Welcome back to Relocalizing Health, the podcast uncovering how communities can take back healthcare from profit-driven systems and put people first. In today’s episode, host Dave Chase sits down with Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle, co-founder of Iora Health and current co-founder of Liza Health, to discuss the next frontier in primary care innovation. With heartfelt stories from the frontlines, Dr. Fernandopulle exposes the perils of fragmented, transactional medicine, where patients are overwhelmed with prescriptions and disconnected from real human care. Together, they explore how redesigning primary care - focused on relationships, not transactions - can restore the American dream for everyday people, improve outcomes, and even lower costs.

Dr. Fernandopulle shares how Iora Health’s pioneering model brought humanity back to healthcare, using health coaches, technology, and a payment approach that actually rewards better health. You’ll hear compelling examples, from helping a socially isolated patient navigate her city to slashing unnecessary medications for complex patients that highlight just how transformative relationship-based care can be.

Tune in for a compelling conversation on the power of independent primary care, the role of technology (including AI), and how communities can push for the changes needed to make healthcare work for everyone. Whether you’re a clinician, an employer, or invested in your local healthcare system, this episode is packed with actionable insights and hope for a better future in healthcare.

Timestamps:

00:00 Exceptional Family-Centric Healthcare Model

05:23 "Meds Roulette: A Risky Routine"

09:43 Patient Accountability Partnership Model

12:33 Seniors' Isolation Addressed by Community Care

16:20 Building Iora Health: Custom EHR Development

19:00 Specialists Outnumber Primary Doctors in the US

23:07 Rethinking Healthcare Systems

25:39 AI in Healthcare Revenue Management

28:54 "Payment Model Shifts in Healthcare"

32:05 Prioritizing Care Over Profit

35:01 Population Management in Healthcare Practices

Restoring Humanity to Healthcare with Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle: Rebuilding Primary Care from the Ground Up