Analyzing Healthcare

Roy Bejarano and Jason Schifman: SCALE Community and SCALE Healthcare

What’s next in healthcare? Analyzing Healthcare delivers expert insights, real-world case studies, and bold ideas shaping the future of U.S. & global health systems. Hosted by Roy Bejarano and Jason Schifman of SCALE Healthcare & SCALE Community, each episode explores medical innovation, healthcare leadership, value-based care, provider operations, health policy, artificial intelligence, & emerging health trends. Whether you're a provider, investor, operator, or simply healthcare curious—this podcast helps you stay informed, inspired, & ahead of the curve. More info at www.scale-community.com

  1. 6d ago

    Why Are Americans Crossing the Border for Healthcare? Prof. Kelli Frias, American University - Kogod School of Business

    How price transparency, AI, and cross-border care reveal why patients struggle to shop for healthcare in the U.S. In this episode, Roy Bejarano speaks with Prof. Kelli Frias about healthcare pricing, consumer behavior, affordability, access, and why shopping for care is still so difficult for American patients. Kelli explains why more information does not always lead to better decisions, how patients use quality cues differently across markets, and what U.S. healthcare can learn from cross-border care in Mexico. The conversation also covers deductibles, delayed care, GLP-1s, AI-enabled patient decision-making, family caregiving, and why accessibility may matter as much as price transparency in shaping the future of consumer healthcare. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why insured Americans are being pushed to shop for healthcare ✅ How deductibles and affordability change patient behavior ✅ Why price transparency alone may not solve healthcare decision-making ✅ What cross-border care in Mexico reveals about access, cost, and trust ✅ Why patients delay care when the system feels unaffordable or inaccessible ✅ How AI could support more informed healthcare consumers ✅ Why healthcare shopping depends on context, quality cues, family, and trust Key Timestamps (01:26) How consumers shop for healthcare (02:08) From physician-directed care to consumer navigation (03:13) Deductibles, affordability, and patient responsibility (06:04) Why quality indicators change by market (07:09) U.S. vs. Mexico waiting room example (10:20) Why more information is not always better (11:43) What cross-border healthcare consumers understand about price (14:05) Which care decisions can be simplified for patients (17:38) Patient-centered care and co-producing decisions (22:15) Why delayed care may be more costly long term (25:05) Estimating cross-border care volume (26:43) Why patients travel to Mexico for care (31:08) How U.S. referral pathways amplify costs (35:06) AI, patient agency, and healthcare decision support (37:11) Why consumer segmentation matters in healthcare Key Takeaways 💎 U.S. patients are increasingly expected to behave like healthcare consumers, but most have never been trained to shop for care. 💎 Price transparency is important, but simply giving patients more information can create confusion rather than better decisions. 💎 Quality signals are context-dependent; the same cue can mean very different things in different healthcare markets. 💎 Cross-border care in Mexico shows how access, price, trust, and patient experience can drive healthcare decisions. 💎 Patients may not overuse care because they do not know the cost; many delay care because the system feels unaffordable or inaccessible. 💎 AI may help patients gain more agency, but healthcare leaders must account for trust, safety, segmentation, and misinformation risk. 💎 The future of consumer healthcare may require co-produced decisions between patients, clinicians, families, payers, and technology. Guest Bio Kelli Frias is a Provost Associate Professor of Marketing at American University's Kogod School of Business. She studies how people navigate uncertainty, evaluate imperfect information, build trust, and make tradeoffs inside complex systems such as healthcare, AI, and markets. Some of her latest research explores the affordability of healthcare, dual market navigation, and medical influencer credibility. She is an Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Fellow and recipient of nearly $2 million in National Science Foundation grants, a $1.2 million grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, and the VentureWell Foundation.

