Alumnus at forefront of value-based care

Corbin Catmull (Master of Science in Health Care Management ’19) saw a shift in the health care market. The momentum from fee-for-service care to value-based service models was upending the business of health. Catmull knew he needed advanced skills and knowledge with a modern approach to lead the next generation of health care.

Catmull chose Johns Hopkins Carey Business School for just that reason.

“I wanted to pursue getting a master’s degree to gather resources and study where modern health care was going,” he says. “I chose Carey for the rich research opportunities, case studies, and professional access to learn more than my particular health state system could offer.”

He says he felt confident in his choice of schools during his first course. “At Carey, it was clear right away that what we were studying was advanced and was going to give a different perspective than any other school.”

Now the director of clinical operations for Optum Primary Care, Catmull oversees Utah’s primary care portfolio, including clinics across the state, and is at the forefront of delivering value-based care. For Catmull it’s more than a job. He describes it as his “calling.”

“My professional calling is improving Utah’s health outcomes through exceptional and innovative primary care delivery,” he says.

Catmull manages the quality, cost, performance, and patient experience.  A typical day might include visiting the clinics, checking in with staff, meeting with providers, and interacting with  patients. Catmull also works with senior executives in multi-state markets to bring resources to Utah’s market.

And he credits Carey Business School with providing him with the skills and knowledge that helped him secure his current position — which he calls his dream job.

“While Carey provides top-tier quantitative skill-building opportunities, the interpersonal skill development opportunities were exceptional,” he says. “I was meeting students and professional colleagues and connecting with the country’s top health care leaders and organizations. Channeling those lessons learned has given me the tools to navigate a new market, including collaboration with senior-level executives.”

One of Catmull’s most impactful networking opportunities at Carey came during a course on health care delivery and health systems. For the course, each student was challenged to reach out to a senior-level executive at a hospital or health system. Catmull contacted Charles Chianese, vice president, and chief operating officer at Children’s Specialized Hospital, who agreed to meet with Catmull.

Working with Chianese, Catmull quickly learned that both Catmull’s employer at the time, Valley Behavioral Health, and Children’s Specialized Hospital were looking to innovate with a provider incentive. Catmull used Chianese as a sounding board and proposed a solution to his employer. As a result of Catmull’s pitch, Valley Behavioral Health implemented a new compensation system.

Catmull says he is thankful that Chianese was so generous with his time and wanted to continue mentoring Catmull after he finished his course, but that he wasn’t surprised.

“When you’re at Carey, people want to work with you and want you to succeed because it ultimately helps serve a purpose greater than yourself,” he says. "Studying at Carey builds a spirit of camaraderie that fosters collaboration and innovation for addressing the future of modern health care delivery.”