TCN Talks

In this podcast, Chris interviews Sheila Burke, Senior Public Policy Advisor at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, and Research Faculty / Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard University . Chris and Sheila discuss the staffing challenge and whether it is going to get better or worse during 2023.  Sheila and Chris discuss a research article from a colleague of Sheila’s, Peter Buerhaus, Ph. D.,...

In this podcast, our first of 2023, Chris interviews Tom Koutsoumpas, President and CEO of Capital Caring Health & CEO of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and Carole Fisher, President of the NPHI.   Recently, ProPublica and The New Yorker published an article by Ava Kofman titled, “How Hospice Became a For-Profit Hustle.”  This article put hospice in the ne...

In this podcast, Chris reviews the TCN Talks podcasts from over 2023.  He also shares a great piece of wisdom Teleios and many of it’s members have practiced each year, “One Word.”  This is a much more powerful way to set the tone and intention for your upcoming year and is much more useful than a New Year’s Resolution which seem to wane about 30 days into the New Year.  TCN just released a relate...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Dr. Cameron Muir, MD, FAAHPM, Chief Innovation Officer for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation & Principal and Founder, Cameron Muir Consulting, LLC.  Chris and Dr. Muir talk about why hospices should innovate and how necessary it is today given the changes in the payer landscape and broader healthcare landscape. Dr. Muir shares two...

In this podcast, Chris Comeaux interviews Tina Gentry, Chief Administrative and Advancement Officer at Teleios Collaborative Network.  As we approach the end of the year this is a great time to talk about philanthropy, but not just for end-of-year purposes.  On TCNtalks, we have had several shows this past year focused on the challenges facing the hospice segment.  Given the many challenges, hospi...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Michelle Webb, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, Certified Cultural Intelligence Facilitator, and Unconscious Bias Coach for Duke University School of Nursing.   Chris and Michelle talk about the reality of the staffing crisis and how it is not going to improve.  They discuss, given this reality and challenge, what it will require of leaders: a polarity of...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Meg Pekarske, Partner with Husch Blackwell. Meg and Chris discuss a guide to Hospice Networks that Husch Blackwell put together to help guide the thinking of hospice leaders and their Boards. Meg shares some key need to know regarding why hospices should be thinking about some type of model given the challenges heading our way in the hospice and palliative care fi...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Gloria Brooks, founder of G. Brooks & Associates LLC.  Gloria and Chris discuss some of the fascinating research Gloria has done regarding hospice networks and combinations in the nonprofit hospice space.  Gloria shares 5 key competencies that she has found in her research that are critical for networks or combinations to be successful.   This is a great liste...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Dr. Will Faber. Dr. Faber is a Primary Care Physician, full-time healthcare business consultant, and a TCN Board member.  As healthcare accelerates towards value-based care and reimbursement, hospice and palliative care organizations are well-positioned to be part of the solution to where the puck is going.  However, to be optimally positioned, we must understand...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Lara McKinnis, MS, MT-BC, Music Psychotherapist and Professional Development Specialist for TCN about the alarming trend of staff exhibiting the effects of trauma due to the last two years of overwhelm largely impacted by COVID, at work and at home.  In Spring 2021, TCN launched TCNtalks with a series of podcasts related to mental health and wellbeing tools for le...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Andrew Molosky and Chuck Lee regarding their recent merger of Chapters Health System and Cornerstone Hospice.  Andrew is the President and CEO of Chapters Health System & Chuck Lee is the Chief Administrative Officer and President of Hospice Operations and Board Chair of all Hospice Affiliates for Chapters Health System.  Andrew’s and Chuck’s organizations com...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Carole Fisher.  Carole is the President of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI).  These are challenging times for community-owned, mission-driven nonprofit hospice and palliative care organizations, and there are more storm clouds gathering.  Carole shares from her unique perspective the elements of this perfect storm that we are a...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Christopher Morrissette.  Christopher is the COO of Serious Illness Care and Chief Strategy Officer for Teleios Collaborative Network.  This is a great listen to understand the challenges facing our country due to the rising costs of healthcare and why palliative care and serious illness care is part of the solution.  Christopher lays out how innovation, technolog...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Janelle McCallum, Chief Clinical Operations Officer of TCN to discuss a very thought-provoking subject:    What do Love & Strategy have to do with CAHPS scores?  After many trials and errors trying to figure out why CAHPS scores did not seem to reflect what we often have heard about our “great hospice care,” Janelle McCallum created a framework called “The 5 G...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Jeremy Powell.  Jeremy is the founder and CEO of Acclivity Health which is one of the few companies applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning in the hospice and palliative care space.   Jeremy shares ways his company is working to help improve quality as well as utilizing technology and data to get patients the right care at the right place at the...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Jack Neil.  He is an anesthesiologist, but his real passion is computer programing.  Jack has an interesting perspective on artificial intelligence (AI), so much so Jack’s company he founded, Hank AI, has a tag line “Help the Humans.”  Jack defines what is Artificial Intelligence and then shares where he sees AI being applied in healthcare over the next five years...

