Executive Uninterrupted

About Executive Uninterrupted

Powered by Outcomes Rocket Media, Executive Uninterrupted shines a spotlight on the forces transforming the payer ecosystem, from large national health plans and the Blues to provider-owned plans and regional innovators. Join Brian Urban and Saul Marquez for sharp conversations with changemakers driving cost optimization, care delivery alignment, data accuracy, and value-based evolution.

Publisher

Brian Urban & Saul Marquez

Category

business · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Feb 2026

Latest episode

27 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 13 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   27 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Employers Are the True Payors of American Healthcare with Rachel Strauss, Founder and CEO of PBM Princess

   Rachel Strauss, Founder and CEO of PBM Princess, explains how employers can leverage claims data to challenge pharmacy benefit structures and reduce healthcare spending.

2. 

   20 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Helping Healthcare Professionals Work at the Highest Level of Licensure with Dr. Eve Cunningham, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence

   Dr. Eve Cunningham, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, explains how remote patient care and AI transform chronic disease management for better clinical outcomes and patient experiences in this interview.

3. 

   2 Jul 2026

   Data for the Common Good with Dr. Juan C. “JC” Rojas, Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Rush University Medical Center

   Healthcare data becomes more powerful when it helps people see where care, resources, and community support are needed most. In this episode, Dr. Juan C. “JC” Rojas, Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Rush University Medical Center, discusses his path from medicine and critical care to clinical informatics, public health, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. He shares how early experiences with EHR data showed him how difficult it can be to turn clinical information into useful insights for research, quality improvement, and population health. The conversation also explores the Rush Health Equity Data Analytics Studio, Chicago Health Map, and how privacy-preserving EHR data can help researchers, community organizations, and policymakers better understand chronic disease patterns across neighborhoods. Dr. Rojas also discusses AI adoption in healthcare, the need to train teams for an AI-native environment, and his vision for a future where clinicians spend less time clicking and more time caring for patients. Tune in and learn how data, AI, and health equity can reshape care delivery inside and outside the hospital. About Dr. JC Rojas: Juan C. “JC” Rojas, MD, MS, is the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Rush University Medical Center and an academic pulmonary and critical care physician in Chicago. He works at the intersection of healthcare delivery, clinical informatics, AI, data science, and community health. At Rush, Dr. Rojas serves as a clinical informatics leader, helping connect clinical departments, IT teams, and executive leadership as the organization shapes its AI and data science strategy. He also evaluates AI solutions, supports clinical validation efforts, and contributes to AI governance and strategy work. Dr. Rojas is also Director of Clinical Informatics and Data Science at Rush University, where he leads efforts to integrate high-quality clinical data for research and scientific discovery. His work focuses on predictive modeling, quality improvement, data analytics, healthcare delivery science, and using informatics to improve patient outcomes, operational efficiency, health equity, and healthcare worker satisfaction. Key Takeaways Healthcare data can support better decisions beyond individual patient visits, especially when it helps reveal patterns across populations, neighborhoods, and communities. EHR data is powerful, but it is often difficult to access, structure, and use, making data quality and delivery major barriers in research and quality improvement. Health systems can play a larger role in public health by breaking down data silos and sharing privacy-preserving insights that support community action. Chicago Health Map helps researchers, community organizations, and policymakers see chronic disease patterns at the neighborhood level, making it easier to target resources where they are needed most. AI adoption in healthcare is moving quickly, especially in areas like revenue cycle, supply chain, patient engagement, ambient documentation, and future care gap workflows. Healthcare leaders need to prepare teams for an AI-native work environment, where clinicians and staff know how to use AI safely, effectively, and responsibly. Resources Connect with Dr. JC Rojas on LinkedIn. Follow Rush University Medical Center on LinkedIn and discover their website here!

4. 

