Inside a 51-Hospital System's Agentic AI Playbook | Mark Townsend, Chief Clinical Digital Ventures Officer, BSMH

Stamford Health’s Strategy for Growth Beyond the Hospital, Ben Wade, SVP, Chief Strategy Officer

How can independent health systems compete in a consolidating market? Ben Wade shares strategies for outpatient growth, partnerships, and community access. Hospital strategy, outpatient growth, healthcare partnerships, and community access are becoming critical priorities for independent health systems. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare Jason Schifman, President at SCALE Healthcare, sits down with Ben Wade, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Stamford Health, to discuss how independent providers can compete in increasingly consolidated markets. Ben shares why Stamford Health has prioritized ambulatory care, physician alignment, strategic partnerships, and consumer-focused access, with outpatient services now accounting for nearly 70% of revenue. The conversation explores partnerships with HSS and Dana-Farber/Brigham, the role of ambulatory surgery centers, and the growing impact of Medicaid eligibility changes on community health systems. Ben also explains why cultural alignment is often the deciding factor behind successful healthcare partnerships. What You'll Learn ✅ How Stamford Health competes as an independent health system ✅ Why outpatient services drive nearly 70% of revenue ✅ The role of physician alignment in long-term growth ✅ What makes healthcare partnerships successful ✅ Why cultural fit matters as much as economics ✅ How ambulatory surgery centers improve access and affordability ✅ The impact of Medicaid eligibility changes on community care ✅ Strategies for protecting access amid rising uncompensated care Key Timestamps * (00:01) Introduction to Ben Wade and Stamford Health * (00:56) Market position and uncompensated care challenges * (04:11) Stamford Health's strategic framework * (06:50) Why outpatient care drives growth * (10:26) Ambulatory surgery centers and physician alignment * (12:33) Stakeholder response to outpatient expansion * (14:53) Partnerships with HSS and Dana-Farber/Brigham * (19:48) Why cultural fit matters in partnerships * (23:02) PE-backed physician groups as partners * (25:15) Medicaid eligibility changes and community access Key Takeaways * 💎 Independent systems can stay competitive through focused strategy and local relevance * 💎 Outpatient care is central to health system sustainability * 💎 Successful partnerships require meaningful integration, not just branding * 💎 Ambulatory investments can strengthen access, affordability, and physician relationships * 💎 Cultural alignment is a major predictor of partnership success * 💎 Community health systems must prepare for coverage disruptions and rising uncompensated care Guest Bio Ben Wade is Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Stamford Health, where he leads strategy, ambulatory growth, partnership development, and market positioning. His work focuses on helping independent health systems remain competitive through physician alignment, outpatient expansion, and community-centered innovation. Resource Links Guest: Ben Wade Host: Jason Schifman Podcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community SCALE Community:www.scale-community.com SEO Keywords Healthcare Strategy, Hospital Strategy, Outpatient Growth, Ambulatory Care, Health System Partnerships, Stamford Health, Ben Wade, Jason Schifman, Independent Health Systems, Physician Alignment, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Medicaid Eligibility, Community Health, Healthcare Leadership, Healthcare Innovation, Hospital Growth Strategy, Healthcare Podcast, Healthcare Industry Insights, SCALE Healthcare, SCALE Community.

How URAC Is Setting Standards for AI, Telehealth, and Healthcare Trust | Shawn Griffin

Healthcare accreditation, telehealth accreditation, AI governance, and healthcare quality are reshaping modern care delivery. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare, Roy Bejarano, CEO of SCALE Healthcare, speaks with Shawn Griffin, MD, CEO of URAC, about how accreditation builds trust, improves quality, and supports accountability across healthcare. Shawn discusses URAC’s evolution from utilization review into a leading accreditation organization with programs spanning telehealth, specialty pharmacy, credentialing, health plans, and AI. The conversation explores what makes accreditation meaningful, how quality standards are developed, and why consistent oversight matters. They also examine telehealth quality, global access challenges, and the growing need to distinguish credible healthcare organizations from poor performers. The episode concludes with a discussion on healthcare AI, including privacy, bias, governance, and accountability, and why URAC launched one of the industry's first AI accreditation programs. What You'll Learn ✅ How URAC fits into the healthcare accreditation landscape ✅ Why accreditation matters for trust, quality, and credibility ✅ How URAC differs from facility-based accreditors ✅ The role of reviewer consistency in accreditation outcomes ✅ What telehealth accreditation evaluates ✅ Why telehealth quality standards matter globally ✅ How URAC approaches healthcare AI accreditation ✅ Key AI governance considerations, including privacy and bias ✅ How accreditation can become a strategic differentiator ✅ Why quality standards may grow in importance as innovation accelerates Timestamps • {00:00} Introduction to Shawn Griffin and URAC • {00:45} URAC and the accreditation ecosystem • {02:18} Origins in utilization review and governance • {04:09} How accreditation programs are developed • {06:14} URAC's scale and reviewer model • {13:28} Reviewer independence and conflict avoidance • {15:24} How URAC differs from other accreditors • {22:20} Telehealth, access, and quality assurance • {35:00} Why URAC launched AI accreditation • {38:10} Evaluating AI developers and users • {41:27} AI oversight in patient care • {50:54} The practical realities of AI accreditation Key Takeaways • 💎 Accreditation creates trust where risk and complexity are high • 💎 Quality oversight goes beyond basic compliance requirements • 💎 Consistent review processes strengthen accreditation outcomes • 💎 Telehealth growth increases the need for trusted standards • 💎 AI adoption requires governance, oversight, and accountability • 💎 Demonstrating best practices is more valuable than simply claiming them • 💎 Accreditation can help distinguish credible organizations from opportunistic ones • 💎 Standards may become increasingly influential as healthcare innovation accelerates Guest Bio Shawn Griffin, MD, is the CEO of URAC, a leading independent healthcare accreditation organization. A physician executive with experience in clinical practice, hospital leadership, health information technology, and healthcare quality, Dr. Griffin has dedicated his career to improving patient outcomes through accountability and innovation. Under his leadership, URAC has expanded its accreditation programs across telehealth, specialty pharmacy, credentialing, digital health, and artificial intelligence, helping healthcare organizations demonstrate quality, trust, and operational excellence. Guest: Shawn Griffin, MD – CEO, URAC Host: Roy Bejarano – CEO, SCALE Healthcare Podcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community SEO Keywords: Healthcare accreditation, URAC, Shawn Griffin, Roy Bejarano, telehealth accreditation, healthcare quality, healthcare AI, AI governance, utilization review, healthcare standards, credentialing, specialty pharmacy, patient safety, digital health, healthcare trust, healthcare oversight, healthcare podcast, SCALE Healthcare.

How Fairview Health Turned Around a $600M Performance Gap, Sameer Badlani, Fairview Health Services

Health system turnaround, payer pressure, ambulatory growth, diversified revenue, partnership strategy, and AI-enabled transformation- Sameer Badlani, MD, and Jason Schifman unpack what it takes for health systems to survive in today’s margin-constrained environment. In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare, Jason Schifman, President at SCALE Healthcare, speaks with Sameer Badlani, MD, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Fairview Health Services, about navigating healthcare inflation, concentrated payer dynamics, operational turnaround, and long-term sustainability. The conversation explores throughput improvement, physician alignment, joint ventures, specialty growth areas, interoperability, and why healthcare leaders must move beyond endless pilot programs toward scalable execution. What You’ll Learn • ✅ How payer concentration pressures health system margins • ✅ What drove Fairview’s turnaround — and what nearly derailed it • ✅ Why nonprofit systems still need strong margins to survive • ✅ How Fairview decides what to own, partner on, or exit • ✅ Why behavioral health, pharmacy, and home health require different models • ✅ How consumer expectations are reshaping healthcare growth • ✅ How Fairview approaches payer, pharma, medtech, and AI partnerships • ✅ Why healthcare must move beyond endless pilot programs Timestamps • (00:01) Meet Sameer Badlani • (00:31) Fairview's footprint and the Minnesota market • (01:54) Why Minnesota is innovative but hard on providers • (08:40) The turnaround and return to operating profit • (10:57) Throughput, length of stay, and operational discipline • (14:26) Service line exits, pivots, and new partnerships • (17:49) Specialty pharmacy as a diversified revenue engine • (18:33) Behavioral health, JVs, and the EMPATH model • (21:23) Strategic priorities today • (21:40) Women's health and consumer-led growth • (27:44) Physician strategy and flexible partnership models • (32:42) Payer, medtech, pharma, and AI partnerships • (35:25) How Fairview decides what to pursue — and what to walk away from • (38:28) Biggest opportunities in the next 24–36 months • (40:38) Interoperability: the difference between data and insight Key Takeaways • 💎 Margin pressure in healthcare is often structural — not just operational • 💎 Sustainable turnarounds require alignment across operations, labor, analytics, and finance • 💎 Nonprofit systems still need strong margins to reinvest and remain stable • 💎 Leading health systems focus on core strengths and partner for the rest • 💎 Not every service line should be owned — JVs and exits can create more value • 💎 Revenue diversification is becoming essential for long-term resilience • 💎 Strong strategy requires focus and discipline, not endless experimentation Resource Links • Guest: Sameer Badlani, MD – Chief Strategy and Digital Officer, Fairview Health Services • Host: Jason Schifman – President, SCALE Healthcare • Podcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community • SCALE Community: https://www.scale-community.com [https://www.scale-community.com] Guest Bio Sameer Badlani, MD is Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Fairview Health Services, where he leads strategy, digital transformation, partnership development, and innovation across one of Minnesota’s major integrated health systems. His work focuses on how health systems can improve sustainability, diversify revenue, modernize care delivery, and use data, partnerships, and disciplined execution to navigate a difficult healthcare landscape. SEO Keywords Healthcare strategy, health system turnaround, Fairview Health Services, Sameer Badlani, Jason Schifman, payer pressure, healthcare margins, nonprofit health systems, diversified revenue, specialty pharmacy, behavioral health, ambulatory surgery centers, physician alignment, digital transformation, AI in healthcare, interoperability, women’s health, perimenopause care, healthcare innovation, SCALE Healthcare, SCALE Community, healthcare podcast

Why Doctors Are Pushing Back on Certification, Shortages, and Medical Monopolies | Dr. Paul Teirstein, Scripps Health

Physician shortages, board certification, medical monopolies, residency bottlenecks, telemedicine policy, and healthcare regulation—this episode with Dr. Paul Teirstein explores why parts of U.S. healthcare may be structurally broken by design. Drawing from his experience as a cardiologist and founder of a competing physician certification board, Dr. Teirstein discusses physician frustration with maintenance of certification, residency bottlenecks, telemedicine restrictions, and how monopolistic structures across healthcare can drive higher costs, reduced access, and clinician burnout. What You’ll Learn• ✅Why many physicians are pushing back on maintenance of board certification• ✅ How the American Board of Internal Medicine became a gatekeeper in medicine• ✅ Why Dr. Paul Teirstein launched the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons• ✅ How certification requirements may contribute to burnout and early retirement• ✅ Why physician shortages stem from broader structural and funding challenges• ✅ How telemedicine restrictions continue to limit access to care• ✅ Why monopolies in healthcare often drive higher costs and weaker service• ✅ Why continuing medical education may matter more than repetitive testing• ✅ How policy and regulation continue to shape physician supply in the U.S. Timestamps• (00:04) Introduction to Dr. Paul Teirstein and Scripps Health• (01:43) Why Dr. Teirstein challenged the American Board of Internal Medicine• (03:12) How board certification became a de facto requirement to practice• (05:28) Revenue growth, maintenance requirements, and physician frustration• (07:12) Why Dr. Teirstein started the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons• (09:25) Payers, hospitals, and the barriers to alternative certification• (11:37) What initial certification gets right—and where ongoing requirements fail• (15:37) How AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT expose weaknesses in board testing• (18:52) Is maintenance certification a real quality measure—or just a tax?• (20:32) Physician shortages, burnout, and unnecessary administrative burden• (22:27) Medical schools, residencies, and the supply bottleneck• (26:57) Why residency funding remains central to physician supply• (31:41) Telemedicine, regulation, and access to care• (36:07) The broader problem of monopoly power in healthcare Key Takeaways• 💎 Board certification requirements have become a major pain point for many physicians.• 💎 CME may do more to keep doctors current than repetitive testing.• 💎 Physician shortages stem from broader structural barriers, including residency limits.• 💎 Telemedicine can expand access, but policy hurdles remain.• 💎 Healthcare monopolies often drive higher costs and poorer service.• 💎 Reducing administrative burden could improve physician retention and care access. Resource LinksGuest: Dr. Paul Teirstein – Cardiologist, Scripps HealthHost: Roy Bejarano, CEO & Co-founder at SCALE HealthcarePodcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE CommunitySCALE Community: ⁠https://www.scale-community.com⁠ [https://www.scale-community.com/]Guest BioDr. Paul Teirstein is a Chief of Cardiology at Scripps Health in San Diego, where he leads within the cardiology division and performs minimally invasive heart procedures including coronary stents and transcatheter valve interventions. In addition to patient care, training, and research, he is also the founder of the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons, created in response to growing physician frustration with the maintenance of certification processes. His work sits at the intersection of clinical excellence, medical policy, and physician advocacy. SEO KeywordsHealthcare, U.S. Healthcare, Physician Shortage, Board Certification, Maintenance of Certification, American Board of Internal Medicine, ABIM, National Board of Physicians and Surgeons, NBPAS, Paul Teirstein, Scripps Health, Telemedicine, Residency Funding, Medical Education, Physician Burnout, Healthcare Regulation, Medical Monopolies, Healthcare Policy

What Do Health Systems Actually Want From Vendors? Jason Szczuka, Chief Digital Officer, BSMH

Health Systems Innovation & Vendor Strategy | Analyzing Healthcare Podcast In this episode, Jason Schifman interviews Jason Szczuka—Chief Digital Officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health and President of Acrete Health Partners—on vendor evaluation, digital transformation, and scalable partnerships in healthcare. Szczuka, drawing from Cigna, Brighter, and Bon Secours experience, warns innovators: Start with operator pain points, not products. He covers the need-vs-demand gap, trusted relationships over cold outreach, and Bon Secours' investment-plus-implementation model for real-world testing. Essential for founders, providers, operators, and leaders driving health system adoption. What You’ll Learn • ✅ Why health systems should start with operator pain points, not shiny products • ✅ The difference between a health system’s need and actual demand • ✅ How Bon Secours and Acrete evaluate vendors beyond price and security • ✅ Why management team quality matters in healthcare innovation • ✅ Who vendors should build relationships with inside a health system • ✅ Why cold inbound outreach rarely works in enterprise healthcare sales • ✅ How Bon Secours sources, tests, and scales innovation faster than most health systems • ✅ How the internal acceleration fund helps projects move without waiting for the next budget cycle Timestamps • (0:02) Introduction to Jason Szczuka and Bon Secours Mercy Health • (2:22) Jason’s background across payer, startup, and care delivery • (5:19) How Bon Secours evaluates vendors and innovators • (8:14) Why health systems must start with real pain points • (10:31) What separates strong vendors from the rest • (14:49) Why intimate partnerships matter in healthcare innovation • (22:07) Who vendors should build relationships with inside health systems • (25:07) Why Bon Secours does not rely on digital RFPs • (29:19) How Bon Secours shortens the path from introduction to implementation • (31:34) The acceleration fund and how Bon Secours moves faster Key Takeaways • 💎 Health systems adopt solutions faster when operators are already motivated to solve the problem • 💎 Great products still fail if they do not earn real operational demand • 💎 Vendor selection is about team quality and execution fit, not just the product itself • 💎 CEO support alone is not enough—clinicians and operators must believe in the solution • 💎 Trusted introductions beat blind outreach in health system sales • 💎 Bon Secours combines investment and implementation to accelerate innovation • 💎 Internal funding mechanisms can remove one of the biggest barriers to adoption • 💎 The best partnerships start focused, prove value quickly, and then scale Guest Bio Jason Szczuka is Chief Digital Officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health and President of Acrete Health Partners, where he leads digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and venture-backed innovation. Previously, he served as Chief Digital Officer at Cigna and co-founded Brighter, a digital health platform later acquired by Cigna. With experience spanning payer, startup, and care delivery environments, he brings a rare cross-sector perspective on healthcare innovation and implementation. Resource Links • Guest: Jason Szczuka – Chief Digital Officer, Bon Secours Mercy Health; President, Acrete Health Partners • Host: Jason Schifman – President and Co-founder, SCALE Healthcare • Podcast: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community • SCALE Community: https://www.scale-community.com [https://www.scale-community.com/] SEO Keywords Healthcare innovation, digital transformation, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Acrete Health Partners, Jason Szczuka, Jason Schifman, healthcare partnerships, vendor strategy, health system innovation, digital health, healthcare leadership, healthcare implementation, service provider strategy, healthcare operators, Scale Healthcare, SCALE Community, healthcare podcast