Do your Hospice and Palliative Care Boards know what they need to know?  Today?  What about the tomorrow that is quickly headed our way? In this podcast, Chris delivers a monologue about what board members of nonprofit hospice and palliative care programs need to know over the next 3 to 5 years for service on their local community hospice board.   Chris unpacks these problem areas: The External Fo...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Marisette Hasan, President & CEO of The Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care (TCC).  In honor of Black History month, Chris discusses with Marisette what hospice and palliative care organizations short term and long term can do to focus their organization’s journey for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI). Marisette shares great ideas about ho...

In this podcast, Chris interviews Mark Cohen. Mark is the Publisher & Editor of Hospice News Today and a Principal with Cohen-Fyfe Communications. Mark shares how his background in journalism even having worked in the White House on communications and briefings as well as his experience in marketing and messaging in hospice over 20+ years, has positioned him to create the Hospice News Today. I...

In this podcast, Chris hosts one of his greatest mentors, Quint Studer.  Quint’s talents and gifts have helped to shape healthcare for over 40 years across the US and even the world.   Chris starts the podcast thanking Quint and wondering aloud how many organizations that have won Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work can trace the roots of their journey of great cultures back to Quint and his w...

In this podcast (Episode 2 of 2) Chris continues his interview with Kent Anderson, President/CEO, Ohio’s Hospice.  Kent is one of the most strategic minds in the hospice and serious illness world.  In this riveting 2-part series Kent shares a great framework for nonprofit Boards in the hospice and palliative care space to consider.  In this episode Chris asks Kent to elaborate how Boards can do tw...

In this podcast (Episode 1 of 2) Chris interviews Kent Anderson, President / CEO, Ohio’s Hospice.  Kent is one of the most strategic minds in the hospice and serious illness world.  In this riveting interview Kent shares a great framework for nonprofit Boards in the hospice and palliative care space to consider.  There was so much great content this will be a two-part series.  Chris and Kent also...

In this podcast Chris interviews Matt Challberg, the founder and CEO of Tallio.  Matt started to publish the “Leadership Letter” in mid-2019, which consists of interviews with some of the top leaders in the home health, hospice, and palliative care industry in the U.S.  Over these past 3 years Matt has harvested valuable leadership insights and he pays them forward in this great discussion with Ch...

In this podcast Chris interviews Jason Bradshaw who is an Employee Benefits Consultant with USI Insurance Services.  Chris and Jason discuss the strategy of employee benefits amidst the challenging environment of a tight labor force.   Jason shares the challenges facing employers and what he sees organizations doing to address those challenges as well as some innovative ideas in the market place. ...

In this podcast Chris interviews Andy Baxter, the founder of the Cunniff-Dixon Foundation.  The Cunniff-Dixon Foundation was founded out of Andy’s endeavor to make a difference after having experienced one of life’s greatest challenges.  His wife Carley died after a three-year battle with breast cancer.  Reflecting on that experience as he talked to others Andy realized his wife’s experience of ca...