Briana Contreras

Briana Contreras, associate editor of MHE, spoke with Robin Fiorelli, senior director of bereavement and volunteers at VITAS Healthcare, for this week's episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite. Robin and Briana talked about the grief that has affected millions of Americans and millions more throughout the world due to losing loved ones to COVID-19. They also discussed the implications of grief, strategies for coping and efforts underway to help the healthcare industry and consumers train and prepare for a suspected wave of grief that’s to come.

Young and middle-aged adults ages 25- to 64-years old in the U.S. have been dying at higher rates since 2010, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

As the world remains to try and reach a normal with vaccines finding their way into people’s arms, the insurance industry is trying to do the same by this spring.

Recent GoHealth survey suggests many Medicare enrollees, especially older Americans, could be leaving valuable services and cost savings on the table.

In this week's episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite podcast, MHE's Briana Contreras spoke with Dr. Rob Kowal, chief medical officer of the Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure division at Medtronic. The two discussed how remote monitoring and IoT is changing healthcare and how remote technology is also gaining a wide-spread adoption to monitor patients at home who have chronic conditions like heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes.

In this latest episode of MHE Talks: Improving Patient Access podcast, Dennis Bourdette, M.D., professor emeritus of neurology in the School of Medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University, spoke with Peter Wehrwein, senior editor of MHE. Bourdette, a nationally recognized expert on multiple sclerosis, discussed step therapy, tiers, insurance approvals and the need for greater communication between physicians and insurers.

American Heart Association comments on President Biden’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Beccera, who will appear in a hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Senate Committee on Finance on February 23.

The Covid-19 pandemic remains to leave challenges on our economies, well-beings and more. After a year of battling rising Covid-19 cases, other behavioral epidemics such as the tobacco, obesity and mental health epidemic seem to be sky-rocketing.

In this latest episode of the Meet the Board series on Tuning In to the C-Suite podcast, Managed Healthcare Executive's Peter Wehrwein and Briana Contreras speak with Rodrigo Cerda, vice president of clinical care transformation at Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia. Rodrigo is a newer member of MHE's Editorial Advisory Board and in the discussion he shared a bit about himself such as what his personal goals were. The focus of the discussion highlighted a pipeline of clinical care and what's to come, as well as looking at virtual care.

Many moms-to-be are searching for new remote pregnancy monitoring solutions and some tips and facts for those expecting and for prenatal care organizations are included below.

Peter Wehrwein, senior editor of Managed Healthcare Executive, speaks with Mohan Giridharadas, the founder and CEO at LeanTaas, a software and machine learning company. The Santa Clara, California, company’s software enables healthcare systems to maximize efficient use of their infusion centers, operating rooms and other facilities. More efficient use translates into improved access to services for patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Giridharadas explains.

Young adults, in particular, are more likely to seek out and place high value on telemedicine for eye care and those in vulnerable populations are benefitting most, according to an annual vision wellness study by VersantHealth.

Deloitte health report projects a deceleration in health spending, likely creating a U.S. $3.5 trillion “well-being dividend” by 2040. The report shares what the future of health could look like: new business models, emerging technologies, and highly engaged consumers.

MHE's Briana Contreras spoke with Bill Coletti, CEO, and Founder of Kith, a firm serving organizations in communication crisis and reputation management, in this week's episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite. Bill and Briana discussed how working with healthcare leaders during a crisis has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, how leaders in the C-Suite can be prepared for a crisis and what to do in the journey post-crisis.

Employees of Kroger Co. who receive a COVID-19 vaccine will be rewarded with a $100 bonus, according to the supermarket giant.

Johnson & Johnson submitted its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to U.S. regulators recently for emergency use authorization after the vaccine was shown to be effective against illness and preventing severe disease and death.

In this episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite, MHE Associate Editor Briana Contreras spoke with Associate Dean for Equity Inclusion and Research Professor in the College of Nursing at Penn State University, Dr. Sheldon Fields. He is also the first Vice President for the National Black Nurses Association. In celebration of Black History Month, the two discussed racial equity in healthcare and what is being done for patients and nurses of color toward the improvement of the racial and health disparities that take place in care.

