The Business of Healthcare Podcast

In this episode, Will Busch, III, president of FMG Leading, joins host Dan Karnuta for a discussion about hybrid healthcare. They talk about how the pandemic accelerated adoption of hybrid models like telehealth, remote monitoring and AI-enabled workflows. Other topics of dicussion include how: *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-(--header-height)" dir="auto" data-turn-id="eb1053d6-486c-4a9d-bd4f-4c609fcdb21c" data-testid="conversation-turn-39" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="user"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-69c6d4aa-86c0-8333-8b66-55b54099c6bd-14" data-testid= "conversation-turn-40" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Hybrid healthcare blends human care with technology to improve access, cost and outcomes AI and automation help scale clinicians by reducing administrative burden Success depends on strategy, workflow alignment and cultural buy-in, not just technology How hybrid models are key to addressing workforce strain, aging populations and rising healthcare costs Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode, host Dan Karnuta welcomes Kevin Kumler, president and general manager of Levanto, to discuss how the Baylor Scott & White Health-backed platform is redefining employer-sponsored wellness. Kumler explains that Levanto brings multiple health solutions — such as weight management, musculoskeletal care, mental health support and nurse triage — into one integrated app, reducing fragmentation and personalizing care across conditions and life stages. The goal is to extend trusted health system expertise beyond hospital walls and help employees stay healthy instead of waiting until issues become acute. The conversation highlights Levanto's value to employers: lowering unnecessary costs, improving productivity and enhancing benefits offerings through a simple per-member-per-month model that works alongside existing insurance plans. Kumler also outlines how AI supports both operational efficiency and patient-facing tools, while emphasizing a blended "AI plus human" approach to care. Overall, the episode positions integrated, employer-focused wellness as a practical step toward a more sustainable healthcare system. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode, Dr. John R. Mehall returns to the show for a discussion with host Dan Karnuta about the evolving economics of physician practice and how different organizational models — hospital employment, independent groups and private equity partnerships — shape autonomy, productivity and long-term sustainability. Drawing on his experience as a former cardiac surgeon and now healthcare executive and entrepreneur, Mehall explains why hospitals increasingly struggle to sustain physician employment, how subsidy-driven compensation models can create internal competition, and what it really takes for physicians to successfully transition back to independence through ancillaries, capital investment and operational support. Kaiser is director of the MS/MBA in Healthcare Leadership and Management for Professionals at UT Dallas' Naveen Jindal School of Management. Previous episodes with Dr. John Mehall: Episode 118: Non-Clinical Careers for Physicians Episode 43: Filling Medical Staffing Gaps

This episode flips the script as producer Jimmie Markham interviews host Dan Karnuta about the year's biggest healthcare themes. They revisit discussions form previous episodes on AI governance, operational adoption, workforce resistance, healthcare education pipelines, insurance pitfalls, nursing workflow redesign and physician well-being. Karnuta emphasizes that rapid technological change demands strong communication, thoughtful change management and a workforce prepared to partner with AI. They also explore deeper systemic issues, including healthcare's "klugeocracy" — a system built on decades of quick fixes. Despite the complexity and inefficiency this creates, Karnuta ends on a hopeful note: the industry is talking openly about its challenges, experimenting with new solutions and developing leaders committed to improving the system. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast, host Dan Karnuta welcomes Don Taylor, director of the Alliance for Physician Leadership at The University of Texas at Dallas' Naveen Jindal School of Management, for a discussion about Taylor's new book, Healing. They discuss how the U.S. healthcare system fails to support physicians' well-being, both mentally and spiritually. Taylor describes how doctors struggle with the stress, isolation and burnout of leadership expectations although they do not get trained in that aspect of their careers. They also discuss how the U.S. healthcare system prioritizes profit over true health, creating a structure where sickness — not wellness — drives revenue, leaving doctors feeling voiceless and disconnected from their calling. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode, host Dan Karnuta speaks with Dr. Terry McDonnell, chief nursing officer at Duke University Health System. They focus on how technology is reshaping the nursing profession. They discuss workforce retention, supporting nurses who are new to the profession and initiatives such as innovation units, virtual care centers and ambient voice recognition. They also also explore the future of home-based care, wearable technology, ethical AI use and programs like healthcare high schools to help strengthen tomorrow's workforce. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

This episode explores how artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare, emphasizing that success depends more on people and processes than on the technology itself. Host Dan Karnuta and guest Dr. Matt Brubaker, chairman and CEO of healthcare consulting firm FMG Leading, discusses implementation challenges, fear of change and the importance of aligning AI adoption with organizational strategy, leadership and mission. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast, Becky Greenfield, a healthcare attorney and a partner at boutique law firm Wolfe Pincavage, joins host Dan Karnuta for a discussion about the complexities and risks associated with alternative health plans that are not mandated by the Affordable Care Act. Plans like healthcare sharing ministries, limited benefit plans and short-term insurance can appear similar to conventional healthcare insurance but they lack essential consumer protections like coverage for pre-existing conditions, essential health benefits, and balance-billing safeguards. Although these plans are attractive due to their lower costs, they can can result in significant out-of-pocket expenses and limited provider networks. The conversation also highlights the challenges the hospitals face when treating patients with these plans, including confusion over payment responsibilities and financial risk due to underpayment or denials. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode, Felixia Colón joins host Dan Karnuta for a discussion about how artificial intelligence is being used, and is transforming, healthcare business operations. They cover care delivery methods, staffing models, the importance of establishing guardrails prior to AI's use and address the risks of bias inherent in AI and how that problem can be overcome. Colón is senior vice president of eHealth Solutions at SCP Health and former president of the North Texas Chapter of American College of Healthcare Executives. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

The Business of Healthcare Podcast, Episode 126: HEAL High School In this episode, Caitlin McVey, associate vice president of the Memorial Hermann Institute for Nursing Excellence, joins host Dan Karnuta for a discussion about Health Education and Learning (HEAL) High School in Houston which prepares students to transition directly into high-demand healthcare jobs directly after graduation. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management.

