducing invasiveness.Redefining Excellence: Why “center of excellence” designations vary widely across payers and regulators, and how data-driven quality metrics are reshaping what true cardiac leadership looks like.Jorge Parodi is a senior healthcare executive with over two decades of leadership in cardiovascular service line management and hospital operations. He has directed major heart and vascular programs across leading health systems, focusing on strategy, innovation, and quality improvement. Parodi specializes in developing high-performing, technology-driven cardiovascular programs that enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword in healthcare — it's becoming a real partner in how providers care for patients and improve everyday experiences. With rising patient expectations, limited resources, and mounting administrative complexity, hospitals and insurers alike are turning to AI to improve efficiency, communication, and satisfaction. In fact, Citi research estimates that roughly a quarter of all American healthcare spending goes toward administrative tasks — and intelligent automation could reduce that burden by nearly 30%, underscoring the enormous potential for AI to make care delivery smarter and more sustainable.But as adoption accelerates, one key question looms: Can AI truly make healthcare more human — or does automation risk depersonalizing care?In this episode of I Don't Care with Dr. Kevin Stevenson, guest Brett Kiley, Vice President of Healthcare Solutions at Ciklum, explores how artificial intelligence can elevate — rather than replace — the patient experience. Together, they discuss practical, high-impact applications of AI that improve outcomes for both patients and providers, while emphasizing that technology alone can't fix broken processes or disengaged teams.Key points of discussion…Fix the process first. AI only accelerates what's already working — it can't fix a bad workflow. Kiley stresses that organizations must repair operational inefficiencies before layering in intelligent automation.Predictive, proactive patient care. By modeling data from multiple sources, Ciklum helps healthcare organizations identify at-risk patients before issues arise, reducing readmissions and improving satisfaction.AI for empathy and efficiency. From ambient AI that automates clinical documentation to analytics that highlight emotional drivers of patient frustration, AI can empower providers to focus on care — not clicks.Brett Kiley is the Vice President of Healthcare Solutions at Ciklum, where he helps healthcare organizations design and scale AI-driven customer experience and operational strategies that deliver measurable ROI. With over 20 years at CVS Health, he led digital transformation and patient experience initiatives that lifted Net Promoter Scores from 24 to 76, drove $100M+ in EBIT impact, and reduced call volumes by nearly half. Known for his hands-on healthcare expertise and data-driven approach, Kiley now advises hospitals, insurers, and startups on turning complex systems into efficient, patient-centered experiences powered by AI.

As healthcare continues to transform faster than ever — shaped by post-pandemic burnout, staffing shortages, and the rise of AI — leaders are being forced to rethink what it truly means to deliver both value and compassion in medicine. With the U.S. expected to face a shortage of 64,000 nurses in 2030, healthcare leaders are being pushed to rethink how hospitals operate, how teams are supported, and how care can be delivered more sustainably.How can healthcare leaders sustain high-quality care in an era defined by burnout, shrinking reimbursements, and rising consumer expectations? What lessons can decades of executive experience teach about leading teams, building resilience, and adapting to constant change?Welcome to I Don't Care. In this special crossover episode, David Kemp, host of Highway to Health, takes the interviewer's seat — turning the spotlight on Dr. Kevin Stevenson himself! During the conversation, Dr. Stevenson reflects on his 36-year career in hospital administration, offering a candid look at how the healthcare landscape has transformed — and what remains timeless about patient-centered leadership.What you'll learn…From Volume to Value: Stevenson traces the industry's evolution from “heads in beds” profitability to value-based care, efficiency, and patient choice.The Workforce Crisis: A deep dive into burnout, nursing shortages, and the generational shift toward work-life balance — and what that means for future staffing models.Decision-Making in Hospitals: Why innovation in healthcare moves slowly, how administrators balance clinical needs with financial and relational “capital,” and the crucial role of trust in vendor relationships.Dr. Kevin Stevenson, FACHE, is a veteran healthcare executive and consultant with more than three decades of experience leading hospitals, physician networks, and health systems toward operational excellence and sustainable growth. Most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Ascension Providence, he drove award-winning improvements in patient experience, surgical innovation, and financial performance. A recognized thought leader and host of the I Don't Care podcast, Dr. Stevenson is known for his strategic insight, physician engagement expertise, and commitment to mentoring the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Obstructive sleep apnea affects a whopping 30 million Americans, yet millions remain undiagnosed or abandon CPAP therapy due to its discomfort and inconvenience. Recent innovations in oral appliance therapy, however, are opening up new possibilities for patients seeking safe, effective, and lasting solutions. With sleep apnea linked to virtually every chronic disease—from heart disease to diabetes—the stakes couldn't be higher.So, what if there were a way to actually remodel the airway and reduce dependence on CPAP altogether? Could a non-surgical, dental-based approach reshape the future of sleep apnea treatment?Welcome to I Don't Care. In the latest episode, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson speaks with R. Kirk Huntsman, Chairman and CEO of Vivos Therapeutics. Together, they explore how airway remodeling through oral appliances may offer patients an alternative to CPAP, why craniofacial development is so central to sleep disorders, and how innovations in treatment are changing lives across the country.In this episode, you'll learn:How Vivos Therapeutics' oral appliance technology works by repositioning and redeveloping the jaws to create wider, more functional airways.Why environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors have led to narrower airways in modern populations—and how this contributes to the rise of sleep apnea.What patients can expect in terms of treatment timelines, insurance coverage, and long-term outcomes, including reducing or eliminating dependence on CPAP.R. Kirk Huntsman is a seasoned healthcare entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience founding and leading companies in dental practice management, medical devices, and healthcare services. He built and scaled Dental One, Inc. into a $70M business before its sale, and later co-led the merger that created DentalOne Partners, operating over 150 practices nationwide. Currently Chairman and CEO of Vivos Therapeutics, he focuses on strategic growth, capital acquisition, and innovative technologies to advance treatment for sleep and airway disorders.

