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As part of Season 11 of Fixing Healthcare, which spotlights influential voices with large followings and direct insight into how real people experience medicine, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr welcome back medical historian Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris for her third appearance on the show, this time joined by her husband and creative partner, illustrator Adrian Teal. Together, Lindsey and Adrian bring a rare combination of scholarly depth, storytelling and massive digital reach. Lindsey's work on medical history has captivated millions across books, television and social platforms, while Adrian's instantly recognizable art has built a massive following online. Their latest collaboration is the children's book Dead Ends: Flukes, Flops & Failures That Sparked Medical Marvels, which sits at the center of this wide-ranging and unexpectedly personal conversation. The episode begins with a deceptively simple premise: medicine advances not in straight lines but through failure. Lindsey explains her long-standing fascination with scientific dead ends and why medicine often hides them from public view. Dead Ends, she says, was written to show children (and adults) that changing guidance is not a sign of incompetence, but evidence of learning in real time. Adrian adds that humor, exaggeration and even “gross-out” visuals aren't just entertainment. They're how curiosity is sparked and how complex medical ideas become memorable. The discussion unfolds across centuries of medical missteps and breakthroughs. Lindsey and Adrian share favorite stories from the book, including early experiments with galvanism, the guillotine's unexpected medical legacy and how inventions routinely escape the intentions of their creators. One standout example is Martin Couney, an outsider who used a Coney Island sideshow to fund incubator care for premature infants. His invention would go on to save thousands of lives even though the medical establishment initially dismissed the technology. Shifting from history to the present, Lindsey and Adrian reflect on what past failures teach us about regulation, ethics and risk today. While modern safeguards exist for good reason (many historical experiments exploited vulnerable populations) the group wrestles with how to encourage responsible innovation without freezing progress. They also explore how public trust erodes when scientific uncertainty is poorly communicated, especially in a media environment where misinformation travels faster than nuance. The most personal segment arrives when Lindsey discusses her own breast cancer diagnosis, alongside Adrian's experience with prostate cancer. Their stories ground the episode firmly in Season 11's focus on lived experience. For listeners interested in how history, art and personal experience illuminate today's healthcare debates, this episode offers a vivid reminder that progress is rarely tidy and never inevitable. For more unfiltered conversation, listen to the full episode and explore these helpful links. Helpful links Children's book: Dead Ends: Flukes, Flops & Failures That Sparked Medical Marvels Book: The Butchering Art Book: The Facemaker ChatGPT, MD (Pearl's newest book) * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #203: Dead ends, failures & the unlikely path to medical progress appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
This episode is part of the "Inches Are All Around Us" series looking for all the little pockets—inches, if you will—that comprise the greater than $1 trillion in healthcare waste in this country annually. For a full transcript of this episode, click here. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter to be a member of the Relentless Tribe. Many of these inches, if we hack them out, will actually improve patient care because these inches are just like the friction that's in the middle. To this end, I started thinking about FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers), which are (these FQHCs in this context, if you think about it) kind of a great laboratory for scrappy and amazing case studies about finding and cutting out waste with some serious fiscal discipline. The thing with FQHCs and why they are great places to I spy inches of waste is really because if an FQHC has a budget shortfall, they cannot solve it by cost shifting to commercial patients, commercial members, commercial plans. They have no commercial patients. Also, they have a patient population that many would consider challenging, and they cannot restrict access. They gotta make do with what they have. They must have actually true fiscal discipline. They either figure out how to be efficient, or their patient population does not get care. But what tipped me over the edge to revisit this episode from 2021 with Gary Campbell—who is the CEO of an FQHC, by the way—I picked the show to revisit because of my conversation with Nikki King, DHA, that I had earlier this year (EP470). Nikki and I caught up, and she is now the CEO of an FQHC in Indiana. I had interviewed Nikki, by the way, about rural health a few years ago (EP338). So, go back and listen to that if anything I say today you find intriguing for other reasons. Tribe, this is interesting to think about what I'm about to tell you. Really. I've been thinking about it for six months. I wanna start out here recapping my aforementioned catch-up conversation with Nikki King as the lead-in to my conversation with Gary Campbell to follow. And to be specific here, Gary Campbell is the CEO of an FQHC in Virginia called Johnson Health Center; and Nikki King is CEO at Alliance Health Centers in Indiana. Let me tell you one thing that Nikki King did. There are many things that she did, but here's one that she told me about. Nikki realized after talking and listening to their patients that one of the