Quality Matters: A Podcast by NCQA
by NCQA
Welcome to "Quality Matters," the podcast where we unpack the complexities of modern healthcare to shape a brighter future. Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of healthcare quality and innovation, exploring topics such as digital transformation, health equity, and quality standards.Each episode brings together thought leaders, industry experts, and innovators to discuss the latest trends, best practices, and challenges shaping the future of healthcare. With a focus on convening voices from across the industry, "Quality Matters" provides a platform for meaningful conversations and collaboration. Whether you're a health plan leader, a health IT professional, or simply someone passionate about improving healthcare outcomes, tune in to gain valuable insights and actionable strategies for driving positive change in healthcare delivery. Because when it comes to healthcare, quality truly matters. Join us on "Quality Matters" as we shape tomorrow's healthcare today.
Episodes
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Highlights from NCQA's Health Innovation summit
What will define the next chapter of healthcare quality? In this special episode of NCQA’s Quality Matters, Jenna MacPherson revisits some of the biggest conversations from the 2026 NCQA Health Innovation Summit, where more than 1,500 healthcare leaders gathered in Atlanta to explore the future…
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Quality Is Only as Good as the Data Behind It
In Episode 2 of Data Quality Perspectives, host Burke Burnett sits down with NCQA Chief Product and Transformation Officer Vik Wadhwani to examine why modernizing quality measures is not enough on its own. The conversation explores how standards such as FHIR make data easier to exchange, but do…
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Why Doesn't Healthcare Trust It's Own Data
In the premiere of Data Quality Perspectives, host Burke Burnett explores a fundamental question: Why doesn’t healthcare trust its own data? He is joined by NCQA Chief Product and Transformation Officer Vik Wadhwani and physician, engineer and clinical informaticist Dr. David Kendrick. Together,...
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Aging Together: Why Age-Friendly Care Is Everyone's Future
Aging Together: Why Age-Friendly Care Is Everyone's Future As the U.S. population ages, healthcare organizations and health plans are facing an increasingly important question: How do we make sure care is designed around what older adults actually need—and what matters most to them? In this…
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Credentialing: The Unsung Hero of Quality
Credentialing rarely makes headlines, but it plays a critical role in determining how quickly patients can access care, how providers join health plan networks, and how healthcare organizations maintain quality at scale. In this episode of Quality Matters, host Tsveta Polhemus examines why...
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Beyond the App: What Meaningful Digital Engagement Really Looks Like
This episode of Quality Matters examines the growing role of digital wellness and chronic condition management programs and the challenge of measuring what truly matters. Host Rachel Harrington is joined by Peter Robertson of the Purchasing Business Group on Health and California Quality...
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What’s New and What’s Next for Primary Care
This episode of Quality Matters examines primary care’s evolving role and features Karen Johnson of the American Academy of Family Physicians and Jeff Sitko of NCQA. Karen and Jeff outline primary care’s distinguishing focus on patient relationships, the strain on the primary care workforce, and...
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Quality Talks with Peggy O'Kane:: Passing the Quality Torch
In this year-end episode of Quality Talks, Peggy O’Kane, NCQA’s founding President, sits down with Dr. Vivek Garg, incoming President and CEO. Together, they reflect on Peggy’s 35-year legacy of building the nation’s first quality measurement and accreditation programs, and discuss the future of...
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One in Four: Making Disability a Quality Priority
This episode of Quality Matters features Rupa Valdez, Professor at the University of Virginia; Polina Lissin, NCQA Senior Healthcare Analyst; and Elizabeth Ryder, NCQA Assistant Director of Product Management. Together, they unpack the meaning of disability in health care, the importance of...
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How to Know if Your Virtual Care is High Quality
This episode of Quality Matters features Misty Milby, VP of Clinical Business Development at Everlywell, and Claire Mendelson, Product Manager at NCQA. To illuminate what makes virtual care safe, effective and sustainable, Misty and Claire unpack NCQA’s new Virtual Care Accreditation program.…
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Quality Talks with Peggy O'Kane: Wonderful and Broken: Fixing Primary Care in America
In this episode of Quality Talks with Peggy O’Kane, Peggy welcomes Dr. Troyen Brennan, adjunct professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, former Chief Medical Officer at CVS Health and Aetna, and author of Wonderful and Broken. With decades of experience spanning academic medicine…
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How To Make Behavioral Healthcare Better
This episode of Quality Matters features Kate Hobbs, CEO of the behavioral healthcare services company, Author Health. Aiming to help listeners navigate behavioral healthcare’s complexities, Kate outlines four essential dimensions of the field. She also explores how validated clinical tools and...
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Quality Talks With Peggy O'Kane: The Enthusiasm to Engineer a New Kind of Care
In this episode of Quality Talks with Peggy O’Kane, Peggy welcomes Anna Taylor, Associate Vice President for Population Health and Value-Based Care at MultiCare Connected Care in Tacoma, Washington. From the outset, Peggy is captivated by Anna’s clarity, conviction and optimism. Anna doesn’t just...
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AI’s Place in a Quality World
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds is joined by Josh Wymer, Chief Health Information and Data Strategy Officer for the State of Missouri Health Data Consortium. Together, they explore how Missouri is building a smarter health care system that uses AI not just to automate care,...
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Quality Talks With Peggy O'Kane: The Next Five Years in Health Care: Optimism and Opportunity
In this episode of Quality Talks With Peggy O’Kane, NCQA President Peggy O’Kane speaks with primary care and health IT veteran Dr. Marc Overhage. Marc notes that many of health care’s challenges are design problems—and design problems can be solved. The conversation highlights trailblazing models...
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What the Quest for Data Quality is Really About
In this episode of Quality Matters, health IT veteran and standards-editor John D’Amore joins host Andy Reynolds to unpack the deeper purpose behind the push to improve data quality. Drawing on decades of experience, from startups and academic research to national standards and consulting, John...
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Quality Talks with Peggy O'Kane: Primary Care, Medicare and a New Vision of Accountability
In this episode of Quality Talks, NCQA President Peggy O’Kane speaks with Dr. Farzad Mostashari, Co-founder and CEO of Aledade. Farzad brings decades of experience in health IT, policy and primary care transformation to a candid and energizing conversation about what’s holding back US health care...
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CQL and FHIR: Myths, Misunderstandings and More
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds welcomes Bryn Rhodes and Rob Reynolds of Smile Digital Health to unravel two foundational, yet widely misunderstood, technologies in health care: Clinical Quality Language (CQL) and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR). With...
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Quality Talks with Peggy O'Kane: Better Care Depends on Aligning Incentives
In this episode of Quality Talks With Peggy O’Kane, NCQA President Peggy O’Kane speaks with Susan Dentzer, President and CEO of America's Physician Groups. Susan brings her extensive experience in health policy to a rich discussion on the evolution, strengths and future of value-based care,...
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The CGM Era: A New Approach to Diabetes Care
In this episode of Quality Matters, Dr. Richard Bergenstal, Executive Director of the International Diabetes Center, joins host Andy Reynolds to explore the evolving landscape of diabetes care—from the legacy of A1C to the promise of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Rich shares lessons from...
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Quality Talks With Peggy' O'Kane: 'Systemness' is the Key to Better Quality
In this episode of Quality Talks With Peggy O’Kane, NCQA President Peggy O’Kane has an energizing, constructive conversation with Dr. Will Shrank, a Venture Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Will shares his vision for a more cohesive health care system that works based on aligned incentives,...
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A New Approach to an Old Problem: Tobacco
In this episode of Quality Matters, Jules Reich, NCQA Senior Health Care Analyst in Population Health, and Grace Glennon, NCQA Director of Digital Quality Informatics, join host Andy Reynolds to discuss the latest tool in the long crusade against tobacco use: NCQA’s new HEDIS measure, Tobacco Use...
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Getting to the Root of Two Popular Behavioral Health Ideas
In this episode of Quality Matters, Julie Seibert, Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health at NCQA, joins host Andy Reynolds to explore the rise of—and the relationship between—two trends in behavioral health: measurement-informed care and peer support. Julie breaks down how these…
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Quality Talks With Peggy O'Kane: The Hidden Harms of 'Doing More': A Cardiologist's Perspective
In this episode of Quality Talks With Peggy O’Kane, NCQA President Peggy O'Kane sits down with Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiology pioneer and fierce advocate for evidence-based care. Dr. Redberg, who famously served as Editor-in-Chief of JAMA Internal Medicine for 14 years, shares her "Less is More"...