Critical care in the United States faces a mounting crisis. With a shortage of board-certified intensivists and younger, less experienced nurses filling ICUs, hospitals often struggle to provide timely, gold-standard care. Studies show that hospitals with board-certified intensivists in their ICUs see a 30% reduction in patient mortality, yet thousands of facilities still lack this vital expertise.So, how can technology close the critical care gap and help hospitals meet these new quality standards while supporting overburdened staff?In this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Dr. Diego Reino, CEO of Intercept Telehealth, to explore how virtual critical care, telestroke, and virtual nursing are transforming hospital operations. The conversation covers how Intercept leverages a fully decentralized model to recruit top intensivists nationwide, integrates ICU bedside data into remote platforms, and provides hospitals with proactive, equitable, and scalable patient care.Key Takeaways:Virtual critical care fills critical staffing gaps: Intercept's decentralized network allows intensivists and nurse practitioners across the country to provide real-time ICU support, even in high-acuity situations.Technology transforms speed and access: Integrated platforms transmit live bedside data, enabling near-instant intensivist response times—averaging 36 seconds compared to the five-minute benchmark.Beyond ICU coverage: Intercept also delivers telestroke, teleneurology, virtual nursing, and telesepsis programs, helping hospitals improve patient safety, meet compliance standards, and support younger, less-experienced nurses.Dr. Diego Reino is a liver and kidney transplant surgeon and the President and CEO of Intercept Telehealth. He trained at UCLA in transplant surgery and began his career at the Cleveland Clinic in Florida. Driven by a commitment to equity in critical care, Dr. Reino founded Intercept to harness technology and provide gold-standard ICU coverage to hospitals nationwide. His leadership continues to expand access to specialized care, from virtual critical care to stroke and sepsis management.

Healthcare systems continue to face intense workforce challenges, with nursing at the center of concern. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034—faster than the average growth across all jobs in the U.S. economy. While this growth reflects rising demand for healthcare services, especially among an aging population and patients managing chronic conditions, the greater challenge lies in workforce turnover. On average, more than 189,000 nursing positions will need to be filled each year to replace those leaving the profession due to retirements or career changes. Combined with post-pandemic burnout and competition from other sectors, these trends make workforce development, recruitment, and retention a critical priority for healthcare leaders across hospitals, outpatient centers, and home or residential care settings.How can healthcare leaders and academic partners work together to build a future-ready workforce that supports both patient care and long-term system stability?On this episode of I Don't Care by Dr. Kevin Stevenson, guest Geoffrey Roche, Senior Vice President for Healthcare Solutions at Risepoint, explores strategies for strengthening the pipeline of nurses, technologists, and other clinical roles. The conversation spans Roche's career in healthcare administration, academia, and EdTech, and highlights innovative models of workforce development from both the U.S. and abroad.Key Points from the Conversation…Early Engagement: Initiatives such as healthcare-focused high schools and apprenticeship programs can ignite interest before college and strengthen long-term retention.Breaking Barriers: Addressing waiting lists in clinical programs and offering paid roles for students creates a stronger path to licensure.Transformational Leadership: Healthcare systems need leaders invested in long-term workforce development, not transactional approaches focused only on immediate productivity.Geoffrey M. Roche is a national leader in healthcare workforce development, currently serving as Senior Vice President for Healthcare Solutions at Risepoint. He previously directed workforce strategy at Siemens Healthineers and held executive roles at Harrisburg University, Core Education, and Dignity Health Global Education, where he advanced health equity and built scalable education-to-workforce pipelines. Roche is also an adjunct professor and Forbes Business Council member, recognized for his expertise in leadership, healthcare innovation, and academic-industry collaboration.

The landscape of employee benefits has undergone a seismic shift in the last decade. From the rise of telemedicine to the introduction of lifestyle spending accounts and stipends for services like DoorDash and HelloFresh, employers are reimagining how they support workers in a post-pandemic, inflation-conscious world. With healthcare costs rising and talent competition intensifying, the stakes for innovative benefit design have never been higher. According to SHRM's Employee Benefits Survey, 88% of employers rated healthcare benefits as “very important” or “extremely important” to their workforce—underscoring the central role benefits play in retention and satisfaction today.So, what does the future of employee benefits look like—and how can employers balance cost containment with employee satisfaction?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson welcomes Bret Brummitt, founder of Generous Benefits, to explore the evolving trends shaping how companies support their workforce. Together, they unpack the shift toward virtual care, cash-based allowances, and new models of cost control that both meet employee expectations and protect employer budgets.Key Takeaways from the Conversation…Virtual healthcare is now mainstream: From tele-mental health to virtual physical therapy, COVID-era innovations have permanently reshaped care delivery models.Cash-based and lifestyle accounts are booming: Employers are moving away from rigid perks toward flexible stipends for wellness, meal delivery, gym memberships, and more.Cost containment strategies are evolving: Direct contracts, bundled surgical pricing, and innovative pharmacy models are helping employers save without alienating employees.Bret Brummitt is the founder of Generous Benefits, a consultancy focused on reimagining employee benefit structures to meet modern workforce needs. With over a decade of experience in insurance and benefits, Bret transitioned from traditional product sales to a mission-driven approach centered on creativity, flexibility, and cost control. He is recognized as a thought leader in benefit innovation, regularly advising organizations on how to balance financial sustainability with employee well-being.

With the healthcare landscape seeing many evolving changes, employee engagement is no longer just a buzzword—it's now a business imperative. Amid rising turnover and persistent staffing shortages, organizations are under pressure to build resilient, engaged teams. According to Gallup, 70% of the variance in team engagement is tied to one factor: the team's manager. As post-pandemic workforce challenges persist, this stat underscores the critical, yet often overlooked, role of middle management.So, how can healthcare leaders harness the influence of middle managers to build a stronger, more engaged workforce?That's the question at the heart of the latest episode of I Don't Care, hosted by Dr. Kevin Stevenson. Joining him is Burl Stamp, President and Founder of Stamp & Chase, a consultancy focused on transforming workplace culture in healthcare. Drawing from his background as a former CEO of a hospital, Stamp shares insights into what truly drives engagement and why the real solution lies in supporting those caught between the C-suite and the frontlines.The key topics of conversation are…Burl believes that middle managers are more burned out than frontline workers, yet they hold the key to stabilizing teams and reducing turnover.From patient experience to staff satisfaction, communication remains the single most impactful skill in healthcare settings, and middle managers have to lead the charge.Burl addresses how generational changes and post-COVID values are reshaping expectations, making it vital to rethink management development and engagement strategies.Burl Stamp is the President and Founder of Stamp & Chase, a firm that helps healthcare organizations improve patient and employee experiences through leadership development and communication training. Prior to founding the company in 2003, he served as the CEO of Phoenix Children's Hospital and held leadership roles within BJC HealthCare in St. Louis. Today, his work centers on helping healthcare organizations navigate workforce instability by empowering middle management, a focus born from both personal experience and industry need.

