The ASHHRA Podcast

$60,090 Per Nurse Exit, 3.35 Million Workers Finally Protected & Virtual Nursing Is WorkingJuly 13th, 2026. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier cover three stories that all connect to the same question: are you doing everything you can to keep the people you have?

The Hiring Automation Gap No One Is Talking AboutFeaturing Mike DeMarco, Senior Product Marketing Manager, PhenomHealthcare is ranked #2 out of eight industries for overall hiring automation maturity. Healthcare was among the first to deploy voice screening agents. So why are nurses still taking 64 days to fill and internal positions taking 57?Bo and Luke welcome Mike DeMarco — the self-described "Bruce Springsteen of Product Marketing" — to unpack Phenom's 2026 State of Hiring Automation Report, which audited over 200 companies across eight industries and surfaced a gap that explains almost everything.

Healthcare Is Dead Last in Recognition Culture. Plus: AI That Predicts Who's About to Quit & What CEOs Are Betting On in 2026July 6th, 2026. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier are back from the long weekend with a deliberately positive episode — three stories built to give you energy heading into the week.

Inside Advocate Health's AI Strategy — From a Physician Who Builds ItFeaturing Dr. Andy McWilliams, Clinical AI Product Development Lead, Advocate HealthRecorded live at Advocate Health's The Pearl innovation quarter in Charlotte, North Carolina.Dr. Andy McWilliams is a practicing hospitalist — boarded in internal medicine and pediatrics — who has spent 15 years at Advocate Health and now helps lead its clinical AI strategy. He is not a theorist. He is a physician who uses these tools, sees patients, and builds governance around the same technology his colleagues depend on every day.

Hospitals Are Building Their Own Schools, AI Scribes Cut Burnout 13 Points in 30 Days & Healthcare Is the Only Thing Keeping the US Job Market PositiveJune 29th, 2026. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier cover three stories this week that all point in the same direction: healthcare HR is not a support function. It is the engine.

What It Actually Looks Like to Move Beyond Traditional HRFeaturing Nakesha Lopez, Chief People & Culture Officer, Advocate HealthRecorded live at Advocate Health's The Pearl innovation quarter in Charlotte, North Carolina.Advocate Health is one of the three largest nonprofit health systems in the country — 175,000 teammates across six states. Nakesha Lopez leads the people and culture function for all of it. She started in HR because someone mentioned a job posting at Memorial Sloan Kettering. She didn't know what HR was. Twenty-five years later, she's redefining what it can be.

Pay Transparency Hits July 1, Two-Thirds of HR Leaders Don't Know What AI Can Do & 84% of Healthcare Workers Feel Taken for GrantedJune 22nd, 2026. Luke Carignan is flying solo — Bo and Jeremy are out — and he is not slowing down. Three stories: compliance, technology, and the most human challenge in healthcare right now.⚖️ Pay Transparency Laws Hit Virginia and Maine July 1 Every job posting in Virginia and Maine must include an actual salary range beginning July 1st. No "competitive compensation." No DOE. Virginia's law has no employer size threshold — a 20-person clinic and a 50,000-employee health system face the same requirement. A salary history ban is also in effect. 16 states now have pay transparency laws. Penalties start at $1,000 per violation, with a 15-day correction window that protects you from a lawsuit on that specific posting. Action: Audit your postings today. Then stop treating this as compliance and start treating it as competitive advantage. Candidates are three times more likely to apply when a salary range is included. In a market with 1.3 million open healthcare jobs, that is not a small number.

Greenwood LaFleur Is Still Fighting, Medicaid Work Requirements Land July 31 & the Layoff Tracker Is Telling You Where the Work IsJune 15th, 2026. Bo and Luke open with a Mississippi hospital that was supposed to close today — and is still open. Then a Medicaid rule taking effect without a real comment window. Then a layoff tracker that, read correctly, is actually a roadmap for HR.

The Layoff Tracker, Cigna's GLP-1 Cut & What Happens When Compliance FailsJune 8th, 2026. Bo and Luke break down three stories connected by the same thread: what happens when organizations wait too long to act.

Three Things That Escaped the Savannah Convention CenterLuke Carignan and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier are back from ASHHRA26 — and the sessions were too good to leave at the convention center. Bo is out this week, but the content more than covers for it. Three themes from the conference floor that every healthcare HR leader needs on their radar right now.

10,000 Nurses on the Edge, a Union Decertification & the GLP-1 Benefit Bomb Landing July 1Three stories in one week that cut across labor relations, trust, and total compensation strategy. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier break down what every healthcare HR leader needs to act on before July 1st — with ASHHRA26 in Savannah just days away.

How Parkland Health Grows Its Own Workforce — And Why You Should TooFeaturing Stephanie Speights, PhD, SHRM-SCP, Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Parkland HealthWhat if the answer to your most pressing workforce shortage is already inside your building? Stephanie Speights has been proving that thesis for nearly seven years at Parkland Health — one of the most respected health systems in the country — by building a talent development engine that grows clinical staff from the inside out.