Sports have been impacted by the pandemic from professional leagues, to youth and school activities, and even sports medicine. According to Aaron Smith, CEO of orthopedic medtech company, Artelon, sports medicine has become less about bones and muscle, and more about epidemiology.

In this second part of a two-part video series, MHE Senior Editor Peter Wehrwein and Associate Editor Briana Contreras speak with Perry Cohen, Pharm. D., CEO of The Pharmacy Group. Perry has been on MHE's Editorial Advisory Board for over 25 years and has contributed a number of interviews and guest articles toward the publication. In this discussion, Briana, Peter and Perry talked about Sweden, Japan and the United States' response to COVID-19 and Cohen addresses the U.S.'s response under the new President Joe Biden Administration.

MHE Associate Editor Briana Contreras and Senior Editor Peter Wehrwein speak with Julie Olson, senior director of Population Health and Product Development at Navitus, a full pass-through pharmacy benefits management (PBM) company. In this discussion they talked about how Navitus has created a Clinical Engagement Center designed to improve medication adherence and reduce both member and plan prescription costs, while easing benefit transitions. Additionally, they discussed what it means to be a “full pass-through” PBM and how it compares to other PBMs.

In this first of a two-part video series, MHE Senior Editor Peter Wehrwein and Associate Editor Briana Contreras speak with Perry Cohen, Pharm. D., CEO of The Pharmacy Group. Perry has been on MHE's Editorial Advisory Board for over 25 years and has contributed a number of interviews and guest articles toward the publication. In this discussion, Briana, Peter and Perry talked about the current pharmacy benefits market as well as Sweden, Japan and the United States' response to COVID-19.

In this episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite's Meet the Board series, MHE Senior Editor Peter Wehrwein and Associate Editor Briana Contreras speak with Perry Cohen, Pharm. D., CEO of The Pharmacy Group. Perry has been on MHE's Editorial Advisory Board for over 25 years and has contributed a number of interviews and guest articles toward the publication. In this discussion, Briana, Peter and Perry talked about the current pharmacy benefits market as well as Sweden, Japan and the United States' response to COVID-19.

In this latest episode of the "MHE Talks: Improving Patient Access" series, Senior Editor of MHE, Peter Wehrwein, speaks with Harvey Kaufman, M.D., FCAP, MBA, senior medical director of medical informatics at Quest Diagnostics. The two discussed a recent Quest Diagnostics Health Trends report examining healthcare disparities.

Nearly 80% of Americans believe the COVID-19 vaccines will help combat the pandemic, but 71% are concerned about vaccine side effects. Experts say some side effects are not only normal, but are working.

Healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities, and many public leaders have been the first to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in the U.S., but it’s essential to consider disadvantaged communities for phase 2 of vaccine deployment.

In this week’s episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite podcast, MHE's Senior Editor Peter Wehrwein and Associate Editor Briana Contreras spoke with CEO of Syntellis Performance Solutions, Kermit Randa. In the discussion they talked about a recently released survey by Syntellis called the 2021 Healthcare Financial Trends Survey report, which highlights how finance leaders pivoted in 2020 and the way they will continue to evolve in 2021.

MHE's Peter Wehrwein talks with Lloyd Dean, CEO of CommonSpirit Health, and Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., FACOG, president of Morehouse School of Medicine, in this new episode of MHE Talks: Improving Patient Access podcast series. The three discuss the lack of Black physicians in the United States. Of the 22,000 medical school applicants in the U.S. every year, only 1,600 are Black. Dean and Rice created a program that seeks to cross barriers of healthcare and racial disparities by offering more opportunities for students of color in medical school programs.

Sumit Dutta, MD, MBA, of OptumRx, talks to MHE about drug use among Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic and about vaccine distribution to its members in this part two of a two-part video interview series.

There currently aren't enough vaccines in the United States, and between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the two are very important to get their hands on, Sumit Dutta, MD, MBA, of OptumRx, says in this part one of a two-part video interview series.

Briana Contreras of MHE spoke with Josh Claman, CEO of Rimidi about the strong need for a permanent remote patient monitoring, or RPM, reimbursement reform, and how our health industry can come together to influence this change. The two also discussed the benefits of RPM technology for underserved, uninsured or Medicaid populations, and the benefits of RPM during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.