Cadence Conversations: Recent Episodes
Cadence
On Cadence Conversations, we'll talk with prominent physicians, healthcare leaders, and tech entrepreneurs about their experience driving innovation and progress.
At Cadence, we believe that everyone deserves to receive the best care possible, and we won't stop working until that vision becomes reality. So join us!
Join host Eve Cunningham, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Dr. Stephanie Lahr, founder of Vital Thread Advisory and one of the earliest physician CIOs in the country.
Stephanie's career has been anything but traditional – from internal medicine hospitalist to CMIO to CIO at Monument Health, then President of Artisight, and now running her own fractional executive advisory practice. In this episode, Drs. Eve and Stephanie trace that journey and dig into what it really takes for clinicians to make the leap into health tech leadership.
Their conversation covers:
- Why the non-traditional physician career path is rarely planned and why that's okay
- How clinical skills like systems thinking, change management, and communication translate directly into health tech leadership
- What it feels like to cross from the provider side to the vendor side, including the isolation nobody talks about
- Why the health tech industry is hungry for physician experience, and what fractional and advisory work looks like in practice
- The gap in community and mentorship for physicians navigating non-traditional careers and what needs to come next
Segments:
- Introduction – Eve welcomes Dr. Lahr and frames her non-traditional career arc
- Origin story – From OB-GYN to internal medicine, and building a hospitalist program in Coeur d'Alene
- The hand-raise moment – How a question to a CEO about EHR led to an informatics career
- CMIO to CIO – How Monument Health's CEO saw something different, and how Chime's CIO bootcamp filled the gaps
- Leading 200 people – What Stephanie misses most about being inside a health system
- Crossing to the vendor side – The pace, the loneliness, and learning to wear the buyer's lens
- The Artisight chapter – Smart hospital technology, startup culture, and what the commercial side taught her
- Speaking it into existence – Why she's thinking about building a new community for physicians in industry
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- Vital Thread Advisory — Why fractional work was scarier than any previous pivot, and why it's working
- Closing advice — Be bold, think outside the box, and never stop learning
Join host Eve Cunningham, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Brian Stein, MD, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Rush University System for Health.
Rush is a leading academic health system in Chicago with a national reputation for quality — ranked in Vizient's top 10 among academic medical centers for 13 consecutive years and a six-time U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll honoree. In this episode, Drs. Eve and Brian explore how Rush has embedded quality into its organizational identity, what it takes to maintain consistent care in an academic medical center, and why remote patient monitoring became a strategic priority.
Their conversation focuses on:
- How Rush treats quality as a brand differentiator rather than a compliance exercise — and the operational principles that make that sustainable
- Why academic medical centers face a unique quality challenge with trainee turnover every 2–4 years, and how tight processes compensate for that churn
- What made Rush an early adopter of remote patient monitoring, and the three-part filter Dr. Stein uses to evaluate any new technology
- Why patient retention on RPM surprised him more than the clinical outcomes — and what's driving long-term engagement
- How to think about short-term clinical wins versus long-term cost savings, and the payer misalignment that makes proving ROI difficult
- Where patient stratification is heading — matching the intensity of remote intervention to individual patient needs
- Where Rush is placing its bets on AI, from diagnostic radiology and pathology to virtual nursing and operational efficiency
Dr. Stein is a partner of Cadence and not compensated for this podcast.
Segments:
- [00:05] Introduction — Eve welcomes Dr. Stein to Cadence Conversations
- [00:39] Origin story — How research on administrative claims data led to a career in quality
- [04:02] Crew resource management — Team-based training and hardwired safety tools at Rush
- [05:46] Blood administration errors — How barcoding through Epic reduced a recurring safety issue
- [07:47] Quality as brand — Why Rush treats quality as a competitive differentiator, not a compliance exercise
- [09:47] Telling the quality story externally — CMS star ratings, US News rankings, and public credibility
- [11:36] Quality in an academic medical center — The trainee turnover challenge and why tight processes matter
- [14:52] Innovation and new care models — Why care beyond the walls became part of Rush's strategy
- [17:28] The case for RPM — Better outcomes, easier provider workflows, and not breaking the bank
- [20:34] What surprised him — Patient retention and engagement exceeded expectations
- [22:13] Evaluating the data — Blood pressure control, goal-directed therapy, and the cost-effectiveness question
- [24:30] Patient stratification — The future of high-touch vs. lighter-touch remote interventions
- [28:05] Research priorities — Short-term clinical wins vs. long-term cost savings and the payer challenge
- [31:50] Chronic disease as a lifetime journey — Why sustained engagement matters
- [33:09] AI at Rush — Augmented intelligence in radiology, pathology, virtual nursing, and access centers
- [36:23] Closing — Optimism grounded in a strong quality culture
Key Takeaways:
- Quality becomes sustainable when it's treated as organizational brand identity, not a regulatory requirement — and when you make it easy for clinicians to do the right thing.
- Academic medical centers face a unique challenge: trainee turnover every 2–4 years means quality can't rely on individual education alone — it must be embedded in process and systems.
- The most surprising outcome of Rush's RPM journey was patient retention — patients stayed engaged for years in a program category where attrition is typically high.
- The future of remote care delivery is patient stratification: matching the intensity of the intervention (high-touch human + tech vs. lighter-touch tech-enabled) to the patient's needs.
- AI's near-term impact in health systems will be augmented intelligence — creating efficiency in diagnostics, operations, and access — not replacing clinical judgment.
Join host Eve Cunningham, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Crystal Broj, Chief Digital Transformation Officer at MUSC Health.
MUSC Health is a leading academic health system serving patients across South Carolina, with a growing footprint and a strong focus on digital innovation to expand access and improve outcomes. In this episode, Eve and Crystal explore what it really takes to drive transformation inside a complex health system—and why success depends far more on workflows and behavior change than on any single technology.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Why leading with problems and not tools is essential to meaningful digital transformation
- How MUSC is approaching access as its top priority, from digital front door to integrated patient engagement
- What it takes to evaluate, implement, and scale new technologies while navigating core systems, IT constraints, and vendor noise
- How AI and automation can reduce workforce burden without simply trying to “hire your way out” of demand
- Why measuring outcomes and continuously reassessing technology performance is critical to long-term success
- How health systems can balance speed, scalability, and real-world operational impact when adopting new solutions
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
Health systems are entering a new frontier, one where innovation isn’t optional, and meaningful change requires creativity, flexibility, and the willingness to rethink how care is delivered. Across the country, forward-thinking organizations are experimenting, adapting, and building new models inside some of the most complex environments imaginable.
Join moderator Chrissy Farr, CEO, Second Opinion in conversations with Dr. Rima Shah, Chief Medical Officer of Ambulatory Care/Population Health, Corewell Health; Tom Jackiewicz, President, University of Chicago Health System; and Cadence’s Chief Medical Officer and host of Cadence Conversations, Dr. Eve Cunningham.
This conversation spotlights what that kind of leadership actually looks like on the ground and what others can learn from it:
- Build vs. buy: When it makes sense to develop in-house, and when partnering is the faster, more durable path
- The unglamorous work: What real clinical, technical, and operational infrastructure is required to support change at scale
- Change agents: Who inside health systems actually drives transformation and why influence often matters more than title
- Signal vs. noise: How to tell which organizations are truly evolving versus experimenting at the margins
- The road ahead: What the future of healthcare delivery looks like and how AI may expand, support, or reshape care models
Cadence was a sponsor of this conversation. Dr. Rima Shah is a partner of Cadence and not compensated for this podcast.
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
Join host Eve Cunningham, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Sunita Koshy-Nesbitt, MD, MBA, Chief Medical and Quality Officer for Texas Health Physicians Group and Chief Quality Officer for the hospital channel at Texas Health Resources.
Texas Health Resources is one of the largest and fastest-growing health systems in the country, serving a diverse and rapidly expanding population across North Texas. In this episode, Eve and Sunita explore what it really takes to lead clinical quality at scale in an environment overflowing with data, constrained by workforce realities, and under increasing pressure to deliver better outcomes without adding burden to clinicians.
Their conversation focuses on:
- How clinical training in electrophysiology shapes a leadership mindset built around signal, noise, and actionable data
- Why health systems must prioritize clinical credibility, workflow simplicity, and scalability when evaluating remote care and digital health solutions
- What frontline physicians actually need from new technology
- How quality, safety, patient experience, equity, and cost are deeply interconnected
- Where AI is already delivering real value by reducing administrative burden and improving clinician experience
- Why operational design is often the root cause of burnout and system failure
- What it looks like to lead systemwide transformation while staying grounded in evidence, outcomes, and day-to-day clinical realities
Dr. Koshy-Nesbitt is a partner of Cadence and not compensated for this podcast.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
Join host Eve Cunningham, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Dave Newman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Virtual Care at Sanford Health.
