Strategic Leadership Appointments in Healthcare
Firstsource, a leading global provider of business process management services and an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group company, has announced the appointment of two senior leaders to spearhead its Healthcare businesses in North America. Matthew Barlow joins as Head of Healthcare Payer business, while Scott Schrader assumes the role of Head of Healthcare Provider business, both effective December 15, 2025.
This strategic move reinforces Firstsource’s commitment to healthcare as a core growth pillar and a critical source of competitive differentiation. The company’s well-diversified presence across both payer and provider segments positions it uniquely to deliver end-to-end solutions across the entire healthcare value chain.
Dual Leadership Model for Payer and Provider Segments
Addressing Distinct Market Needs
The introduction of two dedicated leadership roles reflects Firstsource’s sharper focus on the unique requirements, operating dynamics, and growth opportunities within each healthcare segment. As the company’s portfolio expands in both scale and complexity, this dual leadership structure enables more targeted strategies for payers and providers.
“Healthcare payers and providers are at very different stages of their transformation journeys, but both are navigating the same pressures—rising costs, regulatory complexity, workforce constraints, and the need to deliver better experiences and outcomes,” said Ritesh Idnani, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Firstsource.
Beyond Traditional Outsourcing
Meeting these industry challenges requires more than incremental improvement. It demands a fundamentally different operating model built on artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital platforms, all grounded in deep healthcare domain expertise. By appointing seasoned executives like Matthew and Scott—leaders with strong healthcare credentials, large-deal experience, and proven value delivery—Firstsource is doubling down on its UnBPO™ approach.
This approach moves beyond traditional outsourcing to build domain-led, technology-enabled solutions that help health plans and health systems operate smarter, scale responsibly, and adapt faster to change. The two-leader model allows the company to be sharper in focus, more responsive to distinct segment needs, and more innovative in delivering measurable impact across the healthcare value chain.
Matthew Barlow Leads Healthcare Payer Business
Transformational Healthcare Leadership
Matthew Barlow brings more than two decades of experience building high-performing global operations and next-generation healthcare business models. His expertise spans payer, provider, life sciences, and digital health organizations, making him ideally suited to lead Firstsource’s payer business transformation.
Barlow joins Firstsource from Avasant, where he served as Managing Partner, Healthcare Advisory, leading large-deal advisory and digital transformation programs. His impressive career includes leadership roles as Chief Operating Officer at HealthComp, Head of Healthcare BPO Markets at Cognizant, and senior positions at Unisys and Teleperformance.
AI-Driven Payer Transformation
“The next generation of payer and health plan transformation will be defined by intelligent operations. AI will need to be embedded end-to-end, not layered on top,” shared Matthew Barlow. “Firstsource is leading this shift by combining proprietary AI capabilities, healthcare-specific platforms, and deep end-to-end payer expertise to help health plans and surrounding ecosystems operate smarter, faster, and more sustainably.”
The goal is clear: enable health plans to meet today’s challenges while building resilient, AI-ready organizations for the future.
Scott Schrader Heads Healthcare Provider Operations
Revenue Cycle Management Expertise
Scott Schrader brings over two decades of leadership in healthcare technology, revenue cycle management, and enterprise software. His proven track record includes turning around underperforming businesses and driving sustainable growth across multiple high-impact organizations.
Schrader’s experience includes roles as Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at RevenueMed, Chief Commercial Officer at Access Healthcare Services, and a senior go-to-market leadership position at Change Healthcare. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Commercial Officer at Pendrick Capital Partners, North America’s largest healthcare receivables company.
Platform for Provider Success
“I am excited to join Firstsource, a company that has established a unique position in healthcare BPM through genuine domain expertise at scale and an AI-first approach delivering tangible results for providers,” shared Scott Schrader. With over 1,000 hospitals and 30,000 providers relying on Firstsource to handle more than 2 billion transactions annually, the company possesses both the platform and momentum to revolutionize revenue cycle management.
UnBPO™ Approach and AI-Driven Transformation
In their new roles, Barlow and Schrader will lead strategy, growth, and client success for the Healthcare Payer and Healthcare Provider portfolios, respectively. As part of the Firstsource global leadership team reporting to the Managing Director and CEO, they will collaborate to expand the company’s AI-enabled, digital-first solutions.
These solutions aim to unlock higher efficiency, better member and patient experiences, and stronger clinical and financial outcomes for clients across the healthcare ecosystem.
Leadership Transition and Future Vision
As part of this leadership transition, Venkatgiri Vandali (Giri), who led the Healthcare business at Firstsource for six years, has decided to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions. Over the coming months, he will work closely with Matthew and Scott to ensure a seamless handover of client and partner relationships. The company thanks him for his significant contributions in building and scaling the Healthcare business and wishes him continued success in his new venture.
Discover the latest payers’ news updates with a single click. Follow DistilINFO HealthPlan and stay ahead with updates. Join our community today!
