The ACO Show

195. Unlocking Independence for Primary Care Clinicians Oct 06, 2025

Join Josh Israel, MD, and Sean Cavanaugh, along with Brittney Anderson, MD, family physician and podcaster (“Physicians Hanging a Shingle”) and Dan Bowles, general manager of practice health at Aledade, to discuss Anderson’s journey to owning her own private practice, and how she supports other physicians seeking independence. Both Anderson and Bowles believe value-based care is crucial for independent primary care practices, and that greater exposure to independent practice models is essential to provide physicians with more employment options. As Bowles explains, this is the driving force behind Aledade’s effort to support physicians looking for information and a path to their own independent practice.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

194. 2024 MSSP Results with Farzad Mostashari, MD and Sandeep Mann, MD Sep 15, 2025

Join Josh Israel, MD and Sean Cavanaugh in their video debut as they discuss the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) results for 2024 released by CMS with Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari, MD They explore how Aledade Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) earned more than $1 billion in total savings and continue to improve performance year over year, including substantially reducing hospitalizations. We also sit down with Sandeep Mann, MD, primary care physician and Aledade partner since 2015, to explore how his practice has thrived in value-based care.

Watch the full episode

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

193. Breaking down CMMI’s new strategy with Abe Sutton and Farzad Mostashari, M.D. Jul 28, 2025

Abe Sutton, director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), sits down with Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari, M.D., and Sean Cavanaugh to unpack the new strategic framework for CMMI models. Sutton explores CMMI’s focus on three pillars: promoting evidence-based prevention, improving patient access to their health data and driving choice and competition in health care markets. He discusses the recently announced WISeR (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) Model, which aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in reviewing prior-authorization requests to prevent harmful or unnecessary services. He also talks about the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM), which would reward specialists for improving health outcomes in Medicare patients with lower back pain or heart failure and CMS efforts to improve risk adjustment through permanent programs and testing new ideas on a smaller scale through the Innovation Center.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

192. The Road Show: What makes a good ACO partner? Jul 23, 2025

Join Josh Israel and Sean Cavanaugh for part two of their most recent road trip visiting primary care practices from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. First, they visited Dr. Arvinder Bir and Dr. Seema Bir, Aledade partners in California, to discuss how Aledade has helped enable their practice to reduce patient hospitalizations and remain independent. Next, they visited Varesh Chaurasia, CEO of HealthyU Clinics, and Dr. Lauren Havard, CMO, in Phoenix, Arizona to discuss what they are looking for in an accountable care organization (ACO) partner, emphasizing hands-on experience in local markets. Finally, they met with Dr. Salil Trehan in Amarillo, Texas, whose practice has previously partnered with multiple ACO enablers, to gain insights into what sets great ACO partners apart.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

191. Road Show Reflections with Farzad Mostashari, M.D. and Mat Kendall Jul 07, 2025

Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari, M.D., and Mat Kendall, president, join Josh Israel and Sean Cavanaugh to share insights from their recent road trip to primary care practices from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. They reflect how conversations about value-based care have evolved over the past 11 years — and what organizations are trying to learn when deciding whether to join an accountable care organization and who to partner with on that journey. Join us to learn why Aledade stands out in this ever-evolving landscape.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

190. The Rising Cost of Skin Substitutes with Dr. Caroline Fife and Dr. Christopher Apostol Jun 09, 2025

Dr. Caroline Fife and Dr. Christopher Apostol join us to explore the rising cost of skin substitutes in wound care, which Aledade data suggests is a tenfold increase in the last three years. Dr. Fife explains that rising costs are due to an increase in both cost of the product and increased usage and she addresses the real concerns such as the way many skin substitutes are exempt from FDA review, offer rebates or discounts to clinicians and how some Medicare payment models incentivize the use of more expensive treatments. Dr. Apostol also notes how wound care has evolved through the lens of primary care, including an increase in specialist utilization and mobile wound care teams.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

189. Do ACOs Really Save Money? Dr. Amelia Bond and Dr. Dhruv Khullar Explain May 26, 2025

Dr. Amelia Bond and Dr. Dhruv Khullar join us to discuss the long-term savings of accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Their recent study in JAMA found that ACOs generate increasing savings over time, with physician-led ACOs demonstrating more significant savings. Learn about their study’s methodology, policy implications for The Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and where Dr. Bond and Dr. Khullar will focus their research next.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

188. Natalie Davis on Why You Shouldn’t Talk about Value-Based Care May 19, 2025

Natalie Davis, CEO of United States of Care, joins us to talk about the challenges of discussing value-based care with patients and policymakers. Through extensive research with over 30,000 individuals, Davis shares that the term "value-based care" often evokes negative connotations of low-quality care. When presented with the benefits of value-based care without using the term itself, people were most interested in spending more time with their doctors and receiving personalized, quality care. Join us to learn more about effectively communicating with patients and policymakers about value-based care.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

187. Behavioral Health Care Accessibility Apr 21, 2025

A majority of those with behavioral health challenges lack access to high-quality care. Gabe Diop, co-founder of Rula, a behavioral health physician group, joins the ACO Show to discuss how Rula is making behavioral health care more accessible by partnering with primary care practices to connect patients with the care they need. Dr. Samantha Cotler, family medicine physician in Wall, N.J., explains how her partnership with Rula has improved patient outcomes and made it easier to connect patients with in-network physicians.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom.

186. How International Medical Graduates Help Ease the US Physician Shortage Apr 07, 2025

The U.S. faces a significant shortage of primary care physicians, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities. Join Eli Greenspan, policy advisor at Foley Hoag LLP, and Dan Bowles, general manager of Practice Health Solutions at Aledade, to highlight the role that international medical graduates play in addressing this shortage. They explain the complex process that international medical graduates must complete to practice in the U.S., and how the physician shortage is connected to immigration policy. This includes the Conrad 30 Waiver Program, which incentivizes graduates to practice in under-resourced areas. While this program is valuable, it’s also limited in scope, so our guests explore additional legislative efforts to improve and expand these programs.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom.

185. Crossing the Chasm in Value-Based Care with Farzad Mostashari, M.D., and Geoffrey Moore Mar 20, 2025

Aledade CEO, Dr. Farzad Mostashari, and best-selling author Geoffrey Moore explore how the concepts in Moore’s influential book, “Crossing the Chasm” can be applied to accelerate adoption of value-based care. In order to move to mainstream adoption, it’s crucial to focus on the niche market of “pragmatists in pain” who have an urgent need that the current system isn’t solving. Our co-host Sean Cavanaugh, chief policy officer at Aledade, points out that oftentimes in the traditional fee-for-service model, the pragmatists in pain are independent primary care clinicians. Moore and Dr. Mostashari also share insights and recommendations for the new administration from their recent article, including focusing on primary care, defining the competition and paving the way for simplifiers who can help clinicians navigate the complexities of value-based care. Using this framework, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could accelerate expansion of value-based care to the majority of the nation’s primary care clinicians as well as their patients.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom.

184. Bias and Equity with Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Mar 10, 2025

Join us this episode as our guests from Aledade, Dennis Liubyvyi, Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research, and Jette Henderson, Staff AI Researcher, explain the world of AI and machine learning and its potentially transformative impact on health care. Dennis shares how AI models at Aledade are reshaping patient care by analyzing vast amounts of patient data to predict critical health events such as kidney disease progression and congestive heart failure. The goal is to provide more timely, targeted interventions to patients who need them most. Jette also notes the challenges that exist in these predictive models, particularly regarding biases within data sets, which can lead to inaccurate predictions and how Aledade is developing tools to help identify and mitigate these biases.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

183. Cardiology and Value-Based Care Feb 24, 2025

Dr. Sameer Sheth, President and Co-Founder of Chamber Cardio, joins Josh and Sean to discuss the opportunities and challenges for specialists, particularly cardiologists, in transitioning to value-based care. Dr. Sheth notes that cardiologists have traditionally been slower to adopt value-based care because of a lack of financial incentives, but an increasing drive to remain independent is pushing more cardiologists towards value-based models. Dr. Sheth shares how he and Chamber Cardio are working to create a network of cardiologists, health plans, and tools to better incentivize their transition to value-based care.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

182. Patient and Caregiver Experiences in Value-Based Care Feb 10, 2025

Join Melanie Phelps, Senior Advocacy Advisor for Health System Transformation at the American Heart Association (AHA), to discuss her recent research which explores the impact of ACO-driven value-based care from the patient and caregiver perspectives. Melanie explores the overwhelmingly positive results of the study, which found that patients and their caregivers experienced better care, better support, and better patient outcomes as a result of their clinicians’ participation in an ACO. Dr. Julie Prosseda, Family Medicine Physician in Wilmington, DE and a participant in the AHA study, joins us to explore the reasoning behind these benefits of value-based care for patients, which is largely due to better relationships with their primary care physicians, as well as access to timely support and resources from an expanded care team. This more wholistic, patient-centered value-based care leads to enhanced patient engagement and a more trusting clinician-patient relationship. While it’s clear that patients should be demanding broader access to value-based care, Melanie and Dr. Prosseda also explore the challenges of expansion, including increasing educational opportunities and more alignment among payment models.

Learn more about the American Heart Association’s research: Understanding Patient, Family Caregiver and Health Care Team Member ACO Experiences

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

181. Nursing in Value-Based Care Jan 27, 2025

Value-based care is a team effort, and nurses play a crucial role in coordinating care to achieve better and more efficient patient outcomes. Jacqueline Nikpour, Assistant Professor at the Emory University School of Nursing, and Kathy Samhammer, LPN at Cedar Ridge Family Medicine, join us to discuss the role of nurses in primary care, and how practices can maximize nurses’ contributions in the shift towards value-based care. Kathy’s role includes managing chronic conditions and preventing hospital readmissions, and she discusses the importance of ongoing, personalized communication with patients, especially after ER visits. This approach has led to better patient engagement and satisfaction, which is crucial for improving health outcomes. As Kathy demonstrates, expanding the role of nurses in value-based care is critical, but Jacqueline also notes the challenges in this expansion, including payment and recognition of nurses’ value. By addressing these challenges and better integrating nurses in patient care teams, we can ensure better care coordination and a more patient-centered health care system.

