Martha Koo, MD, FASAM, FCTMSS, LFAPA, Chief Medical Officer, Your Behavioral Health

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Overview

Episode: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Guest: Martha Koo, MD, FASAM, FCTMSS, LFAPA, Chief Medical Officer, Your Behavioral Health
Host: Grace Lynn Keller
Date: January 3, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode features an insightful conversation with Dr. Martha Koo, Chief Medical Officer at Your Behavioral Health, about growth strategies, technological innovation in behavioral health, and leadership principles for healthcare executives. Dr. Koo draws on her substantial clinical and executive experience to highlight practical and impactful approaches to delivering high-quality, patient-centered behavioral healthcare.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Martha Koo's Background and Role

• [00:50] Dr. Koo introduces herself as the CMO of Your Behavioral Health, a multi-site, insurance-based organization in Southern California.
  • They offer a "full continuum of care for teens and adults, virtual and in person, for mental health and substance use disorder."
  • Dr. Koo is "double board certified in adult psychiatry and addiction medicine" and was recently president of the Clinical TMS Society.

Growth Strategy for Behavioral Health

• [01:26] On growth over the next 1–2 years, Dr. Koo says the strategy remains:

  "We focus on providing easy access to very high quality evidence based care. And we found that doing that in our communities has continued to allow us to expand and grow really exponentially." – Dr. Martha Koo [01:30]

Exciting and Impactful Initiatives

• [01:52] Dr. Koo points to "leveraging technology" as their most exciting initiative.
  • Efforts focus on both provider and patient experience:
    • Streamlining intake documents
    • Enhancing collaborative care models
    • Considering translation services for greater cultural sensitivity
  • Quote:

    "We're really working hard to streamline both the provider and patient experience... even considering adding translation services so we can be really culturally sensitive as we grow in different communities." – Dr. Martha Koo [01:56]

Advice for Healthcare Executives

• [02:28] Dr. Koo emphasizes a people-centered approach:
  • "Healthcare is a human commodity so they need to invest in people."
  • Importance of supporting both staff and patients, building positive cultures, reducing provider burden, and fostering patient trust.
  • Quote:

    "It's really important to make sure that team members are supported and sustained positive cultures and we're reducing the burdens of the care they have to provide and also focusing on patients... working on strategies and initiatives that convince patients right to trust them and the organization." – Dr. Martha Koo [02:31]

  • Listening to patient feedback and adapting accordingly is essential to "earn and maintain the trust."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growth:

  "We focus on providing easy access to very high quality evidence based care." – Dr. Martha Koo [01:30]

• On Technology and Innovation:

  "We're really working hard to streamline both the provider and patient experience... considering adding translation services so we can be really culturally sensitive." – Dr. Martha Koo [01:56]

• On Leadership in Healthcare:

  "Healthcare is a human commodity so they need to invest in people." – Dr. Martha Koo [02:29]

  "Listening to [patients], giving good feedback and making changes so that we have we earn and maintain the trust." – Dr. Martha Koo [02:48]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:50 – Dr. Koo introduces herself and her organization’s mission
• 01:26 – Growth strategies and focus on high-quality, accessible care
• 01:52 – Technological advancements and culturally sensitive initiatives
• 02:28 – Leadership advice: prioritizing people and trust-building

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Tone and Takeaways

Dr. Koo brings warmth, practical wisdom, and a clear vision for behavioral health leadership. Her approach blends innovation, accessibility, and cultural sensitivity, with a steadfast commitment to both patients and care teams. Listeners are left with actionable leadership advice—invest in people, trust, and continuous adaptation—to succeed in today’s healthcare environment.

Transcript

[A]

This is where Healthcare leadership comes together. Becker's 16th annual meeting brings more than 3,500 hospital and health system executives and nearly 800 speakers to Chicago April 13th through the 16th. This year's event includes keynote conversations with Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman and former President George W. Bush. For the agenda and event details, visit Beckershospitalreview.com and click on the Events tab in the upper right. Looking forward to hosting you in Chicago.

[B]

This is Grace Lynn Keller with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast and we are recording live at the 13th annual CEO and CFO Roundtable. I'm currently joined by Martha Koo who is the CMO at your Behavioral Health. So Martha, thank you so much for being here. I'm going to have you start off by introducing yourself but telling us a little bit more about your background.

[C]

Thank you Grace. Very happy to be here. So as you mentioned, I am the CMO of your Behavioral Health, which is a multi site insurance based Southern California behavioral care company. We offer a full continuum of care for teens and adults, virtual and in person for mental health and substance use disorder. I'm a psychiatrist, double board certified in adult psychiatry and addiction medicine and I'm also the immediate past president of the Clinical TMS Society.

[B]

Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for being here. And let's start with talking about your growth strategy for the next year or two.

[C]

That's a great question. I think our growth strategy is no different than it's always been and it's proven very effective, which we focus on providing easy access to very high quality evidence based care. And we found that doing that in our communities has continued to allow us to expand and grow really exponentially.

[B]

So tell us about the most exciting and impactful initiative or project that you've been working on right now.

[C]

That's a hard question because we always have a lot of exciting and impactful initiatives. But I think I'd have to pick which I think a lot of people are doing now is leveraging technology. We're really working hard to streamline both the provider and patient experience, so working on our intake documents, better collaborative care models, even considering adding translation services so we can be really culturally sensitive to as we grow in different communities 100%.

[B]

And what is the most important thing healthcare executives should do right now to make sure their organizations are successful in the future?

[C]

I think the most important thing healthcare executives need to do is remember that healthcare is a human commodity so they need to invest in people. And when I say people, I'm referring to both workforces in the organization as well as the patients we provide. So I think it's really important to make sure that team members are supported and sustained positive cultures and we're reducing the burdens of the care they have to provide and also focusing on patients that really are really working on strategies and initiatives that convince patients right to trust them and the organization. So listening to them, giving good feedback and making changes so that we have we earn and maintain the trust.

[B]

Wonderful. Well, Martha, thanks so much for joining me today on the Backers Healthcare podcast. Again, we are recording live at the 13th annual CEO and CFO Roundtable.

[C]

Thank you so much.