
Summary
Nick Stiles, CEO of Community Medical Services, shares insights on the current state and future of opioid treatment programs during a recent discussion. With over 80 clinics across 14 states, the organization focuses on outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder, serving approximately 28,000 patients primarily through Medicaid. Stiles highlights the company's organic growth strategy, which has allowed them to avoid significant debt and navigate challenges in the healthcare landscape, including potential Medicaid cuts and regulatory changes.
Looking ahead, Stiles identifies volatility as a primary concern, particularly regarding unpredictable changes in funding and regulations. Despite these challenges, he notes that Community Medical Services has experienced strong growth, consistently opening eight to ten new clinics annually. He emphasizes the importance of understanding drug trends and maintaining strong patient engagement, which allows the organization to address not only substance use issues but also broader health concerns.
Stiles also discusses the potential of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, as a key driver for future growth and optimization. He believes that effectively integrating AI into operations can enhance both efficiency and patient care. Additionally, he reflects on leadership qualities, advocating for a style that empowers others and minimizes the leader's visibility, aligning with principles from leadership experts like Jim Collins. Stiles concludes by expressing enthusiasm for upcoming opportunities to further discuss these themes at the Becker's CEO and CFO Roundtable.
Show Notes
In this episode, Nick Stavros, Chief Executive Officer, Community Medical Services, discusses the organization's steady growth, navigating Medicaid and regulatory changes, and the opportunities AI presents for improving care and operations. He also shares his philosophy on servant leadership and empowering teams to drive lasting impact.
More from Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
In this episode, Melanie Heuston, DNP, RN, Chief Nursing Executive, WVU Medicine, discusses innovative nurse education and recruitment programs, strategies to improve retention, virtual nursing and workplace safety initiatives.
In this episode, Ed Ricks, M.H.A., CHCIO, Managing Director for healthcare IT practice at Baker Tilly, and Dr. Jitendra Barmecha, MD, MPH, MACP, SFHM, SVP, Chief Information and Digital Strategy Officer, SBH Health System, discuss EHR optimization, workflow redesign, and measuring technology's impact on patient outcomes. They also explore AI integration, agentic AI governance, and the importance of building trust and improving care rather than simply adding more technology.
In this episode, Matt Davis, Zone Leader of Hospital Patient Monitoring, Philips North America, and Adam Alkhato, Senior Director, Biomedical Engineering & Life Science Technology, Stanford Health Care, discuss how health systems can build a strong foundation for clinical AI through bedside data integration, high-value use cases, measurable ROI and effective governance.
In this episode, Dr. Michael Bass, Global Medical Director, Viome, discusses how microbiome testing and personalized nutrition can help clinicians address persistent GI symptoms, improve clinical decision making, and support earlier pancreatic cancer detection. He also explores emerging trends in AI, preventative care, and the future of clinical practice.
This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Chris Carmody, Chief Technology Officer, UPMC, who discusses using AI to turn growing volumes of healthcare data into actionable clinical insights, reduce fragmentation and create a more seamless experience across care settings.