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Reimagining Respiration: The Quest for Better Asthma Care
In this episode of Quality Matters, Tonya Winders, President and CEO of the Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP), joins host Andy Reynolds to unpack the diagnosis and care gaps that plague asthma treatment—from delayed access to spirometry, to underuse of biologics. Tonya explains...
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Quality Talks with Peggy O'Kane: What Must Change for Care to Be Better
In this debut episode of Quality Talks With Peggy O’Kane, Founder and President of NCQA, Peggy is joined by Dr. Sachin Jain, CEO of SCAN Group and SCAN Health Plan, to explore a provocative question: Why isn’t health care better at getting better? Measuring—Not Missing—What Matters: Anxieties…
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Introducing: Quality Talks with Peggy O'Kane
Why isn't health care better at getting better? Join Peggy O'Kane, founder and outgoing president of NCQA, as Quality Talks tackles this critical question. This engaging, limited-series podcast brings together health care's most innovative thinkers and doers to explore powerful ideas and real...
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Trump and the Digital Quality Transformation
In the second episode of our special series on recommendations to the Trump administration, Quality Matters host Andy Reynolds welcomes Ryan Howells, Principal at Leavitt Partners, for an illuminating discussion on transforming digital quality and data exchange.. Ryan shares fresh ideas from the...
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The Next Four Years of Quality: What Trump’s Team Should Do Now
One-hundred days into the second Trump administration, Quality Matters host Andy Reynolds welcomes Eric Musser, Vice President of Federal Affairs at NCQA, for an insightful discussion about NCQA’s recommendations to the Trump administration for improving health care quality. Eric shares ideas to...
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What Have We Learned About Health Care Economics?
In this special edition of Quality Matters, we explore what three powerful conversations have taught us about one of health care’s most pressing and perplexing questions: What do we know about the economics of care in America, and how can we make substantial, sustainable improvements? We look…
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Sneak Preview: Health Quality Forum 2025
In this episode, we sit down with NCQA leaders Stacy Grundy, Rachel Harrington and Kristine Toppe for a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Health Quality Forum 2025, and a discussion about the complexities and possibilities of modern health care, with a focus on data sharing and strategies to...
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Chronic Kidney Disease is a Quality Priority
Why does a potentially deadly condition that affects 1 in 7 adults fly under the radar, undetected and undiscussed? Join us on this episode of Quality Matters as we explore Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), a silent killer that’s finally coming into the limelight of quality improvement. Our...
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Digital Quality Transformation Made Simple
Continuing the last Quality Matters episode, host Andy Reynolds and NCQA Chief Technology Officer, Ed Yurcisin, break down the complexities of the digital transformation in health care quality and explore the importance of high-quality data exchange, particularly in the context of HEDIS reporting...
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Decoding Digital Transformation
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds is joined by Ed Yurcisin, Chief Technology Officer at NCQA, to break down the complexities of digital transformation in health care quality. Ed explains how NCQA’s push for digital measurement cuts through inefficiencies and inconsistencies…
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Bundles 101: An Education in Value-Based Care
On this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds is joined by Brittany Cunningham, Vice President of Episodes of Care and Population Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, to discuss how value-based care is reshaping health care through MyHealth Bundles. By packaging treatments…
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Quality’s AI Future is Now
In this engaging episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds is joined by Aaron Neinstein, Chief Medical Officer at Notable, to explore how AI is reshaping health care. It’s not all robotic efficiency and cold algorithms. Aaron shares how AI takes over repetitive and data-heavy tasks so…
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Unlocking Value in US Health Care
This week on Quality Matters, we dive into a complex discussion on the often perplexing landscape of the health care economy with guest Sanjula Jain, Chief Research Officer at Trilliant Health. This isn’t your standard health policy chat; it’s a bold exploration of how costs, value, and quality...