As healthcare continues to evolve in response to post-pandemic challenges, workforce shortages, and an ongoing mental health crisis, the institutions that support the backbone of healthcare—hospitals—are under immense pressure. In Texas, where geographic and demographic diversity create unique complexities, the role of hospital associations in steering policy and support services is more vital than ever. With over 9,000 bills filed in the last legislative session, the stakes for hospitals couldn't be higher.What exactly does a state hospital association do—and how does it shape the future of healthcare access, funding, and staffing in Texas?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson welcomes John Hawkins, President and CEO of the Texas Hospital Association (THA), for an insightful conversation that breaks down the THA's multifaceted mission. From advocacy and workforce development to behavioral health infrastructure, John shares how the organization serves as a policy convener, education hub, and essential ally to hospitals across the state.Key Takeaways from the Conversation:Statewide Advocacy and Policy Development:THA represents 85% of acute care hospitals in Texas, navigating the unique needs of urban and rural institutions alike. John emphasizes the association's proactive approach to advocacy—engaging members to identify issues, form policy recommendations, and present unified solutions to the state legislature.Workforce Crisis and Pipeline Solutions:Hawkins underscores the ongoing crisis in healthcare staffing, especially nursing and allied health roles. THA is tackling this head-on by supporting performance-based funding for community colleges, promoting healthcare careers early, and expanding behavioral health workforce initiatives.Behavioral Health, Violence, and Access Challenges:With increasing demand for behavioral health services, John discusses how THA is pushing for more funding, better discharge solutions, and telehealth expansion. He also addresses workplace violence, noting THA's legislative wins in requiring hospitals to implement both preventive and reactive safety measures.John Hawkins became President and CEO of the Texas Hospital Association in January 2022, becoming only the sixth individual to lead the organization since its founding in 1930. With a background in government and public policy from the University of Texas, John spent nearly two decades leading THA's government relations team before stepping into the CEO role. His deep policy experience and commitment to healthcare advocacy have made him a pivotal voice in Texas health system strategy and reform.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming healthcare diagnostics, with some of the most promising breakthroughs happening in cardiology. Structural heart disease affects millions and frequently goes undiagnosed in its early stages, leaving patients vulnerable to serious complications. One such condition, severe aortic stenosis, often remains unnoticed until it becomes life-threatening—carrying a two-year mortality rate worse than many cancers if left untreated. As AI tools become more accurate and accessible, they offer a vital opportunity to detect these conditions earlier and improve outcomes across the board.So, can AI actually help cardiologists catch what they might otherwise miss—and what does that mean for the future of diagnostic care?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with Don Fowler, President of Echo IQ USA, to explore how Echo IQ is using AI-driven decision support to aid cardiologists in identifying structural heart diseases like aortic stenosis. They discuss how the tool works, why AI won't replace doctors, and how it could level the playing field between rural clinics and top-tier academic centers.Key highlights from the conversation…AI as an assistant, not a replacement: Fowler emphasizes that Echo IQ's AI tool doesn't replace physicians—it enhances their diagnostic capabilities, particularly for hard-to-spot cases like low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis.Equity in diagnosis: The technology helps address diagnostic disparities, particularly for women and rural populations, by providing consistent, phenotype-based analysis drawn from the world's largest echocardiographic dataset tied to mortality.Workflow integration is key: For AI to be adopted widely, it must fit seamlessly into existing clinical workflows. Echo IQ is designed to run within a cardiologist's normal environment, minimizing friction and improving efficiency.Don Fowler is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 35 years of experience leading global sales, marketing, and commercial strategy in medical imaging and diagnostics. He served as President and CEO of Toshiba America Medical Systems and spent more than two decades at Siemens Healthineers, holding key leadership roles including VP of Global Sales and Marketing for the MR business. Currently President of Echo IQ USA, Fowler is known for driving enterprise value through strategic execution, building high-performance teams, and serving as a trusted advisor across the healthcare and private equity landscape.

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans is projected to reach about 35.7 million, according to a 2025 Senate Finance Committee report. Yet, many startup and midsize organizations face steep technical and regulatory hurdles when launching or scaling operations. As part of the broader healthcare payer enterprise landscape, these plans must manage compliance, claims adjudication, risk adjustment, and reporting. This requires robust software systems that can handle increasing complexity without driving up overhead. How can small and midsize organizations offering Medicare Advantage plans compete and scale effectively in a highly regulated, data-heavy environment?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson welcomes Chris Stanley, CEO and founder of Strategic Healthcare Management Systems (SHMS), for a deep dive into the software and operational needs of the healthcare payer enterprise. They explore how the company helps payer organizations manage everything from enrollment and risk adjustment to claims automation and regulatory reporting through a vertically integrated platform that scales fast.Key HighlightsAutomating Compliance and Operations: SHMS enables 90% reductions in staff needs for adjudication by automating plan operations, CMS risk submissions, and audits.Supporting Startup and Mid‑Sized Organizations: The company specializes in guiding small and midsize organizations within the healthcare payer enterprise from licensure through go-live, often within four months.Future‑Proofing with AI: Stanley outlines plans to integrate AI for fraud detection, contract optimization, and risk adjustment—moving from proof of concept toward scalable innovation.Chris Stanley is the CEO and Founder of Strategic Healthcare Management Systems, where he has spent nearly two decades building scalable software solutions for Medicare Advantage and payer operations. His career spans roles in software engineering, product management, and healthcare IT at organizations including WebMD, RATA Associates, and Informa. He specializes in helping healthcare payer organizations streamline operations and meet compliance standards, with deep expertise in data systems, claims processing, and regulatory reporting.

