THE SHOW
Healthcare is a multi-trillion dollar industry in the United States, and yet many people are completely unaware of the brilliant people who work tirelessly behind the scenes and their efforts to improve access, lower costs and improve patient outcomes. Welcome to PopHealth Podcast, the show by healthcare professionals that explores the challenges facing the American Healthcare system and the innovative minds looking to solve them and move the industry into the future. We invite thought-leaders and influencers to discuss population health; from elected officials tasked with setting public policy, to clinicians who treat patients in every conceivable condition and social situation, to ground-breaking business leaders who are creating ways to connect and streamline the delivery of care to an ever-growing and diverse nation.
Our hosts, Gavin Ward & Zac Morgan, bring a combined 20 years of heath care and home care experience which allows them to facilitate thoughtful and meaningful discussion on topics including population health, care transitions, readmission prevention, etc. Our goal is to provide listeners with a wealth of knowledge on the issues which affect millions of Americans every day, and a glimpse inside the world’s largest healthcare system.
If you have experience with population health or possess a passion for care transitions and readmission prevention, join us on the PopHealth Podcast! Together, through healthy conversation, we can change and improve the future of healthcare!
Latest Episodes
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California Medi-Cal Policy Expert Lisa Chan-Sawin, Founder of Transform Health
Lisa joins the show and shares how she’s grown into a policy expert during the 2000s and how Transform Health got its start in Sacramento. Lisa typically is the facilitator of meetings and discussions, but it’s great to have her “on the other side” to hear her story as well as she and Transform Health[…]
Contra Costa Health Plan’s CMO Dr. Dennis Hsieh on CalAIM
CCHP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dennis Hsieh discusses the inspiration behind his passion for his leadership role at Contra Costa Health Plan, the county operated health system serving the East Bay. We learn of his shared passion for soccer with host Gavin Ward, but more importantly how his time as a young man serving in[…]
California Association of Health Plans’ President and CEO Charles Bacchi
California Association of Health Plans’ (CAHP) Charles Bacchi joins the show to give some background on the work of CAHP, including some of its memorable moments in his nearly 2 decades with CAHP. Charles also shares about his cowboy background and CAHP’s upcoming annual conference in October with the some of California’s biggest names in[…]
DHCS Chief, Benefits Division on California’s New Community Health Worker Benefit
California Department of Health Care Services’ Chief of the Benefits Division Lisa Murawski joined host Gavin Ward to provide details on the new Community Health Worker (CHW) benefit that has been years in the making. The new benefit delivery doesn’t require someone with a clinical background to make a big impact in the healthcare community,[…]
CalAIM Facilitator Dora Barilla and HC² Strategies
Dora joins the show and shares how a combination of blessings, hard work as a healthcare leader (and mom), and a miracle has paved the way to today, where Dora and HC2 Strategies are, leading large scale CalAIM collaborations between health plans, providers, and the community. Check out this episode!
Dr. James Schultz, CMO of Neighborhood Healthcare, on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Dr. Schultz shares how his work serving individuals goes beyond just the Inland Empire and San Diego, but also to the Himalayas. He also shares how Federally Qualified Health Centers like Neighborhood Healthcare provide services for individuals that may otherwise struggle to access primary and other medical care. Check out this episode!
Medi-Medi/Dual Eligibles: California DHCS’ Anastasia Dodson (Medicare Innovation & Integration)
California Department of Health Care Services’ Anastasia Dodson helps give an overview of the “dual eligible” population in California and how upcoming changes will impact the delivery of care for Californians who have both Medicare and Medi-Cal (Mediciad in California), now called Medicare Medi-Cal Plans (MMPs or Medi-Medi plans), for Exclusively Aligned Enrollment Dual Eligible[…]
Health Net Medi-Cal President Martha Santana-Chin
Martha, a Medi-Cal beneficiary as a child in Ventura County, shares how her journey in the managed Medi-Cal world has ultimately led her to help lead a team that manages the care of millions of lives in California, including many that receive care in rural areas. Check out this episode!
Yingjia Huang from CA DHCS and Medi-Cal Eligibility: Changes After The Public Health Emergency
Yingjia, who serves in the role of Assistant Deputy Director, Health Care Benefits and Eligibility for California’s Department of Health Care Services, joins the show to share how the significant eligibility adjustments shown during the pandemic (ie public health emergency) will be unwound and what that means to some of the millions of Californians on[…]
Paige Brogan- CalAIM Principal, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, on CalAIM
Health plan and CalAIM expert Paige Brogan joins the show to share how the opportunity to make a big impact inspired her to join BSC Promise Health Plan. Paige gives some insight into the early days of CalAIM and while she is enthiusiastic about CalAIM, she shares why other medical leaders may be more in[…]
OUR HOSTS
Gavin Ward – Co-host
Gavin Ward is the first Certified Fellow in Readmission Prevention and is a Nationally Certified Readmissions Professional. Gavin brings over 12 years of experience in the healthcare and homecare space, including assisting in the development of Maxim Healthcare’s senior care, or “companion,” division early on in his career. He currently serves as 24Hr HomeCare’s Regional Director of Strategy and Partnerships, where he works with various hospitals, managed care groups, health systems, and the post-acute community to develop programs to improve throughput (decrease length of stay), care transitions, and readmission prevention through a professional caregiving, non-medical solution. His efforts, including the Hospital to Home™ care transitions programs nominated as a finalist for the Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Awards, have led to 24Hr HomeCare partnerships with many healthcare organizations which previously had not funded non-medical in-home care, but are starting to now that the right homecare program can bring cost savings and stronger outcomes. Gavin recently joined the Alzheimer’s Association-California Southland Chapter’s Speakers’ Bureau and also serves as an expert panelist moderator for the National Readmission Prevention Collaborative in California and Arizona. He received his BA in Communication Studies from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, where he also enjoyed time on the Westmont Warriors Ultimate Frisbee team. Gavin is married and has two children, ages 2 and 4.
Joe Zimmer – Co-host
Joe Zimmer is Regional Director at 24Hr HomeCare. As one of the leaders of the sales team, Zimmer oversees several Directors of Admissions throughout California, Arizona, and Texas. Joe was one of the company’s first employees, and helped to launch three start-up branch locations in Culver City, Encino, and Walnut Creek. He was also the engineer of the industry-first exclusive contractual partnership with a non-profit Community Based Organization: Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay – a pillar in the SF Bay Area since 1877. He also is a certified readmission prevention fellow through the National Readmission Prevention Collaborative. Fun fact: Joe taught himself how to play the piano at age 3.
Zachary Morgan – Co-host
Zac Morgan began as an Account Manager for 24Hr HomeCare’s Culver City office in 2010, and now serves as Regional Director of Strategy & Partnerships. He was the company’s first Senior Director of Admissions when he led the expansion into San Diego County, and also served two terms as the Chairman of the American Board of Home Care (2014-16). An early employee of 24Hr HomeCare, he helped to create the innovative Hospital to Your Home program and is a Nationally Certified Readmissions Professional. Zac graduated from Loyola Marymount University in LA where he studied both Sports Medicine and Business, and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Fun Fact: After graduating from LMU, Zac moved to South Korea where he taught English, science and math while traveling around Asia.
Ryan Iwamoto – Co-host and Producer
Ryan Iwamoto is owner and co-founder of 24Hr HomeCare. As leader of the sales, marketing and business development team, Iwamoto is responsible for developing the overall sales and marketing strategy, execution, and development. He co-founded 24Hr HomeCare’s award-winning Hospital to Your Home™ program that offers a high-touch, low cost solution for hospital throughput efficiency, reducing hospital readmission, and care transitions. The program was named a finalist for the Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovations award and the Los Angeles Journal’s Healthcare Leadership Forum & Awards for post-acute care programs. Fun fact: Ryan is a former Eagle Scout with the Bronze Palm.