Habitual Excellence, Presented by Value Capture

Leading Academic Health Centers for Excellence in 2026

In this episode of the Habitual Excellence Podcast, Ken Segel speaks with Ben Schwartz, MD, a physician leader at Banner Health, about what it takes to lead large academic health systems in a time of rapid change and rising expectations. Drawing on his journey from practicing surgeon to health system executive, Dr. Schwartz shares how leadership today is less about having all the answers and more about creating the conditions for teams to succeed. Together, they explore how culture drives patient experience, why trust and collaboration are essential to performance, and how healthcare organizations can stay focused on fundamentals while navigating complex demands around strategy, metrics, and value-based care. Dr. Schwartz also discusses the importance of strong partnerships between health systems and universities, and how shared governance and relationships built on trust can accelerate innovation and growth. At its core, the conversation reinforces a simple but powerful idea: when organizations invest in their people, align around purpose, and work together as one team, better outcomes for patients naturally follow.

Excellence in Value-Based Care

How a systemic approach to continuously strengthening relationships builds high performing systems of care  In this episode of the Habitual Excellence Podcast, Ken Segel, CRO for Value Capture, speaks with Jeremy Blanchard, MD, System Chief Medical Officer for North Mississippi Health Services, about what it takes to make value-based care real. Drawing on his background as an internal medicine physician, intensivist, military-trained critical care specialist, and healthcare leader, Jeremy shares how his career has been shaped by a commitment to dignity, respect, and giving voice to patients, caregivers, and communities. Jeremy explains that value-based care is not a destination, but a journey rooted in relationships. At North Mississippi Health Services, that means listening deeply to patients, staff, and communities, then building systems that reflect what matters most. He describes expanding residency and fellowship programs, strengthening workforce pipelines, reducing reliance on traveling nurses, empowering frontline teams to own quality and safety, and building stronger connections across the region they serve. Throughout the conversation, Jeremy emphasizes that transformation happens when people feel heard and valued. Through mindful listening, servant leadership, and practical innovation, North Mississippi continues to improve care delivery and strengthen its culture. The episode closes with a reflection on conflict, trust, and growth. Jeremy describes “mining for conflict” as a way to uncover insight, strengthen relationships, and create conversations that lead to better outcomes - showing how values, when operationalized through leadership and systems, can improve care and community health.

