Exploring Healthcare Transformation with Dr. Eve Cunningham and Remote Patient Monitoring

In this enlightening episode of The Uprising Show, host Vivek welcomes Dr. Eve Cunningham, the new Chief Medical Officer of Cadence. Join us as we dive into Dr. Cunningham's fascinating career journey from an OBGYN physician to a tech leader in healthcare innovation. 

She shares her insights on the transformation of care delivery systems, embracing technology, and her exciting new role at Cadence—an innovative force scaling remote patient care. As they delve into the future of healthcare, Dr. Cunningham offers her perspective on the impact of AI and the importance of remote care as a standard practice. 

Tune in to learn about the challenges and triumphs in healthcare innovation and what the future holds for this industry. Plus, hear a fun tidbit from Dr. Cunningham's past that you won't want to miss!

Timestamps:

00:00 Career Transition to Cadence Leadership

05:52 Doctors as Entrepreneurs

09:13 "Entrepreneurial Spirit in Medicine"

11:46 Pioneering Virtual Medical Education

14:25 Tech Decisions Without Clinician Input

17:28 Strategic Healthcare Integration Insights

22:40 Costly Chronic Disease Mismanagement

23:50 Remote Care for Elderly Management

30:18 Securing Sponsorship for Clinical Integration

31:27 Remote Care Delivery with Feedback

36:39 Executive Stakeholders in Health Systems

40:26 Building Digital Health Infrastructure

44:24 Cadence's Impact on Healthcare Costs

45:39 Reducing Healthcare Costs and Admissions

50:02 Encouraging Clinical Experimentation

53:21 Early Lisa Frank Model Mystery

55:21 Unique Market Positioning

Quotes, Hooks, & Timestamps:

"Championing Remote Care Innovation": "I am the chief medical officer of Cadence, which is the largest remote care delivery system in the country."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:00:44 → 00:00:50]

"The Spirit of Reinvention": "But one thing about me that you'll see along my career trajectory is that I get, I find challenges and things that I want to do and I make that happen, whether it's a skill that I have to learn myself, like when I learned how to become a robotic surgeon or, or a care transformation program that I want to help stand up."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:09:41 → 00:10:01]

"Bridging Health and Technology": "One of the things that I would say was a little bit of a superpower for me was because I had run a medical group and a clinical service line in the hospital setting, I had a pretty good understanding of how to speak the language of the CFO and like, what things they're going to be looking for, looking at from a strategic perspective and how they're going to be viewing those things."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:17:50 → 00:18:14]

Prioritizing Impact in Healthcare: "I tried to prioritize what we would build and where we would put those resources to things that had like a big, like, had a potential to have a really big impact From a value proposition perspective, both from a quality outcomes impact perspective and financial ROI for the health systems."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:19:17 → 00:19:38]

The Cost of Mismanagement: "But we spend over $500 billion a year on those three diseases that I was telling you about, Chronic hypertension, diabetes, and congestive heart failure. And less than 25% of patients with hypertension are on the right medications and, you know, optimally controlled. Only 50% of diabetics are in decent control, and less than 15% of patients with congestive heart failure on are on the appropriate medications, which we know is associated with. With increased longevity and lifetime. And the reason why is because we don't have a good system in place to get these patients in good control."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:22:40 → 00:23:21]

The Importance of Support at the Clinical Leadership Level: "I think that's really critical to make sure that you have the right sponsorship, because what you don't want is going into a system and there's not support, especially at the clinical leadership level, because they've got to help you sell this thing to together."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:31:26 → 00:31:27]

"The Future of Healthcare": "I truly believe that remote care delivery will be standard of care. It will be table stakes. It will be something that you will need to do in order to manage your panel of patients, a subset of which is health, is aging healthy or has chronic disease burden."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:32:19 → 00:32:39]

"Game-Changing Holy Grail in Healthcare": "Like if you can show that you can break even or a little bit more on fee for service and then reduce total cost of care, that's like game changing holy grail."

— Dr. Eve Cunningham [00:44:56 → 00:45:08]

Unlocking the Future of Healthcare: Insights from Dr. Eve Cunningham on The Uprising Show

In a recent episode of The Uprising Show, host Vivek sat down with Dr. Eve Cunningham, the Chief Medical Officer of Cadence, to explore the exciting intersections of healthcare, technology, and innovation. Dr. Cunningham’s journey from practicing OB-GYN to leading the largest remote care delivery system in the U.S. offers a unique perspective on the future of healthcare.

The Path to Innovation

Dr. Cunningham's career trajectory is a testament to the power of blending traditional healthcare roles with technological innovation. Starting as an OB-GYN, she quickly realized the potential technology holds in transforming patient care. Her work at Common Spirit and Providence underscored a critical need for integrating digital solutions into the healthcare system. By embracing technologies like virtual care and digital health, she paved the way for more efficient, patient-centered care models.

Cadence: Revolutionizing Remote Patient Monitoring

Cadence, the company Dr. Cunningham recently joined, is making significant strides in remote patient monitoring (RPM). Their focus on managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure is addressing some of the most substantial healthcare burdens. Dr. Cunningham highlights that Cadence’s model is not just about technology but also encompasses operations and clinical services to provide a comprehensive care delivery system.

What sets Cadence apart is their scalable approach. By acting as an extension of a healthcare provider’s team, Cadence enables seamless management of chronic conditions remotely. This innovative care model not only promises better patient outcomes but has also been shown to reduce total healthcare costs, a critical factor for healthcare systems operating on thin margins.

Overcoming Challenges in Healthcare Tech Integration

Dr. Cunningham also discussed the challenges of integrating new technologies into existing healthcare infrastructures. Her approach emphasizes strong change management and stakeholder engagement to ensure successful implementation. She believes that having executive sponsorship is crucial for driving innovation in health systems.

Moreover, Dr. Cunningham stresses the importance of starting with "early enthusiastic pioneers" – clinicians and institutions eager to embrace new technologies despite initial hurdles. This strategy gradually leads to broader adoption and sets the stage for transformative change across the healthcare landscape.

The Role of AI in Healthcare’s Future

Looking ahead, Dr. Cunningham envisions artificial intelligence (AI) playing a pivotal role in augmenting clinical decisions. She argues that embracing AI tools is essential for clinicians to avoid obsolescence. By leveraging AI, healthcare professionals can process complex data more efficiently, ultimately enhancing patient care.

Conclusion

Dr. Eve Cunningham’s insights shed light on the exciting potential of technology in revolutionizing healthcare. From her journey in medical leadership to her pivotal role at Cadence, Dr. Cunningham exemplifies how innovative thinking can drive significant improvements in patient care.

As healthcare continues to evolve, the integration of remote care solutions and AI will be vital in overcoming challenges posed by chronic disease management and clinician shortages. By prioritizing strategic partnerships and embracing technological advancements, healthcare systems can achieve sustainable, high-quality care for all.

Dr. Eve Cunningham - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evecunninghammd/

Cadence - https://www.cadence.care/

The Uprising Show Website: https://theuprisingshow.com/

Vivek Nanda's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viveknanda1/

Vivek Nanda's Twitter: https://x.com/vickks

TopHealth Media Website: https://tophealth.care/