The Podcast by KevinMD

Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, "Physician wellness is a strategic imperative—not a moral crusade." The conversation focuses on why physicians must shift their advocacy for well-being from a reactive, moral argument to a strategic one that aligns with institutional priorities. Jessie explains that effective change comes not from complaining, but from understanding two key things: how physicians' own training contributes to the culture of unwellness, and what leadership truly values. She provides a framework for physicians to step out of victimhood and into leadership, learning to "speak the language" of executives by framing wellness as a necessity for retention, financial sustainability, and quality patient care. This episode is a guide for doctors who want to stop just enduring the system and start strategically shaping it from within. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Entrepreneur, AI enthusiast, and wellness advocate Vaishali Jha discusses her article, "Gen Z is already transforming mental health care—are we listening?" The conversation explores the vital need for new perspectives in health care, arguing that the system often overlooks the voices of young people. Vaishali explains how Gen Z, having come of age during numerous health crises, brings an essential viewpoint rooted in lived experience, digital fluency, and a desire for more human-centered care. The discussion highlights how young people are already taking the lead in normalizing mental health conversations, building culturally relevant digital tools, and advocating for their peers. This episode serves as a call to action for health care systems to invite young people to the table not as future leaders, but as current, essential voices who can help build a more inclusive, responsive, and compassionate future for all. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Retired surgeon, psychotherapist, and author Patrick Hudson discusses his article, "Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself." The conversation explores the profound difference between the biological act of dying and the existential fear of vanishing from the story of the world. Patrick explains that for many, the true anxiety surrounding death is not about the end of life, but the end of mattering. He shares how his own heart attack transformed this question from a medical abstraction into a personal reality, revealing that dying is often a slow erosion of self that happens long before our final breath. The discussion delves into how our need to leave a legacy is an attempt to outlive ourselves and how the only antidote to the fear of losing control of our narrative is to live with clarity, love honestly, and forgive early. This episode offers listeners a chance to reflect on mortality not as something to be fixed, but as a concept that can teach us how to live more fully in the present. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Physician executive Sreeram Mullankandy discusses his article, "Bridging the digital divide: Addressing health inequities through home-based AI solutions." The conversation highlights that while the future of health care delivery is moving into patients' homes, this shift risks leaving the most vulnerable populations behind. Sreeram explains that non-medical factors, or Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), can influence up to 80 percent of health outcomes but are often missed by traditional systems. He argues that artificial intelligence, when deployed thoughtfully, can be a powerful equity enabler. The discussion covers how AI can identify hidden SDOH patterns with high accuracy, bridge language and literacy barriers for the nearly 36 million U.S. adults who need it, and serve as a force multiplier for community health workers. Sreeram also addresses the critical need for fairness audits to prevent AI from perpetuating bias and the massive economic incentive for building a more just system, which could save $1.7 trillion in health care costs. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Pediatrician Sarah Webber discusses her article, "Why it's so hard to admit when we don't like our jobs." The conversation is a vulnerable look into her personal experience with burnout just nine months into what she thought was her dream job as a pediatric hospitalist. Sarah shares her journey of feeling drained and unhappy, and her initial attempts to "fix" things with more mindfulness, gratitude, and journaling, only to find the dread remained. She explores the profound identity crisis she faced, where her self-worth was completely woven into her professional identity, making the thought of not wanting to be a doctor feel selfish and wrong. The episode centers on an emotional breakthrough that led to the freedom of honesty, the courage to leave her role, and the powerful realization that by letting go, she not only opened a door for someone else but also for herself to see the many different ways one can be a healer in the world. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

LGBTQ+ journalist BJ Ferguson discusses the article, "Why physician voices matter in the fight against anti-LGBTQ+ laws." The conversation serves as a call to action for medical professionals, arguing that their duty to protect patient health now extends beyond the clinic and into the legislative arena. BJ outlines how anti-LGBTQ+ laws, particularly those targeting gender-affirming care, directly threaten patient well-being and undermine a physician's core commitment to do no harm. The discussion provides five clear, actionable steps for doctors to engage politically, from testifying at hearings and meeting with officials to using media and organizing their peers. Citing recent examples where physician testimony helped halt harmful legislation, this episode makes the powerful case that advocacy does not compromise medical ethics—it fulfills them. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article "The broken health care system doesn't have to break you." Jessie discusses the profound changes in the practice of medicine that no longer align with traditional training models. She identifies outdated beliefs prevalent in medicine, such as self-sacrifice, service at all costs, and avoiding discussions of compensation, which contribute to widespread physician burnout and mental health issues. Jessie emphasizes that the pressures of electronic health records, administrative burdens, and corporate medicine demand a new approach rooted in adaptability and self-awareness. She offers actionable strategies for physicians to reshape their approach, including recognizing harmful conditioning, setting boundaries, cultivating a growth mindset, managing energy, and advocating for systemic change. Jessie highlights mindset coaching as an evidence-based approach to rewiring old thought patterns, enabling physicians to reclaim their purpose and passion in a challenging health care environment. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise—and it's built on a foundation of trust. It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Anesthesiologist Maire Daugharty, who expanded her expertise by earning a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling, discusses her article "Why ADHD isn't just a childhood disorder and what that means for adults." Maire discusses the critical importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, highlighting its negative impacts on self-esteem, mood disorders, substance use, and even criminality when left unaddressed. She clarifies that ADHD is not solely a childhood disorder, with many adults having missed diagnoses, particularly girls due to different symptom presentations. Maire delves into the predominantly genetic nature of ADHD and discusses factors contributing to its complexity and the reluctance to treat it. She emphasizes that accurate diagnosis requires a careful history and medical examination beyond assessment scales, and outlines multi-modal treatment approaches, including psychoeducation, behavioral therapy, and medication. Maire also discusses the core role of executive function deficits in ADHD and offers practical strategies for environmental modification and task management that benefit both children and adults. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise—and it's built on a foundation of trust. It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Physician Scott Abramson discusses his article "How doctors' words can make or break patient care." Scott shares two compelling scenarios illustrating the profound impact of a physician's communication. He recounts a family conference where a doctor's use of medical jargon like "lesion" completely obscured the diagnosis of cancer for a concerned family, highlighting the barrier that medical language can create. Conversely, Scott details the powerful influence of a surgeon, Dr. Susan Heckman, who, faced with a patient's holistic beliefs and initial refusal of surgery for a suspicious breast lump, used empathetic and culturally resonant language—calling the "blemish" a "guardian angel giving you a wake-up call"—to foster understanding and facilitate timely, life-saving intervention. Scott emphasizes that effective communication, beyond clinical expertise, is crucial for patient understanding, trust, and ultimately, positive health outcomes. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise—and it's built on a foundation of trust. It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Public policy analyst Julia Drydyk discusses her article "Human trafficking isn't what you think: Why education is key to stopping it." Julia clarifies the crucial distinction between human smuggling and human trafficking, explaining that trafficking involves exploitation through coercion regardless of geographic movement, often occurring within communities rather than solely at borders. She addresses how popular media perpetuates misconceptions, leading people to overlook the subtle, psychological tactics traffickers employ, often involving individuals known and trusted by the victim. Julia emphasizes that traffickers target vulnerabilities like poverty, homelessness, and mental health disorders, posing as caring figures to establish control. She highlights the urgent need for public education to recognize the real signs of trafficking, such as behavioral changes, unexplained absences, or signs of control by another person, enabling Canadians to bridge the gap between good intentions and effective action. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise—and it's built on a foundation of trust. It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended