Taking the Pulse: a Health Care and Life Sciences Podcast

On this episode we're joined by two doctors who, at first glance, may seem to be at cross-purposes. In reality, Dr. James McElligott, Medical Director of the Center for Telehealth at MUSC and Dr. Shawn Stinson, Senior VP of Healthcare Innovation and Improvement at BlueCross BlueShield of SC are actually both working to expand access to health care while serving as stewards of health care resources...

On this episode of Taking the Pulse we welcome Sara Goldsby, Director of DAODAS. She answers questions about how the pandemic has impacted substance abuse disorders and their treatment, and offers insight into some of the troubling trends experts are seeing in the illicit drugs that are coming into our country.  Tune in to learn about the complex and important work Director Goldsby and her te...

On Episode 104 of Taking the Pulse, we're joined by Dr. Nicholas Vafai, Founder and President of Viro Research.  Dr. Vafai tells us about the innovative work he and his father, Dr. Abbas Vafai, are doing at their company, along with some of the unique challenges that come with the complex FDA approval process. Tune in! 

Federally Qualified Health Centers, or FQHCs, are different from your typical healthcare facility in many ways. Joining us to talk about these differences on this episode of Taking the Pulse is Pam Davis, CEO of Little River Medical Center— a FQHC based in Horry County, South Carolina.  Pam explains the many services LRMC offers the community, how they're keeping their employees motivated, an...

On episode 102, we're joined by President and CEO of Self Regional Healthcare, Dr. Matt Logan. He breaks down what it's like to run a hospital as we emerge from a pandemic, and touches on everything from initiatives to boost staff morale to the lessons they learned during that difficult time.  Tune in to hear how Dr. Logan, a native of Greenwood, SC, is serving his home community through his...

⚕️ On Episode 101 of Taking the Pulse we're joined by Lara Hewitt, Vice President of Workforce and Member Engagement at the South Carolina Hospital Association, and Russell Baxley, President and CEO of Beaufort Memorial Hospital.  They break down some of the challenges facing hospitals as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, and what creative solutions they've come up with to overcome those chal...

For this very special 100th episode of Taking the Pulse, we're joined by Nexsen Pruet attorney Marguerite Willis. Marguerite is a highly experienced litigator, and was featured on the cover of the latest Super Lawyers Magazine.  She sits down with hosts Heather and Matthew to dive into the topic of antitrust laws and no poaching. Tune in to hear her expert point of view! 

On Episode 99, hosts Heather and Darra are joined by David Stefanich, Co-founder and CEO of Rymedi, a healthcare technology company based in Greenville, SC. David dives in to the history of Rymedi, what drives their growth and innovation, and how the company is changing the way patients access their medical records. Tune in!

On Episode 98 of Taking the Pulse, Nexsen Pruet attorneys Ralph Barbier and Jennifer Hollingsworth dive in to the history and the tentative future of Certificate of Need programs across the nation and in South Carolina.  How would potential changes to this program affect health care providers and patients? Tune in with hosts Heather Hoopes-Matthews and Matthew Roberts to find out. 

On Episode 97 of Taking the Pulse Ashley Shaw, Executive Clinical Director of 3C Wellness, tells us about her work making mental health care more accessible and approachable for her clients. Tune in with hosts Heather Hoopes-Matthews and Darra Coleman for this informative conversation!

On Episode 96 of Taking the Pulse Dr. Les Hall, Dean of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, talks with us about his role and weighs in on topics in health care and life sciences. Tune in to this conversation with hosts Matthew Roberts and Heather Hoopes-Matthews!

On Episode 95 of Taking the Pulse Edward Bender, General Counsel and Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs for the South Carolina Hospital Association, updates us on a wide array of health care topics– from workforce recruitment and retention, to current legislation being debated by the General Assembly. Tune in with hosts Matthew Roberts and Heather Hoopes-Matthews for this informative convers...

As we celebrate the Gamecock Women’s Basketball second National Championship in 2022, it seems appropriate to reflect back on Coach Staley’s leadership throughout the pandemic. Join Nexsen Pruet’s Angela O’Neal and Coach Staley for an in-depth review of the efforts taken to keep the Gamecocks safe and focused during the height of the pandemic. Leadership then, leadership now.

On episode 94, Tina is joined by Nexsen Pruet Health Care attorneys Alice Harris and Matthew Roberts. Alice and Matthew talk about Nexsen Pruet's reimbursement practice and audit predictions and trends for 2022. Tune in! 

On episode 93, Tina and Matthew are joined by Dr. Melodie Hunnicutt, Executive Director of the James R. Clark Memorial Sickle Cell Foundation, a non-profit organization headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. Dr. Hunnicutt explains the work of the Foundation in education and treatment, and the prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease in South Carolina. Tune in!

On episode 92, Tina and Mathew are joined by Joel Lourie, former South Carolina State Senator and current CEO of Lourie Life and Health. He shares his expert insight on the health insurance marketplace, Medicare, and the challenges consumers face when navigating the options available to them. Tune in!

On episode 91, Tina and Mathew are joined by Matt Walsh, CFO of Blue Sky Pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy headquartered in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. We dive deep into how Blue Sky Pharmacy dares to be different by transforming the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, the growth they have seen as a company, and patient experience with prescription drugs. Tune in! 

On episode 90, Tina and Matthew are joined by Laura Gunter, President of North Carolina BioSciences Organization (NCBio), a state trade association with members across the pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic, clinical research and agricultural biotechnology sectors. We dive deep into how NCBio bridges the gap between policy and science, their progressive business model, and the importance o...

This week, Tina and Matthew welcome Shawn Regan, CEO and co-founder of Rhythmlink International, an organization that champions innovative engineering solutions to improve patient care. Shawn shares his insight on how his company reduces medical costs, the type of products they manufacture, and how Rhythmlink has pivoted amid the ongoing pandemic. Listen now!

Tina and Darra chat with Dr. Emily Touloukian this week, President of Coastal Cancer Center and a leader in cancer care. They discuss how Coastal Cancer Center alleviates the stress that a cancer diagnosis brings on, how telehealth has enhanced the quality of cancer care, and the future of oncology services in South Carolina. Listen now!

This week, Heather and Matthew are joined by Amy Splittgerber, the Executive Director of Healthy Learners, an organization that Matthew has championed as a multi-term board member and Chair. They discuss how Healthy Learners connects school-aged children to health care providers to help remove barriers to school success, how health access affects education performance, and how the organization suc...

Heather and Matthew are joined by Chris Severn, an advocate for price transparency in health care and Co-Founder and CEO of Turquoise Health, a software solution where patients can compare prices and physicians as well as a tool for providers. We dive deep into how the No Surprises Act is transforming health care, including provider compliance, consumerism, and Turquoise Health’s products and busi...

On episode 85, Interim HealthCare of the Upstate CEO Charles McDonough joins Heather and Darra to discuss the impact of COVID in the home health and hospice care industry. They dive into Interim of the Upstate’s expanding and state-of the-art care, the Choose Home Act of 2021, and the future of hospice care amid an ongoing pandemic. Tune in to learn about the next stage of at home care now!

For episode 84, Heather and Matthew welcome family medicine specialist Dr. Saria Saccocio, who has more than 15 years of experience as a primary care physician and health care executive in South Carolina. Dr. Saccocio shares her insight on the role of physicians in health care reform, public health, concierge medicine, and more. Tune in now to hear Dr. Saccocio share her unique knowledge gained fr...

This week, Heather sits down with co-hosts and attorneys Matthew and Darra for a deep dive into 2022 trends impacting the health care industry in the Carolinas and beyond. They share their insights on important topics like the No Surprises Act, provider consolidation, CON, vaccine policies, and much more. Tune in now for their forecast of the health care landscape for the coming year!