The Catalyst Podcast

The Catalyst
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The Catalyst is Chestnut Health Systems’ platform for sharing ideas, insights, and innovation that advance public health and strengthen systems of care. thecatalyst2.substack.com

  1. 1d ago

    In the "Goldilocks Zone": a Balanced Approach to Executive Leadership

    On this special executive leadership edition of the Catalyst podcast, we speak with Kevin Drollinger, President and Executive Director of Provident Behavioral Health.  Based in St. Louis, Provident provides evidence-based counseling and psychiatric services to over 2,000 youth, adults and older adults annually, many of whom could not otherwise afford professional services. We discuss:    Why the topic of leadership in this space is so timely.  What prompted Kevin to acquire an MBA and how it’s informed his work.  What he means by “Goldilocks management.”  His commitment to transparency, delegation, and using scorecards for tracking progress.    People who took him under their wing and influenced the leader he is today.  How his leadership style has evolved.   The qualities he looks for in someone to determine if he/she has leadership potential., His two heroes: Ben Franklin, because of his unquenchable curiosity (he named his son after him!), and the leader of his high school marching band.   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    In the "Goldilocks Zone": a Balanced Approach to Executive Leadership

  2. Sep 30

    Using AI in Primary Care and the Primacy of Human Judgment

    Today’s guest is returning champ, Dr. Michael Dennis, the Chief Research Officer for Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute (LI) and a Senior Research Psychologist, who is making his record-setting fourth appearance on the Catalyst pod. The conversation focuses on a presentation Mike recently gave on "Using AI in Primary Care" for OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, Illinois. We discuss:  Why this is an important and timely topic for primary care and residency training—not just from a tech perspective, but from a clinical, ethical, and operational one.  What residents need to understand before they start using these tools every day.  The difference between appropriate uses and those that should remain off-limits.  Why AI can serve as an excellent administrative assistant, but can never replace human judgment…and that it must be properly supervised and constrained to reliable medical sources like PubMed and JAMA rather than open-source internet content The concerns that primary care is underestimating, including bias, deskilling, privacy breaches, and loss of patient trust or empathy.  Why practices need to ask who trained the model, what data it uses, who owns the output, how well it performs, and what guardrails exist.  How and what Mike uses in his daily work. including meeting notes, clinical applications, and training simulations. We take a momentary “doomer-adjacent” detour, but quickly get the conversation back on track. This is a must for anyone in the field looking for a succinct tour d’horizon of the issues to consider in incorporating AI in your practice. You can download a summary of Mike's presentation here.  It includes a chart listing common AI applications in order of popularity as of this writing.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    Using AI in Primary Care and the Primacy of Human Judgment

  3. Sep 22

    The Founder Mindset: Ken Kaufman’s Playbook for Successful Leadership Across Four Decades

    Joining us on this executive leadership edition of the Catalyst Podcast is Ken Kaufman, widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities on healthcare industry change, with a focus on disruption and the emerging business principles of the Internet economy. Ken is a highly sought‑after speaker and prolific author. In his spare time, he also serves as managing director partner at Kaufman Hall, which for over 40 years has provided independent, data‑driven insights to help clients fulfill their missions, achieve their goals, and tackle their toughest challenges. Ken reflects on the bedrock leadership principles that have guided Kaufman Hall for over four decades and how his own leadership style has evolved. He draws a distinction between two modes of leadership — the “founder” mindset and the “manager” mindset — making the case for the former, characterized by a more hands‑on, non‑hierarchical approach. He highlights the critical role humility plays in making him a more responsive and effective leader, and what he looks for when cultivating the next generation of leaders. Ken also explores how AI challenges traditional organizational structures and why it will push leaders toward a more flexible, founder‑oriented mindset. When asked about a leader outside of business whom he admires, Ken — a long‑time Chicago Bulls fan — surprised us by analyzing and celebrating the leadership style of Jalen Brunson, the star guard of the newly crowned NBA champion New York Knicks. A winner at the high school and college levels, Brunson was overlooked by NBA teams until he had the chance to lead his franchise to its first championship in 53 years — a remarkable story that Ken believes every HR organization should study when evaluating talent. An insightful and deeply engaging conversation for anyone interested in the challenges of leading organizations, especially through periods of flux and uncertainty. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    The Founder Mindset: Ken Kaufman’s Playbook for Successful Leadership Across Four Decades

