Summary
In this episode, our guest is Dr. Sam Lynch, founder and CEO of Lynch Biologics (LBIO), an innovative biologics and tissue engineering company based in Nashville, TN. Lynch shares what led him to a career in regenerative medicine, his passion for translational medicine, advice for young entrepreneurs, the challenges of the U.S. healthcare regulatory environment, the importance of early education for underprivileged students, and more.

Show Notes
Career Journey & Translational Medicine
The conversation begins with a discussion on regenerative medicine and what piqued Lynch’s interest in the field. Though he began his career in dentistry, his passion for bringing scientific discoveries from the laboratory directly to patient care drove Lynch to pursue a Ph.D. in cell biology and regenerative medicine.

Lynch defines translational medicine and discusses its purpose to improve human health via a “bench to bedside” approach. Lynch discusses that while basic research, clinical research, and translational medicine are seen as opposing one another at times, there is often tremendous crossover between the fields. 

Entrepreneurship & the U.S. Healthcare Regulatory Environment
Lynch shares lessons on entrepreneurship and the challenges one faces when convincing investors to financially support a dream or idea.  He urges young entrepreneurs to stay persistent when they encounter setbacks, but he stresses that it is also important to be flexible and open to feedback. 

Lynch shares his perspective on the process of drug and medicine development and the practice of making medical products too expensive for the customer is incredibly wasteful. He believes the issue can be solved with a holistic approach, starting with redefining the role of the regulatory environment.

The Importance of Early Education & Founding a Nonprofit
Aside from leading a company in regenerative medicine, Lynch started a nonprofit based in Nashville, TN, called BioTN — named after the bodily enzyme “biotin”. The organization delivers quality STEM education to underprivileged students, to develop entrepreneurship in Tennessee’s workforce. 

Growing up in poverty himself, Lynch believes that education is the pathway out of an impoverished life. He discusses how a good educational environment can profoundly impact the flourishing of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Eventually, Lynch would like to expand BioTN to other parts of Tennessee. 

Closing
If you are interested in getting involved in BioTN, please visit their website to learn more.

Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.

Humans in Healthcare Website

Shearwater Health Website

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

Summary
In this episode, our guest is Dr. Arun Singh, M.D., prolific heart surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital and author of the memoir “Your Heart, My Hands.” Dr. Singh shares his experience as an Indian immigrant in the U.S. during the 1960s, the obstacles he overcame to pursue a career in surgery, the importance of emotion in the medical field, and how to develop a deeper understanding of the human heart.

Show Notes
An Indian Immigrant in the 1960’s
The conversation begins with Dr. Singh recounting his journey to the U.S. Born in India in 1944, he graduated medical school at the age of 22 and migrated to the U.S. in 1967 to pursue a career in surgery.

When he first arrived, it was difficult to find an opening at any hospital due to the fierce competition with other U.S. citizens. Eventually, a former professor connected Dr. Singh with an open position at Columbia University. He discusses the importance of relationships and mentorship when pursuing career opportunities.

Overcoming Obstacles to Pursue His Career
The job was quite difficult at first – Dr. Singh lacked an adequate support system to help him adjust to the entirely new culture and healthcare system. He recounts an inspiring visit to the Statue of Liberty during a time of severe doubt and shares the inspiration he gained from the experience.

Dr. Singh also shares a story from his childhood about getting surgery for one of his hands that was terribly mangled. This painful experience as well as other medical complications throughout his childhood are what sparked his desire to become a surgeon.

Making Healthcare Human
Dr. Singh recounts an emotional story about an open-heart surgery he performed on a baby boy who sadly passed away, which sparks a discussion about the role of emotion in the medical field. He believes that as technology has advanced, healthcare has lost the “human element”. Medicine is a combination of both science and art, and he discusses the need for empathy and emotion in the healthcare industry.

Developing an Understanding of the Human Heart
To conclude the episode, Dr. Singh shares an anecdote about his grandfather, with whom he had a strained relationship. This opens a discussion about how someone can develop a deeper understanding of the human heart, and Dr. Singh encourages listeners to talk to people and ask them questions about their life in order to develop meaningful relationships with them.

