Fixing Healthcare welcomes Dr. Atul Gawande, a renowned surgeon, writer and public health researcher who currently serves as the Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID. He has a rich background as both a medical professional and a compassionate individual. Ten years ago, Dr. Gawande published the bestselling book “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End,” which explored the intersection of medicine, aging, and the end-of-life journey. His father’s battle with a spinal tumor profoundly influenced the book, serving as a catalyst for Gawande to confront the limitations of medical interventions and the importance of addressing patients’ individual goals and fears as they approach the end of their lives. This episode explores: Gawande’s personal story as he reflects on his father’s battle with a spinal tumor, highlighting the complexities and emotional challenges of dealing with serious health issues within a family. His father’s journey from being a vibrant individual and a dedicated surgeon to facing the limitations imposed by his illness provides; a profound context for the discussion on end-of-life care. Difficult decisions that families and patients face when confronted with terminal illnesses, along with the nuances of choosing between aggressive treatments and palliative care. Approaches to end-of-life care that respect the patient’s wishes and focus on enhancing the quality of life rather than merely extending it. The significance of having open and honest conversations about end-of-life preferences and the limitations of medical interventions. This episode is part of the ninth season of Fixing Healthcare with cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Tune in for the full interview and join the conversation on social media. * * * 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 #122: Navigating life’s final chapter with Atul Gawande appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Today’s episode of Medicine: The Truth looks at the latest in new drug approvals and new drug pricing, topics that have become inseparable in our nation’s healthcare conversation. One study found that the average “launch price” of new drugs has increased from $2,115 per year in 2008 to $180,007 per year in 2021. And there’s no sign drug makers are slowing down. Already in 2024, pharma companies have raised prices on 775 new medications. Podcast cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss the cost of new drugs and their relative value. Are Americans getting what they’re paying for? For that answer and more, here’s a snapshot of topics covered on today’s show: As many as 2 million new cases per day of Covid, RSV and flu FDA approves a new sickle cell disease treatment The latest Covid variant, JN.1, and its impact on Americans A morning-sickness hormone discovered by Cambridge researchers Drug rebates coming this year for Medicare patients? The link between drug makers and non-profit patient advocacy groups Congress mulling price transparency laws despite intense lobbying The latest on GLP-1 weight-loss medications Infected Americans no longer isolating, masking What now for 10 million Americans who lost Medicaid coverage? Venture capital firm buys one of largest health systems in Ohio Should you turn to YouTube for emergency medical advice? 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 MTT #80: What’s new in drug discovery and pricing? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

This “Unfiltered” episode of Fixing Healthcare welcomes back Dr. Jonathan Fisher, a respected cardiologist and renowned advocate for physician well-being. Last Wednesday, January 17, was “Quit Day,” when most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions to get fit, eat better and try new things. Today’s show leads with an up-close look at the annual ritual of making (and breaking) resolutions. “I have a little bit of skepticism about resolutions in general,” says Dr. Fisher, adding, “I certainly make resolutions for myself, especially around fitness, around relationships, around nutrition. But I want to ask, what does it actually mean to have a resolution? If you resolve to do something, doesn’t that mean you’re going to do it once and for all, and you don’t have to keep making these things every year?” Fixing Healthcare cohost Dr. Robert Pearl notes that there’s very little in healthcare that we do once and that’s it. “Maybe get our appendix taken out,” he says, but the point is that these promises we make to ourselves don’t come with an annual (or 17-day) stopping point. Perhaps it is the gravity of these resolutions that makes it all the more difficult to keep them. Today’s show explores why it’s so hard to get resolutions to stick, and what people can do to live happier, healthier lives without the pressure of this oft-failed tradition. Later in the episode, Dr. Fisher discusses the “placebo effect” and its impact on medicine. The group concludes with a discussion of “flow” and the positive psychological principle of being in the zone. As always, cohost Jeremy Corr chimes in with a question on behalf of patients. To discover more, press play and check out these helpful links: Presale: ‘Just One Heart’ (Jonathan Fisher’s new book) 5 New Year’s Resolutions That Can Save Your Life (Forbes) 3 Beneficial Healthcare Laws The 118th Congress Could (Actually) Pass (Forbes) Breaking The Rules Of Healthcare (LinkedIn) * * * 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 #121: An unfiltered look at resolutions, kept and unkept appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

