Early Innovators Podcast

Real conversations with the people reshaping care.

Bold ideas in action from leaders inside health systems, higher education, behavioral health, and federal policy. Hosted by Jim Murray.

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6 episodes · new conversations monthly

What we talk about

Rural Health Behavioral Health Chronic Care Health Policy
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5 episodes

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Ep 05
Rural Health Health Policy
Jun 22, 2026 32:12

A Once-in-a-Generation Moment for Rural Healthcare

Arya Satish (Co-founder, Moodr Health)

Jim Murray and Arya Satish on the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program — what it means for rural hospitals, FQHCs, and behavioral health providers, why this funding isn't a short-term budget fix, and how to align organizational readiness with state transformation plans.

Ep 04
Behavioral Health Chronic Care
Apr 30, 2026 48:16

The Gap Nobody Talks About: Getting Digital Mental Health Tools to the People Who Need Them

Dr. Angela Skrzynski (UA Health, Screen Well, Tandem) · Trina Histon, PhD (Percolating Health)

What it actually takes to move a digital mental health solution from pilot into standard care inside a health system — including crawl-walk-run deployment frameworks, workflows that reduce burden, and the evolving role of AI.

Ep 03
Rural Health Health Policy
Apr 02, 2026 57:51

From Policy to Patient: Closing the Gap in Rural Health Transformation

Jennifer Wendell (former CIO, U.S. HHS) · Avery Muse (former Exec Director of IT Services, HHS)

An honest look at the Rural Health Transformation Program — why $50B in federal funding alone won't move the needle, the real risks of CMS clawbacks, and what makes a platform strategically essential rather than just another point solution.

Ep 02
Rural Health Behavioral Health Chronic Care
Dec 01, 2025 28:06

Bridging Gaps in Care: Prestera's Amber Miller Talks Rural Challenges and Community Impact

Amber Miller (Prestera Health Services)

Prestera's leader on serving West Virginia communities with mental health care, substance use treatment, and crisis support — and how mobile units, telehealth, and locally-rooted staff overcome rural access barriers.

Ep 01
Behavioral Health Health Policy
Sep 11, 2025 28:20

Balancing Act: Innovating for Access, Outcomes, and Data Protection

Arya Satish & Jim Murray (Moodr) · Barbee Mooneyhan (CISO, Uplight)

Our premiere episode, recorded live at the 2025 Nashville Innovation Summit — building behavioral health technology that drives outcomes while protecting the people behind the data.

Be on the show

Are you doing the work we should be talking about?

The most important conversations in healthcare aren't happening on the main stage. They're happening in clinic break rooms, FQHC parking lots, and county health offices. We want to hear from you.

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Behavioral Health Leaders

Clinicians, program directors, or researchers reshaping how mental health care reaches the people who need it.

Rural Health Operators

CIOs, CMOs, FQHC and CAH leaders running care delivery in the communities the rest of healthcare overlooks.

Chronic Disease Innovators

People building, funding, or delivering care models for high-utilizer and complex chronic populations.

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New conversations with the people on the frontlines of care delivery, behavioral health, and federal policy.