Ira Health: The Value Proposition

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"I think if there's anyone in the world who should not be risk-averse, it's a doctor," Farber says. "You can get a job anywhere, right? Like you can pick up the phone and get a job being a clinical doctor in about 10 minutes." She adds that doctors are trapped in the fee for service system because they don't want to spend money on their patients' care. 'Last I checked, when I took my Hippocratic oath, I said I'd serve my patients, not the insurance company.'

Today, we're excited to get to know Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle, previous Chief Innovation Officer of One Medical, an organization dedicated to providing human-centered, technology-powered primary care to people across every stage of life.

In an acquisition that shook the healthcare industry in September 2021, One Medical completed the purchase of Iora Health - a primary care organization that prioritizes human-centered, value-based care. The deal, which amounted to a staggering $1.4 billion, was a testament to Iora Health's success in delivering high-quality care at lower costs, while improving patient satisfaction.

The visionary behind Iora is none other than Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle, who spent decades improving the quality of healthcare delivered to patients. He was the Executive Director of the Harvard Interfaculty Program for Health Systems Improvement, and Managing Director of the Clinical Initiatives Center at the Advisory Board Company. He also serves on the staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital and on the faculty of Harvard Medical School.

In this episode, Dr. Fernandopulle talks about his path to medicine, describes how he started and grew Iora Health, the acquisition by One Medical, and the future of primary care.