This week, cohost Dr. Robert Pearl is on a plastic surgery mission trip to the Philippines where he will be repairing the cleft lips and palates of children. While he’s away, we’re revisiting one of the most popular episodes from 2023 featuring Dr. Zubin Damania, known to many as ZDoggMD. Zubin Damania is a UCSF- and Stanford-trained internist and founder of Turntable Health, an innovative primary care clinic and model for Health 3.0. As a way to address his own burnout and find his voice, he started producing videos and live shows under the pseudonym “ZDoggMD.” His persona became a grassroots movement, reaching more than 1 billion people across a wide array of different media. In this episode, Drs. Pearl and Z discuss the hero’s journey in healthcare. The concept of the “hero’s journey” was popularized by the American writer Joseph Cambell, and it applies aptly to American healthcare. In every medical professional’s career, there is a calling, a fear of failure and people along the way who provide support (or pose additional challenges). Listen to find who are healthcare’s heroes today, what are the dragons that need slaying, how doctors will overcome their fear of failure and what  journeys still lie ahead. For more, press play. * * * 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 #120: Revisiting the hero’s journey with Dr. Zubin Damania (ZDoggMD) appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Clinician burnout is a major problem in the United States. But as cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss in today’s episode of Diving Deep, burnout is not a distinctly American problem. Recent data from The Commonwealth Fund indicates that primary care doctors in the United States are as satisfied as their peers in the UK, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This seems surprising given the unique challenges and frustrations posed by the American healthcare system. But if the system isn’t the sole cause of doctor dissatisfaction, then what else is there? Dr. Pearl offers a surprising take on the global origins of clinician burnout and, in the second half of today’s show, he offers a technology-based solution to reverse our nation’s surge in chronic illnesses and the clinician burnout crisis. Finally, Pearl acknowledges and addresses the likely skepticism of doctors, especially considering the longstanding failure of heavily hyped tech when it comes to improving medical outcomes or professional satisfaction. Learn more about these two topics in today’s episode of Fixing Healthcare. Click play to learn more or check out the various links below for additional information. HELPFUL LINKS Burnout In US Healthcare: New Data, Surprising Insights (Forbes) ChatGPT Will Reduce Clinician Burnout, If Doctors Embrace It (Forbes) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s 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 #119: Diving deep into clinician burnout and ChatGPT as a solution appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

What a year it was for American healthcare. Generative AI exploded onto the scene and scored in the top echelon of test takers on the U.S. medical licensing exam. America’s largest retailers made several multibillion-dollar acquisitions in the primary care, telemedicine and home-health arenas. Diabetes drugs stunned researchers with their ability to help patients lose weight. These are just a few of the biggest stories from 2023 that cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss on today’s episode of Fixing Healthcare, which also takes a bold look ahead at 2024. Which healthcare issues will matter most in this election year? Which technologies are set to make on impact on America’s health? Will the physician burnout crisis get better or worse in the year to come? Here’s a snapshot of the topics covered on today’s show:    The explosion of generative AI (ChatGPT) The rise of the ‘retail giants’ in healthcare Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs Medicare Advantage saw enrollment surge in 2023 The tech breakthrough to fight sickle cell disease Overdoses, suicides and other healthcare failures of the last year The threat of rationing in 2024 The Roe v. Wade fallout Addressing physician burnout in the U.S. The most promising medical technologies coming in 2024 Which healthcare issues will matter most at the polls? How to contain drug and care-delivery costs going forward Healthcare staffing shortages: causes and solutions A telehealth comeback in 2024? America needs a mental health check Who was Dr. Pearl’s greatest career influence? Click play to learn more or check out the various links below for additional information. MUST-READ ARTICLES FROM 2023 The AI-Empowered Patient Is Coming: Are Doctors Ready? (Forbes) 15 Innovative Ideas For Fixing Healthcare From 15 Brilliant Minds (Forbes) American healthcare: The good, bad, ugly, future (LinkedIn) How The U.S. Government Can Solve The Obesity Epidemic (Forbes) Burnout In Medicine: New Data, Surprising Insights (Forbes) Subscribe: Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s 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 #118: 2023 in review plus 2024 preview and predictions   appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Bubbly and precocious, Hunter was every parent’s dream child and every teacher’s ideal student. By age 14, she had already enrolled in classes at a local college to augment her course schedule. She played soccer, softball, basketball and ran track in high school. She was on the swim team. She even tried cheerleading, though that wasn’t her cup of tea, said Maria, Hunter’s mom. Maria describes her daughter with words like “amazing” and “beautiful” and “unstoppable.” But to truly appreciate the power of this mother-daughter duo, you have to understand what the two of them went through together. Theirs is a story of medical trials and tribulations, of heartbreaking diagnoses and difficult medical decisions. Their story challenges both conventional wisdom and the doctor-patient relationship. In today’s episode, Dr. Robert Pearl’s reads a chapter from his critically acclaimed book, “Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients.” All profits from sales of the book go to Doctors Without Borders. This episode is part of season nine of Fixing Healthcare, which tackles the difficult topic of death, examining end-of-life issues from multiple angles. Tune in and join the conversation on social media. You can also learn more about this topic and the book of Uncaring via the links below. HELPFUL LINKS Kirkus starred review: ‘Uncaring’ (Kirkus Reviews) Learn more about the book ‘Uncaring’ (RobertPearlMD.com) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s 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 #117: The Young and the Breathless appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Welcome to season nine of Fixing Healthcare with cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. This season tackles the difficult topic of death, examining end-of-life issues from multiple angles. Today’s episode features a reading from Dr. Robert Pearl’s most recent book “Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients,” which is available in audio book, eBook and hardcover. All profits from sales go to Doctors Without Borders. What you’re about to hear is the story of David, a colleague and friend of Dr. Pearl’s at Kaiser Permanente. David lived a beautiful life that was cut short by illness. In his final years, he and his family faced a difficult decision, one that raises important questions for all of us about ethics, morality, the law and the choices we make at the end of life. Tune in and join the conversation on social media. You can also learn more about this topic and the book of Uncaring via the links below. HELPFUL LINKS Life’s most difficult decision: An excerpt from ‘Uncaring’ (RobertPearlMD.com) Learn more about the book ‘Uncaring’ (RobertPearlMD.com) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s 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 #116: Death of a Surgeon appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

