The Podcast by KevinMD

Management consultant and author Roger A. Gerard discusses his article, "10 ways health care leaders sabotage their own success—and how to stop." He identifies common, often unintentional, ways health care leaders undermine their credibility and effectiveness, frequently due to a lack of formal leadership training. Roger outlines ten key pitfalls, including failing to clarify priorities, attempting to motivate rather than listen to...

Pediatric neurologist Paige Kalika discusses her article, "Why ADHD kids struggle and how we can truly help," sharing insights from her perspective as a pediatric neurologist and parent of a child with ADHD. She outlines compassionate ways to talk to children about ADHD, starting by validating their efforts ("Are you trying harder?") and explaining that ADHD affects focus, not intelligence or worth. Paige emphasizes the importance ...

Research scientist Nichole Cubbage discusses her article, "The silent grief of vanishing twin syndrome: Why words matter in health care." She explains that Vanishing Twin Syndrome (VTS), the loss of one fetus in a multiple pregnancy, often leads to unique and isolating grief, frequently unacknowledged by health care providers. Nichole shares findings from her research indicating significant dissatisfaction among patients regarding ...

Historian and ethicist Nigel Cameron discusses his article, "C. Everett Koop's fearless fight against the tobacco industry," drawn from his biography of the former U.S. surgeon general. He recounts how C. Everett Koop, initially facing ridicule and expected to be ineffective, strategically used the 1982 Surgeon General's report on smoking to dramatically reshape his public image and intensify the fight against Big Tobacco. Nigel de...

Physician executive Grace E. Terrell discusses her article, "Physicians must innovate and focus on medicine's core, not chores." She introduces the concept of "core vs. chore," urging health care workers to distinguish essential patient care duties from the administrative tasks that often dominate their time, exemplified by an incident where staff prioritized EHR procedures over immediate patient needs. Grace highlights how poorly ...

Nurse anesthetist Christine King discusses her article, "The heartbreaking pandemic story I will never forget." Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic five years later, she shares the profound impact of collective trauma through personal and professional lenses. Christine recounts a moving encounter with a musician patient who endured extreme isolation and depression during the pandemic, revealing that only his responsibility towards ...

Family physician Jay K. Joshi discusses his article, "Why patients and doctors are ditching insurance for personalized care." He explains that as traditional insurance becomes less accessible and covers fewer proactive and preventive services, both patients and physicians are seeking alternatives. Jay outlines a direct-pay model, often focused on functional medicine approaches like metabolic optimization, hormone therapy, and advan...

Communications consultant and attorney Heather Hansen discusses her article, "Why every doctor needs a translator." Drawing on her background as a medical malpractice defense attorney, she explains the "curse of knowledge," where physicians, once expert, find it difficult to imagine not knowing complex medical information, leading to communication barriers with patients. Heather argues that doctors must become effective "translator...

Palliative care physician and author Alen Voskanian discusses his article, "Discover the secrets to regaining joy in medicine," based on an excerpt from his book. Drawing from his personal experience with burnout where he felt isolated and like a failure within the demanding medical industry, Alen strongly emphasizes that burnout is a common result of a broken health care system, not an individual failing. He offers key advice poin...

Internal medicine physician Edward Hoffer discusses his article, "Can rural health care be saved?" He outlines the significant health care disparities facing rural communities, including higher death rates from major diseases, increased opioid overdoses, ongoing hospital closures, and an aging physician workforce without adequate replacement. Edward questions the effectiveness of programs like the Critical Access Hospital designati...

Health care attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article, "What every physician should know before buying into a medical practice." He emphasizes that while receiving an offer to buy into a practice is typically a significant honor and opportunity, physicians must perform thorough due diligence to avoid potential pitfalls. Dennis advises physicians and their legal counsel to meticulously review corporate governance documents, watchi...

Child psychiatrist and entrepreneur Marissa Caudill discusses her article, "How a customer relationship management tool (CRM) can help physicians regain control and beat burnout." She argues that a significant driver of physician burnout is the lack of control within systems that prioritize metrics and administrative tasks over meaningful patient connections, leaving doctors feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. Marissa proposes th...

Physician assistant David Olson discusses his article, "Taking a break from medicine: a journey to rediscover joy and purpose." He describes feeling trapped in an unhealthy, borderline abusive relationship with medicine, citing normalized disrespect, intense pressure from employers focused on metrics over provider wellbeing, and the demoralizing impact of system failures, particularly during and after COVID-19. David shares his exp...

Physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey, physician coach Erin Hurley, and patient advocate Dawn Veselka discuss their article, "Spreading hope one card at a time: How small acts of kindness can make a big difference for doctors." They highlight the emotional toll of medicine, noting a concerning shift in how physicians describe their work—from fulfilling to exhausting and demoralizing—contributing to burnout rates near...

Interventional physiatrist Francisco M. Torres discusses his article "The key to longevity: fitness, mindset, and nutrition." He challenges societal assumptions about inevitable decline after age sixty, arguing that joy, vitality, and strength can thrive with the right approach. Francisco emphasizes a combination of factors: tailored fitness routines incorporating strength, cardiovascular, and flexibility exercises; listening to th...

Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "Criminalizing care: How the system turned on physicians." He argues that physicians, historically pillars of trust, are increasingly being targeted and criminalized under regulations like the Controlled Substances Act and health care fraud statutes. Muhamad details several cases, including those of Drs. Sachy, Kousa, and Anand, as well as his own acquitt...

General surgeon Arthur Williams discusses his article "A surgeon's battle with ketamine-induced hallucinations." He shares an account from his novel of an experience needing a pacemaker for a "janky heart" prone to atrial fibrillation and bradycardia (sick sinus node), complicated by a low ejection fraction. Arthur vividly describes the anxiety and vulnerability of being a surgeon on the patient side of the gown, his candid and som...

Internal medicine and infectious disease physician and author Joshua D. Hartzell discusses his article "Leading with care: How health care leadership can transform patient and provider well-being." He addresses the crisis of burnout and attrition in health care, arguing that leaders often fail to extend the same level of care to their teams as they do to patients. Joshua introduces "caring-inspired leadership," an evidence-based ap...

Surgeon and author Jeffrey A. Singer discusses his article "The FDA's outdated prescription rules are failing women and opioid users." He argues that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's requirement for prescriptions for certain safe medications, specifically hormonal contraceptives and the opioid antidote naloxone, creates significant barriers to access and reflects outdated paternalism. Jeffrey highlights that obtaining prescr...