Read Jacqueline’s article in Health Affairs: To Improve Outcomes Under CMS’ ‘Making Care Primary’, Focus On Registered Nurses

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

180. Transforming End-of-Life Care with Comprehensive Advance Care Planning (CACP) Jan 13, 2025

Comprehensive Advance Care Planning (CACP) supports individuals in understanding and sharing their values and goals for medical care at the end of life. Kerri Petrin, Vice President and Head of Operations at Aledade Plus, joins us to explore how the CACP program allows patients and their loved ones to have guided, personalized conversations with clinical facilitators and generate legal documents so that patients and their care teams can make health care decisions that align with the patients’ values. We are also joined by Marissa McNichols, who shares insights into her role as a CACP facilitator, especially the importance of having open-ended conversations that include family members, allowing everyone the opportunity to ask questions and make decisions outside of a crisis moment. Tune in to learn more about how CACP is transforming end-of-life care planning, ensuring alignment with patient values and reducing unwanted, unnecessary care.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

179. From Residency to Value-Based Care: Lessons from Aledade FIRST Dec 30, 2024

Graduates of the Aledade FIRST Program, Dr. Boone Marois and Dr. Breanna Heard-Pinho, reflect on their experiences in the program and how it helped prepare them to practice value-based medicine. Dr. Heard-Pinho, Family Medicine Physician in Vicksburg, Mississippi, shares how Aledade FIRST taught valuable practice management skills, as well as held in-depth discussions of value-based care not taught in traditional residency programs. While Dr. Marois, Family Medicine Physician in Asheville, North Carolina, reflects on the importance of taking a preventative approach with each patient. Listen as they share unexpected joys and challenges of practicing value-based care in their communities.

Connect with us at acoshow@aledade.com or visit the Aledade Newsroom

178. Challenges and Opportunities in Caring for Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries Dec 16, 2024

In this episode, Sean Cavanaugh and Josh Israel discuss the complexities of caring for patients who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. They are joined first by Melanie Bella, whose prior roles include former Director of Indiana Medicaid, Director of the CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office and EVP at Cityblock, and are then joined by Aledade’s Mohamed Arif, and Lahila Pitts. They explore the unique challenges these patients face, including fragmented care and high social needs. They also highlight how value-based care and data-driven solutions are improving outcomes for this underserved group. Tune in for insights into better care coordination for dual-eligible beneficiaries.

177. What’s New for ACOs in 2025? Dec 02, 2024

Casey Korba, Director of Policy at Aledade, walks us through regulations that were announced along with the 2025 CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including updates to the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Casey and our host Sean Cavanaugh, who is the former Director of the Center for Medicare, explain policy changes that will support value-based care, including changes to payments for some preventive care services and a new health equity benchmarking adjustment. While there is bipartisan support for CMS’s goal of moving towards value-based care, they also explore ongoing challenges like the rebasing process and benchmarking standards.

176. Healthcare During a Devastating Hurricane Nov 17, 2024

In this episode, we sit down with Traci Spence, the Chief Operating Officer of Blue Ridge Community Health Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Traci shares her experience managing a health center during a catastrophic hurricane that left the region without power, water, or infrastructure. Despite these overwhelming challenges, Traci and her team found creative solutions to continue serving their community in the midst of chaos. This conversation highlights themes of improvisation, community, and resilience when the healthcare system is pushed to its limits.

175. The HCP LAN Summit: Building Partnerships for Progress Nov 04, 2024

Join Dr. Judy Zerzen-Thul as she explains how the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network (HCP LAN) brings together clinicians, health systems, and payers in a partnership aimed at transitioning from fee-for-service to value-based care models. Dr. Zerzen-Thul is the Chief Medical Officer at Washington State Health Care Authority, and Co-Chair of the LAN Executive Forum. She discusses how value-based care is progressing across different sectors, including common barriers like data exchange and aligning payment methodologies. She also discusses the upcoming HCP LAN summit on November 14th, where stakeholders including payers, purchasers, and patients will gather to address challenges in moving towards value-based care.

Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network

174. Community Resilience: Healthcare in the Wake of Hurricane Helene Oct 28, 2024

In this episode of the Aledade ACO Show, hosts Josh Israel and Sean Cavanaugh speak with Brenda Fore from the East Asheville Family Health Care Clinic and Ashley Austin from Aledade about the impact of Hurricane Helene on their community. They share firsthand accounts of the challenges faced when clinics lost power and water, and how healthcare providers adapted to continue serving patients amidst the chaos. Discover the power of improvisation and community support in times of disaster.

173. Public Health Unpacked: Inside DC Health Oct 13, 2024

In this episode of the ACO Show, host Sean Cavanaugh and Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari, sit down with Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director of DC Health. They dive into the multifaceted role of public health, discussing everything from community health initiatives to tackling local challenges like pest control. Dr. Bennett shares her journey from private practice to public health leadership and emphasizes the importance of health equity, data, and community connection in improving health outcomes. Listen in as we unpack the vital work being done at DC Health and explore how understanding the stories behind the numbers, leads to meaningful change in healthcare.

172. The Road Show Part 2: Independent Practices in Hospital-Dominated Communities Sep 29, 2024

In this episode of the ACO Show, hosts Josh Israel and Sean Cavanaugh recount their summer road trip, along with Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari, part 2, visiting primary care practices across America. From camping in Moab to meeting health care leaders in places like Glenwood Springs, CO and St. George, UT they explore the diversity of value-based care primary care delivery. The episode highlights how communities, large and small, benefit from strong primary care systems and previews exciting episodes for the season ahead.

171. The Road Show: Cross-Country Reflections on Primary Care Sep 15, 2024

In this season premiere of the ACO Show, hosts Josh Israel and Sean Cavanaugh recount their summer road trip, along with Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari, visiting primary care practices across America. From camping in Moab to meeting health care leaders in places like Mexico, Missouri, and Salina, Kansas, they explore the diversity of value-based primary care delivery. The episode highlights how communities, large and small, benefit from strong primary care systems and previews exciting episodes for the season ahead.

170. From the Value Summit: Innovations in Value-Based Primary Care Jul 21, 2024

Join Josh Israel and Sean Cavanaugh in the season finale of the ACO Show, recorded live at Aledade’s North Carolina Value Summit. They engage with three primary care physicians—Dr. Wayne Haga, Dr. Mark McNeill, and Dr. Art Apolinario—about their success in value-based care and how they are using their increased revenue to improve patient care.
Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

169. 10 Years of Aledade: The Evolution of Accountable Care Jul 08, 2024

Dr. Farzad Mostashari, CEO of Aledade, is joined by Dr. Mark McClellan and Bob Kocher to reflect on the past decade of health care reform, and the early days of Aledade and accountable care organizations (ACOs). Dr. McClellan, director of the Duke Margolis Institute for Health Policy at Duke University, discusses the evolution of legislative policy, sharing how bipartisan efforts led to the integration of shared savings models into health care policy and Bob Kocher, chairman of the board of Aledade, shares his thoughts on Aledade’s journey and future direction, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a patient-centered approach, and perseverance in navigating the evolving health care landscape.

Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

168. The ACO Flex Model Explained Jun 23, 2024

In this episode, Sean Cavanaugh and Dr. Josh Israel sat down with Travis Broome, Aledade’s SVP of Policy and Economics, to understand CMS’ new ACO Flex Model. Whether you're a healthcare professional or simply interested in the future of healthcare policy, this episode provides a comprehensive look at the ACO Flex Model's potential to transform care delivery. Travis explains how this new model can drive innovation in healthcare by addressing cash flow challenges and offering upfront payments. We discuss the potential benefits for primary care practices, the importance of integrating care management services, and the broader impact on Medicare's goals.

Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

167. Navigating Medicare Advantage Jun 10, 2024

From understanding the fundamentals to exploring new innovations and challenges, join us as Dr. Efrem Castillo, Senior Vice President for Medicare Advantage at Aledade, shares his experience with Medicare Advantage. Dr. Castillo explains the nuances for both patients and providers, including benefits beyond traditional Medicare, network limitations, utilization management, and the STARS program. Dr. Castillo also explores the recent growth in MA and new innovations, while emphasizing that interventions should prioritize improved patient outcomes.

Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

166. Treating Obesity: New Medications, Old Challenges May 26, 2024

From navigating insurance barriers to addressing the stigma, this episode dives into timeless issues surrounding obesity treatment, as well as the promise and challenges of new medications like Ozempic. Josh and Sean are joined by Dr. Darrin Menard, a family practice physician in Scott, Louisiana, who shares insights from his personal experience with weight loss alongside his professional expertise. While new drugs offer significant weight loss potential, Dr. Menard underscores the crucial role of behavioral changes, long-term adherence, and nonjudgemental patient care in achieving lasting results.

Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

165. State Health Policy: Prior Authorization and Arkansas’ Gold Card Bill May 13, 2024

Dr. Lonnie Robinson from Regional Family Medicine in Mountain Home, Arkansas explains the challenges surrounding prior authorization faced by both practices and insurance providers, and how this inspired him to become involved in state health policy advocacy. Hear how Dr. Robinson, drawing inspiration from Texas’ “gold card” approach, worked with Aledade’s policy committee and state legislators to pass similar legislation in Arkansas to reduce administrative workloads.

Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

164. CMS's Medicare Strategy Unpacked Apr 28, 2024

Join our hosts along with Dr. Farzad Mostashari on this episode as they dive into CMS's update on the Medicare value-based care strategy. From discussing alignment and growth to equity in healthcare, they provide insights and suggestions for the future of accountable care.

