Explore The Space

Latest Episodes:

Emily Silverman On Medical Storytelling & “The Nocturnists” Oct 03, 2018

Show notes

Emily Silverman is a Hospitalist and the creator of “The Nocturnists” podcast and live show. If you love stories from the dark corners of medicine, and the light and lively corners as well, “The Nocturnists” is an amazing place to spend some time. We cover the origins of the show, how stories humanize physicians and healthcare, and the amazing growth of her project.

Key Learnings

How her love of storytelling, writing and “The Moth Podcast” led to “The Nocturnists”
The first live event of “The Nocturnists” in January, 2016
How her project is helping satisfy the public demand for powerful medical stories
Thoughts on the power differential between doctors and the public and how stories can help humanize physicians
Why doctors put up emotional shields and the “hidden curriculum” of medical training
Themes that are emerging in the stories being told
The coaching process being used by the storytellers she works with and how to incorporate into clinical practice
What the future of her project looks like
Being a Hospitalist and a podcaster

Maureen Bisognano On The Well-Being Trust & Tackling Mental Illness Jul 30, 2018

Show notes

Maureen Bisognano is a nurse who has held many roles over her extraordinary career in healthcare, most recently as President of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. She now serves as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Well-Being Trust, which is a national foundation dedicated to advancing the mental, social, and spiritual health of the United States. She joins us for a remarkable conversation about the origins of the Well-Being Trust, the work done thus far to address “diseases of despair”, some truly amazing program ideas, and the first steps forward.

Please note, at the top of the episode we share a few words upon hearing of the suicide of Dr. Bongani Mayosi.

Key Learnings

What are the diseases of despair?
The challenge laid out by Providence-St. Joseph Health in helping found the Trust
Getting a foothold on mental health at a national level
Initial goals: improving access to care, determining social determinants of health, & focusing on children
The invention of a socialance instead of an ambulance to address access to mental health care upstream
Creating #bewell, #beheard, #bethere as a part of a youth campaign on social media
Sourcing and harvesting programs and ideas on a global level
A revolutionary Call & Check program to address social isolation in Jersey, England using the postal service
Strategic goals of the Well-Being Trust
Parallels with the opioid epidemic
Taking care of yourself while taking care of other people

Links

The Well-Being Trust: http://wellbeingtrust.org

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Call & Check Visits program from Jersey Post

Michelle West On Anticipation & Anxiety At Badwater 135 Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

The Badwater 135 is one of the toughest footraces on the planet, Michelle West is preparing to run it for the third time. We caught up with her less than 24 hours before she starts running 135 miles through Death Valley, CA and had an amazing conversation with someone on the cusp of an extraordinary challenge. This is an incredibly unique discussion just before she embarks on one of the hardest physical tests that exists.

Key Points

On the eve of the Badwater 135, one of the toughest footraces on the planet
Preparing in a place of extremes
How Michelle is readying her body and mind the night before the race
Facing heat, thunderstorms, and sleep deprivation
Finding motivation and inspiration in the face of a profound challenge
The impact of experience at Badwater and in life when “you know what’s waiting for you.”
The hardening that comes with difficulty and challenge
Experiencing joy and euphoria after coming through hardship.

Links

Badwater 135 race site

Badwater 135 race webcast

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Mona Hanna-Attisha On Social Advocacy & Medicine Jul 16, 2018

Show notes

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a Pediatrician who brought the epidemic of lead exposure in the water supply of Flint, Michigan to national exposure in 2015. She has become an example for physicians and scientists of how and why they can and must stand up on social issues. She joins us to discuss her incredible work, the importance of courage and how to build it, and her wonderful new book “What The Eyes Don’t See.” She reminds us too, that the strength she displays “is in all of us. This is all of our jobs.”

Key Points

Advocacy as a path into the profession of medicine
Using her megaphone and the power of “What The Eyes Don’t See”
Doctor as renegade and as detective
How did she think of lead exposure in water in the first place
Building the resources to speak truth to power as a physician
Where Dr. Hanna-Attisha’s courage comes from
The tools needed for physicians to leverage the impact they can have on society
Dealing with the onslaught of pushback by building a team around you
What could happen if doctors rallied en masse around social issues
Teaching others to be both renegade and physician
Creating a comprehensive clinic to address social determinants of health.
What Dr. Hanna-Attisha is most proud of and what she regrets through her journey to date
The beginning of the journey in Flint.

Sarah Sellers On The Boston Marathon Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

Sarah Sellers is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who shocked the world this past April when she came out of nowhere to finish in 2nd place at the Boston Marathon. She joined us to discuss her remarkable achievement, the importance of being in the moment, and how her work in healthcare and her marathon training are bound together.

Key Topics

What does a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist do?
Finding time to run amidst a full work schedule
The discipline and value of “being in the moment.”
Qualifying for the Boston Marathon by winning her first marathon
Setting goals for Boston
The epic weather during the race
The value of camaraderie amongst the competitors
The famous picture and the smile
Going back to work
Maintaining focus and being able to adapt to change
Lessons from her success at the Boston Marathon that connect to working with patients
Can hospital food be part of a nutrition plan for marathon training?

Colleen Kraft On Immigrant Child Separation Jun 25, 2018

Show notes

Dr. Colleen Kraft is the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics and she has been a pivotal voice in helping us understand the scope of the immigrant child separation crisis. She joins us to discuss the physical, emotional, and developmental harm these children are exposed to as well as where things stand with reuniting them with their families.

Key Topics

How and when the issue of child separation came to Dr. Kraft’s attention
Images from the detention centers as a national Rorschach test
Is infrastructure in place to provide proper nutrition, healthcare, hygiene and basic care?
The lack of knowledge around what is going on in detention centers
The triggers and effect of Toxic Stress on children
Key steps in mitigating Toxic Stress and the importance of being reunited
Has there been pushback to Dr. Kraft and the AAP’s efforts?
Impact on children who are American citizens
How can people contribute?
What will be the next major phase in this crisis

Links

ProBAR

RAICES

American Academy of Pediatrics Statement on child separation

Sam Quinones On The Opioid Epidemic Jun 08, 2018

Show notes

Sam Quinones is an investigative journalist who wrote an extraordinary book about the opioid epidemic in America called “Dreamland.” He joins us to talk about the tremendous challenges he found in writing the book, how the book helped break the story of the opioid epidemic, and his brilliant insights on the road forward in this epidemic. In parts frightening and inspiring, this is an amazing discussion

Key Points

Starting his investigation into the opioid epidemic
The collision of opioid prescribing and heroin marketing
The spread of “the horror story monster”
Why prison is the best place to interview a drug dealer
Finding people with a story to tell about opioid addiction
Why so many addicts hid their story for so long
The darkest moments in “Dreamland”
Constructing the book so the story takes life
Importance of pain strategies that don’t rely solely on opioids
Novel approaches at the community level to tackling the epidemic
How an isolating drug is prompting Americans to work together
Finding inspiration in the ways communities can and are rebuilding

Pamela Wible On Physician Suicide May 22, 2018

Show notes

Pamela Wible is a Family Practice physician who has taken on the cause of physician suicide. We discuss the acuity of the problem and the disconnect between public understanding and the reality of the problem. Sadly, Dr Wible is probably correct when she surmises that almost every physician in America knows someone in medicine who killed themselves. The conversation also moves through how the problem can begin to move towards improvement.

Key Learnings

Why Dr. Wible took on the issue of physician suicide
951 physicians dead by suicide
How do non-physicians understand the idea of physician suicide
Why physicians are at high risk for suicide
The SOAP note approach to the issue of physician suicide as a societal issue
Why the issue is so difficult to discuss
The impact of “sucking it up”
Dealing with tragedy as part of the solution
Where physicians go to cry
Suicide awareness & prevention as a recruiting & retention tool
Reaching out for help

Links

Dr. Wible’s home page

“What I’ve learned from 949 doctor suicides”

Do No Harm film site

Dave Berke On The Pillars Of Team Culture Apr 26, 2018

Show notes

Dave Berke is back and we continue our deep-dive into assessing and building team culture. In our 3rd conversation, we get into the importance of selflessness in driving culture, ensuring a team has a sense of purpose and creating shared experience to bring people together. Plus, another round of Quick Hitters!

Show Notes

Generalizability of culture conversations to any type of team or organization
The demands of tackling culture and avoiding “easy outs.”
Importance of positive culture in a high pressure moment
What is the fabric of good culture?
Aligning priorities and linking the tactical to the strategic
The dividing line between good and great culture
The 3 Pillars: selflessness, sense of purpose, shared experience
Recognizing circumstances are the same regardless of profession or industry
The burden of getting it right
Culture building as a process
What’s next: converting ideas into practice
Another round of Quick Hitters

Zack Shinar On Motivating Future Doctors Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

Zack Shinar is an Emergency Medicine physician, an international expert on resuscitation and highly sought-after speaker who is launching a new conference called Emerge. This conference is designed to introduce high school students interested in medicine to some of the most amazing things that doctors get to do on a daily basis. We dive into the incredible opportunity this conference provides to help light a fire under the next generation of physicians.

Show Notes

What is Emerge all about?
Seizing the narrative around what it’s like to be doctor
Anticipation about the conference and the clinical content
Introducing the cerebral, tactile, and psychosocial aspects of being a doctor
The close-knit nature of medicine and getting to enter this community
The diversity of medicine and physicians
The future for Emerge and #beadocinadecade
Shaking off sense of malaise around being a doctor
How Mark and Zack made the decision to become a doctor
Establishing a marketplace of ideas
Helping to access and launch the next generation of doctors

Tags: high school, conference, medicine, emergency medicine, ECMO, Badwater, ultramarathons, reanimate, mentorship, hands-on, diversity, medical school, residency, cardiothoracic surgery, #beadocinadecade, stories, storytelling

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected