What motivates a physician to revolutionize health care from a new vantage point? Host Chethan Sathya, MD, speaks with physician-technologist, chief medical officer and author Geeta Nayyar, MD, about her unique professional journey and the critical role of innovation in health care transformation. Dr. Nayyar recounts her "accidental" transition from practicing rheumatologist to a leader in health technology, driven by a desire to impact systemic issues that hindered patient care. She shares how she leveraged her clinical experience to improve digital health workflows at major companies like AT&T and Salesforce, demonstrating the power of a physician’s voice in tech. The conversation also provides invaluable advice for health care workers looking to pivot their careers and make a broader impact beyond one-on-one patient care.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the second part of their discussion, Dr. Nayyar and Dr. Sathya dive into artificial intelligence and its potential to rehumanize health care. She challenges the notion that AI will replace clinicians, arguing instead that it should augment their capabilities, enabling them to be "faster, smarter, and more able to be compassionate at the bedside." The conversation explores how AI can alleviate administrative burdens and "friction points" in the system — such as scheduling, billing and medication reconciliation — thereby restoring the human connection between doctors and patients. Dr. Nayyar also addresses the spread of misinformation, offering strategies for guiding patients to trustworthy health information and emphasizing that human judgment and relationships remain irreplaceable, especially for chronic and complex conditions.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

Host Sandra Lindsay, DHSc is joined by Dawnette Lewis, MD, MBA, director of Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health, to assess the current landscape of maternal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Lewis reveals that the U.S. continues to have one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, with Black birthing mothers still carrying a disproportionately high burden. She argues that disparities for Black mothers persist even when accounting for varying socioeconomic status, citing historically inequitable care and other systemic barriers that stall progress. The discussion also highlights efforts in New York State to better standardize care and address these complex challenges.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the second part of their discussion, Sandra and Dr. Lewis focus on the path forward, detailing concrete systemic solutions and policy changes vital for creating safer outcomes for mothers. Dr. Lewis advocates for extending postpartum Medicaid coverage nationwide, stressing that the majority of maternal mortality occurs in the year following delivery — a critical window for intervention. The conversation also covers New York State's vital data-driven research into disparate C-section rates and their associated risks, as well as crucial advice for self-advocacy and the importance of multidisciplinary care and community support.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

What was it really like to lead New York City’s public health response during the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic? In the first of a two-part conversation, 20-Minute Health Talk host Chethan Sathya, MD, is joined by friend and colleague, Dave Chokshi, MD, the city's former Health Commissioner. Dr. Chokshi shares his personal story, tracing his path from Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina to the forefront of public health. He provides a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the immense challenges of communicating evolving science in a crisis, the difficulty of balancing public health with economic and personal realities, and the power of everyday heroism that unified the city.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the second half of their discussion, Dr. Sathya and Dr. Chokshi shift from reflecting on the pandemic to charting a path forward. How do we move from a state of polarization to one of collaboration? Dr. Chokshi details his work with the Common Health Coalition to "dissolve silos" and unite the health sector around common goals. He tackles the critical challenge of proving the ROI of "upstream" preventive care and discusses how technology like AI can finally help bridge the gap between medical breakthroughs and real-world delivery of care.

Ending on a powerful note of optimism, Dr. Chokshi shares what gives him hope for the future and why investing in the next generation is the ultimate public health strategy.In the second half of their discussion, Dr. Sathya and former NYC Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi, MD, shift from reflecting on the pandemic to charting a path forward. How do we move from a state of polarization to one of collaboration? Dr. Chokshi details his work with the Common Health Coalition to "dissolve silos" and unite the health sector around common goals. He tackles the critical challenge of proving the ROI of "upstream" preventive care and discusses how technology like AI can finally help bridge the gap between medical breakthroughs and real-world delivery of care. Ending on a powerful note of optimism, Dr. Chokshi shares what gives him hope for the future and why investing in the next generation is the ultimate public health strategy.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, welcomes Emily Kaplan, co-founder of Broken Science Initiative and MetFix, a novel approach to fitness and nutrition. Kaplan explains why chronic disease continues to rise even as more Americans go to the gym, arguing that nutrition — not just exercise — is central to better health outcomes. The conversation explores insulin, mitochondrial dysfunction, seed oils, sugar, and the biological mechanisms she believes drive obesity, fatty liver disease, and metabolic illness.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In part 2 of this 3-part episode, Emily Kaplan describes how MetFix gyms and coaches work alongside physicians to help patients make sustainable lifestyle changes, especially around food, exercise, and metabolic disease. She shares examples of doctors integrating gyms into their practices, using coaches to support patients between annual visits, and creating condition-specific classes for people with type 2 diabetes, menopause-related concerns, and other chronic health issues.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the third segment, the conversation turns from metabolic health to scientific culture itself. Kaplan shares the story behind Broken Science, tracing her background in journalism and her interest in nutrition policy, scientific incentives, and how public health narratives are shaped. She discusses concerns about peer review, statistical significance, replication, and the ways scientific certainty can be overstated in medicine and public communication.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

20 Minute Health Talk host Chethan Sathya, MD, welcomes Dr. Jackie Gerhart, Chief Medical Officer of the health technology giant Epic Systems. Dr. Gerhart shares her unconventional journey from a small-town family physician with a background in engineering to a leader at one of the world's most influential EMR companies. The conversation delves into the critical topic of change management, exploring the keys to helping clinicians adopt new tools and how data can prove the value of evolving workflows.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.