Dr. Vinay Belamkar, CEO of Apollo Pain Center

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Guest: Dr. Vinay Balamkar, CEO of Apollo Pain Center
Host: Grace Lynn Keller
Date: August 16, 2025
Event: Recorded live at the 22nd annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management Conference
Main Theme:
Dr. Vinay Balamkar discusses the evolving landscape of chronic pain management, workforce challenges, the pivotal role of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and the rise of new technologies and care/payment models in independent practice. The conversation highlights the complexities and opportunities in pain care, workforce development, and the importance of innovative approaches in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dr. Balamkar’s Approach and Practice Philosophy

[00:56 – 01:41]

• Dr. Balamkar leads Apollo Pain Center as a solo interventional pain provider in Indianapolis since starting in the midst of COVID.
• Adopts a comprehensive, all-encompassing approach to pain management:

  “That's my niche, is not turn away any patients... So we see everything from some medication management all the way to cancer pain, the more advanced interventions, things like that.” (Dr. Balamkar, 01:12)

• Emphasizes the challenges in addressing a broad spectrum of chronic pain amidst evolving healthcare dynamics.

2. Industry Trends & Challenges in Chronic Pain

[01:51 – 03:16]

• Chronic pain remains a prevalent, often under-recognized problem:

  “There are more chronic pain patients than diabetes, heart disease, cancer combined." (Dr. Balamkar, 01:53)

• Despite technological and medical advances—“the best time for chronic pain”—there are huge obstacles due to fragmented care, unfavorable reimbursement, and rising costs for patients.
• Dr. Balamkar frames the era as:

  “…the best of times and the worst of times kind of quandary…” (Dr. Balamkar, 02:25)

• Advances in treatment options are often counteracted by payer limitations and administrative complexities.

3. Workforce & Staffing Dynamics

[03:26 – 04:49]

• Staffing shortages, especially for advanced practice providers and medical assistants, are a persistent issue post-COVID.
• Strategies to address shortages:
  • Incorporating virtual assistants and remote billing to supplement in-person staff.
  • Competing with larger organizations for talent by emphasizing:

    “...catching them early and highlighting the advantages of a small practice... they get more hands on, they have much bigger role in patient care rather than being pigeonholed...” (Dr. Balamkar, 04:22)

  • Small practice environments offer growth and higher job satisfaction.

4. The Evolving Role of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs)

[04:59 – 05:41]

• ASCs are increasingly crucial in outpatient care delivery.
• Procedures once deemed possible only in hospitals are now routine in ASCs, offering improved patient experience and cost savings.
• Dr. Balamkar predicts further expansion of ASCs as key players in healthcare solutions:

  “...the things we do in ASCs today were unheard of even 10, 15 years ago. And I think the patients enjoy that... the cost savings from a good ASC is... critical.” (Dr. Balamkar, 05:02)

5. Innovations in Technology and Care Models

[05:54 – 07:32]

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to impact documentation, revenue cycle management (RCM), and patient experience.

  “We can’t talk about any advance or disruption without talking about AI.” (Dr. Balamkar, 05:55)

• Small independent practices like Apollo Pain Center face unique challenges in adopting technology but recognize its growing inevitability.
• Notable trends:
  • Patients are increasingly engaged in their own care, motivated by growing awareness of out-of-pocket costs.
  • Growing dissatisfaction with conventional insurance pushes providers and employers to alternative payment models (e.g., direct care, employer-provider partnerships).
  • Emphasis is shifting towards true value-based care:

    “...the value is decided by the employer and the patients who are actually paying for it.” (Dr. Balamkar, 07:24)

6. Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook

[07:38 – 07:56]

• Optimism about the future of healthcare technology and pain management:

  “It's an exciting time to be in the healthcare profession. The technology, not just in pain, is just exploding and I think we will figure out how to pay for this and how to take care of patients in the long run.” (Dr. Balamkar, 07:43)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On chronic pain in the U.S.:
  “There are more chronic pain patients than diabetes, heart disease, cancer combined.” (Dr. Balamkar, 01:53)

• On the duality of current medical practice:
  “I call it the best of times and the worst of times kind of quandary...” (Dr. Balamkar, 02:25)

• On the evolving patient role:
  “Patients being more and more involved in their own care... that's helping in many ways to provide better care.” (Dr. Balamkar, 06:20)

• On value-based care:
  “This is pushing people more towards value based care and that's by that I mean true value based where the value is decided by the employer and the patients who are actually paying for it.” (Dr. Balamkar, 07:24)

• On small practice advantages:
  “People can grow, develop professionally and have a lot more, I guess, satisfaction in my opinion.” (Dr. Balamkar, 04:39)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:56] — Dr. Balamkar introduces himself and his comprehensive approach
• [01:51] — Major trends in chronic pain care and reimbursement challenges
• [03:26] — Workforce challenges and innovative staffing strategies
• [04:59] — The growing role and impact of ASCs
• [05:54] — Innovations in AI, technology adoption, and patient engagement
• [07:24] — The move toward true value-based care and payment reform
• [07:43] — Closing thoughts on technology and the future of healthcare

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Summary

This episode provides a candid, expert view on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in pain management, especially from the vantage point of an independent provider. Dr. Balamkar underscores the significance of comprehensive care, workforce ingenuity, ASC expansion, technological advancement, and patient-driven approaches as forces shaping the future of healthcare delivery. The episode stands out for its positive tone, practical insights, and Dr. Balamkar’s unwavering optimism in the face of industry upheaval.