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Equity Means Everybody
On this episode of Quality Matters, we highlight a thought-provoking panel from the NCQA Health Innovation Summit, featuring experts Dr. Bryan Buckley, Tosan Boyo, Dr. LaShawn McIver, Camille Burnet and Daniel Dawes. The conversation cuts through labels and buzzwords to remind listeners that…
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Getting Clear About Behavioral Health
In this episode of Quality Matters, we dive into the complexities of behavioral health care with Julie Seibert, Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health at NCQA, and Tom Tsang, founding CEO and Chief Strategy Officer at Valera Health. Together, they explore the interconnected challenges of...
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Nine Insights Into Interoperability
This episode of Quality Matters features highlights from the NCQA Health Innovation Summit panel discussion on data interoperability, held on November 1st in Nashville. Moderated by Arcadia’s Aneesh Chopra, the panel explored how to make health data accessible and usable for improving patient…
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Hospital President: Health Equity Verifies Quality
n this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds sits down with Tosan Boyo, President of Sutter Health East Bay Market, to discuss his inspiring journey from Nigerian immigrant to leading a major health care institution. Boyo shares how his early experiences as a patient in a safety-net...
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Women In Quality
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds previews the upcoming Women in Quality panel at NCQA’s Health Innovation Summit. He speaks with Vanessa Guzman, CEO of SmartRise Health and Ella Es Health, who will moderate the panel. Vanessa shares her insights on empowering women in…
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A Win for Value-Based Care in OB-GYN
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds is joined by Dr. Tiffany Inglis, National Medical Director for Women’s and Children’s Health at Carelon Health, to explore the Elevance Health Obstetrics Practice Consultants program. A winner of an NCQA Health Innovation Award, the Elevance...
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When Exchanging (and Trusting) Data Grows Up
On this episode of Quality Matters, we explore the growing importance of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs) with Laura McCrary, President and CEO of KONZA National Network. Laura discusses the pivotal role these systems play in quality care,...
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The New Rules of Data Sharing
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds delves into the transformative impact of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) on health care data interoperability. Joined by Amol Vyas, NCQA Vice President of Interoperability, and Eric Musser, Vice President of…
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The Move to Digital Quality Measurement
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds sits down with Rebecca Jacobson, CEO of Astrata, to explore the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to digital quality measurement in health care. Rebecca offers an in-depth look at the sociotechnical shifts required for this...
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The US Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health
In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds discusses the U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health with its lead author, Dr. Sandra Elizabeth Ford. Dr. Ford, a pediatrician and public health advocate with extensive experience at both local and federal levels, highlights…
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Sex, Gender, Lawyers, and the Law
On this episode of “Quality Matters” with host Andy Reynolds, we explore the vital role of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data in healthcare. Our expert guests, Kellan Baker, Executive Director of the Whitman-Walker Institute, and Dr. Carl Streed, a primary care physician at Boston...
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You Can’t Spell “Equity” Without “IT”
In the first episode of a two-part series titled, 'In Data We Trust,' host Andy Reynolds and Tam Ward, Senior Vice President of Business Strategy and Operations at Oscar Health, discuss the intersection of technology and health care to improve care equity, especially in underserved communities....
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One State’s Billion-Dollar Bet on Better Behavioral Healthcare
Join us for an insightful conversation with North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kody Kinsley, as he shares how growing up without health insurance influences his drive to improve health care access and affordability in his home state. Discover the transformative impact of the...
About this show
Welcome to "Quality Matters," the podcast where we unpack the complexities of modern healthcare to shape a brighter future. Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of healthcare quality and innovation, exploring topics such as digital transformation, health equity, and quality standards.Each episode brings together thought leaders, industry experts, and innovators to discuss the latest trends, best practices, and challenges shaping the future of healthcare. With a focus on convening voices from across the industry, "Quality Matters" provides a platform for meaningful conversations and collaboration. Whether you're a health plan leader, a health IT professional, or simply someone passionate about improving healthcare outcomes, tune in to gain valuable insights and actionable strategies for driving positive change in healthcare delivery. Because when it comes to healthcare, quality truly matters. Join us on "Quality Matters" as we shape tomorrow's healthcare today.
Hosted by
NCQA
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