He’s back! Dr. Zubin Damania (aka ZDoggMD), one of the show’s most popular returning guests, rejoins Fixing Healthcare hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr for a heartfelt look at the ugly, imperfect and oh-so human side of medicine. In this episode, the trio discusses: The roots of our anxiety as patients and as clinicians Why so many Americans put off preventive screenings and treatment for chronic diseases The fear that haunts so many doctors and nurses: making a mistake Taking shame out of unconscious bias so that we can honestly discuss solutions for inequitable care And, as an extension of all these difficult emotions, the men share their thoughts on the hit movie of the summer, Barbie Dr. Z is a UCSF- and Stanford-trained internist and founder of Turntable Health, an innovative primary care clinic and model for Health 3.0. His persona, ZDoggMD, amassed an army of followers—owing to his clever healthcare parody videos and cutting take on modern medicine. Hit the play button to start the episode or check out more background about our guest via the links below. Helpful links: The Incident Report: ZDoggMD’s Live Show ZDoggMD’s website: Health 3.0 ZDoggMD diagnoses the culture of medicine (on Fixing Healthcare) ZDoggMD has a plan to fix American healthcare (on Fixing 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 #106: ZDoggMD on patient anxiety, medical bias & the Barbie movie appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Albert Einstein pointed out that time is relative. And when it comes to healthcare, five years can feel like a long and short amount of time. That’s certainly true of this podcast, which began five years ago and recently eclipsed 100 episodes. During that time, this show has welcomed dozens of world-renowned experts, both inside and outside the healthcare arena. Cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr have engaged in difficult yet meaningful conversations with the likes of Malcolm Gladwell, Eric Topol, Don Berwick, Jen Gunter, Lisa Sanders, Zeke Emanuel and many others. Their hope was that spotlighting big ideas and bold solutions would have a positive impact on American medicine. In this episode of Diving Deep, the hosts look back and examine how healthcare has improved (“the good”)—and how American medicine has become more problematic (“the bad” and “the ugly”). The second half of today’s show focuses on the future. If the kinds of bold solutions featured on Fixing Healthcare are proving too big and audacious to implement, then which actions stand a reasonable chance of healing healthcare quickly (in the next five years) and affordably? Click play to learn more or check out the various links below for additional information. HELPFUL LINKS American healthcare: The good, bad, ugly, future (LinkedIn Pulse) Healing Healthcare: Repairing The Last 5 Years Of Damage (Forbes) 15 Innovative Ideas For Fixing Healthcare From 15 Brilliant Minds (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 #105: Diving deep into the good, bad and ugly of U.S. healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

The weight-loss drug Wegovy reduces serious heart disease, the nation’s No. 1 cause of death, according to a new clinical trial. Proponents of the drug describe this finding as an added bonus to the drug’s prescribed purpose: shedding excess pounds. In a nation where 60% of the population is obese or overweight and where 600,000+ die from cardiovascular events each year, the question is how can we afford not to prescribe more of these lifesaving medications? The answer is complicated, says podcast cohost Dr. Robert Pearl, who explains that the cost of drugs in the U.S. remains disproportionately higher than in all other nations. The price of Ozempic (another drug known to assist with weight-loss) costs five times more in the United States than in Japan and 10 times more than in most European nations. When it comes to paying for drugs that could make a huge difference in our nation’s health, who’s on the hook? That question and many others are answered on this episode of “Medicine: The Truth.” Also featured on today’s program: The newest coronavirus variant: the most-transmissible yet? A newly approved medication for post-partum depression Why middleclass families have the nation’s highest medical debt Measuring the medical performance of AI vs. doctors Striking the right balance when regulating drugmakers The folly of BMI (body mass index) calculations Right arm or left: Does it matter when getting Covid vaccinations? Using pig kidneys for humans in need of a transplant The new leading cause of death for America’s kids The cost imbalance of weight-loss drugs in U.S. vs. elsewhere Reflecting on Robert Burgelman’s appearance on FHC The unending debate over physician autonomy Biden places 10 drugs on discount list for Medicare negotiations 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 #76: Can Rx weight-loss drugs help prevent heart attacks, too? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Dr. Robert Burgelman is the Edmund W. Littlefield Professor of Management and the Director of the Executive Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. As a worldwide expert on strategy, Burgelman has authored multiple books on leadership and consulted with more than 100 companies around the globe. Throughout the program, Burgelman: Helps healthcare leaders understand the tools needed to visualize change and make it happen. Describes how leaders can effectively guide organizations through periods of crisis and difficult change. Advises on how to avoid getting distracted by “shiny new things” and, instead, focus on the most-effective (often unsexy) solutions. Discusses the merits and potential downsides of private equity’s involvement in U.S. medical care. Listener note: Given Dr. Burgelman’s high-level focus on strategy, today’s episode will include occasional interjections from cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr to link the material to the day-to-day experiences of healthcare professionals and patients.   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 #104: Robert Burgelman on strategic leadership in healthcare 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, for a fascinating debate about American healthcare. Alongside cohost Jeremy Corr, Dr. Robert Pearl kicks off the conversation with this observational question: “There are two views about American healthcare. There are some who point to the massive U.S. expense compared to other countries and view it through the lens of abundance. Then there are those who see tens of millions of people who can’t access care, and the day-to-day stresses on clinicians, and view it through the lens of scarcity. What do we have too much of in American medicine today? And what do we have too little of?” Dr. Fisher concludes that, as a practicing cardiologist, he and his colleagues have too many patients on their schedule and too little time to spend with them. Too much “administrative burden” (paperwork and computer filings) and too many costs to patients, which leads to too much uncertainty about what patients are paying for and what to expect. Too much stress and not enough high-quality care or access to physicians and mental-healthcare professionals. In this episode, the trio discusses who can correct these healthcare imbalances and how, what AI can do to help clinicians, To discover more, press play and check out these helpful links: Presale: ‘Just One Heart’ (Jonathan Fisher’s new book) These 3 Healthcare Threats Will Do More Damage Than Covid-19 (Forbes) Saving US Healthcare From Disaster (Forbes) 15 Innovative Ideas For Fixing Healthcare From 15 Brilliant Minds (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 #103: Too much or not enough in American healthcare? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