CEO turnover across U.S. hospitals is accelerating. Hospitals and health systems announced 146 CEO changes in 2023—a 42% increase over the 103 exits recorded in 2022, according to a Challenger, Gray & Christmas report. As more leaders transition into new roles, the importance of making a good first impression has intensified. The early days of a hospital CEO's tenure can define their long-term effectiveness. Amid this dynamic, HealthSearch Partners launched a leadership insights series focused on how top executives navigate their first 90 days to build trust, demonstrate presence, and spark institutional change.So what strategies set successful CEOs apart in the first 90 days and how can future leaders learn from their playbook?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson speaks with two industry icons, Neill Marshall, Chairman and Co-Founder of HealthSearch Partners, and Kurt Mosley, Association Practice Leader at the same firm. Together, they reflect on key lessons from their 90-Day CEO series, built on interviews with hospital leaders nationwide.Key Takeaways from the Episode:Symbolism Matters: Small, visible actions—like replacing mattresses or rounding on holidays—can signal deep values and create lasting goodwill.Listen First, Act Intentionally: The best leaders don't rush decisions. They prioritize trust-building, cultural alignment, and understanding root issues before implementing change.Relationships Are Career Insurance: Leaders must proactively maintain professional relationships—even when secure—to weather transitions and drive long-term success.Neill Marshall is a veteran healthcare executive search leader with nearly 30 years of experience and over 600 senior-level placements. He co-founded HealthSearch Partners—now the fifth-largest healthcare executive search firm in the U.S.—after leadership roles at firms like Witt/Kieffer and Marshall Koll & Associates. His career has focused on recruiting CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and other top executives for hospitals and health systems nationwide.Kurt Mosley is the Associations Practice Leader at HealthSearch Partners, bringing over 30 years of experience in healthcare workforce strategy and executive placement. He previously served as Vice President of Strategic Alliances at AMN Healthcare and Merritt Hawkins, where he built partnerships with 25 state hospital associations and numerous healthcare organizations nationwide. A nationally recognized speaker and published expert, Mosley has advised thousands of healthcare leaders on physician supply, workforce trends, and executive recruitment.

Economic mobility is often portrayed as a straight climb. In reality, it's shaped by adversity, identity, and access to opportunity. As research from the University of Michigan notes, mobility requires not only income, education, and employment, but also more intangible resources such as social inclusion and power—the ability to make choices and exert influence. According to the United Nations, it takes four to five generations for children in low-income households across OECD countries to reach their nation's average income. Yet in rare cases, individuals shatter that trajectory, demonstrating a form of leadership resilience that redefines what is possible across generations.What qualities enable someone to harness adversity—not just overcome it—but to thrive and lead with empathy, courage, and conviction?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson welcomes Norberto Orellana, author of Meteoric: A Memoir Against All Odds, for a moving conversation about resilience, identity, and building a life that challenges generational limits. From a turbulent childhood to public speaking stages and emerging healthcare leadership, Norberto's story unpacks how defining yourself by your vision—not your environment—can unlock lasting impact.Key Takeaways from the Episode:Orellana recounts the pivotal night on a late bus that redefined his identity, not as a victim of his circumstances, but as someone capable of more.He explains how “positive audacity” helped him land a hospital leadership role despite lacking traditional credentials, after a TEDx talk caught the attention of a COO.His memoir Meteoric outlines the four essential traits that shaped his journey: ambition, persistence, decisiveness, and leadership resilience.Norberto Orellana is a healthcare leader, author, and speaker whose career defies the odds. Originally trained as an organic chemist, he transitioned into healthcare administration after completing a Master's in Healthcare Administration. He has delivered multiple TEDx talks and recently published Meteoric: A Memoir Against All Odds, which explores how he broke generational cycles and built a life defined by service, leadership, and impact.

The U.S. healthcare system is strained by rising costs, uneven quality, and fragmented care navigation. Employers are bearing the brunt, spending more without always securing better care for their teams. According to the RAND Corporation, one effective strategy is to “change their network and benefit designs to encourage patients to use lower‑priced, higher‑value providers (where provider quality and convenience are comparable).” This strategy enables companies to save thousands of dollars per patient annually while enhancing the quality of care. As generative AI transforms industries, the question is no longer whether to adopt it, but how to do so ethically and effectively in healthcare.Can AI help people find the right doctor—not just any doctor—while saving employers money and simplifying decision-making?This episode of I Don't Care, hosted by Dr. Kevin Stevenson, features Dr. Daniel Stein, internal medicine physician and CEO of Embold Health. Together, they unpack how Embold's AI-powered platform is redefining care navigation through clinical logic, natural language processing, and massive datasets, guiding patients to high-performing providers matched to their needs and preferences.Key Highlights from the Conversation:AI That Guides, Not Replaces: Embold uses generative AI to replicate a physician's triage logic and connect patients with the most appropriate, clinically validated provider, without needing a medical degree to navigate the platform.Cost Savings Through Quality: Employers using Embold's navigation tools have seen care costs drop 3–5% annually by steering employees to top providers, without relying on pricing alone.Guardrails and Transparency: Backed by Microsoft's responsible AI standards, Embold's platform is bias-tested and built on a foundation of over 230 million medical records, ensuring recommendations prioritize outcomes and trust.Dr. Daniel Stein is a physician and healthcare executive with deep experience across clinical care, health policy, and corporate leadership. He is the founder and CEO of Embold Health, where he leads efforts to improve care quality through data-driven physician performance analytics. Previously, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Walmart Care Clinics and held policy roles with the U.S. Senate and CMS, bringing a unique blend of clinical insight and system-level strategy to healthcare reform.

Generative AI has captured the public imagination, but its most transformative use cases may lie far from flashy consumer tools. In healthcare operations, where complexity, inefficiency, and fragmentation remain persistent challenges, AI is now driving measurable improvements. Research suggests AI-enabled healthcare systems could cut administrative costs by up to $360 billion in the U.S. alone.So, how can health systems move beyond experimentation and adopt AI in ways that deliver real operational value?In this episode of I Don't Care, host Kevin Stevenson welcomes Quentin Fisher, founder of Aidan Systems, for a grounded and insightful conversation on AI's practical impact on healthcare operations. Fisher explains how AI-driven analytics, process automation, and predictive models are helping community health centers and midsized systems simplify workflows, reduce reporting burdens, and make more informed decisions.Key Takeaways from the Episode:Evolution of Healthcare AI – Healthcare AI's evolution has moved from rule-based systems to predictive models powered by organizational data and cloud computing.Strategic AI Adoption in Health Systems – Aidan's “AI Fit Assessment” helps health systems identify low-risk, high-value AI use cases to improve productivity and care delivery.Responsible and Ethical AI Use: Ethical AI deployment depends on the use case, data governance, and constant retraining to prevent model degradation and bias.Quentin Fisher is a seasoned technology leader and founder of AIDAN Systems, where he leverages AI and machine learning to streamline business operations and reduce inefficiencies, particularly in healthcare and manufacturing. With over two decades of experience, including senior roles at HCL and CSC, he has led global analytics initiatives across industries such as aerospace, automotive, and public sector, focusing on strategy, solution development, and partner enablement. His core expertise includes generative AI, global strategy, data science, and delivering enterprise AI platforms that prioritize real-world business outcomes.