Episode 100 A Milestone in Habitual Excellence

Celebrating 100 Episodes of the Value Capture Podcast Top 10 Conversations That Shaped How We Think About Healthcare Excellence One hundred episodes. Hundreds of leaders. Thousands of moments that challenged how we think about leadership, systems, and what’s truly possible in healthcare. To celebrate the 100th episode of the Value Capture Podcast, we’re highlighting our Top 10 most impactful podcast episodes—conversations that resonated deeply with listeners and sparked meaningful change in organizations across the country. These episodes explore what it really takes to move from chaos to clarity, from heroics to systems, and from good intentions to sustainable results. You’ll hear from courageous leaders, frontline thinkers, and operational excellence practitioners who are reimagining healthcare by asking better questions and building better systems. Whether you’ve been with us since episode one or you’re just discovering the podcast, this collection captures the heart of what we believe: better is possible and it starts with how we lead and how we work together. Thank you for listening, reflecting, and leading alongside us. Here’s to the next 100. Top 10 Value Capture Podcast Episodes: (Counting down from #10) Ken Segel on Zero Harm and Theoretical Limits Published: June 1, 2020 · 382 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-4-ken-segel-on-zero-harm-and-theoretical-limits] Tony Milian on Preoccupation with Failure Published: May 18, 2020 · 385 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-3-tony-milian-on-preoccupation-with-failure] Bill O’Rourke on Using Paul O’Neill’s Playbook Published: June 15, 2020 · 387 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-6-bill-orourke-on-using-paul-oneills-playbook] Leading With Safety: Leah Binder and Dr. Rick Shannon Published: July 25, 2022 · 392 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-71-leah-binder-richard-shannon-leading-safety] Geoff Webster on the Meaning of Habitual Excellence Published: June 8, 2020 · 395 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-5-geoff-webster-on-the-meaning-of-habitual-excellence] Sandra Geiger on Strategy Development and Deployment Published: January 17, 2022 · 421 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-60-sandra-geiger-strategy-development-deployment-lean-culture] Understanding Moral Injury in Healthcare with Wendy Dean, MD Published: February 8, 2023 · 444 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-77-wendy-dean-understanding-moral-injury] Dr. Lisa Yerian on Patients First at Cleveland Clinic Published: June 22, 2020 · 450 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-7-dr-lisa-yerian-on-patients-first-at-cleveland-clinic] John Collodora on Sensitivity to Operations 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-john-collodora-on-sensitivity-to-operations-high-reliability-organizations] HSS CEO Lou Shapiro on Culture as Strategy Published: November 2, 2022 · 899 Streams/Views 👉 Read / Listen [https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-73-louis-lou-shapiro-hospital-special-surgery-ceo] 🎧 Top 10 Value Capture Podcast Episodes🔟 Ken Segel on Zero Harm and Theoretical Limits9️⃣ Tony Milian on “Preoccupation with Failure”8️⃣ Bill O’Rourke on Using Paul O’Neill’s Playbook7️⃣ Leading With Safety: Leah Binder and Dr. Rick Shannon6️⃣ Geoff Webster on the Meaning of Habitual Excellence5️⃣ Sandra Geiger on Strategy Development and Deployment4️⃣ Understanding Moral Injury in Healthcare with Wendy Dean, MD3️⃣ Dr. Lisa Yerian on Patients First at Cleveland Clinic2️⃣ John Collodora on Sensitivity to Operations (High Reliability)1️⃣ HSS CEO Lou Shapiro on Culture as Strategy

How Not to Live With Chaos

In this episode, Ken speaks with Meghan Scanlon, Director of Operational Excellence at Penn State Health, for a candid and hopeful conversation about a question many healthcare leaders quietly wrestle with: Why does chaos persist—even when we know better systems exist?Rather than placing blame on individuals, Meghan reframes the issue as one of implicit learning and inherited systems. Most leaders aren’t choosing chaos intentionally; they’re often operating within patterns they were taught, rewarded for, or never given the time or support to redesign. The result is a culture of firefighting and heroics that feels necessary—but ultimately limits performance, safety, and sustainability.The conversation explores how leaders can move beyond individual excellence to team-based performance, drawing lessons from sports, coaching, and high-reliability organizations. Meghan emphasizes that real progress comes when leaders act as coaches, build capability across the system, and create environments where small problems are surfaced early—before they become crises. Ultimately, this episode is a message of optimism. Healthcare doesn’t need more heroics. It needs better systems, stronger coaching, and the courage to make the invisible visible. When leaders commit to developing operating systems that support learning, safety, and alignment, better outcomes—for patients, teams, and leaders themselves—are not just possible, they’re repeatable.

Moving Upstream to Preserve Health

Welcome to Episode #98 of Habitual Excellence [http://valuecapturellc.com/thought-leadership/our-podcast-habitual-excellence/], presented by Value Capture. In this inspiring episode, Geoff Webster, Chair of the Pittsburgh Futures Collaborative, and Ken Segel explore what it takes to create healthier, safer, and more thriving communities. Geoff shares how his public-health roots and community work taught him that real change begins when leaders challenge themselves, step into uncomfortable spaces, and keep learning. He highlights the transformational gun-violence reduction effort in Pittsburgh—where a neighborhood once experiencing around 35 non-fatal shootings a year saw that number drop to just 4. Geoff calls it some of the most powerful work he’s been part of, proving that what once seemed impossible becomes achievable when communities come together with courage and conviction. Throughout the conversation, Geoff and Ken emphasize visionary leadership, systems thinking, and the belief that people thrive when they’re supported to grow. The conversation underscores how data, collaboration, and consistent leadership practices can drive meaningful progress in communities.