Becker’s Healthcare Podcast with Shondra Williams, President & CEO at InclusivCare

Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Will Riley (Becker's Healthcare)
Guest: Shondra Williams

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Will Riley sits down with Dr. Shondra Williams, President and CEO of InclusivCare, an FQHC serving Greater New Orleans. The conversation explores the daunting challenges facing community healthcare in 2026, including navigating government funding uncertainties, implementing new technology, sustaining morale among staff, and the critical importance of empathetic leadership. Dr. Williams offers candid, optimistic insights on leading through crisis, the shifting landscape of patient coverage, and the opportunities and limitations of emerging technologies such as AI.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to InclusivCare and Its Mission

[00:54]

• Dr. Williams has led InclusivCare for 13 years.
• The organization serves over 9,000 patients in Greater New Orleans.
• Services include: Medical, dental, podiatry, women’s health, behavioral health, and in-house pharmacy.
• Dr. Williams notes:

  “I am very optimistic. That’s why I call it beautiful because lord knows healthcare is quite a challenge… It takes a lot of optimism, vision, innovation and creativity to make it all happen.” (00:54, Shondra Williams)

2. Navigating the Government Shutdown and Patient Access Concerns

[01:59 – 03:31]

• At the time of recording, a government shutdown (over 30 days) creates uncertainty.
• Main concern is not direct funding, but downstream impacts on patients (Medicaid, SNAP cuts).
• Disinformation and fear keep patients away from healthcare.
• InclusivCare focuses on keeping patients informed and engaged despite external turmoil:

  “When they hear things like Medicaid cuts… the last thing that's on their mind is their healthcare. So we are contending with that, making sure we are preventing disinformation…” (02:29, Shondra Williams)

3. Impact of Legislative Changes on Medicaid and Marketplace Patients

[03:54 – 05:07]

• Previewing a “10% reduction” in Medicaid-insured patients transitioning to uninsured status.
• Instability in insurance marketplaces also impacting patients.
• As an FQHC, InclusivCare must participate in new 340B program pilots, which bring desired transparency but increase administrative burden and could slow down payments.

  “We're mostly concerned with the administrative burden… every day counts.” (04:45, Shondra Williams)

4. Financial Implications of Coverage Shifts

[05:18 – 06:04]

• Medicaid reimbursement per visit ($196–$200) could be reduced to minimal patient copays ($40) if patients lose insurance.
• This creates immediate and substantial revenue gaps for the organization.
• Dr. Williams emphasizes they must “plug that gap and try to figure out how to make it work.”

5. Team Structure and the Need for Continuous Upskilling

[06:12 – 07:28]

• InclusivCare has a robust leadership team across medical, pharmacy, dental, HR, finance, and operations.
• The pace and type of challenges change yearly—necessitating ongoing investment in executive development.

  “As leaders we have to upskill almost every day… The challenges are usually not the same challenges.” (06:51, Shondra Williams)

6. Leadership Qualities in Times of Uncertainty

[07:48 – 08:47]

• Dr. Williams credits investment in conferences like Becker’s for executive learning and peer networking.
• Knowledge sharing with other providers is critical, even if they face different (often larger-scale) challenges.

7. Fostering Staff Motivation and Organizational Culture

[08:53 – 09:55]

• Maintaining a strong, intentional organizational culture is crucial to weathering morale challenges.
• Approaches include:
  • Ensuring psychological safety in a high-risk, high-stakes environment
  • Staying competitive on pay and benefits
  • Providing training and promotional opportunities

  “Culture is a big, big, big, important, but yet very complicated hurdle… We try to create a system that’s very intentional on culture.” (09:08, Shondra Williams)

8. Technology, Business Intelligence, and Early Steps with Predictive Analytics

[10:11 – 11:26]

• Introduction of business intelligence was initially met with confusion.
• Now using Athena EMR and additional patient engagement tools.
• Heavy focus on predictive analytics to track fiscal demands and budget, amid regulatory uncertainty.

9. AI in Healthcare: Hopes and Realities

[11:37 – 13:04]

• Dr. Williams shares a key insight from the conference:

  “AI is not going to improve your workflows. If your workflows are not proficient or efficient, then AI is not going to be that tool to help… So that really hit home for me.” (11:48, Shondra Williams)

• Stresses that workflow efficiency must precede AI adoption.
• She remains hopeful about AI’s promise and is committed to keeping InclusivCare on the “cutting edge.”

10. The Critical Role of Empathetic Leadership

[13:32 – 14:24]

• Dr. Williams closes emphasizing empathetic leadership as “critical… to the culture and morale” of the team.
• Special attention to staff well-being must come first, especially as they serve patients with varied skill sets and education levels.

  “Just helping our team members to be able to understand, appreciate, but most importantly, taking care of them first. First is… very important and is a priority of ours.” (14:18, Shondra Williams)

Memorable Quotes

• On optimism in healthcare:

  “I am very optimistic. That’s why I call it beautiful because lord knows healthcare is quite a challenge.”
  (00:59, Shondra Williams)

• On Medicaid cuts and patient priorities:

  “When they hear things like Medicaid cuts… the last thing that's on their mind is their healthcare.”
  (02:23, Shondra Williams)

• On leadership upskilling:

  “As leaders we have to upskill almost every day… The challenges are usually not the same challenges.”
  (06:51, Shondra Williams)

• AI and work processes:

  “AI is not going to improve your workflows. If your workflows are not proficient or efficient, then AI is not going to be that tool to help… So that really hit home for me.”
  (11:48, Shondra Williams)

• On empathetic leadership:

  “Just helping our team members to be able to understand, appreciate, but most importantly, taking care of them first. First is… very important and is a priority of ours.”
  (14:18, Shondra Williams)

Notable Timestamps

• 00:54 — Dr. Williams introduces InclusivCare and shares her leadership philosophy.
• 01:59 — Discusses government shutdown effects and keeping patients engaged.
• 03:54 — Potential impact of legislative changes on Medicaid and the insurance marketplace.
• 05:18 — Financial implications as patients lose coverage.
• 06:12 — Organization and need for continual leader development.
• 08:53 — Discussing personnel culture, staff motivation, and morale.
• 10:11 — Technology and analytics transformation, early steps with business intelligence.
• 11:37 — Hopeful but pragmatic take on AI in clinical and administrative workflows.
• 13:32 — Final thoughts emphasizing empathetic leadership.

Closing Thoughts

Dr. Shondra Williams delivers an inspiring, clear-eyed snapshot of community health leadership in volatile times. Her focus on patient advocacy, staff well-being, and continuous learning—paired with openness to innovation—distills timely lessons for healthcare leaders, especially those serving vulnerable populations. The episode is a candid, forward-looking discussion on the realities and responsibilities of leading through uncertainty.