On this episode of the DocNation podcast, hosts Justin Nabity and Dr. Anthony Giuffrida sit down with Dr. Joe Norris to expose the harsh realities of modern medicine. With physician burnout at an all-time high, declining reimbursements, and administrative bloat forcing doctors onto an endless hamster wheel, Dr. Norris shares his own breaking point—walking away from a thriving orthopedic practice because the system was rigged against him.

He pulls back the curtain on the financial side of medicine, revealing how hospitals and insurers quietly profit from physicians’ work while keeping them in the dark about their true value. He argues that doctors need to stop playing defense and start taking control—whether through negotiating better contracts, breaking away from traditional employment, or embracing direct-pay and concierge models that put physicians back in charge.

He also doesn’t hold back on the state of healthcare consumerism, questioning why patients are forced to navigate a deliberately opaque pricing system while hospitals rake in profits. He highlights how forward-thinking doctors are cutting out the middlemen and slashing healthcare costs—proving that the system can work if physicians are willing to fight back.

Tying it all together, Dr. Norris connects the healthcare crisis to America’s failing health habits. While other countries prioritize movement and wellness, the U.S. has embraced sedentary lifestyles and quick-fix medicine. That’s why he co-founded Oval, a metabolic testing and movement prescription company designed to help people reclaim their health without resorting to drugs or extreme workouts. His solution? Work smarter, not harder—and disrupt the system before it collapses entirely.