Podcasts about Kaiser Permanente

It takes a trained mind to see wonder and awe in the middle of everyday struggles. In today's PT. 2 episode, Ryan and persuasion expert Jay Heinrichs dive deeper into discipline, the power of our inner dialogue, and what it really means to have agency. Jay shares the story of having breakfast with the Dalai Lama and how the Stoics, Buddhists, Aristotle, and even Taylor Swift all point to the same truth about how we see and respond to life. Jay Heinrichs is a New York Times bestselling author of Thank You For Arguing and is a persuasion and conflict consultant. Middlebury College has named him a Professor of the Practice in Rhetoric and Oratory. Jay has conducted influence strategy and training for clients as varied as Kaiser Permanente, Harvard, the European Speechwriters Association, Southwest Airlines, and NASA. He has overseen the remake and staff recruiting of more than a dozen magazines. Pick up a copy of Jay's latest book Aristotle's Guide to Self-Persuasion: How Ancient Rhetoric, Taylor Swift, and Your Own Soul Can Help You Change Your Life Follow Jay on Instagram @JayHeinrichs and check out more of his work at www.jayheinrichs.com

When Dilbert creator Scott Adams publicly begged President Donald Trump for help getting his approved Pluvicto cancer treatment, the story went viral — drawing over 1.8 million views on X. Adams, battling stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, was left waiting by Kaiser Permanente, despite full approval for his life-saving infusion.Within hours, Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Dr. Mehmet Oz stepped in — and Kaiser suddenly scheduled the treatment. Adams now says it likely saved his life.This story isn't just about one man — it's about how America's healthcare system fails the ordinary citizen. What happens when you're not a celebrity with millions of followers?

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Parodi, Executive Vice President for External Affairs and Corporate Development at The Permanente Medical Group, discusses strategies to combat physician shortages, reduce burnout, and expand access to care through technology, team-based models, and policy innovation while preparing for major shifts in healthcare funding and delivery.

You're not lazy, you're just losing the debate in your own head. In today's episode, Ryan talks with Jay Heinrichs, bestselling author of Thank You for Arguing and one of the world's leading experts on rhetoric and persuasion. Jay has spent decades studying how we influence others, but in this conversation, he flips that lens inward to show how we can use the same tools to influence ourselves.Ryan and Jay talk about the fascinating overlap between Stoicism and rhetoric, how Marcus Aurelius used rhetoric to his advantage, and why self-persuasion might actually be more powerful than raw willpower. They discuss the rhetorical tricks Jay used on himself and what the best tools are for getting unstuck.Jay Heinrichs is a New York Times bestselling author of Thank You For Arguing and is a persuasion and conflict consultant. Middlebury College has named him a Professor of the Practice in Rhetoric and Oratory. Jay has conducted influence strategy and training for clients as varied as Kaiser Permanente, Harvard, the European Speechwriters Association, Southwest Airlines, and NASA. He has overseen the remake and staff recruiting of more than a dozen magazines. Pick up a copy of Jay's latest book Aristotle's Guide to Self-Persuasion: How Ancient Rhetoric, Taylor Swift, and Your Own Soul Can Help You Change Your Life Follow Jay on Instagram @JayHeinrichs and check out more of his work at www.jayheinrichs.com

Open enrollment season is here! Whether you're choosing your health plan for the first time or just need a quick refresher, this under 9-minute episode gives you everything you need to make smart, confident choices.We'll break down:The difference between HMO and PPO plansWhat's the deal with Kaiser Permanente?How to think about deductibles, networks, and coverage levelsAll delivered with a touch of humor and zero boring jargon!Quick. Insightful. Actually fun. Tune in and get ready to make the most of open enrollment season!

 Disability Employment MonthDante Q. Allen was appointed by Governor Newsom to his new role of Deputy Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation Services on April 18, 2025 and sworn in by Director Kim Rutledge on May 5, 2025 Congratulations Danté!The U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Danté Quintin Allen to lead the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA). Until his confirmation, Allen had been serving as executive director for CalABLE, California's ABLE Act savings and investment program for people with disabilities. Under his five-year leadership, CalABLE was the fastest growing ABLE Act program in the country. Prior to leading CalABLE, Allen was a communications leader for organizations including Kaiser Permanente and the California Department of Public Health's Office of Health Equity. A fulltime wheelchair user, Allen is a well-known advocate for disability rights and equity. Upon his confirmation, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona remarked, “I look forward to working together with Mr. Allen to provide individuals with disabilities and all students with equitable access to the education and training they need to find good-paying jobs; achieve economic security; and lead healthy, independent lives.”© 2025 Building Abundant Success!!© 2025 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASJoin me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

