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While healthcare has always been a tightly regulated industry, it has become exponentially more regulated as a result of post-ACA implementation. For health systems and the vendors that serve them, keeping up with the necessary procedures and documentation needed for HIPAA compliancy and other regulations has become a more than a full-time job. The requirements to invest in additional technologies and adopt different methods of interconnectivity also increase risk. Join Robert and his guest, Damon Work, partner at FDH Consulting, as they discuss the processes, procedures and documentation necessary to mitigate risk and be compliant in today’s healthcare industry.

Are economists and the practice of economics relevant in today’s world of deficits, upside-down budgets and the inverse nature of supply and demand driven by the federal government’s financial performance? Do the key components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) make good ol’ economic sense? Join Robert and his guest, Larry Van Horn, Ph.D., executive director of health affairs and an associate professor of management (economics) at Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management as they discuss the current role of the economist. They also look at how the ACA has impacted the U.S. economy, focusing on specific regulations, payment models and entities such as for-profit health systems and accountable care organizations.

Hospitals and health systems continue to navigate a post ACA-implementation world that focuses on fee-for-performance, bundled services and a system heavily dependent on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Yet the stocks of these systems and organizations are doing well despite the profit-restrictive environment. Join Robert and his guest, David Windley, managing director, Health Equity Research at Jeffries, LLC, as they take a current look at health system and hospital financial viability as well as the products and services that remain in demand. Part of their discussion centers on how for-profits are faring in the sea of government reimbursement and they will review the state of ACOs and managed care and hospital stocks. They also discuss how healthcare consumers have risen through the ranks to become major influencers in the industry.

With the implementation of the ACA, many hospitals and health systems are investing in technology and personnel to evolve their business models. While every investment carries risk, few have proven to be as challenging to risk mitigate as investments made in high earning physicians. Making these investments while demonstrating both strength and flexibility on their balance sheets, is just as critical as deploying strategies that drive patients into the system to increase revenue. Join Robert and his guest, Jeff Trinkwon, first vice president at Alliant Employee Benefit, as they discuss the strategies systems should consider when trying to reduce the risks associated with aligning with or hiring primary care physicians and other high earners and how to create more flexibility in their balance sheet with tactics such as Defined Benefit Risk Transfers.

From a 10,000-foot view, it is clear that every aspect of the healthcare industry impacts the viability of hospitals and health systems. From employers offering high-deductible plans or cost-sharing options that result in the commercially insured population utilizing less hospital services, to a large system acquiring the other hospital down the street, to interoperable EHRs, to investing in primary care physicians but seeing shrinking reimbursement rates, all impact a hospital’s bottom line. Join Robert and his guest, Beth Kutscher, healthcare finance reporter for Modern Healthcare, the industry's leading source of healthcare business and policy news, research and information. The two will discuss how the environment in which health systems operate is impacting systems’ bottom lines.

Health Systems interested in providing valuable, preventative service within their communities are working with local employers to create initiatives that improve population health. Many of these initiatives begin with risk-stratification processes and include onsite health centers, clinician engagement, employee rewards, new technology components and system service lines. What are the results of these one-on-one relationships? Improved health outcomes for employees and reduced claims’ expenditure for employers. It can also mean increased market share and downstream revenue for the system. Join Robert and his guest, Dan Birach, president of the HEALTHWORKS Division at Carolinas HealthCare System, a public, not-for-profit system headquartered in Charlotte, operating 900 locations throughout North and South Carolina. The two will discuss HEALTHWORKS’ relationship with local businesses, the elements needed to improve community health outcomes and the division's impact on the system.

Employers are leading efforts to control their healthcare spend and improve the health of their workforce by looking at the risks unique to their population and creating the appropriate health initiatives to address them. To do this, many employers partner with local health systems but what happens when the company has multiple sites, worldwide? They hire a physician to provide the clinical oversight necessary to build a program based on personalized care. Join Robert and his guest, Dexter Shurney, MD, chief medical director/executive director for Global Benefits, Health and Wellness for Cummins, Inc., a worldwide company that designs, manufactures, distributes and services diesel and natural gas engines and related technologies. The company employs 48,000 in 190 countries, 24,000 of which are located in the U.S. The two will discuss Cummin’s major health initiative and the challenges of addressing the health needs of an employee population in multiple locations across the country.

