Paul Martino, VillageMD, on the retailization of primary care

The Pulse by Wharton Digital Health

In this episode of The Pulse Podcast, we interview Paul Martino, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of VillageMD. Founded in 2013 with backers including Oak HC/FT and Kinnevik, VillageMD is a leading provider of healthcare for organizations moving toward a primary care-led, high-value clinical model. VillageMD works with physician groups, independent practice associations, and health systems to improve quality, deliver a first-rate patient experience, and lower costs in the communities they serve. It has grown to include more than 2,500 physicians across eight markets and is responsible for approximately 500,000 lives and $3 billion in total medical spend in value-based contracts. In July of this year, VillageMD made a big splash by announcing an expanded partnership with Walgreens Boots Alliance, who will invest $1 billion in its primary care partner VillageMD to open 500 to 700 physician-staffed clinics inside its drugstores in more than 30 U.S. markets within the next five years. A 30-year veteran of the healthcare industry, Paul has driven growth and fostered innovation as a health plan executive. Prior to VillageMD, he was Senior Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Innovation at Anthem/WellPoint, where he was instrumental in architecting Anthem’s payment innovation strategy, developing its Patient Centered Primary Care model, and establishing value-based contracts with Anthem’s primary care physician network. Paul also spent his early career at Cigna, Aetna, and Kaiser Permanente. When he isn’t negotiating for a better healthcare system around the country, you can find Paul spending time with his family, traveling for pleasure, or coaching his son’s little-league team.