  2. Sep 23

    Can Primary Care Become the Operating System for Healthcare? Tesha Simpson, CEO, Millennium Physician Group

    How Millennium Physician Group uses primary care, specialties, hospitalists, and tech-enabled navigation to coordinate care within Mosaic Health. In this episode, Roy Bejarano speaks with Tesha Simpson, CEO of Millennium Physician Group, about building a multi-specialty, community-based care model anchored in primary care. Tesha explains how MPG supports independent physicians, coordinates specialists, hospitalists, labs, imaging, and EHR workflows, and uses patient data to decide when to build services internally versus partner externally. The conversation also covers Mosaic Health, including CareMore, Vera, and Castlight, and how technology, AI, and navigation can complement—not replace—the human side of care while improving access, quality, cost management, and service consistency across different patient populations and geographies. What You’ll Learn ✅ How Millennium Physician Group evolved from supporting independent physicians into a multi-specialty care platform ✅ Why MPG anchors its model around primary care, community access, and care coordination ✅ How specialists, hospitalists, labs, imaging, and shared EHR access support better patient navigation ✅ How MPG decides whether to build specialty services internally or partner externally ✅ How Mosaic Health brings together Millennium, CareMore, Vera, and Castlight ✅ Why technology can complement care without replacing the human relationship ✅ How MPG evaluates new markets like Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina Key Timestamps (00:55) Millennium’s provider footprint and market expansion (02:46) MPG’s origin as a solution for independent physicians (03:45) Why Millennium became multi-specialty (04:42) Shared tech stack and coordinated specialty access (06:17) Integrated referrals, imaging, and EHR access (07:45) Coordination, access, and total cost of care (10:18) How MPG decides which specialties to build or partner with (14:14) Hospitalists, admissions, and care transitions (16:18) Mosaic Health and the three-business-unit model (17:53) CareMore and high-need senior populations (18:27) Vera, Castlight, navigation, and tech enablement (21:28) Technology as a complement to human care (23:18) Geographic expansion into Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina Key Takeaways 💎 Specialty care strengthens access, coordination, and total cost-of-care management. 💎 Shared leadership, patient information, imaging, and EHR access enable effective multi-specialty care. 💎 MPG builds specialties internally where needed and partners where it makes sense. 💎 Hospitalists support admissions, transitions, discharge planning, and follow-up care. 💎 Mosaic Health brings together community care, senior-focused care, employer health, and navigation technology. 💎 Technology and AI can reduce administrative burden while complementing—not replacing—human care. 💎 MPG expands into markets based on physician alignment, community need, Medicare fit, and an anchor location. Guest Bio Tesha Simpson is CEO of Millennium Physician Group, a community-based physician organization with a strong primary care foundation and multi-specialty capabilities. Her work focuses on care coordination, physician alignment, value-based care, patient access, market expansion, and reducing administrative burden for clinicians while improving outcomes for the populations Millennium serves. SEO Keywords Tesha Simpson, Millennium Physician Group, Mosaic Health, SCALE Community, Analyzing Healthcare, primary care, multi-specialty care, value-based care, care coordination, patient navigation, MSO strategy, physician group, Florida healthcare, CareMore, Vera, Castlight, healthcare technology, AI in healthcare, referral management, total cost of care, healthcare access

  3. Sep 17

    Payer, Provider, Big Tech: Who's Actually Fixing Healthcare? - Medical Managing Director, Cigna Healthcare

