Oprah Winfrey began her crusade to change the healthcare system when COVID-19 elevated our national awareness of health inequities in our …

For anyone following healthcare transformation in our country, you have undoubtedly heard about ChenMed – a family-owned, primary-care physician run organization that serves a challenging patient population under a full-risk …

If you are looking for the most egregious profiteering and fleecing of American consumers of healthcare, there is no better example than that of the giant industry of middlemen called …

Creating a value-based healthcare ecosystem with the highest quality outcomes at a reasonable cost for employers and their healthcare consumers requires collaboration. In the state of Connecticut, a grassroots community …

The need to strengthen and empower primary care, like the drive towards health equity, is one of the great causes célèbre of American healthcare. As David Blumenthal and Lovisa Gustafsson …

There is a need for hope and innovation in the delivery of value-based oncology care.  Cancer costs are on an alarming trajectory due to the aging and growth of our …

Primary Care in the United States is flawed, especially for our most complex patients in the Medicare program.  We have built this incredibly expensive primary care model around a fee-for-service …

Democratization of value can only happen through the replication of full-risk APM adoption in primary care.  As a country, we must accelerate primary care progression towards fully-capitated risk by thoughtful …

Community-based health transformation can be unleashed by uniting traditional allopathic medicine with lifestyle medicine.  To achieve a vision for population health, we will never change things by fighting the existing …

The COVID pandemic has taken the lives of 1 million Americans in two years (more than twice the amount of Americans who lost their lives in WWII in four years). …

While there have been meaningful improvements in healthcare delivery over the last decade, they have not catalyzed the transformation necessary to advance health value and equity. The promulgation of health …

It’s no secret that the Black community tops the list of groups afflicted by hypertension, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, and cancer. What the statistics do not show is …

A bright future for the nation depends on the health and prosperity of rural America, and unfortunately, we are at a moment in time where life is not ideal in …

The arc of the future bends in the direction of person-centered care. While payment reform is critical, our nation must also deliver whole-person care models that are exquisitely attuned to …

As we talk about the current zeitgeist moving us towards value and equity, we also have to think about how polarized our country is politically. Democrats and Republicans live in …

Healthcare costs due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is in excess of $32 billion due to high rates of re-hospitalizations and ED visits, complex and inefficient clinical pathways during …

This week we are talking about how value-based care transformation is related to the “Hero’s Journey” monomyth that was initially described by Joseph Campbell, an intellectual known for his work …

George Halvorson is a retired American healthcare executive who served as CEO of six health plans over the last 30 years.  From 2002-2013, he was the CEO of Kaiser Permanente and …

This week is Nurses Week – a time for all of us to reflect on the contributions that nurses make to our society. During this important time of observance for …

As leaders in the value-based care movement, we must think about the synergism between lifestyle medicine and traditional Western medicine. The tenets of lifestyle medicine force us to think more …

Have you ever had an idea that you just had to make real? No matter what it took… no matter what obstacles were in your way… no matter how many …

The impact of investment activity on our industry cannot be overstated, with the velocity of capital pouring into the health sector reaching stratospheric proportions. The valuation of private equity deals …

ChenMed is a family-owned, physician-run organization that was created to better serve low-moderate income elderly patients. Starting in 1985, Dr. James Chen created ChenMed as a one-stop shop where physicians …

We have reached a milestone moment, as we are celebrating 100 episodes of the Race to Value – the nation’s leading podcast on value-based care transformation in the country! In …

Jeff Micklos is the Executive Director of the Health Care Transformation Task Force, an industry consortium that brings together patients, payers, providers and purchasers to align private and public sector …

The Physician Organization of Michigan Accountable Care Organization (P.O.M. ACO) is a statewide ACO in the Medicare Shared Savings Program that has saved the Medicare Trust Fund more than $199 …

On February 24th, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revealed the highly-anticipated fate of the Innovation Center’s (CMMI) Direct Contracting model options, announcing a redesign of the Global …

This week, we have as your guest the legendary Dr. Robert Pearl, a Stanford University professor, Forbes contributor, bestselling author and former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group.  Coming off …

Joining us on the podcast this week is Dr. Clive Fields, the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer for VillageMD. Dr. Fields is a leader of high influence in the value …

Patient Engagement is of paramount importance in value-based care.  Healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to solutions that promise more targeted patient outreach, more coordinated care management, and more potential for …

Allison Brennan is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) in Washington, D.C. where she helps develop and advocate for policies to benefit …

This week we are honored to have as our guest, the legendary John W. Bluford III. Mr. Bluford is a nationally known healthcare innovator who has been recognized by Modern …

