#514 - Michael Dalton, Founder and CEO at Ovatient
Slice of Healthcare Team
08/06/2025
Guest
Episode details
Join us on the latest episode, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!
Our Guest: Michael Dalton, Founder and CEO at Ovatient.
What you’ll get out of this episode:
- Michael Dalton founded Ovatient after leading virtual care strategies at Metro Health and Summa Health.
- Ovatient emphasizes an "Epic-first" approach to ensure seamless integration for patients and providers.
- Their care model is "virtual-first, local always, never virtual-only," focusing on connected and high-quality care.
- Ovatient provides integrated whole-person care, including behavioral health and weight management.
- The company is structured as a nonprofit, but evaluating a hybrid model for future scalability and impact.
Watch
Listen
Read More
From Strategy to Startup: The Origin of Ovatient
Michael Dalton’s career in health systems like Metro Health and Summa Health set the foundation for Ovatient. Tasked with building virtual care programs during the pandemic, Dalton recognized a broader opportunity: creating a connected, high-quality virtual care model that prioritizes both patients and providers. Thus, Ovatient was born—not just a continuation of virtual strategies, but a transformation into a standalone virtual-first healthcare company.
Virtual-First, Human Always
Ovatient operates under a powerful philosophy: “virtual-first, local always, never virtual-only.” This model goes beyond episodic care to ensure patients receive comprehensive, connected support. While virtual urgent care is prevalent, Ovatient places emphasis on primary and behavioral health services, which are often more challenging but crucial to long-term well-being. Their high Net Promoter Score (NPS)—reaching as high as 87—underscores the satisfaction and trust patients place in their care.
Integrated Care That Goes Beyond the Visit
One of Ovatient’s key differentiators is its holistic approach. The company offers an integrated, multi-specialty care model where behavioral health is woven into broader treatment plans, not siloed. Weight management is a top concern for over half their primary care patients, and Ovatient ensures these individuals receive not only medical care but a high-touch, human experience.
Built on Epic, Designed for Outcomes
A significant part of Ovatient’s success stems from its “Epic-first” commitment, ensuring seamless workflows for health systems and providers. Their recently launched digital platform, MyCareAnywhere—developed with League—integrates directly with Epic and MyChart. It helps health systems extend their digital reach to employers, countering fragmented third-party solutions with a fully connected, localized model.
A Unique Nonprofit Model with Growth on the Horizon
Ovatient is currently structured as a nonprofit, stemming from its founding by public health systems. This model attracts mission-driven professionals and aligns with benefits like student loan forgiveness. However, Dalton and his team are actively exploring hybrid models to allow for responsible growth and investment, inspired in part by cases like OpenAI’s structural evolution.
Leading with Purpose and Connection
Despite leading a rapidly growing company, Dalton finds his greatest joy in connecting with Ovatient’s care providers and hearing their patient success stories. He champions a culture where “if you're not serving the patient, you're serving someone who is,” a value deeply embedded in the company’s DNA.
