SoundPractice

Episode Overview: In this insightful episode, join host Mike Sacopulos and dive into the multifaceted career of Art Lazarus, MD, MBA, CPE, DFAAPL — a distinguished psychiatrist, author, and storyteller. After a career in clinical care and industry leadership, Lazarus turned to the written word to educate and humanize medicine.

Key Points:

• The Didactic Power of Storytelling: Lazarus believes in the instructive power of a good story, much like the tales of Mark Twain and CS Lewis, which have left indelible marks on education and culture.

Episode Highlights:

• A Storyteller's Influence: Lazarus's approach to writing is not just about crafting a narrative but also about imparting valuable lessons on the practice of medicine.

The Big Picture: Effective storytelling is influential. When trying to shape someone’s understanding of medicine and leadership, every story counts.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership.

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.5907794303

In this podcast episode, host Mike Sacopulos interviews Chuck Stoner, DBA, a leadership expert, president of Stoner & Associates Consulting, and author of the book Inspired Physician Leadership: Creating Influence and Impact, 2nd Edition, who shares his insights on various aspects of leadership in healthcare.

Sacopulos praises Stoner, stating, "Chuck Stoner has the credentials and experience to command your attention, but he doesn’t need it. He is a person whose guidance and recommendations should be taken seriously; he is a leadership coach we should all be lucky to have."

The interview delves into key topics, including:

• Are individuals born leaders, or can leadership be developed?

Additionally, Stoner offers specific advice for physicians looking to become stronger leaders.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership.

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.1935245920

Bahar Sedarati, MD, CPE, FCUCM, believes that emotional intelligence is a significant human skill. From her youth growing up in Iran, to her training as an internist, to her passion for teaching and mentoring, and now as a career coach, Sedarati’s message is focusing on what we have versus what we want.

In this interview with Mike Sacopulos, they cover topics on whether courage or empathy can be taught, emotional intelligence and the practice of medicine, her experience with a Managing Happiness Certificate from Harvard University and in earning the Certified Physician Executive (CPE) credential from the American Association for Physician Leadership.

Sedarati mentions the book Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Arthur C. Brooks.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership.

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.1986229047

No one would argue that the training to become a neurosurgeon lacks clinical rigor. Many long intense years go into a Board certification. Neurosurgery education is never really accomplished. Sometimes the most powerful and ultimately useful lessons come from unexpected people and events. That was the case with Joseph “Jody” Stern, MD. Stern is a neurosurgeon specializing in complex spine and brain surgery. He has been in practice for more than 25 years and is a partner in the largest neurosurgical group practice in the country — Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates. The deaths of his sister and brother-in-law — and the experience of working with their healthcare teams — brought a new perspective to his work with patients, inspiring him to write Grief Connects Us.

In his exceptionally thought-provoking and moving memoir, Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion, Joseph Stern, MD, grapples with grief and loss as he searches for compassion in a field notorious for neutrality.

Hear Stern’s interview on how he became a better physician.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.3912432426

In a recent presentation at SXSW, Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, spoke about the potential of mindbending drugs such as psychedelics and cannabis in the context of physician leadership. While the level of interest in these substances was high, Lieberman emphasized the importance of responsible use and scientific research.

Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, is the Lawrence C. Kolb Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. His work has advanced the understanding of the natural history and pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the pharmacology and clinical effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs.

He is a member of numerous scientific organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine. He has authored more than 500 papers and articles published in the scientific literature and written and/or edited ten books on mental illness, psychopharmacology, and psychiatry. Lieberman served as president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) from 2013 to 2014.

During this podcast interview with host, Mike Sacopulos, Lieberman discussed the potential benefits and risks of using mindbending drugs in a clinical setting. He emphasized the need for rigorous scientific research and noted that while these substances may have therapeutic potential, they must be used with caution and under the guidance of trained medical professionals.

As the field of psychiatry continues to evolve, it will be important for physicians to approach these substances with a balanced and informed perspective and to fully understand the effects of these substances on the human brain and behavior.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.5594327237

The 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey introduced us to HAL, a fictional artificial intelligence character that interacted with the astronauts. HAL would be pleased to learn that his AI progeny are helping to improve healthcare.

In this episode, Mike Sacopulos interviews Manijeh Berenji, MD, MPH, a double board-certified physician specializing in occupational and environmental medicine as well as preventive medicine. Berenji is chief of occupational health at VA Long Beach Healthcare System, and she also leads the Environmental Health Clinic at VA Long Beach Healthcare System.

Berenji discusses her work with veterans, including exposure assessments for veterans concerning Agent Orange and Open Burn Pits. Additionally, she explains the field of informatics as it applies to healthcare. Berenji shares her interest in clinical informatics and emphasizes the importance of digital tool proficiency for the future leaders of healthcare.

As the vice chair of the Health Informatics section of the American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Berenji talks about the section's efforts to advance clinical informatics in occupational and environmental medicine.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.8817344091

Neil Baum, MD, is a renowned leader in medical practice marketing and a pioneer in the field, having authored the first textbook on the subject in the 1990s. Today, Baum continues to share his knowledge through writing, lectures, and consulting on healthcare practice marketing. He has written a new book, Medicine is a Practice: The Rules for Healthcare Marketing.

Baum, a practicing physician based in New Orleans, Louisiana, draws from real-world examples that have proven successful in his own healthcare practice. His mission is to aid physicians and medical practice administrators in creating the productive and profitable practice they have always envisioned.

In this interview with host Mike Sacopulos, Baum shares tried-and-tested suggestions for enhancing relationships with existing patients and attracting new patients to the practice. As a bonus, Baum ends the interview with three hints for new physicians as they build their careers in medicine.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org.

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.2775273837

Healthcare is fundamentally a scientific pursuit, from clinical skills to cutting-edge diagnostic testing. Medicine is also an art, and art plays a vital role in the success of patient care. Once such element of art is where healthcare is delivered. Physical structures can affect a patient’s experiences and outcomes. On this topic, SoundPractice host Mike Sacopulos interviews Sharon Woodworth.

Sharon Woodworth, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, EDAC, ACHA, is the healthcare sector leader of HED, a national integrated architecture and engineering firm with more than 400 employees and elite clients such as USC, the VA Medical Center, and the U.S. State Department. Her sector specializes in designing innovative healthcare centers for efficient patient care.

Woodworth’s career path that led to architecture is an inspiring one, and she is known for driving change in operations and care through design. Hear her thoughts on design of outpatient facilities, designing to retain healthcare providers, how design can support “lean” operational models for staff, and trends for the future.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.4406872646

The word Catholic is often capitalized and used in reference to the religious denomination. It may also be an adjective meaning comprehensive or universal. In this episode of SoundPractice we will be discussing the term in both of its definitions.

The Catholic Church and Its Hospitals: A Marriage Made in Heaven? is a new book extensively researched and written by Patricia Gabow, MD, MACP, former CEO of Denver General Hospital. The Foreword of the book is by Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP.

Hear about the role of the bishops and the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) in policy making for the Catholic health system. We also discuss surprising statistics about the extent, reach, and influence of Catholic Healthcare in terms of the number of beds and hospitals. From small hospitals built by nuns and nurses to now having four out of the ten largest healthcare systems in the United States being Catholic systems.

There is another side to the story. Patients may not understand that certain reproductive care or end-of-life care are not available to them in a Catholic health system. Physicians who work in these systems may not understand the reach and influence of the ERDs. We will be exploring this issue in depth. In Gabow’s book, she provides a section on considerations for the Catholic health system’s return to mission fidelity.

Join us for this insightful and thought-provoking discussion on the Catholic Church and its hospitals.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.8167613232

At first blush the ideas of servants and leaders seem distinct, even mutually exclusive. How could an individual be a servant and a leader simultaneously? Perhaps the initial reaction to the juxtaposition of servant and leader is the issue. When approached from the correct perspective, the contradiction fades and connections come into focus.

David M. Zechman, BSE, MPA, president of The Zechman Group, LLC, is a former hospital system president and CEO and is currently an executive coach and author of Driven by Compassion – 8 Values for Successful Servant Leaders.

Zechman has spent considerable time on servants, leaders, and healthcare. He helps us to uncover leadership opportunities.

Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

https://doi.org/10.55834/sp.1456167694