Podcast
Radio Advisory
Hosted by Advisory Board · EN
A top podcast for healthcare leaders, with over two million downloads, Radio Advisory is your weekly download on how to untangle the industry's most pressing challenges to help leaders like you make the best business decisions for your organization.
From unpacking major trends in care delivery—like site-of-care shifts and the rise of high-cost drugs—to demystifying stakeholder dynamics, to shining a spotlight on priorities that may get overlooked, we're here to help. Our hosts and seasoned researchers talk with industry experts to equip you with knowledge to confront today's unanswered questions in healthcare. New episodes drop every Tuesday. | www.advisory.com
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
299: Is the nursing workforce stabilizing? What leaders should act on now.
2d ago00:30:49Tap to summarizeAfter a decidedly difficult few years in the world of nursing, things have seemingly gotten better — at least, on paper. And that’s reflective of a lot of hard work on the part of nursing leaders. But when we look at how long nurses plan to stay in the profession, we see a different story taking shape. In this episode of Radio Advisory, host Abby Burns is joined by Advisory Board nursing expert Ali Knight and Optum expert Sherilynn Quist. Together, they unpack what today’s workforce data is really telling us and what it misses, the root causes driving nurses’ discontent, and why strengthening the nursing workforce can’t be left to nurse leaders alone. We’re here to help: Episode | 274: The nurse engagement tactic leaders may be missing Expert Insight | Labor costs continue to go up. What does it mean for health systems? Expert Insight | Engage frontline staff to increase margin Webinar | 5 key trends shaping the nursing workforce today Webinar | Inform your workforce decisions with Advisory Board's benchmarks Learn more | Optum Advisory: Sustainable Growth and Margin Consulting 5 strategies to close gaps in bladder cancer care A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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298: Battle of the bots? Separating AI hype from value in revenue cycle
1w ago00:25:36Tap to summarizeAcross the industry, leaders are talking about a “battle of the bots”—with payers and providers racing to deploy AI across the revenue cycle. But that narrative may be more hype than reality. In this episode, Rae Woods is joined by Advisory Board experts Isis Monteiro and Elysia Culver to separate fact from fiction. They break down where AI is actually delivering value today—and why it’s showing up as efficiency gains and cost avoidance, not revenue growth. And they make the case for a different approach: stop chasing AI for its own sake, and start focusing on margin protection, operational discipline, and the problems that actually need solving. We’re here to help: Report | Revenue cycle claims denial benchmarks Report | Addressing plan-provider friction: 3 insights from Optum’s Payer-Provider Abrasion survey Case Study | 3 steps to prevent prior authorization denials Learn | AI in healthcare: Evaluating promising use cases Playlist | Radio Advisory Provider Strategy and Financial Outlook playlist Playlist | Radio Advisory Tech and AI playlist Learn about Advisory Board's 2026 summits A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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297: Consumerism still hasn’t caught on in healthcare. Will it ever?
