2024 Healthcare Sessions Conference: Day Two

In case you couldn’t attend today’s Sessions, we’ve got you covered! Below is a recap of the key highlights and discussions from today.

Topping the Charts: Strategies for Success in Ambulatory Care Expansion

A conversation with moderator Eric Evans, CEO, Surgery Partners, and panelists Dan Greenleaf, CEO, Duly Health and Care, Thom Herrmann, CEO, Intuitive Health, and Sanjay Shetty, President, CenterWell at Humana

 

These dynamic leaders explored strategies to improve care access and reduce costs by addressing emergency room overuse and advancing ambulatory care models. The discussion highlighted key challenges, including regulatory barriers, the substantial investment needed for sustainable success and escalating clinician burnout. Panelists underscored the critical role of partnerships between outpatient centers and health systems, emphasizing the need to prioritize patient experience and preserve physician autonomy. More broadly, they stressed that fostering innovation requires collaboration at every level – but again, keeping patients and clinicians at the center of the conversation to achieve true transformation.

“When you think about ambulatory care; payers, employers, patients and physicians all win.” – Dan Greenleaf, CEO, Duly Health and Care

Harmonizing Operations and Tech: Strategies for Successful Innovation in Hospitals

A conversation with moderator Sam Hazen, CEO, HCA Healthcare, and panelists David Feinberg, M.D., Chairman, Oracle Health, Tom Mihaljevic, CEO, Cleveland Clinic, and Jon Kaplan, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group

 

Top healthcare innovators discussed key operational challenges and opportunities in the healthcare industry, highlighting a fragmented $1.5 trillion sector, particularly in hospitals. Technological innovations, especially in AI and integrated data platforms, offer potential for improved efficiency and patient outcomes though effective change management and provider engagement remain essential. A collaborative, bottom-up approach was emphasized, involving frontline staff in co-creating standardized processes. The panel underscored the transformative potential of organizational change and technology in delivering higher value care.

 “We all subscribe to standardized protocols as a best practice, and there’s still plenty of opportunity for us to be creative while working in a highly standardized environment.” – Tom Mihaljevic, CEO, Cleveland Clinic

Media Announcements

News announcements made by Synchronous Health, Belmont University’s Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine, Vantage Surgical Solutions, and Premise Health.

• Synchronous Health Acquired by Thriveworks. Reggie Ramsey, Chief Commercial Officer and Interim CFO of Nashville-based Synchronous Health, shared the recent news of their acquisition by Thriveworks, a leading behavioral health company with over 340 physical locations and 2,300 providers across the country. The strategic acquisition is set to expand Synchronous’ integrated approach to addressing significant access issues in behavioral healthcare. Learn more about the acquisition here.
• Belmont Frist College of Medicine Launches a New Health Systems Science Initiative. Doug Slakey, Professor and Chair of Health Systems Science at Belmont University’s Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine, announced the launch of a revolutionary Health Systems Science Initiative aimed at transforming healthcare delivery and experience. By uniting healthcare organizations, academic institutions, technology innovators, government and patient advisors, the initiative seeks to enhance decision-making, improve care delivery and drive transformative solutions on the front lines of healthcare.
• Vantage Surgical Solutions Expand Services. John Grant, RVP of National Accounts at Vantage Surgical Solutions, a leading mobile surgery platform, has expanded its services beyond cataract surgery to include screening and diagnostic colonoscopies, as well as EGDs. This expansion aims to improve GI procedures in rural and suburban markets, ensuring patients can receive essential care within their local communities. Learn more about the expanded services here.
• Premise Health Shares New Primary Care Analysis Findings. Ryan Donnelly, SVP, Strategy and Innovation at Premise Health, the leading direct healthcare company and one of the largest digital providers in the country, announced results from a claims-based savings analysis involving 26 employers and over 207,000 individuals, which revealed that their advanced primary care model generated a 30% total cost of care savings, equating to an average $2,434 per member annually. By focusing on prevention, the model delivers better health outcomes, reduces costly downstream care and significantly decreases ER visits and hospitalizations. Learn more about the study’s findings here.

Transforming Hospital Economics: How CHS and Cost Plus Drugs Are Revolutionizing Cost Management

A partnership discussion with Lynn Simon, M.D., MBA, President, Healthcare Innovation & Chief Medical Officer, Community Health Systems and Dr. Alex Oshmyansky, CEO & Co-Founder, Cost Plus Drug Company

Driven by the challenges patients face affording medication, industry leaders shared their approach to solving complex medication access issues. From regulatory hurdles to complex and often hidden drug prices, the goal is to create transparency in drug costs by publicizing pharmacy benefit manager contracts, as well as the prices charged on the front end by pharma companies, and the steps to setting drug prices. The conversation was anything but academic, with Dr. Oshmyansky noting the real dollar savings created for patients through the Cost Plus Drug Company model.

“Transparency may seem daunting but ultimately benefits all the players in the system in the long run.”  – Dr. Alex Oshmyansky, CEO & Co-Founder, Cost Plus Drugs Company

Creating Harmony: Expanding Access and Improving Outcomes in Rural Healthcare

A conversation with moderator Andrew Cohen, Global Healthcare/Life Sciences Industry Leader, IBM Consulting, and panelists Amar Kendale, Co-Founder & President, Homeward, Rajan Girish Mohan, Chief Marketing & Digital Experience Officer, Ascension, and Colleen Nicewicz, CEO, Groups Recover Together

A panel of industry leaders addressed healthcare challenges in rural communities and the innovative care models to solve them. The challenges in rural America are unique, highlighted by a 20% higher mortality rate, half the number of primary care physicians and one-eighth the number of specialists. Panelists stressed the need to tailor solutions to each individual’s needs but not limiting them to just medical care. Speakers noted that poverty of time and money must be solved for along with gaps in access and quality. Current system challenges require multidisciplinary models of care that focus on data sharing and increased connection and communication between providers.

“Rethinking care delivery in communities where traditional care is not possible.” – Colleen Nicewicz, CEO, Groups Recover Together

The Power of Collaboration: Building Effective Hospital Partnerships for Innovation and Access

A conversation with moderator David Dill, Chairman and CEO, Lifepoint Health, and panelists Fahad Tahir, President & CEO, Ascension Saint Thomas, Chris Altchek, Founder & CEO, Cadence, and Leif Murphy, CEO, Team Health

A dynamic conversation between industry leaders on the power and necessity of partnerships. And, how to leverage partnerships to grow and solve real-world problems. These leaders highlighted technology but put it in the appropriate context as only one piece of the solution to support efficiency, coordination and the patient and clinician experience. They presented the idea of focusing on problem solving rather than who gets the credit and having the attitude of “being a guest in someone else’s home” as foundational to successful partnerships. And, finally, we heard that relationships and trust are just as – if not more – important than the business relationship: Picking up the phone and saying, “what do you need? We’re here for whatever you need” during times of stress and crisis.

 

“No more build versus buy–partnership is the name of the game.” – Fahad Tahir, President & CEO, Ascension Saint Thomas

Shifting the Spotlight: How Innovators Are Helping Employers Transform Healthcare Participation

A conversation with moderator Justin Walter, Co-Head of Americas Healthcare Investment Banking & Managing Director, Bank of America, and panelists Stu Clark, CEO, Premise Health, Laurie McGraw, Executive Vice President at Transcarent, and John Zutter, CEO, Lantern

Growing concerns for employers were top of mind during today’s conversations. Employers are being pushed to their limit in providing underutilized care to employees. Speakers suggested that overcomplicated healthcare systems and disruptive health plans are a driving force for large companies to seek alternative solutions. They said that passing the burden of cost of care to employees is no longer a viable option, and the need to simplify the healthcare processes to improve both employee experience and healthcare engagement must move front and center, with solutions stemming from that goal. Ultimately, panelists noted, the primary need is to reduce costs while improving patient care, so solutions must start with that end in mind.

“The most expensive component in the automotive industry is healthcare. It is unpredictable and complex.” – Stu Clark, CEO, Premise Health

AI Operationalized on the Frontlines: From the Battlefield to the Bedside

A conversation with moderators Drew Goldstein, Co-Head of Healthcare, Palantir and Jeremy David, Co-Head of Healthcare, Palantir, and panelists Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, CEO of Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Michael Schlosser, SVP of Care Transformation & Innovation, HCA Healthcare

Panelists emphasized that A.I.’s true value comes from its integration across the care journey rather than as a single – though admittedly groundbreaking – point solution to answer complex questions. Scaling A.I. operationally requires strong partnerships, a clear understanding of clinical realities and investment and collaboration from large scale health systems that can support wide scale implementation. While A.I. will revolutionize how care is delivered, panelists highlighted that doing so requires a strong alliance between engineers and clinicians to create lasting solutions and – once again – solve for real problems rather than chase shiny objects.

“You find out what hurts the most and then you find people who are the most frustrated about it and you put them to work and that’s how you create solutions.” – Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, CEO, Cleveland Clinic