Podcast Summary: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Guest: Adam Williams, VP of Payer Operations and Strategy at Tava Health
Host: Mariah Muhammad (Becker's Healthcare)
Release Date: December 8, 2025
Episode Theme:
Exploring strategies for enhancing mental healthcare delivery, with emphasis on quality improvement, provider experience, industry trends, and sustainable organizational growth.
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode features Adam Williams, VP of Payer Operations and Strategy at Tava Health. The conversation centers around the evolving landscape of mental health, Tava Health’s strategies for improving both patient and provider experiences, the importance of operational excellence, and key opportunities and challenges on the horizon for mental health services.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Adam Williams' Background and Mission
- Adam brings over two decades of healthcare administration experience with a strong personal motivation rooted in family experience with the healthcare system.
- “My why for me gets back to my dad... our family was millions of dollars in debt because of it. And I wanted to always try to find ways that I could help to make the experience better for others.”
(Adam Williams, 00:36)
- “My why for me gets back to my dad... our family was millions of dollars in debt because of it. And I wanted to always try to find ways that I could help to make the experience better for others.”
- Drawn to roles that allow him to reduce friction, improve quality, and create better experiences for both patients and providers.
- “Ultimately quality does really matter for us at Tava. And so when someone gets connected to the right therapist... it can genuinely change their trajectory in life.”
(Adam Williams, 01:29)
- “Ultimately quality does really matter for us at Tava. And so when someone gets connected to the right therapist... it can genuinely change their trajectory in life.”
- Passion for operational problem-solving to allow clinicians to focus on care, not admin burdens.
Industry Opportunities and Headwinds
Opportunities
- Mental health is now a central priority for employers, health plans, and the general population.
- “Mental health isn’t a secondary talking point anymore. It’s central to our overall wellness.”
(Adam Williams, 03:17)
- “Mental health isn’t a secondary talking point anymore. It’s central to our overall wellness.”
- Integration of mental health into the larger healthcare ecosystem is underway, breaking down silos and allowing for measured improvements in outcomes and cost savings.
- “Bringing mental health into the broader healthcare ecosystem... we're seeing more and more interest in trying to get behavioral health outcomes to physical health outcomes and workplace performance and cost savings.”
(Adam Williams, 04:04)
- “Bringing mental health into the broader healthcare ecosystem... we're seeing more and more interest in trying to get behavioral health outcomes to physical health outcomes and workplace performance and cost savings.”
Headwinds & Challenges
- Mental health space is crowded; not all solutions deliver high-quality outcomes.
- Payers are demanding more accountability, data, and demonstrable outcomes.
- “Payers are asking for more account, more data, better outcomes. And ultimately they should.”
(Adam Williams, 04:43)
- “Payers are asking for more account, more data, better outcomes. And ultimately they should.”
- Payers are demanding more accountability, data, and demonstrable outcomes.
- Provider burnout: therapists face high caseloads, heavy emotional labor, and overwhelming admin duties.
- “Provider burnout... is real. Therapists have to deal with very heavy caseloads... and there's also increasing administrative demand.”
(Adam Williams, 04:50)
- “Provider burnout... is real. Therapists have to deal with very heavy caseloads... and there's also increasing administrative demand.”
Organizational Growth & Value Creation
- Growth is not just metrics but value for providers, clients, and partners.
- “Growth isn’t just about numbers... it’s creating value for the people at the center of our model.”
(Adam Williams, 06:15)
- “Growth isn’t just about numbers... it’s creating value for the people at the center of our model.”
- Reducing admin load and streamlining workflows for therapists is central to the strategy.
- Smooth experience for clients leads to higher engagement and retention.
- Data is used for actionable insight, not just for appearance.
- “Not using data for the sake of just dashboards, but using that data to... truly transcend how we’re thinking about the care that we’re delivering.”
(Adam Williams, 07:08)
- “Not using data for the sake of just dashboards, but using that data to... truly transcend how we’re thinking about the care that we’re delivering.”
- Building trust and consistently delivering on promises is Tava Health’s competitive edge.
Risks and Investments Worth Making
- Doubling down on quality — both clinical and operational.
- “Our biggest investment and... our smartest risk is continuing to double down on quality.”
(Adam Williams, 08:33)
- “Our biggest investment and... our smartest risk is continuing to double down on quality.”
- Removing friction for providers by automating tasks and simplifying workflows to reduce burnout and improve care delivery.
- “Every time we simplify a workflow or automate something that’s a tedious task for them... we’re actually investing in better outcomes.”
(Adam Williams, 09:01)
- “Every time we simplify a workflow or automate something that’s a tedious task for them... we’re actually investing in better outcomes.”
- Creating a “force multiplier”: improvements in provider experience create positive cascades throughout the organization and for clients.
- These foundational investments yield results now and for years ahead.
Future Growth Opportunities
- Deepening relationships with providers, health plans, and employers — the core ecosystem.
- “Our biggest opportunities come from the relationships we've already started to build... There's still a lot of room to deepen and expand those partnerships and relationships.”
(Adam Williams, 10:29)
- “Our biggest opportunities come from the relationships we've already started to build... There's still a lot of room to deepen and expand those partnerships and relationships.”
- Demand from health plans and employers for measurable behavioral health outcomes and cost reduction is growing.
- Opportunity to create industry-leading environments for clinicians: high-quality care, strong provider support, efficient operations.
- Commitment to fundamentals: quality, consistency, and operational excellence are the foundation for sustainable growth and innovation.
- “That innovation sits on top of this... great foundation that we’ve built on both quality and consistency.”
(Adam Williams, 11:26)
- “That innovation sits on top of this... great foundation that we’ve built on both quality and consistency.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “When someone gets connected to the right therapist or has a great experience, it can genuinely change their trajectory in life.”
(Adam Williams, 01:29) - “Mental health isn’t a secondary talking point anymore. It’s central to our overall wellness.”
(03:17) - “Payers are asking for more account, more data, better outcomes. And ultimately they should. That pressure is increasing on us as well as others.”
(04:43) - “Every time we simplify a workflow or automate something... and give them back an hour in their week, we’re actually investing in better outcomes.”
(09:01)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:36–01:50 | Adam’s personal “why” and the impact of his family’s healthcare journey
- 03:09–04:25 | Market opportunities and shift toward centralizing mental health
- 04:25–05:59 | Challenges: provider burnout and payer demand for quality/data
- 06:13–08:17 | Tava’s strategy for growth and value creation
- 08:32–10:11 | Worthwhile investments: quality, provider experience, operational efficiency
- 10:26–12:09 | Adam’s outlook on future growth and core opportunities
Tone & Language
The entire conversation maintains an optimistic, mission-driven, and pragmatic tone. Adam is earnest, passionate, and deeply focused on eliminating barriers for both patients and providers, always tying back to the core values of quality, trust, and relationship-building.