This episode explores the challenges and opportunities of the Kaiser Permanente and Geisinger Health merger and its impact on value-based care. It discusses the need for more efficient and effective healthcare, the importance of system-ness, and the potential of retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, and CVS in the healthcare industry. The chapter also emphasizes the essential components of value-based care, such as capitation and coordinated teams of clinicians. Lastly, it highlights the battle to transform American medicine and the potential consequences of slow incumbents and lack of investments.

Dr. Sachin Jain joins the podcast for the first time to talk about leadership in American healthcare. And his diagnosis is grim. “In American healthcare, we’ve lost our ethical and moral compass,” Jain says. “We say we’re about one thing and we do other things. And I think we’re all complicit in this leadership crisis because not only do we not acknowledge our own failings, but we also fail to acknowledge the failings of each other.” Early in his career, Jain held leadership positions in both the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. More recently, he served as president and CEO of the CareMore Health System for five years and is now President and CEO of the SCAN Group & Health Plan, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plans. In this interview, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl ask Jain to discuss the problem of physician burnout (and how to bring about change at a time of low morale), the AI revolution and the threat of automating clinicians, the failings of American medical education, and much more. 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 #101: Sachin Jain on the leadership crisis in American healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

More Americans over the age of 65 are now selecting Medicare Advantage over traditional Medicare for their health insurance coverage, according to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO). What’s more, Medicare Advantage is expected to widen its lead in the years to come—projected to cover 60% of the eligible senior population by the year 2030. It’s a major win for the “little brother” that blossomed out of a Congressional effort in the 1990s to improve the quality of Medicare-provided medical care while also lowering costs, says podcast cohost Dr. Robert Pearl. Unlike Original Medicare, which is government-provided health insurance, Medicare Advantage plans are administered by private insurers. Medicare Advantage plans also include extra benefits like out-of-pocket maximums, dental or hearing coverage, and even fitness stipends. While there are many differences between the two options, the most important, according to Dr. Pearl, is how these programs pay hospitals and healthcare professionals to provide care. On this episode of “Medicine: The Truth,” Dr. Pearl explains why “capitation” sets Medicare Advantage apart from traditional Medicare, which is a “fee-for-service” program. Anyone who’s 65+ or nearing that age should tune in for the full conversation. As always, Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr eagerly follow the facts, uncover the truth, and help listeners understand the world’s biggest medical stories. Also featured on today’s program: The FDA grants full approval for a new Alzheimer’s drug The safety and cost of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic Over-the-counter birth-control pills are coming The dwindling number of private-practice physicians New data on opioid addiction and overdose A new RSV drug for newborns Avoiding a repeat of the “triple-demic” later this year The medical implications of global warming A Pew Research poll on the cost of healthcare The difference between generics and biosimilars A breakthrough in the global fight against malaria 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 #75: Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Welcome to the 100th episode of Fixing Healthcare. To kick things off, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr are taking the opportunity to examine what has improved (and, notably, hasn’t improved) in healthcare since this podcast began five years ago. Leading off, Dr. Pearl shares: Three things that are better now in healthcare, during episode 100, than during episode 1 (which aired in August 2018) Three aspects of healthcare that have become worse Three things that remain the same That discussion is followed by a look at two important healthcare topics. The first is the use of Ozempic, a diabetes drug, for weight loss. Dr. Pearl’s recent op-ed on the topic, called for the U.S. government to fund the development of a new *affordable* class of weight-loss medications to tackle the U.S. obesity epidemic. To close out the show, Pearl then shares five toxic leadership traits in healthcare—each inspired by a character on the hit HBO show Succession. You won’t want to miss his insightful breakdown. HELPFUL LINKS How the government can solve America’s obesity epidemic (op-ed syndicated in 50+ papers) 5 Fatal Flaws Of Healthcare Leaders: Inspired By HBO’s ‘Succession’ (Forbes) 15 Innovative Ideas For Fixing Healthcare From 15 Brilliant Minds (Forbes) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s free 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 #100: Diving deep into weight-loss drugs + toxic leadership 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. Alongside cohost Jeremy Corr, Dr. Robert Pearl kicks off the conversation by noting that a growing number of healthcare conferences focus on clinician burnout, including several events hosted by Dr. Fisher, which strive to relievie the pain doctors and nurses experience daily. And, simultaneously, Pearl cites the pain of patients who are, increasingly, unable to afford the cost of health insurance and healthcare. “A potential solution to both problems,” says Dr. Pearl, “is through added productivity in healthcare.” And this leads us to the show’s central question: “Is there a role for doctors and nurses to provide excellence in medical care at lower costs, or is that someone else’s responsibility?” Fisher responds: “The question really triggers physicians and it’s because of the way we define productivity. The traditional definition, if you ask all the productivity experts, is doing more. The question is not ‘how can you do more with less?’ but rather ‘how can you be part of the solution?’” To learn more, press play and check out these helpful links: Presale: ‘Just One Heart’ (Jonathan Fisher’s new book) A Cardiologist on Leading From the Heart (‘Human Leaders’ on LinkedIn) Brain, Heart, Spine: The Anatomy of Healthcare Leadership (Forbes) Value-Based Healthcare Battle (Forbes) * * * 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 #99: Why is healthcare so expensive and who will fix it? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.