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 to eliminate one of medicine’s biggest pain points: access.

This interview, part of Season 10’s focus on transformative technology, spotlights Zocdoc’s role as a digital marketplace where patients can search for providers by specialty, insurance, availability and location. As Kharraz explains, Zocdoc aims to be the “connective tissue” of healthcare, streamlining care navigation while empowering both patients and providers.

Here are four key insights from the episode:

Kharraz has long championed patient-first thinking. This conversation not only explains how Zocdoc is improving access today, but where digital health innovation is headed next. Don’t miss it.

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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 #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 10 of the show is dedicated to exploring how technology can reshape American medicine. What better way to reflect on the promises and pitfalls of healthcare innovation than by revisiting Khosla’s bold predictions—made a full year before the release of ChatGPT.

As an early investor in OpenAI and a tech visionary, Khosla discussed the transformative potential of AI, telemedicine and digital health platforms long before the current explosion of interest.

“The most expensive part of the system is expertise,” Khosla told listeners. “And expertise can relatively be tamed with technology and AI.”

In this flashback episode (#40 if you’re looking for the original airing), Khosla outlines how technology could bolster specialist access for rural communities, slash the cost of chronic disease care and eventually disrupt traditional hospital-centered healthcare systems.

Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr encourage listeners to pair this 2021 conversation with Khosla’s more recent appearance on the show (episode #153), offering an opportunity to compare past predictions with today’s emerging realities.

Helpful links:

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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 #173: Before ChatGPT, Vinod Khosla predicted healthcare’s AI revolution 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 one of healthcare’s most misunderstood facts: nearly 91% of Americans receive some form of government healthcare assistance.

Whether your insurance comes through an employer, the online health insurance marketplace, Medicare or Medicaid, the government is footing part of the bill. But as federal debt surges and lawmakers search for places to cut spending, those subsidies—and your coverage—may be in jeopardy.

Dr. Pearl breaks down each of the five main ways the government subsidizes healthcare and explains why those programs are now in the political crosshairs. He also offers solutions to America’s spiraling healthcare costs, ones that go beyond cutting services.

Later in the episode, the focus turns to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, and what his policies might mean for the future of American medicine.

Kennedy has promised to address chronic disease, mental health and pandemic preparedness, but his vaccine skepticism and unscientific treatment suggestions could further undermine public trust and worsen health outcomes.

Click play to hear the full conversation or check out these useful links below.

HELPFUL LINKS

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Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.

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 #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, as of this episode’s publication, has already led to 700 cases and the confirmed deaths of two unvaccinated children.

Meanwhile, healthcare costs have ballooned to $5.2 trillion, federal funding cuts are hampering outbreak response (as well as important scientific research), and Medicaid expansion under the ACA is facing serious threats.

Dr. Pearl discusses the broader implications of these events along with a host of key topics covered in this episode:

Tune in as Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr break down these pressing healthcare topics and explore what they mean for the future of American medicine.

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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.

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 #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 unexpected but fascinating journey into the symbolism, psychology and culture of physician attire—and what shifting trends reveal about the status of American medicine.

What starts as an observation about the absence of neckties at a medical conference quickly unspools a broader discussion about generational shifts, burnout, respect, identity and power within the profession. The conversation weaves together personal stories, data, sociological insights and policy-level implications, ultimately questioning whether the erosion of formality is a symptom—or potentially a cause—of deeper challenges facing clinicians today.

Key topics discussed in this episode include:

As always, the episode ends with a thoughtful patient-perspective question from Jeremy, diving into the nuances of patient comfort, demographics and the enduring importance of trust.

For more raw, unfiltered commentary, listen to the full episode and check out these helpful links:

‘Just One Heart’ (Jonathan Fisher’s newest book)

‘ChatGPT, MD’ (Robert Pearl’s newest book)

Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s newsletter)

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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 #171: The doctor is in … Lululemon? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

In a special episode of Fixing Healthcare, Jeremy Corr flips the script and interviews fellow cohost Dr. Robert Pearl, who shares his expert view on the three most important technologies shaping the future of American medicine.

This conversation is part of Season 10’s exploration of tech-enabled healthcare transformation, featuring CEOs and leaders of healthcare leaders at major tech companies like Nvidia, Google, Oracle, Microsoft and Hippocratic AI. The season has showcased how leaders in the field are approaching the digital revolution in medicine. Now, it’s Pearl’s turn to offer his unique perspective—nearly one year after the release of his bestselling book, ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.

Pearl identifies three game-changing technologies:

Pearl calls these “the most significant breakthrough,” capable of offering patients real-time medical expertise and ushering in a new era of healthcare consumerism.

He shares several stories—including one about a CEO who used ChatGPT to identify his daughter’s rare illness in seconds—that illustrate the power of LLMs to close diagnostic gaps and empower patients with expertise in unprecedented ways.

Pearl describes telemedicine as a “complementor,” a technology that, when paired with another (in this case, generative AI), becomes far more powerful than either could be alone. While AI can monitor patients 24/7 and identify emerging health issues, only telemedicine can instantly connect those patients to a human clinician for evaluation and care.

“The synergy of the two will be capable of overcoming the limitations and challenges of both time and distance,” Pearl explains. Together, these complementors can deliver real-time, personalized care while reducing costs and expanding access, especially in underserved and rural communities.

Pearl introduces a new class of AI-powered assistants designed to manage chronic diseases, perform triage and monitor patients at home. These tools, built through “knowledge distillation” and trained on actual clinician-patient exchanges, could help prevent hundreds of thousands of heart attacks, strokes and other major complications from chronic disease every year.

Pearl also addresses concerns about bias, liability and job displacement. He argues that AI won’t replace doctors but will change their roles, reduce burnout and make healthcare more affordable for everyone.

Additionally, Pearl praises the foresight of prior Season 10 guests while also pointing out that most focused on today’s tools (like documentation automation) rather than imagining the radically different world five to 10 years from now. Pearl believes generative AI will go far beyond helping doctors with administrative tasks. It will empower patients, reduce costs improve outcomes, and shift the balance of power in healthcare.

Click play to hear this wide-ranging, insightful discussion about the digital future of medicine.

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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 #170: AI could save 500,000 lives, $1.5 trillion a year, says Dr. Pearl 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 the fusion of generative AI and telemedicine, demonstrating how the combination could radically improve chronic disease care in the United States and save millions of lives.

The conversation begins at the Paris AI Summit, where U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance surprised global attendees by blasting the world’s “self-conscious, risk-averse” approach to AI. Vance warned that overregulation could “paralyze” this generation-defining technology. Pearl notes a fundamental shift is now underway, with leaders beginning to view generative AI as a force for progress rather than a threat to contain.

From there, the hosts explore the rise of DeepSeek, a new open-source AI system out of China that has opened the door to game-changing medical advances: powerful medical applications that will be affordable to produce and accessible to all. Pearl explains how DeepSeek’s use of “knowledge distillation” combined with expert specialization, data compression and real patient interactions will enable health innovators to build hyper-specialized, disease-specific tools.

The most exciting prospect, Pearl says, lies in the synergy between GenAI and telemedicine. Alone, each technology has serious limitations. Together, they create a breakthrough model for 24/7, real-time care. This innovative blend of technologies would allow doctors and patients to overcome geographic, financial and clinical bottlenecks.

Pearl outlines how these tools could provide better chronic disease control, enhance access to rare specialists and prevent medical crises before they happen. He also issues a warning: none of this will happen without fundamental payment reform. As long as physicians are paid to treat complications—not prevent them—America will remain stuck in a costly and outdated model.

Click play to hear the full conversation or check out these useful links below.

HELPFUL LINKS

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Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.

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 #169: How GenAI, telemedicine can fix America’s chronic disease crisis appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

In this Unfiltered episode of Fixing Healthcare, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr welcome back cardiologist and burnout expert Dr. Jonathan Fisher for a candid discussion on how political decisions and healthcare policy changes are influencing doctors, patients and the broader medical system.

Drs. Pearl and Fisher examine the growing uncertainty in medicine, from potential Medicaid cuts and vaccine policy shifts to rising drug costs and global health challenges. They explore how these issues are increasing physician burnout, eroding trust in the doctor-patient relationship, and forcing clinicians to confront difficult ethical and financial dilemmas.