2w ago00:36:38Tap to summarizeAfter more than a decade of effort, healthcare still struggles with the same consumer pain points: affordability, access, and trust. Despite investments in price transparency, virtual care, and navigation tools, the patient experience remains fragmented, leaving leaders to wonder whether healthcare consumerism ever truly delivered on its promise. In this episode, host Rae Woods invites Advisory Board experts Devin Airey, Shay Pratt, and Natalie Trebes to take a candid look at why the consumer revolution stalled, what consumerism tactics healthcare leaders need to let go of, and where the industry should double down heading into the next decade. We’re here to help: Report | 6 insights on consumer preferences in healthcare Report | Setting up your ambulatory network for the future Expert Insight | 3 strategies to boost healthcare consumer engagement Expert Insight | 3 trends shaping healthcare in 2026 (and how to respond) Playlist | Radio Advisory Provider Strategy and Financial Outlook playlist Subscribe to The Daily Briefing, a must-read daily newsletter for thousands of healthcare executives across the nation A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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296: The real value of price transparency, and how leaders should engage
3w ago00:32:31Tap to summarizeWhat has price transparency data taught us about healthcare prices? Price transparency laws were originally put in place to make it possible for patients to act like consumers. We’re not there yet. But as federal requirements and enforcement tighten, health plans and providers are sharing more and better data, giving us a clearer picture of the price of care across services, organizations, and markets. In this episode, host Abby Burns sits down with CEO of Revelar Analytics, Maria Nikol, to better understand how and why leaders across the industry should leverage price transparency data to help them navigate mounting financial pressures. Maria shares concrete examples of how organizations are using the data to defend rates, uncover underpayment, and prepare for rate negotiations — while also breaking down common data pitfalls and why interpretation matters. They also discuss recent and proposed policy changes and what they mean for healthcare leaders in 2026 and beyond. We’re here to help: Infographic | Real-time transparency Report | 4 steps for successful risk contracting with payers Expert Insight | 3 ways to make VBC contracting easier Learn more | Revelar Analytics l Price Transparency l Home Page 2026 State of Healthcare Procurement: Cost, Quality, Resilience A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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295: How to keep patients on Medicaid amid looming cuts
Apr 2100:31:02Tap to summarizeThe U.S. healthcare system is approaching a major inflection point. Nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts are set to take effect in January 2027, driven by new work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks, and tighter limits on state financing. While the policy changes are months away, their consequences are already clear: millions of Americans are at risk of losing coverage, and provider organizations — many operating on margins near zero — will absorb the downstream impact through rising uncompensated care. In this episode, hosts Rae Woods and Abby Burns are joined by former Optum Executive Director of Product and Strategy Sunay Shah to help healthcare leaders move from “scramble” to strategy. Drawing on lessons from past Medicaid shifts, including redeterminations and state level work requirement experiments, they explain why administrative disenrollment —not ineligibility — is the biggest threat facing patients and providers alike. Together, they break down what health systems can do now to keep eligible patients covered: redesigning workflows earlier in the patient journey, using technology more thoughtfully, partnering with community organizations, state agencies, and operational support partners, and rebuilding trust with patients during moments of vulnerability. We’re here to help: Episode | 288: Health policy update: VBC, site-neutral payments, and 340B Playlist | Radio Advisory health policy playlist Ready-to-Use Resource | Your guide to CMMI’s 25+ innovation models Expert Insight | How policy changes will impact your bottom line White Paper | Navigating the next era of Medicaid On-Demand Webinar | Adapting to the changes in Medicaid policies Want to learn more about how Optum can help? Connect with our team today Register today for the 2026 Advisory Board Summit in Washington, D.C. 2026 State of Healthcare Procurement: Cost, Quality, Resilience A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
Transcribe →On the ground at ViVE 2026: Takeaways on AI and scale
Apr 1600:12:38Tap to summarizeIn this bonus episode of Radio Advisory, managing producer Chris Phelps and host and executive producer Rae Woods compare notes from the 2026 ViVE digital health conference. They break down what stood out on the main stage and the show floor—from where AI is over and under hyped, to why point solutions keep falling short, to what it actually takes to scale technology in healthcare. They also surface the big questions they still have about the healthcare industry’s digital future. We’re here to help: Podcast | Ep. 294: Live from ViVE: How payers can reduce friction when the rules change Podcast | 276: The AI gold rush is changing how humans (and clinicians) make decisions Research | How to succeed using AI: Lessons from 4 leading organizations Expert Insight | Inside CMS' final rule changes for 2026 Podcast | Ep. 205: Live from ViVE 2024: Four leaders on how technology is redefining clinical work A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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294: Live from ViVE: How payers can reduce friction when the rules change