Healthcare organizations have faced significant challenges over the last five years due to the lasting financial and operational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread labor shortages, and rising costs of care delivery. The pandemic forced hospitals to prioritize crisis response over long-term strategy, leading to deferred investments, workforce burnout, and financial strain. Now, with many institutions regaining stability, the question arises: what are the biggest healthcare trends for 2025? Issues like workforce shortages, evolving competition, and rural healthcare access are driving critical conversations in the industry.So, how are healthcare leaders approaching these new challenges? What innovative solutions are emerging to redefine patient care, workforce management, and industry competition?On this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with David Willis, Principal in the Strategy Practice at ECG Management Consultants, to discuss the key healthcare trends shaping the industry in 2025. Their conversation delves into the resurgence of strategic planning in hospitals, the pressing issues facing rural healthcare, and the evolving workforce dynamics that are reshaping the future of patient care.The main topics of conversation…The Return of Strategic Planning: After years of crisis management, healthcare organizations are re-engaging in long-term planning. But the metrics of success are shifting away from traditional inpatient market share.Rural Healthcare Challenges: With hospitals closing at alarming rates, access to specialty care—especially OBGYN services—is becoming a critical issue in underserved areas.The Healthcare Workforce Shift: The experience gap between seasoned clinicians and new professionals is growing, requiring innovative retention and training strategies.David Willis is a seasoned healthcare strategist and management consultant with nearly 30 years of experience advising leading healthcare organizations on strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and system integration. As a Principal at ECG Management Consultants, he specializes in helping executives navigate industry disruptions, develop competitive differentiation, and drive organizational transformation. Previously, he held leadership roles at The Health Management Academy and the Advisory Board, where he played a pivotal role in executive education, market strategy, and business growth initiatives.

Private equity and venture capital have been reshaping the healthcare landscape, with $47 billion in related deals recorded from 2019 to 2023. These investments promise innovation and growth in AI, diagnostics, and healthcare delivery. However, they also raise critical questions about aligning profit-driven goals with the mission to improve patient care and system efficiency. At a time when the U.S. healthcare system faces mounting inefficiencies and inequities, this influx of private capital demands a closer look.What does private equity mean for the future of healthcare? Will it spark meaningful innovation or deepen existing challenges in accessibility, affordability, and patient outcomes?On this episode of I Don't Care, host, Dr. Kevin Stevenson, sits down with Dr. Roy Smythe, a distinguished thoracic surgeon turned venture capital advisor. Together, they explore the impact of private equity and venture capital investments on healthcare systems and physician practices. The discussion uncovers both the opportunities and potential pitfalls of private capital in healthcare.Episode Highlights:Private Equity and Healthcare Systems: Dr. Smythe critiques the influx of private capital in hospitals and physician groups, suggesting that profit motives can conflict with the mission of patient care and systemic improvement.Advancements in AI and Proteomics: The discussion delves into how AI can improve efficiency and allow for better clinician-patient interactions, while proteomics offers groundbreaking diagnostic potential by analyzing proteins rather than genes.Systemic Inefficiencies and Underinvestment: The U.S. healthcare system remains hampered by a lack of investment in primary care, leading to increased reliance on costly, advanced care. This has perpetuated inequities and inefficiencies despite significant technological progress.Dr. Roy Smythe is a transformational leader with a diverse background in healthcare innovation, translational bioscience, and medical technology. His career includes executive roles at SomaLogic, Philips, and MD Anderson, where he has driven advancements in diagnostics, AI, and life sciences. With a strong foundation in clinical care and strategic leadership, Dr. Smythe has been at the forefront of bridging medicine and technology to improve healthcare delivery.

