Goodbye, House Calls!

As Dr. Murthy's term as the 21st U.S. Surgeon General comes to a close, House Calls is ending, too.

In this final episode, Dr. Murthy and House Calls producer and friend Ann Kim reflect on their journey to creating House Calls and discuss why this podcast has been an important part of the Office of the Surgeon General. Past guests and listeners chime in, too, with good-bye messages of their own.

With gratitude as guiding principle for the podcast, Dr. Murthy and Ann Kim end with a final thank you to the amazing House Calls team. Thank you all to our listeners for being part of House Calls!

(00:28)    Wait…after nearly three years, House Calls is ending?
(01:19)    How did House Calls get started?
(06:27)    Why has House Calls meant so much to Dr. Murthy?
(09:16)    Messages from previous guests
(13:55)    What has Dr. Murthy heard from listeners over the years?
(19:12)    Messages from listeners around the world.
(26:06)    What does Dr. Murthy hope the legacy of House Calls will be?
(31:24)    Why was House Calls an unexpected surprise for Dr. Murthy?
(35:48)    Dr. Murthy shares some classic moments with House Calls guests from previous episodes.
(42:52)    What does Dr. Murthy hope his children will take from House Calls?
(45:32)    Many thanks to the House Calls team, current and former, for an amazing run!

For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls. 

Ann Kim, House Calls Producer and Friend

Instagram: @annkimannkim

About Ann Kim

Ann Kim is Chief Innovation & Design Officer at the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. In this role, Ann and her team aim to bring creativity and design thinking to government, modernizing and humanizing ways to advance public health. She oversees the surgeon general’s website, first-ever podcast (“House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy”), and creative development of new products and initiatives. She served as Chief Design Officer during Dr. Vivek Murthy’s previous tenure from 2016-2017, developing campaigns to address substance use, opioids prescribing, and emotional well-being.

Prior to public service, Ann served as as executive director of health and well-being at global design firm IDEO. During her decade at IDEO, her portfolio included the design of HIV-prevention products, digital mental health tools, and new models of healthcare delivery.

In the first decade of her career, Ann was a producer and filmmaker for public television. Her credits include the award-winning PBS/Frontline series “The Age of AIDS” and “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?” the landmark documentary series on the social determinants of health. She has reported for the public radio from Botswana, India, and North Korea. Her latest documentary, “Lovesick,” is about a physician in India who is also a matchmaker for her HIV-positive single patients.

Ann is a graduate of Harvard College, with a joint degree in Anthropology & the Study of Religion. She is a board member of Noora Health. And, unlike her dear friend the Surgeon General who identifies as a cat person, considers herself a dog person.