    U.S. healthcare transformation, AI adoption, value-based care, and payer-provider alignment take center stage as Dr. Dipul and Roy Bejarano explore what drives meaningful change. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community, Roy Bejarano speaks with Dr. Dipul, Associate Chief Medical Officer at Cigna and former healthcare leader at Salesforce, Ascension, and Advocate. They explore payer-provider alignment, trust, AI adoption, workflow redesign, value-based care, clinical variation, and consumer healthcare. Dr. Dipul shares why meaningful healthcare transformation requires more than new technology; it demands aligned incentives, operational discipline, practical workflows, and focused execution to deliver sustainable value. What You’ll Learn ✅ How payers, providers, and technology companies view healthcare differently ✅ Why incentive misalignment remains one of healthcare’s hardest problems ✅ Why trust is missing across major healthcare stakeholders ✅ How AI agents and CRM platforms fit into healthcare workflows ✅ Why workflow, change management, and incentives matter more than product elegance ✅ Why value-based care may not be dead, but still needs stronger execution ✅ How healthcare leaders can avoid chasing the “shiny penny” and focus on real problems Key Timestamps (01:42) Healthcare through payer, provider, and tech lenses (05:28) Trust and incentive misalignment (07:28) Healthcare innovation and high reliability (10:04) Lessons from Salesforce and big tech (12:48) The challenge of scaling AI agents (14:32) Why workflow matters more than product elegance (18:19) Is value-based care still alive? (19:22) Provider-payer partnerships and navigation (25:22) Alignment, loopholes, and commercial partnerships (27:24) Why Dr. Dipul is still proud of U.S. healthcare (31:44) What healthcare managers need to understand (32:22) Consumer healthcare and avoiding the shiny-penny trap Key Takeaways 💎 Healthcare’s biggest challenge may not be a lack of innovation, but misaligned incentives across payers, providers, technology companies, pharma, and regulators. 💎 Most healthcare organizations want better outcomes, but their operating models often push them toward different decisions. 💎 AI will only create value in healthcare when it fits real workflows, integrates data, and supports measurable execution. 💎 Value-based care still has promise, but the next phase depends on tighter payer-provider alignment, better access, navigation, and infrastructure. 💎 Product elegance alone will not transform healthcare; workflow assessment, change management, and incentive design are critical. 💎 U.S. healthcare remains a center of innovation, but affordability and sustainability will determine how far that innovation can scale. 💎 Healthcare leaders must start with the problem they need to solve, not the newest tool or trend. Guest Bio Dr. Dipul Patadia is Associate Chief Medical Officer at Cigna, where he helps advance clinical strategy, innovation, and client growth. He joined Cigna in 2025 after serving as Chief Health Officer at Salesforce, where he focused on applying technology to healthcare challenges. Previously, he held Chief Medical Officer roles at Ascension and Advocate Health, leading clinical initiatives and hospital operations. His work spans digital transformation, AI readiness, specialty care, quality improvement, and innovative value-based care strategies across payers, providers, and technology. SEO Keywords Dr. Dipul, Cigna, Roy Bejarano, SCALE Community, Analyzing Healthcare, payer provider alignment, healthcare incentives, healthcare innovation, AI in healthcare, agentic AI, Salesforce healthcare, value-based care, healthcare workflow, clinical variation, healthcare trust, consumer healthcare, healthcare management, payer strategy, health system transformation, healthcare technology, healthcare affordability

  4. Sep 2

    Can Community Health Systems Out-Innovate the Giants? Hans Van Lancker, Chair of Orthopedics, Cambridge Health Alliance

