Serious mental illness (SMI) is challenging to address. Individuals with SMI die significantly earlier and are nearly twice as likely to have co-occurring physical health conditions as the general population. Yet the current system remains geographically inaccessible, fragmented and burdened by unaddressed social determinants of health.

Sonia Garcia, co-founder and chief growth officer of Amae Health, has seen the system's shortcomings firsthand while caring for her own family. Amae is trying to transform SMI care by combining psychiatry with medical care, nutrition, behavioral coaching and long-term monitoring.

To explain the approach, Fierce Healthcare senior writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya talks with Garcia.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 
Behavioral health utilization is up with anxiety disorders leading demand, report finds 
Amae Health teams up with Google Health to integrate wearables data into SMI care
Psychiatrists' use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses 

Serious mental illness (SMI) is challenging to address. Individuals with SMI die <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12524047/">significantly earlier</a> and are nearly twice as likely to have co-occurring physical health conditions as the general population. Yet the current system remains geographically inaccessible, fragmented and burdened by unaddressed social determinants of health.
Sonia Garcia, co-founder and chief growth officer of Amae Health, has seen the system's shortcomings firsthand while caring for her own family. Amae is trying to transform SMI care by combining psychiatry with medical care, nutrition, behavioral coaching and long-term monitoring.
To explain the approach, Fierce Healthcare senior writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya talks with Garcia.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/trilliant-report-behavioral-health-utilization-telehealth-plateauing" aria-label="Link Behavioral health utilization is up with anxiety disorders leading demand, report finds">Behavioral health utilization is up with anxiety disorders leading demand, report finds</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/amae-health-teams-google-health-integrate-wearables-data-smi-care" aria-label="Link Amae Health teams up with Google Health to integrate wearables data into SMI care">Amae Health teams up with Google Health to integrate wearables data into SMI care</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/psychiatrists-use-biomarkers-could-open-new-window-mental-health-diagnoses" aria-label="Link Psychiatrists' use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses">Psychiatrists' use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Podnosis: the pulse of the healthcare industry. Every week, journalists from Fierce Healthcare dive into some of the industry’s biggest trends. We talk to the experts about what’s important now so you can prep for the future. Hear about all things healthcare, from physician practices to hospital chains and insurance giants—and those that mix all three—plus the tech they use, disruptors looking to compete and people moving the sector forward. Follow Podnosis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podnosis: the pulse of the healthcare industry. Every week, journalists from Fierce Healthcare dive into some of the industry’s biggest trends. We talk to the experts about what’s important now so you can prep for the future. Hear about all things healthcare, from physician practices to hospital chains and insurance giants—and those that mix all three—plus the tech they use, disruptors looking to compete and people moving the sector forward. Follow Podnosis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podnosis

Podnosis: the pulse of the healthcare industry. Every week, journalists from Fierce Healthcare dive into some of the industry’s biggest trends. We talk to the experts about what’s important now so you can prep for the future. Hear about all things healthcare, from physician practices to hospital chains and insurance giants—and those that mix all three—plus the tech they use, disruptors looking to compete and people moving the sector forward. Follow Podnosis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

Integrating care for people with serious mental illness

A growing number of clinicians are looking to work in healthcare as independent contractors, giving them more flexibility over when and how they work.

While this can sound straightforward in theory, a lack of clarity around worker classification can complicate opportunities for these professionals.

The Department of Labor has proposed a new rule, currently undergoing final review, that could change how businesses engage with independent contractors. One expert argues the change would be for the better.

To explain what the rule could mean for healthcare workers and employers, Senior Writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya sits down with Regan Parker, chief legal and public affairs officer at ShiftKey, a platform that connects independent healthcare workers with open shifts at healthcare facilities.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

Department of Labor's proposed foreign worker wage increases are more tough news for healthcare staf… 

A growing number of clinicians are looking to work in healthcare as independent contractors, giving them more flexibility over when and how they work.
While this can sound straightforward in theory, a lack of clarity around worker classification can complicate opportunities for these professionals.
The Department of Labor has proposed a <a href="https://advocacy.sba.gov/2026/03/03/dol-proposes-new-independent-contractor-rule/">new rule</a>, currently undergoing final review, that could change how businesses engage with independent contractors. One expert argues the change would be for the better.
To explain what the rule could mean for healthcare workers and employers, Senior Writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya sits down with Regan Parker, chief legal and public affairs officer at ShiftKey, a platform that connects independent healthcare workers with open shifts at healthcare facilities.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/department-labors-proposed-foreign-worker-wage-increases-are-more-tough-news-healthcare" aria-label="Link Department of Labor's proposed foreign worker wage increases are more tough news for healthcare staf&hellip;">Department of Labor's proposed foreign worker wage increases are more tough news for healthcare staf&hellip;</a>&nbsp;