What a VP of Clinical Efficiency Needs HR to UnderstandFeaturing Katie Abebe, Vice President of Clinical Efficiency, Upstream RehabilitationIf you have ever wondered what it feels like to run clinical operations across 800 clinics in 25 states — and what that VP actually needs from HR to make it work — this is the episode. Katie Abebe took an unconventional path from construction to community college to a doctorate in physical therapy from Chatham University, and now builds systems for clinical quality and efficiency at one of the top five largest outpatient rehab providers in the country.⚙️ What Clinical Efficiency Actually Means Clinical efficiency is not just operational throughput. It is eliminating waste, aligning what payers require with what is best for the patient, and delivering high-quality care within insurance-constrained reimbursement models where margins are already thin. One missed clinician can eliminate an entire week's margin at a single clinic. The math is not forgiving.

April 27th, 2026. Three policy hits in the same week, all with direct workforce consequences. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier break down what HR leaders need to do before July 1st.

Featuring Ricky Price, Founder, Game Ready Skills & Development | McDonald's All-American | Duke University | NBA VeteranHealthcare HR professionals spend their days building cultures where people can do their best work under extraordinary pressure. Ricky Price has lived that challenge at the highest level — growing up in Compton, earning a spot under Coach K at Duke, competing professionally for nearly a decade in the NBA, and now translating every lesson from that journey into leadership development for organizations that refuse to settle for average.This one hits different.

Hospital M&A Hits a 6-Year High, a 42,000-Worker Strike Looms & a Rural Hospital Has 56 DaysApril 20th, 2026. More than 1,000 hospital leaders are in Washington, DC for the AHA Annual Meeting. The urgency they are carrying into that building has never been higher. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier break down three stories hitting simultaneously.

90% of Healthcare Organizations Missed Their Hiring Goals Last Year. Here's Why.Featuring Casey Marquette, Founder & CEO, Covenant HR, which is an active member of the ASHHRA Preferred Partner Program (AP3).Hundreds of open reqs. Inboxes flooded with applicants. And somehow nine out of ten healthcare organizations still missed their hiring targets last year. Casey Marquette, founder of Covenant HR and creator of the AI recruiting platform Scout, joins Bo and Luke to talk about why the problem isn't the talent pool — and what an AI-native solution actually looks like in practice.⚡ Scout: From Application to Interview in Under Five Minutes Scout evaluates a candidate in 2.2 seconds and sends an interview invitation in under five minutes if they score high enough. All 500 applicants for a role are considered — not just the 50 a recruiter had time to open. The video interview format pressure-tests candidates technically, catches identity fraud, and eliminates the ghosting problem that has plagued candidates for years. Covenant's recruiters went from working 8 requisitions at a time to 20 — with better results and more time for the human conversations that matter.

Luke Carignan and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier take a deliberate step back from the doom and gloom to look at what is actually working in healthcare HR right now — and the data is genuinely encouraging.

When the Real Problem Is Identity, Not SkillFeaturing Dr. Marcia Reynolds, Master Certified Coach, Former Global President, International Coaching FederationWhat if the leader on your team who keeps struggling isn't missing a skill — they're missing a clear sense of who they are becoming? And what if the most powerful thing you could offer your workforce right now isn't another wellness app, but a thinking partner who helps them see themselves differently?Dr. Marcia Reynolds brings 30 years of neuroscience-informed coaching practice and a perspective shaped by working in 47 countries to one of the most underutilized conversations in healthcare HR: the transformative difference between coaching and mentoring, and what it costs organizations that confuse the two.

April 6th, 2026. Three separate policy shocks, all landing at the same time. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier break down what may be the most consequential week of news healthcare HR has faced all year.

Strike Over, Margins Up & AI Saving Lives at Advocate HealthThe final Monday News Drop of Q1 2026. Luke Carignan and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier close out the quarter with three stories that are actually moving in a positive direction — and one significant asterisk on each of them.

What AI Can and Can't Fix About Healthcare Worker BurnoutFeaturing Dr. Rich Safeer, Chief Medical Director of Employee Health & Well-Being, Johns Hopkins MedicineTwo in five healthcare workers say their jobs feel unsustainable. AI is sitting right in the middle of the burnout crisis, the staffing shortage, and the well-being conversation. The question isn't whether it will change healthcare work — it already is. The question is whether your organization uses it to squeeze more out of your workforce or to finally give them their lives back.Dr. Rich Safeer returns to the ASHHRA Podcast to answer that question with clarity, nuance, and a perspective shaped by decades at the intersection of medicine, leadership, and workforce well-being.

3,400 Layoffs, No Staffing Floor & Nurses Walking Out — And It's Only MarchMarch 23rd, 2026. California hospitals have already cut more than 3,400 healthcare workers in six weeks. CMS just erased the federal minimum staffing standards for long-term care. And this morning, two separate nurse strikes began — one in Massachusetts, one in Maine. Bo and Luke break down what each story means for healthcare HR leaders right now.