Our guest this week is Micky Tripathi, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he leads the formulation of the …

This week on our show we have Dr. Terry Knapp – Founder, Director, and Chief Medical Officer of CareSpan Holdings, Inc.  Dr. Knapp has a storied 50-year record of achievement …

In a career focused on improving global health value through systems transformation, relationship-based primary care has been at the heart of Dr. Paul Grundy’s crusade.  Dr. Grundy is a data …

This week we have the great honor of hosting one of the most respected American political leaders over the last few decades, a visionary who ushered in a new era …

As it is entering its second decade, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has launched a bold new strategy for achieving equitable outcomes through high quality, affordable, person-centered …

Joining us this week, we have the legendary Dr. Dean Ornish who will be discussing his most recent book, “Undo It! How Simple Lifestyle Change Can Reverse Most Chronic Conditions” …

We must remain steadfast in our desire as healthcare professionals to ensure that patients who lack access to safe and stable housing are not forgotten. In this special bonus episode …

In a time of great need for our nation during the pandemic, Americans saw and celebrated an army of physician heroes. And in doing so, they overlooked an unforeseen reality …

Healthcare worker burnout has reached crisis proportions, and we must find real solutions to address the intense psychological suffering of our workforce. The seemingly endless intensity of work, the mounting …

Sydney Townsend was diagnosed with cancer in June 2018, three months after giving birth to her first child.  As a former boxer, she realized she was in the fight of …

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”  The same can be said of healthcare organizations serving patients within their local communities.  In …

In recent years, the role of retail in health care has grown beyond the co-location of clinics and pharmacies, with many large retailers now expanding their care delivery practices to …

A special Thanksgiving message from Dr. Eric Weaver, host of the Race to Value, about gratitude, suffering, and the movement to value-based care.

Grief support and empathy education is so important in the context of value-based health care as it connects us to our own humanity.  It speaks to why we entered into …

How does a 3-physician practice sell for over $100 million dollars? The answer is simpler than it seems – full-risk contracting is better for providers and patients. Aligned incentives promote …

Health care is the largest employment sector in the US, and women account for 75-percent of the workforce. Gender equity in medical leadership is of paramount importance in value-based care …

The financial stats of healthcare are all too familiar – the 18% of GDP, $3 trillion spend, and the $11k per capita cost are frightening to consider. We are on …

You are about to be inspired and challenged about how you think about value-based care. Since 1991, Rosen Hotels & Resorts has offered an innovative in-house healthcare program called RosenCare …

Every year, millions of Americans are overcharged and underserved while the health care industry makes record profits. We know something is wrong, but layers of complexity make it confusing and …

This week on Race to Value, we are excited to celebrate Pharmacy Week – it is a time to recognize the invaluable contributions pharmacists and technicians make to patient care …

Our guest this week is Dr. Tamarah Dupervahl-Brownlee, Chief Health Officer for Accenture, and recently, Chief Community Impact Officer for Ascension. A Physician leader with 20+ years of experience practicing …

Gender-affirming care offers a model for all of health care, one that is patient-centered and based on the human story.  In this episode, you will learn about “The Truth and …

As one of the leading integrated health systems in the country  — serving more than 3 million residents throughout 45 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with 30,000 employees, nine …

In this week’s episode, we spotlight the recently released Future of Nursing report, “Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity.” The report is a landmark consensus …

Oak Street Health has an amazing vision to rebuild Health Care as It Should Be: Personal, Equitable, and Accountable. The business was launched with a belief in value-based care …

Let’s face it – the healthcare system is broken. It will never be fixed unless we fundamentally redesign our industry towards a more consumer-centric model. That will require courageous leadership, …

We’re excited to share this special edition episode with Dr. Tony Dale, an “Old World” doctor from England who has since become a successful healthcare entrepreneur in the United States.  …

Historically, health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have taken a volume-based approach to health rather than a value-based one. The public sector has focused on coverage rates or …

The traditional definition of post-acute care (PAC) represents the legacy of a fragmented approach to healthcare that segments care into “silos” and finances institutions to care for a “slice” of …

We are pleased to release a special bonus episode and do our part to address the nation’s concerns around the pandemic and the COVID vaccine. As it stands right now, …

Employers are on the frontlines in the battle against rising healthcare costs. Legendary investor Warren Buffett said that rising health care costs, not the tax system, are the number one …

Our guest this week is Dr. Jim Walton, President and CEO of Genesis Physicians Group. Dr. Walton was drawn into medicine at an early age – he followed his dad making …

This is one of the most health challenging times in modern history. Healthcare systems and practitioners face dire circumstances in delivery of care to scores of citizens. A reverential ethic …

Our guest this week, Matt Miclette, is military veteran and a psychiatric and mental health board certified registered nurse. He is the Senior Director of Clinical Operations at NeuroFlow – a digital health …

Our guest this week is driven by an inner purpose to alleviate suffering for those in the poorest of communities, recognizing that health care can only truly be transformative in …

While the health care system has been gradually transitioning to a more tech-enabled industry for several years, in a matter of months, …

Only 25% of health is in the control of the healthcare system. So why does our country continue to pump the majority of its health care spending into a deficit-based …

There is an immediate opportunity for value-minded medical practices and health systems in joining a Direct Contracting Entity (DCE) that is already established.  Many of these DCEs (typically existing health care delivery organizations …

Health information exchange (HIE) is the mobilization of health care information electronically across organizations within a region or community. In 2009, Congress attempted to modernize HIE processes by passing the …

We are discussing “Price Transparency and Free Market Healthcare” with Dr. Keith Smith, co-founder of Surgery Center of Oklahoma and Sean Kelley, Founder & Managing Partner of Texas Medical Management. …

The movement to value-based care will necessitate a major paradigm shift in how physicians practice medicine. They can no longer be “cowboys” in the wild west of fragmented, uncoordinated care …

When Billy Beane decided to employ a recent Harvard graduate to use advanced statistical analysis to build a championship major league baseball team, he changed the game forever. While Beane’s famous early …

Sixty years ago, May 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged the American nation in a speech to Congress, asking them to commit to “landing a man on the Moon and …

The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.  “Failing Forward” was a concept defined by John C. Maxwell several years ago, and …

Former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, made an important observation when he said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it …

The all-too-common visualization of balancing between the two canoes of fee-for-service (FFS) and value-based care (VBC) is an appropriate illustration of the pressure that providers feel, but maintaining balance is …

This month is National Military Appreciation Month and with this week’s episode we take  opportunity to offer our solemn regard and deep gratitude to the brave men, women, and their families who …

Nurses have been rightly recognized as heroes during the pandemic – on top of their consistently tireless effort, providing sustained caring and empathy over long hours, nurses stepped up to …

This week’s episode is the second part of our conversation with Dr. Robert Pearl. In his book, Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients, Dr. Pearl asserts …

In a year of great need, during the pandemic, Americans saw and celebrated an army of physician heroes. In doing so, they overlooked an uncomfortable reality. Doctors are humans who …

It’s not a secret, the broken healthcare system is exquisitely tuned to react after patients get sick. For the most part, profits are made after we FAIL patients. And it hurts all of the caregivers who …

Race to Value listeners — April is National Minority Health Month, and this year, the HHS Office of Minority Health is focusing on the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic is …

Fixing the behavioral health crisis is an absolute imperative in the movement to value-based care. Currently, 1 out of 5 Americans (over 51 million) are living with a behavioral health …

Achieving health value demands the formation of a new social construct, one that puts aside self-interest and builds systems of care for the common good. One that prioritizes health and …

When Thomas Edison created the electric light bulb, he didn’t stop with that one incredible invention. He took the next step and created the industry that would maximize the benefit …

Decades of poor outcomes in terms of cost, quality, and access have not created societal commitment to confronting the issue of low-value care in hospitals. Despite medical errors serving as the #3 cause of …

Chronic kidney disease kills more people than breast or prostate cancer each year – it’s the 9th leading cause of death but you won’t see NFL players wearing socks and gloves …

Last year, research at Johns Hopkins showed that healthcare consumes nearly half of all federal spending, which includes funding for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, military health benefits, health benefits for federal employees and their dependents, plus interest. Our …

Stephen Nuckolls grew up listening to his physician father talk about how healthcare could save money for Medicare if it was accountable for outcomes. It was with this intent that …

In this episode, reflect on the importance of Black History Month, an important time to recognize and honor the contributions and achievements of the millions of African Americans who have …

Our health care industry excels at rescue care – when a patient needs to be saved, our system has answers. However, we are not well suited to address the challenges …

An industry inflection point is coming in the transition to value: federal and state governments are feeling an insurmountable level of pressure as public debt and spending increase, large employers …

The health care industry is experiencing a digital transformation that has been decades in the making. In this era of COVID-19 disruption and heightened consumer expectations for care delivery, the …

ACOs are increasingly moving into two-sided risk options with MSSP BASIC E and ENHANCED. The Direct Contracting model (with both Professional and Global options) introduces new opportunities and flexibilities that are not included in other CMMI models or through the …