What does it take to keep a family business thriving for generations? In this episode of Unstoppable Mindset, I talk with Jan Southern, a seasoned business advisor who helps family-owned companies build long-term success through structure, trust, and clarity. We explore why so many family firms lose their way by the third generation—and what can be done right now to change that story. Jan shares how documenting processes, empowering people, and aligning goals can turn complexity into confidence. We unpack her “Three Ps” framework—People, Process, and Product—and discuss how strong leadership, accountability, and smart AI adoption keep growth steady and sustainable. If you've ever wondered what separates businesses that fade from those that flourish, this conversation will show you how to turn structure into freedom and process into legacy. Highlights: 00:10 – Why unexpected stories reveal how real businesses grow. 01:39 – How early life in Liberal, Kansas shaped a strong work ethic. 07:51 – What a 10,000 sq ft HQ build-out teaches about operations. 09:35 – How a trading floor was rebuilt in 36 hours and why speed matters. 11:21 – Why acquisitions fail without tribal knowledge and culture continuity. 13:19 – What Ferguson Alliance does for mid-market family businesses. 14:08 – Why many family firms don't make it to the third generation. 17:33 – How the 3 Ps—people, process, product—create durable growth. 20:49 – Why empowerment and clear decision rights prevent costly delays. 33:02 – The step-by-step process mapping approach that builds buy-in. 36:41 – Who should sponsor change and how to align managers. 49:36 – Why process docs and succession planning start on day one. 56:21 – Realistic timelines: six weeks to ninety days and beyond. 58:19 – How referrals expand projects across departments. About the Guest: With over 40 years of experience in the realm of business optimization and cost-effective strategies, Jan is a seasoned professional dedicated to revolutionizing company efficiency. From collaborating with large corporations encompassing over 1,000 employees to small 2-person offices, Jan's expertise lies in meticulously analyzing financials, processes, policies and procedures to drive enhanced performance. Since joining Ferguson Alliance in 2024, Jan has become a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and is currently in the process of certification in Artificial Intelligence Consulting and Implementation, adding to her ability to quickly provide businesses with an assessment and tools that will enhance their prosperity in today's competitive landscape. Jan's forte lies in crafting solutions that align with each client's vision, bolstering their bottom line and staffing dynamics. Adept in setting policies that align with company objectives, Jan is renowned for transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and longevity. With a knack for unraveling inefficiencies and analyzing net income, Jan is a go-to expert for family-owned businesses looking to extend their legacy into future generations. Ways to connect with Jan: Email address : Jan@Ferguson-Alliance.com Phone: 713 851 2229 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jansouthern cepa Website: https://ferguson alliance.com About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi everyone. I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. But the neat thing about it is we don't usually deal with inclusion or diversity. We deal with everything, but that because people come on this podcast to tell their own stories, and that's what we get to do today with Jan southern not necessarily anything profound about inclusion or diversity, but certainly the unexpected. And I'm sure we're going to figure out how that happens and what's unexpected about whatever I got to tell you. Before we started, we were just sitting here telling a few puns back and forth. Oh, well, we could always do that, Jan, well, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Thank you so much. Glad to be here. Any puns before we start?   Jan Southern ** 02:09 No, I think we've had enough of those. I think we did it   Michael Hingson ** 02:11 in, huh? Yes. Well, cool. Well, I want to thank you for being here. Jan has been very actively involved in a lot of things dealing with business and helping people and companies of all sizes, companies of all sizes. I don't know about people of all sizes, but companies of all sizes in terms of becoming more effective and being well, I'll just use the term resilient, but we'll get into that. But right now, let's talk about the early Jan. Tell us about Jan growing up and all that sort of stuff that's always fun to start with.   Jan Southern ** 02:50 Yes, I grew up in Liberal Kansas, which is a small town just north of the Oklahoma border and a little bit east of New Mexico kind of down in that little Four Corners area. And I grew up in the time when we could leave our house in the morning on the weekends and come home just before dusk at night, and our parents didn't panic, you know. So it was a good it was a good time growing up. I i lived right across the street from the junior high and high school, so I had a hugely long walk to work, I mean,   Michael Hingson ** 03:28 to school,   Jan Southern ** 03:30 yeah, and so, you know, was a, was a cheerleader in high school, and went to college, then at Oklahoma State, and graduated from there, and here I am in the work world. I've been working since I was about 20 years old, and I'd hate to tell you how many years that's been.   Michael Hingson ** 03:51 You can if you want. I won't tell   03:55 nobody will know.   Michael Hingson ** 03:57 Good point. Well, I know it's been a long time I read your bio, so I know, but that's okay. Well, so when you What did you major in in college psychology? Ah, okay. And did you find a bachelor's degree or just bachelor's   Jan Southern ** 04:16 I did not. I got an Mrs. Degree and had two wonderful children and grew up, they've grown up and to become very fine young men with kids of their own. So I have four grandchildren and one great grandchild, so   Michael Hingson ** 04:33 Wowie Zowie, yeah, that's pretty cool. So when you left college after graduating, what did you do?   Jan Southern ** 04:40 I first went to work in a bank. My ex husband was in pharmacy school at Oklahoma, State University of Oklahoma, and so I went to work in a bank. I was the working wife while he went to pharmacy school. And went to work in a bank, and years later, became a bank consultant. So we we lived in Norman, Oklahoma until he was out of school and and as I began having children during our marriage, I went to work for a pediatrician, which was very convenient when you're trying to take care of kids when they're young.   Michael Hingson ** 05:23 Yeah, and what did you What did you do for a pediatrician?   Jan Southern ** 05:27 I was, I was her receptionist, and typed medical charts, so I learned a lot about medicine. Was very she was head of of pediatrics at a local hospital, and also taught at the university. And so I got a great education and health and well being of kids. It was, it was a great job.   Michael Hingson ** 05:51 My my sister in law had her first child while still in high school, and ended up having to go to work. She went to work for Kaiser Permanente as a medical transcriber, but she really worked her way up. She went to college, got a nursing degree, and so on, and she became a nurse. And eventually, when she Well, she didn't retire, but her last job on the medical side was she managed seven wards, and also had been very involved in the critical care unit. Was a nurse in the CCU for a number of years. Then she was tasked. She went to the profit making side of Kaiser, as it were, and she was tasked with bringing paperless charts into Kaiser. She was the nurse involved in the team that did that. So she came a long way from being a medical transcriber.   Jan Southern ** 06:51 Well, she came a long way from being a single mom in high school. That's a great story of success.   Michael Hingson ** 06:56 Well, and she wasn't totally a single mom. She she and the guy did marry, but eventually they they did divorce because he wasn't as committed as he should be to one person, if it were,   Speaker 1 ** 07:10 that's a familiar story. And he also drank and eventually died of cirrhosis of the liver. Oh, that's too bad. Yeah, that's always sad, but, you know, but, but she coped, and her her kids cope. So it works out okay. So you went to work for a pediatrician, and then what did you do?   Jan Southern ** 07:31 Well, after my husband, after he graduated, was transferred to Dallas, and I went to work for a company gardener, Denver company at the time, they've been since purchased by another company. And was because of my experience in banking prior to the pediatrician, I went to work in their corporate cash management division, and I really enjoyed that I was in their corporate cash management for their worldwide division, and was there for about four years, and really enjoyed it. One of my most exciting things was they were moving their headquarters from Quincy, Illinois down to Dallas. And so I had been hired. But since they were not yet in Dallas, I worked with a gentleman who was in charge of putting together their corporate offices. And so we made all the arrangements. As far as we had a got a 10,000 square foot blank space when we started. And our job was to get every desk, every chair, every pen and pencil. And so when somebody moved from Quincy, Illinois, they moved in and they had their desk all set up. Their cuticles were cubicles were ready to go and and they were they could hit the ground running day one, so that,   Michael Hingson ** 09:02 so you, you clearly really got into dealing with organization, I would would say, then, wouldn't, didn't you?   Jan Southern ** 09:11 Yes, yes, that was my, probably my first exposure to to the corporate world and learning exactly how things could be more efficient, more cost effective. And I really enjoyed working for that company.   Michael Hingson ** 09:30 I remember, after September 11, we worked to provide the technology that we were selling, but we provided technology to Wall Street firms so they could recover their data and get set up again to be able to open the stock exchange and all the trading floors on the 17th of September. So the next Monday. And it was amazing, one of the companies was, I think it was Morgan Stanley. Finally and they had to go find new office space, because their office space in the World Trade Center was, needless to say, gone. They found a building in Jersey City that had a floor, they said, about the size of a football field, and from Friday night to Sunday afternoon, they said it took about 36 hours. They brought in computers, including IBM, taking computers from some of their own people, and just bringing them into to Morgan Stanley and other things, including some of the technology that we provided. And within 36 hours, they had completely reconstructed a trading floor. That's amazing. It was, it was absolutely amazing to see that. And you know, for everyone, it was pretty crazy, but Wall Street opened on the 17th and and continued to survive.   Jan Southern ** 10:57 That's a great story.   Michael Hingson ** 10:59 So what did you do? So you did this, this work with the 10,000 square foot space and other things like that. And then what?   Jan Southern ** 11:08 Well, once, once everyone moved into the space in Dallas. Then I began my work in their in their corporate cash management area. And from there, my next job was working in a bank when my my husband, then was transferred back to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I went back to work in banking. And from that bank, I was there about three to four years, and I was hired then by John Floyd as a as a consultant for banks and credit unions, and I was with that company for 42 years. My gosh, I know that's unusual these days, but I really enjoyed what I did. We did re engineering work and cost effectiveness and banks and credit unions for those 42 years. And so that was where I really cut my teeth on process improvement and continuous improvement, and still in that industry. But their company was bought by a an equity firm. And of course, when that happens, they like to make changes and and bring in their own folks. So those of us who had been there since day one were no longer there.   Michael Hingson ** 12:26 When did that happen?   Jan Southern ** 12:27 That was in 2022   Michael Hingson ** 12:32 so it's interesting that companies do that they always want to bring in their own people. And at least from my perspective, it seems to me that they forget that they lose all the tribal knowledge that people who have been working there have that made the company successful   Jan Southern ** 12:51 Absolutely. So I guess they're still doing well, and they've done well for themselves afterwards, and but, you know, they do, they lose all the knowledge, they lose all of the continuity with the clients. And it's sad that they do that, but that's very, very common.   Michael Hingson ** 13:13 Yeah, I know I worked for a company that was bought by Xerox, and all the company wanted was our technology. All Xerox wanted was the technology. And they lost all of the knowledge that all the people with sales experience and other kinds of experiences brought, because they terminated all of us when the company was fully in the Xerox realm of influence.   Jan Southern ** 13:39 So you know what I went through? Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 13:42 Well, what did you do after you left that company? After you left John Floyd,   Jan Southern ** 13:47 I left John Floyd, I was under a I was under a non compete, so I kind of knocked around for a couple of years. I was of age where I could have retired, but I wasn't ready to. So then I found Ferguson Alliance, and I'm now a business advisor for family owned businesses, and so I've been with Ferguson just over a year, and doing the same type of work that I did before. In addition to that, I have become a certified Exit Planning advisor, so that I can do that type of work as well. So that's that's my story in a nutshell. As far as employment,   Michael Hingson ** 14:26 what is Ferguson Alliance?   Jan Southern ** 14:29 Ferguson Alliance, we are business advisors for family owned businesses. And the perception is that a family owned business is going to be a small business, but there are over 500,000 family owned businesses in the United States. Our market is the middle market, from maybe 50 employees up to 1000 20 million in revenues, up to, you know, the sky's the limit, and so we do. Do a lot of work as far as whatever can help a family owned business become more prosperous and survive into future generations. It's a sad statistic that most family owned businesses don't survive into the third generation.   Michael Hingson ** 15:16 Why is that?   Jan Southern ** 15:19 I think because they the first the first generation works themselves, their fingers to the bone to get their their business off the ground, and they get successful, and their offspring often enjoy, if you will, the fruits of the labors of their parents and so many of them, once they've gone to college, they don't have an interest in joining the firm, and so they go on and succeed on their own. And then their children, of course, follow the same course from from their work. And so that's really, I think, the primary reason, and also the the founders of the businesses have a tendency to let that happen, I think. And so our coaching programs try to avoid that and help them to bring in the second and third generations so that they can, you know, they can carry on a legacy of their parents or the founders.   Michael Hingson ** 16:28 So what do you do, and what kinds of initiatives do you take to extend the longevity of a family owned business then,   Jan Southern ** 16:39 well, the first thing is that that Rob, who's our founder of our family owned business, does a lot of executive coaching and helps the helps the people who are within the business, be it the founder or being at their second or third generations, and he'll help with coaching them as to how to, hey, get past the family dynamics. Everybody has their own business dynamics. And then you add on top of that, the family dynamics, in addition to just the normal everyday succession of a business. And so we help them to go through those types of challenges, if you will. They're not always a challenge, but sometimes, if there are challenges, Rob's coaching will take them through that and help them to develop a succession plan that also includes a document that says that that governance plan as to how their family business will be governed, in addition to just a simple succession plan, and my role in a lot of that is to make sure that their business is ready to prosper too. You know that their their assessment of as far as whether they're profitable, whether they are their processes are in place, etc, but one of the primary things that we do is to help them make certain that that if they don't want to survive into future generations, that we help them to prepare to either pass it along to a family member or pass it along to someone who's a non family member, right?   Michael Hingson ** 18:34 So I've heard you mentioned the 3p that are involved in extending longevity. Tell me about that. What are the three P's?   Jan Southern ** 18:41 Well, the first p is your people. You know, if you don't take care of your people, be they family members or non family members, then you're not going to be very successful. So making certain that you have a system in place, have a culture in place that takes care of your people. To us, is very key. Once you make sure that your people are in a culture of continuous improvement and have good, solid foundation. In that regard, you need to make sure that your processes are good. That's the second P that that you have to have your processes all documented, that you've authorized your people to make decisions that they don't always have to go to somebody else. If you're a person in the company and you recognize that something's broken, then you need to have empowerment so that your people can make decisions and not always have to get permission from someone else to make certain that those processes continuously are approved improved. That's how to you. Could have became so successful is they installed a product. They called it, I say, a product. They installed a culture. They called it kaizen. And so Kaizen was simply just continuous improvement, where, if you were doing a process and you ask yourself, why did I do it this way? Isn't there a better way? Then, you know, you're empowered to find a better way and to make sure that that that you can make that decision, as long as it fits in with the culture of the company. Then the third P is product. You know, you've got to have a product that people want. I know that you've seen a lot of companies fail because they're pushing a product that nobody wants. And so you make certain that your products are good, your products are good, high quality, and that you can deliver them in the way that you promise. And so those are really the 3p I'd like to go back to process and just kind of one of the things, as you know, we had some horrendous flooding here in Texas recently, and one of the things that happened during that, and not that it was a cause of it, but just one of the things that exacerbated the situation, is someone called to say, Please, we need help. There's flooding going on. It was one of their first responders had recognized that there was a tragic situation unfolding, and when he called into their system to give alerts, someone says, Well, I'm going to have to get approval from my supervisor, with the approval didn't come in time. So what's behind that? We don't know, but that's just a critical point as to why you should empower your people to make decisions when, when it's necessary.   Michael Hingson ** 21:56 I'm sure, in its own way, there was some of that with all the big fires out here in California back in January, although part of the problem with those is that aircraft couldn't fly for 36 hours because the winds were so heavy that there was just no way that the aircraft could fly. But you got to wonder along the way, since they are talking about the fact that the electric companies Southern California, Edison had a fair amount to do with probably a lot a number of the fires igniting and so on, one can only wonder what might have happened if somebody had made different decisions to better prepare and do things like coating the wires so that if they touch, they wouldn't spark and so on that they didn't do. And, you know, I don't know, but one can only wonder.   Jan Southern ** 22:53 It's hard to know, you know, and in our situation, would it have made any difference had that person been able to make a decision on her own? Yeah, I was moving so rapidly, it might not have made any any difference at all, but you just have to wonder, like you said,   Michael Hingson ** 23:10 yeah, there's no way to, at this point, really know and understand, but nevertheless, it is hopefully something that people learn about for the future, I heard that they're now starting to coat wires, and so hopefully that will prevent a lot, prevent a lot of the sparking and so on. I'd always thought about they ought to put everything underground, but coating wire. If they can do that and do it effectively, would probably work as well. And that's, I would think, a lot cheaper than trying to put the whole power grid underground.   Jan Southern ** 23:51 I would think so we did when I was with my prior company. We did a project where they were burying, they were putting everything underground, and Burlington Vermont, and it was incredible what it takes to do that. I mean, you just, we on the outside, just don't realize, you know, there's a room that's like 10 by six underground that carries all of their equipment and things necessary to do that. And I never realized how, how costly and how difficult it was to bury everything. We just have the impression that, well, they just bury this stuff underground, and that's all. That's all it takes. But it's a huge, huge undertaking in order to do that   Michael Hingson ** 24:36 well. And it's not just the equipment, it's all the wires, and that's hundreds and of miles and 1000s of miles of cable that has to be buried underground, and that gets to be a real challenge.   Jan Southern ** 24:47 Oh, exactly, exactly. So another story about cables. We were working in West Texas one time on a project, and we're watching them stretch the. Wiring. They were doing some internet provisioning for West Texas, which was woefully short on in that regard, and they were stringing the wire using helicopters. It was fascinating, and the only reason we saw that is it was along the roadways when we were traveling from West Texas, back into San Antonio, where flights were coming in and out of so that was interesting to watch.   Michael Hingson ** 25:28 Yeah, yeah. People get pretty creative. Well, you know, thinking back a little bit, John Floyd must have been doing something right to keep you around for 42 years.   Jan Southern ** 25:40 Yes, they did. They were a fabulous country company and still going strong. I think he opened in 1981 it's called advantage. Now, it's not John Floyd, but Right, that was a family owned business. That's where I got to cut my teeth on the dynamics of a family owned business and how they should work and how and his niece is one of the people that's still with the company. Whether, now that they're owned by someone else, whether she'll be able to remain as they go into different elements, is, is another question. But yeah, they were, they were great.   Michael Hingson ** 26:20 How many companies, going back to the things we were talking about earlier, how many companies when they're when they buy out another company, or they're bought out by another company, how many of those companies generally do succeed and continue to grow? Do you have any statistics, or do more tend not to than do? Or   Jan Southern ** 26:40 I think that more tend to survive. They tend to survive, though, with a different culture, I guess you would say they they don't retain the culture that they had before. I don't have any firm statistics on that, because we don't really deal with that that much, but I don't they tend to survive with it, with a the culture of the newer company, if they fold them in, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 27:15 Well, and the reality is to be fair, evolution always takes place. So the John Floyd and say, 2022 wasn't the same as the John Floyd company in 1981   Jan Southern ** 27:31 not at all. No, exactly, not at all.   Michael Hingson ** 27:34 So it did evolve, and it did grow. And so hopefully, when that company was absorbed elsewhere and with other companies, they they do something to continue to be successful, and I but I think that's good. I know that with Xerox, when it bought Kurzweil, who I worked for, they were also growing a lot and so on. The only thing is that their stock started to drop. I think that there were a number of things. They became less visionary, I think is probably the best way to put it, and they had more competition from other companies developing and providing copiers and other things like that. But they just became less visionary. And so the result was that they didn't grow as much as probably they should have.   Jan Southern ** 28:28 I think that happens a lot. Sometimes, if you don't have a culture of continuous improvement and continuous innovation, which maybe they didn't, I'm not that familiar with how they move forward, then you get left behind. You know, I'm I'm in the process right now, becoming certified in artificial intelligent in my old age. And the point that's made, not by the company necessarily that I'm studying with, but by many others, is there's going to be two different kinds of companies in the future. There's going to be those who have adopted AI and those who used to be in business. And I think that's probably fair.   