Sanford Health is the largest rural health system in the United States, serving more than two million patients across a multi-state region in the upper Midwest. In this episode, Eve and Dave explore what rural healthcare reveals about innovation that actually scales, and why some of the most advanced care models in the country are being built far from major urban centers.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Why rural health systems are often the best environments for scaling innovation
- How Sanford has leveraged virtual care to extend specialist access across vast geographies and address workforce shortages
- What it looks like to lead digital transformation while continuing to practice medicine, and why staying close to the bedside matters
- How technologies like ambient documentation and AI-enabled workflows are changing clinician experience and patient connection
- Why innovation without workforce strategy fails, and what sustainable virtual care actually requires
- The myths the industry still gets wrong about rural patients, technology adoption, and access
Patient examples in this episode are anonymized or illustrative. Metrics discussed may be internal.
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
Join host Eve Cunningham, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Krista Drobac, one of the most influential architects of modern telehealth and care-in-the-home policy. As the Rural Health Transformation Program enters its first year of funding, the two explore how policy, payment reform, and technology are converging to reshape rural care delivery.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Why outcomes and evidence, not innovation alone, are now the currency of health policy
How states are approaching Rural Health Transformation funding and what they’re prioritizing first - The role of coalition-based advocacy in unlocking care-at-home, RPM, and workforce flexibility
- How payment models like ACCESS, APCM, and RHTP must align to avoid siloed innovation and provider burden
- What success looks like over the next decade for rural health systems, clinicians, and patients
Krista Drobac is a partner of Cadence and not compensated for this podcast.
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
Join host Dr. Eve Cunningham in conversation with Dr. Shayan Vyas, pediatric intensivist, health-tech leader and Chief Medical Officer at Quadrivia AI, as they unpack the most meaningful shifts in healthcare in 2025 and what those changes signal for the year ahead. From early telemedicine to AI-enabled clinical support, Dr. Vyas has spent more than a decade building technology that actually works for clinicians, making him one of the most experienced physician innovators in the field.
Their conversation dives into:
- How ambient AI finally moved from pilots to enterprise adoption
- Why clinicians’ trust in AI is accelerating faster than expected
- The growing imbalance between patient demand and clinical workforce supply
- How technology can reduce friction, extend reach, and improve access to care
- Predictions for 2026 – from reimbursement instability to the next wave of AI in clinical workflows
- Practical advice for clinicians entering digital health, from “falling in love with the problem” to protecting the art of medicine
Dr. Vyas is not compensated for this podcast.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
Join host Dr. Eve Cunningham in conversation with Dr. Anuj Mehta, Regional Chief Clinical Officer for the Southern Region of Hackensack Meridian Health’s Physician Enterprise, as they discuss his journey from inner-city hospitalist work in the Bronx to senior system leadership. With over 15 years of experience leading crisis response, EHR transitions, operational turnarounds, and major quality improvement initiatives, Dr. Mehta shares how clinicians can grow their impact, build leadership capabilities, and shape the future of care delivery.
Their conversation focuses on:
- How Dr. Mehta’s definition of “impact” has evolved, and the core leadership skills clinicians need as they scale
- Why physicians should “test-drive” leadership before pursuing an MBA, and how to choose the right path
- Building trust, earning buy-in, and spending political capital wisely amongst clinicians
- Fixing access as demand outpaces clinician supply, and using technology to augment rather than replace clinicians
- The future of care delivery, from eliminating the “stupid stuff” that drives burnout to deploying ambient documentation, virtual nursing, and EHR optimizers
The views expressed by Dr. Mehta are his own, and not associated with Hackensack Meridian Health. Hackensack Meridian Health is a partner of Cadence. Dr. Mehta was not compensated for this podcast.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
Join host Dr. Eve Cunningham in conversation with Dr. Jessica Schlicher, Chief Medical Officer, Virtual Care and Digital Health at Providence, as the two discuss Jessica’s journey from family physician to digital health leader, and examine how health systems can build financially sound virtual care programs that reduce clinician burden and improve outcomes at scale.
Their conversation focuses on:
- How Providence and Cadence are moving clinicians from reactive to proactive care
- Building sustainable financial models for virtual and remote care programs
- The clinical and cost-of-care results from Providence’s NEJM Catalyst study
- The role of AI and team-based care in shaping the future of chronic disease management
- Dr. Schlicher is a partner of Cadence and not compensated for this podcast.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Meryl Holt, Head of Legal and Chief Compliance Officer at Cadence, in conversation with Arshad Rahim, Chief Medical Officer of Population Health at Mount Sinai. This episode emphasizes the importance of making value-based care the norm and approaching patients as individuals outside of the traditional clinic setting. It also highlights the value of remote patient monitoring for chronic disease management and the success of Mount Sinai's community paramedicine program.