Closing
Dr. Singh recently released his memoir, “Your Heart, My Hands”, which recounts his inspiring journey with incredible depth and insight.

Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.
Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube

Summary
In this episode, our guest is Oliver Moses, Managing Partner of WindRose Health Investors and Founder of Haven Care, a children’s health clinic in Monrovia, Liberia. Moses shares why he began a career in healthcare investment, the importance of listening as an investor, how he founded Haven Care, obstacles to providing care in an underdeveloped country, and lessons on entrepreneurship. 

Show Notes
Investing in Healthcare & the Importance of Listening
Moses begins the conversation by discussing his passion for healthcare. While he finds it both intellectually interesting and dynamic, he also recognizes the strong tailwinds of growth behind the industry due to the country’s aging population and the inherent lack of funds to sustain this growth. 

Moses spends a large segment of his time listening for the pain points in the industry and finding innovative businesses that are solving those pain points. He also spends time looking for overlapping opportunities, fostering relationships, and recognizing business patterns that allow him to share wisdom with younger companies. 

Founding a Children’s Health Clinic in Liberia
In 2015, Moses founded Haven Care, a children’s health clinic in Monrovia, Liberia. Moses and his wife had the desire to do something more hands-on in healthcare that also involved children, a population group they both are passionate about.  Because the most prevalent health concerns are illnesses like malaria and dysentery, the greatest need was for a smaller health center that people could trust instead of a full-scale hospital. 

Obstacles to Providing Care & Clinical Leadership
Moses discusses the need to treat patients holistically by providing adequate health education. He shares how a patient’s health is affected by more than just their access to treatment, but a variety of other social determinants of health such as literacy, nutrition, and education.

Moses shares the importance of clinical leadership in a health clinic such as Haven Care. Not only must the leading physicians have the necessary training to treat the common illnesses of the local population as well as the ability to lead subordinate nurses and medical assistants, but they must believe in the mission of Haven Care. 

An Entrepreneurial Lesson
The conversation ends with King asking Moses how a person with limited financial resources but lots of time can get started with hands-on work. Moses advises listeners to first figure out what they are passionate about. From there, he emphasizes the importance of starting small and taking the first step. 

Closing
Haven Care is currently launching its website. If you are interested in getting involved, please email Oliver Moses directly at [email protected]. 

Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.

Humans in Healthcare Website

Shearwater Health Website

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

Summary
In this episode, our guest is Kendall Lockhart, Founder and CEO of MeU Care. Lockhart shares the importance of paying attention to your customer, his fascinating background with Disney and yoga, his passion for integrative health, the importance of community for behavior change, and the intersection of A.I. and human-enabled care.

Show Notes
Paying Attention to Your Customer
Lockhart is the founder and CEO of MeU Care, a HIPPA secure virtual care platform that aims to solve two distinct problems in healthcare today: 1) the overarching experience of confusion, and 2) the inability to easily share information. Based in Orange County, CA, the company has built an integrative communication platform that connects the patient with both their hospital care team and their family caregivers.

Lockhart describes the approach of MeU Care as both evolutionary and revolutionary. While it utilizes advanced communication technology, it was born from the practice of simply paying attention to the customer’s actions and desires.

Disney, Yoga, and Integrative Health
Before founding MeU Health, Lockhart served as the Vice President and Worldwide Head of Creative Product Development for The Walt Disney Company’s interactive media division. In this demanding role, physical fitness became a great way for Lockhart to manage stress. At the same time, his work in filmmaking and interactive media sparked an interest in Integrative Health. This approach views the entire person through a 360-degree lens and considers the well-being of the body, mind, and spirit.

Lockhart then began practicing yoga – which was a much different form of exercise than he was previously used to. Instead of understanding fitness as a way to constantly improve himself, Kendall discovered that yoga encourages a continual acceptance of one’s body and the aim is to establish a mind-body connection that replaces judgment.

