The Exam Room

How do health systems move from adopting digital tools to building strategies that truly last? In the final episode of this three-part Exam Room Podcast series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor concludes her conversation with Dr. Ami Bhatt, cardiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, by focusing on sustainability, access, and the future of patient-centered care. Dr. Bhatt e...

Is technology pulling health care away from human connection — or helping us get back to it? In Part Two of this three-part series on The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues her conversation with Dr. Ami Bhatt, cardiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, to explore how digital tools and AI can support truly human-centered care. Dr. Bhatt reflects...

What happens when digital innovation meets human-centered care? In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Dr. Ami Bhatt — cardiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology — to explore the evolving role of digital health and what it means for patients and providers alike. Dr. Bhatt shares her journey from caring for adults with cong...

Telehealth is no longer just a temporary solution—it's a permanent part of modern healthcare. In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with telehealth and workflow expert Christian Milaster to explore how health centers can move beyond "bolted-on" virtual visits and build fully integrated, high-quality telehealth programs. This wide-ranging conversation breaks down...

In Episode 3 of our health literacy series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and Dr. Catina O'Leary explore what it really takes for healthcare leadership to support clear communication and meaningful behavior change. Dr. O'Leary shares why health systems often struggle to prioritize health literacy, how external experts can help overcome internal barriers, and why written materials—not just verbal explanation...

Health literacy is not about reading level, it's about relationships, understanding, and trust. In this powerful episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and Dr. Catina O'Leary , President and CEO of Health Literacy Media , discuss how true health literacy starts with empathy and communication, not handouts or digital platforms. Dr. O'Leary explains why health literacy is "a state, n...

In this first episode of our new series on health literacy , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor speaks with Dr. Catina O'Leary , President and CEO of Health Literacy Media . Dr. O'Leary shares her inspiring journey from social work and behavioral research to leading a global nonprofit dedicated to making healthcare communication clear and actionable. They discuss how communication drives behavior change , what i...

In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Andy Mayberry joins Dr. Rhiannon Winsor to discuss what it really takes to build rapport with patients. Using his signature "dinner and a show" philosophy, Dr. Mayberry explains why medicine isn't just about getting the diagnosis right — it's also about connection, empathy, and being real. He shares stories from his 25 years in medicine, showing how h...

In this follow-up conversation with Dr. Andy Mayberry, a longtime rural family physician with Chiricahua Community Health Centers, we explore how to close care gaps and strengthen care for high-risk patients through better data, communication, and teamwork. Dr. Mayberry explains why annual wellness visits are the foundation of preventive care and how consistent provider-patient relationships drive...

In this insightful episode, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Dr. Andy Mayberry , a longtime family physician at Chiricahua Community Health Centers , to explore the art and science of managing high-risk patients . From chronic disease and smoking cessation to care coordination and patient follow-up, Dr. Mayberry explains how proactive communication, preventive screenings, and consistent visits c...

In this powerful follow-up episode, Christian Milaster returns to discuss the Innovation Adoption Maturity Model, a systems-level approach that helps health centers understand where they are, where they're going, and how to get there. He and Dr. Winsor dive deep into what it takes to truly adopt innovation: clinician buy-in, leadership alignment, workflow redesign, and empathetic virtual care. Fro...

In this episode, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor is joined by Christian Milaster, founder of Ingenium Digital Health Advisors, to explore what true innovation looks like in health care; beyond buzzwords and tech trends. Christian draws on decades of experience, from Mayo Clinic to rural health centers, to explain how FQHCs can adopt digital tools and redesign workflows without overwhelming their teams. From s...

J oin Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and Dr. Robert Babyar as they envision the health center of 2030 , where integrated services, mission-driven staffing, and strong community impact define success. Learn how Adelante is working toward being Arizona's top FQHC, why value-based care remains essential, and how creative partnerships can fuel innovation. This episode is packed with ideas to help leaders plan st...

