Building Sustainable Primary Care for Seniors w/ Tom Yackel, MD, MPH, MS, MBA

Health Care Rounds

Value-based care isn’t a new idea—but making it work in today’s fragmented system is anything but simple. In this episode of Health Care Rounds, John Marchica talks with Dr. Tom Yackel, Chief Clinical Excellence Officer at CenterWell Senior Primary Care, about what it really takes to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care to Medicare patients.

Dr. Yackel shares insights from his decades-long career in primary care, informatics, and practice leadership, explaining how CenterWell is scaling value-based care models in communities that need it most. From the business realities of Medicare Advantage to why primary care must be run like a business, not a charity, this is a frank and timely conversation about the future of senior care.
🎙 ABOUT TOM YACKEL, MD, MPH, MS, MBA

Dr. Tom Yackel is a seasoned physician executive with a distinguished career in clinical informatics, graduate medical education, and health system leadership. He currently serves as the Chief Clinical Excellence Officer for Humana’s Primary Care Organization, which includes CenterWell and Conviva Senior Primary Care, which together make up the largest senior-focused primary care group in the United States. The organization delivers comprehensive, team-based care to older adults through a value-based model that strives for patient-centered, quality outcomes for Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage populations across the country.

In his role at CenterWell, Dr. Yackel leads initiatives to advance evidence-based care, specialty programs, clinical education, informatics, and clinical governance. He brings deep expertise in healthcare operations, quality improvement, and health information technology, with board certifications in internal medicine and clinical informatics.

Dr. Yackel has been a strong advocate for graduate medical education and workforce development, particularly in clinical informatics. He played a key role in the early establishment of ACGME-accredited clinical informatics fellowships, contributing to one of the first accredited programs in the country. His work has helped shape medical informatics education and training, ensuring a pipeline of physician leaders proficient in health IT, data-driven care models, and digital transformation.

Prior to joining CenterWell, Dr. Yackel was President of MCV Physicians and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), overseeing clinical strategy and faculty practice operations. He also served as Chief Health Information Officer and Value-Based Care Officer at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), leading enterprise-wide initiatives in health system performance, digital transformation, and value-based care. He has also chaired the American Hospital Association’s Committee on Clinical Leadership, shaping policies and strategies to improve health system/faculty relationships and patient outcomes.

Dr. Yackel earned his medical and public health degrees from George Washington University and holds additional qualifications in medical informatics and business from OHSU. He is a recognized thought leader in electronic health records, value-based care, and clinical leadership, frequently sharing insights through publications and national presentations.

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS

Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

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