Podcast Summary
Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Dr. Sunil Verma, Chief Medical Officer for Ambulatory at UCI Health
Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Scott Becker
Guest: Dr. Sunil Verma
Episode Overview
The episode features Dr. Sunil Verma, Chief Medical Officer for Ambulatory at UCI Health. Dr. Verma shares insights on UCI Health’s evolution from a single hospital to a multi-hospital system, the organization’s focus on ambulatory care, leadership challenges, and practical advice for emerging physician leaders. The conversation spotlights how healthcare executives can navigate growth, innovation, and constant change within a complex and resource-constrained environment.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Dr. Verma’s Background and UCI Health’s Transformation
- Longevity and Roles: Dr. Verma has spent his entire 15-year career at UCI, serving as an otolaryngologist, surgeon-administrator, and associate chief medical officer.
- System Growth ([01:32]–[03:13]):
- UCI Health has evolved from a single academic institution into a rapidly growing health system, now with six (soon seven) hospitals and over $5B in annual revenue.
- Ambulatory care is central, with over 1.5 million patient visits annually.
- Recent expansions include acquiring four community hospitals, building a new academic hospital, and a rehabilitation hospital (expected mid-2026).
- Quote:
“Much of my role is focused on ensuring access, operational excellence and physician alignment as we scale ambulatory and our health system.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [01:58]
Trends and Priorities in Healthcare
- Growth Amidst Challenges ([03:13]–[04:22]):
- UCI Health has thrived in a growth mode, while many healthcare systems are stagnating or consolidating.
- Their mission increasingly balances both academic and community medicine.
- Ambulatory-First Strategy ([04:42]–[05:50]):
- Core priority: Expanding ambulatory capacity using diverse care models (faculty practice, community affiliations, clinically integrated network).
- Rationale: Ambulatory scalability is vital for supporting inpatient growth efficiently and sustainably.
- Recognizes obstacles: workforce shortages, capital constraints, increasing care complexity.
- Quote:
“If we cannot scale our ambulatory capacity appropriately, you know that our inpatient growth will become constrained, inefficient, and frankly, more expensive. So really, what we have designed is an ambulatory first approach.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [04:54]
Career Journey and Physician Leadership
- Motivation ([06:00]–[07:01]):
- Returning to California after Dartmouth and medical school for the blend of patient care, teaching, and research in academic medicine.
- Pursued an MBA to strengthen administrative skills and support career advancement within UCI.
- Stresses importance of physician involvement in decision-making:
“Personally, Scott, I think it's really important that physicians play a stake, you know, have a stake in our growth, in our operational decisions.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [06:44]
Work-Life Balance
- Finding Balance in Medicine ([07:18]–[07:39]):
- Dr. Verma enjoys tennis, ultimate frisbee, and outdoor activities with his kids, but admits limited time at the beach.
- Light-hearted moment when discussing surfing attempts:
“I tried doing, taking some surfing lessons early on and realized I'm not as strong in the ocean as I thought I would be.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [07:34]
Advice for Emerging Leaders
- Lifelong Learning & Listening ([08:10]–[09:44]):
- Emphasizes listening—even to the “naysayers”—to understand problems and opportunities.
- Advocates for positivity, open-mindedness, and saying “yes” to projects outside comfort zones.
- Leadership requires adaptability and teamwork, which is distinct from the rigid, protocol-driven world of surgery.
- Key Leadership Quote:
“If you want to become a leader, you have to be able to say yes. So saying yes sometimes to projects that you're not exactly sure where they're going to go or what your role will be is something important to do.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [08:45]
Navigating Enterprise Strategy and Trade-offs
- Prioritization and Transparency ([09:59]–[11:35]):
- Highlights the challenge of aligning innovative clinical initiatives with organizational priorities given limited resources, space, and capital.
- Advocates for transparent decision-making and clear communication with physicians about when opportunities are “not yet” rather than “no.”
- Preparedness is crucial: seizing the right opportunities at the right time is essential, especially amidst shifting policies and rapid market changes.
- Memorable Quotes:
“We have to say yes to certain projects and sometimes say not yet to others so that we can stay aligned with enterprise strategy and maintain trust with physicians.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [10:32]
“We're not saying no, we're saying not yet. But when it's time to pull that trigger, let's do it fast and efficiently and let's be prepared.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [11:49]
Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps
-
On Evolving as a System:
“The health system has really evolved, I should say, and takes our mission of taking care of patients, both in academic and community medicine quite seriously.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [03:44] -
On Physician Leadership:
“I found it very enlightening and rewarding to work with our meeting amazing administrators and physician partners at UCI Health.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [06:54] -
On Surfing:
“I tried doing, taking some surfing lessons early on and realized I'm not as strong in the ocean as I thought I would be.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [07:34] -
On Listening to Naysayers:
“It's important to not be a naysayer, but to listen to the naysayers and understand what the problems are.... there's always an opportunity to improve things.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [08:16] -
On Strategic Decisions:
“Sometimes saying not yet is okay so that we can ensure our long term sustainability.”
— Dr. Sunil Verma [11:07]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [01:32] Dr. Verma’s background and UCI Health’s evolution
- [04:42] Ambulatory expansion as a strategic priority
- [06:00] Dr. Verma’s personal and career motivations
- [08:10] Advice for emerging physician leaders
- [09:59] On aligning priorities and communicating trade-offs
- [11:35] The importance of opportunity readiness
Tone & Closing Feel
The conversation is insightful, pragmatic, and optimistic—reflecting both Dr. Verma’s physician’s sensibility and an executive’s strategic clarity. He combines humility about ongoing challenges with a clear-eyed perspective on organizational change and leadership priorities. The discussion is laced with practical wisdom, real-world anecdotes, and encouragement for the next generation of healthcare leaders.