In this episode, host Dan Karnuta welcomes Don Taylor, the chairman of the board of directors at the Healthcare Standards Institute Foundation, which is responsible for developing a national standard for the implementation of artificial intelligence as it relates to the governance of the healthcare industry. The in-depth discussion by the two faculty members and healthcare administration experts in The University of Texas at Dallas focuses on how artificial intelligence is being integrated into the healthcare industry and the urgent need for its governance and standardization. Since the use of AI is now, or soon will be, used in everything including clinical decision-making, administrative tasks, patient interaction and even insurance claims, Karnuta and Taylor discuss the significant concerns raised by its use including its ethics, patient privacy and organizational accountability. Karnuta is an associate professor in the Jindal School's Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area as well as director of its Professional Program in Healthcare Management. Taylor is a professor of practice in the Jindal School's Executive Education Area and director of its Alliance for Physician Leadership program. He also serves in the faculty of UT Southwestern Medical Center.

In this episode, David Dawson, senior vice president of Conifer Health Solutions, joins host Dan Karnuta to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare-related revenue cycle management. They discuss what RCM is, the issues that have caused inefficiencies in the RCM process and how AI is a promising solution for solving them. Karnuta is director of the Professional Program in Healthcare Management at The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management.

In episode 123 of The Business of Healthcare Podcast, attorneys-at-law Lawrence Laddaga and Dale Turner of the law firm Laddaga-Garrett, P.A, join host Dan Karnuta for a discussion about Medicare Advantage plans in Medicare. They discuss its history, its problems and its future. Laddaga is Attorney At Law-Founder-President; and Turner is an associate attorney at Laddaga-Garrett, P.A., a law firm that provides legal services for the healthcare industry. Karnuta is director of the Professional Program in Healthcare Management at The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management.

In episode 122 of The Business of Healthcare Podcast, Dr. Quinton Nottingham with Virginia Tech University joins host Dan Karnuta for a discussion about medical-legal partnerships. Their discussion explores what MLPs are, their operational frameworks and the ways these patient-centered partnerships can address social determinants of health to improve health outcomes. Nottingham is head of the Business Information Technology Department within the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. Karnuta is director of the Professional Program in Healthcare Management at The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management.

In this episode, host Dan Karnuta and guest Dr. Britt Berrett focus on the need for physicians to have business acumen in an increasingly complex U.S. healthcare system. Berrett, co-founder and first host of The Business of Healthcare Podcast and current managing director and teaching professor of the Healthcare Industry Collaborative at Brigham Young University, shares his insights on the evolution of healthcare after the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing corporatization of the industry. Berrett points out that healthcare is no longer just a clinical profession. It now requires strong business acumen to understand revenue cycles, private equity involvement, and new technologies like telemedicine and artificial intelligence. Karnuta is director of the Professional Program in Healthcare Management at The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management.

Dr. Rita Numerof, who appeared as a guest on Episode 27 of The Business of Healthcare Podcast, returns to discuss with host Dan Karnuta why it remains so difficult for value-based pricing to catch on in the healthcare industry. Numerof is an author, president and co-founder of healthcare consulting firm Numerof & Associates and a columnist at Forbes. Karnuta is director of the Professional Program in Healthcare Management at The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management. Links discussed on the episode: "Why Accountable Care Organizations Won't Deliver Better Healthcare — and Market Innovation Will" (Heritage Foundation's Healthcare Reform Report)

In this episode, host Dan Karnuta welcomes Nick Hut, senior editor at the Healthcare Financial Management Association. They do a deep dive into the Change Healthcare cyberattack: what happened, who was affected, temporary and long-term fixes, the impact on stakeholders — including patients — and what lessons were learned from a disaster that affected one third of Americans. Professor Karnuta is the director of the Professional Program in Healthcare Management at the Naveen Jindal School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas. Links: HFMA's Voices in Healthcare Finance podcast

In this episode, Dr. Bob Kaiser welcomes Dr. John R. Mehall back to the show for a discussion about what the former cardiac surgeon and current entrepreneur has been doing since his last appearance on The Business of Healthcare Podcast's Episode 43 in August 2019. They also discuss non-clinical career options for physicians, including advice on how to do the self-reflection necessary to make a successful transition, and the physician shortage that exists in the U.S. Mehall is president of Innovative ECMO Concepts, a company that provides training and expertise related to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a cardiac and respiratory life-support system. Kaiser is director of the MS/MBA in Healthcare Leadership and Management for Professionals at UT Dallas' Naveen Jindal School of Management.