biggest barriers to getting care at her FQHC for patients was no transportation. Also, as most FQHCs, they were short on funds. So, doing things like free Ubers or something like that was not an option. So, you know what Nikki did? She thought about where her patients are. For example, most referrals to their addiction treatment services came from the courthouse—a judge remanding, if that's the right word, someone to treatment. So, two birds with one stone style, Nikki marched over to the courthouse facilities person and asked if they had any open office space at the courthouse, you know, work from home and all of that. Maybe there were some open offices. Well, the courthouse did. They had some open offices. So, now rent-free or almost rent-free, I don't, I'm not sure, when a judge says to somebody, "Go get addiction treatment," that judge can also point down the hall and the patient can just walk over. Nikki did the same thing, setting up a clinic in a day care center. She set up a clinic in a homeless shelter and right by a big basketball court. You compare and contrast this, I don't know, "just get it done" approach to all of the times that you hear about "some cash-strapped entity" who decides the best thing to do immediately is new construction. Pay to build brick and mortar and then in perpetuity, of course, pay all the costs and the snow removal and the security and the utilities and repair for that new construction. And they could be an FQHC building new buildings—one of the less scrappy ones—but it also could be a big, consolidated health system or anybody in between. It's amazing how many times you hear "razor-thin margins," and then you hear "new construction" in the same sentence. I'm like, "Yeah … gotcha. Upsize." Call it my Pennsylvania Dutch and Bronx heritage. But yeah … head exploding. That was a tangent. Bottom line, however, I say all this to say FQHCs (the ones with great leadership, at least) are a wonderful case study to look for insights on how to operate in an environment that cannot rely on, again, raising commercial rates and cost shifting to balance the budget, right? Let's not forget, there are two very different ways to end up with no profit: One is genuine struggle. The other is simply being very good at spending every dollar that is given to you. For plan sponsors, this is a vital distinction, regardless of how loud anybody cries poor, any clinical partner who lacks fiscal discipline isn't struggling; they're inefficient. And we do not have a market in healthcare to be able to tell who's struggling versus who is inefficient. So, yeah … keep that in mind and listen to episode 490 and 492 after this one with Shane Cerone and Sam Flanders, MD, for more on the whole "there's no market" theme, as well as more on the fiscal discipline topic. But again, this is why FQHCs are such a good case study here, because there's an upper limit to how much money they have. In most circumstances—I mean, barring some big donation or something like that—but under most circumstances, they have a revenue cap that they have to be disciplined enough to work within. Okay … one last thing before we kick into the show today. I wanna be really clear here. Fiscal discipline isn't something that any individual doctor or nurse or other clinician can tackle in a vacuum. Or even any given administrator. It is a leadership imperative. Great leadership doesn't just manage the clinical side. It takes accountability for the administrative waste that keeps margins thin and prices high. So, here's actionable advice for anybody listening, regardless of what you may or may not have to do with FQHCs. If you're a plan sponsor looking for a clinical partner, consider, like, what Nikki King is doing and the thinking that Gary Campbell is gonna talk about as a benchmark. Real value comes from finding the organizations that treat fiscal discipline as kind of a mission critical strategy, because these days, with all the affordability issues, it is financial toxicity is clinical toxicity. I mean, maybe you can find an organization that actually does unit cost accounting. Listen to the show with Mick Connors, MD (EP495). Okay … as I said earlier, my guest today is Gary Campbell, who I spoke with in 2021—so this is a deep cut from the archives, but it's also a really great show. Gary, as I said earlier, is CEO of Johnson Health Center, which is an FQHC, in Lynchburg, Virginia. He's also the president of Impact2Lead. Also mentioned in this episode are Impact2Lead; Johnson Health Center; Nikki King, DHA; Alliance Health Centers; Shane Cerone; Sam Flanders, MD; Kada Health; Mick Connors, MD; Aventria Health Group; John Lee, MD; Beau Raymond, MD; Amy Scanlan, MD; Eric Gallagher; Eve Cunningham, MD, MBA; Joyce Gioia; Robert Pearl, MD; Peter Attia, MD; Jerry Durham; and Tom Nash. For a list of healthcare industry acronyms and terms that may be unfamiliar to you, click here. You can learn more at impact2lead.com and follow Gary on LinkedIn. Gary Campbell is the founder and owner of Impact2Lead, LLC, and the president and CEO of Johnson Health Center (JHC), where he has enjoyed a career centered on leading for/not-for-profit organizations and helping to unleash potential in others along the way. In 2011, he left Bayer and went to JHC; and in 2013, he launched Impact2Lead to provide transformation-consulting services to other firms across the United States. Since joining JHC, the center has enjoyed unprecedented success and growth by transforming the culture using his Impact Leadership model and becoming the first Federally Qualified Health Center to be recognized as an Employer of Choice by Employer of Choice International, Inc. The health center has achieved multiple workplace and community awards since that time and has enjoyed exponential growth during his years as the CEO. Gary currently speaks and consults nationally on leadership, workplace strategies, and motivational topics. 09:03 Why is there no opportunity to cost shift in an FQHC? 09:34 What happens when an FQHC is operating inefficiently? 10:00 "Have you workflowed it out? … You can overstaff yourself in a way that your cost per patient goes way up." 10:23 Why is taking a lean approach not an excuse to cut staff? 11:27 EP490 and EP492 with Shane Cerone and Sam Flanders, MD. 11:35 EP438 with John Lee, MD. 11:38 EP455 with Beau Raymond, MD. 11:40 EP402 with Amy Scanlan, MD. 11:42 EP405 with Eric Gallagher. 12:48 "The nurses are linchpins to everything." 13:44 LinkedIn post from Eve Cunningham, MD, MBA. 15:10 How does standardizing care lead to personalization of care? 16:34 "Our clinical teams see that we care." 16:53 "If you don't have a vision for where you want to be two and three years down the road, you're struggling." 17:09 "I want everybody to understand, What is their why?" 19:45 Lean & Meaningful by Roger E. Herman and Joyce L. Gioia. 24:44 "You have to project plan things out that you want." 25:51 "They don't teach leadership in most medical schools."—Dr. Robert Pearl 26:46 Outlive by Peter Attia, MD. 27:55 "Get to know these clinicians." 29:39 "From a core values perspective, you can make every single decision … on core values." 30:03 "We always start with those values. … They're embedded in everything we do." 30:20 How does an FQHC or private practices that are patient-oriented attract talent? 35:24 EP297 with Jerry Durham. 35:54 "First and foremost, be visible." You can learn more at impact2lead.com and follow Gary on LinkedIn. Gary Campbell discusses #provider #fiscalresponsibility on our #healthcarepodcast. #healthcare #podcast #financialhealth #patientoutcomes #primarycare #digitalhealth #healthcareleadership #healthcaretransformation #healthcareinnovation Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Zack Kanter, Mark Newman, Stacey Richter (INBW45), Stacey Richter (INBW44), Marilyn Bartlett (Encore! EP450), Dr Mick Connors, Sarah Emond (EP494), Sarah Emond (Bonus Episode), Stacey Richter (INBW43)
Dr. Robert Pearl's latest opinion poll, part of his “Monthly Musings” newsletter, asked readers about their health goals and habits for 2026 (note: studies show most Americans have already quit their resolutions for the year). The result? People want to eat better, workout more and lose weight. And yet, the behaviors that lead to those outcomes are cited as the most difficult things to maintain: good sleep, time management, stress reduction. In this episode, Pearls joins cohost Jeremy Corr and cardiologist and burnout expert Jonathan Fisher for an “Unfiltered” conversation about why so many resolutions, intentions and goals fail. The conversation quickly evolves into an evidence-based exploration of human behavior, motivation and the modern forces working against sustained change. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience and lived experience, the trio explores why knowledge alone rarely changes behavior, how digital environments hijack attention and emotion, and why willpower may be the most overrated concept in self-improvement. Along the way, the conversation touches on doom scrolling, burnout, fear, parenting in a digital age and the quiet erosion of habits that support mental and physical health. The result is a candid and deeply human examination of why change is so hard … and what might actually help. Some of the key ideas discussed: Resolutions don't fail because people are ignorant or lack willpower. Most people already know what they “should” do to improve their health or happiness. The real challenge is not information, but the gap between intention and action. Willpower is a fragile strategy. The group challenges the idea that success depends on moral strength or discipline. Instead, they emphasize designing environments and systems that make healthy choices easier. Doom scrolling as emotional regulation. Dr. Fisher describes how endless scrolling often isn't about boredom, but about managing discomfort, anxiety or feeling low. Identity shapes behavior more than goals. Habits are easier to sustain when they align with how people see themselves. Someone who identifies as “an athlete” behaves differently than someone who is merely trying to exercise more. Burnout is both systemic and personal. While organizational pressures matter, Jonathan argues that individual boundaries, values and behavior patterns also play a role in chronic exhaustion and disengagement. Fear is rising. Robbie reflects on the paradox of growing anxiety despite improvements in crime rates, employment and longevity — and points to social isolation as a key driver. Phones are changing how we relate to each other. Jeremy raises the now-familiar sight of groups sitting together while staring at screens. The three discuss what this means for connection, attention and the ability to tolerate boredom, especially for children watching adults model behavior. In classic Unfiltered fashion, the episode resists easy answers. Instead, it invites listeners to rethink how change actually happens: not through sheer determination, but through awareness, structure and a more honest understanding of human nature. For more unfiltered conversation, listen to the full episode and explore these related resources: ‘Just One Heart' (Jonathan Fisher's newest book) ‘ChatGPT, MD' (Robert Pearl's newest book) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl's newsletter) * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #202: Willpower, doom scrolling & the illusion of control appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Primary care is the engine that runs the healthcare system. David W. Johnson and special guest Dr. Robert Pearl, former CEO of the Permanente Medical Group, debate the future of primary care on, “The Heartbeat of Primary Care,” the new episode of the 4sight Health Roundup podcast, moderated by David Burda.