Read the update here: Update On The Medicare Value-Based Care Strategy: Alignment, Growth, Equity

Submit your questions, comments, or episode ideas to acoshow@aledade.com

163. Navigating the Health-Tech Nexus: Insights from Aledade’s Leaders Apr 14, 2024

Explore the dynamic landscape of healthcare and technology with hosts Josh and Sean on the ACO Show. Guests Rosemary Weldon and Ritwik Tewari, from Aledade, share their expertise as they discuss the challenges and innovations shaping the industry, including the advancements in technology that help improve patient care.

162. CHC Spotlight: Community Health Center, Inc. in Middletown, Connecticut Mar 31, 2024

Join us for a story tracing the origins and evolution of Community Health Center, Inc. Mark Masselli, president and CEO of Community Health Center, Inc. in Middletown, CT, alongside Charles Barber, Writer-in-Residence at Wesleyan University, guide listeners through the enthralling narrative depicted in Barber's book, "Peace & Health." Explore the beginnings of the Health Center amidst the backdrop of social upheaval, legislative reforms, and grassroots advocacy, illuminating the transformative power of community-driven health care initiatives. Uncover the pivotal moments and visionary leadership that propelled the center from modest beginnings to a beacon of excellence in health care provision. And learn about the recent partnership with Aledade, exemplifying a shared commitment to innovation, collaboration, and equitable care delivery.

To learn more about the story behind Community Health Center, Inc. and Barber's book "Peace & Health," visit peaceandhealth.com.

161. Transforming Healthcare: Aaron McKethan's Journey from Policy to Entrepreneurship Mar 17, 2024

Dive into Aaron McKethan's journey from policy nerd to healthcare innovator at Aledade Plus, improving patient care and reducing costs.

160. Navigating Impacts from the Change Healthcare Cyber Attack Mar 10, 2024

Explore the impact and solutions of the Change healthcare cyber crisis with expert analysis and firsthand accounts.

159. Enhancing Patient Care: Community Health Centers and Value-Based Contracts Feb 25, 2024

Dive into the world of community health centers and value-based care with Tracy Causey, CEO of Capital Area Health Network in Virginia and Kevin Van Dyke, executive director of Aledade in Virginia. Hear their experience navigating multiple value-based contracts and integrating behavioral health services with primary care. Learn how more accessible patient health data and dynamic support has helped improve preventive care.

157. Substance Use Treatments and CHCs Jan 21, 2024

Sean and Josh are joined by Rachel Lively, Vice President of Community Health Center Operations at Valley Health, to discuss her experience providing substance use treatments to patients in West Virginia. Rachel shares challenges and successes involving decreasing stigma around substance use disorders, the evolution of treatment methods, and the critical role that CHCs can play in providing individualized care to patients on the path to recovery.

156. Transforming Patient Care: ACO Insights with Nick Phillis Jan 08, 2024

Explore the transformative power of ACOs with Nick Phillis from Florida, revealing positive impacts on patient care and healthcare delivery.

155. Breaking Barriers: Navigating Health Equity Dec 10, 2023

Explore tangible initiatives for health equity with Tamara Thomas, VP of Equity and Inclusion at Aledade

154. CFO Insights: Financial Success in Value-Based Care Nov 26, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Wes Edwards, Chief Financial Officer of Med First Primary & Urgent Care in North Carolina. Wes discusses his clinic’s success with value-based care, the financial sustainability of value-based care models, and the crucial link between exceptional patient care and financial outcomes. Plus, a special farewell as Brian says goodbye to the ACO Show.

153. Navigating Value-Based Care from the Pharmacy Nov 12, 2023

In this episode we sit down with Leigh Efird, Director of Pharmacy at Aledade, to dive into the world of value-based care from the pharmacy perspective. She shares the ways she interacts with patients to help them better understand their health and how managing medications can impact that.

152. Hill Day with Dr. Christine Meyer & Casey Korba Oct 29, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Dr. Christine Meyer and Casey Korba to discuss Hill Day and how to advocate for value-based care to legislators.

151. John Doyle on fighting the stigma around talking about economic incentives in health care Oct 16, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Aledade’s Chief Financial Officer, John Doyle. They discuss the economic incentives associated with delivering primary care on the front lines and why health care professionals need to be able to talk openly about the financial forces in the system.

150. Blake Madden’s Hospitalogy and what’s changing in health care (for the better!) Oct 02, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Blake Madden, writer, editor and founder of the newsletter Hospitalogy, focused on analyzing health care’s financing, policy changes and more. They discussed some of the positive shifts he sees in the health care system and how he’s making sense of those changes for his subscribers.

149. Season 5 Premiere: Medicare’s Value Based Care Results for 2022 Sep 20, 2023

Season 5 of The ACO Show kicks off with Josh and Brian joined by Travis Broome, Aledade’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Economics to discuss the 2022 Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) results. As the largest and most successful value-based care program in American history, the results of this program tell us a lot about the progress of value-based care, and what that means for patients and primary care professionals around the country.

148. Aledade’s Series F and Lightspeed Venture Partners - Bringing More Resources to Community Primary Care Jul 03, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Lightspeed Venture Partners investor, Galym Imanbayev, MD, to discuss Aledade’s Series F funding round. They delve into what led to this latest round of funding, the transparency throughout the process and how these funds are going to ensure that primary care practices and health centers are receiving the resources they need to thrive in value-based care.

147. The Value-Based Care Landscape featuring Health Tech Nerds Co-Founders Kevin O’Leary and Ryan Russell Jun 26, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Kevin O’Leary and Ryan Russell, co-founders of Health Tech Nerds, a trusted resource in health care helping their members learn, network, build, and grow to maximize our collective impact on the health care system. They drill down on the various value-based care models, how they work, and what they mean for patients, doctors and clinicians.

146. What Patients Need to Know About Medicare Enrollment with Al Kushner Jun 12, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Al Kushner, author of “Virtual Medicare: 10 Costly Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make.” They delve into the active role patients play in enrolling in Medicare, and the high - and often unknown - costs of delay.

145. The Leaders of Medicare and CMMI: United by one strategic vision May 29, 2023

In this episode, Josh and Brian hand over the mic to Aledade’s Chief Policy Officer, Sean Cavanaugh, a former Director of Medicare and senior leader at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) as he talks with the two current leaders of his former offices. Sean is joined by Meena Seshamani, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Administrator and Director for the Center for Medicare, and Elizabeth Fowler, Ph.D., J.D., Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Directors Seshamani and Fowler discuss how they view their centers and how they’re united by one common strategic vision.

144. Practice Perspective: How Value-Based Care Helped Our Small Business May 15, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Sachin Gangupantula FACHE, MBA, MS, Director of Operations at Valley Diabetes & Obesity, an Aledade member practice in Modesto, California. They discussed the benefits of value-based care and joining an ACO despite challenges in the health care marketplace, including new tools and data so they can provide even better care for their patients.

143. RIP Medical Debt: A Vision to End the United States’ $195 billion in medical debt May 01, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Allison Sesso, the President and CEO of RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit established to reduce medical debt for low-income individuals across the country. They discussed the dark truths behind why medical debt leads so many people to forgo medical care, how RIP Medical Debt uses an innovative approach to fight these trends and how Aledade’s recent donation helped abolish nearly $95 million in medical debt for more than 100,000 patients.

142. Part 2: Aligning Quality Measures Apr 17, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Lee Fleisher, MD, Chief Medical Officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality. They discuss a recent publication, “Aligning Quality Measures at CMS” in the New England Journal of Medicine which Dr. Fleisher co-authored, and the art and science behind the selection of health care quality measures.

141. Aligning Quality Measures - Improving the System for Clinicians and Patients Apr 03, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Doug Jacobs, MD, MPH, Chief Transformation Officer in the Center for Medicare at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Michelle Schreiber, Deputy Director for the Centers for Clinical Standards and Quality at CMS, and Director of the Quality Measurement & Value-Based Incentives Group at CMS. In the first part of this quality-focused series, they discuss the work they are doing to align quality measures across CMS and improve the system to benefit both clinicians and patients.

140. Leading a Legal Team at a Fast-Growing Health Care Company Mar 20, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Phuong Phillips, Chief Legal Officer at Aledade, where they discuss her personal journey, what drew her to Aledade and how corporate legal teams and leadership interact.

139. Behind-The-Scenes of CEO and Investor Relationships Mar 06, 2023

For this episode, Josh and Brian hand the helm to Aledade CEO and Co-Founder, Farzad Mostashari, MD, and Bryan Roberts, partner at Venrock and lead of Venrock’s investment in Aledade. They give a behind-the-scenes look into the conversations that go on between CEOs, board members and investors regarding the challenges of running companies and how to create long-term solutions.
Learn more about Bryan's "Roberts' Rules of Life (& Venture Capital)" here: bit.ly/3KXxT2G

138. Introducing Residents to Value-Based Care with Aledade FIRST Feb 20, 2023

Josh and Brian talk with Dr. Mitch Edmondson, the lead physician for the Aledade FIRST program, and Dr. Caleena Longworth, a 2nd-year resident at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City who’s participating in Aledade FIRST about this new program introducing medical residents to the benefits of physician-led value-based care.

137. The ABCs of Being a Health Care Company CFO Feb 06, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Aledade’s Chief Financial Officer, John Doyle. John provides a brief recap on the recent J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, how Aledade’s alignment as a company drew him in, and the many factors companies take into consideration before going public.

136. Becoming a Public Benefit Corporation Jan 16, 2023

Josh and Brian are joined by Aledade’s CEO and co-founder, Dr. Farzad Mostashari, and Amy Simmerman, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, to discuss the idea of a public benefit corporation - what it is and what it means, why Aledade has decided to become one, and what this means for the health care industry as a whole.

135. Pediatric Value-Based Care: Does It Work? Jan 09, 2023

Value-based care is often more focused on adults, especially the elderly who have the most burden of illness and, on average, the highest health care costs. Josh is joined by Dr. Karin McLelland, a pediatrician in North Carolina, and Carissa Praytor, Manager of Medicaid Performance at Aledade, to discuss how Aledade’s pediatric ACO in North Carolina was able to enable more primary care and reduce costs for this often-overlooked population of our nation’s youngest patients.

