Why CKD Patients Fall Through the Cracks and How Healthmap Solutions' Navigators Bridge the Gap

Join Cole Lyons on the Strategy of Health podcast from The American Journal of Healthcare Strategy as he interviews Dr. Howard Shaps, Chief Medical Officer at Healthmap Solutions. Dr. Shaps shares lessons from his career in emergency medicine, health insurance, and consulting—and explains his transition to Healthmap Solutions.They tackle the real-world complexity of chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially when combined with diabetes and hypertension, and discuss how Healthmap uses AI-driven risk models, patient navigators, and care coordination outside the clinic to catch CKD earlier and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. Dr. Shaps details strategies for preparing patients for dialysis and transplants, lowering crash dialysis rates, and reducing hospital readmissions.Get a look inside Healthmap Solutions' technology, operations, and intentional growth—Dr. Shaps’ perspective on where CKD care and population health are headed.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:26 Guest: Dr. Howard Shaps00:48 Career Journey01:36 Joining Healthmap Solutions03:47 CKD Care Challenges04:20 Healthmap’s Approach07:00 Technology & Risk Management11:40 Future of CKD14:15 High-Acuity CKD17:05 Building Care Teams22:47 Closing Remarks