  4. Sep 14

    Trust and Accountability: Chestnut’s CEO Puneet Leekha Kicks off a New Podcast Series on Executive Leadership

    Our conversation with Chestnut Health Systems’ CEO Puneet Leekha kicks off our new Executive Leadership series of Catalyst Podcasts - conversations with some of the most innovative and successful leaders in the field, on everything from their evolution as leaders to the unique challenges of leading their organizations in this environment, and what they look for in cultivating the next generation of leaders.  Puneet begins the conversation by explaining why leadership is a particularly important and timely topic, given the multidimensional challenges organizations face in today’s environment. He reflects on his evolution as a leader and describes his leadership style as “high trust and high accountability”: give people real autonomy, then be clear about priorities, expectations, and communication. He speaks about three formative influences on his leadership approach: the importance of judgment, intellectual curiosity, and strong people skills.    The conversation turns to AI’s reach across roles, structure, and decision-making, the positives it can bring in making work more efficient, and concerns about it diminishing the human aspects, which are intrinsic to the work that Chestnut Health Services does.  He closes by citing the leaders he looks up to: Hubert Joly (purpose, people, and performance), Satya Nadella (building a culture of learning), Warren Buffett (hire well and give people room), and his father, whose hard work, perseverance, and humility shaped him as much as any executive model.   Puneet packs a lot of insight and inspiration in sharing his leadership perspective, experiences, and journey – a perfect way to launch what is sure to be a fascinating series with the most thoughtful, forward-thinking leaders in the field.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    Trust and Accountability: Chestnut’s CEO Puneet Leekha Kicks off a New Podcast Series on Executive Leadership

  5. Aug 25

    "Help, Not Handcuffs": How and Why Problem Solving Courts Work

    What if the smartest response to addiction, relapse, and repeat court involvement is not harsher punishment, but a highly structured path back to stability? The Honorable Shannon R. Dougherty, a Circuit Judge for Division 6 of the 23rd Judicial Circuit in Jefferson County, Missouri, and  Lori Epley, the Director of Project Access at Chestnut Health Systems, break down how problem-solving courts are helping people stay in recovery, keep families together, and rebuild their lives while protecting public safety.   Judge Dougherty explains how treatment courts work in practice: close monitoring, regular drug testing, team staffing, and individualized responses that mix accountability with support. Lori Epley, Director of Project Access at Chestnut Health Systems, shares how Chestnut's clinician and peer support specialists work alongside the court team to provide therapy, transportation help, resume support, and practical services that participants need to succeed. You'll discover: Why treatment courts are more demanding than many people assume How judges, probation, prosecutors, treatment providers, and case managers make decisions together What happens when a participant struggles or relapses Why employment, housing, credit repair, and transportation are often part of recovery How misinformation and stigma can block access to life-changing programs Our guests make the case for better education, stronger interagency collaboration, and a future treatment court center where participants can access multiple services in one place. If you care about criminal justice, substance use recovery, family stability, or practical solutions that actually change outcomes, this episode is essential listening.   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    "Help, Not Handcuffs": How and Why Problem Solving Courts Work

  6. Aug 18

    Behavioral Healthcare Meets Predictive Analytics: The Science of Making Compassionate, Effective Mental Healthcare Scalable.