Michael Hingson ** 29:13 I think it is. And I also we talked with a person on this podcast about a year ago, or not quite a year ago, but, but he said, AI will not replace anyone's jobs. People will replace people's jobs with AI, but they shouldn't. They shouldn't eliminate anyone from the workforce. And we ended up having this discussion about autonomous vehicles. And the example that he gave is, right now we have companies that are shippers, and they drive product across the country, and what will happen to the drivers when the driving process becomes autonomous and you have self driving vehicles, driving. Across country. And his point was, what they should do, what people should consider doing is not eliminating the drivers, but while the machine is doing the driving, find and give additional or other tasks to the drivers to do so they can continue to be contributors and become more efficient and help the company become more efficient, because now you've got people to do other things than what they were used to doing, but there are other things that AI won't be able to do. And I thought that was pretty fascinating,   Jan Southern ** 30:34 exactly. Well, my my nephew is a long haul truck driver. He owns a company, and you know, nothing the AI will never be able to observe everything that's going on around the trucking and and you know, there's also the some of the things that that driver can do is those observations, plus they're Going to need people who are going to program those trucks as they are making their way across the country, and so I'm totally in agreement with what your friend said, or your you know, your guests had to say that many other things,   Michael Hingson ** 31:15 yeah, and it isn't necessarily even relating to driving, but there are certainly other things that they could be doing to continue to be efficient and effective, and no matter how good the autonomous driving capabilities are, it only takes that one time when for whatever reason, the intelligence can't do it, that it's good To have a driver available to to to to help. And I do believe that we're going to see the time when autonomous vehicles will be able to do a great job, and they will be able to observe most of all that stuff that goes on around them. But there's going to be that one time and that that happens. I mean, even with drivers in a vehicle, there's that one time when maybe something happens and a driver can't continue. So what happens? Well, the vehicle crashes, or there's another person to take over. That's why we have at least two pilots and airplanes and so on. So right, exactly aspects of it,   Jan Southern ** 32:21 I think so I can remember when I was in grade school, they showed us a film as to what someone's vision of the country was, and part of that was autonomous driving, you know. And so it was, it was interesting that we're living in a time where we're beginning to see that, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 32:41 we're on the cusp, and it's going to come. It's not going to happen overnight, but it will happen, and we're going to find that vehicles will be able to drive themselves. But there's still much more to it than that, and we shouldn't be in too big of a hurry, although some so called profit making. People may decide that's not true, to their eventual chagrin, but we shouldn't be too quick to replace people with technology totally   Jan Southern ** 33:14 Exactly. We have cars in I think it's Domino's Pizza. I'm not sure which pizza company, but they have autonomous cars driving, and they're cooking the pizza in the back oven of the car while, you know, while it's driving to your location, yeah, but there's somebody in the car who gets out of the car and brings the pizza to my door.   Michael Hingson ** 33:41 There's been some discussion about having drones fly the pizza to you. Well, you know, we'll see,   Jan Southern ** 33:50 right? We'll see how that goes. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 33:53 I haven't heard that. That one is really, pardon the pun, flown well yet. But, you know, we'll see. So when you start a process, improvement process program, what are some of the first steps that you initiate to bring that about? Well, the first   Jan Southern ** 34:11 thing that we do, once we've got agreement with their leadership, then we have a meeting with the people who will be involved, who will be impacted, and we tell them all about what's happening, what's going to happen, and make certain that they're in full understanding. And you know, the first thing that you ever hear when you're saying that you're going to be doing a re engineering or process improvement is they think, Oh, you're just going to come in and tell me to reduce my staff, and that's the way I'm going to be more successful. We don't look at it that way at all. We look at it in that you need to be right. Have your staff being the right size, and so in in many cases, in my past. I we've added staff. We've told them, you're under staffed, but the first thing we do is hold that meeting, make certain that they're all in agreement with what's going to happen, explain to them how it's going to happen, and then the next step is that once management has decided who our counterparts will be within the company. Who's going to be working with us to introduce us to their staff members is we sit down with their staff members and we ask them questions. You know, what do you do? How do you do it? What do you Did someone bring it to you. Are you second in line or next in line for some task? And then once you finish with it, what happens to it? Do you give someone else? Is a report produced? Etc. And so once we've answered all of those questions, we do a little a mapping of the process. And once you map that process, then you take it back to the people who actually perform the process, and you ask them, Did I get this right? I heard you say, this? Is this a true depiction of what's happening? And so we make sure that they don't do four steps. And they told us steps number one and three, so that then, once we've mapped that out, that gives us an idea of two of how can things be combined? Can they be combined? Should you be doing what you're doing here? Is there a more efficient or cost effective way of doing it? And we make our recommendations based on that for each process that we're reviewing. Sometimes there's one or two good processes in an area that we're looking at. Sometimes there are hundreds. And so that's that's the basic process. And then once they've said yes, that is correct, then we make our recommendations. We take it back to their management, and hopefully they will include the people who actually are performing the actions. And we make our recommendations to make changes if, if, if it's correct, maybe they don't need to make any changes. Maybe everything is is very, very perfect the way it is. But in most cases, they brought us in because it's not and they've recognized it's not. So then once they've said, yes, we want to do this, then we help them to implement.   Michael Hingson ** 37:44 Who usually starts this process, that is, who brings you in?   Jan Southern ** 37:48 Generally, it is going to be, depending upon the size of the company, but in most cases, it's going to be the CEO. Sometimes it's the Chief Operating Officer. Sometimes in a very large company, it may be a department manager, you know, someone who has the authority to bring us in. But generally, I would say that probably 90% of our projects, it's at the C   Michael Hingson ** 38:19 level office. So then, based on everything that you're you're discussing, probably that also means that there has to be some time taken to convince management below the CEO or CEO or a department head. You've got to convince the rest of management that this is going to be a good thing and that you have their best interest at heart.   Jan Southern ** 38:43 That is correct, and that's primarily the reason that we have for our initial meeting. We ask whoever is the contract signer to attend that meeting and be a part of the discussion to help to ward off any objections, and then to really bring these people along if they are objecting. And for that very reason, even though they may still be objecting, we involve them in the implementation, so an implementation of a of a recommendation has to improve, has to include the validation. So we don't do the work, but we sit alongside the people who are doing the implementation and guide them through the process, and then it's really up to them to report back. Is it working as intended? If it's not, what needs to be changed, what might improve, what we thought would be a good recommendation, and we work with them to make certain that everything works for them. Right? And by the end of that, if they've been the tester, they've been the one who's approved steps along the way, we generally find that they're on board because they're the it's now. They're now the owners of the process. And when they have ownership on something that they've implemented. It's amazing how much more resilient they they think that the process becomes, and now it's their process and not ours.   Michael Hingson ** 40:32 Do you find most often that when you're working with a number of people in a company that most of them realize that there need to be some changes, or something needs to be improved to make the whole company work better. Or do you find sometimes there's just great resistance, and people say no, there's just no way anything is bad.   Jan Southern ** 40:53 Here we find that 90% of the time, and I'm just pulling that percentage out of the air, I would say they know, they know it needs to be changed. And the ones typically, not always, but typically, the ones where you find the greatest resistance are the ones who know it's broken, but they just don't want to change. You know, there are some people who don't want to change no matter what, or they feel threatened that. They feel like that a new and improved process might take their place. You know, might replace them. And that's typically not the case. It's typically not the case at all, that they're not replaced by it. Their process is improved, and they find that they can be much more productive. But the the ones who are like I call them the great resistors, usually don't survive the process either. They are. They generally let themselves go,   Michael Hingson ** 42:01 if you will, more ego than working for the company.   Jan Southern ** 42:05 Yes, exactly, you know, it's kind of like my mom, you know, and it they own the process as it was. We used to laugh and call this person Louise, you know, Louise has said, Well, we've always done it that way. You know, that's probably the best reason 20 years in not to continue to do it same way.   Michael Hingson ** 42:34 We talked earlier about John Floyd and evolution. And that makes perfect sense. Exactly what's one of the most important things that you have to do to prepare to become involved in preparing for a process, improvement project? I think   Jan Southern ** 42:52 the most important thing there's two very important things. One is to understand their culture, to know how their culture is today, so that you know kind of which direction you need to take them, if they're not in a continuous improvement environment, then you need to lead them in that direction if they're already there and they just don't understand what needs to be done. There's two different scenarios, but the first thing you need to do is understand the culture. The second thing that you need to do, other than the culture, is understand their their business. You need to know what they do. Of course, you can't know from the outside how they do it, but you need to know that, for instance, if it's an we're working with a company that cleans oil tanks and removes toxins and foul lines from oil and gas industry. And so if you don't understand at all what they do, it's hard to help them through the processes that they need to go through. And so just learning, in general, what their technology, what their business is about. If you walk in there and haven't done that, you're just blowing smoke. In my mind, you know, I do a lot of research on the technologies that they use, or their company in general. I look at their website, I you know, look at their LinkedIn, their social media and so. And then we request information from them in advance of doing a project, so that we know what their org structure looks like. And I think those things are critical before you walk in the door to really understand their business in general.   Michael Hingson ** 44:53 Yeah, and that, by doing that, you also tend to. To gain a lot of credibility, because you come in and demonstrate that you do understand what they're doing, and people respond well to that, I would think   Jan Southern ** 45:10 they do. You know, one of our most interesting projects in my past was the electric company that I mentioned. There was an electric company in Burlington, Vermont that did their own electric generation. We've never looked at anything like that. We're a bank consultant, and so we learned all about how they generated energy with wood chips and the, you know, the different things. And, you know, there were many days that I was out watching the wood chips fall out of a train and into their buckets, where they then transferred them to a yard where they moved the stuff around all the time. So, you know, it was, it's very interesting what you learn along the way. But I had done my homework, and I knew kind of what they did and not how they did it in individual aspects of their own processes, but I understood their industry. And so it was, you do walk in with some credibility, otherwise they're looking at you like, well, what does this person know about my job?   Michael Hingson ** 46:20 And at the same time, have you ever been involved in a situation where you did learn about the company you you went in with some knowledge, you started working with the company, and you made a suggestion about changing a process or doing something that no one had thought of, and it just clicked, and everybody loved it when they thought about it,   Jan Southern ** 46:42 yes, yes, exactly. And probably that electric company was one of those such things. You know, when they hired us, they they told us. We said, We don't know anything about your business. And they said, Good, we don't want you to come in with any preconceived ideas. And so some of the recommendations we made to them. They were, it's kind of like an aha moment. You know, they look at you like, Oh my gosh. I've never thought of that, you know, the same I would say in in banking and in family businesses, you know, they just, they've never thought about doing things in a certain way.   Michael Hingson ** 47:20 Can you tell us a story about one of those times?   Jan Southern ** 47:24 Yes, I would say that if you're, if you're talking about, let's talk about something in the banking industry, where they are. I was working in a bank, and you, you go in, and this was in the days before we had all of the ways to store things electronically. And so they were having a difficult time in keeping all of their documents and in place and knowing when to, you know, put them in a destruction pile and when not to. And so I would say that they had an aha moment when I said, Okay, let's do this. Let's get a bunch of the little colored dots, and you have big dots and small dots. And I said, everything that you put away for 1990 for instance, then you put on a purple dot. And then for January, you have 12 different colors of the little dots that you put in the middle of them. And you can use those things to determine that everything that has a purple dot and little yellow.in the middle of that one, you know that that needs to be destructed. I think in that case, it was seven years, seven years from now, you know that you need to pull that one off the shelf and put it into the pile to be destructed. And they said, we've never thought of anything. It was like I had told him that, you know, the world was going to be struck, to be gone, to begin tomorrow. Yeah, it was so simple to me, but it was something that they had never, ever thought of, and it solved. They had something like five warehouses of stuff, most of which needed to have been destroyed years before, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 49:21 but still they weren't sure what, and so you gave them a mechanism to do that,   Jan Southern ** 49:27 right? Of course, that's all gone out the window today. You don't have to do all that manual stuff anymore. You're just, you know, I'd say another example of that was people who were when we began the system of digitizing the files, especially loan files in a bank. And this would hold true today as well, in that once you start on a project to digitize the files, there's a tendency to take the old. Files first and digitize those. Well, when you do that, before you get to the end of it, if you have a large project, you don't need those files anymore. So you know, our recommendation is start with your latest. You know, anything that needs to be archived, start with the newest, because by the time that you finish your project, some of those old files you won't even need to digitize, just shred them. Yeah, you know, it's, it's just little simple things like that that can make all the difference.   Michael Hingson ** 50:32 When should a family business start documenting processes? I think I know that's what I thought you'd say,   Jan Southern ** 50:40 yes, yes, that is something that is near and dear to my heart. Is that I would even recommend that you maybe do it before you open your doors, if potential is there, so that the day you open your business, you need to start with your documenting your processes, and you need to start on your succession planning. You know, those are the days that once you really start working, you're not going to have time. You know, you're going to be busy working every day. You're you're going to be busy servicing your customers, and that always gets pushed to the back when you start to document something, and so that's the time do it when you first open your doors.   Michael Hingson ** 51:29 So when we talk about processes, maybe it's a fair question to ask, maybe not. But what are we really talking about when we talk about processes and documenting processes? What are the processes?   Jan Southern ** 51:41 Well, the processes are the things that you do every day. Let's take as an example, just when you set up your your files within your SharePoint, or within your computer, if you don't use SharePoint, your Google files, how you set those up, a process could also be during your accounting, what's the process that you go through to get a invoice approved? You know, when the invoice comes in from the vendor, what do you do with it? You know, who has to approve it? Are there dollar amounts that you have to have approvals for? Or can some people just take in a smaller invoice and pay it without any any approvals? We like to see there be a process where it's approved before you get the invoice from the customer, where it's been approved at the time of the order. And that way it can be processed more more quickly on the backside, to just make sure that it says what the purchase order if you use purchase orders or see what your agreement was. So it's the it's the workflow. There's something that triggers an action, and then, once gets triggered, then what takes place? What's next, what's the next steps? And you just go through each one of the things that has to happen for that invoice to get paid, and the check or wire transfer, or or whatever you use as a payment methodology for it to go out the door. And so, you know what you what you do is you start, there's something that triggers it, and then there's a goal for the end, and then you fill in in the center,   Michael Hingson ** 53:38 and it's, it's, it's a fascinating I hate to use the word process to to listen to all of this, but it makes perfect sense that you should be documenting right from the outset about everything that you do, because it also means that you're establishing a plan so that everyone knows exactly what the expectations are and exactly what it is that needs to be done every step of the way,   Jan Southern ** 54:07 right and and one of the primary reasons for that is we can't anticipate life. You know, maybe our favorite person, Louise, is the only one who's ever done, let's say, you know, payroll processing, or something of that sort. And if something happens and Louise isn't able to come in tomorrow, who's going to do it? You know, without a map, a road map, as to the steps that need to be taken, how's that going to take place? And so that's that's really the critical importance. And when you're writing those processes and procedures, you need to make them so that anybody can walk in off the street, if necessary, and do what Louise was doing and have it done. Properly.   Michael Hingson ** 55:00 Of course, as we know, Louise is just a big complainer anyway. That's right, you said, yeah. Well, once you've made recommendations, and let's say they're put in place, then what do you do to continue supporting a business?   Jan Southern ** 55:20 We check in with them periodically, whatever is appropriate for them and and for the procedures that are there, we make sure that it's working for them, that they're being as prosperous as they want to be, and that our recommendations are working for them. Hopefully they'll allow us to come back in and and most do, and make sure that what we recommended is right and in is working for them, and if so, we make little tweaks with their approvals. And maybe new technology has come in, maybe they've installed a new system. And so then we help them to incorporate our prior recommendations into whatever new they have. And so we try to support them on an ongoing basis, if they're willing to do that, which we have many clients. I think Rob has clients he's been with for ever, since he opened his doors 15 years ago. So   Michael Hingson ** 56:19 of course, the other side of that is, I would assume sometimes you work with companies, you've helped them deal with processes and so on, and then you come back in and you know about technology that that they don't know. And I would assume then that you suggest that, and hopefully they see the value of listening to your wisdom.   Jan Southern ** 56:41 Absolutely, we find that a lot. We also if they've discovered a technology on their own, but need help with recommendations, as far as implementation, we can help them through that as well, and that's one of the reasons I'm taking this class in AI to be able to help our customers move into a realm where it's much more easily implemented if, if they already have the steps that we've put into place, you can feed that into an AI model, and it can make adjustments to what they're doing or make suggestions.   Michael Hingson ** 57:19 Is there any kind of a rule of thumb to to answer this question, how long does it take for a project to to be completed?   Jan Southern ** 57:26 You know, it takes, in all fairness, regardless of the size of the company, I would say that they need to allow six weeks minimum. That's for a small company with a small project, it can take as long as a year or two years, depending upon the number of departments and the number of people that you have to talk to about their processes. But to let's just take an example of a one, one single department in a company is looking at doing one of these processes, then they need to allow at least six weeks to for discovery, for mapping, for their people to become accustomed to the new processes and to make sure that the implementation has been tested and is working and and they're satisfied with everything that that is taking place. Six weeks is a very, very minimum, probably 90 days is a more fair assessment as to how long they should allow for everything to take place.   Michael Hingson ** 58:39 Do you find that, if you are successful with, say, a larger company, when you go in and work with one department and you're able to demonstrate success improvements, or whatever it is that that you define as being successful, that then other departments want to use your services as well?   Jan Southern ** 59:00 Yes, yes, we do. That's a very good point. Is that once you've helped them to help themselves, if you will, once you've helped them through that process, then they recognize the value of that, and we'll move on to another division or another department to do the same thing.   Michael Hingson ** 59:21 Word of mouth counts for a lot,   Jan Southern ** 59:24 doesn't it? Though, I'd say 90% of our business at Ferguson and company comes through referrals. They refer either through a center of influence or a current client who's been very satisfied with the work that we've done for them, and they tell their friends and networking people that you know. Here's somebody that you should use if you're considering this type of a project.   Michael Hingson ** 59:48 Well, if people want to reach out to you and maybe explore using your services in Ferguson services, how do they do that?   Jan Southern ** 59:55 They contact they can. If they want to contact me directly, it's Jan. J, a n, at Ferguson dash alliance.com and that's F, E, R, G, U, S, O, N, Dash alliance.com and they can go to our website, which is the same, which is Ferguson dash alliance.com One thing that's very, very good about our our website is, there's a page that's called resources, and there's a lot of free advice, if you will. There's a lot of materials there that are available to family owned businesses, specifically, but any business could probably benefit from that. And so those are free for you to be able to access and look at, and there's a lot of blog information, free eBook out there, and so that's the best way to reach Ferguson Alliance.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:52 Well, cool. Well, I hope people will take all of this to heart. You certainly offered a lot of interesting and I would say, very relevant ideas and thoughts about dealing with processes and the importance of having processes. For several years at a company, my wife was in charge of document control and and not only doc control, but also keeping things secure. Of course, having the sense of humor that I have, I pointed out nobody else around the company knew how to read Braille, so what they should really do is put all the documents in Braille, then they'd be protected, but nobody. I was very disappointed. Good idea   Speaker 2 ** 1:01:36 that is good idea that'll keep them safe from everybody. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:39 Well, I want to thank you for being here, and I want to thank to thank all of you for listening today. We've been doing this an hour. How much fun. It is fun. Well, I appreciate it, and love to hear from all of you about today's episode. Please feel free to reach out to me. You can email me at Michael H i@accessibe.com or go to our podcast page. Michael hingson, M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s, O, n.com/podcast, but wherever you're listening, please give us a five star rating. We value your thoughts and your opinions, and I hope that you'll tell other people about the podcasts as well. This has been an interesting one, and we try to make them all kind of fun and interesting, so please tell others about it. And if anyone out there listening knows of anyone who ought to be a guest, Jan, including you, then please feel free to introduce us to anyone who you think ought to be a guest on unstoppable mindset. Because I believe everyone has a story to tell, and I want to get as many people to have the opportunity to tell their stories as we can. So I hope that you'll all do that and give us reviews and and stick with us. But Jan, again, I want to thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun.   Jan Southern ** 1:02:51 It has been a lot of fun, and I certainly thank you for inviting me.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:00 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