The Importance of Community for Behavior Change
After working for Disney, Lockhart began leading a company called OneBody, Inc. In this role, he learned that while consumers are not particularly good at self-managing their own health, they are much more willing to care for someone they love. Lockhart discusses why family caregivers are an important lever for patient behavior change and how self-management along with assistance and support is key to successful health outcomes.

The Intersection of A.I. and Human-Enabled Care
Lockhart believes in the need for technology and human-enabled care to work together to bring improved health outcomes. People operate out of love and trust, and regardless of how technology advances in the coming years, this reality will not change. 

Lockhart ends the conversation with an important takeaway: to improve the lives of patients, health companies must learn to view the patient as their customer by observing their behaviors.

Closing
Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.

Humans in Healthcare Website

Shearwater Health Website

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

In this episode, our guest is Dr. Morgan Wills, President and CEO of Siloam Health. Wills shares deeply meaningful stories and experiences around Siloam’s whole-person approach to healthcare, overcoming cultural and language barriers to provide care to Nashville’s most vulnerable populations, and the need for relationships in primary care. Listeners will love Wills’ thoughtful perspective on caring for humans and will be inspired by the work Siloam Health does.

Whole-Person Approach to Healthcare
The founders of Siloam Health had a vision to provide health care to Nashville’s most vulnerable communities that focused on the whole person, instead of just a problem to be solved or disease to be managed. Wills gives insight into how the private healthcare sector can take a more holistic approach by getting back to their roots of hospitality that engage the body, mind, and spirit.

Overcoming Cultural Barriers
Wills shares his unique journey of becoming a doctor and ultimately working at Siloam that started with a transformative experience while working in a medical mission hospital in Africa. “The best way to see your own culture is to step outside of it,” said Wills as he reflected on his change in perspective for how to care for people.

The Need for Relationships in Primary Care
This change in perspective is most visible in Wills’ beliefs on relationship-centered primary care. Wills explains that his relational faith informs his relational care, and unfortunately, relationships are usually missing in Western medicine. Having a consistent relationship with your primary care provider is declining in the U.S. But Wills shares meaningful stories that clearly show the value of a longitudinal relationship between providers and patients that make it easier to deliver effective care.

Combatting COVID-19 in a Nashville Hotspot
Siloam opened a new location in one of the hardest hit neighborhoods of Nashville by the pandemic. They played a crucial role in flattening the curve and continue to educate their patient population about the vaccine. Initiatives like their Community Health Program reveal why Siloam Health is an incredible prototype for other U.S. healthcare systems. Applying some of their unique whole-person care approaches could positively impact the care provided to the overall population.

To support the work they do, you can donate to Siloam Health by visiting their website here.

Closing
Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.
Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube

Summary
In this episode, our guest is Dr. Susan Scott, a nurse scientist and patient safety expert from University of Missouri Health Care. Scott shares her research and personal experiences with the second victim phenomenon, the impact of trauma on a clinician’s work, strategies to support clinicians after traumatic events, and ways to combat burnout and low morale on a personal and institutional level.

Understanding the Second Victim Phenomenon
Scott has spent decades studying an often-overlooked topic – clinicians who experience trauma from a medical error or unexpected outcome in their job known as the “Second Victim Phenomenon.” Scott shares the impact of these events on clinicians and three possible responses as a clinician tries to heal.

How Trauma Impacts Work
An important step in reaction to a second victim event is emotional first aid, which Scott found that only 15% of care providers will ask for help on their own. The simplest solution is implementing a peer support model. Scott explains that even though some may not think of these events as typical physical trauma cases, psychological trauma can be particularly dangerous because it goes unnoticed.

How Dr. Scott Developed a Passion for the Second Victim
Scott shares her own traumatic second victim experience just a few weeks into her first role as a newly graduated nurse, and the lack of tools she was given to process it. She never imagined her career moving in that direction, but the study of this phenomenon quickly became what she now describes as her life’s work.

The Role of a Patient Safety Officer
Before she became a Patient Safety Officer, Scott worked as a Legal Nurse Consultant helping defense teams look at medical records and support clinical staff. Although a short part of her career, it prepared her well for the patient safety roles and gave her the opportunity to advance the science while working at University of Missouri Health Care.

