Health Podcast Library
The Heart of Healthcare | A Digital Health Podcast
Episode 164

Lessons from an $11B Healthcare Exit | Oak Street Health Founder Mike Pykosz

Feb 24, 2025
31:38
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Episode Description

From law school to leading one of healthcare's most successful value-based care companies, Oak Street Health co-founder Mike Pykos shares the story of building, scaling, and ultimately selling his company to CVS for $11 billion.

He reveals the challenges of scaling a new care model, the importance of focusing on outcomes over financials, and what it takes to transform American healthcare.

We cover:

🏥 Why Oak Street intentionally designed an "unprofitable" care model

👥 The critical role of co-founders and finding the right cultural fit

📈 Taking the company public during COVID and navigating the markets

💰 The decision to sell to CVS and letting go of control

⚕️ The state of value-based care and why innovation has slowed

🔄 Lessons learned from scaling from startup to Fortune 500

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About our guest:

Mike is the co-founder of Oak Street Health ®, a leading network of more than 200 primary care centers across 25 states that delivers value-based care to older adults. He served as its chief executive officer from its founding in 2012 through the company's acquisition by CVS Health in 2023.

Prior to founding Oak Street Health he was a Principal for Boston Consulting Group. Mike has a JD from Harvard Law School and a a BS in Biochemistry from University of Notre Dame.

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