The future of independent contracting in healthcare

As health plans confront rising medical and administrative costs, payment integrity is evolving from a collection of discrete interventions into an enterprise-wide strategic capability. In this sponsored episode of Podnosis, host Irena Luo speaks with Michael Axt, CEO of ClarisHealth, about why adding specialized vendors alone does not guarantee stronger performance. Without orchestration and end-to-end visibility, payers risk duplicative findings, missed savings, fragmented workflows and greater provider abrasion.

Axt explains how technology and AI can help payers improve payment accuracy, move more determinations earlier in the payment cycle and coordinate interactions with providers. He also considers how orchestration platforms such as Pareo can connect data, give internal teams a shared workspace and provide vendor-agnostic analytics for stronger program oversight. His perspective points toward a future in which payment integrity, utilization management, risk adjustment and other cost-management functions converge around a more connected view of the claim and episode-of-care lifecycle. Listen to the interview to learn more about the operating model shaping the future of payer performance.

As health plans confront rising medical and administrative costs, payment integrity is evolving from a collection of discrete interventions into an enterprise-wide strategic capability. In this sponsored episode of Podnosis, host Irena Luo speaks with Michael Axt, CEO of ClarisHealth, about why adding specialized vendors alone does not guarantee stronger performance. Without orchestration and end-to-end visibility, payers risk duplicative findings, missed savings, fragmented workflows and greater provider abrasion.
Axt explains how technology and AI can help payers improve payment accuracy, move more determinations earlier in the payment cycle and coordinate interactions with providers. He also considers how orchestration platforms such as Pareo can connect data, give internal teams a shared workspace and provide vendor-agnostic analytics for stronger program oversight. His perspective points toward a future in which payment integrity, utilization management, risk adjustment and other cost-management functions converge around a more connected view of the claim and episode-of-care lifecycle. Listen to the interview to learn more about the operating model shaping the future of payer performance.

The strategic shift reshaping payment integrity (Sponsored)

For years, health systems have been working to address their environmental impact. These efforts are largely voluntary and require systemwide buy-in to be effective. Some organizations are more sophisticated in setting sustainability goals and further along in putting them into practice.

Senior Writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya talks with Beth Schenk, Ph.D., chief environmental stewardship officer at Providence, about the climate impacts she has witnessed as a nurse and her health system’s sustainability journey.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 
New procurement guide for hospitals, payers takes aim at AI's environmental impact
In next phase of sustainability, UCI Health, Kaiser Permanente, and others turn to electric hospital… 
How policy, reimbursement incentives, could help healthcare address its climate footprint
'We can't do this alone': Hospitals share lessons from Hurricane Helene to prepare for extreme weath… 

For years, health systems have been working to address their environmental impact. These efforts are largely voluntary and require systemwide buy-in to be effective. Some organizations are more sophisticated in setting sustainability goals and further along in putting them into practice.
Senior Writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya talks with Beth Schenk, Ph.D., chief environmental stewardship officer at Providence, about the climate impacts she has witnessed as a nurse and her health system&rsquo;s sustainability journey.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/health-care-without-harm-ai-procurement-guide-focuses-environment" aria-label="Link New procurement guide for hospitals, payers takes aim at AI's environmental impact">New procurement guide for hospitals, payers takes aim at AI's environmental impact</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals/next-phase-sustainability-uci-health-kaiser-permanente-turn-electric-hospitals" aria-label="Link In next phase of sustainability, UCI Health, Kaiser Permanente, and others turn to electric hospital&hellip;">In next phase of sustainability, UCI Health, Kaiser Permanente, and others turn to electric hospital&hellip;</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/study-incentives-healthcare-address-its-climate-footprint" aria-label="Link How policy, reimbursement incentives, could help healthcare address its climate footprint">How policy, reimbursement incentives, could help healthcare address its climate footprint</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals/we-cant-do-alone-hospitals-share-learnings-hurricane-helene" aria-label="Link 'We can't do this alone': Hospitals share lessons from Hurricane Helene to prepare for extreme weath&hellip;">'We can't do this alone': Hospitals share lessons from Hurricane Helene to prepare for extreme weath&hellip;</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Integrating care for people with serious mental illness

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