   18 Jun 2026

   Fighting Cancer and Avoidable Suffering Through GI Innovation with Dr. Austin Chiang, Chief Medical Officer of Endoscopy at Medtronic, and Dr. Nate Merriman, Medical Director of GI and Digestive Health at Intermountain Health

   Note: The views and opinions shared in this episode are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations. GI innovation is not just about new tools. It is about making better care easier to access, safer to deliver, and more patient-centered. In this episode, Dr. Austin Chiang, Chief Medical Officer of Endoscopy at Medtronic, and Dr. Nate Merriman, Medical Director of GI and Digestive Health for the Canyons and Desert Regions at Intermountain Health, talk about the future of digestive health innovation from both the medtech and health system perspectives. They discuss how digital tools like GI Genius and PillCam Genius are reshaping endoscopy, improving clinical quality, and creating new opportunities to expand access to care. Dr. Merriman shares how health systems can evaluate innovation through small pilots, fast learning, and thoughtful scaling, especially for rural and underserved communities. The conversation also explores food as medicine, patient literacy, social media’s role in health education, and why patient and clinician voices must guide the design of new technologies. Tune in to hear how GI leaders are bringing together technology, strategy, and human-centered care to improve digestive health and reduce avoidable suffering. Resources Connect with Dr. Austin Chiang on LinkedIn.Connect with Dr. Nathan Merriman on LinkedIn. Follow Medtronic on LinkedIn and explore their website. Follow Intermountain Health on LinkedIn and discover their website.

5. 

   4 Jun 2026

   Stabilizing the Rotating Door: The Urgent Need for Strong Healthcare Leadership with Dr. Reshma Gupta, Chief of Population Health and Accountable Care at UC Davis Health

   Population health works best when leaders stop chasing shiny tools and start building around what communities actually need. In this episode, Dr. Reshma Gupta, Chief of Population Health and Accountable Care at UC Davis Health, shares how her childhood experiences, clinical training, policy work, and leadership roles shaped her mission-driven approach to healthcare transformation. She explains why population health should be viewed not as a department or contract function, but as a leadership philosophy grounded in community needs, practical strategy, and data-informed decision-making. The conversation explores her work in policy and alternative payment models, as well as UC Davis Health’s efforts to build a regional food system through a food waste-to-health initiative. Dr. Gupta also discusses the future of healthcare, highlighting agentic AI, upstream social needs, and stronger leadership as key drivers of sustainable reform. Tune in and learn how population health, thoughtful innovation, and modern leadership can reshape healthcare from the ground up. Resources Connect with Dr. Reshma Gupta on LinkedIn here. Follow the University of California on LinkedIn and explore their website here!

6. 

   11 May 2026

   From "Nice-to-Have" to Proven Strategy: The Evidence-Based Model for Health Equity with Nebeyou Abebe, SVP of SDoH at Highmark Health

   What if the biggest drivers of health outcomes aren’t happening inside the healthcare system at all? In this episode, Nebeyou Abebe, SVP of SDoH at Highmark Health, talks about how to operationalize social determinants of health at scale through an integrated payer-provider model. He shares how building a coordinated social care network with community organizations is improving outcomes while reducing costs by nearly $700 per member per month. He explains why leadership alignment, trust, and consumer-centered design are essential to making social health a true enterprise strategy. He also highlights how cross-sector collaboration and rigorous measurement can turn health equity into a scalable, evidence-based model that influences policy. Tune in and discover how social health can move from intention to measurable impact. Resources Connect with Nebeyou Abebe on LinkedIn here. Find out more about Highmark Health on LinkedIn, and visit their website here! Learn more about Highmark Health’s Social Care here! Read Highmark Health’s paper on Social Care Network’s Impact on Health Care Costs here!

7. 

   30 Apr 2026

   Meeting Patients Where They Are: A Deep Dive into Community Care Delivery with Dr. Eugene Hsu, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Optum Home & Community Care Delivery

   Healthcare works best when it meets people where they are, especially in the most vulnerable moments after care transitions. In this episode, Dr. Eugene Hsu, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Optum Home & Community Care Delivery, discusses how home and community-based care can improve safety, access, and outcomes for complex patient populations. He shares how his path from business to medicine, anesthesiology, patient safety, CMS, health technology startups, and national payer leadership shaped his approach to protecting patients at a greater scale. Dr. Hsu also explains how Optum’s home and community care model supports millions of visits nationwide, why technology must keep humans in the loop, and how programs like House Calls and Care at Home can identify risks that traditional care settings often miss. Tune in and hear how care delivered in the home, supported by trust, technology, and clinical integration, can help patients age well and receive more compassionate, coordinated care. Resources Connect with Dr. Eugene Hsu on LinkedIn here Follow Optum on LinkedIn and visit their website here.

8. 

   6 Apr 2026

   The Right Incentives, the Right Levers, and the Future of Care Delivery with Abe Sutton, Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and Deputy Administrator at CMS

   Healthcare reform works best when policy creates the right incentives and gives providers practical levers to deliver better care. In this episode, Abe Sutton, Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and Deputy Administrator at CMS, shares how a deeply personal family experience with care coordination shaped his interest in healthcare reform and public service. He reflects on the frustration of watching his father navigate complex, fragmented care for his grandmother and explains how that experience continues to influence his work today. Drawing on both government and operational experience, Abe unpacks why many past value-based care models fell short, what makes a model truly capable of changing care delivery, and how the Innovation Center is working to build more durable systems for the future. He also discusses the promise of digital health tools, the importance of affordability, and why the next decade of healthcare innovation will depend on getting both policy and incentives right. Tune in and learn how smarter incentives, durable model design, and a long-term view of innovation could reshape care delivery in America. Resources: Connect with Abe Sutton on LinkedIn here. Follow CMS Innovation Center on LinkedIn here and discover their website here.

9. 

   5 Mar 2026

   From FHIR to First Warnings: How Wearables Turn Early Signals Into Better Care with Ricky Bloomfield, Chief Medical Officer at Oura Ring

   Better healthcare gets easier when we can spot meaningful changes early, using trustworthy data people can actually act on. In this episode, Ricky Bloomfield, Chief Medical Officer at Oura Ring, discusses his path from early curiosity about technology and medicine to hands-on work with web-based EHRs, clinical informatics, and the messy reality that innovation often looks like repeated failure before it works. He explains why interoperability matters, how standards like FHIR helped move the industry past one-off custom data pulls, and what happens when you combine clinical context with continuous wearable signals. The conversation also covers wearables as companions for care, early screening opportunities including insights linked to blood pressure and cardio-metabolic risk, and why nighttime measurements can be cleaner for long-term trend tracking. Dr. Bloomfield closes with a clear warning about incentives, engagement-driven products, and the trust gap in healthcare. Tune in and learn how prevention, interoperability, and incentives shape what health tech should do next. Resources Connect with Dr. Ricky Bloomfield on LinkedIn here. Follow Oura Ring on LinkedIn here and discover their website here.

10. 

    26 Feb 2026

    The First Mile: Reimagining Healthcare from the Home Out with Dr. Ami Bhatt, Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology

    Healthcare was built around hospitals, but the future starts at home. In this episode, Dr. Ami Bhatt, Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, talks about reimagining healthcare through a “first mile” model that begins with patients in their homes and communities. She explains how remote care, wearables, and digital tools are shifting power toward patient agency and earlier intervention. Dr. Bhatt also explores why AI in healthcare must be a collaborative effort between clinicians and technology, focused on real patient outcomes rather than efficiency alone. The conversation examines emerging access and payment models that prioritize outcomes over billing codes, particularly in cardio-kidney-metabolic care. Tune in and hear how thoughtful innovation, collaborative intelligence, and patient-centered design can expand access and improve health at scale. Resources: Connect with Dr. Ami Bhatt on LinkedIn here. Follow the American College of Cardiology on LinkedIn here and discover their website here.

11. 