In this week's episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr look closely at the stories and controversies shaping U.S. healthcare at the start of 2026. From a severe flu season and resurgent vaccine-preventable diseases to drug pricing, autism research and the growing role of AI in medicine, the episode offers a data-driven look at where American healthcare is headed. The show opens with warnings about infectious disease. A dangerous H3N2 flu strain is driving hospitalizations, particularly among children, while measles and whooping cough outbreaks continue to spread among unvaccinated populations. To Dr. Pearl, these trends do not appear random. They reflect falling vaccination rates, weakened public-health messaging and growing political interference at federal agencies tasked with protecting the public. From there, the conversation turns to vaccine policy itself. Recent changes at the CDC (including a sharply reduced childhood vaccine schedule and new recommendations against universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination) raise serious concerns. Pearl explains why comparisons to countries like Denmark (with its reduced vaccine schedule) are deeply misleading, and why abandoning universal vaccination in a fragmented U.S. healthcare system risks reversing decades of progress. Here's a look at other must-know stories from this episode of Medicine: The Truth: Positive vaccine evidence: New CDC data show significant reductions in emergency visits among children who received COVID vaccines, reinforcing their safety and effectiveness. Pandemic lessons for children: Pediatric obesity rose during COVID lockdowns, while mental health outcomes improved after schools reopened, underscoring the tradeoffs of prolonged closures. Drug pricing deals with manufacturers: The administration's agreements with pharmaceutical companies apply narrowly to government purchases and exclude many high-cost drugs, limiting their overall impact. First oral GLP-1 approved: The FDA cleared the first pill version of a GLP-1 weight-loss drug, offering convenience but likely remaining unaffordable until prices fall closer to $200 per month. Autism research update: Rising autism prevalence is driven largely by broader diagnostic criteria and awareness. Large studies continue to show no link to vaccines or acetaminophen, while new research points to strong genetic factors and distinct autism subtypes. ACA exchange subsidy uncertainty: Congress has yet to prevent looming premium increases for millions of exchange enrollees. Pearl argues for avoiding coverage cliffs and capping household contributions as a share of income. Polypharmacy in seniors: One in eight Medicare Part D beneficiaries now takes eight or more medications, increasing the risk of side effects, falls and hospitalizations in a fragmented system. New dietary guidelines: Federal recommendations now emphasize animal protein alongside stronger warnings against sugar and ultra-processed foods, a shift that may conflict with earlier public-health messaging. AI's expanding role in healthcare: OpenAI's tools increasingly integrate health data from electronic records and consumer apps, signaling how quickly generative AI is becoming part of medical decision-making. Medicare and AI oversight: Traditional Medicare is moving toward AI-assisted prior authorization for certain procedures, a response to fraud and low-value care that Pearl says is inevitable as costs continue to rise. Tune in to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based coverage and analysis of healthcare's biggest stories. * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of the new book “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post MTT #102: Vaccines under fire, rising disease & the cost of politics in medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Mark Cuban approaches healthcare the same way he approaches every industry he enters: by assuming something essential is missing and then asking who benefits from keeping it that way. In American medicine, he believes that missing ingredient is transparency. Not better messaging, not smarter incentives, but simple visibility into how prices are set, who gets paid and who gets taken advantage of. Cuban is a lifelong healthcare outsider. He is a billionaire entrepreneur, NBA championship team owner and longtime Shark Tank investor. That's what makes him the perfect guest for Season 11 of Fixing Healthcare with cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. This season's guests have massive online audiences, but their value isn't just reach. It's their ability to listen closely to what millions of patients are experiencing, then translate those insights back into the broader medical conversation. Few guests embody that better than Cuban. He has quickly become one of the system's most incisive critics by paying attention to what patients, employers and clinicians repeatedly say is broken. That mindset led to the creation of Cost Plus Drugs, a pharmacy built on an idea that sounds radical only because healthcare has drifted so far from it. Show patients the actual cost of a medication, add a flat 15% markup and eliminate the opaque middlemen who thrive in the dark. In this conversation, Cuban explains how a cold email from a physician opened his eyes to how hidden pharmaceutical pricing had become and why opacity itself became the opportunity. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE INTERVIEW Why drug prices are detached from reality. Cuban breaks down how widely used medications, including GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per month despite far lower manufacturing costs. The driver, he argues, is not innovation or scarcity, but a system dominated by pharmacy benefit managers whose rebate structures reward insurers and intermediaries while excluding patients. How patients bear the greatest financial harm. With concrete examples, Cuban explains how people in deductible phases, especially those on ACA plans, often pay full retail prices while rebates flow elsewhere. Costs are spread across millions of plan holders, but the financial pain lands on the people who actually need care. Why healthcare's complexity is intentional. From fax machines to prior authorization delays, Cuban argues that administrative friction is not accidental. It protects incumbents, drains clinician time and forces providers into the role of “subprime lenders,” all while patients struggle to navigate a system designed to obscure accountability. What he tells CEOs behind closed doors. Cuban outlines the first questions he asks corporate leaders about their pharmacy benefits, why most are not receiving the rebates they believe they are and how audits are often structured to reveal as little as possible. Transparency, he says, is the first step toward leverage. A blueprint beyond pharmaceuticals. The discussion extends into hospitals, insurance design and employer-based coverage, including Cuban's work on cost-plus wellness contracts that publish negotiated rates so others can