Fixing Healthcare Podcast

In any industry, too much market consolidation limits competition, choice and access to goods and services, all of which drives up prices. But there’s another—often overlooked—consequence. Market leaders that grow too powerful become complacent. And, when that happens, innovation dies. Healthcare is a prime example. Welcome to Diving Deep. Each month, this show probes some of healthcare’s most complex topics and deep-seated problems, delivering thoughtful analysis and solutions. Today, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr explore the many ways healthcare has become monopolized, from hospitals and health systems to the drug industry and beyond. Whether you provide medical care or receive it, you’ll learn much from this conversation. To dive in, press play and peruse the helpful links below. HELPFUL LINKS How Drug Companies Monopolize Medicine (Forbes) U.S. Healthcare: A Conglomerate Of Monopolies (Forbes) Breaking The Rules Of Healthcare (LinkedIn Newsletter) * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #83: Diving deep into the many monopolies of U.S. healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Valentine’s Day is here—a time to celebrate the heart. In this episode, Drs. Robert Pearl and Zubin Damania (aka ZDoggMD) discuss a series of studies confirming that interpersonal relationships (with friends, family, etc.) have the biggest impact on life expectancy and overall wellness. This raises the question: Is there a role for medicine in addressing this most vital component of health? At Turntable Health, the primary-care venture Dr. Z founded in Las Vegas, the traditional “waiting room” was converted into a community space where patients could hang out, have conversations, participate in mindfulness classes and even form friendships (in a HIPAA-compliant way, he added). “We are social creatures and we need others,” says ZDoggMD. In this Unfiltered episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Pearl, along with ZDoggMD, discuss the “L” word, the importance of relationships in good health and how clinicians can set aside denial (a cultural tenet of medicine) and let emotion safely enter in to medical practice. To find out more, press play and check out these helpful links: Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions Healthy Relationships Matter More Than We Think Do Social Ties Affect Our Health? ZDoggMD’s YouTube playlist on “Consciousness & Mindfulness” How One Clinic Disrupted Primary Care, Made Patients Healthier & Failed * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #82: An unfiltered look at love and life expectancy appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Dr. Eric Topol, now a three-time returning guest on the Fixing Healthcare podcast, discusses 21st-century lessons in leadership. Topol is the director of the Scripps Research Institute and a professor of molecular medicine. He has published more than 1,200 peer-reviewed articles and serves as the editor-in-chief of Medscape. He has authored three bestselling books including his most recent, “Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again.” In this episode, Topol talks about the future of medical leadership and the role of AI (including ChatGPT), genomics research and genome editing, medical education and the retail/pharmacy giants in healthcare. * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #81: Eric Topol on the future of AI, medical education and leadership appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

For three years, all eyes (and ears) were turned toward the Covid-19 pandemic. And since early 2020, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr have hosted the popular podcast “Coronavirus: The Truth.” That show has cut through the fearmongering and misinformation circulated on social media to bring listeners the truth about the coronavirus—with informed commentary, helpful context and reporting from only the most credible sources. Over the past year, as other medical issues have rivaled this viral pandemic in threat and public interest, the duo have added broader healthcare topics to the show. Today, “Coronavirus: The Truth” becomes “Medicine: The Truth.” Using the same format, the show will tackle healthcare’s hottest issues and biggest problems—including news and information about Covid-19 when relevant. As always, Dr. Pearl and Jeremy will follow the facts, uncover the truth, and help listeners understand what’s holding back our nation’s health. Topics will feature the latest medical issues affecting patients and their physicians. The show will explore major public health problems, medical technologies, drug developments, and much more. Listener note: If you’re currently subscribed to or following Coronavirus: The Truth on Apple, Spotify or any other podcast platform, you don’t have to change a thing. Just sit back and enjoy our new show Medicine: The Truth. If you’re new to the show, you can also hear it by following/subscribing to the Fixing Healthcare podcast. Click here for more info: https://www.fixinghealthcarepodcast.com/ * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post CTT #69: Welcome to our new show ‘Medicine: The Truth’ appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Without looking it up, how many Americans do you think are enrolled in Medicaid, the government-funded program that provides health coverage to low-income adults, children and families? The answer is one of three shocking healthcare statistics you’ll hear about on today’s program. Welcome back to Diving Deep, the first new episode of the new year. Each month, this show probes some of healthcare’s most complex topics and deep-seated problems. Today, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr dive into a topic that’s sure to surprise listeners: three shocking healthcare statistics for 2023. But first, the hosts go inside the newly sworn-in Congress to discuss three viable, beneficial healthcare laws that could (actually) pass over the next two years. To end the show, Dr. Pearl weighs in on what leaders can do, starting in 2023, to fix the mess that is American healthcare. Whether you provide medical care or receive it, you’ll learn much from this conversation. To dive in, press play or peruse the helpful links below. HELPFUL LINKS 3 Beneficial Healthcare Laws The 118th Congress Could (Actually) Pass (Forbes) 3 Shocking Healthcare Statistics For 2023 (Forbes) Brain, Heart Spine: The Anatomy Of Healthcare Leadership (Forbes) Breaking The Rules Of Healthcare (LinkedIn Newsletter) Our Real, Existential Medical Crisis? (Keen On Podcast) * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #80: 3 shocking healthcare stats + 3 beneficial healthcare laws appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