    Cambridge Health Alliance’s orthopedic growth, physician alignment, OR efficiency, AI-enabled workflows, supply-cost savings, and community hospital innovation take center stage in this episode of Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community. Hans Van Lancker, Chair of Orthopedics at Cambridge Health Alliance, shares how CHA is using its smaller footprint as a strategic advantage in Boston’s highly consolidated healthcare market. He discusses how culture, data, physician engagement, and operational discipline can help smaller health systems innovate and compete effectively. The conversation explores OR utilization, supply-cost management, physician incentives, primary care integration, AI scribing, billing and coding, patient education, and specialty care growth. A timely discussion for healthcare executives, hospital leaders, MSO operators, orthopedic groups, payors, investors, and healthcare innovators interested in physician alignment, operational efficiency, AI adoption, and sustainable community hospital growth. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why smaller health systems can sometimes innovate faster than larger incumbents ✅ How CHA optimized OR utilization and surgical productivity ✅ Why culture and physician engagement are central to sustainability ✅ How supply-cost incentives helped save nearly $1 million in six months ✅ Why CHA grew orthopedic surgical volume 52% in three years ✅ How AI scribing, cost analytics, billing, coding, and patient education support better workflows ✅ Why good management may be one of healthcare’s most underrated innovations Key Timestamps (00:30) Cambridge Health Alliance footprint (02:08) Why smaller systems can innovate faster (05:00) CHA’s public health roots and community role (06:40) Infrastructure challenges and growth limits (09:27) Starting with data and OR utilization (11:50) Productivity, supply costs, and incentive alignment (15:05) Bringing ASC-style incentives into a nonprofit model (16:38) Expanding the culture beyond orthopedics (18:10) Rethinking physician productivity models (21:11) Why orthopedics supports the broader system (23:15) 52% surgical volume growth and length-of-stay reduction (27:47) Health system model vs. MSO model (31:11) Exporting the model to other hospitals (33:04) AI, cost analytics, billing, coding, and patient education (38:24) Why hospitals must move faster Key Takeaways 💎 Culture, speed, and local focus give smaller health systems a strategic advantage. 💎 Data-driven operations improved OR utilization, service-line performance, and resource allocation. 💎 Aligned supply-cost incentives drove physician buy-in and nearly $1M in savings in six months. 💎 Orthopedics grew surgical volume 52% in three years while reducing arthroplasty LOS to 0.4 days. 💎 Nonprofit systems can adopt ASC-style accountability while maintaining broader community care. 💎 Primary care integration creates a powerful referral advantage. 💎 AI and technology are extending the model through scribing, cost analytics, billing, coding, and patient education. Guest Bio Hans P. Van Lancker, MD, MBA, FRCSC, FAAOS, is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon, health system leader, and entrepreneur focused on clinical care, technology, and organizational design. He serves as Chair of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, Physiatry and Rehabilitation at Cambridge Health Alliance and holds a Clinical Instructor appointment at Harvard Medical School. He founded the Boston Orthopaedic Traumaplasty Fellowship and advises AI companies on clinical integration. His work spans healthcare innovation, digital rehabilitation, clinical informatics, physician compensation, and new models for efficient, sustainable care delivery.

  5. Aug 20

    Why Does Denmark Spend Less on Healthcare- and Still Coordinate Better? Rasmus Møgelvang, CEO, Rigshospitalet

    Denmark’s healthcare model offers a different approach to coordination, efficiency, and patient-centered care. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community, Roy Bejarano speaks with Rasmus Møgelvang, CEO of Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, about centralized expertise, hospital-at-home care, national data infrastructure, workforce shortages, low-value care, fixed budgets, and public-private partnerships. Rasmus shares what Denmark’s healthcare system can teach the U.S. about using resources more effectively, bringing care closer to patients, and building infrastructure for the future. A timely conversation for healthcare executives, hospital leaders, policymakers, investors, and operators focused on health system design, digital infrastructure, workforce strategy, and value-based care. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why Denmark centralized care expertise before decentralizing services✅ How chemotherapy and oncology care can move safely into the home✅ Why Denmark focuses on stopping low-value and harmful care✅ How national data infrastructure supports coordination and remote care✅ Why workforce shortages are forcing systems to rethink resource allocation✅ How fixed budgets affect innovation funding✅ Why public-private partnerships are critical to scaling new solutions Key Timestamps (00:14) Rigshospitalet and Denmark’s national hospital role (02:02) Denmark vs. NHS and U.S. healthcare models (05:05) Centralize knowledge, then decentralize care (06:40) Cancer treatment at home (09:26) Healthcare spending and waste (11:00) Platform trials and low-value care (13:25) Nordic data sharing (14:30) Virtual Nordic University Hospital (16:59) National patient data and interoperability (18:40) Remote MRI, neurosurgery, and COVID response (21:55) Global research and public systems (23:59) Demographics and workforce shortage (28:57) Limits of fixed-budget medicine (32:13) Innovation and public-private partnerships (32:49) Real partnerships with industry Key Takeaways 💎 Denmark’s model shows the power of centralizing expertise and standards, then decentralizing care delivery closer to the patient. 💎 Hospital-at-home is not just a convenience strategy; it is a workforce, access, and capacity strategy. 💎 A value-based public system creates stronger incentives to identify and stop low-value or harmful care. 💎 National data infrastructure allows patient information to move across sites of care and support real-time coordination. 💎 Remote diagnostics and virtual specialty support can extend advanced care beyond the walls of major hospitals. 💎 Fixed annual budgets can support discipline, but they also make long-term innovation investment more challenging. 💎 Public-private partnerships help hospitals co-create scalable solutions rather than simply buying what already exists. Guest Bio Rasmus Møgelvang is Chief Executive at Rigshospitalet. He is a qualified physician and has previously been the Deputy Chief Executive of the hospital. He has also been the Centre Director of the Heart Centre at Rigshospitalet. Rasmus Møgelvang is also a member of the Danish government´s Life Science Council. SEO Keywords Rasmus Møgelvang, Rigshospitalet, Roy Bejarano, SCALE Community, Analyzing Healthcare, Denmark healthcare system, Nordic healthcare, single payer healthcare, hospital-at-home, healthcare centralization, healthcare decentralization, national patient data, interoperability, public-private partnerships, low-value care, workforce shortage, fixed budget healthcare, value-based care, healthcare innovation, health system design