    19 Feb 2026

    The Death of "Sick Care": Dr. Stephen Klasko on Reimagining Healthcare for Human Outcomes

    From late-night DJ to healthcare system disruptor. In this episode, Dr. Stephen Klasko, President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, discusses reimagining healthcare by breaking rules, centering care on people, and shifting the system from “sick care” to true health. He shares how his unconventional path into medicine shaped his focus on empathy, women’s and pediatric health, and long-term outcomes over short-term revenue. Dr. Klasko explains why redesigning care around the home, community, and lived experience, rather than hospitals and billing codes, is essential to transforming equity and access. He also reflects on leadership, innovation, and why selecting and training more human-centered physicians is critical for the future of medicine. Tune in and explore what it really takes to build a healthcare system that helps people thrive, not just survive. Resources: Connect with Dr. Stephen Klasko on LinkedIn here and discover his website. Find out more about Thomas Jefferson University on LinkedIn, and visit their website here.

12. 

    12 Feb 2026

    From Finance to ARPA-H: Dr. Rafid Fadul on Equity, Access, and Simple Tech

    From finance to frontline care, Dr. Rafid Fadul’s journey is anything but conventional. In this episode, Dr. Rafid Fadul, founder of Zivian Health and incoming Chief Medical Officer of ARPA-H, discusses how a late-college realization about equity and impact led him to leave finance and pursue medicine. He shares how, during his residency and MBA program, he was introduced to digital health through a capstone project focused on improving access to care in post-war Iraq using simple mobile phone–based solutions. Dr. Fadul reflects on how this early experience demonstrated the power of technology to overcome systemic barriers and shaped his career across academic medicine, digital health innovation, and healthcare leadership. Tune in to hear how purpose, access, and innovation intersect in Dr. Fadul’s vision for the future of healthcare. Resources Connect with Dr. Rafid Fadul on LinkedIn here. Find out more about ARPA-H on LinkedIn, and visit their website here. Follow Zivian Health on LinkedIn and discover their website here.

13. 

    3 Feb 2026

    Uninterrupted at the Inflection Point with Brian Urban and Saul Marquez

    The biggest opportunity in healthcare today lies in honest, uninterrupted conversations between the people shaping payer and provider decisions. In this intro episode of the Executive Uninterrupted Podcast, Brian Urban, a healthcare leader, advisor, and adjunct professor, explains why the payer–provider ecosystem has reached a true inflection point and why progress requires understanding the humans behind executive titles. Together with Saul Marquez, he explores long-standing friction points across reimbursement, contracting, value-based care, patient experience, and policy, while arguing that the system is not broken but functioning imperfectly. Brian reflects on how his experience across health plans, retail health, and enterprise organizations revealed the need for a space where executives can speak candidly about profit-and-loss accountability, community-level impact, and real-world constraints. The episode closes with their vision for an uninterrupted podcast format that challenges conventional thinking, highlights emerging executive roles shaping population health, and previews conversations with influential leaders across medicine, policy, and innovation. Tune in and learn how raw executive insight can reshape healthcare strategy, collaboration, and the future of the ecosystem! Resources: Connect with Brian Urban on LinkedIn here. Connect with Saul Marquez on LinkedIn here. Stay tuned for more episode on the Executive Uninterrupted podcast here. Find out more about Outcomes Rocket on LinkedIn. Visit the Outcomes Rocket website here.

Inside a recent episode

Employers Are the True Payors of American Healthcare with Rachel Strauss, Founder and CEO of PBM Princess

Published 27 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] What is transparency and what do you do with it? Right. I mean, transparency came into my world, the pharmacy world, because it's where the most manipulation was happening right now. that we could target. Why are drugs so expensive? Why are drugs cheaper in Canada or Israel than they are in the United States? And it's really good because of all the mechanisms and ways that we've created as part of the supply channel. And so everybody first is we want transparency. We want to know who and where the money is going. The next part of transparency that we've given employers is the right to their claims data. more information than you ever wanted to know going on within your employee workforce. […]

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