Doug Long: From Law Firm to General Counsel, Lessons from SSM Health's Legal Leadership

Episode Outline:

[00:00] Introductions and Doug's journey from accounting to healthcare law

[02:31] Top challenges facing health systems today

[04:36] Behavioral health crisis and ED overutilization

[06:39] Physician-hospital partnerships and value-based care

[09:03] AI and technology in clinical decision-making

[10:41] Hospital-at-home services and remote monitoring

[15:16] Medicare's new TEAM program and episode-based payments

[18:19] Leadership advice for healthcare CEOs

[22:10] In-house vs. outside counsel strategies

[25:01] Three key lessons for general counsels

In this episode of How Health Systems Work, hosts Jim Burke and Steve Pratt sit down with Doug Long, former General Counsel of SSM Health, to explore the critical challenges facing today's healthcare systems. Doug shares his unique journey from accounting and corporate law to becoming a healthcare attorney, eventually serving as General Counsel for SSM Health—a 23-hospital, $12 billion health system spanning four states.

The conversation dives deep into the economic pressures reshaping healthcare, where rising expenses outpace reimbursement growth, forcing systems to operate more efficiently. Doug and the hosts examine how artificial intelligence is being leveraged by physicians and pharmacists to enhance decision-making while maintaining clinical judgment, and discuss the growing importance of digital healthcare solutions for younger patients who prioritize speed and convenience.

A significant focus is placed on behavioral health challenges, with Doug sharing SSM's innovative approach of opening the first behavioral health urgent care in St. Louis to address the costly misuse of emergency departments. The discussion also covers the evolution of hospital-at-home services, remote monitoring technologies, and how new Medicare reimbursement models like the upcoming TEAM program are pushing more financial risk onto providers.

Doug offers valuable leadership advice for healthcare CEOs, emphasizing the importance of mission-driven hiring, strategic use of consultants, and investing in proper infrastructure. The episode concludes with Doug's hard-earned wisdom for in-house counsel, including the importance of treating colleagues with respect, preventing surprises through direct communication, and knowing when to seek outside expertise.

This episode provides essential insights for healthcare leaders navigating an increasingly complex regulatory and economic landscape while striving to deliver quality patient care.