  6. Aug 5

    Can Cardiologists Reclaim Independence From Hospital Employment? Jasen Gundersen, CEO, CardioOne

    Independent cardiology, ASC migration, physician autonomy, and site-of-care economics take center stage as Jason Schifman sits down with Jasen Gundersen, MD, Co-Founder & CEO of Cardio One. They explore why cardiology may be shifting back toward independent practice, Cardio One's non-acquisition model, the economics driving ASC growth, and how the company helps employed cardiologists build independent practices with operational, technology, contracting, staffing, and revenue cycle support. A must-listen for healthcare leaders, cardiology groups, MSOs, hospitals, payors, investors, and operators navigating the future of specialty care. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why most cardiologists are now employed by health systems✅ How ASC migration is changing the cardiology opportunity✅ Why hospital outpatient department billing is under pressure✅ What Cardio One means by physician “extractions”✅ How independent cardiologists can rebuild autonomy and practice ownership✅ Why patients may benefit from lower-cost, more convenient ambulatory care✅ Why hospitals may need partnership models beyond direct employment✅ How tech, revenue cycle, staffing, and ancillary services support independent practice Key Timestamps • (00:32) What Cardio One does• (01:43) Cardiology employment shift• (04:09) Cardiologists reclaiming independence• (06:42) Hospital control and ASC barriers• (09:40) Cardiac PET and reimbursement headwinds• (12:46) Cardio One's extraction model• (16:40) Patient, physician, and hospital value• (19:45) Right care, right site, right cost• (22:15) ASC and OBL development• (24:02) Hospital partnership opportunity• (26:49) What makes extractions work• (30:06) Tech stack and implementation model• (33:06) Expanding the addressable market• (35:07) Why Cardio One stays focused on cardiology• (37:32) Future of cardiology models• (39:46) Rhythm tech platform and interoperability Key Takeaways • 💎 Cardiology consolidated rapidly into hospital employment, but many physicians now want independence back.• 💎 Cardio One supports cardiologists without acquiring or owning their practices.• 💎 ASC migration creates new opportunities to move appropriate procedures out of high-cost hospital settings.• 💎 The “extraction” model helps employed physicians rebuild independent practices with operational support.• 💎 Patients can benefit from faster access, lower-cost sites of care, and more convenient office-based services.• 💎 Hospitals may still be key partners, but employment does not have to be the only alignment model.• 💎 Successful extractions require strong physician governance, office access, ancillary services, and disciplined execution.• 💎 A cardiology-specific tech and operating platform can create scale without forcing practice ownership. Guest Bio Jasen Gundersen, MD is Co-Founder and CEO of Cardio One, a practice enablement platform built to support independent cardiologists. Cardio One helps physicians establish and operate independent practices through real estate, staffing, contracting, technology, revenue cycle, marketing, equipment, and operational support. Dr. Gundersen’s work focuses on physician autonomy, ambulatory cardiology, site-of-care transformation, and building scalable models that help cardiologists thrive outside traditional hospital employment. Resource Links Guest: Jasen Gundersen, MD – Co-Founder & CEO, Cardio OneHost: Jason Schifman – President & Co-Founder, SCALE HealthcarePodcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE CommunitySCALE Community: https://www.scale-community.com SEO Keywords Cardio One, Jasen Gundersen, Jason Schifman, SCALE Healthcare, Independent Cardiology, Cardiology MSO, Practice Enablement, Physician Autonomy, ASC Cardiology, Ambulatory Cardiology, Site of Care, Hospital Employment, Physician Extractions, Cardiac PET, Value-Based Care, Healthcare Strategy, Healthcare Podcast, Specialty Care, Payor Strategy, Healthcare Investors

