You might look out to the ocean and see the tiny lip of what becomes a massive wave by the time it hits the shore. In the world of healthcare, that phenomenon would be like investors buying up hospitals and clinics of all kinds. Corporations are joining the fray as well—they, like anyone else, want to cut their medical expenses. Mainstream press focuses on the “greedy corporate overlord” narrative whenever a nonmedical business buys a clinic. Under this theme, such moves could be anticompetitive and kill the care patients get. There’s some truth to those outcomes. Yet the reality of investor-owned medical offices is nuanced. There are more layers to ownership-based incentives now than even before. This episode’s here to tell you why someone buying a clinic brings massive consequences for patients everywhere.

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There’s no doubt that our medical system’s expensive to a point of comedic tragedy. No shortage of private and public entities have tried to make medicine cheaper. Ironically, the federal government tries to spend money to save you money in healthcare. Enter the subsidy, an economic instrument both loved and detested by many. Subsidies are used in many parts of the economy, but with medical care in particular, the feds tackle drug development and health insurance among other sectors. Today’s episode tells you why assistance with medical funding makes healthcare both cheaper and pricier for you.

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You’ve heard of doctors and nurses. Physician assistants have been on the scene as well. But not all medical doctors have the same degree. Sometimes you might see doctors the letters DO following their names instead of MD. The DO, or Doctor of Osteopathic medicine, has similar base training to an MD, but with more emphasis on treating someone within context of the entire person. Don’t be ashamed if you haven’t heard of such a doctor—according to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), about one in five Americans don’t even know that DOs exist. Patients who know the difference between and where their kinds of doctors come from will have more success with building a great medical relationship. This episode’s covering everything you need to know about DOs in the grand scheme of medicine as well as how to pick them properly.

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It’s totally normal for people to ask where their food comes from but we don’t always do this for prescription drugs. Every medication has to get from a lab to your pill bottle somehow. Ever since the Covid pandemic and the quick approval of its vaccines, patients became more aware of how modern medicine comes about. Our drug approval system has more nuance than just expensive 10-year challenges and quick 12-month emergencies. Let today’s episode be a simple crash course about how our country approves drugs and the first steps to untangle that messy, twisted process for the better.

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Never blame a patient for wanting to save money. Especially for meds. Insurance companies also would like to nickel-and-dime manufacturers when possible. High drug prices are a mainstay in the news. That said, a whole world of prescription discounts is right around the corner. Medication discount cards and coupons are everywhere, but patients still need to be careful with using those savings. Episode 38's dedicated to helping you wade through the swamp of a drug discount world we have.

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Your phone might stick around wherever you go, but your medical care may not follow suit. When the time comes for you to move to a new state, change jobs, or both, your health plans and doctors would need to change as well. Insurance plans and medicine are (mostly) locked within state lines. Closed-loop healthcare built in the 20th century is part of why our current medical system gets expensive. Yet we live in a connected world where it’s perfectly normal to work from anywhere and move state-to-state like we’re crossing the street. In this pod, I’ll make our fragmented market simpler to understand so you know how to get medical care organized on the go.

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Your smartwatch talks a lot but may not say much about your health. Constant data collection from wearables claims to improve medicine at large. Is the ‘quantified self’ the next step for patients or is it just a gimmick? Does healthcare improve when doctors access your live data on a whim? After today’s episode, you’ll learn to trust your wearables at the right time rather than all the time.

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Learning never stops—that goes double for medicine.

Doctors have vast knowledge but they need to remain sharp. Every year we find new diseases, innovations, and drugs. The physicians keeping up with their craft among other requirements are “board-certified.” Why should patients care for that title? After this pod, you’ll know what a board-certified doctor means as well as helpful tools to find a solid one.

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Unless you happen to be lucky, you’re probably getting prescribed something in your lifetime. It could be one medication. Or you might need a pill calendar. In any case, you’ll have to deal with a pharmacy. Your doctor’s passing the ball and setting you up for success whether that be through a treatment plan, medication regimen, or a combination. Hearing today’s episode will help you deal with the local pharmacies and pharmacists to ensure you get in the end-zone for your healthcare.

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Who remembers the good old house call days? Some may imagine a doctor strolling into their home with a well-worn briefcase and curled-up stethoscope. Newer technologies are making the house call a thing again. See Episode #33 of Friendly Neighborhood Patient to know the uses and limits of home health.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushinagalla.substack.com