Building Resiliency with Self-Care and Institutional Care
With nurse burnout and morale at a low point during the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott shares the importance of not just self-care practices but also the role of institutions caring for their employees. The systems that institutions put in place can either promote or discourage staff resiliency and care. 

 Closing
Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.
Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube

In this episode, our guest is Cherrill Farnsworth, an accomplished entrepreneur and influential expert on healthcare change. Over the course of her career, Farnsworth has started and sold 7 companies. Her first project was a bus company, and her most recent was HealthHelp, a utilization management company. Farnsworth shares how she had the idea to start a bus company in her early 20s, what she learned about becoming a successful entrepreneur, how she discovered the need for utilization management, and describes her hands-on approach to board membership.

Starting and Selling a Bus Company in Her Twenties (2:45)
Farnsworth recounts the beginning of her career when her decision to move to Houston disrupted her graduate degree, scholarship, and career trajectory. She took a job as a 5th grade math and science teacher, and her desire to explore a new city gave her the idea to create a bus company that could transport people from the suburbs to downtown. She shares the highs and lows of trying to run a new company in an unfamiliar industry, and the tactics she used to succeed. This ultimately led to the City of Houston buying her company.

What It Takes to be a Successful Entrepreneur (13:53)
Farnsworth now has decades of experience starting and growing companies. This experience equips her with insight about entrepreneurs’ need for encouragement and security, along with their desire to solve problems. In response to Winnie Fritz’s advice to “just say yes,” Farnsworth talks about how businesses are full of walls and an entrepreneur must look for the windows. It takes grit and an unending pursuit of solving problems.

Discovering the Need for Utilization Management (21:10)
One of Farnsworth’s most successful healthcare businesses was built around the need for utilization management. Now a common practice between Health Plans and Providers, she and her team at HealthHelp bridged the gaps between doctor’s orders, insurance payments, and patient safety. She shares what she learned by identifying the need to build imaging centers for medical universities, and how that prepared her for running a utilization management company.

A Hands-On Approach to Board Membership (35:43)
Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Farnworth continues to be involved in various healthcare boards and shares her desire to give entrepreneurial companies her assistance through a hands-on approach. She describes her board membership as her “sport” as compared to others who may choose golf or tennis. She most recently joined Shearwater Health’s Board of Directors.

Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.
Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube

In this brief episode, Humans in Healthcare host, Nathan King, reflects on the skill of empathy in a difficult year. Using conversations from podcast guests, book references, and some humorous tweets, King provides thoughtful insight into why we must practice Empathy. 

Leadership in 2020
"We have to continue feeding our families, educating our children. Some of us keep dreaming of a future. But dreaming is different now, more remote, more guarded. At work, it is different now. Conflict is more tense. People are less predictable. 

We are group of people that has to lead. We have to show up, to do the work. Our healthcare professionals especially. They have to care for patients, COVID or not, with the same resolve that they always have."

The Importance of Empathy
The word that keeps coming to mind is Empathy. It’s the one that needs a fresh look, to be brushed off, renewed, and used. 

Never Split the Difference, a book about negotiation by a former FBI hostage negotiator.

Everybody Writes  author, Ann Handley, shares the importance of empathy in writing.

Cultivating and Practicing Empathy
You can see evidence of “empathy” in the eyes of marketers. They have been awkward in how they've put it out there, because empathy is hard to express. Here’s a humorous poem from Twitter describing the struggle of marketers.

Chief Nurse Executive, Claire Zangerle, said, "It's all about putting yourself in that patient's shoes, thinking about if this were your family member going through this particular situation. How'd you feel as a nurse? Or how would you feel as a human being?"

It reminds me of the most famous quote on empathy, a simple one, and one that has stood millennia as the essence of empathy: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Another podcast guest, Michael Hite, shared that empathy starts with leadership and trickles down through an organization.  

King ends with practical ways to show empathy. This is the season of thanksgiving, a time when we can be thankful for what we still have, which includes the people we are around, the people we care for, and the people we lead. 

Don’t leave empathy behind on the path to progress in 2021.

Closing
Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.

Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube

In this episode, our guest is Winnie Fritz, former hospital CEO and CNO and U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran. Fritz is an incredibly accomplished nurse and veteran with a fascinating career journey. She shares how she was invited by King Hussein of Jordan to build a nursing education program in Jordan, her experience and lessons learned from her time in Vietnam as a pilot in the U.S. Army, tactics for managing the stresses of life, and leadership advice for a fulfilling career. Fritz is a long-time consultant and friend of Shearwater’s, and we’re so excited to share her story with a broader audience.

Building a Nursing Education Program in Jordan (2:54)
During the early 1970’s and in her early twenties, Fritz worked at Walter Reed Medical Center – a military hospital in Washington D.C. She managed the Presidential Suite where she cared for some of the top government officials and world leaders. One of these leaders was His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan. Because of her exceptional care and relational skills, Hussein later invited her to build a nursing education program in Jordan where she spent the next 17 years. Fritz shares the intricacies of learning a new culture as well as how she approached building a program that would have such a huge impact.

Lessons from Vietnam as a Pilot in the U.S. Army (25:57)
Fritz begins her stories of Vietnam by sharing what led her to aviation in the first place, which started at a young age on her family’s farm in Illinois. This progressed to being cross-trained on Huey helicopters in Vietnam. As many veterans recount, the Vietnam War was likely the hardest and lowest point in their lives. Despite the difficulty, Fritz points out how war changes your perspective and the innovation of healthcare that came from practicing at the peak of one’s license in Vietnam.

Managing the Stress of Life (42:14)
Fritz gives a mental exercise that anyone can do to “cognitively reappraise” one’s priorities. She also shares the importance of incorporating activities to maintain mental, physical, and spiritual health for a balanced life and her personal practices that help her do this.

Leadership Advice for a Fulfilling Career (52:36)
It’s clear throughout her career that Fritz has been trusted in pioneering roles and recognized for her leadership. When asked about advice she would give to those younger in their career, she offered four principles.

Closing
Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.
Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube

In this episode, our guest is Shaulene Stanley, a charge nurse at West Penn Hospital and former nurse educator at the University of West Indies in Jamaica. Stanley has decades of nursing and education experience and decided to transition her life from Jamaica to Pittsburgh, PA. She discusses why she made a global career move, how she sustains motivation, the differences between healthcare in Jamaica and the U.S., and the need for influential nursing leaders.

How to Sustain Motivation (2:53)
Stanley made the decision to move to the U.S. after 20+ years as a nurse and educator in Jamaica. She was motivated by a desire to gain new experiences, fresh knowledge, and a deeper understanding of nursing. She shares the importance of being self-driven and having a clear goal to overcome inevitable obstacles.

Moving a Nursing Career from Jamaica to the U.S. (10:44)
Transitioning to any new country is difficult on its own, and Stanley accepted the additional challenge of moving from a nurse educator role to a hospital floor. She shares the good, tough, and often funny parts of practicing nursing in a new country. Everything from communication differences to workplace relationships required adaptation to succeed.

Healthcare Differences in Jamaica and the U.S. (19:54)
Stanley discusses Jamaica’s strong emphasis on primary, preventative care. This includes mandatory immunizations, neighborhood clinics, public nurses focused on rural locations, and frequent wellness checks and screenings. With her background in nursing education, Stanley talks about the shift to require a BSN. Because of an international nursing shortage, she shares tactics to ensure a steady workforce of nurses in Jamaica.

The Need for Influential Nursing Leaders (35:14)
Stanley recounts a childhood memory of caring for her siblings and sick mother that set her on a trajectory of making difficult decisions, which she considers a core competency in leadership. She also discusses the important role of influence when leading people.

Overt vs Covert Racism (40:12)
The conversation ends with a discussion on Stanley’s experience of being a Jamaican woman, and any racism she has encountered in the U.S. She and King discuss the difference between overt and covert racism that come through in the way people communicate or react.

Closing
Humans in Healthcare is produced by Shearwater Health in Nashville, TN, and hosted by Chief Marketing Officer, Nathan King.
Humans in Healthcare Website
Shearwater Health Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube