Solving What's Missing In Healthcare

Countdown to TEAM Go-Live: A Hospital Leader's Playbook

Description: In this episode we sit down again with Radial to provide hospital leaders with a playbook for the upcoming CMS TEAM requirements fast approaching in January. We dive into the critical steps hospital leaders need to take as they prepare for TEAM go-live fast approaching in January. From aligning stakeholders to refining workflows, you'll hear actionable strategies for ensuring a smooth transition that minimizes disruption and maximizes staff engagement. Our discussion highlights the real-world challenges leaders face during a go-live countdown and provides a practical framework for navigating them with confidence. What Listeners Will Learn: * How to create a hospital-wide readiness plan that supports both clinical and operational staff * Strategies for effective communication before, during, and after go-live * Tips for engaging physicians, nurses, and frontline teams to build buy-in and momentum * Common pitfalls during a go-live and how to avoid them * The importance of real-time feedback loops and rapid response during the first critical days * Why hospitals need to act now rather than wait to see the impact TEAM will have on their organization Whether you're a hospital executive, clinical leader, or project manager, this episode equips you with a playbook to lead your team successfully through the final countdown to TEAM go-live. Featured Speakers: * Vatsala Kapur, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Bamboo Health (Host) * Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial Listen On: On your favorite streaming platform(s). Approved Quotes: "I talk to hospital leaders about TEAM across the nation. The leaders that I'm talking to, they're no longer just running year one mathematical calculations. They've realized the real risk isn't actually in 2026. It's in the other years of the model, years two through five, when the baseline rolls forward and the easy savings quickly vanish." Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial "The smartest leaders are treating TEAM like a long-term, five-year initiative, rather than just thinking in a limited way about year one. If you start slowly with TEAM, you may never catch up." Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial What I'm hearing is increasingly that TEAM really isn't just about the first year. It's about which hospitals will come out net positive when the entire model wraps in 2030. And importantly, the recognition that the best strategy for most hospitals is maximize year one success, and then build on that for the remaining years of the model. — Thadddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial What I'm hearing is increasingly that TEAM really isn't just about the first year. It's about which hospitals will come out net positive when the entire model wraps in 2030. And importantly, this recognition that the best strategy for most hospitals is maximize year one success, and then build on that for the remaining years of the model. — Thadddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial

Building a Connected Crisis System: Collaboration, Technology, and the Path Forward

Description: In this episode we sit down again with Mass211 and the International Council of Helplines to examine how to effectively build a truly connected crisis response system. From data integration to cross-agency collaboration, the role technology and funding play, we'll look at how innovative partnerships and communities are transforming crisis care. What You'll Learn: * The growing push for more federal policy to support the crisis continuum * What it means to build a true crisis response system * How partnerships and technology are transforming crisis care Featured Guests: * Vatsala Kapur, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Bamboo Health (Host) * Eileen Davis, Vice President of Mass211 * Michael Reading, Executive Director of the International Council for Helplines Key Moments: * [0:00] Welcome to Solving What's Missing in Healthcare * [1:58] Best practices for call centers & what others can learn * [7:02] Optimal infrastructure for 988 services * [9:20] The importance of equitable funding Listen On: On your favorite streaming platform. Approved Quotes: "Many centers operate in rural areas with limited access to resources that others may take for granted. Some states receive support through mechanisms like cell phone fees—others do not. So until there's more fair distribution, it really falls on each state to secure its own budget." — Eileen Davis, Vice President of Mass211 "The crisis system should work together—not in silos—so we can meet people where they are. If someone in crisis calls 988, they shouldn't face more complexity. Our tools should connect in real time to offer clear answers: where to go, who can help, and what happens next." — Michael Reading, Executive Director of the International Council for Helplines

The State of Substance Use Disorder in America

In this podcast episode from Bamboo Health and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, we're talking about substance use disorder, including the state of SUD in America and the impact funding is having on access to treatment, fragmented care and workforce shortages with the National Council for Well Being. What You'll Learn: * Understanding the SUD crisis in America * Barries to treatment, and the need for better coordination * How to help reduce stigmas surrounding SUD for improved individual outcomes * And more.... Featured Guests: * Vatsala Kapur, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Bamboo Health * Alexandra Plante, Senior Advisor, Substance Use Continuum - Substance Use Disorders, National Council for Mental Wellbeing * Phil Rutherford, Vice President, Substance Use Continuum - Substance Use Disorders, National Council for Mental Wellbeing Key Moments: * [0:00] Welcome to Solving What's Missing in Healthcare * [1:00] The National Council for Well Being * [2:00] The State of Substance Use Disorder in America * [4:00] Stigmas - Why They Impact Care * [7:00] The Workforce Shortage Impact * [10:00] The Role of Technology in Behavioral Health Listen On: On your favorite streaming platform. Approved Quotes: "The recovery rates for substance use disorder are not terribly differen than other chronic condtions, but we've got to get people to care. Stigma prevents people from getting to care, and this is part of the problem." Phil Rutherford, Vice President, Substance Use Continuum - National Council for Wellbeing "The pervasive behavioral health workforce shortage is coming at a time when there is rapid acceleration in AI. The convergence of these two forces will likely spur the fast tracking of higher-risk technologies like therapeutic chatbots or tools that edge up on clinical decision-making, which has real potential, but also carries real risk." Alexandra Plante, Senior Advisor, Substance Use Continuum - National Council for Wellbeing

