Doctors and health systems are facing more misinformation, and more disinformation from patients. We talk with Dr. Gary Price of The Physicians Foundation about the growing problem of misinformation in medicine. He says it’s time for new approaches to counter misinformation and get reliable medical information to the public. 

Hospital doctors, nurses and staff see a great deal of violence. It’s far too common and experts say the situation isn’t improving. We spoke with Andrea Greco, senior vice president of healthcare safety at Centegix, about violence in healthcare, why some people are reluctant to disclose attacks, and how health systems can create a culture of safety.

Ann Bilyew, president of WebMD Ignite, talks about the importance of giving patients trustworthy healthcare information. Healthcare organizations need to earn the right to engage patients, she says. It’s not just about providing good information to patients. It’s presenting that information authentically and connecting with patients in different ways.

Brenda Snow, founder and CEO of Snow Companies, talks about living with MS for 30 years. She discusses her new book on the patient experience and offers guidance to help other patients. And she shares advice for doctors and hospital leaders. 

 With the arrival of Earth Day, we’re looking at ways that hospitals can generate less waste and improve their sustainability. Alex Chapman of Stericycle discusses ways that hospitals can do better for the environment and improve their finances. 

Eric Sean Clay, vice president of security at the Memorial Hermann Health System, talks about the fatal UPMC Memorial Hospital shooting, the need for better equipment, more training, and robust violence prevention plans. He also offers advice on how hospitals can improve their security and protect patients, staff and visitors.

Kyle Zebley of the American Telemedicine Association talks about the fight to extend telehealth waivers, which lapse in March. We discuss the prospects of long-term extensions for telehealth and hospital-at-home programs, remote prescription of drugs, the landscape in Washington with the Trump administration and the new Congress, and more. 

In this episode, we talk with Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, about the potential for reductions in funding for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. He worries that if fewer Americans have health coverage, patients and hospitals will pay the price. We also talk about other federal priorities, the financial health of hospitals, the rise in denials from insurers, and more. 

Earlier this year, the federal government released a new rule calling for some important changes aimed at boosting access and quality in Medicaid programs. To get more perspective, we talked with Gary Jessee, senior vice president of Sellers Dorsey’s National Medicaid Consulting Practice. He offers insights on how the rule is aimed to improve consistency and care nationwide.

We talk with Dr. Jay Anders, chief medical officer for Medicomp Systems. He talks about some of the difficulties facing rural hospitals and how technology can help those providers. And he discusses ways to help sustain and strengthen rural hospitals, which really don’t get enough attention.