The Pursuit of Health Podcast

The Pursuit of Health Podcast

The Pursuit of Health is a weekly podcast dedicated to a thorough exploration of the American Healthcare System at a critical time in our nation’s history. The podcast’s creator and host, Dr. Eric Fethke, is a pediatric cardiologist and educator trained at Columbia University, with over 25 years of experience practicing medicine. Students, professionals, and everyday people alike are invited to learn from guest experts who are pursuing groundbreaking work to improve America's health. Join us on our journey towards a better healthcare!

Episodes

July 4, 2025 52 mins

A conversation with Rob Andrews

“A rising tide lifts all boats.” - President Kennedy

Channelling the heart of this message in his words, actions, and distinguished career, is former Congressman and CEO of the Health Transformation Alliance (HTA), Rob Andrews.

As one of the original authors of the Affordable Care Act, Rob has set his sights on driving value-based healthcare reform through data, analytics, and employer-led innovation.

To...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Dr. Megan Morris

How do we define quality of life? And how do we provide quality healthcare?

These are key questions in the work of Dr. Megan Morris, a health services researcher, speech-language pathologist, and Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Langone Health.

Dr. Morris is focused on addressing structural and interpersonal ableism in the American healthcare system - today sh...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Dr. Yoona Kim

Medication mismanagement is a massive issue in American healthcare.

Setting her sights on solving this problem is health economist, pharmacist, and CEO/co-founder of Arine - Dr. Yoona Kim.

Dr. Kim realized that identifying problematic medication plans can move the needle on clinical and economic outcomes, and her AI-enabled company is proof - cutting costs and saving time for providers across the coun...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Vinay Patel

There are too many barriers in the pursuit of health: financial, infrastructural, systematic… American healthcare is set up to fail the patients it needs to prioritize.

Welcome Vinay Patel, a forward thinking pharmacist and healthcare entrepreneur who founded MakoRx, a company focused on disrupting traditional drug pricing models and improving pharmacy access.

He saw a system that failed patients - char...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Charles Gaba

“We need to find a way to make improvements to the system without hurting people in the process.”

In our second collaborative episode with Doctors For America, Dr. Fethke is joined by healthcare policy and data analyst Charles Gaba. 

His work highlighting the numbers surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been influential, with citations by major publications like The Washington Post, Forbes and...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Wendell Potter

“We need to get Wall Street out of control of our healthcare system.”

This is the opinion of Wendell Potter, a former health insurance exec for Humana and Cigna turned whistleblower - exposing the practices of his former industry and choosing to seek change.

Wendell knows first-hand how these insurers operate, how they incentivize profit, how they use their financial power to influence Congress, and ...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Linda Macomber

We need a healthcare renaissance. AI could lead us there.

Here to share her optimism and enthusiasm for AI as a new frontier in healthcare, is Linda Macomber.

As a digital health expert with over 30 years of experience in health informatics and technology-driven healthcare solutions, Linda is best placed for informing us on the potential AI holds for improving patient experiences and optimising healt...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Joanne Kenen

It’s time to help inform the public on what’s happening in healthcare today.

With changes coming to the ACA's subsidies in 2025 and debates about Medicaid expansion, veteran journalist Joanne Kenen is here to help us understand what's at stake.

She takes us through a history of health policy, so that we can make sense of recent instabilities, understand what the proposed changes fundamentally...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Hugo Campos

“AI can help patients make better choices about their life and about their healthcare.”

Renowned patient advocate and White House Champion of Change, our guest Hugo Campos shares his personal journey into healthcare advocacy - revealing why he believes we are entering an era with huge potential for patients, clinicians, and the healthcare system as a whole.

But he notes a word of caution: powerful tools...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Rosie Bartel

Nurturing the patient-physician partnership is the only way to heal healthcare.

Sharing her lived experience with openness and honesty is Rosie Bartel, a patient advocate and survivor of preventable medical error. Since contracting MRSA after a routine knee replacement surgery, Rosie has channelled a hugely difficult and prolonged healthcare experience into a mission for systemic change.