D r. Rhiannon Winsor and Dr. Robert Babyar explore strategies for navigating change without losing sight of your mission. Topics include innovative staff communication tools like "Daily Dose," preparing for potential Medicaid changes, and finding the positives in policy shifts. Whether you're managing a rural clinic or a large urban health center, this episode offers inspiration and practical tips...

From quality metrics to community engagement, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and Dr. Robert Babyar discuss how health centers can measure what truly matters. Learn why data alone isn't enough, how to build partnerships that amplify impact, and ways to align your team around a shared definition of success. Packed with real-world insights from Adelante Health Center, this episode is a must-listen for anyone ai...

Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and Dr. Robert Babyar dive into what it takes to create a health center culture rooted in mission, collaboration, and community trust. They discuss strategies for staff engagement, leadership development, and avoiding "scope creep" so health centers can stay focused on what matters most , patient care. Whether you're leading an FQHC, part of a care team, or working in healthcar...

In the final installment of this three-part series, Shaun Romero joins Dr. Winsor to tackle one of the thorniest problems in value-based care: delayed, disconnected data. They explore how FQHCs and ACOs can work together to reduce data latency, improve patient communication, and automate clinical insights. From forecasting trends to texting patients, Shaun offers pragmatic solutions for transformi...

What if every patient received value-based care , regardless of their insurance plan? Shaun Romero returns to The Exam Room to unpack the cultural and operational shift needed to make this possible. From challenging the fee-for-service "chassis" to reducing clinician burnout, Shaun and Dr. Winsor explore how standardizing care workflows can improve quality, rebuild trust, and reduce friction for o...

In this episode of The Exam Room, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Shaun Romero, co-CEO of Medwest LLC, to explore how frontline innovation and simplified workflows are helping providers thrive in value-based care models. Shaun shares his personal journey, sparked by his wife's experience as a primary care physician, and explains how Medwest is transforming clinical data into actionable insight....

In this episode with Claudia Cometa, she and Dr. Rhiannon Winsor explore the emotional and psychological side of healthcare communication , focusing on illness identity, gr ey space, and how language can either empower or disempower. Claudia shares how to reframe chronic illness, promote patient resilience, and build trust using trauma-informed communication strategies. Ideal for clinicians, healt...

T his episode of The Exam Room focuses on improving the patient experience through simple but powerful changes rooted in customer service and trust-building. Claudia Cometa shares how "unreasonable hospitality" can be a model for transforming care delivery—from warm welcomes to culturally competent staff to designing trauma-informed waiting rooms. We also explore how these changes directly support...

In this e pisode, we go inside the broken healthcare system with Claudia Cometa, founder of Avanti Health Consultants. Claudia shares her journey from clinical pharmacist to full-time patient advocate, highlighting what clinicians often don't realize about patient trauma, medical gaslighting, and communication breakdowns. We discuss how empathy, trust, and shared decision-making can bridge the gap...

Dr. Rhiannon Winsor in this impactful episode as she speaks with Altaf Ibrahim, Director of Quality at Sunset Health, about their remarkable success with breast cancer screenings. Learn how Sunset Health has overcome barriers like patient education, resource limitations, and cultural hesitancy to achieve outstanding performance metrics. Altaf shares actionable strategies, emphasizing empathy, comm...

In this inspiring episode of "The Exam Room," join Dr. Rhiannon Winsor as she talks with Altaf Ibrahim, Director of Quality at Sunset Health in Yuma, Arizona. Altaf shares his remarkable journey from a plastic surgeon in Pakistan to a passionate advocate for preventive healthcare in the United States. Discover how his personal and professional experiences shaped his dedication to chronic disease m...

Do CAHPS scores actually affect your bottom line? In a word: yes. In this final episode of The Exam Room's CAHPS series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Kimberly Gonzalez and Sam Reinhard to connect the dots between patient perception, shared savings, and value-based care. They explore: How CAHPS scores contribute to MSSP and other incentive programs Why low-scoring domains often predict high-c...