replicate them. His goal is not dominance. It is forcing the system to respond by making its incentives visible. Throughout the episode, Cuban's message is blunt and consistent. Healthcare does not need more jargon, better marketing or marginal tweaks. It needs sunlight. Once pricing, incentives and risk are exposed, many of the system's most entrenched practices become much harder to justify. * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #201: Mark Cuban’s blunt diagnosis of what’s broken in healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this Diving Deep episode, the 200th of episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr explore three interconnected themes: The biggest driver of America's healthcare crisis. The transformative (and still largely untapped) potential of generative AI. The strategic leadership physicians must embrace if they hope to regain control of their profession and the care their patients receive. The show opens with a metaphor Pearl has returned to repeatedly in his writing: healthcare's “invisible gorilla.” Borrowed from classic research on inattentional blindness, the image captures how policymakers, employers and healthcare leaders fixate on insurance mechanics (premiums, subsidies, deductibles) while missing the far larger problem in plain sight: the soaring cost of delivering medical care itself. From there, the conversation traces how this cost crisis ripples across society. Employers struggle to absorb rising premiums. Workers face higher out-of-pocket costs and job instability. Rural hospitals teeter on the edge of closure. And short-term fixes — from benefit design changes to temporary bailouts — fail to address the underlying mathematical problem. The hosts then turn to generative AI, not as a billing or documentation solution, but as a clinical force that could reshape care delivery and tremendously lower costs. They examine how genAI could help clinicians manage exploding medical knowledge, prevent errors, personalize inpatient care and extend high-quality monitoring into patients' homes, particularly for chronic disease. Finally, the episode widens the lens to leadership and strategy. Drawing lessons from Nvidia and the technology sector, Pearl and Corr explore why medicine's fragmented, short-term responses have cost physicians influence and what it would take to rebuild leverage through collaboration, accountability and value-based care. Taken together, the episode sets out to answer a defining question: With pressure mounting across the healthcare system, will medicine act strategically or wait until the crisis leaves no other choice? Helpful links What Nvidia Can Teach Doctors About Strategy, Survival (Forbes) 5 Ways GenAI Will Transform Medicine — If Clinicians Embrace It (Forbes) US Healthcare's Biggest Problem: Overlooking The $5 Trillion Gorilla (Forbes) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (RobertPearlMD.com) * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #200: Healthcare’s cost crisis, GenAI’s promise + medicine’s leadership gap appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
New research. New technology. New possibilities.On this special 2025 Rewind and Look Ahead episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter turn their focus to the breakthroughs, discoveries and innovators shaping what comes next. “Health innovations and breakthroughs that seemed impossible years ago became closer to reality in 2025,” says Mark.We revisit pivotal conversations with leaders driving real-world change, including:Samantha Hutten (Michael J. Fox Foundation) on accelerating Parkinson's researchDr. Nora Volkow (National Institute on Drug Abuse) on addiction science and policyDrs. Robert Pearl and Brian Anderson on the promise and risks of AI in health careDr. Kenneth Cooper, whose prevention-first vision is influencing modern care modelsWe also learned about major developments in Long COVID research, including global studies and clinical investigations aimed at understanding its causes and long-term impact. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
As 2025 comes to a close, we're flashing back to one of the year's most listened-to episodes of Fixing Healthcare. This week, a special reading from Dr. Robert Pearl's bestselling book “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” This encore episode includes audio from Chapter 11, titled “The Road to AI-Empowered Healthcare,” followed by Chapter 11.5, a bold and thought-provoking response written by ChatGPT itself. Together, these chapters offer a vision of the future that, as Jeremy Corr notes, is “analogous to looking at a baby and trying to describe the adult who will follow.” Looking back, it's striking how prescient both the human author and large language model turned out to be. Their commentary on the economic, political and cultural roadblocks to AI adoption feels more timely than ever, especially amid today's headlines. In Chapter 11, Pearl lays out the promise of Healthcare 4.0, a future in which generative AI empowers patients and doctors alike to reduce inefficiencies, improve care and reclaim the human side of medicine. Chapter 11.5, penned by ChatGPT, offers a clear-eyed critique, cautioning against overreliance on tech and warning that change requires more than just innovation. It demands leadership. This flashback offers listeners a rare opportunity to hear a dialogue (human and machine) on what it will take to transform American medicine. HELPFUL LINKS ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine (Amazon) A list of Malcolm Gladwell's 25 book recommendations (link) Robert Pearl's Monthly Musings on American Healthcare newsletter (link) * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #199: Revisiting ‘The road to AI-empowered healthcare' from ChatGPT, MD appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Welcome to another episode of the Legal Nurse Podcast, where healthcare, technology, and the law come together. In this episode, Pat Iyer is joined by Dr. Robert Pearl, a plastic surgeon, author, and former CEO of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, to discuss how generative AI is shaping healthcare today. Dr. Robert Pearl, who teaches at Stanford and wrote ChatGPT MD: How AI Helped Patients and Doctors Take Back Control of American Medicine, shares insights drawn from decades of leadership in large medical systems and his interest in emerging technology. Pat Iyer and Robert Pearl explain what sets generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude apart from earlier artificial intelligence systems. They discuss how these tools are being used by clinicians to support diagnosis, patient monitoring, and treatment decisions, while also helping patients play a more active role in their care worldwide. The conversation also covers key concerns, including the reliability of AI-generated information, the danger of depending too heavily on technology, and the need for clinicians and patients to work together when using these tools to support good medical decisions. This episode is useful for legal nurse consultants, healthcare professionals, and anyone curious about how technology is influencing modern medicine. It offers practical perspectives on current uses, ethical questions, and what may lie ahead for AI in healthcare. What you'll learn in this episode on Navigating AI in Medicine: Opportunities, Risks, and Real-Life Applications Here are five intriguing questions that this podcast episode answers: What is generative AI, and how does it differ from earlier artificial intelligence used in healthcare? How are physicians and clinicians using generative AI to support diagnosis and patient care today? What risks exist when relying on generative AI for medical guidance, and how can those risks be reduced? How can generative AI help with time limitations and workload pressures faced by healthcare providers? How could generative AI change the management of chronic conditions and improve healthcare outcomes worldwide? Listen to our podcasts or watch them using our app, Expert.edu, available at legalnursebusiness.com/expertedu. Get the free transcripts and also learn about other ways to subscribe. Go to Legal Nurse Podcasts subscribe options by using this short link: http://LNC.tips/subscribepodcast. Grow Your LNC Business 13th LNC SUCCESS® ONLINE CONFERENCE April 23, 24, and 25, 2026 Skills, Strategy, Results Gain deposition mastery, marketing confidence, and clinical–legal insight from industry leaders you can apply to your next case and client call. Build a Practice Attorneys Remember Learn exactly how to showcase expertise, attract referrals, and turn complex medical records into clear, defensible stories that win trust. Learn From the Best—Then Ask Them Anything Get step-by-step training, live “hot seat” solutions, and exclusive VIP Q&A time with Pat Iyer to accelerate your LNC growth. Register now- Limited spots available Your Presenters for Navigating AI in Medicine: Opportunities, Risks, and Real-Life Applications Pat Iyer Pat Iyer is a seasoned legal nurse consultant and business coach renowned for her expertise in guiding new legal nurse consultants to successfully break into the field. As the host of the Legal Nurse Podcast, Pat addresses critical challenges that legal nurse consultants face, such as difficulty in landing clients and lack of response from attorneys. Through her insightful episodes, she emphasizes the importance of effectively communicating one's value to potential clients. With a wealth of experience, Pat has empowered countless consultants to overcome these hurdles and thrive in their careers. Connect with Pat Iyer by email at patiyer@legalnusebusiness.com Robert Pearl Dr. Robert Pearl served as CEO of The Permanente Medical Group and Co-CEO for Kaiser Permanente for 18 years. During his tenure, he led 22,000 physicians and 103,000 staff, overseeing the nationally acclaimed care of more than 10 million Kaiser Permanente members on the east and west coasts. Named one of Modern Healthcare's 50 most influential physician leaders, Pearl is an advocate for the power of integrated, prepaid, technologically advanced and physician-led healthcare delivery. More than 80,000 readers subscribe to his newsletters on healthcare, including his widely read Monthly Musings on American Healthcare. Connect with Robert Pearl by email at DrRobertPearl@gmail.com
After the Thanksgiving holiday, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr sit down for an “Unfiltered” discussion about gratitude with cardiologist and burnout expert Dr. Jonathan Fisher. While the discussion begins with an exploration of the science and value of gratitude, the episode then expands into an analysis of cultural trends in medicine, mental health, and the tension between individual autonomy and collective belonging. With insights drawn from emotion research, Jonathan's own experience, and even sci-fi television, this episode touches on everything from evolutionary psychology to electronic health records — and from Lord of the Rings to generative AI. Some of the key ideas discussed: Gratitude is a mindset, a personality trait and, most importantly, a practice. Drawiong on research from Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and others to explain how gratitude triggers upward emotional spirals, helping people tap into optimism, empathy and self-trust. When life is falling apart, gratitude alone isn't the answer. In moments of crisis, trying to force a feeling of gratitude can backfire. Instead, we should begin by choosing where to place our attention, cultivating stillness and gradually train our minds to experience positive emotions again. The real enemy of gratitude might be distraction. With much of our attention hijacked by devices, media and negativity bias, Americans today often lack the sustained focus required to feel or express authentic gratitude. There's wisdom (and warning) in a ‘hive mind.' The group discusses the Apple TV series Pluribus, in which a virus links humans into a hive mind of total empathy and consensus. While peaceful, the world loses all individuality, sparking a conversation about the tension between belonging and autonomy in medicine, society and self. A lesson from Samwise Gamgee: In a heartfelt final segment, Jeremy draws on Lord of the Rings to reflect on the importance of standing by loved ones in dark times. Jonathan responds with insight into isolation, empathy and the power of human connection — even when people seem lost. For more unfiltered conversation, listen to the full episode and explore these related resources: ‘Just One Heart' (Jonathan Fisher's newest book) ‘ChatGPT, MD' (Robert Pearl's newest book) Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl's newsletter) * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #198: The surprising science of gratitude & the cost of conformity appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this week's episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl examine a wide range of stories shaping American health. From new research on the lifesaving ... The post MTT #101: From measles outbreaks to GLP-1 hype, the data every patient should know appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Coronavirus: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr
In this week's episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl examine a wide range of stories shaping American health. From new research on the lifesaving ... The post MTT #101: From measles outbreaks to GLP-1 hype, the data every patient should know appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
AI in Healthcare: Who Benefits, Who Pays, and Who's at Risk in Our Hybrid Analog Digital Society
When this podcast launched in March 2020 as Coronavirus: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr set out to give listeners clear science and accurate analysis during a ... The post MTT #100: From COVID-19 to ChatGPT, a close look at the last 5 years appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Coronavirus: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr
When this podcast launched in March 2020 as Coronavirus: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr set out to give listeners clear science and accurate analysis during a ... The post MTT #100: From COVID-19 to ChatGPT, a close look at the last 5 years appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this Diving Deep episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine two pressing topics: the hidden causes of patient mistrust in doctors and the top ... The post FHC #193: What's fueling medical mistrust & why startups fail appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
With Dr. Jonathan Fisher's upcoming Ending Clinician Burnout Global Summit (Nov. 6–7) just around the corner, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr revisit one of the trio's most powerful Unfiltered ... The post FHC #192: Flashback to ‘burnout and the physician career arc' appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
This Halloween-themed episode of Medicine: The Truth finds hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr confronting the real horrors haunting American medicine today. When Corr asks what scares him most, ... The post MTT #99: The frightening state of U.S. medicine as politics replace science appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Coronavirus: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr
This Halloween-themed episode of Medicine: The Truth finds hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr confronting the real horrors haunting American medicine today. When Corr asks what scares him most, ... The post MTT #99: The frightening state of U.S. medicine as politics replace science appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this revealing episode of Unfiltered, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr sit down with cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Fisher to explore a hidden source of suffering in modern medicine: ... The post FHC #189: Diving deep into imposter syndrome in medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this Diving Deep episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr explore two urgent shifts reshaping the patient-doctor relationship in American medicine. First, they tackle a ... The post FHC #188: Why younger patients turn away from doctors & toward GenAI appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr dig into growing public distrust in the two government agencies charged with protecting Americans' health: the Centers ... The post MTT #98: Can patients and doctors still trust the CDC, FDA? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Coronavirus: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr dig into growing public distrust in the two government agencies charged with protecting Americans' health: the Centers ... The post MTT #98: Can patients and doctors still trust the CDC, FDA? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this candid episode of Unfiltered, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr sit down with cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Fisher to examine why so many clinicians feel trapped between rising ... The post FHC #187: Autonomy, burnout & the future of medical care appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this Diving Deep episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr tackle two timely topics shaping the future of American medicine. First, the pair explore a ... The post FHC #185: A System in crisis, a technology in waiting appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Might the supposedly revolutionary future of AI healthcare actually be a return to the gig economics of Uber and Airbnb? That's the intriguing proposition put forward by former Kaiser Permanente Chief and Stanford Medical School professor Robert Pearl, a prescient observer of the future of his industry. According to Pearl, we may be returning to the digital future: freelance doctors, he predicts, will train people to use existing AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) for managing chronic conditions - essentially "Uberizing" medical AI guidance. The real question, of course, is whether this will cheer up both doctors and patients. Pearl isn't sure about either. But one thing he is certain about is that MAGA government isn't the answer to fixing America's healthcare future. Having been cautiously optimistic about RFK Jr six months ago, he now gives the US Secretary of Health and Human Services an “F” for his first six months in office. Maybe we should Uberize RFK Jr. It certainly couldn't make things worse. 1. Two Competing AI Healthcare ModelsPearl identifies two paths: expensive, FDA-regulated products from tech companies versus affordable, clinician-led training programs that teach patients to use existing AI tools like ChatGPT for chronic disease management—with the second potentially avoiding regulation entirely.2. AI Could Prevent 30-50% of Medical DeathsBy better managing chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes (which account for 70% of doctor visits and costs), AI could save $1.5 trillion and prevent massive numbers of deaths from heart disease, cancer, kidney failure, and strokes.3. The "Uberization" of Medical CareWith 40% of doctors already doing gig work, Pearl envisions freelance physicians training patients to use AI tools for continuous health monitoring—replacing the current system of infrequent office visits with real-time, at-home care management.4. Insurance Companies Will Welcome AI, Hospitals Will ResistInsurers will benefit from lower costs and reduced need for prior authorizations, while hospitals and drug companies will see fewer patients and medication sales—making them the primary opponents of AI healthcare adoption.5. Medical Education Faces Major DisruptionElite institutions like Stanford will focus on complex procedures (heart transplants, major cancers), while routine medical knowledge becomes commodified. Mid-level healthcare jobs will disappear, similar to what's happening in computer programming.Bonus Political Takeaway: Pearl gives RFK Jr. an "F" for his first six months, saying he's capitulated to the agricultural industry instead of tackling the root causes of chronic disease through nutrition policy.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr cover a whirlwind of headlines, from a White House push to tie U.S. drug prices to wealthy-nation ... The post MTT #97: Drug prices, Big Tech EHR promises & the 7,000-step surprise appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Coronavirus: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr cover a whirlwind of headlines, from a White House push to tie U.S. drug prices to wealthy-nation ... The post MTT #97: Drug prices, Big Tech EHR promises & the 7,000-step surprise appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Dr. Rod Rohrich and healthcare futurist Dr. Robert Pearl dive into the seismic shift AI is bringing to American medicine. From diagnosis to delivery, this episode unpacks how artificial intelligence ...
