Fixing Healthcare Podcast

Latest Episodes:

FHC #128: ‘I Promised My Sister I Would Write About How She Chose to Die’ Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

Late last year, Fixing Healthcare cohost Dr. Robert Pearl read a remarkable essay in the New York Times titled, “I Promised My Sister I Would Write About How She Chose to Die.” In that essay, Steven Petrow offers a deeply personal account of his sister Julie’s choice to use Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) in New Jersey.

Her journey, marked by advanced ovarian cancer and the exhaustion of treatment options, illustrates the importance of MAID as a means of taking control at life’s end. The piece advocates for wider awareness and accessibility of such options, emphasizing the dignity in making a profound and personal choice.

Petrow, a contributing columnist at The Washington Post and the author, most recently, of “Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old,” joins the podcast today to discuss a panoply of end of life issues, which is the focus of this ninth season of Fixing Healthcare.

Tune in for the full interview and join the conversation on social media.

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Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of the upcoming book “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” 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.

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FHC #127: Diving deep into the state of American healthcare Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

Fixing Healthcare co-host Dr. Robert Pearl recently returned from a surgical mission in the Philippines. The trip not only reignited his passion for global surgery, but it also provided three key lessons about American healthcare.

That’s the first topic of this week’s “Diving Deep” program. The second takes a different look at the state of American healthcare, this time through the lens of human evolution.

Pearl notes, “In a world where change is the only constant, the swift currents of modern life contrast starkly with the sluggish pace of genetic evolution—and of American healthcare, too.”

He and co-host Jeremy Corr discuss whether our nation’s healthcare system can evolve as fast as our DNA. Two relatively recent biological events offer profound insights into American medicine—along with a warning about what happens when healthcare systems fail to change.

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

3 Surprising Lessons U.S. Medicine Can Learn From Around The World (Forbes)
How Genetic Insights Can Reshape American Medicine (Forbes)
Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s newsletter)

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FHC #126: On finding peace with who you are Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

As Dr. Robert Pearl puts the finisihing touches on his upcoming book “ChatGPT, MD,” the cohost thought it would be a fitting time to read a chapter from his previous book “Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients.” All profits from sales of Pearl’s books go to Doctors Without Borders.

What you’re about to hear is the story of Judy, a colleague of Dr. Pearl’s at Kaiser Permanente, and Judy’s spouse. It’s a story about acceptance and kindness, about love without labels, about honoring commitments in good times and bad, and about the enduring power of hope in life’s most challenging moments.

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

The story of Judy at Kaiser Permanente (San Francisco Chronicle)
Learn more about the book ‘Uncaring’ (RobertPearlMD.com)
Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s newsletter)

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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.

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MTT #81: Are the kids alright, medically? Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

Today’s episode of Medicine: The Truth takes a look at the mental and physical health of America’s youth.

More than ever before, kids 17 and under are getting their medical care at drug stores and retail clinics, signaling a further decline in traditional doctor-patient relationships. Meanwhile, new data show that young people, especially adolescent girls, experienced a massive increase in antidepressant medication usage during the pandemic—trends that continue today at an alarming rate.

Podcast cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss what’s happening with America’s young people. Are the kids going to be alright? Find out on today’s show.

Here’s a snapshot of all the topics covered on this episode of Medicine: The Truth.

The effectiveness of the latest COVID-19 vaccines
In-person vs. virtual visits following medical abortion
The impact of COVID-19 on babies and their mothers
The rise of cervical cancer among low-income women
Why younger patients are getting their care at retail clinics
Antidepressant prescriptions boomed among adolescent girls
Unpaid medical bills are also on the rise
Ransomware attacks are preventing Rx refills
Insurers are cracking down on popular weight-loss drugs
Alabama’s courts rule against IVF treatments
How Jimmy Carter has survived a year in hospice
An unprecedented donation to a medical school is sparking hope
The importance of healthcare in this year’s election
The impact of running on prostate cancer
The residual impact of Long COVID

Click here for more info: https://www.fixinghealthcarepodcast.com/

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FHC #125: Beyond medicine—a Rabbi’s insights on end-of-life issues Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

This ninth season of Fixing Healthcare continues its focus on complex end-of-life issues. In this episode, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr venture outside the traditional walls of medicine for help understanding the spiritual and communal aspects of end-of-life decision making. Joining today’s show is Rabbi Melanie Aron. As a Jewish scholar and expert in Reform Judaism with a rich history of spiritual leadership and personal compassion, she brings a unique perspective to this important topic.

Serving Congregation Shir Hadash of Los Gatos for over three decades, and now as Rabbi Emerita, her involvement with diverse, interfaith organizations reflects her commitment to community and open dialogue. Rabbi Aron’s experiences offer invaluable insights into how different traditions and communities navigate end-of-life decisions.

This episode explores:

Religious traditions and their influence over the medical decisions of people who are nearing the end of their lives.
The difference between legal restrictions on end-of-life medical care and the moral/ethical considerations that still confront people of faith.
What religion can teach clinicians about providing more compassionate medical care at the end of life.
Situations where religions institutions and medical institutions agree and disagree on end-of-life treatments.
Brain death, Alzheimer’s, hospice care, assisted dying—seen through the lens of religious texts and teachings.
Whether mental and physical health be treated similarly when making moral and ethical decisions around a person’s death.
Advice for families struggling with the reality that a loved one has a terminal disease.

Tune in for the full interview and join the conversation on social media.

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FHC #124: An unfiltered look at the science & skill of love Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

This “Unfiltered” episode of Fixing Healthcare welcomes back Dr. Jonathan Fisher, a respected cardiologist and renowned advocate for physician well-being. This February, what more appropriate topic to discuss with a heart doctor than love?

Dr. Fisher, whose upcoming book “Just One Heart” dedicates an entire chapter to the topic, says that love is a skill that requires practice, work and considered thought. The elevated amount of dedication and commitment needed to find and foster love is not unlike the journey toward becoming a doctor. Dr. Fisher recalls some of the obstacles he faced in both arenas: his study of cardiology and of love.

“In medical school and residency training, I did not value love,” said Dr. Fisher. “I valued success and becoming a great doctor. And, actually, that was part of the reason I became burned out. I under-valued and under-indexed love and over-indexed success, at least the way that it was modeled to me by my teachers.”

Fixing Healthcare cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr help Dr. Fisher explore the importance of love in all aspects of life. Dr. Fisher offers tips and techniques for mastering the “skill” of love. Dr. Pearl describes the medical and psychological consequences tied to the lack of love in one’s life and how recently he elevated his love of medicine during a surgical mission to the Philippines. They share statistical evidence of love’s impact on happiness, professional satisfaction and even longevity. And, as always, 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)

Rediscovering The Mission, Purpose Of Medicine (Forbes)

Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (RobertPearlMD.com)

Breaking The Rules Of Healthcare (LinkedIn)

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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 #124: An unfiltered look at the science & skill of love appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

FHC #123: Diving deep into healthcare’s biggest battles of 2024 Feb 14, 2024

Show notes

Healthcare used to be a “country club competition,” in the words of past Fixing Healthcare guest Dr. Robert Burgelman. By this, he meant that doctors, insurers, drug makers and others worked well together and stayed out of each other’s respective lanes, trusting each other to keep the wheels of medicine churning slowly forward. Disputes, if any, were resolved quietly and kept behind the scenes.

Those days are gone and, in 2024, three major healthcare conflicts are set to erupt. In this episode of Diving Deep, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss this year’s cutthroat competitions and intense disputes, each of them being played out in public.

Later in the episode, Dr. Pearl dives deep into the OpenAI saga involving its CEO (turned ex-CEO turned CEO again) Sam Altman and his very public feud with the company’s board of directors. Setting the dramatics aside, Pearl examines the important lessons that healthcare leaders should take from this dispute and from Altman’s leadership style.

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

3 Huge Healthcare Battles Set To Erupt In 2024 (Forbes)
Sam Altman’s Wild Year Offers 3 Critical Lessons for Healthcare Leaders (Forbes)
Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s newsletter)

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FHC #122: Navigating life’s final chapter with Atul Gawande Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

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.

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MTT #80: What’s new in drug discovery and pricing? Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

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/

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FHC #121: An unfiltered look at resolutions, kept and unkept Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

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)

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