Healthcare facilities face significant challenges in procuring and managing medical imaging equipment. These high-cost, high-stakes purchases, such as MRI and CT scanners, can directly impact patient care and financial sustainability. With declining reimbursements and increasingly complex technologies, the importance of expert guidance in making these decisions has never been greater. In fact, in 2022, U.S. hospitals spent an estimated $4.29 billion on service-related expenses for diagnostic imaging equipment, marking a 13.3% increase since 2020.How can smaller hospitals and healthcare facilities, with limited resources and expertise, navigate these critical decisions to ensure they receive optimal value and service?This episode of I Don't Care with Dr. Kevin Stevenson dives into these pressing questions with Scott Finkelmeyer, founder of Key Imaging Partners LLC. Together, they discuss the challenges and strategies healthcare providers face when procuring medical imaging equipment, from negotiating contracts to embracing new technologies like AI.Highlights from the Episode:Expert Guidance on High-Stakes Decisions: Finkelmeyer shares strategies for navigating vendor negotiations, emphasizing the importance of detailed contract reviews and ensuring optimal value for medical imaging equipment purchases.The Role of AI in Radiology: AI technology is transforming radiology by enhancing efficiency and doubling imaging capacity, helping facilities avoid costly equipment expansions.Leadership and Mentorship: Scott reflects on the importance of strong leadership and mentorship in empowering teams and improving procurement outcomes.Scott Finkelmeyer is the CEO of Key Imaging Partners, LLC, leveraging over 25 years of experience with top diagnostic imaging manufacturers to assist healthcare providers in optimizing medical imaging technology and service strategies. He previously held leadership roles at Siemens Healthineers and GE Healthcare, where he excelled in strategic sales and account management. His expertise lies in helping healthcare providers optimize imaging technology acquisitions and service agreements. Through his company, Scott helps clients save time and money while increasing purchasing confidence in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Healthcare facilities face significant challenges in procuring and managing medical imaging equipment. These high-cost, high-stakes purchases, such as MRI and CT scanners, can directly impact patient care and financial sustainability. With declining reimbursements and increasingly complex technologies, the importance of expert guidance in making these decisions has never been greater. In fact, in 2022, U.S. hospitals spent an estimated $4.29 billion on service-related expenses for diagnostic imaging equipment, marking a 13.3% increase since 2020.How can smaller hospitals and healthcare facilities, with limited resources and expertise, navigate these critical decisions to ensure they receive optimal value and service?This episode of I Don't Care with Dr. Kevin Stevenson dives into these pressing questions with Scott Finkelmeyer, founder of Key Imaging Partners LLC. Together, they discuss the challenges and strategies healthcare providers face when procuring medical imaging equipment, from negotiating contracts to embracing new technologies like AI.Highlights from the Episode:Expert Guidance on High-Stakes Decisions: Finkelmeyer shares strategies for navigating vendor negotiations, emphasizing the importance of detailed contract reviews and ensuring optimal value for medical imaging equipment purchases.The Role of AI in Radiology: AI technology is transforming radiology by enhancing efficiency and doubling imaging capacity, helping facilities avoid costly equipment expansions.Leadership and Mentorship: Scott reflects on the importance of strong leadership and mentorship in empowering teams and improving procurement outcomes.Scott Finkelmeyer is the CEO of Key Imaging Partners, LLC, leveraging over 25 years of experience with top diagnostic imaging manufacturers to assist healthcare providers in optimizing medical imaging technology and service strategies. He previously held leadership roles at Siemens Healthineers and GE Healthcare, where he excelled in strategic sales and account management. His expertise lies in helping healthcare providers optimize imaging technology acquisitions and service agreements. Through his company, Scott helps clients save time and money while increasing purchasing confidence in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Advancements in artificial intelligence are transforming healthcare, and remote cardiac monitoring is at the forefront of this change. With cardiovascular disease impacting nearly 50% of the population at some point in their lives, early detection and efficient diagnosis are crucial. Enter AI-powered cardiac monitors that provide near real-time data, reduce diagnostic errors, and improve access to care. But how exactly does this technology work, and what does it mean for patients and healthcare providers?Welcome to I Don't Care. In this episode, Dr Kevin Stevenson sits down with Stuart Long, the CEO of InfoBionic.AI, to explore the transformative impact of AI on cardiac monitoring. From continuous monitoring that detects arrhythmias in real-time to algorithms developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, this conversation addresses a vital question: How can technology redefine the landscape of cardiac care?Key Points of Discussion:Continuous Monitoring Revolution: InfoBionic's device streams data to the cloud, using AI to process millions of heartbeats and prioritize critical information for physicians.Reducing False Positives: By leveraging advanced AI and signal processing, the company has reduced false positives for atrial fibrillation by over 85%, providing clinicians with cleaner, more actionable data.Improving Health Equity: With remote cardiac monitoring solutions that eliminate the need for in-person visits, InfoBionic ensures greater access to cardiac care, especially in rural areas.Stuart Long is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience leading and scaling companies in the medical device and healthcare IT sectors. As CEO of InfoBionic.AI, he has pioneered advancements in AI-powered cardiac monitoring, significantly improving diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes. With expertise in enterprise software, medical imaging, and strategic operations, Long also brings a strong background in marketing strategy, honed at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Women's health remains a critical issue globally, with alarming disparities in access and outcomes. A new survey from Hologic and Gallup reveals that while nearly 90% of women recognize the importance of health screenings, less than half undergo them consistently due to barriers like cost, time, and anxiety. The stakes are particularly high in underserved communities, where delayed diagnoses can lead to advanced cases of conditions like cervical and breast cancer.What can be done to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all women, especially in marginalized and rural areas? Can artificial intelligence revolutionize screening and diagnostics to save lives?On I Don't Care, host Dr Kevin Stevenson has a chat with Mia Keeys, Director of Global Health and Innovation at Hologic. Together, they delve into the intersection of equity, technology, and advocacy in women's health.Key Takeaways:Barriers to Women's Health Access: Structural challenges like transportation, affordability, and cultural trust hinder consistent screenings, despite widespread recognition of their importance.AI's Role in Healthcare: AI technologies, such as Hologic's digital cytology for cervical health, enhance efficiency in diagnostics and provider workflows, addressing burnout and improving care.Advocacy for Policy Change: Maintaining healthcare access through programs like the Affordable Care Act and expanding support for underserved areas are pivotal in improving outcomes.Dr. Mia Keeys is a global health expert and director at Hologic, focusing on women's health innovation and equity. A former chief of staff for Congresswoman Robin Kelly, she has spearheaded health equity initiatives in Congress, at the American Medical Association, and abroad. Her academic pursuits include health policy and artificial intelligence, with field experience in countries like Indonesia and South Africa.

Behavioral health challenges have intensified nationwide, with wait times for care stretching months and access in rural areas remaining inadequate. Telehealth innovations are emerging as a crucial bridge to close these gaps, particularly in behavioral health. The stakes are high and according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in the past year, yet significant barriers to accessing care persistHow can telehealth providers tackle these systemic inefficiencies while expanding access?This episode of I Don't Care with Dr. Kevin Stevenson features Andy Flanagan, CEO of Iris Telehealth. Flanagan brings his extensive experience in healthcare and technology to discuss how telehealth is revolutionizing behavioral health. The conversation dives into how Iris Telehealth uses innovative tools like AI and machine learning to optimize referral queues, enhance care continuity through embedded EMR systems, and expand access in underserved areas, including rural communities.Highlights from the EpisodeAI in Behavioral Health: Iris Telehealth is leveraging machine learning to optimize referral queues, ensuring patients at the highest risk receive timely intervention. AI tools assist clinicians by predicting patient needs during encounters and providing actionable insights.Tackling Behavioral Health Challenges in Rural Areas: With virtual services across 43 states, Iris Telehealth helps community health centers and hospitals address systemic gaps in behavioral health. Their approach ensures seamless transitions of care and better access in resource-limited settings.Collaborative Care Models: Iris embeds its services into hospital EMRs to enhance care continuity, offering everything from emergency department support to outpatient therapy within the hospital's existing ecosystem.Andrew Flanagan is an accomplished healthcare and technology executive with expertise in telehealth, cloud software, and medical devices. As CEO of Iris Telehealth since 2020, he leads one of the industry's top tele-behavioral health service providers, leveraging over three decades of healthcare leadership to foster innovation and improve access to care. A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Michigan, he has held leadership roles at IMRIS, Siemens Healthineers, and SAP, specializing in scaling customer-focused SaaS and enterprise technologies while driving growth in underserved populations through technology-driven solutions.