On Episode 89 of Astonishing Healthcare, we are talking about some "visual treats," as the title suggests! Our guest, Andrew Tsang, has been posting some very cool things on LinkedIn of late, including Sankey and other dynamic charts highlighting where the money flows in healthcare (from the premium dollars to the care plan members receive), and which stakeholders win or lose in different scenarios via a 5-Way Seesaw he developed using AI! If you're a [healthcare] data nerd, this episode is definitely for you, and you'll want to check out:How many layers are between your employer's healthcare dollars and care? on LinkedIn (you can see where every $100 an employer spends goes!)What would happen if power actually shifted in healthcare? on LinkedIn (5-Way Seesaw)Andrew discussed how and why:A significant portion of the healthcare premium is consumed by administrative layers and middlemen before ever funding patient care.Employers can combat wasteful spending by demanding full access to their claims data, then identifying and eliminating things that extract value from their plans (or don't work for their populations).Integrated care models (like Kaiser Permanente) and direct primary care help eliminate friction by aligning provider and payer incentives, allowing doctors to focus on practicing medicine (vs. revenue cycle management).New technologies like AI-powered prior authorizations may reduce administrative costs for payers but risk creating new burdens for providers and patients, if we're not careful.Hospitals face a fundamental conflict: core, life-saving services like ICU and emergency care are often unprofitable and must be cross-subsidized by higher-margin procedures.Related ContentHow to obtain Rx data and what to do with itAH030 - Plan Sponsors Need a Source of Truth; Get Your Data Now & Find It, with Jeff HoganCapital Rx Unveils Healthcare's First Unified Pharmacy and Medical Claims Processing PlatformPharmacy Benefits 101: Prior AuthorizationsAH048 - High-Cost Orphan Drugs, Securing Claims Data, and More, with Dr. Eric BrickerFor more content and information about this episode, including the show notes and transcript, please visit Judi Health - Insights.

This summer, both Stanford Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente paused gender affirming surgeries for youth under 19 years old. Ever since, the families of transgender kids in the Bay have been facing some hard choices.

 Your shoes do more than complete an outfit — they're the foundation of your foot health, posture, and comfort. But with endless styles and brands to choose from, how do you know which ones are actually good for your feet? On this episode of the Healthier You podcast. I'm Dr. Ashlee Williams talks with Dr. Kristy Golden, a podiatric surgeon at Kaiser Permanente, about what really matters when it comes to footwear. Tune in to learn the four types of shoes every person should own, what to look for when buying new pairs, and how the wrong shoes can cause long-term problems. Learn more about Kristy Golden, DPM

Dr. Sara Ailshire, an anthropologist and Evidence Based Birth® Research Team member, and her husband, Dr. Siavash Samei, an environmental archaeologist, share the story of welcoming their rainbow baby after loss. In this episode, Sara and Siavash open up about navigating miscarriage care in the wake of changing abortion laws in Ohio, the anxiety and hope of pregnancy after loss, and Sara's experience with developing preeclampsia near the end of her pregnancy. They describe how they worked with a supportive midwifery team, hired a doula for advocacy and comfort, and ultimately experienced an induction that honored their preferences for a low-intervention birth. Their story also sheds light on the realities of discrimination in healthcare, the importance of community support, and the resilience found in becoming parents after loss. (01:58) Facing Miscarriage in Ohio and Barriers to Care (07:35) Pregnancy After Loss: Anxiety, Detachment, and Hope (13:04) Finding Midwifery Care in Kentucky and Planning a Low-Intervention Birth (20:29) Preparing for Birth: Classes, Doulas, and Advocacy Concerns (22:37) Early Signs of Preeclampsia and Navigating Blood Pressure Monitoring (30:33) Deciding on Induction at 38 Weeks (36:39) Laboring with Support and Moving Through Transition (42:43) Birth of Ferdous and Unexpected Placenta Complications (49:34) Advocacy, Microaggressions, and the Role of the Doula (54:23) Advice for Expecting Parents: Finding Calm, Support, and Autonomy   Resources Learn more about preeclampsia: www.preeclampsia.org Miscarriage Care Instructions from Kaiser Permanente: healthy.kaiserpermanente.org Dobbs-Era Abortion Restrictions and Miscarriage Care: kff.org Navigating Miscarriage Management Post-Dobbs: whijournal.com Emotional Coping After Miscarriage: americanpregnancy.org An Account of a Miscarriage at Home: miscarriageassociation.org.uk Supply List for a Miscarriage at Home: miscarriagematters.org.nz Learn about the Jada System: organonpro.com The Birthing Spa in Stanford, Kentucky: thebirthingspa.com   For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Investor Nancy Brown joins us at Aspen Ideas Health to share her blueprint for impactful investments. Identify public health breakthroughs that deliver measurable cost and quality improvements — then show how they can thrive in the marketplace. You don't have to look far to see this playbook in action. One of the year's biggest health exits, Omada Health, is a digital version of the CDC's Diabetes Prevention Program. At Oak HC/FT, Nancy has partnered with entrepreneurs who are redefining how America stays healthy — and she's eager to see more people with public health roots take the leap into building impactful companies.Please note: this conversation happened before HR1 was passed, so big Medicaid cuts were a threat but not yet a reality when we spoke.In this episode, we discuss:Lessons from Todd Park in the early days of athenahealthHow to turn good ideas into great businessesNancy's advice in an era of policy disruption: keep on building and proving valueThe lesson Kaiser Permanente is still teaching usNancy reminds us that in reality, even a brilliant idea needs to have ROI built in:“We look for entrepreneurs, for innovators, who have really defined a way in which to find a cohort of patients, it could be pregnant Medicaid moms... And they have identified if they apply a certain clinical process consistently to that population, they will get a consistently good outcome, quality outcome, and they can do it in a sustainable [way] at a sustainable price.”Relevant LinksRead Oak HC/FT's AI Investment PolicyExplore businesses Nancy mentioned from Oak HC/FT's investment portfolio:Maven ClinicOshi Health About Our GuestNancy Brown is a General Partner at Oak HC/FT, a leading venture and growth equity firm investing in transformative healthcare and fintech companies. Since joining Oak HC/FT at its inception in 2014, Ms. Brown has focused on identifying and supporting technology-enabled healthcare services that deliver measurable clinical and financial impact. She focuses on growth equity and early-stage venture investments in healthcare, serving on the boards of innovative companies such as Firefly Health, Groups Recover Together, InterWell Health, Maven Clinic, Oshi Health, Regard, Unite Us, and Wayspring. Her portfolio also includes Noom, TurningPoint Healthcare Solutions, Limeade (ASX: LME), OncoHealth, and OODA Health.Ms. Brown brings over three decades of operational and leadership experience to her investment role. Prior to Oak HC/FT, she was Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at McKesson Technology Solutions and Chief Growth Officer at MedVentive (acquired by McKesson in 2012). Previously, she served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Services and Corporate Development at athenahealth, and earlier held senior roles at McKesson and Harvard Community Health Plan. She also co-founded Abaton.com, one of the first web-based clinical solution companies, which was later acquired by McKesson.A graduate of the University of New Hampshire (B.S. in Zoology) and Northeastern University (MBA), Ms. Brown is an active mentor and advisor. She serves on Northeastern's D'Amore‑McKim School of Business Dean's Executive Council and is involved in the Roux Institute's Future of Healthcare Founder Residency program.

Do you want to learn the right mindset to achieve your ultimate success? In this episode of the Happy Hustle Podcast, I have on Alex Banayan, the youngest and #1 international bestselling business author in American history. Alex and I talk about the mindset of success and the power of possibility. Named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and Business Insider's “Most Powerful People Under 30,” Alex is his generation's leading expert in high performance and personal development, having been featured in Fortune, CNBC, Businessweek, The Washington Post, MSNBC, Fox News, and NBC News. An acclaimed keynote speaker, he has presented the Third Door™ framework to corporate leadership teams around the world, including Apple, Google, Nike, IBM, Snapchat, Salesforce, Delta Airlines, Kaiser Permanente, Mastercard, and Disney. His new book, The Third Door is his seven-year quest to uncover the definitive mindset of exponential growth and success. Over the course of his unprecedented journey, he interviewed Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Larry King, Maya Angelou, Steve Wozniak, Jane Goodall, Jessica Alba, Quincy Jones, and more. The book is now a #1 international bestseller, has been translated into more than a dozen languages, and has been acclaimed by The New York Post as “a joy to read.” If you want to know how the world's most successful people succeed in their careers, grab a copy of The Third Door Book at https://amzn.to/3lDyjy9 And if you're feeling like you need a holiday from the holidays, I have the perfect solution. Do yourself a favor and start taking Magnesium Breakthrough every night before you go to bed. Magnesium Breakthrough is so effective is because it's the only organic full-spectrum magnesium supplement that includes 7 unique forms of magnesium for stress relief and better sleep, all in one bottle. For an exclusive offer to all Happy Hustlers, go to www.magnesiumbreakthrough.com/hustle and use code HUSTLE to save 10% when you try Magnesium Breakthrough.   IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: [00:30:16:02] Persevere past Rejection to Achieve Success [00:36:52:06] The Third Door: The Power of Possibility [00:13:04:26] Use Your Unconscious Mind to Achieve Your Goals [1:00:56:15] Happy Hustle Hacks [Health, Money, Entrepreneurship, Spirituality] [01:21:24:13] Rapid fire questions   What does happy Hustlin mean to you?  Alex says it means going after what you want and the way you want to do it and it's just one of the privileges in life.   Connect with Alex Instagram Facebook Linkedin Youtube Twitter   Find Alex on his website: http://thirddoorbook.com/   Connect with Cary! Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter Youtube   Get a free copy of his new book, The Happy Hustle, 10 Alignments to Avoid Burnout & Achieve Blissful Balance Sign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Course Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventure   “It's time To Happy Hustle a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!”

With millions of people taking to the streets this weekend, we've got a packed episode for you. We start with headlines from Republic Services, Blizzard Entertainment, Starbucks, Microsoft, the Royal College of Nursing, Tata, and the nation of Spain. Tens of thousands of workers just wrapped up a historic week long strike at Kaiser Permanente, we discuss their continued struggle. Peoples Dispatch reports on the fight by workers in the cotton industry of Benin against forced labor.  Volkswagen is facing a potential fight, Labor Notes breaks down the organizing effort in Chattanooga. Air traffic controllers aren't getting paid due to the shutdown, and yet their union is advocating workers not to call in sick. Finally, more and more workers are standing up to ICE kidnapping their neighbors, we recount some of their latest efforts and tactics. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

"By 2030, 2035, they're saying we're gonna have more older adults than children in this country. And if Medicaid cuts happen, where are people gonna get care? Their first resort is gonna be going to the emergency department." Dr. Sarita Mohanty knows exactly what's coming—she sees it every shift in urgent care. As President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation, she's racing to transform how America ages while still practicing medicine because, as she puts it, "clinical work gives me an opportunity to really engage on the ground versus being at the 50,000 foot level." Her non-linear journey from LA County General Hospital—where patients waited for days with lines wrapping around the building—through health plan leadership at LA Care and Kaiser Permanente, to now running a major philanthropy, taught her one crucial lesson: the system wasn't built for the people who need it most. Now, with potential Medicaid cuts threatening services like adult day health centers and in-home support, she's watching decades of progress hang in the balance. "When everything costs money, many people just avoid going to see a doctor if they can," shares one older adult through The SCAN Foundation's "People Say" platform—a stark reminder of what's at stake. In this episode of Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw, Dr. Mohanty reveals: Why she still practices urgent care despite running a major foundation ("I get to see how patients come in, what their challenges are") The coming demographic crisis that will reshape America's healthcare system How COVID proved what's possible when stakeholders drop their silos and move fast Why she went back to business school with three small kids to transform her leadership The power of elevating older adults' voices directly to policymakers How impact investing can catalyze innovation when traditional approaches fail after 30 years Her philosophy: "Leadership isn't about having all the answers, but by listening and collaborating" "Medicine teaches you to avoid mistakes. But leadership requires you to take risks and sometimes fail forward," Dr. Mohanty reflects on her transformation from exam room to boardroom. From treating uninsured patients at LA County to leading a foundation that's reimagining aging in America, Dr. Sarita Mohanty embodies the physician-leader who refuses to choose between ground-level care and systems change. At The SCAN Foundation, she's not just preparing for the silver tsunami—she's ensuring that when it arrives, America's older adults can age with the dignity, purpose, and support they deserve. Her mission isn't just professional—it's personal. With three kids and an aging mother, she's fighting for the healthcare system she wants them to inherit. One where aging isn't a crisis, but a universal reality we're prepared to honor. Chapters 03:35 - Still Practicing Medicine While Running a Foundation 05:33 - The Non-Linear Path from Physician to CEO 08:28 - America's Aging Crisis: More Seniors Than Children by 2035 10:05 - When Medicaid Cuts Hit: Real Impact on Real People 12:20 - Influencing Policy in Today's Political Environment 16:35 - Leading Differently: Doubling Down in Challenging Times 19:31 - Finding Energy When Optimism Seems Impossible 23:32 - Paying It Forward: Advice for Women Leaders Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Sarita Mohanty, MD, MPH, MBA on LinkedIn Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify

If I could take back agreeing to this idea, I would, because I regretted saying yes to this one. Here's a quick story about why you should stick up for yourself when someone has an idea that you don't think will work. I was too new to comedy and too naive to speak up. https://www.TheWorkLady.com  Jan McInnis is a top change management keynote speaker, comedian, and funny motivational speaker who helps organizations use humor to handle change, build resilience, and strengthen leadership skills. With her laugh-out-loud stories and practical tips, Jan shows audiences how humor isn't just entertainment—it's a business skill that drives communication, connection, and stress relief.   A conference keynote speaker, Master of Ceremonies, and comedy writer, Jan has written material for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as radio, TV, and syndicated cartoon strips. She's the author of two books—Finding the Funny Fast and Convention Comedian—and her insights on humor in business have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. For over 25 years, she has been helping leaders and teams discover how to bounce back from setbacks, embrace change, and connect through comedy.   Jan has delivered keynote speeches at thousands of events nationwide, from the Federal Reserve Banks to the Mayo Clinic, for industries that include healthcare, finance, government, education, women's leadership events, technology, and safety & disaster management. Her client list features respected organizations such as: Healthcare: Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Health Information Management Associations, Assisted Living Associations Finance: Federal Reserve Banks, Merrill Lynch, Transamerica Insurance, BDO Accounting, American Institute of CPAs, credit unions, banking associations Government: U.S. Air Force, Social Security Administration, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, National League of Cities, public utilities, correctional associations Women's Leadership Events: Toyota Women's Conference, Go Red for Women, Speaking of Women's Health, Soroptimists, Women in Insurance & Financial Services Education: State superintendent associations, community college associations, Head Start associations, National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals Safety & Disaster: International Association of Emergency Managers, Disney Emergency Management, Mid-Atlantic Safety Conference, risk management associations   Her background as a Washington, D.C. marketing executive gives her a unique perspective that blends business acumen with stand-up comedy. Jan was also honored with the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives “Excellence in Education” Award. Along with her podcast Finding the Funny: Leadership Tips from a Comedian, Jan also produces Comedian Stories: Tales From the Road in Under 5 Minutes. Whether she's headlining a major convention, hosting a leadership retreat, or teaching resilience at a safety conference, Jan's programs give audiences the tools to laugh, learn, and lead.  

This episode features Brian Erling, MD, president and CEO of Renown Health, who discusses the system's innovative joint venture with Kaiser Permanente and how the collaboration will expand access, enhance affordability, and shape the next generation of healthcare delivery across Northern Nevada.

Thousands protested the Trump administration across Hawaii yesterday. Crowds gathered at the State Capitol and other locations amid the government shutdown. A live look at the strike ending as thousands of Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care workers across California and Hawaii return to work after a five-day walkout. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode features Nolan Chang, MD, EVP of Corporate Development, Strategy, and Finance at The Permanente Federation LLC. Dr. Chang discusses how Kaiser Permanente leverages AI and digital health tools to improve patient experiences, support clinicians, and drive value-based care, while sharing insights on governance, operational strategy, and evolving leadership in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

This episode features Nolan Chang, MD, EVP of Corporate Development, Strategy, and Finance at The Permanente Federation LLC. Dr. Chang discusses how Kaiser Permanente leverages AI and digital health tools to improve patient experiences, support clinicians, and drive value-based care, while sharing insights on governance, operational strategy, and evolving leadership in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Around 31,000 registered nurses and front-line healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente are on strike, demanding better wages, working hours, and proper staffing. The strike began on Tuesday, Oct 14, and spans hundreds of medical centers and offices in California, Oregon, and Hawaii. Calling in from the picket line in Portland, Oregon, Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) and Executive Secretary of the Oregon Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals (OFNHP) Nick Eng speaks with TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez about what healthcare workers are fighting for.Additional links/info: Oregon Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals (OFNHP) website, Bluesky, and InstagramOFNHP: "We are Kaiser: Fighting for the Care Our Patients Deserve" AP News, "31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and other health care workers strike for better wages and staffing"Credits: Studio Production: Maximillian AlvarezPost-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

"Peace" through genocide: Trump proclaims "historic dawn" for Middle East on the bones of the Palestinians / Subu Vedam, falsely imprisoned for 43 years, seized by ICE for deportation / 46,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers begin 5-day strike

Deacon Victor Valenzuela is assigned to St. Mary Church in Fullerton.  He is married, with two adult children.  He is a licensed social worker who is retired from 31 years of employment at Kaiser Permanente.  He is a former seminarian who has worked in a variety of ministries.  His wife is Diane.  In this episode, he speaks with Dr. Marc Lariviere. Support the show

First, it's estimated that nearly 2,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers walked off the job Tuesday. Then, with Northeast San Diego County becoming a battleground for the upcoming Proposition 50 ballot vote, we talk to people in the county about potential redistricting. Plus, a new state law means more housing near transit stops is coming to San Diego County.

Thousands of healthcare workers in Hawaii begin their five-day strike against Kaiser Permanente. A carjacking suspect with an extensive criminal history appears in court. State officials explain why a Homeland Security video blaming Democrats for the federal government shutdown will not play at TSA checkpoints.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the future of biotech innovation at risk because of workforce shortages? In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, talks with Van Ton-Quinlivan, MBA, CEO of Futuro Health and host of the WorkforceRx podcast, about how the biotech and healthcare industries can overcome the growing workforce crisis. Together, they explore how intentional workforce development, stackable credentials, and stronger partnerships between industry and education can help close the talent gap and create a more diverse, sustainable pipeline of healthcare professionals. In this episode, you'll discover: Why workforce shortages—not funding—may be the biggest threat to healthcare innovation. How stackable credentials and education partnerships can expand access to biotech and allied health careers. Strategies for building a diverse and future-ready workforce that keeps innovation moving forward. Tune in to hear how biotech and healthcare leaders can tackle the talent crisis head-on and build a stronger, more resilient future for innovation. Links: Connect with Van Ton-Quinlivan, MBA, and check out Futuro Health and the WorkforceRx podcast. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Check out the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council, Genentech, Kaiser Permanente, and NextFlex. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU and make plans to attend October 28 & 29, 2025. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

In this episode, Scott Becker highlights five major labor stories in healthcare, including the Kaiser Permanente strike, and more.

The government may be shut down, but labor never stops, so neither do we. We open with some headlines at Mauser Packaging Solutions, Hilton Hotels, Canada Post, Microsoft, the nation of Greece, and the LA Times. Home healthcare workers in Michigan won a huge union victory this week, with tens of thousands winning union representation for the first time. Thousands of healthcare workers in California and Hawaii are gearing up for what may be the largest strike at Kaiser Permanente in history this week. The Trump Administration is using its own campaign of terror against farmworkers to justify lowering their wages. Finally, Chicago has become the epicenter of ICE's attack on the working class, and even the Pope is calling for labor unions to step up their defense. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Urinary incontinence affects millions of women, yet many continue to suffer in silence due to stigma or the misconception that it's just a normal part of aging. Bladder control issues can impact women of all ages, and they are highly treatable, and there are real solutions that can help. On this episode of the Healthier You Podcast, Dr. Ashlee Williams welcomes Dr. Nwamaka Fadahunsi, a board-certified urologist at Kaiser Permanente, to discuss the causes of urinary incontinence and the many tools available to treat it. Dr. Fadahunsi explains the differences between stress and urge incontinence, debunks common myths, and offers practical guidance on what women can do at home. She also outlines the full range of treatment options, including physical therapy, medications, and outpatient procedures, helping women regain control and confidence without relying on pads or assuming surgery is the only answer.  Learn more about Nwamaka Fadahunsi, MD 

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Young Juhn, CEO of Wellysis.Wellysis is the Samsung spinout behind S-Patch, a lightweight wearable that enables long-term ECG monitoring without the discomfort of established cardiac monitoring devices.Young has spent more than two decades bridging hospital and home-based care — from his early career at Johnson & Johnson, to more than a decade at Kaiser Permanente, to leading healthcare innovation at Samsung before spinning out Wellysis in 2019.In this interview, Young shares why patient interviews should shape product design, how regulatory clearance is just the starting point for global commercialization, and why building a medical foundation before branching into consumer markets is critical for lasting adoption.Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:First, if you're into learning from medical device and health technology founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter.Second, if you want to peek behind the curtain of the world's most successful startups, you should consider a Medsider premium membership. You'll learn the strategies and tactics that founders and CEOs use to build and grow companies like Silk Road Medical, AliveCor, Shockwave Medical, and hundreds more!We recently introduced some fantastic additions exclusively for Medsider premium members, including playbooks, which are curated collections of our top Medsider interviews on key topics like capital fundraising and risk mitigation, and 3 packages that will help you make use of our database of 750+ life science investors more efficiently for your fundraise and help you discover your next medical device or health technology investor!In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members also get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors at no additional cost, including the latest Medsider Mentors Volume VII. If you're interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.Lastly, if you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Young Juhn.

Season FIVE Episode THREE of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Rachel Carmen Ceasar. Rachel Carmen Ceasar is a medical anthropologist and public health researcher committed to helping people make informed health decisions rooted in science and evidence. She holds a PhD in Medical Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences.Her research focuses on the use of cannabis across women's lifespans, including during pregnancy and postpartum (at the Maternal Cannabis Lab). In addition to her academic work, Rachel is the founder of Culture of Health & Tech, a user experience research consultancy through which she advises health and technology organizations such as Centene, Kaiser Permanente, and Baxter. Rachel is also a lupus warrior and passionate advocate for reproductive health. She is the mother of a 7-year-old and, after experiencing four miscarriages, she turned to extensive research on the intersection of lupus and fertility. With the guidance of her rheumatologist, Dr. Leanna Wise, and the support of evidence-based care, Rachel welcomed a baby boy in 2024 — a journey that continues to inform her advocacy for reproductive health in the lupus community.

Set to strike. A five-day action is set to begin this morning as local Kaiser Permanente workers plan to walk off the job. We'll tell you what they're demanding and what impacts will be felt by patients. Wash your produce! A new case of rat lungworm disease is reported on Kauai. How long it had been since the Garden Isle saw an infection. Looking for lifelines. The Maui Humane Society is warning euthanizations may soon be needed because of overcrowding. How you can open your heart to help.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly 2,000 health care workers are on the picket lines in Hawaii as part of a multi-state strike against Kaiser Permanente. Major airports across the country, including in Hawaii, are refusing to play a video of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the shutdown-related delays at TSA security checkpoints. And the Maui Humane Society says 18 dogs will be euthanized if they're not adopted by the end of the month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You'd think being a comedian prepares you for anything — hecklers, bad lighting, even a buffet line louder than your mic. But there's one thing no amount of punchlines can fix, and I found myself walking straight into it one afternoon. I was hired to entertain a room full of employees… who had just been given some BAD news. https://www.TheWorkLady.com  Jan McInnis is a top change management keynote speaker, comedian, and funny motivational speaker who helps organizations use humor to handle change, build resilience, and strengthen leadership skills. With her laugh-out-loud stories and practical tips, Jan shows audiences how humor isn't just entertainment—it's a business skill that drives communication, connection, and stress relief.   A conference keynote speaker, Master of Ceremonies, and comedy writer, Jan has written material for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as radio, TV, and syndicated cartoon strips. She's the author of two books—Finding the Funny Fast and Convention Comedian—and her insights on humor in business have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. For over 25 years, she has been helping leaders and teams discover how to bounce back from setbacks, embrace change, and connect through comedy.   Jan has delivered keynote speeches at thousands of events nationwide, from the Federal Reserve Banks to the Mayo Clinic, for industries that include healthcare, finance, government, education, women's leadership events, technology, and safety & disaster management. Her client list features respected organizations such as: Healthcare: Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Health Information Management Associations, Assisted Living Associations Finance: Federal Reserve Banks, Merrill Lynch, Transamerica Insurance, BDO Accounting, American Institute of CPAs, credit unions, banking associations Government: U.S. Air Force, Social Security Administration, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, National League of Cities, public utilities, correctional associations Women's Leadership Events: Toyota Women's Conference, Go Red for Women, Speaking of Women's Health, Soroptimists, Women in Insurance & Financial Services Education: State superintendent associations, community college associations, Head Start associations, National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals Safety & Disaster: International Association of Emergency Managers, Disney Emergency Management, Mid-Atlantic Safety Conference, risk management associations   Her background as a Washington, D.C. marketing executive gives her a unique perspective that blends business acumen with stand-up comedy. Jan was also honored with the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives “Excellence in Education” Award. Along with her podcast Finding the Funny: Leadership Tips from a Comedian, Jan also produces Comedian Stories: Tales From the Road in Under 5 Minutes. Whether she's headlining a major convention, hosting a leadership retreat, or teaching resilience at a safety conference, Jan's programs give audiences the tools to laugh, learn, and lead.  

Dr. Shaanta Hanagud, MD, is a family medicine physician with over 25 years of experience at Maui Medical Group and Kaiser Permanente in both Maui and Atlanta. Passionate about holistic and integrative care, she is launching her own practice, Gaia Family Medicine, to focus on treating the whole person and addressing the root causes of illness. On this episode of Smart Parents Successful Students, you will hear:An overview of Dr. Shaanta Hanagud's family medicine practiceWhat sets her approach apart from traditional family practicesA better understanding of the ADHD assessment processSteps for scheduling and completing a school physicalYou can reach Dr. Shaanta Hanagud at her email: ⁠ynda@gaiafamilymedicine.com⁠. You can also find her on her LinkTree- ⁠https://linktr.ee/GAIAFAMILYMEDICINE⁠. You can find Dynamis Learning on all the social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram,  and LinkedIn. Helen can be reached at info@dynamislearningacademy.com. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your child's needs, including advocacy resources, academic planning, and/or obtain a tutor for your child, contact Helen Panos at 770-282-9931 or email her at the email address above.

On stage with family in the audience, the pressure was on—and things went sideways fast. In this episode, keynote speaker and comedian Jan McInnis takes you inside one unforgettable night in her comedy career. It's a hilarious, cringe-worthy story packed with lessons on resilience, risk-taking, and finding the funny when everything goes wrong.   https://www.TheWorkLady.com  Jan McInnis is a top change management keynote speaker, comedian, and funny motivational speaker who helps organizations use humor to handle change, build resilience, and strengthen leadership skills. With her laugh-out-loud stories and practical tips, Jan shows audiences how humor isn't just entertainment—it's a business skill that drives communication, connection, and stress relief.   A conference keynote speaker, Master of Ceremonies, and comedy writer, Jan has written material for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as radio, TV, and syndicated cartoon strips. She's the author of two books—Finding the Funny Fast and Convention Comedian—and her insights on humor in business have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. For over 25 years, she has been helping leaders and teams discover how to bounce back from setbacks, embrace change, and connect through comedy.   Jan has delivered keynote speeches at thousands of events nationwide, from the Federal Reserve Banks to the Mayo Clinic, for industries that include healthcare, finance, government, education, women's leadership events, technology, and safety & disaster management. Her client list features respected organizations such as: Healthcare: Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Health Information Management Associations, Assisted Living Associations Finance: Federal Reserve Banks, Merrill Lynch, Transamerica Insurance, BDO Accounting, American Institute of CPAs, credit unions, banking associations Government: U.S. Air Force, Social Security Administration, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, National League of Cities, public utilities, correctional associations Women's Leadership Events: Toyota Women's Conference, Go Red for Women, Speaking of Women's Health, Soroptimists, Women in Insurance & Financial Services Education: State superintendent associations, community college associations, Head Start associations, National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals Safety & Disaster: International Association of Emergency Managers, Disney Emergency Management, Mid-Atlantic Safety Conference, risk management associations   Her background as a Washington, D.C. marketing executive gives her a unique perspective that blends business acumen with stand-up comedy. Jan was also honored with the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives “Excellence in Education” Award. Along with her podcast Finding the Funny: Leadership Tips from a Comedian, Jan also produces Comedian Stories: Tales From the Road in Under 5 Minutes. Whether she's headlining a major convention, hosting a leadership retreat, or teaching resilience at a safety conference, Jan's programs give audiences the tools to laugh, learn, and lead.  

Preparing to picket: Kaiser Permanente workers are set to take action after their contracts expired this week. What the hospital says they're offering to keep them on the job. More Hawaii children are getting past school vaccine requirements.. using religious exemptions. How the state compares to the rest of the country. We told him not to play with fire but Casey doesn't listen. He's out live this morning at Sea Life Park where the Fire Knife Dance will be celebrated this weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government shutdown is in day three with no end in sight as lawmakers once again failed to reach an agreement. A strike date has been set for more than 2,000 local Kaiser Permanente employees. And a new UHERO report is sounding the alarm for Hawaii's nonprofit sector, which stands to lose more than $100 million in federal funding. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opening for a superstar sounds like every comedian's dream gig—but is it really? In this episode of Finding the Funny: Leadership Tips from a Comedian, Jan McInnis shares the chaos, comedy, and leadership lessons from opening for Julio Iglesias. From being ignored backstage to having her friend escorted out by security, Jan shows how resilience and humor can turn setbacks into unforgettable stories. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at comedy, leadership, and finding the funny when things don't go as planned.   Here's a polished version of your standard Libsyn podcast description. I kept the humor and personality intact, but I restructured it so meeting planners immediately see credibility, industries served, and leadership takeaways. I also worked in high-value keywords (2k–800k range) like funny motivational speaker, change management keynote speaker, humor in business, resilience keynote, leadership tips, and conference speaker. Polished Podcast Description for Libsyn https://www.TheWorkLady.com Jan McInnis is a top change management keynote speaker, comedian, and funny motivational speaker who helps organizations use humor to handle change, build resilience, and strengthen leadership skills. With her laugh-out-loud stories and practical tips, Jan shows audiences how humor isn't just entertainment—it's a business skill that drives communication, connection, and stress relief. A conference keynote speaker, Master of Ceremonies, and comedy writer, Jan has written material for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as radio, TV, and syndicated cartoon strips. She's the author of two books—Finding the Funny Fast and Convention Comedian—and her insights on humor in business have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. For over 25 years, she has been helping leaders and teams discover how to bounce back from setbacks, embrace change, and connect through comedy. Jan has delivered keynote speeches at thousands of events nationwide, from the Federal Reserve Banks to the Mayo Clinic, for industries that include healthcare, finance, government, education, women's leadership events, technology, and safety & disaster management. Her client list features respected organizations such as: Healthcare: Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Health Information Management Associations, Assisted Living Associations Finance: Federal Reserve Banks, Merrill Lynch, Transamerica Insurance, BDO Accounting, American Institute of CPAs, credit unions, banking associations Government: U.S. Air Force, Social Security Administration, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, National League of Cities, public utilities, correctional associations Women's Leadership Events: Toyota Women's Conference, Go Red for Women, Speaking of Women's Health, Soroptimists, Women in Insurance & Financial Services Education: State superintendent associations, community college associations, Head Start associations, National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals Safety & Disaster: International Association of Emergency Managers, Disney Emergency Management, Mid-Atlantic Safety Conference, risk management associations Her background as a Washington, D.C. marketing executive gives her a unique perspective that blends business acumen with stand-up comedy. Jan was also honored with the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives “Excellence in Education” Award. Along with her podcast Finding the Funny: Leadership Tips from a Comedian, Jan also produces Comedian Stories: Tales From the Road in Under 5 Minutes. Whether she's headlining a major convention, hosting a leadership retreat, or teaching resilience at a safety conference, Jan's programs give audiences the tools to laugh, learn, and lead.