In the first episode of Fixing Healthcare's 11th season, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr speak with Dr. Uché Blackstock, an emergency physician, bestselling author and health equity expert. This ... The post FHC #184: Dr. Uché Blackstock on racism, sexism and fixing medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this Diving Deep episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr tackle two of the most pressing questions in healthcare today, each focused on the future ... The post FHC #183: Will GenAI replace docs? How should medical schools respond? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine a wide range of healthcare headlines. From the Supreme Court's ruling on preventive care to ... The post MTT #96: Cancer confusion, obesity clarity & a $3M drug failure appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
Coronavirus: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine a wide range of healthcare headlines. From the Supreme Court's ruling on preventive care to ... The post MTT #96: Cancer confusion, obesity clarity & a $3M drug failure appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In a special episode of Fixing Healthcare, Jeremy Corr turns the mic once more to cohost Dr. Robert Pearl, inviting him to reflect on Season 10, marking the duo's most ... The post FHC #182: How GenAI, telemedicine and AI assistants will reshape medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this introspective episode of Unfiltered, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr sit down once again with cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Fisher to explore the emotional and psychological dimensions of ... The post FHC #181: When the doctor becomes the patient appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Fixing Healthcare's “Diving Deep,” co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine two pressing healthcare issues through thoughtful Q&A: the impact of Trump's healthcare promises on ... The post FHC #180: Diving Deep into healthcare politics & the biases blocking chronic disease care appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
With Dr. Robert Pearl traveling abroad this week to keynote a major conference on patient data transparency, the Fixing Healthcare team is revisiting one of its most popular episodes: an ... The post FHC #179: An unfiltered look back at independence, authenticity in medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr explore significant updates and controversies in healthcare, from battles over vaccine recommendations to skyrocketing healthcare costs ... The post MTT #95: Politics vs. science—Who really controls America's vaccines? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this thought-provoking episode of Unfiltered, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr sit down with cardiologist and physician well-being advocate Dr. Jonathan Fisher to explore the intersection of stress, ... The post FHC #178: Dying of a broken heart, literally appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this special episode of Fixing Healthcare, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr welcome Dr. Maria Ansari, CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, Northwest Permanente and Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical ... The post FHC #177: Inside TPMG's bold AI strategy with CEO Maria Ansari appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this month's Diving Deep episode of the Fixing Healthcare podcast, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr tackle two major questions: How have the first 100 days of Presidents ... The post FHC #176: What AGI means for medicine & what Trump means for healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr unpack a troubling set of healthcare developments—from surging vaccine-preventable illnesses to steep hikes in drug costs ... The post MTT #94: Measles, meds & misinformation: Can we still trust American science? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Unfiltered, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr are joined once again by cardiologist and physician wellness advocate Dr. Jonathan Fisher. The trio take an unfiltered ... The post FHC #175: Burnout, Broken Systems & The Severed Self appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In the latest episode of Fixing Healthcare, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr welcome Oliver Kharraz, founder and CEO of Zocdoc, for a conversation about the power of technology ... The post FHC #174: Zocdoc CEO says AI will cure healthcare's scheduling chaos appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this week's Fixing Healthcare podcast, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr flash back to a pivotal interview recorded in December 2021 with famed venture capitalist Vinod Khosla. Season ... The post FHC #173: Before ChatGPT, Vinod Khosla predicted healthcare's AI revolution appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
This episode of Relentless Health Value features Dr. Kenny Cole from Ochsner Health System. The discussion emphasizes the critical role of trusted relationships and excellent primary care teams in keeping patients out of the emergency room, thus reducing healthcare costs. Stacey Richter revisits this conversation to highlight the importance of care teams building trust with patients and the concept of primary care as an investment in health and wellness. The episode outlines four key points for delivering great primary care, including accountability for outcomes, belief in clinical goals, standardized care flows, and building patient trust. Dr. Cole also discusses the real-world challenges and strategies for achieving clinical and financial success in primary care. The episode serves as a guide for plan sponsors, clinicians, and healthcare executives looking to improve primary care delivery and align it with financial viability. The discussion is further enriched with insights on digitizing care pathways and the importance of measuring and sharing best practices to achieve high standards of care.I Stacey revisits, in a take two, this episode with Dr. Kenny Cole because she's listening to it this time with a new focus. That focus is the theme that keeps coming up over and over and over again on Relentless Health Value these past few months. === LINKS ===
In this month's Diving Deep episode of the Fixing Healthcare podcast, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr tackle one of healthcare's most misunderstood facts: nearly 91% of Americans receive ... The post FHC #172: 91% of Americans get subsidized healthcare. What if it vanishes? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the alarming spread of measles across 25 U.S. states (with outbreaks in six). The disease, ... The post MTT #93: Measles death toll rises, healthcare spending hits $5.2 trillion appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
In this lively episode of Unfiltered, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr are joined once again by cardiologist and physician wellness advocate Dr. Jonathan Fisher. The trio takes an ... The post FHC #171: The doctor is in … Lululemon? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.