The $6 Billion Influence Machine Targeting Your Benefits PlanFeaturing Kyra Hagan, Senior Vice President of Marketing, RxBenefits.Six billion dollars. That is what pharmaceutical companies spend every year marketing high-cost, high-profit prescription drugs directly to your employees — and the clinical and financial consequences are landing squarely on your health plan.Bo sits down with Kyra Hagan, a 25-year healthcare industry veteran and SVP of Marketing at ASHHRA Platinum Sponsor RxBenefits, to unpack the direct-to-consumer advertising machine and why healthcare HR leaders need to understand how it works.

Agentic AI Is Already in Your Building — Do You Know Where?HIMSS 26 just closed in Las Vegas with 24,000 healthcare technology leaders sending one unmistakable message: agentic AI has moved from the exhibit hall into your operations. Meanwhile, the largest nurse strike in US history ended at Kaiser Permanente with a 21.5% wage deal — and that number is now living in the institutional memory of every union organizer in the country. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier break it all down.Also — happy Healthcare HR Week! March 16th through Friday. Head to ashhra.org to celebrate the HR leaders keeping healthcare running.

When the CHRO Has Never Worked in Healthcare Featuring Margie Zyble, SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, UC HealthMargie Zyble came to UC Health by way of GE and a vertical farming startup. That unconventional path is exactly what makes her perspective on healthcare HR worth listening to.

March is here, and healthcare HR is staring down three stories that cut straight to the core of organizational trust, workforce safety, and labor vulnerability — all in one week.⚖️ LeapFrog's Credibility Collapse A federal judge ruled that LeapFrog deliberately assigned artificially low safety grades to hospitals that declined to participate in its voluntary survey. Five Florida hospitals were affected. This isn't a data dispute — a court found deliberate punishment of non-participants credible enough to act on.The HR takeaway is urgent: every external rating your organization amplifies — LeapFrog, U.S. News, Magnet — carries reputational weight with nurses, recruits, and your community. When a rating agency's methodology is found to be punitive rather than objective, the credibility problem belongs to you, not them. Audit your ratings dependencies now.

We are living in what one CHRO recently called “an era with no destination.” Jobs are evolving, technology is accelerating, and the rules of career progression are being rewritten in real time.In this forward-looking conversation, executive recruiter and career strategist Becky Heidesch joins us to unpack what AI, automation, and digital acceleration really mean for the workforce, especially for leaders and ambitious professionals trying to stay relevant.Becky opens with a bold reality: over the next five years, millions of jobs are projected to change or disappear. Is this a crisis moment or a reinvention moment?Her answer: both.For those who lean in, upskill, and embrace the tools, it is an unprecedented opportunity. For those who resist or delay, it can quickly become disruptive.We explore:• Why AI is coming for tasks, not people • How automation can elevate human interaction instead of replacing it • The growing digital skills divide across generations • Why learning must become continuous, not episodic • How leaders can prepare teams for roles that do not yet existBecky shares her STEEP Qualifications Framework, focusing on Skills, Tools, Education, Experience, and Personal qualifications as a practical way to manage career growth. Her message is clear: you must get in the driver's seat of your own career.One of the most compelling ideas in this episode is her “three-career strategy.” Instead of betting your future on a single lane, she encourages professionals to stack skills and think in phases. What you want in your 20s may not serve you in your 50s. Building multiple streams of income and developing adaptable capabilities creates resilience in uncertain markets.We also tackle education reform, corporate training, and the need to shift from memorization to comprehension. In a world where information is instantly accessible, competitive advantage shifts to adaptability, curiosity, and execution.This episode is not about fear. It is about agency.If you want to future-proof your career in the next 90 days, Becky's advice is simple and powerful: get clear on your direction and start aligning your resources accordingly.AI is accelerating change. The question is not whether disruption is coming. The question is whether you are preparing for it.Be sure to check the show notes for Becky's book, The Career Masterclass for Women.From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN HealthCare Associates Credit Union partners with healthcare organizations to offer a no-cost financial wellness benefit for employees. Built specifically for healthcare professionals, HACU provides everyday banking, loans, mortgages, and financial education - all with no added administrative burden for HR teams. Learn more at HACU's Human Resource Benefit or email directly at busdev@hacu.org and we are happy to take you through the process whether it's opening a membership for yourself or bringing us on as your employee benefits partner. HealthCare Associates Credit Union — a healthier benefit for healthcare HR leaders and their teams.  Support the show

In this week's News Drop, we unpack three developments that could directly impact provider compensation, skilled nursing operations, and your employee benefits strategy.

