In this episode of the Advancing Healthcare Innovation Show, host Michael Stamatinos sits down with Sean O’Connor, a retired Navy officer and the President and Co-Founder of DexCare. This conversation explores one of the most pressing issues facing the country today: access to care for veterans and the urgent need to modernize the VA.
Over the past several months, Sean has met with more than a dozen members of Congress to discuss how the VA can improve access to care, especially mental health services, without increasing spending. As the veteran community continues to lose 18 people a day to suicide, the need for better coordination, better tools, and better service has never been clearer.
Throughout this episode, Sean shares stories drawn from his military background, his work in health technology, and his personal experiences navigating care on behalf of his family. He also breaks down the origins of DexCare, how it was built inside Providence, and why access problems are often really capacity problems in disguise.
This episode includes insights on:
• The access challenges veterans face in both urban and rural communities
• Why the VA scheduling experience varies dramatically by location
• The real scale of unused appointments inside VA systems
• How DexCare surfaced from Providence to address a major access gap
• The growing role of AI in simplifying healthcare workflows
• The cultural tension between innovation and the day to day pressures inside health systems
• What gives Sean hope about the future of access
Along the way, Sean discusses leadership lessons from the Navy, the emotional impact of 9/11 on his family, and the personal mission that drives his work.
For anyone working in digital health, health system operations, government policy, veteran advocacy, or healthcare innovation, this conversation offers meaningful perspective and practical insight.
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to the episode
01:00 Introduction to Sean O’Connor
03:25 Military roots and early foundation
06:00 The push for VA modernization
09:40 Access challenges in rural America
12:30 Leadership habits from the Navy
14:30 The early days of DexCare inside Providence
17:50 The turning point around capacity and access
21:30 Common myths about scheduling and digital access
24:20 Collaboration in digital health
26:20 Tension inside the VA system
27:20 The scale of unused VA appointments
30:50 Variability in scheduling experiences
31:40 Younger veterans and digital expectations
33:25 The privilege of being able to self advocate
34:20 How to connect with DexCare
36:20 Why health system origins matter
38:10 Rapid fire questions
42:22 What gives Sean hope
44:50 Closing thoughts on access and service
Key topics
Veteran mental health, VA modernization, digital health, DexCare, healthcare access, rural health, suicide prevention, AI in healthcare, Providence innovation, health system operations, online scheduling, veterans affairs, capacity orchestration, military leadership in healthcare
Connect with DexCare
Website: https://dexcare.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dexcare
Sean’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-o-connor-03949828/
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About the Show
The Advancing Healthcare Innovation Show is hosted by Michael Stamatinos, a nationally recognized connector, strategist, and advocate for innovation with purpose. Each week, Michael interviews healthcare leaders who are driving meaningful change—highlighting stories of access, resilience, equity, and transformation.
The AHI Show started with the idea of wanting to highlight stories of what healthcare innovation truly looks like in action. Our mission, highlight real people who are really innovating within healthcare. Guests include healthcare entrepreneurs, providers, payers, and professionals from the investment community. We showcase little wins as well as valuable lessons learned from setbacks through these interviews. The real innovators in healthcare are often the ones in the trenches doing the work with razor-sharp focus. We find these innovators and bring their stories to light.
🔗 Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstamo
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