    Michael Castanon is the founder and CEO of Alter Behavioral Health and Care Predictor, and founder of the Behavioral Health Outcomes Consortium.    After 30 years in banking and predictive analytics, Michael brings an outsider’s eye to behavioral health and makes a case the field can’t ignore: if you can measure the inputs, you can improve the outcomes. He explains how a deeply personal trauma journey led him from private equity and finance into mental health care, and why that intersection of lived experience and data science became the foundation for Care Predictor.   Michael discusses two important concepts  - “relational velocity and relational intelligence” - and how these traits can be measured, scored, and developed. He describes how Care Predictor uses psychometrics and AI to help deliver better care.   We also get into what some are calling the loneliness epidemic, driven by AI “companionship,” remote work, and algorithmic echo chambers. Michael makes the case that when we lost human connection, people lose the friction, challenge, and healthy conflict that build resilience, judgment, and real relationships.   Finally, Michael discusses the upcoming BHOC 26 gathering, where policymakers, health plans, providers, technologists, and researchers will come together to create a more unified outcomes framework for behavioral health (more information is provided below).    The Behavioral Health Outcomes Consortium (BHOC26) is an outcomes-focused event designed for behavioral health leaders, operators, providers, payers, and partners committed to advancing measurable outcomes across the continuum of care.  Dates: September 8th – 10th, 2026 Location: Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, Dana Point, California Register here.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    Behavioral Healthcare Meets Predictive Analytics: The Science of Making Compassionate, Effective Mental Healthcare Scalable.

  7. Aug 12

    Missouri’s Shocking – and Preventable - Maternal Health Crisis: Data, Barriers & What Works

    Mental health and substance use disorders are behind a shocking share of pregnancy-related deaths across Missouri – indeed, nationwide - and many of those deaths were preventable. Joining us to discuss this are Charisse Montgomery, Family Services Coordinator with Chestnut Health Systems, and Lindsey VonDras, Perinatal Care Coordination Manager for the Missouri Hospital Association. Charisse and Lindsey break down what the data really says about pregnancy, postpartum risk, foster care disruption, and why so many families never get connected to the support they need. You’ll discover why nearly 40% of pregnancy-related deaths happen after delivery, how stigma and access barriers keep people from asking for help, and why Missouri’s maternity care deserts make the problem even harder to solve. We also get into what actually works: family-centered care, individualized recovery pathways, peer support, doulas, and coordinated wraparound services that keep mom, baby, and family in the picture. Charisse shares how Chestnut Health Systems supports parents through pregnancy and postpartum, and Lindsey explains Project STORK, a new Missouri framework promoting real connection, recovery support, and ongoing care.If you care about maternal health, behavioral health, child welfare, or better systems for families in crisis, this conversation is essential listening.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    Missouri’s Shocking – and Preventable - Maternal Health Crisis: Data, Barriers & What Works

  8. Aug 7

    The Looming Medicaid Crisis: Administrative Hurdles to Strip Millions of Working Americans of Vital Coverage in 2027

    Starting January 1, 2027, changes to Medicaid eligibility requirements will leave millions without coverage. Dr. Timothy McBride, the Bernard Becker Professor of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis and a leading health economist, breaks down these provisions and explains how they threaten to strip coverage from people who are already working.We discuss the new twice-a-year eligibility checks, the end of self-attestation, and the extra documentation now required of caregivers, pregnant women, and medically frail patients. What sounds simple on paper quickly becomes a maze of mailed forms, state-by-state implementation differences, missing paperwork, and delayed doctor sign-offs.   Key points include: How administrative hurdles—not just the policy itself—will drive millions off coverage Why the new rules may be especially punishing for people with disabilities and caregivers How managed care companies, state agencies, and providers could get squeezed in the process Why the fraud narrative is often aimed at the wrong part of the system (beneficiaries rather than the providers who actually commit fraud) Dr. McBride also outlines the broader stakes: rising uncompensated care, higher medical debt, added pressure on rural hospitals and safety-net providers, and a likely increase in uninsured Americans as coverage rolls back month by month. For a clear-eyed look at what these changes mean for patients, providers, and the healthcare system, this is essential listening. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com

    The Looming Medicaid Crisis: Administrative Hurdles to Strip Millions of Working Americans of Vital Coverage in 2027
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About

The Catalyst is Chestnut Health Systems’ platform for sharing ideas, insights, and innovation that advance public health and strengthen systems of care. thecatalyst2.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Catalyst
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    87
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Chestnut Health Systems™
  • Show Website
    The Catalyst Podcast