Recorded live at AdventHealth, this episode explores what it truly means to operationalize employee wellbeing at scale — and why it cannot live inside a single benefits line item.Kristin Duquaine, Executive Director of Employee Wellbeing, and Sarah Hawkins, Senior Manager of Employee Wellbeing, share how AdventHealth embedded wellbeing into its brand promise of “Feel Whole,” translating it into strategy, structure, and measurable impact.Wellbeing Is Not a Program — It's a SystemIn many healthcare organizations, wellbeing is folded into an EAP or buried in the health plan. At AdventHealth, it has dedicated leadership, executive visibility, and cross-functional integration.Kristin, a nurse with nearly three decades at AdventHealth, explains how her clinical experience shaped her belief that holistic wellbeing — mind, body, and spirit — drives long-term outcomes. That philosophy now informs systemwide workforce strategy.Measuring What MattersWellbeing ROI rarely shows up in Year 1.The team is building a centralized data strategy to evaluate engagement, health risk movement, chronic condition outcomes, mental health impact, and differences across workforce segments. The goal is not participation alone — it is bending long-term workforce stability curves.The Health Champion MultiplierA cornerstone of the strategy is the Health Champion Network: 2,800 volunteer team members advocating for wellbeing within their departments.Key insight: volunteers, not “voluntold.”Champions are culture carriers and influencers. Departments with champions show significantly higher engagement in wellbeing programs.For smaller hospitals without dedicated FTEs, this offers a scalable model: build a grassroots network, equip them with tools, and multiply impact without adding headcount.Advice for Smaller HR TeamsIf you only have a few hours a week:• Make communication consistent, not episodic.• Tap natural influencers inside departments.• Integrate wellbeing into daily leader messaging.Wellbeing is not about marathons or meal plans. It is about helping people see themselves in the solution.This episode proves scale and humanity can coexist — when leadership commits to both.From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN HealthCare Associates Credit Union partners with healthcare organizations to offer a no-cost financial wellness benefit for employees. Built specifically for healthcare professionals, HACU provides everyday banking, loans, mortgages, and financial education - all with no added administrative burden for HR teams. Learn more at HACU's Human Resource Benefit or email directly at busdev@hacu.org and we are happy to take you through the process whether it's opening a membership for yourself or bringing us on as your employee benefits partner. HealthCare Associates Credit Union — a healthier benefit for healthcare HR leaders and their teams.  Support the show

In this episode, we track three major developments shaping healthcare HR strategy right now: a catastrophic escalation in the Kaiser strike, a growing middle management collapse, and a new IRS benefit that could fast-track your workforce into the AI era.

Building Your Personal Brand Without Losing Your Professional Edge, featuring Susie Jamerson, Chief People Officer of Corporate Services, AdventHealthRecorded live in Altamonte Springs, Florida, this episode brings real energy, real conversation, and real leadership insight.Susie Jamerson returns to the podcast, and this time, the conversation goes deep into something every healthcare leader is navigating right now:How do you show up authentically online without compromising your professional brand?

This Monday News Drop covers three developments that should be squarely on every healthcare HR leader's radar.

In this episode, Luke Carignan sits down with Kelly Trummer, AVP of Talent Acquisition at Wellstar Health System, to unpack what's next for healthcare recruiting in a rapidly evolving workforce landscape. With prior experience at Yale New Haven Health and Southcoast Health, she brings a national perspective on what's changing—and what must change—inside healthcare TA. For Kelly, talent acquisition in healthcare is about direct impact. Every hire affects patient care. That purpose continues to fuel her work and leadership approach. The Post-Pandemic Reality The workforce challenge has shifted. We are no longer hiring our way out of shortages in nursing, imaging, and therapeutic roles. Instead, organizations must rethink strategy: • Develop internal pipelines• Engage future talent earlier• Reduce friction in recruiting processes• Compete in an increasingly tight labor market AI Is Not Replacing Recruiters One of the most powerful themes of the conversation: AI is not eliminating recruiters—it is elevating them. By removing administrative burdens, automation allows recruiters to focus on what matters most: relationship building, intentional conversations, and strategic workforce planning. However, adoption requires balance. Healthcare organizations must bridge generational divides in comfort with AI while ensuring candidate experiences remain human-centered and frictionless. The recruiter of the future? Agile, relationship-driven, and technologically fluent. Differentiation in a Crowded Market For Wellstar, competitive advantage comes down to how the organization treats its people. Total rewards, wellbeing programs, and individualized career paths are not just benefits—they are differentiators. Kelly reinforces that talent acquisition leaders must invest in their own teams and build peer networks across the industry. Collaboration, not isolation, will define success in the years ahead. Final Advice for TA Leaders • Plug into your national healthcare TA network • Invest in your people • Build internal pipelines early • Stay agile • Embrace change proactively The future of healthcare talent acquisition will belong to leaders who move early, think long-term, and bring others with them. From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN HealthCare Associates Credit Union partners with healthcare organizations to offer a no-cost financial wellness benefit for employees. Built specifically for healthcare professionals, HACU provides everyday banking, loans, mortgages, and financial education - all with no added administrative burden for HR teams. Learn more at HACU's Human Resource Benefit or email directly at busdev@hacu.org and we are happy to take you through the process whether it's opening a membership for yourself or bringing us on as your employee benefits partner. HealthCare Associates Credit Union — a healthier benefit for healthcare HR leaders and their teams.  Support the show