  7. Jul 29

    The $600 Billion Weight Loss Market Has a Dropout Problem. Who Fixes It? Geoff Cook, CEO at Noom

    Preventive health, GLP-1s, behavior change, AI coaching, longevity, diagnostics, and consumerization—Geoff Cook and SCALE explore how Noom is evolving from a weight-loss app into a broader everyday health platform. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community, Noom CEO Geoff Cook explains how the company is adapting to the GLP-1 era while remaining focused on sustainable habits and behavior change. He discusses why medication is only one part of the solution and how Noom is integrating clinical care, diagnostics, coaching, gamification, and AI. The conversation also examines the shift from episodic care to always-on health platforms, Noom’s engagement advantage with employers and health plans, and the role interoperability could play in connecting consumer data with the wider healthcare system. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why Noom defines itself as a preventive health and longevity platform✅ How GLP-1s changed Noom’s strategy✅ Why medication must be paired with behavior change✅ How Noom drives consumer engagement through habits, coaching, and gamification✅ Why preventive care may be moving beyond traditional primary care✅ How diagnostics, wearables, AI, and clinical access are converging✅ Why interoperability could reshape consumer health✅ What could drive long-term GLP-1 adoption Key Timestamps • (01:34) What Noom is today• (02:40) Building a GLP-1 companion• (03:51) Medication plus behavior change• (04:45) Consumer business vs. enterprise growth• (06:22) GLP-1 as a tool, not the full solution• (08:35) GLP-1 engagement and retention• (09:31) Gamification, seeds, and habit incentives• (10:29) Health outcomes beyond weight loss• (14:04) Preventive care vs. primary care• (17:29) Diagnostics, convenient care, and lifestyle support• (19:09) AI in coaching and biomarker screening• (21:31) Can preventive care bend the cost curve?• (24:20) Bringing longevity medicine mainstream• (28:24) Regulation and interoperability• (33:17) Why people stop GLP-1s Key Takeaways • 💎 Noom is positioning itself as a preventive health and longevity platform, not just a weight loss app.• 💎 GLP-1s can accelerate early success, but sustainable outcomes still depend on habits.• 💎 Consumer trust and brand recognition help Noom drive stronger employer and health plan engagement.• 💎 Preventive care is becoming more proactive, consumer-led, and data-driven.• 💎 AI can help personalize coaching, interpret biomarkers, and guide next actions.• 💎 Interoperability may allow consumer health data to become part of the broader medical record.• 💎 Price and side effects remain major barriers to long-term GLP-1 use. Guest Bio Geoff Cook is CEO of Noom, where he drove the launch of Noom Med product lines, growing it from zero to two-thirds of Noom's total revenue within 3 years of joining; introduced AI tools including Face Scan and Future Me; and led the convergence of diagnostics, behavior, and care. He also established Noom’s mission to help everyone live better longer. Previously, Geoff co-founded The Meet Group, serving as CEO through its $500 million sale in 2020. Resource Links Guest: Geoff Cook – CEO, NoomPodcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE CommunitySCALE Community: https://www.scale-community.com SEO Keywords Noom, Geoff Cook, GLP-1, Preventive Health, Longevity, Behavior Change, AI in Healthcare, Healthcare Consumerization, Weight Loss, Health Coaching, Digital Health, Diagnostics, Interoperability, Value-Based Care, Employer Health, Payor Strategy, Healthcare Podcast, Healthcare Trends and Innovations, Healthcare Strategies, Leading Healthcare Stakeholders, Thought Leaders in Healthcare, Healthcare Industry Insights, Healthcare Innovations, Healthcare Strategy, Latest Trends in Healthcare, Healthcare Thought Leadership, Scale Healthcare, Roy Bejarano, Scale Community, Jason Schifman