Their conversation focuses on:
- How telehealth models are shifting the paradigm in health care services.
- The optimization of care delivery through the value-based care approach.
- The benefits of remote monitoring in managing chronic diseases.
- The importance of partnerships in spearheading healthcare transformation.
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
This week Cadence visits the Utica Park Clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma to connect with Dr. Matthew Els, a family physician and Devon Morris, a nurse practitioner specializing in internal medicine.
Their conversation focuses on:
- The influence of remote patient monitoring systems in chronic care.
- Persistent patient monitoring for optimal health results.
- How remote monitoring dramatically decreases hospital stays for patients.
- Efficient administrative practices to help clinicians maximize their time and efforts.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Chris Altchek, Founder & CEO of Cadence in conversation with Kenneth Kooser, MD from Privdence.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Understanding the critical importance of team-based care and remote patient monitoring practices in healthcare.
- Addressing the issues surrounding clinician acceptance of team-based care implementation.
- Keeping up with the ever-changing landscape of patient communication.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Kareem Zaki , Cadence Co-Founder & Board Member in conversation with PMarty Bonick, President and CEO of Ardent Health Services.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Investing in technology and innovation
- Putting the consumer at the center of healthcare
- Embracing partnerships to create better care experiences.
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Denise Streppa, Provider Relations Specialist at Cadence, in conversation with Dr. Amanda Du Sablon from FryeCare Family Medicine in Lenoir North Carolina.
Their conversation focuses on:
- How Cadence is enabling physicians to remotely monitor patients and intervene sooner.
- How Cadence is empowering patients with better access to medication and supplies, improved engagement and adherence, and improved quality of life.
- How Cadence is providing educational resources and data to enable physicians, staff, and patients to track progress and achieve better long-term outcomes.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Dr. Feldman, Chief Medical Office at Cadence, in conversation with Dr. Benjamin Scirica, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and Attending Cardiologist and Director of Innovation for the Cardiovascular Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Their conversation focuses on:
- The effectiveness of remote patient monitoring platforms
- The potential for clinical trials to improve utilization of guideline directed medications
- The use of technology to expand and improve access to care for chronic diseases
For more information on Cadence, visit https://cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Kareem Zaki, Co-Founder and Board Member of Cadence, in conversation with Tim Hingtgen, CEO of Community Health Systems.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Innovation in the healthcare industry
- Using technology to address deficits and improve patient care
- The importance of orienting patients and clinicians to digital advancements
- How to balance digital innovation with human connection
For more information on Cadence, visit https://cadence.care/
This episode features interviews with Dr. Alisia Smith and FNP Twilla Walker. Their interviews focus on each clinician's experience with Cadence and the positive impact that Cadence's platform and technology solution is having on their patients.
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Cadence Co-Founder Kareem Zaki in conversation with Rob Jay, CEO of ScionHealth
Their conversation focuses on:
- The origins of ScionHealth
- The future of telemedicine
- The role that innovation plays in ScionHealth's strategy
- Why ScionHealth entered into a partnership with Cadence
The impact that Cadence's remote patient intervention solution is having on ScionHealth's providers and patients
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Chris Altchek, Founder & CEO of Cadence in conversation with Peggy O’Kane, NCQA Founder & President.
Their conversation focuses on:
- The history and origins of the NCQA
- The need for independent measurement of healthcare quality
- The difficulties in healthcare data collection and usage
- The future of quality care outside the four walls of the hospital
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Chris Altchek, Founder & CEO of Cadence. Chris hosted Aaron Lewis, EVP, Growth and Integrated Solutions LifePoint Health at the recent American Hospital Association Leadership Summit in San Diego.
Their conversation focuses on:
- The goals of the partnership between Cadence and LifePoint Health
- Clinicians' initial reactions to launching a Remote Patient Monitoring platform
- The first clinical data showing a positive impact on both patients and providers
- What the future of the partnership looks like
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Dr. Randy Curnow, Medical Director at Cadence. In this role, Dr. Curnow supports clinical delivery development and execution.