Healthcare HR leaders finally get a moment to exhale, but the work is far from over. In this week's Monday News Drop, Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and ASHHRA President & CEO Jeremy Sadlier break down three critical developments shaping workforce strategy, compliance, and recruiting right now. Segment 1: The 11th-Hour Telehealth Save Congress narrowly avoided the telehealth cliff. The Healthcare Access and Modernization Act of 2026 has been signed, extending Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027. Patients can continue receiving care from home, but new guardrails are in place. Starting in Q2, CMS will conduct quarterly audits of providers billing more than 50% of visits via telehealth. HR takeaway: Release February 1 claims, but immediately flag high-volume telehealth providers and refresh documentation protocols to prepare for increased scrutiny. Segment 2: Kaiser Strike Enters Week Two The Kaiser Permanente labor dispute continues to escalate. With more than 2,000 travel nurses deployed to maintain operations, unions have filed unfair labor practice charges, arguing replacement workers are being paid double what staff nurses requested. Tensions are rising, and public perception is becoming a key pressure point. HR reality check: The hardest work comes after the strike ends. Rebuilding trust, preventing “us vs. them” culture, and aligning leadership, HR, and labor relations will define long-term outcomes. Segment 3: The Visa Surprise The State Department's February 2026 Visa Bulletin delivered unexpected good news. EB-3 priority dates for nurses from the Philippines and India advanced nearly nine months, opening a rare window to accelerate international hiring. Strategic guidance: Speed matters, but ethics matter more. Vet international recruitment partners carefully, ensure compliance with ethical standards, and invest in structured onboarding and community integration to support long-term retention. This Week's Priorities: • Green-light telehealth billing while preparing for CMS audits • Monitor labor activity and cultural risk inside union environments • Accelerate international nurse pipelines with integrity and structure Healthcare HR is no longer reacting to disruption. It is shaping what comes next. From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN HealthCare Associates Credit Union partners with healthcare organizations to offer a no-cost financial wellness benefit for employees. Built specifically for healthcare professionals, HACU provides everyday banking, loans, mortgages, and financial education - all with no added administrative burden for HR teams. Learn more at HACU's Human Resource Benefit or email directly at busdev@hacu.org and we are happy to take you through the process whether it's opening a membership for yourself or bringing us on as your employee benefits partner. HealthCare Associates Credit Union — a healthier benefit for healthcare HR leaders and their teams.  Support the show

Healthcare HR leaders are heading into one of the most consequential weeks of the year. In this episode of the ASHHRA Monday News Drop, Luke Carignan, Bo Brabo, and ASHHRA President & CEO Jeremy Sadlier unpack three fast-moving developments that demand immediate attention from HR, finance, and executive teams. Segment 1: A Tale of Two Coasts While New York nurses return to work after securing historic staffing protections, the West Coast is waking up to a massive escalation. More than 31,000 healthcare workers across California and Hawaii, including nurses, pharmacists, and imaging professionals, have launched an open-ended strike over staffing ratios and wages tied to inflation. HR reality check: The contagion effect is real. Enforceable staffing guarantees are now the most powerful organizing and recruiting tool in healthcare. Union or not, organizations that fail to visibly address staffing risk becoming the next target. Segment 2: The Telehealth Hail Mary With just days remaining before the January 30 deadline, the House has passed a two-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities. The Senate still must act. A lapse, even for 48 hours, could trigger denied claims and major revenue disruption. Actionable guidance: Do not dismantle telehealth infrastructure. Instruct revenue cycle teams to hold telehealth claims from February 1–3 until Senate confirmation is secured. This single step could prevent a costly billing crisis. Segment 3: The “Great Healthcare Plan” and PBM Reform The White House has released a new healthcare framework emphasizing aggressive PBM reform and price transparency, while notably stepping away from enhanced ACA subsidies. Premium pressure for employees is likely to persist. HR opportunity: PBM reform is not just a finance issue. Use this moment to demand transparency from your benefits partners, audit rebate structures, and identify savings that can help offset rising employee costs. This Week's Focus: • Monitor West Coast labor activity and prepare for patient surges • Protect telehealth revenue during legislative uncertainty • Reassess staffing strategy, benefits cost exposure, and PBM risk Healthcare HR is no longer adjacent to strategy. It is central to it.  From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN  Support the show

