Becker’s Healthcare Podcast – Episode Summary

Guest: Dr. Waleed Javaid, Chief Quality Officer, WVU Hospitals
Host: Erica Carbajal, Becker’s Hospital Review
Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features a timely conversation with Dr. Waleed Javaid, who recently assumed the role of Chief Quality Officer at WVU Hospitals. The discussion centers on WVU’s strategies during flu season, quality of care amid industry headwinds, shifting care to outpatient settings, and how to maintain high standards and financial sustainability in light of evolving payer dynamics and rising numbers of uninsured patients.

Key Discussion Points

1. Flu Season Preparedness and Capacity Management

[00:30 – 02:29]

• Despite a less severe flu season in West Virginia, WVU Hospitals are proactively preparing for increases in cases.
• Critical steps:
  • Ensuring staff vaccination; mandatory masking for unvaccinated staff.
  • Education for staff and patients to minimize exposures.
  • Planning for potential staffing shortages due to illness.
  • Emphasizing the importance of vaccinations for all.

Notable Quote:
"We start planning ahead... making sure first our staff, all our staff are vaccinated... We educate our staff and our patients... trying to minimize the exposures and then just preparing ourselves in terms of the potential issues that might occur."
— Dr. Waleed Javaid [01:18]

2. Priorities as New Chief Quality Officer

[02:44 – 04:17]

• Dr. Javaid’s immediate focus is aligning quality priorities with patient needs and organizational goals.
• Responsible for multiple departments: patient safety, infection control, patient experience, quality/data analytics, and cardiac registries.
• Stresses efficiency, best possible care, and patient centrality.

Notable Quote:
"We are being more cognizant of the fact that the patient is central to all our activities and that all our activities are for the improvement of the patient care themselves."
— Dr. Waleed Javaid [03:43]

3. Outpatient Care Shift & Its Quality Implications

[04:42 – 06:07]

• Ongoing trend: moving complex care toward outpatient settings, in part due to CMS eliminating the inpatient-only list.
• Outpatient care is less disruptive, more cost-effective, and increasingly the focus for expanding services.
• WVU is investing in patient experience and infection control in outpatient settings and supporting facility readiness.

Notable Quote:
"Outpatient setting is beneficial for majority of our patients... so many services are expanding into our outpatient settings. We have started to focus on the patient experiences in those areas..."
— Dr. Waleed Javaid [05:14]

4. Anticipated Headwinds in 2026

[06:23 – 08:21]

• Major concern: anticipated reductions in healthcare funding from payers, including Medicaid and other insurers.
• Growing tie between reimbursement and quality metrics.
• Heightened focus on efficiency, quality care, and addressing social determinants of health.
• The risk: organizations unable to deliver high-quality care may struggle financially.

Notable Quote:
"The amount of money that is being spent on healthcare is eventually going to decrease... We need to be extremely efficient in what we are doing to... provide higher quality care."
— Dr. Waleed Javaid [06:37]

5. Preparing for an Increase in Uninsured/Underinsured Patients

[09:07 – 13:47]

• The possible expiration of ACA premium subsidies and Medicaid cuts could lead to more uninsured and underinsured patients.
• WVU collaborates closely with financial teams to understand and address the financial impact.
• Emphasizes that current pay-for-performance reimbursement ties financial health to clinical outcomes (e.g., infection rates, complications).
• Quality focus can help offset funding shortfalls by reducing preventable complications and length of stay, thereby decreasing costs.
• Commitment to a “relentless pursuit of excellence” in quality improvement.

Memorable Advice:
"Patients don't come to the hospital because they want to be in a hospital... We need to fix their illness, their injury, their need, very, very quickly so that they are out and about, back to their lives."
— Dr. Waleed Javaid [12:34]

Notable Quote:
"This year... is going to be a relentless pursuit of excellence for us. We will be just being relentless anywhere there's an opportunity... to make sure our patients are getting the highest quality of care."
— Dr. Waleed Javaid [12:56]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the dual impact of quality and finance:
  "...meeting the moment, if you will, for quality and how it's more important than ever... having that show up in the financial positioning of the organization as well."
  — Erica Carbajal [13:47]
• Dr. Javaid’s closing thought:
  "I would love to continue to have this conversation because this is an important conversation for us to have for our listeners to also understand how important is to improve the quality of care for everyone's benefit."
  — Dr. Waleed Javaid [14:33]

Important Timestamps

• Flu season & preparedness: 00:30–02:29
• Quality officer's early focus: 02:44–04:17
• Ambulatory/outpatient quality: 04:42–06:07
• Challenges in 2026: 06:23–08:21
• Strategies for payer changes & uninsured: 09:07–13:47

Summary Takeaways

• WVU Hospitals are proactively managing flu season and focusing on vaccination, education, and capacity challenges.
• New leadership is prioritizing efficiency, quality, and a patient-centered approach across departments.
• The shift to outpatient care requires renewed quality and compliance efforts.
• Anticipated financial pressures necessitate operational efficiency and relentless quality improvement, particularly with more reimbursement tied to clinical performance.
• The potential rise in uninsured/underinsured patients heightens the need for collaboration between clinical and financial teams and a laser focus on optimal patient outcomes.
• Continuous improvement and adaptability are critical for hospitals facing changing payment models and regulatory shifts.