Welcome to Inside Alvarez Business, a podcast dedicated to bringing you the stories behind the research.
Hosted by Jonathon Halbesleben, dean of the Carlos Alvarez College of Business at The University of Texas at San Antonio, this podcast explores the people, ideas and insights shaping today’s business landscape.
This season focuses on the business of healthcare, sharing the stories of faculty members, their research and the paths that led them into this important and evolving field.
Stay connected with the college to learn more about how we are empowering the new generation of business thinkers and conducting groundbreaking research to ensure their success.
Podcast Episode Guide
Episode 4 | Economic Impacts of Opioid Crisis and Mental Health
David Beheshti, PhD & Qinyou Hu, PhD
In this episode (39 minutes)
While deaths from opioid overdoses have dramatically declined in the past few years, the crisis remains, claiming the lives of thousands of teens and young adults each year. Mental health concerns among youth are an important contributor to opioid use, yet parents often struggle with their own mental health challenges as they raise middle schoolers.
In this episode, explore how two economics faculty members are tackling these important health-related issues, and what impact that research has within society.
David Beheshti, assistant professor of economics, looks at the use and abuse of drugs, and the impact it has on labor markets. Qinyou Hu, assistant professor of economics, explores the interactions between health and education and the roles played by schools, families and the community.
Hear how their research insights explain the economic forces shaping health, education and policy — and how those insights can inform better solutions for society.
Episode 3 | Global Impacts of Healthcare Supply Chain Issues 
Amir Karimi, PhD
In this episode (35 minutes)
“How can you do actually more with less, spending less money, but being able to deliver more in terms of access of health products to patients,” shared Karimi.
It may be inconvenient going to a store looking for a particular product and coming away empty-handed. But if the item you need is a healthcare product, the situation becomes dire and could be the difference between life and death.
Amir Karimi, assistant professor of operations and analytics, studies how logistics and supply chain issues impact health care globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Listen to hear how small changes can lead to dramatic outcomes across the globe.
Episode 2 | Improving Healthcare for Everyone 
Stephen Schwab, PhD
In this episode (50 minutes)
“When I think about a project, I think about what can we learn that’s going to help healthcare as a whole. I’m interested in how do we improve healthcare for everyone.”
Interfacing with healthcare is something that everyone must do? But beyond considering your provider’s background or credentials, have you ever considered how your relationship might impact the care you receive.
Our guest today is Stephen Schwab, an Army veteran who served three tours in Iraq. An assistant professor in management here in the Alvarez College of Business, his work is focused on the role that interpersonal relationships play in maximizing performance. He examines this issue in the context of healthcare — the largest industry in the U.S. economy.
Episode 1 | AI and the Future of Healthcare 
Arkajyoti Roy, PhD
In this episode (31 minutes)
“In healthcare there's a lot of opportunity to use AI for assisted decision making rather than just full on decision making. That's how I like to think of AI is it's assisting doctors in making decisions rather than giving them the decisions.”
What does the future of healthcare look like with the advent of tools like AI? And, how can business researchers contribute to this field of study?
We're delighted to bring you this conversation with Arkajyoti Roy, associate professor of operations and analytics. Roy's research in optimization, analytics and AI is focused on finding ways to improve the work of healthcare clinicians.