Transcript

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[Grace Lynn Keller]

Is Grace Lynn Keller with the Beckers Healthcare Podcast and we are live at the 22nd annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management Conference. I'm currently joined by Dr. Vinay Balamkar who is the CEO at Apollo Pain Center. So thank you so much for being here. Let's start off by having you introduce yourself a little bit further and tell us more about your role in organization.

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

Oh, thank you for having me. This is a great conference. I look forward to it every year. I'm a solo interventional pain provider located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Started my practice about five years ago in the middle of COVID Before that I was a hospital based provider. I provide comprehensive pain management for pretty much all comers. That's my niche, is not turn away any patients saying oh, you're a. I only do this kind of pain or that kind of pain. So we see everything from some medication management all the way to cancer pain, the more advanced interventions, things like that. So it's been a challenging few years trying to address all the broad spectrum of chronic pain.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Absolutely. And let's start our conversation with what trends or shifts you're currently seeing right now in the industry that you think are most important for leaders to pay attention to.

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

So from a chronic pain perspective, it's still the biggest problem patients face. And there are more chronic pain patients than diabetes, heart disease, cancer combined. But what I'm seeing is chronic pain gets a lip service and the multidisciplinary approach. But the way the reimbursement is going and how the payment structure is set up and the service structure is set up, the care is very fragmented and getting a more comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain has been a challenge. Of course, we're all struggling with the reimbursement environment, the inflationary costs and also the cost being transferred onto the patients. So that seems to be the biggest challenge. I call it the best of times and the worst of times kind of quandary because Most patients, honestly, from a medical, technological science standpoint, this is the best time for chronic pain we have got. I would not have imagined all the services and treatment options we have today and actually treat and cure pain. But also at the same time, the limitations placed by payers and things like that is the most extreme at any time it looks like. So I call it the best of times, worst of times.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Absolutely. And let's also touch on staffing and workforce challenges as these continue to be a concern across healthcare. So how is your organization navigating these pressures and what strategies have you seen work?

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

Well, so we are definitely the staffing, especially right after Covid, has been a challenge at multiple levels. I'm trying to find good mid level providers, like advanced practice providers has been a challenge. Also. Just the regular medical assistance and day to day operations has been a struggle. One of the ways we have addressed that is trying more and more virtual assistants, the virtual remote billing type things. So it's a balance. We're trying to make it more of a hybrid. But being a hands on practice, you need people in place. Being in a city surrounded by multiple large organizations like hospital based payers, there's always a competition to get good employees. So that's been a challenge. So we're trying to look at catching them early and highlighting the advantages of a small practice where they get more hands on, they have much bigger role in patient care rather than being pigeonholed in like a big institution where they're like allowed only certain things and they're pigeonholed and they stay there for a long, long time. So with a practice like man, people can grow, develop professionally and have a lot more, I guess, satisfaction in my opinion. And people seem to respond to that.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

And as outpatient care continues to grow, how do you see the role of ASCs evolving within the broader healthcare ecosystem?

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

So ASCs I think the way having worked in a hospital for a long time, I think the ASCs seem like to be poised to play a very important role in delivering healthcare in these days. I mean the things we do in ASCs today were unheard of even 10, 15 years ago. And I think the patients enjoy that. They like the immediacy and the quality of care they get. And also definitely the cost savings from a good ASC is I think critical. I think going forward I see more and more ASCs being a part of the solution.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

And then as we round out our conversation, many organizations are exploring new technologies, partnerships or care models to improve efficiency and outcomes. So are there any innovations or initiatives that you found particularly promising.

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

So I think we can't talk about any advance or disruption without talking about AI. So that's kind of something we're exploring. From simple documentation to all the way to RCM and patient experience management. As a small practice it becomes a little bit more challenging. But I think that's down the pike and we'll all be dealing with that. The other efficiencies are I think patients being more and more involved in their own care. I think it's been where patients were trained that somebody else is responsible for their healthcare. And I think people are starting to realize the out of pocket cost and what they're doing. I think that's helping in many ways to provide better care. And the other promising areas just in the payer, the payment reimbursement structure is the conventional insurance based models are getting tighter and tighter and both employers, patients and independent doctors like ourselves, practices are looking at alternate models of payment like direct care, working with employees and employers and providing true value. Because right now with the conventional model, we are paying so much for administrative cost and unnecessary diversion to profits and other things.

[CareCredit Representative]

So.

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

So I think this is pushing people more towards value based care and that's by that I mean true value based where the value is decided by the employer and the patients who are actually paying for it.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to be here. Is there anything else you'd like to share that we didn't touch on today?

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

I think you touched on most of the issues we're dealing with today. But like I said, it's an exciting time to be in the healthcare profession. The technology, not just in pain, is just exploding and I think we will figure out how to pay for this and how to take care of patients in the long run.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Wonderful. Well, thank you again for being on the Beckers Healthcare podcast and we are recording live at the 22nd annual Spine Orthopedic and Pain Management Conference.

[Dr. Vinay Balamkar]

Thank you. It's my pleasure.