Stabilizing the Rotating Door: The Urgent Need for Strong Healthcare Leadership with Dr. Reshma Gupta, Chief of Population Health and Accountable Care at UC Davis Health

Population health works best when leaders stop chasing shiny tools and start building around what communities actually need. In this episode, Dr. Reshma Gupta, Chief of Population Health and Accountable Care at UC Davis Health, shares how her childhood experiences, clinical training, policy work, and leadership roles shaped her mission-driven approach to healthcare transformation. She explains why population health should be viewed not as a department or contract function, but as a leadership philosophy grounded in community needs, practical strategy, and data-informed decision-making. The conversation explores her work in policy and alternative payment models, as well as UC Davis Health’s efforts to build a regional food system through a food waste-to-health initiative. Dr. Gupta also discusses the future of healthcare, highlighting agentic AI, upstream social needs, and stronger leadership as key drivers of sustainable reform. Tune in and learn how population health, thoughtful innovation, and modern leadership can reshape healthcare from the ground up. Resources Connect with Dr. Reshma Gupta on LinkedIn here. Follow the University of California on LinkedIn and explore their website here!