Healthcare HR is entering a pressure point week. In this Monday News Drop, Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and Jeremy Sadlier break down three converging forces that are already reshaping labor strategy, care delivery, and executive decision making. Segment 1: The “Peace Treaty” Hangover The New York City nurses strike has officially ended at NewYork-Presbyterian and Mount Sinai, but the real impact is just beginning. The tentative agreement sets a national precedent: a 19% wage increase over three years paired with an ironclad staffing enforcement clause. If staffing ratios are missed, nurses receive automatic premium pay with no arbitration and no delay.HR takeaway: This is not just a labor story. It is an operational and financial risk signal. HR leaders should immediately calculate their staffing miss rate and model what automatic penalties would have cost last month. If you wait for the union to raise this, you are already behind. Segment 2: The Telehealth Countdown Extended Medicare telehealth flexibilities expire in 11 days, on January 30, 2026. Without Congressional action, the geographic originating site rule snaps back on February 1, limiting reimbursement for home based telehealth visits outside rural areas. HR takeaway: Do you know which providers in your system would be out of compliance on February 1? If not, why not? This is a data and workforce planning problem, not just a policy issue. Patient access, provider schedules, and employee time off will all be affected if telehealth abruptly contracts. Segment 3: The Efficiency Wave Moves West Following Alameda Health, Providence announced cuts of approximately 450 non clinical roles across Washington and Oregon, while CVS Health and its subsidiary Oak Street Health are closing clinics and reducing headcount. Growth at all costs is giving way to margin preservation. HR takeaway: This is not panic. It is a phase change. Expect continued role consolidation, automation, and redeployment. The best organizations will reskill and redeploy talent with integrity, transparency, and real choice, not force disguised as opportunity. The Bigger Picture Labor contracts, care delivery models, and financial discipline are converging fast. If you are in healthcare HR and still see yourself as adjacent to strategy, it is time to step forward. The teams who engage now will be shaping enterprise decisions a year from today. 

In this week's Monday News Drop, hosts Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and Jeremy Sadlier unpack the critical workforce, policy, and compensation trends shaping healthcare HR as we move deeper into 2026. From labor risk to pay strategy to the expiration of ACA subsidies, this episode delivers practical insight leaders can act on immediately.Key Topics Covered:Nurse Strike Risk & Staffing Ratios With New York City facing potential large-scale nursing strikes, the conversation highlights how staffing ratios are shifting from policy language to enforceable labor contract terms. The takeaway for HR leaders is clear: transparency, staffing communication, and proactive workforce planning can reduce strike risk faster than wages alone.Medicaid Cuts & ACA Subsidy Expiration The team explores the real-world impact of Medicaid funding reductions and the expiration of ACA premium subsidies. Hospitals are already seeing layoffs, rising uncompensated care, and growing emergency department utilization. HR leaders are urged to prepare for budget volatility, workforce redeployment, and increased pressure on frontline staffing.Workforce Redeployment Over Layoffs Rather than defaulting to layoffs, this episode reinforces the case for redeploying and upskilling existing employees. From patient access to revenue cycle roles, proactive retraining can stabilize operations while preserving institutional knowledge and morale.2026 Pay Strategy Reality Check National merit increases have stabilized around 3–3.5%, but healthcare remains an outlier with sustained wage pressure. The hosts discuss why across-the-board increases no longer work and why differentiated pay strategies are essential to retain top clinical talent and manage wage compression.The HR Imperative This episode reinforces a core message: workforce shortages are now structural, not cyclical. Burnout is an organizational risk, not an individual failure. And HR leaders play a central role in navigating labor relations, compensation strategy, and policy-driven disruption.Actionable Takeaways for This Week: • Run a strike-risk audit with nurse leaders • Audit per diem and part-time coverage options • Review telehealth compliance timelines • Identify redeployment and upskilling opportunities

We made it to Episode 200, and this milestone edition of The ASHHRA Podcast could not be more timely.Kicking off 2026, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan are joined by Jeremy Sadlier for a wide-ranging Monday News Drop that examines the forces reshaping healthcare HR, workforce strategy, and hospital operations right now—and what leaders must prepare for next.What's Inside Episode 200:Workforce Shortages Are Structural, Not Cyclical The conversation opens with a hard truth: healthcare workforce shortages are no longer temporary. Leaders must move beyond short-term hiring fixes and focus on long-term workforce redesign, redeployment, and internal talent mobility.Burnout Is an Organizational Risk Burnout is no longer framed as an individual resilience issue. The team discusses why burnout is increasingly viewed as a system failure—one that impacts safety, engagement, retention, and financial performance across health systems.Upskilling Is the New Retention Strategy Degree pathways, certifications, and employer-funded education are emerging as the most powerful retention tools. Developing internal talent is no longer optional—it's essential to sustainability.AI in Healthcare HR Is Moving Faster Than Governance From recruiting and scheduling to workforce analytics and productivity modeling, AI adoption is accelerating. The challenge? Governance, bias controls, and leadership readiness are lagging behind the technology.The Expiration of ACA Subsidies and Its Ripple Effects One of the most urgent discussions centers on the recent expiration of ACA subsidies. The group breaks down what this means for hospital finances, emergency department utilization, workforce planning, and HR budgets in 2026 and beyond.Why This Episode MattersThis isn't just a look back—it's a clear-eyed look forward. Episode 200 challenges healthcare HR leaders to think systemically, plan strategically, and step confidently into their role as operational leaders during a time of unprecedented change.Whether you're focused on workforce planning, employee engagement, AI strategy, or healthcare policy impacts, this episode delivers perspective you can use immediately. From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN Support the show

