Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

In this episode, Kurt Barwis, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Health, shares how Bristol Health is preparing for its next chapter through strategic growth, operational discipline, and a planned partnership with UConn Health while navigating reimbursement changes, workforce challenges, and evolving care delivery.

In this episode, Bryant Lin, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine at Stanford, Author of Sunshine: An Exploration of Living When You Are Dying, Director of Medical Humanities and Arts, and Co-Director of the Center for Asian Health Research and Education, shares how his stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis reshaped his perspective on medicine, the importance of human-centered care, barriers like prior authorization, and why he remains hopeful about the next generation of physicians.

In this episode, Dan LaVallee, Associate Vice President of Community Engagement at UPMC Health Plan, and Dr. Brandy Hershberger, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Academic Affairs at UPMC, discuss how innovative apprenticeship programs, workforce partnerships, and community engagement are creating sustainable healthcare career pathways and strengthening the future workforce.

In this episode, Dr. Manish Sapra, System Vice President of Behavioral Health and Collaborative Service Lines for CommonSpirit Health, discusses strategies to expand access to behavioral healthcare, strengthen integrated care models, and address growing mental health needs through innovation and collaboration.

In this episode, Joe Avelino, CEO of College Medical Center, reflects on how his military service, nursing background, faith, and personal resilience have shaped his leadership style. He shares lessons on work-life balance, navigating adversity, leading with empathy, and staying focused through both professional and personal challenges.