134. Building a Care Management Program Dec 19, 2022

Josh and Brian are joined by Dr. Sarah Mullins, co-owner of Stoney Batter Family Medicine in Wilmington, Delaware, and Senior Regional Medical Director at Aledade, to discuss the role of care management programs in value-based care, how to build and sustain them, and the value they provide to patients and practices.

133. The State of Medicare Advantage Dec 05, 2022

Josh and Brian are joined by Mike Stanzione, Aledade’s Director of Medicare Advantage Network Performance, to discuss the state of Medicare Advantage (MA), its rapid growth, regulatory evolution, and how the Aledade model of care applies to MA.

132. Realizing the Full Potential of Primary Care in ACOs Nov 21, 2022

Josh and Brian are joined by Dr. Asaf Bitton, executive director of Ariadne Labs, and Associate Professor of Medicine and Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They discuss the need to move to value-based care and change the payment structure. They also reflect on the historical underfunding and undervaluing of primary care.

131. The Value-Based Care Landscape with Dan Bowles Nov 07, 2022

Josh and Brian are joined by Dan Bowles, Aledade’s Chief Growth Officer, to discuss the state of the value-based care landscape and how to distinguish the various models fellow travelers are implementing in the space.

130. Building Trust and Aledade Care Solutions with Dr. Mandy Cohen Oct 24, 2022

Josh and Brian are joined by Dr. Mandy Cohen, CEO of Aledade Care Solutions, to discuss the importance of the trust she and her team built with communities in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic and how that parallels building trust with physicians and management organizations in the value-based care movement. They also talk about how Aledade Care Solutions has evolved as a direct-to-patient arm of Aledade’s portfolio with the goal of adding additional resources to improve patient outcomes.

129. Healthcare Investing and IPOs Oct 10, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Bijan Salhizadeh (@bijans), Managing Director at NaviMed Capital, to discuss the current state of healthcare stocks and factors that affect IPO valuation for companies hoping to go public.

128. Health Care Access For Vulnerable Populations Sep 26, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Chelsea Graves, Aledade’s Director of Medicaid Performance, to discuss factors that affect healthcare access and outcomes for vulnerable populations. Chelsea also shares the secrets behind the success of Aledade’s recent collaboration with the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi (CHCAMS) to serve the Medicaid population and improve their access to primary care.

127. 2021 Medicare Shared Savings Program Results Sep 12, 2022

Season 4 of the ACO show kicks off with the return of Travis Broome @Travis_Broome and Ahmed Haque @aehaque on 2021 results in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, why more primary care lowers the total cost of taking care of patients, and some changes coming to the MSSP program for 2023.

126. How Do ACOs Grow Jul 04, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Miranda Morris, Aledade’s Market President for Arkansas and Dr. Shawn Purifoy, Regional Medical Director at Aledade and independent physician, to discuss how value-based care networks like ACOs grow.

125. Commercial Value-Based Care Jun 20, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Dr. Andy Ryan - Professor of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan, Director of the University’s Center for Evaluating Health Reform who takes us through a recent paper looking at the evidence on value-based care among commercial health insurance contracts.

124. Tackling Team-Based Care Jun 06, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Dr. Jonathan Lilly, physician, and Nancee Barnett, practice manager, from Dunbar Medical Associates (www.dmawv.com) in West Virginia, to discuss their approach to team-based care and why it’s important for the success of a practice.

123. The Deadline To Join An ACO Is Approaching - Join An Aledade ACO Today May 23, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Dan Bowles, Aledade’s Chief Growth Officer, to discuss his career at Aledade, the changes that the value-based care movement has seen through the years, and why signing up for an ACO today can help set primary care organizations up for success for the upcoming performance year.

122. Project Solo: Supporting Small Primary Care Practices May 09, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Mat Kendall (@matkendall), President of Aledade, and Kristy McGlothin (@kristymcglothin), Program Manager, to learn about Project Solo, Aledade’s initiative to support the unique needs of small private practices. They also speak with Dr. Pedro Ylisastigui (www.primarycareim.com), an internal medicine primary care provider in Lehigh Acres, Florida, about being independent and what it’s like to switch ACOs.

121. What is “Product?” Apr 18, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Nick Kinkaid, Aledade’s Chief Product Officer who takes us through his career path from Tesla to Google to his current role, and he explains what is “Product” and how it applies at a company like Aledade.

120. Practicing through Omicron Apr 04, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Dr. Alok Gupta, a solo practitioner at Arjun Medical Center in Virginia alokguptamd.com, who shares the trials and triumphs of being a physician throughout the pandemic, how Delegate Danica Roem (@pwcdanica) advocated for vaccines at local physician offices, how Dr. Gupta's practice stepped up for the community and how they are preparing for what comes next.

119. Healthcare Value Week Recap and Changes To Direct Contracting Mar 21, 2022

Brian (@chiglinsky) is joined by Aledade’s Policy Dream Team: Sean Cavanaugh (@dc_cavanaugh), Chief Policy and Chief Commercial Officer, Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), Senior Vice President for Policy and Economics, and Casey Korba (@casey_korba), Director of Policy, as they share an overview of Healthcare Value Week and CMS’ changes to Direct Contracting, now known as ACO Reach.

118. Value-Based Care Skepticism Mar 07, 2022

Welcome to the ACO Show. Today, Josh is joined by Chrissy Farr, a former tech journalist and now Principal Investor at OMERS Ventures, and Dr. Jonathan Slotkin, Chief Medical Officer at Contigo Health. Our guests share their skepticism of value-based care and how to engage high-cost medical specialists in outcomes-based arrangements.

117. Advanced Care Planning in Value Based Care Feb 21, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael), Emily Maxon, and Dr. Stephen Bekanich and Steve Wardle from @iris_healthcare discuss advance care planning and why it is such an important part of healthcare.

116. Healthcare Investing Feb 07, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael), Brian (@chiglinsky) and Bijan (@bijans) discuss healthcare investing, including the difference between venture capital and private equity, some of the challenges of company mergers and when a venture-backed company should try to become a publicly traded stock.

115. The Future of Medicare with Dr. Rick Gilfillan Jan 24, 2022

Co-host Brian (@chiglinsky) is joined by Dr. Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD), CEO and co-founder of Aledade, and Dr. Richard Gilfillan, former Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation from 2010 to 2013, for a special episode of The ACO Show. They discuss the future of Medicare and Dr. Gilfillan’s recent co-authored, two-part piece in Health Affairs, “Medicare Advantage, Direct Contracting, And The Medicare ‘Money Machine’.”

114. The Value of Medicaid Jan 10, 2022

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) discuss the value of Medicaid now and in the future with Chelsea Graves Aledade’s Director of Medicaid Network, and Mohamed Arif, Aledade’s Director of Medicaid Strategy.

113. Medicare Innovation Center’s Future Vision On Health Equity Dec 13, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Kisha (@kdavis) discuss the Medicare Innovation Center’s white paper on their vision for health equity over the next 10 years.

112. CMMI’s 10 Year Vision Nov 29, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome) Sean Cavanaugh (@dc_cavanaugh), and Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD). Together, they delve into the five strategic objectives (available below) released in CMMI’s recent white paper on their vision for the next 10 years.
1. Drive Accountable Care
2. Advance Health Equity
3. Support Care Innovations
4. Improve access by addressing affordability
5. Partner to achieve systemic transformation

111. Commercial Insurance Nov 15, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Jennifer Heffernan, Director of Commercial Payer Performance at Aledade (@AledadeACO). They discuss the difference between Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers and how Aledade works with commercial payers. They also talk about the benefits both patients and commercial payers experience when joining an ACO.

110. Medicare Advantage Nov 01, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Mike Stanzione, Director of Medicare Advantage @AledadeACO. They discuss the differences between “Traditional” Medicare and Medicare Advantage (including additional benefits offered through Medicare Advantage), some controversies about Medicare Advantage and how Aledade is bringing valued based care to patients in the Medicare Advantage program.

109. Medicaid In North Carolina Oct 18, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Mandy Cohen (@SecMandyCohen), Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. They discuss the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, ongoing Medicaid pilots to improve healthcare in the state, and how and why North Carolina continues to be a leader in healthcare innovation.

108. Healthy For The Holidays Oct 04, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Samantha Rosenthal, Manager in New Ventures at Aledade, and Jessica Edwards, Senior Market Manager at Aledade. Together, they discuss “Healthy For The Holidays”, an Aledade initiative to remind patients about their practice’s hours during the holiday season and alternative ways to contact them should they need to speak to their provider.

107. 2020 Results - How Did Aledade Do? Sep 20, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Ahmed Haque (@aehaque), Chief Performance Officer at Aledade, Nadine Robin, Market President of Aledade Louisiana, and Dr. Gregory Riggs of Lafayette Internal Medicine Clinic in Lafayette, Louisiana. Together, they discuss the incredible savings achieved by Aledade and practices, despite a year of turmoil.

106. Value Based Care with Rahul Rajkumar Sep 06, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Rahul Rajkumar (@RahulRajkumar11), Chief Operating Officer at Optum Care Solutions. Dr. Rajkumar shared insights on the difference between designing healthcare models and implementing them at different payers and more about his work at Optum Care Solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare.