Hiding vegetables in smoothies, bribing kids to finish their broccoli, endless mealtime negotiations. Sound familiar? For parents, getting kids to eat nutritious foods can feel like a daily battle. The good news? Simple changes in how families approach mealtimes can transform picky eaters into curious food explorers. On this episode of the Healthier You podcast, Dr. Ashlee Williams speaks with Dr. Christina Brown, a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric lifestyle medicine physician within the Center for Healthy Weight and Lifestyle Medicine at Kaiser Permanente. Together, they explore practical strategies that make nutritious eating for kids both fun and sustainable. Learn more about Christina Brown, MD

We have two very special guests joining me on today's show. John & Chelsea Jubilee are the founders of Energized Health. Together, they have created a protocol that will absolutely transform your life. With cutting edge science, John has unlocked the perfect recipe to deliver hydration directly to our body's individual cells. Intracellular hydration is a process that transforms your cells from shriveled raisins to plump grapes. Unlocking the cell's ability to absorb nutrients and hydration supercharges your energy and wellness. John & Chelsea approach your health holistically and without shortcuts, their approach isn't about numbers on a scale but keeping and gaining lean muscle mass. They target visceral and subcutaneous fat, which means you will look in the mirror and love what you see along with removing the dangerous visceral fat that lies inside near our vital organs. The can remove and reverse nearly any condition you may be dealing with, dramatically improving your health. It was Kaiser Permanente's ACE study that revealed something incredible, trauma gets stored in our cells. It is Chelsea's mission to release this trauma, restoring your mental well being. Releasing this cellular trauma will set you free of addiction, lethargy and disorders you may suffer from. This 88 day journey is literally transformational, holistically addressing our health in the most comprehensive way possible. I have committed to transforming my life, will you join me? Featuring: John Jubilee Co Founder | Energized Health https://www.energizedhealth.com/ Chelsea Jubilee Co Founder | Energized Health https://www.energizedhealth.com/ Sign up today! Energized Health Are you ready to transform your life in 88 days? Energized Health is an 88 day protocol that will transform your body and renew your mind. Energized health is not a fad and it's not a diet—it's based on real science called intracellular hydration. Energized Health helps restore your health from the inside out. We're talking weight loss, better energy, mental clarity—even better sleep—without extreme exercise or dangerous meds. So, you're feeling stuck, tired, inflamed, or just not like yourself, this is your answer. Go to https://www.energizedhealth.com/ and watch the free masterclass. So take the journey, like I am, and transform your health today! ------------------------------------------------------------- 1️⃣ Subscribe and ring the bell for new videos: https://youtube.com/seanmspicer?sub_confirmation=1 2️⃣ Become a part of The Sean Spicer Show community: https://www.seanspicer.com/ 3️⃣ Listen to the full audio show on all platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sean-spicer-show/id1701280578 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/32od2cKHBAjhMBd9XntcUd iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-sean-spicer-show-120471641/ 4️⃣ Stay in touch with Sean on social media: Facebook: https://facebook.com/seanmspicer Twitter: https://twitter.com/seanspicer Instagram: https://instagram.com/seanmspicer/ 5️⃣ Follow The Sean Spicer Show on social media: Facebook: https://facebook.com/seanspicershow Twitter: https://twitter.com/seanspicershow Instagram: https://instagram.com/seanspicershow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Friday Five for September 26, 2025: AEP Countdown & Ritter Resources New D-SNP Client Resources Hacking Your Social Media Algorithm iOS 26 Updates to Apple CarPlay The Fight for ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits   Get Connected:

Deacon Victor Valenzuela is assigned to St. Mary Church in Fullerton.  He is married, with two adult children.  He is a licensed social worker who is retired from 31 years of employment at Kaiser Permanente.  He is a former seminarian who has worked in a variety of ministries.  His wife is Diane.  In this episode, he speaks with Jorge Ordiano, music director of the young mariachi group at St. Anne's Catholic Elementary School in Santa Ana. Support the show

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Trump blasts Europe, climate change in longest speech of US president at UN General Assembly; UN chief calls for peace at meetings on Ukraine, Gaza, as Russia and US each blast UN efforts; Deportation and detention data disappearing, leaving families of detainees unable to find relatives; Nurses rally at 22 Kaiser Permanente hospitals blasting wage theft, layoffs and AI; Governor Newsom, democratic senators blast EPA proposal to rescind finding calling climate change public health threat The post UN chief calls for peace at meetings on Ukraine, Gaza; deportation data falling behind as deportations, arrests increase – September 23, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Unionized workers are one step closer to striking against Kaiser Permanente. The latest details from both sides of the negotiating table. A Mililani man is convicted for killing his 74-year-old mother and her dog, how long he faces behind bars. The White House links the risk of autism to a widely used over the counter medication.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Negotiations are underway as Kaiser Permanente workers fight for increased staffing levels and higher pay. The Honolulu City Council is preparing to vote on Bill 54, which aims to raise the cost of riding transit in Hawaii. An updated analysis provides new numbers on the actual cost of achieving the 'American dream.'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congratulations to the exceptional Kaiser Permanente vascular research team in Northern California led by Dr. Gaurav Sharma and Dr. Robert Chang for receiving this prestigious honor as “Walking As Therapy Research Team of the Year” through the Global PAD Impact Awards, presented by the Global PAD Association! Walking As Therapy Research Team members Dr. Robert Chang, Dr. Gaurav Sharma, Dr. Joy Garg, Crystal Short, Noelle Blick, and Hanan Krayem are transforming PAD management and proving that sometimes the most powerful medicine is simply putting one foot in front of the other. This innovative team is pioneering groundbreaking research on remote Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) for Walking, using a novel app with a “Peloton Style” experience designed specifically for patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). What also sets their program apart is the comprehensive follow-up support that extends beyond the initial three-month, 36-session program. This extended care significantly improves patient compliance with “walking as medicine,” helping patients grow their own natural bypasses around leg artery blockages. Join our upcoming interview to learn more about this remarkable program and meet the dedicated research team behind it! You'll also gain valuable insights into the science of how walking actually improves circulation in the legs. Are you experiencing leg pain, leg cramps, neuropathy, fatigue, foot burning, or tingling? For questions about the walking program or PAD symptoms, call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS. You can also connect with others on a similar journey by joining our online walking patient peer support group at WalkingSupportGroup.com. Global PAD Impact Awards - Important Disclaimer Award Clarification and Patient Guidance The Global PAD Impact Awards are not an endorsement of any award recipient's medical practice, research, or clinical services. These awards are: Based on specific, carefully evaluated criteria Nominated by patients who have experienced care Selected by a diverse panel including patients, physicians, and clinical experts Important Patient Guidance Receiving this award does not guarantee that a particular healthcare provider is the right fit for every patient's unique medical needs. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a complex condition that requires personalized medical attention. Choosing the Right Healthcare Provider If you need assistance in selecting a healthcare provider for PAD: Contact the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS Speak with experienced professionals who can guide you through the process of finding the most appropriate doctor for your specific presentation of the disease Remember: Every patient's medical journey is unique. Professional consultation is crucial in making informed healthcare decisions. #WalkingTherapy #PADResearch #KaiserPermanente #InnovationInHealthcare #globalpadimpactawards #walkingismedicine #peripheralarterydisease #padwalk #padwalkingprogram #padwalkinggroup

Still no deal between Kaiser Permanente and 1,900 of its workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 5. The fate of a Mililani man accused of killing his mother and her dog now rests with a jury. And The fallout over late night host Jimmy Kimmel's suspension continues. Reaction from lawmakers and President Trump as he takes aim at legacy media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alan Gregerman is the President and Chief Innovation Officer at VENTURE WORKS Inc, a consulting firm that helps organizations create innovative strategies, products, and services. He is a keynote speaker, award-winning author, and business consultant who helps companies and organizations unlock their teams' genius zones. For over 25 years, Alan has designed and delivered high-impact keynotes for organizations, including Google, Marriott, Verizon, Mercedes-Benz, Kaiser-Permanente, Citibank, and Lockheed Martin. In this episode… With the speed of innovation, businesses often fall into the trap of relying on what they already know. While past expertise can bring incremental improvements, it rarely sparks the kind of breakthroughs that transform industries. How can companies avoid getting stuck in the comfort of their knowledge and uncover fresh ideas to stay relevant? Innovation expert Alan Gregerman encourages brands to embrace enlightened ignorance, a mindset that values curiosity, humility, and openness to the unknown. Outsiders often disrupt industries because they see problems without being blinded by past experiences. Alan also emphasizes the importance of balancing iteration with innovation, continually raising the bar for customer expectations, and finding creative ways to differentiate in increasingly competitive markets. He pushes leaders to reevaluate their expertise and adopt a mindset of constant learning. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Alan Gregerman, President and Chief Innovation Officer at VENTURE WORKS Inc, about how enlightened ignorance can catalyze innovation. Alan discusses why outsiders often spark breakthroughs, how businesses can balance iteration with bold innovation, and why raising customer expectations is crucial to long-term growth.

The Skin Real app is officially LIVE! Download it now. Download my Free Guide 'In My Perimenopause Era' Download the Ultimate Affordable Skincare Guide When was the last time you thought about your vulvar health? If your answer is “never,” you're not alone. Most women avoid talking or even thinking about this part of their body, but during perimenopause and menopause, changes in vulvar and vaginal health can have a huge impact on your comfort, confidence, and quality of life. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Diana Londoño, a urologist who is breaking the silence on intimate health. We talk about the changes estrogen loss brings—from dryness, itching, painful sex, and recurrent UTIs to the lesser-known issues like bladder urgency and vulvar atrophy. She also explains how simple solutions like vaginal estrogen cream, hormone therapy, and lifestyle tweaks can protect your vulvar health and prevent years of suffering. ✨ Key Takeaways: Why vulvar health is central to your bladder, vaginal, and sexual health during menopause. How to know if your symptoms are normal aging or a red flag that needs further evaluation. The connection between UTIs, GSM (genitourinary syndrome of menopause), and vulvar atrophy. Why vaginal estrogen is safe, preventative, and worth considering even if you're not sexually active. How stress and mindset affect bladder symptoms and overall well-being. If you've ever felt embarrassed, ignored, or confused about what's happening “down there,” this episode will give you clarity and confidence. Dr. Diana Londoño is a Board-Certified Urologist and one of the 10% of urologists in the US who are women and the 0.5% who are Latinx and women.  She is originally from Mexico City and attended Claremont McKenna College for her undergraduate studies and then went on to attend UCLA for medical school.  She completed a 6-year residency in Urology at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles.   She has experienced burnout twice, which has led her to write and speak about it to raise awareness and help others. She has published multiple articles in prominent medical platforms, including Medscape, Doximity, Kevin MD, Men's Health, Giddy.com, and WebMD, among others. She is also a contributing author to the books “Thriving After Burnout” and “Medic S.O.S.”  She has also been a guest on numerous podcasts, discussing various topics, including wellness, stress, spirituality, and energy.   Her burnout journey led her to become a certified life coach and founder of Physician Coach Support.com, a peer support platform she ran for 3 years. In 2022, she received the Los Angeles County Medical Association Physician Leadership Award for her work.    She is an international speaker and guest on multiple podcasts, discussing topics such as wellness, boundaries, ego, humanity in medicine, mindset, and mindfulness. She has also been featured on TV on Univision, Telemundo, Mundo Fox, CNN Latino, KCET, and ABC News as a health consultant discussing urological topics.   She is also a Reiki Master, a Pranic Healer and the mother of two determined and joyful 7- —and 9-year-old girls, Daniela and Paloma.   Follow Dr. Londoño here:   Website -https://dianalondonomd.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianalondonomd/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dianalondonomd/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@dianalondonomd   Want more expert skin advice without the overwhelm? Subscribe to The Skin Real Podcast wherever you listen, and visit www.theskinreal.com for dermatologist-backed tips to help you feel confident in your skin—at every age. Follow Dr. Mina here:-  https://instagram.com/drminaskin https://www.facebook.com/drminaskin https://www.youtube.com/@drminaskin https://www.linkedin.com/in/drminaskin/ Visit Dr. Mina at Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery Website: atlantadermsurgery.com Email: scheduling@atlantadermsurgery.com Call: (404) 844-0496 Instagram: @baucomminamd Thanks for tuning in. And remember—real skin care is real simple when you know who to trust. Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment, educational, and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.