Understanding data is central to improving the quality of healthcare across the U.S. From breaking down information silos to tracking emerging trends, to identifying and eliminating disparities and improving care coordination, data continues to play a role in today’s population health strategies. But are the traditional barriers surrounding data sharing keeping health data from reaching its true potential? Join Robert and his guest, Bryan Sivak, chief technology officer for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), as they discuss health data’s role in improving care and its coordination. Bryan will share the creative approaches HHS is employing to not only make data more accessible but to bring it out of a state of laziness into a place of action. Bryan will provide insight into some of the Department’s current projects and programs and will discuss the healthcare start-up ecosystem.

While the Affordable Care Act targets a number of entities, health systems and hospitals remain central to its goal: to provide better care to more people for less money. To do so, health systems are forced to invest in technology, physicians and infrastructure to ensure their organizations are focused on prevention and value-based care. The question for systems is how to meet the requirements of the law with strategies that enable them to realize financial viability. Join Robert and his guest, Russ Guerin, a healthcare consultant and executive coach with a finance background and nearly 30 years of experience within health systems. The frank conversation will cover the current environment in which large and independent, for profit and not-for-profit health systems operate, the direction systems need to take and the partnerships they need to form to achieve success, including a mutual understanding between employers, providers and insurers.

As employers in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida continue to provide health benefits to an increasingly less healthy workforce, they are looking for ways to reduce rising healthcare costs, while managing Workers’ Compensation claims, lowering absentee rates and improving productivity. However, these employers lack the necessary expertise and resources to engage their workforce and help them make meaningful changes to their health. Join Robert and his guests, Roland Garcia, senior vice president and CIO at Baptist Health, George Babish, senior vice president of Organizational Advancement at The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast and Gene Lane, vice president at Applied Health Analytics. Baptist Health and The First Coast YMCA have created a joint venture to address the population health needs in Northeast Florida. We will discuss the partnership of these two prolific not-for-profits, its LLC, Corporate Health and the resulting initiative called PATH, Personalized Approach to Health.

The trend is growing, especially in the self-insured market. Employers are working with vendors to implement onsite workplace health centers to help reduce risks, improve employee health and offset rising health benefit costs. These centers offer population health management services and include preventive care and wellbeing programs. Some now even offer primary care physicians, clinicians and behavior coaches. Join Robert and his guest, Ernie Clevenger, president of CareHere!, which provides onsite medical, wellness and pharmacy management to employers, as they discuss the rise of onsite health centers in the workplace. Hear what is driving employers to take their healthcare expenses into their own hands and learn about the impact these centers have on health systems across the U.S.

In today’s world of population health management, providers focus on moving healthcare out of the acute setting, past ambulatory care and into preventative services, while increasing market share. Health systems and hospitals have found that working with the commercial market (employers) is the best way to meet both objectives. The challenge becomes how to wrap together a multidisciplinary team with external partners and deliver a comprehensive population health initiative designed to create positive outcomes. DeKalb Medical’s answer: Invest in a medical doctor to drive the strategy. Join Robert and his guest, Shealynn Buck, MD, executive director of Employee Health Solutions at DeKalb Medical, as they discuss the challenges and opportunities the independent, 627-bed, not-for-profit health system faces in changing the dynamic of how they bring healthcare into the metro Atlanta community by utilizing numerous service lines to meet population health demands.

Owners of small-to-medium sized companies believe the Affordable Care Act ripped how to provide healthcare benefits for their workforce out of their hands. They feel they have two options: endure high-cost premiums for insurance that covers benefits that do not make sense for their workforce or endure penalties and risk an increase in turnover by sending their employees to the health insurance exchange. However, thanks to new offerings from insurance companies, third-party administrators and exemptions to the ACA’s section 9010, proactive employers are partnering with consultants to create healthcare programs designed for their employees. Join Robert and his guest, Bill Beeler from Risk Solutions Captive, as they discuss the financial impact the ACA and its employer mandate has had on businesses. What health insurance options, including self-funded plans, are now available to companies of all sizes? How can companies contain healthcare costs and risks with the help of a captive?