Key topics discussed in this episode include:

For more raw, unfiltered commentary, listen to the full episode and check out these helpful links:

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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 #168: How political unrest is changing American healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr dive into the latest developments in American healthcare, from a severe flu outbreak to deep Medicaid cuts that could change health coverage as we know it.

This year’s influenza season is the worst in 15 years, leading to more flu hospitalizations and deaths than COVID-19 for the first time since the pandemic began. Meanwhile, a measles outbreak in Texas is raising alarms, fueled by low vaccination rates and a surprising response from the new Health and Human Services Secretary, RFK Jr. On the policy front, federal funding cuts to Medicaid and the NIH are already affecting hospitals, academic research and public health agencies.

Here’s a snapshot of just some of the major topics covered in this episode:

Tune in as Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr break down these pressing healthcare topics and explore what they mean for the future of American medicine.

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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.

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 #92: The worst flu season in 15 years, a measles resurgence & Medicaid cuts appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

In the latest episode of Fixing Healthcare, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr welcome Joe Petro, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Health & Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms.

A mechanical engineer by training, Petro offers a refreshing and sometimes surprising take on AI’s role in healthcare. Despite being at the forefront of innovation in one of the world’s largest tech companies, he describes himself as an “incredible technology skeptic.” He explains that skepticism is precisely what’s needed to ensure AI improves, rather than disrupts, the physician-patient relationship.

This conversation is part of Fixing Healthcare’s Season 10, which explores how technology—particularly AI—can reshape American medicine. Petro highlights three major shifts that will define the coming decade:

Petro sees a future where AI functions as a real-time assistant to physicians, handling administrative burdens, generating clinical insights and optimizing workflows. He envisions AI acting like an augmented intelligence tool, offering guidance at the point of care rather than replacing human decision-making.

By reducing time spent on documentation and bureaucracy, AI lets clinicians focus more on patient interactions, improving both efficiency and quality of care. A prime example? Petro recounts how an AI-powered solution helped a hospital’s chief medical officer get home in time for dinner for the first time in 25 years.

Petro likens this transformation to the “Bridge” from Star Trek—a place where AI, data, and human expertise come together seamlessly. Just as Captain Kirk relied on real-time insights from the ship’s computer, doctors will soon have an intelligent, AI-powered assistant guiding their decision-making and simplifying their workflow.

For years, physicians have bemoaned electronic health records (EHRs), blaming them for burnout and inefficiency. Petro doesn’t believe they’re going away. Instead, AI will radically improve them.

Instead of static systems that require excessive manual input, AI-driven EHRs will automate documentation, surface relevant clinical insights and anticipate physician needs without ever typing a note. In fact, Petro describes a future where doctors never have to stare at a screen during a patient visit again. Instead, AI will listen in the background, generate documentation in real-time and provide decision support without disrupting the human connection between doctor and patient. This transformation, he argues, will reduce burnout, improve efficiency and ultimately lead to better care.

A central theme of the discussion is how AI can help shift medicine’s focus from reactive treatment to proactive disease prevention. Petro describes a future where AI-powered virtual assistants track patient health data, predict complications and intervene early. All this will empower patients to manage chronic conditions more effectively.

He acknowledges regulatory and liability concerns but insists that the inevitability of AI-driven self-diagnosis will force the industry to adapt. He predicts AI-powered tools will soon deliver tailored medical insights, helping patients make informed decisions without waiting for in-person doctor visits.

Beyond these predictions, Petro doesn’t shy away from skepticism. He warns against blind faith in technology, stressing that successful implementation requires trust, rigorous testing and physician buy-in.

His passion for these topics are deeply personal. Petro shares a moving story about his mother, who struggled with health issues later in life. He emphasizes how empathetic, attentive care made all the difference for her—and how AI should be used to enable more of these meaningful interactions, not replace them.

Ultimately, Petro’s vision is both optimistic and cautionary. He sees AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human decision-making in medicine. With healthcare systems struggling under the weight of administrative burdens, staffing shortages and rising costs, he believes AI represents an opportunity to ease these pressures while improving patient outcomes.

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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 #167: How Microsoft’s AI solutions got a doctor home in time for dinner appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.