In this episode of The Strategy of Health Podcast, Cole sits down with Dr. Colin Banas, Internal Medicine Physician and Chief Medical Officer at DrFirst, to dive into the evolving landscape of healthcare technology. They discuss how FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is transforming healthcare interoperability, streamlining prior authorizations, and enhancing data transparency. Dr. Banas shares his journey from CMIO at VCU Health to his current role at DrFirst, offering unique insights into the challenges and solutions in electronic health records (EHR), medication management, and the integration of AI in healthcare workflows.00:00 Introduction to FHIR and Its Importance00:27 Meet Dr. Colin Banas00:50 Journey to Medicine02:30 Career at VCU and Transition to Dr. First03:33 Challenges and Innovations in EHR06:06 Joining Dr. First11:30 Improving Medication Management15:26 The Future of Prior Authorization25:09 The Role of AI in Healthcare30:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Cole from the American Journal of Healthcare Strategy is joined by Rick Moreland, founder of Modality Global Advisors. They discuss the current landscape of health policy and equity in the United States and explore strategies that healthcare organizations can implement to address these issues moving forward. Moreland emphasizes the importance of proactive and holistic approaches, addressing social determinants of health, and integrating wellness incentives. He also highlights the role of managed care organizations, telemedicine, and data analytics in transforming care delivery and improving outcomes. The conversation includes insights on leveraging big data for preventive care, reducing ER visits, and the economic impact of shifting towards value-based care. 00:00 Introduction to Healthcare Cost Savings 00:28 Meet Rick Moreland: Healthcare Consultant 01:20 Health Policy and Equity in 2025 02:14 Addressing Social Determinants of Health 04:16 Managed Care and Mobile Health Solutions 05:08 Holistic Approach to Healthcare Consulting 07:34 Shift to Preventive and Value-Based Care 13:25 Big Data and Population Health 18:30 Innovations in Healthcare for 2025 20:29 Geographical Challenges in Healthcare 22:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of The Strategy of Health, host Cole is joined by Dr. Stephanie Toth-Manikowski, a seasoned nephrologist and population health expert at Healthmap Solutions. Together, they explore a bold vision for kidney care: slowing the progression of kidney disease and optimizing renal replacement therapy. This insightful conversation unpacks how intelligent population health management can identify at-risk patients earlier, enabling proactive care coordination and helping patients maintain kidney function longer.Dr. Toth-Manikowski shares her clinical journey—from Harvard and Johns Hopkins to frontline nephrology—and reveals how Healthmap’s multidisciplinary teams of nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and dietitians are making a tangible impact on CKD outcomes. They discuss everything from avoiding unplanned dialysis starts, to educating patients about home dialysis options, to tackling social determinants of health with actionable support.Key themes include:🩺 Early intervention in CKD stages 3–5🤝 Coordinated, personalized care models that reduce ER dialysis starts📚 The power of health literacy, lifestyle changes, and low-cost medications📡 Bridging clinical care gaps with intelligent outreach and real-time data If you’re a healthcare strategist, clinician, or payer looking to understand how tech-enabled, patient-centered models are changing the future of kidney care, this episode is a must-listen.🔔 Subscribe for weekly insights on healthcare transformation.🌐 Visit ajhcs.org for more resources.This video was brought to you by: Healthmap Solutions, learn more at https://healthmapsolutions.com/