Apr 1400:27:12Tap to summarizePayers are operating at the center of converging pressures: rising costs, accelerating utilization, heightened public scrutiny, and a wave of CMS reforms that are reshaping expectations around transparency, interoperability, prior authorization, and accountability. Medicare Advantage has become the front line for these shifts—exposing tensions between regulatory oversight, margin compression, and growing demands for better member and provider experiences. Against this backdrop, health plans are being asked to do more with less—while proving real value through measurable outcomes, trust, and access. In this episode, recorded in February at the ViVE digital health and healthcare innovation conference, Rae Woods moderates a conversation with payer and technology leaders on how AI and data are being used to reduce payer–provider friction, rethink prior authorization, and improve the member experience—without losing sight of accountability or return on investment. Panelists include: Ali Khan, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Medicare at Aetna (a CVS company) Kay Judge, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Medicare at Blue Shield of California Syed Mohiuddin, MD, Head of Healthcare, Anthropic We’re here to help: Podcast | 276: The AI gold rush is changing how humans (and clinicians) make decisions Research | How to succeed using AI: Lessons from 4 leading organizations Expert Insight | Inside CMS' final rule changes for 2026 Learn more about the ViVE conference Register today for the 2026 Advisory Board Summit in Washington, D.C. Updating COVID-19 management protocols may help address long-term impacts A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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293: The state of AMCs in 2026, and what leaders should watch next
Apr 700:33:26Tap to summarizeAcademic medical centers (AMCs) sit at the heart of U.S. healthcare, driving scientific discovery, providing crucial clinical care, and training the next generation of clinicians. They also face mounting financial pressures and a shifting policy landscape that threatens their ability to sustainably deliver on this tripartite mission. And their complex structures make rapid business model transformation tough — at a time when it has become essential for survival. In this episode, host Abby Burns invites Advisory Board expert Wes Campbell to provide an update on how AMCs are doing amidst the current climate, unpack how and why policy shifts hit AMCs differently than their non-academic peers, and discuss what it will take for AMCs to adapt. We’re here to help: Listen | 285: How Rush University Medical Center is closing the 'death gap' Listen | 264: Research funding is being slashed. What’s the real industry impact? Read | How research funding cuts are impacting healthcare (and how to respond) Use our tool | How policy changes will impact your bottom line Check out | Advisory Board resources on Philanthropy Register today for the 2026 Advisory Board Summit in Washington, D.C. A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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292: Inside the new employer menu of cost-control strategies
Mar 3100:28:33Tap to summarizeEmployer-sponsored insurance is reaching a tipping point. What was once a predictable 2–4% annual increase in employer health spending has given way to double digit growth, driven by surging drug costs, rising utilization across all age groups, and escalating provider rates. For many employers—especially smaller organizations with less margin for error—absorbing these costs is no longer viable. As economic conditions shift and the labor market cools, the balance of power between employers and employees is changing, opening the door to more aggressive cost-control strategies. In this episode, host Rachel (Rae) Woods is joined by Advisory Board expert Sally Kim to unpack what’s behind the spike in employer health costs—and what employers are doing about it. They walk through the full “menu” of options now on the table, from benefit redesign and navigation tools to network strategy, direct contracting, and alternative funding models. The conversation explores what these moves mean for health plans and providers competing for commercial lives—and why understanding employer behavior is no longer optional. We’re here to help: Ready-to-Use Slides | Market outlook for employer-sponsored insurance Listen | Ep. 232: The rise of ICHRAs: Why some employers are turning to the individual market Listen | Ep. 286: A Medicare Advantage reset — and what comes next Expert Insight | How employers are combating the ‘new normal’ for benefits costs with unconventional measures How UT Southwestern closed genomic testing gaps in prostate cancer care A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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291: If you build it, will they buy it? The new rules for proving value in life sciences
Mar 2400:30:07Tap to summarizeFor life sciences companies, access and adoption of clinical products is no longer as simple as demonstrating strong outcomes at a fair price. As payers and providers face mounting financial pressure and operational complexity, they are scrutinizing their partners more closely — expecting clearer evidence, more relevant value narratives, and support that reflects real world constraints. In this episode, host Rachel (Rae) Woods sits down with Advisory Board experts Gina Lohr and Nick Hula to unpack how med tech and pharma companies should adapt their product and partnership strategies. Together, they explore why a single value story no longer works — and how life sciences organizations can better align their products, evidence, and engagement strategies to meet the rising expectations of payers, health systems, ambulatory leaders, clinicians, and patients. We’re here to help: Expert insight | The top 5 trends impacting med tech strategies in 2026 Expert insight | 5 trends shaping pharma strategy for 2026 (and how to adapt) Podcast | Ep. 242: How you should rethink your life sciences-health system partnerships How Highlands Oncology expanded access to oral oncolytics treatment A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.
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