Optimizing Post-Acute Pathways: Data-Driven Strategies to Manage Care and Reduce Avoidable Readmissions

In this podcast episode from Bamboo Health and Radial, we explore sustainable, data-driven strategies for managing high-cost claimants—focusing on smarter post-acute care decisions and reducing avoidable admissions. Our expert dive into how leveraging care coordination, value-based care models, and real-time data can improve transitions from hospital to home or skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). We'll discuss the critical role of CMS ratings in evaluating SNF and home health provider quality, and how using these metrics can help steer patients toward higher-performing, lower-risk settings. Through real-world examples and lessons learned, listeners will gain practical insights into improving outcomes, controlling costs, and minimizing unnecessary readmissions. What You'll Learn: * How the new TEAM model will impact care coordination * Why hospitals need to act now * And more.... Featured Guests: * Vatsala Kapur, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Bamboo Health * Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial Key Moments: * [0:00] Welcome to Solving What's Missing in Healthcare * [1:00] About Radial * [2:00] Upcoming CMS Requirements * [5:00] Data is Everywhere * [8:00] The Cost of Doing Nothing * [17:11] Helping Hospitals Succeed with CMS Listen On: On your favorite streaming platform. Approved Quotes: "It's not going to be easy for most hospitals to success at CMS TEAM - because things are going to get more difficult incrementally as TEAM moves forward. You really can't wait as a hospital leader. You have to move now. And it's that sense of urgency that I'm heaing from top hospitals across the country." — Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial "TEAM starts on January 1st and it's a mandatory model, which means that 700+ hospitals across the nation will be facing financial downside risk and upside opportunity." — Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial "It's a new type of bundle. It's faster, it's tighter, it's much more data sensitive as well. Part of the reason is that it's 30-day episodes, not 90." — Thaddeus Fulford-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Radial

Navigating the 988 Crisis: Best Practices and Funding Solutions

Description: In honor of the three-year anniversary of the 988 Crisis & Suicide Lifeline, Solving What's Missing in Healthcare host Vatsala Kapur, SVP of External Affairs at Bamboo Health, speaks with Eileen Davis, VP of Mass211, and Michael Redding, Executive Director of the International Council for Helplines. Since its launch on July 18, 2022, 988 has responded to over 9.8 million calls, 2.5 million texts, and 2.2 million chats—saving an estimated 150,000 lives every month. This episode explores how 988 has evolved into a vital part of the national behavioral health safety net, and what comes next for this public health service. Together, they explore the impact and evolution of 988, what has gone well in the past three years, where it is headed and how it is helping save lives. Eileen and Michael share strategies for best practices including what states and organizations are getting it right and what still needs to happen, including breaking down stigmas and increasing access to care for those in a behavioral health crisis. What You'll Learn: * How the evolution of 988 has made an impact on improving behavioral health outcomes for those in a crisis * What has gone well since the launch of the Lifeline * How to make 988 more successful and help break down stigmas for behavioral health Featured Guests: * Vatsala Kapur, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Bamboo Health * Eileen Davis, Vice President of Mass211 * Michael Reading, Executive Director of the International Council for Helplines Key Moments: * [0:00] Welcome to Solving What's Missing in Healthcare * [2:05] About Mass211 * [4:18] About the International Council for Helplines * [6:30] The three year anniversary of 988 * [9:40] SAMHSA's best practices * [14:38] Who's getting it right * [17:11] The growth of mobile crisis units * [19:40] The evolution of the 988 Crisis Suicide & Lifeline Listen On: On your favorite streaming platform. Approved Quotes: "What's gone well is that with 988 becoming a federally mandated program across the states and U.S. territories, is more resources have become available." — Michael Reading, Executive Director of the International Council for Helplines "The emphasis on the continuum of care really says to me communities are working together. Early intervention and working together is what will make this all come alive and impactful." — Michael Reading, Executive Director of the International Council for Helplines "The successful states are going to be the most successful are the ones that do outreach and partnter with each other. States that support collaboration are going to be the ones that pull ahead." — Eileen Davis, Vice President of Mass211 "It is savings lives and it's important that people understand early intervention is important. Just making sure that people and communities know that you have compassion all around you, there is kindness and goodness and genuineness out there and its's three digits away." — Eileen Davis, Vice President of Mass211