In this returning episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, co-host Luke Carignan sits down with Jeff Knapp, for a timely and candid conversation about artificial intelligence, workforce transformation, and what it truly means to lead with humanity in an age of rapid automation.Jeff brings a rare and powerful perspective to the discussion. With a career spanning roles at Aramark, Walgreens, PE-backed organizations, nonprofits, and large public companies, Jeff frames AI not as a threat to HR, but as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to refocus the profession on what humans do best.Key Themes Explored:AI in Human Resources: Why generative and agentic AI are best used to eliminate repetitive, transactional tasks so HR leaders can focus on strategy, leadership development, and culture.From Deskilling to Reskilling: Jeff challenges the fear-based narrative around AI, arguing instead that HR is entering a reskilling era that demands curiosity, adaptability, and courage.The New Role of the CHRO: Today's HR leaders must be part strategist, part technologist, and fully human. Jeff explains why fluency in AI, data, and change management is now essential for executive relevance.Preserving Humanity at Scale: As automation increases, empathy, compassion, and authentic leadership become more valuable, not less. AI should amplify the human experience, not replace it.Workforce Planning & Learning Innovation: How AI-driven insights can enable real-time learning, personalized development paths, and smarter workforce decisions.Throughout the episode, Jeff and Luke emphasize a core truth: the future of HR is not about replacing people with machines, but about freeing leaders to lead more deeply, thoughtfully, and humanely.Whether you are an HR executive, business leader, or someone navigating organizational change, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and practical insight into what's coming next—and how to lead confidently through it.From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN Support the show

In this week's Monday News Drop, Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and Jeremy Sadlier tackle two headlines that should have every healthcare HR leader paying close attention: reported job eliminations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a new survey showing more than half of U.S. healthcare workers are considering leaving their roles.The conversation cuts through headlines and focuses on what HR leaders need to understand, question, and act on.

In this week's Monday News Drop, Co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan, along with ASHHRA Executive Director, Jeremy Sadlier, break down the biggest healthcare HR trends and policy changes shaping the road to 2026—what HR leaders need to watch, prepare for, and take action on now. From telehealth reimbursement cliffs to workplace violence standards and double-digit benefit increases, this episode arms you with a strategic playbook for the year ahead.

In one of our most eye-opening conversations yet, Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan sit down with clinical pharmacist Langley Kyle to unpack the truth behind GLP-1 medications—Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, tirzepatide, and their compounded counterparts. Whether you're an HR leader, benefits strategist, or simply trying to understand why GLP-1s dominate workplace conversations, this episode breaks it all down with clarity, expertise, and a surprising amount of laughter.From skyrocketing utilization to social-media-driven demand, Langley reveals what she's seeing across employer plans nationwide…and what's coming next.

In this week's Monday News Drop, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan dive into one of healthcare's most persistent and pressing issues — the national nursing shortage. But this time, they go deeper than headlines to ask the hard question: Is it really a “trend,” or just a long-term problem we keep failing to solve?Bo and Luke trace the roots of the shortage through decades of reports and research, revealing that the so-called “hot topic” isn't new — it's been part of America's healthcare conversation for years. Together, they unpack why solutions haven't stuck and explore how operations, education, and compensation must all evolve to make a real difference.

We're thrilled to share the highlights from a mind-expanding episode featuring Cliff Jurkiewicz, VP of Global Strategy at Phenom, alongside our hosts Luke and Bo. Dive Into Reality: Are We Living in a Simulation?The episode kicks off with a wild question: What if there's a 50% chance we're living in a simulation, according to Columbia astronomer David Kipping? Cliff explores quantum physics, simulation theory, and how particles defy our ability to understand reality—making us ponder humanity's limits and possibilities.AI, Quantum Computing, and the Race for SupremacyYou'll hear about the jaw-dropping advances in quantum computing: Microsoft's major leap with their Marjoram chip and how whoever wins the “quantum race” could reshape economies, healthcare, and society itself. Cliff notes that China is currently outpacing everyone due to its aggressive, regulation-free approach. What does this mean for global healthcare? The stakes couldn't be higher.Healthcare HR Transformation: Tech Is Here to HelpForget the fear of robots taking jobs—AI is here to streamline tasks, not replace our humanity. The hosts and Cliff walk through how ambient listening, virtual nursing, and AI-driven medical coding are set to eliminate administrative “bloat” and free up clinicians to focus on meaningful patient care. Expect drastic reductions in cost and a move toward decentralized, personalized healthcare.Curiosity Is Your SuperpowerIf you're wondering how to keep up, Cliff offers sage advice: stay curious, ask questions, and don't be afraid to admit what you don't know. Whether you're an HR leader shopping for new tech or a clinician adjusting to AI-powered tools, an “elementary school mindset” is key—embrace curiosity, set your ego aside, and actively participate in this transformation.The Future of Work and Life: Shorter Workweeks, Longer LivesImagine working 20 hours a week—productively—and living for 200 years! With AI and medical innovation, the podcast explores how future generations may move past industrial-age thinking, toward more leisure and true human enlightenment. It's a bold, optimistic vision for what comes next.Listener Takeaways:AI and Tech are not science fiction—they're here, now, and reshaping healthcare HR.Embrace change and be part of the conversation, or risk being left behind.Think big. The possibilities for improving patient care, operational efficiency, and even personal longevity are staggering.Be curious. The next era starts with asking the right questions.Thanks for listening, subscribing, and being curious with us!From Our Sponsors...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZNStreamline HR Compliance with oneBADGEhealthcareSimplify screening, credentialing, and compliance for healthcare HR. oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global offers a tailored solution to keep your workforce compliant and efficient. Built for healthcare leaders, it's your all-in-one compliance tool.Get Started here - https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/ Support the show