The evolving healthcare landscape demands that provider networks strike a careful balance between meeting community needs and maintaining financial sustainability. As patient demographics shift and technological advancements, such as telehealth, redefine care delivery, health systems must recalibrate their networks to avoid inefficiencies. A 2024 AAMC study highlights this urgency, projecting a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians in the U.S. by 2036.How can healthcare systems design provider networks that cater to patient needs, optimize resources, and remain adaptable to future challenges?In this episode of I Don't Care, host Kevin Stevenson welcomes Jennifer Moody, partner at ECG Management Consultants. Drawing from her extensive experience, Jennifer shares actionable insights on market sizing, specialty care trends, and the integration of technologies like telehealth and AI. Their conversation unpacks how health systems can design effective networks that adapt to changing demands while staying sustainable.Key Points from the EpisodeMarket-Based Planning: Jennifer emphasizes the importance of understanding market capture and geographic constraints to avoid overbuilding or under-serving specific areas.Specialization Challenges: The growing trend of micro-specialization in fields like neurology and ENT has created staffing complexities, impacting both hospital and outpatient care delivery.Technology's Role: Telehealth, wearables, and AI are reshaping provider efficiency and patient access, but their successful integration requires careful planning and execution.Jennifer Moody is a healthcare strategist specializing in provider network planning, ambulatory strategy, and community health equity. As a partner at ECG Management Consultants, she has led over 450 strategic projects for health systems, focusing on workforce development and operational efficiency. Jennifer is recognized for her expertise in aligning care delivery models with evolving market needs. With over 20 years of experience, Jennifer has guided health systems through complex operational challenges, leveraging her expertise in market analysis and resource optimization. She holds advanced degrees in healthcare administration and is a recognized leader in the industry.

The rising cost of healthcare continues to strain employers and employees alike. With premiums climbing at a rate outpacing inflation, many organizations are burdened with high costs and subpar outcomes. Employer-built healthcare models are emerging as a potential solution, enabling organizations to take control of their healthcare systems. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average family health insurance premium reached $23,968 in 2023, underscoring the pressing need for innovative solutions.How can employers control costs while ensuring quality care for their workforce?This episode of I Don't Care delves into this challenge. Host Kevin Stevenson speaks with Carl Schuessler, Managing Principal of Mitigate Partners, about “employer-built healthcare.” The discussion explores how organizations can reclaim control over healthcare costs by addressing inefficiencies, eliminating middlemen, and focusing on patient-centric care.Key Takeaways from the Episode:Six Deficiencies in Legacy Healthcare: Schuessler outlines six critical flaws in traditional healthcare systems, including lack of transparency, embedded conflicts of interest, and the traditional PPO discount model.Transformative Case Studies: Mitigate Partners has saved organizations millions, including a Florida school district that cut costs by $65 million over five years while improving access to care for employees.Practical Tips for Employers: Schuessler emphasizes the importance of partnering with independent benefits advisors and actively managing healthcare plans to achieve better outcomes.Carl C. Schuessler, Jr., DHP, DIA, GBDS, is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience specializing in employer-built health plans that reduce costs and improve employee benefits. As the Managing Principal of Mitigate Partners, he has developed innovative solutions like the FairCo$t Health Plan, helping clients achieve significant savings—up to $8.2 million over eight years—while enhancing benefits and ensuring cost predictability. His expertise extends across risk management, employee benefits, and financial planning, with a focus on creating customized, data-driven strategies that retain top talent and improve organizational cash flow.

As healthcare systems continue to consolidate, independent physicians are facing unprecedented challenges in maintaining their viability. Rising operational costs, shifting value-based care metrics, and payer pressures are squeezing independent doctors more than ever before. Nearly 80% of physicians are now employed by hospitals, health systems, or corporate entities, up from previous figures of 60%, leaving fewer doctors practicing independently. This trend has accelerated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted the financial stability of private practiceCan independent physicians find a sustainable path forward with these trends gaining momentum? How are organizations like Patient Physician Network (PPN) helping independent doctors compete in this rapidly evolving environment? What strategies are being employed to ensure that these physicians not only survive but thrive?On this episode of I Don't Care with Kevin Stevenson, Scott Hurst, President and CEO of Patient Physician Network, dives into the critical role PPN plays in supporting independent practices. The discussion highlights the operational and financial hurdles facing independent doctors today and explores how clinically integrated independent practice associations (IPAs) are providing resources that could be key to their survival.Main Takeaways:Challenges for Independent Practices: Independent physicians face increasing difficulties due to fragmented operational systems and payer-driven cost increases.Financial Integration via PPN: PPN helps independent doctors by facilitating financial integration and value-based care opportunities, offering critical access to contracts and credentialing services that help sustain long-term viability.Scaling Value-Based Care: Despite the industry's push toward value-based care, independent doctors are finding it challenging to scale these models, as revenue challenges persist.Scott Hurst is the President and CEO of Patient Physician Network, one of the largest clinically integrated independent practice associations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A former President of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) North Texas chapter, Scott brings a wealth of healthcare leadership experience. His dedication to helping independent doctors thrive in today's competitive healthcare landscape makes him a key figure in driving innovative strategies to preserve the autonomy of independent physicians.

Staffing challenges in healthcare continue to grow, with burnout and workforce shortages creating increasing pressures on hospitals and healthcare facilities. The current staffing solutions are often seen as inefficient, with traditional agencies taking large cuts, and clinicians feeling underpaid. According to the American Hospital Association, workforce shortages remain one of the top challenges for hospital leaders.But is there a better way to connect healthcare professionals with the organizations that need them?This episode of I Don't Care with host Kevin Stevenson features a conversation with Ashley McClellan, the founder and CEO of MedCurate, about her innovative platform that is transforming healthcare staffing. MedCurate provides a digital marketplace that allows hospitals to connect directly with credentialed clinicians, cutting out the middleman to reduce costs while increasing pay for healthcare workers. Kevin and Ashley also discuss her career path, leadership journey, and how MedCurate is addressing the critical issue of staffing shortages in healthcare.Key discussion points:Taking Control of Staffing: MedCurate allows healthcare facilities to post staffing needs directly, setting their own rates, while clinicians have the flexibility to choose shifts that align with their qualifications, reducing reliance on traditional staffing agencies.Mentorship in Healthcare Leadership: Ashley McClellan shares how mentorship has played a critical role in her career growth, and how she now mentors the next generation of healthcare leaders, emphasizing the importance of leadership traits and diverse experiences.Vision for MedCurate's Growth: McClellan envisions expanding MedCurate to all care settings and across every state, with a goal of reducing clinician burnout and turnover by giving healthcare professionals more control over their work schedules and compensation.Ashley McClellan has built an impressive career in healthcare administration, with leadership roles in some of the largest hospitals in Texas. She holds a dual MBA and MHA and has led several healthcare organizations, including the Women's Hospital of Texas. Now, as founder and CEO of MedCurate, McClellan is leveraging her vast experience to tackle one of healthcare's most persistent problems—staffing. Through MedCurate, she aims to create a platform that benefits both clinicians and healthcare organizations by simplifying the staffing process.

