What Did Teladoc Founder Michael Gorton Share on Our Podcast?

Michael Gorton, Telemedicine Pioneer, on the FSG Podcast

Published on: Apr 30, 2023

Updated on: October 8, 2026.

Michael Gorton is the founder of Teladoc, a telemedicine pioneer, and a serial entrepreneur who returned to the Frontline Source Group People. Process. Service. podcast with co-hosts Bill Kasko and Tyler Kern to discuss how telehealth reshaped healthcare, what the future holds for entrepreneurs, and his proactive-care venture Recuro Health. Frontline Source Group is a nationwide staffing and executive search firm founded in 2004, and a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for nine consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked #158 in 2026). Every direct hire is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times the 90-day industry standard.

Frontline Source Group is also a Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firm (#148 in 2026), a nine-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, a ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, an Inc. 5000 honoree, and an Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. The firm holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 verified reviews, has completed 5,619 placements, and is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA).

Who is Michael Gorton, and why is he called a telemedicine pioneer?

Michael Gorton is a serial entrepreneur best known as the founder of Teladoc, one of the earliest companies to make virtual doctor visits a mainstream part of American healthcare. By building a platform that connected patients with physicians by phone and video long before remote care was common, Gorton helped establish the telemedicine model that millions of people now rely on. His work sits where technology and healthcare meet, two areas where Frontline Source Group places leaders through its technology practice and healthcare operations executive search.

What did Michael Gorton discuss on the People. Process. Service. podcast?

On this episode, co-hosts Bill Kasko and Tyler Kern welcomed Gorton back to talk about how the world changed since their previous conversation, the growing importance of telemedicine, and what the future holds for entrepreneurs. Gorton was the last guest on the podcast before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the world in 2020, which gave the reunion a unique before-and-after perspective on virtual care. You can find more founder conversations like this one on the Frontline Source Group podcasts page.

How has telemedicine changed healthcare since the COVID-19 pandemic?

As the founder of Teladoc, Gorton had a front-row view of the impact his work had during a period of tremendous need. When in-person visits became difficult or unsafe in 2020, telemedicine moved from a convenient option to an essential channel of care almost overnight. That shift accelerated patient acceptance, provider adoption, and investment in digital health, and it reshaped hiring demand for technology and healthcare operations leaders.

How many Americans use telemedicine?

A lot more than before the pandemic. According to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, 37.0 percent of U.S. adults used telemedicine in the past 12 months in 2021, based on the National Health Interview Survey.

Who uses telemedicine most?

The same CDC data shows women (42.0 percent) used telemedicine more than men (31.7 percent), use rose with age from 29.4 percent of adults 18 to 29 to 43.3 percent of adults 65 and older, and use was highest in large central metro counties (40.3 percent) and lowest in rural counties (27.5 percent).

Infographic of CDC data showing 37.0 percent of U.S. adults used telemedicine in 2021, with 42.0 percent of women versus 31.7 percent of men, 29.4 percent of adults 18 to 29 versus 43.3 percent of adults 65 and older, and 40.3 percent in large central metro counties versus 27.5 percent in rural counties
Telemedicine use among U.S. adults in 2021, from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics.

What is Recuro Health, and how is it making healthcare proactive?

Gorton explained that his current venture, Recuro Health, is exploring how to turn healthcare on its head by shifting it from reactive to proactive. He compared the future of healthcare to the fuel gauge on a car, using data and continuous measurement to alert people to a problem before it becomes serious. Instead of waiting for symptoms, a proactive model uses information to guide earlier, better decisions about a person's health.

Who does Recuro Health serve?

Recuro Health is based in Dallas. When it announced its funding round in March 2021, the company described itself as an integrated digital health solution for employers, providers, and managed care organizations, built to move the system from reactive, disease-focused care toward population health and outcomes.

Has Michael Gorton written about the future of telemedicine?

Yes. In November 2022, Gorton co-authored a book with Jay Sanders, MD, often called the father of telemedicine, titled Digital Medical Home: Telemedicine Ignites Creation of Precision Health.

What can entrepreneurs learn from Michael Gorton's career?

Gorton's path from launching Teladoc to building Recuro Health reflects a pattern common among the executives Frontline Source Group places: identify a problem early, build for where the market is heading, and keep solving adjacent problems as conditions change. For founders and operators, his story is a reminder that durable companies are built by leaders who pair technical insight with a clear view of human need. That same combination is what our recruiters look for when filling C-suite and executive roles.