105. Saving the Most Lives: Blood Pressure Jul 12, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by by Dr. Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD), CEO and co-founder of Aledade, Dr. Kisha Davis (@kishadavismd), Aledade’s Vice President of Health Equity, and Dr. Keith Winfrey, the Chief Medical Officer at Noela Community Health in New Orleans. They discuss the importance of controlling hypertension and Aledade's plan to improve blood pressure control and reduce disparities in hypertension control. For more information about hypertension, check out this article: https://www.ajpmonline.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0749-3797%2810%2900207-2

104. Rural Glitch Effects on ACOs Jun 28, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), the Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics at Aledade. They discuss the challenges in measuring success in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and what it takes to turn a bill on capitol hill into law

103. 150 Years of Obamacare Jun 21, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@bchiglinsky) are joined by Daniel Dawes (@DanielEDawes), the Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. He is a professor of health law, policy and management and author. They discuss the long and challenging history of efforts in America to promote equity in health care and why it’s so important to have good data to make meaningful improvements to health inequity

102. The American Academy of Family Physicians Jun 07, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by Shawn Martin (@rshawnm), the Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Academy of Family Physicians (@aafp). Representing over 137,000 family physicians and medical residents, the AAFP is the largest physician organization dedicated to primary care. They discuss the need for a new payment model that better rewards longitudinal care and the growing interest in family medicine among medical residents.

101. VaxCare: Vaccines for Primary Care Practices May 24, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) is joined by Dr. Wanda Filer (@Drwandafiler), the Chief Medical Officer of Vaxcare (@VaxCare) and a practicing family physician. Vaxcare is a vaccine management solution that helps practices manage vaccine inventory and distribute vaccines. Dr. Filer and Josh discuss some of the challenges that primary care practices experience with vaccine administration, and how Vaxcare can help.

100. The Centennial ACO Show Special May 17, 2021

This is the 100th ACO Show episode. Brian (@chiglinsky) and Josh (@DrJIsrael) commemorate the milestone with a discussion of their own backgrounds and journeys to Aledade, and the experience of hosting a podcast. There is also a surprise guest some of you may recognize from previous episodes!

99. Coal Mining and Health May 03, 2021

Josh is joined by Dr. Daniel Doyle, a family physician in Scarbro, West Virginia. Josh and Dr. Doyle discuss the health impacts of coal mining, the history of black lung disease and the struggle to get it recognized by the medical community.

98. Turning Your Practice Green Apr 26, 2021

Brian (@chiglinsky) is joined by Dr. Todd Sack (@toddsack) the editor for MyGreenDoctor.org and a gastroenterologist in Jacksonville, FL. My Green Doctor helps practices gain environmental sustainability and help their patients improve their environmental impact. Dr. Sack and Brian discuss the benefits of creating a sustainability program, the importance of getting buy-in from different stakeholders in the practice, and why providers in total cost of care models should care about environmental health

97. Healthcare on Earth Day Apr 22, 2021

Brian (@chiglinsky) and Josh (@DrJIsrael) are joined by Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD), CEO and co-founder of Aledade, and Will Palmisano (@will_palmisano), a product analyst on Aledade's BI team and head of the Climate Change Committee. They talk about Aledade's plans for becoming carbon neutral, why it matters, and how others can make a difference. They also discuss the impacts that climate change has on healthcare and why the US health industry is so carbon intensive.

96. Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Apr 12, 2021

Josh and Brian are joined by Ron Holder (@ron_holder), COO of the Medical Group Management Association, more commonly known as @MGMA. They discuss the different challenges practices face and how MGMA helps provide solutions and support

95. Vaccines and Trust: How an Arkansas Doctor Convinced His Community to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine Mar 29, 2021

Brian and Josh are joined by Dr. Derek Lewis, the CEO, owner and primary care physician at Arkansas Primary Care Clinic located in Little Rock, Arkansas. They discuss the COVID-19 vaccination efforts and success in Dr. Lewis’ community. Dr. Lewis describes the initial skepticism of vaccines in the black and brown community and how he was able to build trust with his patients.

94. Maryland: Testing Out a New Model for Primary Care Mar 15, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) are joined by 5 guests to discuss Maryland Primary Care Program or MDPCP. They describe the MDPCP program and how it aims to improve patients’ health by investing up-front in specific enhancements to primary practices, including care management, pharmacy services and behavioral health treatment.

93. Marketing Your Practice Mar 01, 2021

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Brian (@chiglinsky) speak with four different practices- SAMA Healthcare in El Dorado, AR, Coastal Family Health in Biloxi, MS, The Bacani/McKenney Clinic in Fredonia, KS, and Crouch Family Medicine in Chandler, OK. They talk about different marketing strategies, how these have evolved over the years, and the importance of community involvement for primary care physicians.

91. Thriving Through Adversity Feb 01, 2021

Josh is joined by two Aledade Medical Directors: Dr. Kim Yu and Dr. Richard Lyn-Cook. They talk about some ways they have been able to cope with difficult times and specifically what medical providers can do to manage during the pandemic.

90. Direct Contracting Jan 19, 2021

We welcome Travis Broome (@travis_broome) back on the ACO show, as well as our new co-host, Brian Chiglinsky (@bchiglinsky). They discuss the newest Medicare total cost of care model- Direct Contracting and what practices thinking about venturing into value-based care should consider.

89. Practicing Through the Pandemic Jan 04, 2021

Two primary care doctors, Dr. Joanne Fruth and Dr. Michael Cascarina, join the ACO Show to discuss how they have been able to adapt and innovate during the pandemic. They each talk about what they have been doing to restructure their practices in order to continue caring for their patients throughout this public health emergency such as how they have handled staffing challenges, transitioned to telehealth and set up parking lot Covid testing sites.

88. Aledade in California Nov 30, 2020

Josh is joined by three guests: Gavin White, the Executive Director of Aledade’s California Accountable Care Organizations, and two physicians, Dr. Verma and Dr. O'Grady, who practice in California ACOs. They talk about ACO growth in California and why many California physicians were ready for Value Based Care. They share some of the ways that Aledade has been helpful to them as they reorient towards this new model of health care.

87. Medicaid with Emma Sandoe Nov 16, 2020

Emma Sandoe (@emma_sandoe), Associate Director of Strategy and Planning for North Carolina Medicaid, and the creator of health policy valentines, joins Josh to talk about all things Medicaid. They discuss Medicaid's role in Substance Use Disorder treatment, impacts of a Biden administration, 1115 waivers, and how Medicaid fits into a system of Value-Based Care.

86. International Value-Based Care Nov 02, 2020

Dr. Chintan Maru is the founder and executive director of Leapfrog to Value, a health initiative to advance value based care in lower- and middle-income countries. Dr. Maru joins Josh and Joe for a conversation about value-based care in these countries and how Leapfrog to Value works as a technical and strategic partner. He discusses his career in health systems design and how more developed health systems can learn from this work.

85. Community Health Centers, Part 2 Oct 19, 2020

Dr. Kraft and Dr. Ward Jones are the CEOs of Salinas Family Health Care Center and East Arkansas Family Health Center, respectively. They join Josh and Joe for the second part of our Community Health Center series. They talk about funding and budgeting for FQHCs, loan forgiveness programs, and the positive involvement these centers have with their communities

84. Community Health Centers, Part 1 Oct 05, 2020

Sara Koziel leads Aledade's efforts to partner with Community Health Centers. Sara joins Josh and Joe for a conversation about Community Health Centers, the important role that they play in America’s health care system, and who they serve. She discusses their focus on a complete and integrated approach to health and well-being and explains how they fit in with Aledade’s core mission to offer the benefits of value-based care to as many patients as possible.

83. ACO Attribution & COVID-19 Sep 21, 2020

Three guests join Josh to discuss attribution: Emily Maxson, Aledade’s Chief Medical Officer; Andrew Chang, Executive Director of the Florida Central ACO; and Purva Hari, the practice administrator of Physicians Medical group in Florida. They discuss how the pandemic has affected ACO attribution, how attribution loss impacts Aledade’s ability to provide coordinated care and strategies to improve attribution in 2020.

82. Value-based Diabetes Care: Virta Health Sep 14, 2020

Dr. David Harrison is the Vice President of Clinical Care at Virta Health, a health care start-up that helps patients reverse Type 2 diabetes without medication. Dr. Harrison joins Josh and Joe for a conversation about the evidence supporting Virta’s treatment model, and how he views the relationship between telehealth and value-based care during the pandemic and beyond.

81. Medicare Advantage: ChenMed Aug 31, 2020

Dr. Gordon Chen (@DrGordonChen) is the chief medical officer at ChenMed, a family-owned, health care company organization working to bring superior health care to seniors with a full risk model. Dr. Chen joins Josh (@DRJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) for a conversation about the history and evolution of ChenMed and how they strive to bring to provide seniors with coordinated and patient-centered care. He describes his role as Chief Medical Officer and explains why being both financially and clinically responsible for their patients made it easier for them to provide all necessary care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

80. Realigning Healthcare Incentives Aug 17, 2020

Sophia Tripoli (@SophiaTripoli) is the Director of Healthcare Innovations at Families USA a national non-partisan, non-profit voice for healthcare consumers (@FamiliesUSA). Sophia joins Josh to share how Families USA is working to realign incentives to make healthcare more consumer-centered. They discuss different healthcare payment models and levers of change to lower costs and improve health outcomes.

79. Addressing Social Injustice Aug 03, 2020

Essence Revels, Aledade’s Training Manager, and Patric Holly (@healthITmrholly), Aledade’s Electronic Health Record Optimization Coordinator, are guest hosts for this special episode of The ACO Show. They have a conversation about recent events in the news from their perspective as Black professionals. They also discuss the challenges that Black Americans experience in the health care system and the formation of Aledade's social injustice working group.

78. Navigating Pharmacy Needs During COVID-19 Jul 20, 2020

Megan Slaga, Director of Pharmacy at Aledade, returns to the pod this week to talk with Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) about staying on top of patients' prescriptions during COVID-19. They discuss new and existing barriers to access, and how Aledade uses different data sources to alert providers about potential non-adherence. She emphasizes the importance of being proactive, particularly now during the pandemic.

77. Behind the Scenes of Aledade's People Team Jul 13, 2020

Jessica Gladden, Aledade’s Vice President of People, Strategies and Operations, joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to talk about how Aledade builds a culture where employees feel supported and appreciated. She shares her thoughts on the importance of maintaining company connectivity and community, promoting mission-driven work, and meaningfully promoting diversity and inclusion.