This week, he hosted Dr. Eric Cheung, of South Baldwin Medical Group in Foley, Alabama and Dr. Scott Musick of Northwest Physicians serving communities across Northwest Arkansas.
Their conversation focuses on:
- Each physician's experience working with patients with chronic conditions in the Community Health System
- How they have rolled out Cadence’s remote patient intervention platform
- The positive impact that both physicians' patients have experienced since enrolling with Cadence
- The feedback both have received from their patients about RPM
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Dr. Theodore Feldman, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence. Dr. Feldman has more than 35 years of experience as a cardiologist and specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of complex cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.
Dr. Feldman hosted Dr. Toby Cosgrove, former President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic and current Executive Advisor to a number of startups. Their conversation focuses on:
- Partnerships between healthcare systems and technology companies
- The role that data ownership will play in those partnerships
- How to prove the effectiveness of RPM platforms
- Advice for individuals who are looking to get involved in health tech
For more information on Cadence, visit
https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Chris Altchek, Founder & CEO of Cadence. Chris hosted David Shulkin, 9th Secretary, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Their conversation focuses on:
- The opportunities and challenges in reforming health systems
- How to overcome skepticism around adopting new technologies in healthcare
- The role technology can play in rural health systems
Follow Dr. Shulkin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/davidshulkin and read his blog at https://shulkinblog.com/
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This week’s episode is hosted by Chris Altchek, CEO and Founder of Cadence. Chris talked with Adam Boehler, CEO of Rubicon Founders and the former director of the Innovation Center at the Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services. Their conversation focuses on:
- Adam’s beginnings in healthcare
- Recruiting and building a quality team in healthcare
- The call to public service in healthcare
- Remote patient monitoring and transforming healthcare beyond the four walls of a hospital
Follow Adam on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aboehler
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This episode is hosted by Dr. Theodore Feldman, Chief Medical Officer at Cadence. Dr. Feldman has more than 35 years of experience as a cardiologist and specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of complex cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.
Dr. Feldman hosted Dr. Marat Fudim, an advanced heart failure specialist and cardiologist at the Duke University Medical Center. Their conversation focuses on:
- Remote Patient Monitoring and heart failure
- What the data shows around how RPM technology improves outcomes
- Addressing the biggest questions around how RPM technology can help cardiologists
- What the future will look like for cardiologists, powered by new technologies
Follow Dr. Fudim on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FudimMarat
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
This week’s episode features a thought leader roundtable hosted by Chris Altchek, Founder and CEO of Cadence, to explore how health systems can use technology to deliver better care to their patients. It was recorded live in Nashville, Tennessee and features the following healthcare leaders:
- Dr. Toby Cosgrove; former president and chief executive officer of Cleveland Clinic
- Dr. David Shulkin; 9th Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- David Dill; chairman and chief executive officer at LifePoint Health
- Dr. Lynn Simon; president, clinical operations & chief medical officer at Community Health Systems
For more information on Cadence, visit https://www.cadence.care/
Welcome to the first Cadence Conversation!
To kick off our show, Cadence CEO and Founder Chris Altchek talks with Dr. Omar Lateef, President and CEO of Rush University Medical Center. They discuss Dr. Lateef’s transition from ICU physician to healthcare executive, the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how technology can play a role in creating better outcomes and improving health equity.
For more on Dr. Lateef visit https://www.rush.edu/dr-omar-b-lateef
RUSH University Medical Center is ranked among the top 20 hospitals in the nation. RUSH’s expansion will bring programs nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report to Northwest Indiana, including those in cancer (45th), cardiology and heart surgery (33rd), ENT (45th), gastroenterology and GI surgery (21st), and neurology and neurosurgery (No. 3 in the U.S. and best in Chicago).
RUSH is an academic health system whose mission is to improve the health of the individuals and the diverse communities it serves through the integration of outstanding patient care, education, research and community partnerships. RUSH comprises RUSH University Medical Center, RUSH University, RUSH Copley Medical Center and RUSH Oak Park Hospital, as well as numerous outpatient care facilities. RUSH University, with more than 2,500 students, is a health sciences university that comprises RUSH Medical College, the College of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and the Graduate College.
Fore more information on Cadence visit https://www.cadence.care/
At Cadence, we envision a world where clinicians can seamlessly monitor and treat patients with any disease, any condition, anywhere — delivering the right care, at the right time, at the right place.
We believe that everyone deserves to receive the best care possible, and we won't stop working until that vision becomes reality.
For more information about Cadence visit https://www.cadence.care/blog