Inside the Practice

In this episode of Inside the Practice , Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt sit down with Joey Rapine and Chris Foley to unpack the complex world of the No Surprises Act (NSA) and the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process.  Together, they explore why the legislation was created, how it impacts physician practices today, and the growing challenges providers face when dealing with out-of-network rei...

In this episode of Inside the Practice , Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt unpack some of the biggest trends already shaping healthcare in early 2026—including patient access strategies, payer complexity, AI adoption, and organizational culture.  Drawing from recent conferences and on-the-ground consulting work in practices across the country, Liv and Matt explore how leaders are navigating physician sh...

In this special Inside the Practice episode, Matt Shortt turns the mic toward co-host Olivia Wolf to explore her unconventional leadership journey and the experiences that shaped her approach to leading in healthcare. Olivia shares her evolution from command-and-control leadership to a more collaborative, values-driven style, along with candid insights on burnout, emotional processing, and the imp...

In this episode of Inside the Practice , Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt sit down with Nikki Slusher and Michelle Chouinard of Thrive Payments to talk about one of the most important—and often overlooked—parts of medical practice operations: patient payments and front-end financial communication. Together, they explore how payment technology, patient expectations, and operational workflows intersect,...

In this special Inside the Practice episode, Olivia Wolf turns the mic toward her co-host, Matt Shortt, for a candid conversation about his path through healthcare. From working the front desk in high school to a 15-year clinical career in orthopedics, launching a private practice, and stepping into executive leadership with an MBA. Matt shares the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way: wh...

In this episode of Inside the Practice, we’re joined by Karen Simonton, CEO of The OrthoForum, for a wide-ranging conversation on collaboration, advocacy, and what it will take for independent physician practices to thrive in the decades ahead. Karen shares how The OrthoForum supports physician-owned and physician-led musculoskeletal practices across the country through peer networking, shared lea...

In the pilot episode of Inside the Practice , we sit down with Cathy McDowell, President and CEO of KZA, to explore where KZA has been—and where it’s headed next. With more than 40 years of history supporting independent physician practices, KZA is entering its next chapter with a renewed commitment to helping practices remain financially strong, operationally sound, and focused on patient care. C...