The internet (and nearly every American industry) is abuzz with a new phenomenon called ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), a remarkable artificial intelligence chatbot launched in November 2022 that has an uncanny ability to generate human-like text. Recent headlines tell of the potential havoc this AI can inflict: “ChatGPT writes medical research abstracts that can fool scientists” and “Use of ChatGPT in counseling sessions is raising ethical questions.” Dr. Z lauded ChatGPT’s ability to write a convincing Doc Vader script—a scary thought for the nation’s No. 1 healthcare satirist. But what else can AI accomplish?  In this Unfiltered episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl join ZDoggMD to talk about hyper-realistic AI and explore its influence on American healthcare. Press play for a fresh take on this technology’s potential impact on medicine. * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #79: An unfiltered look at ChatGPT and medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

This episode kicks off season eight of the Fixing Healthcare podcast. The guest: Dr. David Feinberg, currently chairman of Oracle Healthcare, former CEO of Cerner (acquired by Oracle in 2022), and previous head of both Google Health and Geisinger. This is Dr. Feinberg’s third appearance on the show. He joined hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr in season one (episode 3) and season six (episode 41). The focus of Season 8: How better, bolder leadership can fix American healthcare.  As Dr. Pearl explains at the top of the podcast: “The medical and academic leaders featured on Season 8 of Fixing Healthcare will discuss the difference that strong leadership can make, both for patients and clinicians. I know their insights will be educational and inspirational. Hopefully, 2023 will be the year that our country takes the strides needed to make American healthcare, once again, the best in the world.” In the episode, Dr. Feinberg and the hosts discuss: Getting patients to prioritize healthy choices and lifestyle changes Advice for future physician leaders What Google knows about maximizing public health Why tech has a trust problem among patients and doctors The benefits of teams and teamwork The government’s role in helping people make healthy choices Why good communication improves medical outcomes How leaders can rebuild medical care around the patient, not the clinician Whether it’s possible to achieve better quality, cost and access in healthcare—all at once? What is “human capital management” in medicine? Where healthcare leadership can be most effective (be it academic medical centers, community health systems or elsewhere) and the downsides of each Helpful links: David Feinberg joins Fixing Healthcare season 1 (episode 3) David Feinberg joins Fixing Healthcare season 6 (episode 41) A retrospective on Cerner’s transition to Oracle The man behind Larry Ellison’s health care gamble * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a new book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #78: How leadership can fix healthcare, with Dr. David Feinberg appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

This week, Fixing Healthcare hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl conclude their holiday tribute to episodes past with this 2018 interview of Dr. Don Berwick. Don is the former president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and led the organization’s 100,000 Lives Campaign. He’s the former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and has served on the faculty for Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. This is the third and final Fixing Healthcare flashback episode—all of which have featured ideas from season one to fix American healthcare from the nation’s top leaders. The purpose? To quote Dr. Pearl: “My hope in replaying these ideas is to help listeners once again realize how much could be done to transform American healthcare and improve people’s lives. And simultaneously, help them recognize how far we are from delivering the excellence in healthcare Americans want, need and deserve.” Helpful links: Season 1 explainer: ‘Welcome to the toughest interview in healthcare’ Episode 5 recap: ‘Don Berwick brings a global perspective to fixing US healthcare’ The full transcript of this episode with Don Berwick Don Berwick: Profiles in leadership * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #77: Fixing Healthcare flashback with Don Berwick appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

This holiday season, Fixing Healthcare hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl are mixing things up with a look back in time—way back, in fact, to the season-one finale with healthcare futurist Ian Morrison. During this 2019 interview, Morrison earned the distinction of becoming the first (and still the only) guest to propose “Medicare Advantage for All” as a solution for fixing healthcare. He explained: “Medicare Advantage for All reconciles different (American) values with regard to competition and the role of government, but mandates that everybody is in the system and covered.” So, is “Medicare Advantage for All” a possible fix for the future of American healthcare? Did any of Morrison’s other healthcare predictions prove true? Tune in to find out. Helpful links: Season 1 explainer: ‘Welcome to the toughest interview in healthcare’ Episode 1 recap: ‘Ian Morrison says every healthcare system sucks in its own unique way’ The full transcript of this episode with Ian Morrison Ian Morrison’s website * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of a book about medicine’s invisible yet highly influential physician culture. Check out “Uncaring: How Physician Culture Is Killing Doctors & Patients.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #76: Fixing Healthcare flashback with Ian Morrison appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

In this episode of Coronavirus: The Truth, Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl discuss the long list of viral enemies attacking Americans this winter. Chief among them: Covid-19, RSV and seasonal influenza, the latter of which has tallied 8.7 million cases and 78,000 hospitalizations so far (40 times higher than at this point last year). How seriously should American take these viral threats as we approach the holiday gathering season? You’ll find this topic and all the other [time stamped] questions from today’s show  here: [00:52] Each show begins with the most recent and relevant facts concerning the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on American life. What’s happening and what does it mean? [02:45] Listener question: What’s the data on the new bivalent vaccine vs. the old one? [07:48] How might researchers best communicate discrepancies in scientific data to patients? What should organizations like the CDC and WHO do? [08:47] What’s new regarding the ‘tripledemic’ since the last episode? [11:03] What’s happening with the flu? [13:28] Why are Chinese citizens protesting “Zero-Covid” restrictions? [16:28] What caused the near-global breakdown in public policy during Covid-19? [18:53] Who are the people comprising the 300-350 deaths in the United States each day from Covid-19? [22:50]: Kids and Covid-19: what’s new? [25:03] What’s new in healthcare beyond Covid-19? [26:44] How can patients help prevent the scourge of chronic disease in the United States? [28:19] What has happened to cancer screening since the start of the pandemic? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.   The post CTT #68: The worst flu season in over a decade? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.