76. Caring for Patients After Hospital Discharge Jun 29, 2020

Aledade’s Director of Transitions of Care, Dr. Kim Hodge, joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) to talk about Transitional Care Management (TCM) visits and the challenge of providing consistent care to patients as they move through different levels of care in a health system. She covers how to conduct an effective TCM visit and what Aledade is doing to encourage and support this work for vulnerable patient populations and how use telehealth to do this work during the time of COVID-19.

75. Conversations about Race in Medicine Jun 22, 2020

Dr. Kisha Davis (@kishadavismd) is a family physician and a Regional Medical Director at Aledade. She joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss her experience as a Black doctor, confronting implicit bias in medicine, and responding to this moment.

Dr. Emily Maxson is Aledade’s Chief Medical Officer. In the second part of the episode, she talks about how relying solely on data can perpetuate racial disparities in care and what Aledade is doing to address algorithmic bias.

To hear more from Dr. Davis, check out her podcast called “The Sisters Will See You Now,” which she co-hosts with her sister who is also a family physician.

74. Downside Risk in Primary Care Jun 15, 2020

Dr. Darrin Menard is the physician owner of Scott Family Physicians, an independent primary care practice in Scott, Louisiana. Dr. Menard joins Josh (@ DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to share some of the challenges of being an independent primary care physician and what it has been like to be a part of an Accountable Care Organization. They discuss two-sided risk contracts and how and why the Louisiana 2016 ACO decided to take on downside risk.

73. Social Risk Factors and Health Jun 01, 2020

Dr. Alisahah Cole @AlisahahMD is the Chief Community Impact Officer at Atrium Health (formally known as Carolinas HealthCare System), an integrated healthcare system based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to talk about how health systems can help tackle Social Determinants of Health including; food insecurity, housing and financial stability, and how providers should work to understand and address their patients’ needs outside of what has been traditionally defined as health care.

72. Keeping Primary Care Afloat May 18, 2020

On this special episode of the ACO Show, Aledade's CEO Dr. Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD) speaks with Tom Banning, CEO of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. They discuss critical issues in primary care including value based care and the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic. They talk about what needs to happen to preserve independent primary care practices and ensure they are financially stable and able to provide critical services during this public health crisis.

71. What is the Aledade App? Getting Doctors the Right Data at the Right Time May 11, 2020

Dr. Jen Aloff (@Jen_Aloff), a family practitioner at Midland Family Physicians in Michigan, joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) to talk about her practices’ journey from “checkbox medicine” to true value-based care and her decision to join an ACO. She also discusses how Aledade’s data platform, known as the “Aledade App” helps her proactively identify patients who will benefit from preventive health care, rather than just waiting for them to come in for care after they’ve gotten sick.

70. Implementing Value-Based Care in Primary Care Practices May 04, 2020

Stephanie Gallup, Senior Director of Implementation at Aledade, sits down with Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss how she sets primary care practices up to succeed in value-based care. Not only does her team introduce practices to new technology and data tools, but they also help them navigate a major culture change. Tune in to hear Stephanie talk about what makes Aledade stand out among health tech companies.

69. Behavioral Economics and Health Care System Reform Apr 27, 2020

Dr. Amol Navathe (@AmolNavathe), physician and health economist, speaks with Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) on the ACO Show. Dr. Navathe serves as the Co-Director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, a commissioner of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the cofounder of Embedded Healthcare. He explains the role that behavioral economics can play in improving health care outcomes and lowering costs. They also discuss how the COVID-19 outbreak may motivate the U.S. health system to make permanent improvements.

68. Value-Based Care: Where it’s Been and Where It’s Going Apr 23, 2020

Sanjay Doddamani (@DrDoddamani) is the Chief physician executive and Chief Operating Officer for Southwestern Health Resources, a clinically integrated network of over 5,000 academic, community, and independent primary care and specialty physicians in the Dallas area. He joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) to talk about the evolution of different financial models of health care during his career and how value-based care has helped prepare us for some of the challenges of Coronavirus

67. Expanding Health Care Access in the U.S. Apr 08, 2020

Emily Barson (@ebarson) is the Executive Director of United States of Care (@USofCare),
a non-partisan organization working to ensure that every American has access to high-quality, affordable health care. She speaks with Josh (@DrJIsrael) about how COVID-19 has exposed the gaps in our health care system and why expanding access to care is more critical than ever. She explains that the nation may not be as politically divided as it seems when it comes to health care, and why we can look towards the future with a sense of optimism.

66. COVID-19 and ACO Performance Apr 06, 2020

Ahmed Haque (@aehaque), Aledade’s SVP of Network Performance & Strategy, returns to the show to talk to Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) about what ACO performance means in relation to quality, utilization and cost. Ahmed covers how value-based contracts enable the best health outcomes for patients and sustainable revenue for physicians, and the impact of COVID-19 on Aledade’s goals and its potential to improve the way care is delivered going forward.

65. The Doctor Will See You Now... In Your Car. Apr 01, 2020

Dr. Mark Martindale, a primary care physician at Saline Med-Peds in Benton, Arkansas, talks with Josh (@DrIsrael) about how he changed his clinic to adapt to COVID-19. From setting up telemedicine and drive-through visits to keeping himself and his staff healthy, Dr. Martindale shares tips for how other practices can implement these changes.

64. Telehealth with Updox Mar 30, 2020

On this episode of the ACO Show, we meet Mike Morgan (@mwmorgan), CEO of Updox, a telehealth platform. He joins Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to talk about how Updox enables patients to connect with their health care providers by video and text messaging, and why this has become critically important during the COVID-19 epidemic. Aledade has just partnered with Updox to provide over 500+ partner physicians and their patients access to a telehealth platform.

63. Coronavirus: The View From New Orleans Mar 26, 2020

Dr. Josh Lowentritt (@LowentrittMd), CEO of Louisiana Physicians speaks with Josh (@DrIsrael) about the toll COVID-19 cases are taking on New Orleans and the effects on providers’ safety, financial stability and personal well-being. It’s “as if the H1N1 flu outbreak came in on the Katrina recovery but there’s no Tamiflu. It’s a disaster with no treatment.”

62. Supporting Safety Net Health Centers Mar 25, 2020

Dr. Daren Anderson is the Director of ConferMED, a program that provides specialist consultations to primary care providers. He is also Director of the Weitzman Institute, an innovation center dedicated to improving primary care for underserved populations and the VP and Chief Quality Officer of Community Health Center, Inc. Dr. Anderson speaks with Josh (@DrJIsrael) about how these programs support care at community health centers, particularly during the COVID-19 epidemic.

61. Rising Up When the Local Hospital Shuts Down Mar 23, 2020

On today’s episode, Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) speaks with Dr. Randy Walker and Angie Walker of the Walker Family Clinic in De Queen, Arkansas. They describe how they were able to expand staffing and operating hours at their independent primary care clinic to enable more patients to receive the care they need—and how this has prepared them for the COVID-19 outbreak they are facing right now. They also discuss how they were able to step in and serve their community’s health needs when the only critical access hospital in the area suddenly shut down.

To learn more about the Walker Clinic, please visit their website or Facebook page.

60. COVID and ACO Regulatory Update Mar 20, 2020

Travis Broome @Travis_Broome, Vice President of Policy at Aledade, discusses some of the steps CMS has taken to make care safer and more accessible for Medicare patients during the COVID-19 outbreak, including allowing widespread use of telehealth by medical providers, and how this has the potential to improve the way health care is delivered for years to come.

59. ACOs in the Time of COVID Mar 19, 2020

Sean Cavanaugh (@dc_cavanaugh), former Director of the Center for Medicare at CMS, joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) to provide an ACO policy update. He discusses an important new CMS rule that requires hospitals to notify physicians when their patients have been hospitalized and he explains why ACOs can still succeed financially and continue to provide necessary primary care services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

58. Dr. Farzad Mostashari Addresses COVID-19 Mar 18, 2020

On this special episode of The ACO Show, Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD), CEO of Aledade, joins Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) and Josh (@DrJIsrael) to talk about the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Mostashari brings his experience in epidemic surveillance to talk about what we can all do to slow the spread of coronavirus and what Aledade is doing to help primary care practices on the front lines care for their patients during this crisis.

57. How a Hospital System Engages in Value-Based Care Mar 16, 2020

Emily Brower is the Senior Vice President of Clinical Integration and Physician Services at Trinity Health in Michigan, a health system that includes both accountable care organizations and hospitals. In this week’s episode of the ACO Show, she spoke with Joe and Josh about how clinically integrated networks can enter into ACO contracts and engage in preventive health initiatives, and how a hospital-based system balances its commitment to reducing health care costs and maintaining a sustainable business model.

56. Investing in Patient Health Mar 02, 2020

Dr. Alan Story is a family physician practicing in Newton, North Carolina. In this week’s episode, he describes how his clinic, Newton Family Physicians has evolved over time to embrace a data-driven, population health approach to primary care. He also explains how Aledade helps independent providers like himself succeed under the ACO model by investing in their patients’ health, harnessing the power of collaboration, and making technology work for them.

55. Primary Care Practice Management Feb 17, 2020

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) speak to Connie Altman, an implementation and training expert at Aledade. Drawing upon her background in practice management, billing and coding, she shares great advice on how primary care practices can provide the best patient experience and how team care can be the best care.

54. Keeping Healthcare Data Secure Feb 03, 2020

Chris Haeni discusses how he protects data as the Chief Information Security Officer at Aledade. Join us to hear how to avoid the biggest health data security threats, from phishing to spoofing to hacking, and the risks of carelessness and improper data sharing within an organization.