Value-based care (VBC) is critical to the evolving healthcare landscape. As the U.S. population ages and healthcare costs continue to rise, achieving value-based care success has become a primary goal for the system, which seeks to optimize care while maintaining financial sustainability. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), by 2030, all Medicare beneficiaries are expected to be enrolled in accountable care arrangements.The stakes are high with this impending shift. How can healthcare providers deliver better outcomes while also cutting costs? What does the future of value-based care hold, and how are healthcare leaders preparing to adapt?On this episode of I Don't Care, hosted by Kevin Stevenson, healthcare expert John Carter, Brand Ambassador for Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting, sheds light on the evolution of VBC, key challenges, and emerging solutions to ensure value-based care success.Key Points from the Episode:Evolution of Value-Based Care: Carter tracks the progression from the Affordable Care Act's early initiatives to newer models like ACO REACH and the upcoming AHEAD model, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches to managing healthcare costs.The Role of Preventative Care: Both Carter and Stevenson stress that the healthcare industry must focus on preventative care and early intervention, especially as the baby boomer generation becomes fully Medicare-eligible by 2030.Specialist Integration in VBC: With a shortage of physicians, especially in specialty care, Carter highlights the need for better integration between primary and specialty care providers within VBC models to improve efficiency and patient outcomes.John Carter is the Brand Ambassador for Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting, where he works closely with teams across five companies under Pinnacle's umbrella to deliver tailored solutions for large national healthcare clients. Carter has become a key figure in advancing value-based care and has extensive experience in optimizing accountable care organizations (ACOs) and working with healthcare providers across the country.

Healthcare systems are under immense pressure to improve patient experiences while simultaneously reducing costs and administrative burdens. Healthcare organizations are finding innovative ways to listen at scale and unlock insights buried in patient conversations with the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI). In a landscape where AI is often seen with skepticism, technologies that focus on real-world applications, such as conversational intelligence, are making a tangible difference. In fact, according to a recent study, AI applications in healthcare are expected to grow by 48.1% over the next five years, with a focus on improving patient engagement and operational efficiency.So, how can AI-driven platforms like Authenticx help healthcare organizations turn patient conversations into actionable insights that drive reform? And what does this mean for the future of leadership in healthcare operations?In this episode of I Don't Care with Kevin Stevenson, the host dives deep into these questions with Amy Brown, Founder and CEO of Authenticx. Together, they explore how conversational data can transform decision-making in healthcare, how AI can be a tool for reducing physician burnout, and what "listening at scale" truly means for the industry.Key Points:Conversational Intelligence at Scale: Authenticx' AI-driven platform extracts insights from millions of patient interactions, turning unstructured data into valuable signals that healthcare leaders can use to improve operations.AI in Healthcare Leadership: Amy emphasizes that AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a tool to streamline administrative burdens and make the voices of patients more accessible to leaders across organizations.The Eddie Effect: A key innovation from Authenticx, this machine-learning model identifies patient “eddies”—where patients get stuck in their healthcare journey—helping systems address inefficiencies and improve care delivery.Amy Brown is the founder and CEO of Authenticx, a leading conversational intelligence platform focused on the healthcare industry. With a background in social work and healthcare operations, Amy has spent over two decades working in managed care, pharmaceuticals, and health insurance. Before founding Authenticx, she held senior roles in state government, developing a deep understanding of systemic healthcare challenges. Amy is a recognized leader in healthcare innovation, particularly in the use of AI to improve patient engagement and operational decision-making.

Securing essential medical supplies has become increasingly crucial in today's healthcare environment. The COVID-19 pandemic starkly highlighted the vulnerabilities in hospital supply chains, making it evident that traditional procurement strategies need a significant overhaul. As hospitals continue to grapple with shortages, from syringes to specialized equipment, the discussion around resilient supply chains remains highly relevant. What strategies can hospitals adopt to navigate these disruptions and ensure a steady supply of critical medical equipment?In this episode of I Don't Care, Dr. Kevin Stevenson hosts Jonathan Jarashow, CEO of OmniChannel Health. They explore the intricacies of hospital supply chain management, offering insights into finding scarce equipment and maintaining resilience in the face of disruptions.Key points from the episode:- Sourcing Niche Products: Jonathan Jarashow discusses the importance of identifying and filling gaps in the supply chain, particularly during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.- Building Resilience: The conversation touches on the need for hospitals to develop resilient supply chains that can withstand disruptions, with practical advice on leveraging networks and maintaining flexibility.- Navigating Supply Shortages: The episode covers real-world examples of how OmniChannel Health successfully navigated supply shortages by sourcing hard-to-find products such as syringes and medical pumps.Jonathan Jarashow is the CEO of OmniChannel Health, specializing in sourcing hard-to-find medical and surgical products for hospitals, particularly during supply disruptions. A Harvard graduate who published the nation's largest diabetes magazine for over two decades, Jonathan transitioned his expertise into healthcare supply chain management, building strong industry relationships. His company is known for its agility in providing original medical supplies, helping hospitals avoid the pitfalls of substitute products.

In this episode of I Don't Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson, FACHE, explores the impact of healthcare mentorship on leadership development through the inspiring journey of Christina Oh, the Greater San Francisco Market President for Sutter Health. As a highly accomplished healthcare executive, Oh shares her unique journey from her early days at Baylor University to her current leadership role in one of the most competitive healthcare markets in the nation.Throughout the discussion, Oh delves into her experiences in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, offering valuable insights into the importance of healthcare mentorship, the role of responsible philanthropy in healthcare, and the challenges and rewards of healthcare leadership. Oh highlights the impact of healthcare mentorship as she reflects on the guidance she received from her mentors and the strategies she employs to develop future leaders within her organization.In addition to her personal journey, Oh discusses the transition from for-profit to non-profit healthcare, emphasizing the significant role of community benefit programs and philanthropy in driving impactful healthcare initiatives. She also touches on the importance of curiosity in leadership, recounting a recent experience where taking a step back and embracing a curious mindset led to better decision-making and team engagement. This episode provides an in-depth look at the career of a dynamic leader who continues to make significant contributions to the healthcare field, mainly through the impact of healthcare mentorship on leadership development.