High-Tech, High-Touch: Workforce Strategy, Physician Leadership, and the Future of Care

Season 2 of HWL Talks kicks off with a powerful conversation featuring Kent McMackin, Chief Operating Officer of Syncoro Health LLC, Navy veteran, and healthcare leader with more than four decades of experience spanning clinical care, hospital administration, physician services, and workforce strategy.

Kent shares how his early years in clinical medicine and 23-year Navy career shaped his leadership philosophy, grounding it in service, empathy, and accountability. Together with host Tommy Binner, he explores the realities facing healthcare today—from physician shortages and rural hospital closures to chronic disease burden and the evolving role of technology in care delivery.

This episode dives deep into:

• Why workforce strategy directly impacts patient outcomes
• The balance between “high-tech” systems and “high-touch” human connection
• What rural healthcare needs to survive and adapt
• How MSPs and data-driven workforce models can improve retention, reduce cost, and strengthen provider partnerships
• Why honesty, integrity, and listening to clinicians are critical to sustainable healthcare transformation

A must-listen for healthcare executives, workforce leaders, and anyone passionate about building a system that supports providers while keeping patients at the center.