As it was this time last year, ‘tis the season for sneezing once again. While carolers are coughing and shoppers are sniffling, podcast cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr are tracking the seasonal surge in Covid-19, influenza and RSV. Half a year has passed since the federal government declared an end to the public health emergency for Covid-19. But public health experts are worried that the lack of masking and social distancing this year could send tens of thousands of Americans to the hospital before winter’s end. On today’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, listeners will uncover critical insights about this season’s most important health trends. Here’s a snapshot of topics covered on today’s show: Tracking the ‘triple-demic’ this holiday The major downtick in vaccine boosters for Covid-19 A major uptick in another vaccine-preventable disease A scary new statistic concerning a mental health crisis The risk of viral spread in nursing homes New poll suggests most Americans know someone with long-Covid A (very small) rebound in life expectancy after the pandemic America’s ongoing struggles to rein in healthcare costs The latest news with weight-loss drugs A new technology to empower patients like never before A big breakthrough in the battle against sickle-cell disease The biggest health story affecting kids and parents today Training more primary care doctors 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 MTT #79: Why do viruses love the holidays? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

The 21st century has granted humanity incredible access to medications and procedures that can extend life almost indefinitely. Ventilators can breathe for us, intravenous tubes and pumps can nourish us, and hemodialysis machines can filter waste and excess water from our blood, all but replacing healthy kidneys. The fact that medicine can extend human lives almost indefinitely is considered by many to be a great scientific achievement. Still, many doctors feel beset by the gifts they’ve been given. In the ever-distressing, noise-polluted, sick-care environment of today’s hospital, it’s not clear whether patients nearing the end of their lives are being treated or tortured. So, how should our nation define “life?” Welcome to season nine of Fixing Healthcare with cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Things are about to get emotional and philosophical. In this and future episodes, guests will tackle the difficult topic of death. Although it is a complex and uncomfortable subject, listeners will have the opportunity to learn from world experts regarding the ethical, legal and medical decisions that surround end-of-life care. This season’s first guest is Dorothee Caminiti, the director of the bioethics program at the Makkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. She works at the intersection of digital ethics in healthcare and law, and focuses on the ethical problems associated with personalized medicine and the processing of health-related data. She received her master’s degree in bioethics from Harvard University. In this episode, Caminiti discusses: Whether doctors should “save a life at any cost” How the Terri Schiavo case influenced our nation’s views on end of life What are the rights of patients in terms of the “right to die” The purpose of advanced directives in medicine How ethics committees define “life” in medical disputes Weighing the input of doctors, patients and families The ethics of medical aid in dying laws Lessons from around the world about end-of-life care Tune in for the full interview and join the conversation on social media. * * * 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 #115: The bioethical dilemma of saving life ‘at any cost’ appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.