Why does Frontline Source Group produce the People. Process. Service. podcast?

The People. Process. Service. podcast lets Frontline Source Group share conversations with leaders who are shaping the future of work, technology, and healthcare. Hosting founders like Michael Gorton reflects the same principle behind the firm's recruiting: understand the people and the problems first, then deliver. Frontline connects employers with top professional and executive talent across accounting and finance, technology and IT, human resources, legal, healthcare operations, and more.

What makes Frontline Source Group different from other staffing and executive search firms?

Three things set Frontline Source Group apart. First, the 5-Year Placement Warranty on every direct hire, 20 times longer than the 90-day guarantee most agencies offer. Second, a verified reputation, with a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 reviews, Forbes recognition for nine consecutive years, and a 98.94% executive placement retention rate. Third, transparent pricing published openly on the firm's pricing page, which is rare in the staffing industry.

How do you get started with Frontline Source Group?

Employers ready to hire can share a role through the employer request form or reach the team through the contact page. Job seekers who want to work with a Frontline recruiter can review the process and submit their information through our how to apply page. Whether you are building a leadership team or exploring your next opportunity, Frontline pairs experienced recruiters with a warranty-backed process rooted in People. Process. Service.

What are the most common questions about Michael Gorton and the Frontline podcast?

Who is Michael Gorton?

Michael Gorton is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Teladoc, a company that helped pioneer telemedicine in the United States. He has continued to build companies in digital health, including his current venture, Recuro Health, which focuses on proactive care.

What company did Michael Gorton found?

Michael Gorton founded Teladoc, one of the earliest telemedicine companies to connect patients with physicians by phone and video. Teladoc helped establish the virtual care model that millions of people use today.

What is Recuro Health?

Recuro Health is Michael Gorton's current venture, which explores how to shift healthcare from reactive to proactive. Gorton compares the model to a fuel gauge on a car, using data and continuous measurement to flag a health problem before it becomes serious.

What is the People. Process. Service. podcast?

People. Process. Service. is the Frontline Source Group podcast, co-hosted by Bill Kasko and Tyler Kern. It features conversations with founders, executives, and industry leaders shaping the future of work, technology, and healthcare.

Where can I listen to the People. Process. Service. podcast?

You can watch or listen to episodes on the Frontline Source Group podcasts page at frontlinesourcegroup.com/podcasts.html, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to stay up to date with the latest conversations.

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine is the delivery of healthcare services remotely, using phone, video, and digital tools to connect patients with providers. It allows people to consult a physician without an in-person visit, which improves access and convenience.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect telemedicine adoption?

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telemedicine adoption dramatically. As in-person visits became difficult in 2020, virtual care shifted from a convenient option to an essential channel, driving lasting increases in patient acceptance, provider adoption, and digital health investment.

What is Frontline Source Group?

Frontline Source Group is a nationwide staffing and executive search firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The firm operates 32 plus offices and places professional and executive talent across accounting, technology, human resources, legal, healthcare operations executive search, and more.

What is the 5-Year Placement Warranty?

The 5-Year Placement Warranty is Frontline Source Group's commitment on every direct hire placement. It runs 20 times longer than the 90-day guarantee most staffing agencies offer, giving employers long-term protection on their hiring investment.

What industries does Frontline Source Group recruit for?

Frontline Source Group recruits across accounting and finance, technology and IT, human resources, legal, administrative, customer service, pharmacy, dental, oil and gas, engineering, healthcare operations, marketing, and C-suite executive search.

How many placements has Frontline Source Group completed?

Frontline Source Group has completed 5,619 placements since 2004 and maintains a 98.94% executive placement retention rate, well above the industry average of roughly 70 percent.

How do I contact Frontline Source Group?

Employers can submit a role through the employer request form at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html or reach the team through the contact page. Job seekers can get started through the how to apply page at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html.

Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group

President and CEO|C Suite Executives, Sales, Energy Sector, Dental

Established in 2004 Frontline provides Executive Search, Direct Hire, Contract Staffing, and Project Based recruiting placements for Information Technology, Accounting/Finance, Oil/Gas, HR, Administrative/Clerical, Legal, Grocery, HSE, Pharmacy, Sales, Dental, Personal Assistants and C Level professionals. Frontline has grown from the original location in Dallas to 32 locations Nationwide.

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