Taking the Pulse: a Health Care and Life Sciences Podcast

Heather and Darra welcome back South Carolina’s epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell to discuss the pandemic’s continued stronghold within South Carolina. They cover rising COVID cases throughout the state, virtual and in person schools, vaccine timelines and distributions, and more. Tune in to hear from an expert in all things regarding the pandemic now!

On this week’s episode, Heather and Matthew welcome Lara Hewitt of the South Carolina Hospital Association and Andy Hartung of Self-Regional Healthcare. As heads of a state-wide healthcare association and a medical center, Andy and Lara have been on the frontlines of ensuring that SC healthcare systems have been safe and prepared during the pandemic. Tune in to hear about the impact of unexpected...

This week, Tina and Matthew are joined by Brian Morris, President of Fulcrum Risk Solutions, a full service brokerage firm dedicated to providing holistic risk management and insurance strategies to their clients. We discuss how Fulcrum assists medical practices and other employers as well as COVID-19’s impact on risk management, insurance, benefits and more- listen now!  

On episode 29, Tina and Darra speak with Dr. Addison Livingston,  the owner of Hawthorne Pharmacy and Medical Equipment, a local drugstore that has been serving the midlands for nearly 70 years. We dive in to how the pharmacy sector has evolved in response to COVID-19, the clinical care side of the industry, emerging trends, and much more. Listen now!

This week, Tina and Matthew sit down with South Carolina BlueCross BlueShield executives Matt Shaffer and Dr. Shawn Stinson to discuss how the state’s largest health insurance provider has weathered the pandemic. We cover long-term changes to the industry, innovative strategies to assist the community, and much more- tune in now!

On Episode 27, Heather and Matthew are joined by Deputy Chief Legal Officer Brandon Neal and Assistant General Counsel Mindy Staley of Novant Health. They dive into how the award winning integrated network of hospitals has continued to succeed during the pandemic, the consolidation of hospital systems, and working in the legal department of a healthcare provider. Tune in now!

For episode 26, Heather and Matthew welcome South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Director Josh Baker to discuss how the agency oversees health care benefits for the state and COVID-19’s impact on their services. Tune in now to hear about telehealth, the CARES Act, and more!

Heather and Darra chat with Dr. Anne Cook of AnMed Health, an internal medicine physician with nearly 40 years of experience and a member of the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Cook walks us through what it’s like to work on the frontlines of the pandemic, how medical workers are protecting their mental health, the expansion of telemedicine, and regulatory challenges during the COVI...

On episode 24, Heather and Darra welcome back Representative Murrell Smith to discuss the most recent South Carolina legislative session. We dive into how the Statehouse addressed CARES Act funding, the absentee voting process, rural broadband access, the budget for 2021, and much more – listen now!

For episode 23, Heather and Matthew are joined by Bobby Williams, the co-founder and CEO of Lizard’s Thicket, a local restaurant chain known for its southern home-style food and hospitality. We discuss how the family owned business has adapted to the pandemic, the future of the restaurant industry amid COVID-19, and Bobby’s role as Chair of the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association. Li...

Heather and Matthew sit down with Community Integrated Management Services CEO Peter Leventis to discuss how the independent association, which is made up of 14 federally qualified health clinics, provides care to more than 350,000 patients across South Carolina. We dive into what CIMS is doing to adjust their services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of community health centers in health ca...

On this episode, Heather and Matthew dive into the valuation sector with guest Will Hamilton, a health care valuation consultant with BuckheadFMV. We discuss the importance of fair market valuation in the health care industry and how it has exploded in growth, the financial impact COVID-19 has had on health care providers and how it affects valuations, and more. Listen now!

For episode 20, Heather and Matthew are joined by special guests Angela O’Neal, attorney and Director of Nextra Solutions, along with the legendary Dawn Staley, Coach of the University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball team. We discuss how COVID-19 has dramatically altered the sports industry, what leagues at the college and professional levels are doing to safely bring back games, and how the...

For episode 19, Heather and Matthew sit down with Dr. Bill Massey, the Chief Scientific Officer of Vikor Scientific, to learn about the specifics of COVID-19 testing and how the pandemic has forced the life science company to quickly pivot their business. Dr. Massey, a world renowned neuropharmacologist and pharmacogeneticist, discusses how Vikor has dramatically increased their workforce and equi...

Heather & Darra dive in with South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman to discuss the challenge of operating schools and maintaining instruction during the pandemic. Tune in as we cover strategies for reopening, the delivery of broadband services for virtual learning, how educators and administrators are adjusting, and much more. Listen now!

Heather and Darra sit down with South Carolina Senator and Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey to discuss how the pandemic is impacting the Statehouse- from reopening procedures for schools and plans for absentee voting, to creating a new budget for the state and much more. Hear Shane provide insight on what the South Carolina legislature plans to address during their September session as the COVI...

On this episode, Heather, Matthew and Darra dive into the current landscape of the health care industry and the trends and changes Matthew and Darra are seeing as they serve clients amid the pandemic. They provide insight on how COVID-19 has forced organizations outside of the health care system into participating in major health care decisions, the upward trend in employers closely monitoring emp...

For episode 15, we’re joined by Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina President Tom Keith. Tom and hosts Heather and Matthew discuss how the non-profit world has reacted to COVID-19 and what the Sisters of Charity Foundation is currently doing to support organizations throughout South Carolina. Tom gives insight into how the pandemic has altered how the Foundation assists communities, in...

Heather + Darra sat down with South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services Executive Director Sara Goldsby to discuss how the stress and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on mental health and exacerbated substance abuse issues in individuals throughout the state. We discuss exactly what DAODAS is and their resources for SC citizens, how they've used teleheal...

We jumped into the frontlines of health care workers with this episode, where Heather and Matthew interview Dr. Mitch Nimmich about what it's like to treat COVID-19 patients at Lexington Medical Center. We discuss how his team is doing - and what they are doing to make critical care patients feel more comfortable, even in the isolation of the COVID ward. Dr. Nimmich shares how he and the medical s...

Heather and Darra sit down with Dr. Ada Stewart , a physician at Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center around the Midlands, to discuss the impact that COVID-19 has had on her patients and treatment experiences. They discuss Dr. Stewart's service to largely underserved communities around South Carolina, her growing up without a physician or access to health care, and how she came to work become a do...

For episode 11, we're joined by Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina CEO Rev. Dr. Franklin Fant , and Nexsen Pruet health care attorney Alice Harris makes her Taking The Pulse debut. Dr. Fant, Heather and Alice discuss COVID19's impact on senior living facilities, especially in a place like Presbyterian Communities, which offers a huge range of services for senior citizens (assisted living,...

For ep. 10 of Taking the Pulse, Heather + Matthew sat down with Representative Murrell Smith to discuss COVID-19's impact at the statehouse - everything from how the legislature has (and will) manage the pandemic, to its impact on the state's budget, Medicaid in S.C., and much more. We discuss a few pieces of legislation that are currently in motion (like liability protection) and the status of S....

Heather and Matthew sit down with Mako Medical COO Josh Arant to learn about how COVID-19 sparked innovation for an N.C.-based medical manufacturer. Business was booming - then COVID hit, bringing production to a near stand-still. Now, Mako is producing COVID-19 tests in record numbers, and business is booming in ways Josh never could have imagined a year ago. We chat about the process of becoming...

Heather + Darra sat down with South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) Executive Director Bob Quinn to discuss how COVID-19 has sparked innovation among SCRA member companies, and the impact they are having on S.C.'s health and life science industries. We discuss exactly what the SCRA is (and how you can get involved with them), how SCRA start-ups are chosen, and even some several SCRA success sto...