53. The Art and (Data) Science of Primary Care Jan 20, 2020

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) speak to Dr. Danny Butler (@DannyB1984), a primary care physician from Paducah, Kentucky in the Aledade Kentucky ACO. Combining data and his dedication to his patients, Dr. Butler shares his experience of how an Accountable Care Organization has been good for the health of his patients and the success of his practice. He discusses why he joined an ACO and the important role that his staff has played in helping his practice excel at population health.

52. The Value of Hospice Care Jan 06, 2020

Edo Banach (@EdoBanach) is the President and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. On this week’s episode, he explains Medicare's hospice benefit, the difference between hospice and palliative care, and how accountable care organizations can better coordinate with these services.

51. Health Care Data: A Scottish Case Study Dec 23, 2019

Geoff Huggins (@GeoffHuggins) is the Director of NES Digital Service (NDS) in Scotland. NDS was established by the Scottish Government in 2018 to standardize electronic health records across the country to improve health outcomes. Geoff shares some of the lessons he has learned along the way about engaging citizens, clinicians, and government organizations in health care transformation.

50. Advocating for the Patient Dec 09, 2019

All Accountable Care Organizations have a patient representative on their board of managers. John Sickler, a retired businessman, serves as the patient representative on the board of managers for the Freedom ACO, an Aledade ACO in suburban Philadelphia. He joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss his role on the board and how he helps the ACO promote evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care.

49. Digital Health Care in Scotland Nov 25, 2019

Professor George Crooks (@CrooksGeorge) is the CEO of the Digital Health and Care Institute, Scotland’s national innovation center for digital health care. On this week’s episode, he shares his vision of integrating Scotland’s fragmented health data platforms in order to enable health care providers to deliver higher quality care and empower individuals to take charge of their own health data. He describes the challenges he faces as he spearheads a major transformation of the health care system, some of which are unique to the UK, and others which will resonate with those of us living across the pond.

48. The Scientific Method in Business Nov 11, 2019

Jim Manzi is co-founder of Foundry.ai, a technology studio that creates artificial intelligence software companies, and is a member of Aledade’s board. He joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to help us understand how machine learning, scientific methodology and experimentation can be used to help guide corporate business decisions.

47. Home for the Holidays Oct 28, 2019

Annalyn Whitt (@ALWhitt) is a Practice Transformation Specialist in the Aledade Mississippi ACO. In this week’s episode, she describes the origins and evolution of “Home for the Holidays,” a successful home-grown initiative that helps keep patients with preventable illnesses out of the emergency room and the hospital during the holiday season.

46. Transforming Care in the Field Oct 21, 2019

On this episode of the ACO Show, Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) spoke to Melissa Dunford (@MelissaDunford6) and Kristy McGlothin (@kristymcglothin), two of Aledade's Practice Transformation Specialists (PTS). As the Aledade team members who spend the most time out in the field with our partner primary care practices, they each share their unique experiences helping practices understand and adapt to a new model of health care.

45. Are We a Tech Company? Oct 14, 2019

Brady Richards started out as a junior engineer working on electronic health records 18 years ago, and today he serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Aledade, leading a growing team of engineers across the U.S. He joined the ACO Show to share what he has learned from a career of developing technologies that help physicians manage multiple aspects of their practices and why he continues to find health care data so engaging.

44. Hispanic Heritage Month Oct 07, 2019

Dr. Juan Duran and Lucia Zegarra joined the ACO Show this week during Hispanic Heritage Month to share their experiences working in the U.S. health care system. Juan is a third-year resident in pediatric neurology at Columbia University, and Lucia is the Director of Community Health Programs at Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (CHEER). They discussed the unique barriers to care that many Hispanic and Latinx individuals face as they navigate our complex health system. They also share some ways physicians can better serve the Hispanic community, and, as Lucia put it, “to not only care for them but to care about them."

43. Howard Dean Sep 30, 2019

Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean), former Governor of Vermont, joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) for this week’s episode. As a physician, governor, presidential candidate, and Chair of the Democratic National Committee, he has been at the forefront of many of the health care debates of the past 30 years. On this episode, he shares his thoughts on universal health care coverage, medical marijuana, and the future of American health care.

42. The Business of Medicine Sep 16, 2019

Elisabeth Rosenthal (@RosenthalHealth) kicks off Season 2 of The ACO Show with Josh Israel (@DrJIsrael) and Joe Shonkwiler (@JoeShonkwiler). She points out some of the bigger flaws in our health care system and discusses what physicians and private companies can do to bring more humanity back to the practice of medicine.

Dr. Rosenthal is the Editor-in-Chief of Kaiser Health News and the author of the bestselling book “An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back.” She covered health care and environmental issues for the New York Times for 22 years. She is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School and practiced emergency medicine in New York City before transitioning to journalism. Kaiser Health News is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente Health Plans.

41. Growth at Aledade Jul 29, 2019

Dan Bowles (@DBowles1607), SVP of Growth & Network Operations at Aledade, joins Josh (@DrIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) on the The ACO Show Season 1 Finale to discuss network expansion of Accountable Care Organizations through partnerships with independent physician practices. Aledade sets the framework to help these practices participate in value-based care and sustain independence in the long run.

40. Docs on the Hill Jul 22, 2019

Two weeks ago, several primary care physicians traveled from their communities to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. They spent an entire day meeting with policymakers and helping them understand what it's like to be in a physician-led ACO. On this episode, Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD), CEO of Aledade, and Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), Vice President of Policy at Aledade, sit down with Dr. Karl Schwabe from Pennsylvania and Dr. Richard Card from Virginia to learn more about their first experience on Capitol Hill and to discuss how policy decisions get made — decisions that affect every healthcare provider in the US.

39. Transgender Health Jul 15, 2019

Josh (@DrIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) had the opportunity to speak with Erica Ashe, a Resident Assistant at the University of Michigan in hematology and oncology, and Dr. Phil Rogers (@PhilRodgersMD), a Family Physician at the University of Michigan, working in their Comprehensive Gender Services program. Erica is one of Dr. Rogers' patients and has been through the transgender process herself. As a transgender male-to-female patient of color, she brings an incredible story to share with Aledade.

38. Healthcare and the Pursuit of Happiness Jul 08, 2019

Dr. Karen L. Smith (@KLSmithMD) is a national leader in primary care and was named the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Family Physician of the Year in 2017. She is also an independent primary care physician and the medical director of Aledade’s North Carolina ACO. Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) speaks with Dr. Smith about what the Declaration of Independence can teach us about the current state of American healthcare and why she is optimistic about the future of primary care.

37. Advancing ACO Policy Jul 01, 2019

Allison Brennan is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations (NAACOs), a nonprofit organization focused on fostering the growth of the ACO model. On this week’s podcast, she sits down with Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss how to improve ACO policy in order to ensure the sustainability of the model and advance population health.

36. A Value-Based Birthday Jun 24, 2019

To celebrate Aledade’s 5th birthday, Dr. Mark McClellan, joins Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD), Josh (@DrIsrael), and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss the past and present and Accountable Care Organizations. Dr. McClellan is a former commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and played key roles in the creation of ACOs.

35. Making Sense of Healthcare Data Jun 17, 2019

Nick Bartz, Vice President of Business Intelligence at Aledade, joins the ACO Show this week with Josh (@DrIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler). The Business Intelligence team at Aledade helps guide the vision, design and development of a suite of managerial tools to that will support Aledade’s 30+ value-based care contracts across 24 states. Our rapidly expanding national network includes more than 4,000 primary care providers and 500,000 patients, with $3.6B in annual medical spending under management. His team helps guide our decisions with analytics as the source of truth.

34. Politico: Rachel Roubein Jun 10, 2019

Rachel Roubein (@rachel_roubein) is a healthcare reporter for POLITICO Pro where she focuses on doctors and hospitals. She previously covered healthcare for The Hill and National Journal. Rachel joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss the ongoing political debate about the direction of the American healthcare system and trends in the politics and policy impacting healthcare providers across the country. You can also follow Rachel’s contributions to POLITICO’s daily healthcare policy-focused newsletter Pulse.

33. Financing Accountable Care Organizations Jun 03, 2019

Charlie Colligan joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) on this week's episode to discuss his journey to becoming Chief Financial Officer of Aledade and the complexities of financing a company that enables accountable care organizations to provide better patient care. Charlie has leveraged his unique background in government programs and technology to set Aledade and its partner practices on the path towards financial success.

32. Specialists in ACOs May 27, 2019

Dr. Lowentritt (@LowentrittMd) joins Dr. Josh Israel (@DrIsrael) this week to discuss what it's like being a specialist in a rescue ACO at Internal Medicine Specialists.

31. CMS Primary Cares May 20, 2019

On this week’s podcast, Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) welcome Sean Cavanaugh (@dc_cavanaugh) and Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome) back to the show to discuss the recent announcement of several primary care-focused initiatives: Primary Care First & Direct Contracting. Sean, Aledade’s Chief Administration Officer, and Travis, Aledade’s Vice President of Policy, share how these programs will impact primary care providers and ACOs across the country. They also provide their expert insight on what this announcement says about the ongoing trend toward value-based care and the essential role primary care providers play in that transformation.

30. Value-Based Prescription Drugs May 13, 2019

Megan Slaga, Aledade's Director of Pharmacy, discusses high-value medication initiatives in accountable care organizations with Josh (@DrIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler). She explains why Part D (prescription drug spending) isn't considered part of regular Medicare/Medicaid spend in ACOs and shares her insights on finding high-value alternative medications and promoting medication adherence.

29. NAACOs May 06, 2019

On this week’s podcast, Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) sit down with several guests who participated in the National Association of ACOs (NAACOs) conference, which was held in Baltimore from April 24 to 26. Annette DuBard (@AnnetteDuBard), Vice President of Clinical Strategy, recaps the panel she participated in, speaking about quality measures and how they can contribute towards the goals of accountable care. Nick Bartz (@NickBartz), Vice President of Business Intelligence, also served as a panelist and shares his learnings about how ACOs can best leverage data to drive outcomes. Finally, Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), Vice President of Policy, gives a rundown of the newest primary care payment models that CMMI just announced at the end of April.