The American Dream is the hallowed ideology that any individual can advance his or her state of being through ambition and hard work. It defines the American psyche. Historian James Truslow Adams wrote, …

As we prepare for a new era in our government with President-Elect Biden’s administration and a Democratic-controlled Congress, we must be steadfast in our commitment to value-based care. Can soon-to-be President Biden capitalize …

ChenMed was created with a mission to provide care in such a way that it could alleviate suffering for those seniors in the poorest of communities, recognizing that full-risk primary …

In this episode, we interview Ken Terry, author of one of the best-researched books we’ve ever seen! The new book, Physician-Led Healthcare Reform: A New Approach to Medicare For All, …

Dr. Kevin Spencer, Medical Director, Texas at Agilon Health, is passionate about improving the health care delivery system. He believes that by enabling physician-led organizations with technology, proven processes, and …

Our nation has lost more than 300,000 people from COVID-19.  It is the latest sign of a generational tragedy – one still unfolding in every corner of the country.  As …

A guiding principle of Cumberland Center for Healthcare Innovation, CCHI, is that communities and the state benefit from healthier families, and it’s not just about cost savings or longer lives. Better health means a more …

Join us in this episode as we speak with Dr. Mark McClellan, former CMS Administrator and former FDA Commissioner during SARS – his understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic and options …

Dr. Elizabeth Teisberg is a leading figure in the value-based health care strategy movement and is the executive director of the Value Institute for Health and Care as well as a …

It was Thanksgiving 2016 and Sugandan (Su) Barathy was a normal college student in Texas, with finals and graduation in the weeks ahead. His future was bright with a comfortable …

Welcome back for part 2! This episode further explores Klasko’s vision of health assurance, an industry that focuses on consumer’s health, and that is enabled through innovative partnerships between health …

Dr. Stephen Klasko is the President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. His newest book, co-authored with venture-capitalist Hemant Teneja, is a manifesto that advocates for bringing …

North Carolina seems like an unlikely laboratory for value-based care. It refused to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act and ranks in the bottom third among states in measures of overall …

The concept of “accountable care in the safety net” was introduced in a Dartmouth Study published by the Commonwealth Fund back in 2013.  In that study, there were 4 critical …

Today’s episode follows Austin Regional Clinic (ARC), a large multi-specialty medical group that serves over 500,000 patients in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1980 as an HMO, ARC is coming full-circle …

There are over 1,300 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in our country providing a healthcare lifeline for more than 28 million Americans living in underserved areas of the country. The vast majority of these …

In this virtual panel discussion, Dr. Ernest Grant (President of the American Nurses Association), Dr. Jan Jones-Schenk (Senior Vice President – College of Health Professions, WGU), and Jason Thompson (Vice …

Most people know that 3M as a massive industrial conglomerate, a Fortune 500 company with 60,000 products that include Post-It notes, Scotch tape, sandpaper, hanging hooks, band-aids and more. A …

The importance of Humana’s consumer focus, care in the home, technology, and other strategic imperatives related to value-based care have been amplified by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As COVID-19 …

Many industry insiders believe that health system-led ACOs are inherently disadvantaged to demonstrate value-based care in an environment where most revenue is still generated in fee-for-service. In moving to value, …

MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization (MHACO) serves a uniquely heterogeneous population that is spread across coastal, rural, and urban communities with multiple different cultural components. And they serve the oldest population …

Primary care is especially compromised in the ongoing pandemic crisis. PCPs are uniquely vulnerable to the deleterious economic effects of COVID-19, since most of their revenue still comes from in-person visits which have plummeted since March amid widespread stay-at-home orders and fears about in-office virus transmission. The pain …

Quality in health care has been a hot topic for over 20 years, ever since the landmark report, To Err is Human, which declared that up to 100,000 people die …

Palliative care, and the role it plays in health value, is difficult for many people to understand because it runs so contra to the linear algorithm that is allopathic medicine. Curative care – played …

In health care, we excel in addressing problems in the human body that are fixable.  However, with regard to the two main un-fixables in life — aging and dying— we often inflict therapies on patients that shorten lives or increase suffering …

How does an organization have a banner year in 2019, start 2020 with additional momentum, and then continue to grow despite COVID-19 making them change their whole approach? Because they …

The Rio Grande Valley, located in the southernmost tip of Texas along the US-Mexico border, has become a new epicenter for COVID-19 over the last month.  Death rates are also …

Physician groups are becoming the dominant type of new entrant into the ACO space and have been most successful in achieving savings to date.  Many in our industry think that …