  8. Jul 8

    Can Dental Practices Prevent the Next Hospitalization? Daniel Burke, Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer, PDS Health

    Summary How PDS Health is linking dental care, oral-systemic health, Epic data sharing, and value-based care to improve whole-person outcomes. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare, Jason Schifman speaks with Daniel Burke, Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer at PDS Health, about dental-medical integration and the mouth-body connection. Daniel explains how PDS grew through de novo expansion, dentist ownership, and innovation, while using Epic data sharing to connect oral health with broader medical outcomes. The conversation explores periodontal disease, diabetes, payer interest, value-based care, and how dental practices can support whole-person, preventive healthcare. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why PDS Health built through de novo growth ✅ How dentist ownership supports alignment ✅ Why oral health matters in chronic disease ✅ How Epic enables dental-medical collaboration ✅ Why payers are watching integrated care ✅ How PDS Health structures innovation at scale Key Timestamps (00:02) Introduction to Daniel Burke and PDS Health (01:52) Pacific Dental’s history and founder-led culture (04:14) Owner-doc model, alignment, and dentist-level accountability (05:20) Why PDS stayed independent and invested in innovation (09:13) De novo growth, under-leverage, and financial discipline (14:59) Why PDS views healthcare as relational, not transactional (22:53) Why PDS moved into integrated dental-medical care (23:27) The science behind the mouth-body connection (25:35) Gum disease, diabetes, and medical cost reduction (29:28) Epic, data sharing, and virtual collaboration (31:15) Partnership models with medical groups (33:40) Why co-located medical and dental care improves follow-through (40:30) Patient reception to integrated care (41:32) Why payers are interested in dental-medical integration (43:25) Value-based care and risk-sharing opportunities (44:35) A1C testing in dental practices (48:23) Physician fee schedule and oral health referral incentives (51:35) How PDS structures innovation at scale (55:16) Final takeaway: oral health as better healthcare Key Takeaways 💎 PDS Health grew through dentist ownership, de novo expansion, and long-term alignment. 💎 Oral health should not be separated from medical care. 💎 Periodontal disease can affect chronic conditions and medical utilization. 💎 Epic helps connect dental and medical teams through shared data. 💎 Payers see oral health as a lever for better outcomes and lower costs. 💎 Integrated care may scale through co-location, partnerships, data sharing, and value-based reimbursement. 💎 Innovation at PDS Health is supported by dedicated teams, structure, and disciplined testing. Guest Bio Daniel Burke is Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer at PDS Health, where he helps lead enterprise strategy across one of the country’s most innovative dental and integrated care platforms. PDS Health, formerly PDS, supports more than 1,000 dental practices and is advancing a model that connects oral health, medical care, data sharing, and whole-person outcomes. Daniel’s work focuses on growth strategy, dental-medical integration, payer engagement, innovation, and building scalable care models that support better patient health. Resource Links Guest: Daniel Burke – Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer, PDS Health Host: Jason Schifman – President & Co-Founder, SCALE Healthcare Podcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community SCALE Community: https://www.scale-community.com SEO Keywords PDS Health, PDS, Daniel Burke, Roy Bejarano, SCALE Healthcare, SCALE Community, Dental-Medical Integration, DSO, Dental Support Organization, Integrated Care, Oral Health, Mouth-Body Connection, Periodontal Disease, Diabetes Care, Epic Healthcare, Value-Based Care, Healthcare Innovation, Preventive Care, Payer Strategy, Dental Practices, Healthcare Strategy, Healthcare Podcast

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What’s next in healthcare? Analyzing Healthcare delivers expert insights, real-world case studies, and bold ideas shaping the future of U.S. & global health systems. Hosted by Roy Bejarano and Jason Schifman of SCALE Healthcare & SCALE Community, each episode explores medical innovation, healthcare leadership, value-based care, provider operations, health policy, artificial intelligence, & emerging health trends. Whether you're a provider, investor, operator, or simply healthcare curious—this podcast helps you stay informed, inspired, & ahead of the curve. More info at www.scale-community.com

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