Welcome to The ASHHRA Podcast! In this episode, hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan sit down with Keith Sorgius, a dedicated hospital advisor at RxBenefits, to dive deep into the world of pharmacy benefits and cost management for hospitals and health systems. With a rich background in pharmacy analytics, PBM consulting, and 340B in-house pharmacy management, Keith Sorgius shares his practical insights on using data-driven strategies to identify savings opportunities and maximize the value of in-house pharmacy operations.Together, the trio explores the role of predictive analytics in pharmacy plan management, the critical relationship between HR and pharmacy teams, and the importance of transparent communication when rolling out new benefits strategies. You'll learn why benchmarks can be tricky to rely on, how leveraging your own hospital pharmacy can be a game-changer for costs and patient care, and best practices for getting buy-in from employees and their families.Whether you're in HR, pharmacy operations, or just passionate about controlling healthcare costs, this episode is packed with actionable advice and real-world stories to help you navigate the ever-evolving pharmacy benefits landscape. Let's get started! From Our Sponsors...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZNStreamline HR Compliance with oneBADGEhealthcareSimplify screening, credentialing, and compliance for healthcare HR. oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global offers a tailored solution to keep your workforce compliant and efficient. Built for healthcare leaders, it's your all-in-one compliance tool.Get Started here - https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/ Support the show

In this week's Monday News Drop, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan get real about the future of HR — and why the next evolution of workforce planning is already here.From predictive analytics and skills ontologies to workplace flexibility and AI, Bo and Luke dig into what every HR leader should be thinking about as technology reshapes hiring, training, and team performance.This episode isn't just theory — it's a candid conversation about how data can help HR move from reacting to predicting, and from managing to truly leading.

In this episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan sit down with Darlene Stone, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Bayhealth, for a powerful conversation about the past, present, and future of healthcare HR.Darlene has seen it all, from the days of typewriters and paper timecards to today's AI-driven workflows. With over 30 years in healthcare, she's done every job in HR and brings a uniquely grounded perspective on what truly matters: people.

In this week's Monday News Drop, co-hosts Luke Carignan and Jeremy Sadlier dig into a treasure trove of 2025 healthcare HR data points, unpacking what's really happening across the industry and what the numbers mean for the people on the front lines.From anxiety and depression among nurses to workplace violence and the growing shortage of support staff, this episode shines a light on the challenges healthcare HR professionals must confront head-on. Luke and Jeremy keep it real with practical ideas, tough questions, and even a few laughs along the way.

In this eye-opening episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan welcome Kinjal Patel and Brady Heiner from RxBenefits to demystify the complex world of pharmacy benefit management (PBMs). As costs skyrocket, driven by specialty drugs accounting for 50% of spend from just 2% of prescriptions, HR leaders face fiduciary risks, hidden contract clauses, and potential class-action lawsuits. Kinjal and Brady reveal how transparent PBMs differ from traditional models, why "transparency" claims often fall short, and how RxBenefits operates as a client-aligned Pharmacy Benefits Optimizer with 3 million members' negotiating power.Discover actionable strategies for hospitals and health systems to leverage in-house pharmacies, avoid rebate pitfalls, and conduct essential market checks and audits. The duo emphasizes the critical fine print in PBM contracts (e.g., CVS, Express Scripts, OptumRx) that can erode savings if overlooked. RxBenefits offers free, comprehensive contract analyses to uncover hidden opportunities and protect your organization.Key takeaways for healthcare HR professionals:Understand true PBM transparency vs. marketing hype… demand bias-free alignment.Specialty drugs dominate costs; optimize high-dollar prescriptions for massive savings.Hospital pharmacies are goldmines; structure contracts to maximize rebates and utilization.Fiduciary duty demands expertise; avoid legal risks with proactive audits.Don't DIY pharmacy benefits; partner with consultants for smarter plan design and pricing.A must-listen for HR managing escalating drug spend and compliance. Take control… request your free RxBenefits analysis today!From Our Sponsors...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZNStreamline HR Compliance with oneBADGEhealthcareSimplify screening, credentialing, and compliance for healthcare HR. oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global offers a tailored solution to keep your workforce compliant and efficient. Built for healthcare leaders, it's your all-in-one compliance tool.Get Started here - https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/ Support the show