28. Transforming Care Apr 29, 2019

At Aledade, Practice Transformation Specialists (PTS) work closely with providers to support them as they transition to value-based care. Heidi Aubertin (@HeidiAubertin), a Senior PTS of the Freedom ACO in Philadelphia, comes to the show to talk to Josh (@DrJIsrael) about what she does on a daily basis to improve the workflow of her practices, encouraging small tweaks that reap large benefits. She shares her thoughts on communicating effectively with practices, building strong relationships, and leading by serving.

27. Accountable Care in Appalachia Apr 22, 2019

Matt Weimer (@mattweimer) is the Vice President of Health Services and Chief Medical Officer at Valley Health Systems, a large federally qualified health center (FQHC) in West Virginia that provides comprehensive care to patients without regard for their ability to pay. Dr. Weimer shares what it means for an FQHC to be part of an ACO, and why being in an ACO has recharged him personally. He has seen Valley Health physicians respond enthusiastically to the idea of providing higher quality care to patients, reducing provider burnout, and creating a more sustainable healthcare system.

26. Dr. McCarrick: Advance Care Planning Apr 15, 2019

As part of National Healthcare Decisions Day, Dr. Tom McCarrick, Chief Medical Officer at the Vanguard Medical Group in New Jersey, sits down with Josh (@DrJIsrael) to discuss advance care planning — an important way to ensure that patient’s wishes are respected when critical healthcare decisions need to be made. From Dr. McCarrick’s experience, Annual Wellness Visits are a great way for primary care providers to start having more of these important conversations with patients. #NHDD #convoproject

25. Julie Sunderland Apr 08, 2019

Julie Sunderland, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Biomatics Capital and a member of Aledade’s Board of Directors, joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) to discuss her background, what attracted her to invest in this tech-enabled health care company, the role that private equity can play as a force for change, and how she thinks about a company’s culture, people and ideas when considering whether to invest.

24. Behavioral Health & Primary Care Apr 01, 2019

Dr. Lelin Chao (@Dr_Lelin) joins the show to talk about the importance of addressing mental health and substance abuse disorders in primary care. Lelin and Josh (@DrJIsrael) discuss the behavioral health integration some innovative approaches to this challenge. Lelin is an Aledade Medical Director and the co-founder of Health Alliance Associates, a housing-first, advanced primary care practice that provides substance use disorder, behavioral health counseling and primary care to patients struggling with medical illness, addiction, and homelessness.

23. Adoption & Success Mar 24, 2019

Kim Lynch(@kllynch7), Senior Vice President of Adoption & Practice Success, joins the show to talk about how Aledade continues to reinvent itself and solve new problems. Kim takes us on a deep dive of the Net Promoter Score, and how Aledade strives to provide delight to its partner providers. As one of the first employees of the company, Kim reflects on what it takes to “build the plane while flying it."

22. Annual Wellness Visits Mar 17, 2019

A new study published in the American Journal of Managed Care shows that Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) can increase healthcare quality and reduce healthcare costs. Josh (@DrJIsrael) sits down with two of the authors of this paper, Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD) and Jen King, to talk about the challenges and importance of doing studies like these, and how AWVs can be used to build primary care relationships and serve as a key component of ACO strategy.

21. Transitions of Care and Partnerships Mar 10, 2019

Catherine Olexa, (@MsOlexa), joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) for a conversation about the importance of reaching out to patients who are at their most vulnerable during episodes of acute care and as well as those who have just been discharged from the hospital or those nearing the end of life. She shares the journey that led her to Aledade and to value-based care with the primary care physician at the center. Catherine continues to find innovative ways to help doctors care for their sickest patients through better data, better workflows, and better partnerships.

20. Sophia McIntyre: Black History Month Mar 04, 2019

Dr. Sophia McIntyre, Chief Medical Officer of Hudson River HealthCare, Inc., discusses how she was able to implement team-based preventative care in communities of color. She shares how she broke down racial barriers on her path to becoming a doctor with Josh (@DrJIsrael). Dr. McIntyre continued this conversation during the Black History Month Panel Discussion at Aledade.

19. Being an ACO Coordinator Feb 24, 2019

Nicholas Berault (@AledadeNJB) gives Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) a sneak peek into a day in the life of an Aledade Coordinator. He traces his trajectory from Aledade Fellow to Pennsylvania ACO Coordinator, sharing what it is like to work out in the field, bridging the gap between Aledade and its physicians. Nicholas supports and encourages practices every step of the way, while asking them to change the way they operate in several ways. These changes aren’t easy, but watching practices succeed and thrive makes it all worth it.

18. Taking Risk: Talking Risk Coding Feb 19, 2019

Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari (@Farzad_MD) returns to the ACO Show to share his perspective on risk coding and why it’s important for ACOs. Dr. John Torontow (@HCCRisk), Aledade Medical Director, also joins Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss the details of accurate risk coding. John merges his experience as a family physician with his knowledge of population health to coach providers through difficult conversations with their patients that ultimately result in better care.

17. ACO Strategy Feb 10, 2019

Ahmed Haque (@aehaque), Aledade’s SVP of Network Performance & Strategy, returns to the show to discuss the strategy behind building and growing an ACO. Ahmed’s experience and expertise have made him a national leader in creating high performing ACOs and he shares his insights with Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler).

16. The First State Feb 03, 2019

Tyler Blanchard (@skibumblanch), Executive Director of Aledade's Delaware Accountable Care Organization (ACO), provides an in depth look into what it takes to manage a successful ACO comprised of high-performing independent providers. Tyler also gives Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) his expert opinion on what makes the First State such fertile ground for fostering new and innovative ideas.

15. Managing Referrals Jan 27, 2019

Dr. Annette DuBard (@AnnetteDuBard), Aledade’s VP of clinical strategy, digs into the crucial role of promoting high value specialist referrals when pursuing value-based care. Annette also gives Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) a view into clinical strategy at Aledade and how it informs an emerging tech-enabled, healthcare product offering.

14. Value-Based Revolution Jan 20, 2019

Dr. Shawn Purifoy (@drsp27) is a primary care provider at Malvern Family Medical Clinic in rural Arkansas, and Dr. Lee Fleischer is a primary care provider at PMA Medical Specialists in suburban Philadelphia. Despite practicing in dramatically different parts of the country, Shawn and Lee are in the vanguard of the value-based care revolution and Medical Directors at Aledade (@AledadeACO). They join Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) to discuss how primary care providers are leading the charge that is changing the face of American healthcare.

13. Bob Kocher: Aledade's First Investor Jan 13, 2019

Dr. Bob Kocher (@bobkocher) is a member of Aledade’s Board of Directors and a Partner at Venrock, where he focuses on healthcare IT and services investments. Additionally, he is a Consulting Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Senior Fellow and Advisory Board Member at the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, and Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution Engleberg Center for Health Reform. Bob talks about how he went from clinical medicine to health policy to venture capital and why he was Aledade’s first investor. He even gives Josh (@DrJIsrael ) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) some background on his annual list of healthcare predictions.

12. Pathways to Success: Travis 2019 Jan 06, 2019

Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), VP of Policy at Aledade, returns to The ACO Show to provide some insight on the recent regulatory changes that will impact ACOs and their participating practices.

11. Emily Maxson - Value-Based Care Dec 23, 2018

Dr. Emily Maxson, an internal medicine physician and the senior Vice President at Aledade Inc. for Medical Affairs, delves into all that is value-based care with Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler).

10. Aneesh Chopra: CareJourney Dec 16, 2018

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) interview with Aneesh Chopra (@aneeshchopra) Co-Founder of Hunch Analytics, President of CareJourney; and Former Chief Technology Office of the United States & Virginia Secretary of Technology. He is also the author of Innovative State. Aneesh describes the role of data and analytics in transforming the US healthcare system and what he sees as the key factors that drive success in value-based care. He brings his years of expertise and leadership to a wide-ranging discussion on the history, politics, and technological innovation that impact American healthcare at every level.

9. Alex Blum: Partnerships Dec 09, 2018

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) interview Dr. Alex Blum (@alexblum), Aledade Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. Alex details how well crafted partnerships can help drive value-based care and how payers outside of the Medicare world can be key when developing Accountable Care Organizations.

8. Electronic Health Records Dec 02, 2018

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) interview with Rick Velandingham (@rickvHIT) Vice President of Electronic Health Record (EHR) Optimization at Aledade. Rick discusses the role of EHRs in value-based care, and challenges and opportunities presented in current EHR landscape. Rick also sheds light on how a company approaches a national strategy for EHR optimization while working with many different EHRs

7. Kansas ACO: In the Field Nov 25, 2018

Dr. Jen Brull (@mrsbrull) and Dr. Ryan Knopp join the ACO show to share their on-the-ground experience as primary care providers in an Accountable Care Organization, and how cutting edge population health and the use of data to improve patient care is making a difference in the Heartland.

6. Travis Broome: What’s New for 2019? Nov 18, 2018

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) speak with Aledade VP of Policy and ACO Administration, Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed regulatory changes. These include changes to the physician fee schedule and the outpatient payment system, and other regulations that will impact Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).

5. Mat Kendall: The Ground Game Nov 11, 2018

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) interview Mat Kendall (@matkendall), Aledade co-founder and Executive Vice President of Operations. Mat provides the final piece to Aledade’s origin story as well as an unrivaled perspective on how to operationalize a sustainable business model in value-based care.

4. Ahmed and Travis: Taking on Risk Nov 04, 2018

Josh (@DrJIsrael) and Joe (@JoeShonkwiler) interview with former Regional Operations Manager at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and current VP of Policy and ACO Administration at Aledade, Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome), and former Director in the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and current SVP of Network Performance and Strategy, Ahmed Haque (@aehaque).

Travis and Ahmed not only discuss their roles at Aledade, but they also weigh in on and the concept of “risk” in value-based care and the role it plays in the strategic decision-making of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).