As she states,...

Mark as Played

This episode is a collaboration with Doctors for America.

"This issue has been affecting my sleep. I'm not sleeping and I'm a pretty good sleeper, so this must be bothering me."

In this powerful special episode of the Pursuit of Health podcast, Dr. Eric Fethke collaborates with Doctors for America to sound the alarm about the proposed $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over ten years - a cut larger than the program&apo...

Mark as Played

Ep68: Understanding the Interplay of Healthcare & Politics in America- w/ Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

“Politics are like a kaleidoscope. If you don't like where you are, just keep turning it.”

This week we are delighted to welcome physician, epidemiologist, author, and Director of Wayne County's Department of Health, Abdul El-Sayed.

He shares his opinion that our healthcare system is broken because our politics is broken. 

The sol...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Dr. Jordi Piera Jiménez

Our money comes with us wherever we go, so why doesn’t our health data?

Sharing his innovative vision for transforming the way we use electronic health records and investing in prevention and patient empowerment, is Dr. Jordi Piera Jiménez.

As Director of the Digital Health Strategy at the Catalan Health Service in Spain, Dr. Jiménez shares a blueprint for modern healthcare that unites patie...

Mark as Played

A panel with Dr. Don Berwick, Tanya Sanderson and Ron Howrigon

Today, Dr. Fethke calls on three previous guests to share their thoughts, insights, and solutions in the light of the UHC incident, a tragic murder that highlighted the scale of public anger at the state of our healthcare system.

With our panel drawing from their vast collective experience at clinical, administrative and federal level, this episode serves as a vital resou...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Dr. Robert Pearl

Put a system in place that rewards value. Sounds simple, right? 

Sharing a vision for seismic healthcare reform is renowned healthcare leader, award-winning author, and plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Pearl.

Dr. Pearl originally believed healthcare was a non-political space. How could medicine be political? 

Yet our healthcare system is on its knees, drug companies are protected by policy, patients are s...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Anjana Sreedhar

We need to understand the past, to shape the future.

Join us for an eye-opening discussion with the author of acclaimed health disparities book Health Care of a Thousand Slights, Anjana Sreedhar.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the extent of health inequalities here in America, but Anjana has chosen to seek a solution. Via a comprehensive study of policy, structural racism, and the American identity...

Mark as Played

A conversation with Dr. Lauren Ramsey

It’s time to tackle healthcare problems through innovation and invention.

Bringing energy and initiative to the Pursuit of Health table this week is none other than  leading breast cancer surgeon and healthcare pioneer, Dr. Lauren Ramsey.

Dr. Ramsey joins to share the lowdown on her invention of BAT, a wearable accessory  that protect healthcare professionals (particularly women) from radiation ex...

Mark as Played

American medicine has a LOT to be proud of, but too many doctors are getting burnt out and thinking of quitting healthcare.

Dr. Gregory Charlop, AKA Dr. Greg, is a celebrated physician and author renowned for his innovative approach to physician wellness.

Having experienced burnout firsthand whilst completing years of high intensity work as a pediatric  anesthesiologist, Dr. Greg has shifted his focus towards helping other profession...

Mark as Played

How can we practice preventative healthcare?

Joining from Canada this week is Lidia Molinara, a seasoned clinical pharmacist, CEO, patient safety officer, and fervent advocate for patient safety and effective communication within the healthcare system. 

Recalling her earliest experiences visiting pharmacies and the influence that has held on her clinical approach, Lidia encourages a deepening of the patient-physician dynamic - buildi...

Mark as Played

“Together as a community, we share just one heart.”

This week’s episode is a treat - a deep dive into the philosophy of Dr. Jonathan Fisher, cardiologist, clinician advocate, and author of the fantastic book Just One Heart: A Cardiologist's Guide to Healing, Health, and Happiness.

Jonathan shares how he drew on his own experiences, of medical school burnout and inspirational parents, to encourage our healthcare system to rethink...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

    Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.