The Exam Room

In this episode of The Exam Room, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Joslyn Mikeworth, a community health worker at Canyonlands Healthcare, to explore what it's really like to work on the frontlines of rural healthcare.

Joslyn shares her journey through multiple healthcare roles — from CNA to medical assistant to community health worker — and how those experiences shape the way she connects with patients today. She explains how community health workers help bridge the gap between clinical care and patients' everyday lives, especially in rural settings where access and communication can be major challenges.

The conversation highlights the realities of patient engagement, including the difficulty of reaching patients and the importance of building trust through in-person connection.

The episode also takes an honest look at leadership — what supportive leadership looks like in practice, and how transparency, communication, and approachability can empower frontline staff to succeed. Joslyn contrasts these experiences with moments where leadership fell short, offering a powerful perspective on how workplace culture directly impacts both staff well-being and patient care.

This episode sets the foundation for a two-part series focused on frontline healthcare, leadership, and the systems that support — or fail — the people delivering care.

In this episode of The Exam Room, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Heidi Sanborn, clinical professor at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University, to explore one of the most pressing challenges in health care today: nurse retention and burnout.

Drawing from her unique background in technology, bedside nursing, leadership, and academia, Heidi shares how systems design — both physical and digital — often fails when frontline staff are not intentionally included in the process. From poorly implemented lifting equipment to mismatched software systems, she highlights how well-intentioned solutions can waste resources and increase frustration when end users are left out of design conversations.

The discussion also dives into workplace culture, generational shifts in nursing, lateral violence, and the evolving expectations of early-career nurses. Heidi reflects on how orientation models have changed over time, the loss of experienced preceptors, and why customized support during a nurse's first year is critical to long-term retention.

This episode sets the foundation for a deeper series conversation about innovation, leadership, and building systems that help nurses stay, grow, and thrive.

🎙️ Part One of a new series on nursing workforce sustainability and innovation.

In the final episode of this three-part series, The Exam Room concludes its conversation with Jessica Yanow, president and CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers.

This episode focuses on Medicaid unwinding, coverage retention strategies, and what health centers have learned from recent policy transitions. Jessica shares how Arizona's coordinated efforts — including data sharing, renewal alignment, outreach workflows, and "no wrong door" enrollment approaches — helped minimize coverage loss and protect access to care.

The conversation then turns toward the future. With rising operational costs, flat grant funding, and evolving federal requirements, health centers face significant financial and regulatory pressures. Jessica discusses the possibility of consolidation, the importance of sustainability planning, and why innovation — both operational and strategic — will determine long-term success.

The episode closes on a hopeful note: health centers are deeply rooted in their communities, governed by patient-majority boards, and strengthened by collaboration. In uncertain times, communication, partnership, and community voice remain their greatest assets.

🎙️ Part Three and conclusion of a three-part series on the future of community health centers.

In Part Two of this three-part series, The Exam Room continues its conversation with Jessica Yanow, president and CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers.

This episode focuses on the growing importance of partnerships and innovation in strengthening community health. Jessica discusses how health centers are collaborating with housing providers, public health agencies, schools, health plans, and other community organizations to address the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.

The conversation highlights the importance of building long-term, relational partnerships — not just transactional collaborations — to create sustainable impact. Jessica also shares insights on how digital tools, telehealth, and artificial intelligence are reshaping workflows, supporting providers, and helping reduce administrative burden across health centers.

From relationship-building to digital transformation, this episode explores how collaboration and innovation are helping health centers navigate change while continuing to serve their communities.

🎙️ Part Two of a three-part series on the future of community health centers.

In Part One of this three-part series, The Exam Room welcomes back Jessica Yanow, president and CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, for a deeper conversation about the forces shaping primary care in Arizona and across the country.

This episode focuses on the evolving policy and funding landscape facing community health centers. Jessica discusses regulatory changes, Medicaid shifts, and the growing financial pressures created by changes in payer mix and rising numbers of uninsured patients. She also highlights major opportunities on the horizon, including investments in rural health infrastructure and new initiatives aimed at improving access and outcomes.

The conversation also explores workforce challenges across the health center system. From shortages of primary care providers and medical assistants to the growing demand for behavioral health services, and the strategies organizations are using to recruit, retain, and develop staff.

This episode sets the stage for the series by examining the policy, financial, and workforce realities that health centers must navigate today.

🎙️ Part One of a three-part series on the future of community health centers.

In the final part of this three-part series, The Exam Room concludes its conversation with Dr. Mary O'Connor, orthopedic surgeon and national leader in prevention-focused, value-based musculoskeletal care.

This episode explores the structural and financial realities shaping health care delivery in the United States — and how those realities influence patient outcomes. Dr. O'Connor highlights the critical role Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) play in supporting whole-person, community-centered care and explains why these organizations are uniquely positioned to influence behavior change and address social determinants of health.

The conversation also examines the challenges created by fee-for-service payment models, which often incentivize procedures and surgical volume over prevention and long-term health outcomes. Dr. O'Connor discusses how new models of care, including interdisciplinary and non-surgical approaches, can improve patient outcomes while lowering overall health care costs.

Throughout the episode, the discussion emphasizes the importance of challenging the status quo and building sustainable care models that support patients, providers, employers, and communities alike.

🎙️ Part Three and conclusion of a series on prevention, behavior change, and community-driven health.

In Part Two of this ongoing series, The Exam Room continues its conversation with Dr. Mary O'Connor, orthopedic surgeon and national leader in prevention-focused, value-based musculoskeletal care.

This episode explores why patients are often more influenced by the experiences of other patients than by clinical advice alone — and why emotional readiness, trust, and peer support play a critical role in lasting behavior change. Dr. O'Connor explains how health coaches, community-based programs, and mentorship models help patients overcome barriers that knowledge alone cannot.

We also examine the shortcomings of traditional fee-for-service care, including overutilization of imaging and surgery, and the absence of effective non-surgical, whole-person care. Dr. O'Connor makes the case for an intermediary, non-surgical approach that prioritizes what truly matters to patients — whether that's returning to activity, spending time with family, or simply living without pain.

This episode highlights why engaging patients at an emotional level isn't a "nice to have," but a necessity for better outcomes, lower costs, and a more sustainable health care system.

In today's health care system, medical care often begins after people are already in pain — but research shows that medical treatment accounts for only a small fraction of what actually determines health.

In Part One of this multi-part conversation, The Exam Room welcomes Dr. Mary O'Connor, orthopedic surgeon, former Mayo Clinic and Yale faculty member, and co-founder of innovative health organizations focused on movement, prevention, and equity.

Dr. O'Connor explains why she believes we don't have a "health care system," but rather a sick care system, and why wellness and prevention must move beyond exam rooms and into communities. Together, we explore how individual behavior, social determinants of health, and access to culturally responsive support shape outcomes, particularly for underserved populations.

This episode lays the foundation for understanding why behavior change is so difficult, why traditional care models often fall short, and how community-based approaches can unlock healthier futures, not just for individuals, but for entire families and neighborhoods.

🎙️ This is Part One of a continuing series on prevention, behavior change, and community-driven health.

How do health systems move from adopting digital tools to building strategies that truly last?

In the final episode of this three-part Exam Room Podcast series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor concludes her conversation with Dr. Ami Bhatt, cardiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, by focusing on sustainability, access, and the future of patient-centered care.

Dr. Bhatt explains why successful digital health adoption depends on infrastructure, communication, and shared understanding — not just technology. From front-desk staff to clinicians and patients, everyone involved in the care journey must understand how and why new tools are being used. Without clear education and alignment, even the best technology can fail.

The discussion also explores value-based care, federally qualified health centers, and new payment models that make continuous, home-based care more feasible for rural and underserved communities. Dr. Bhatt emphasizes that digital strategies must respect the realities of patients' lives — including transportation barriers, caregiving responsibilities, and work constraints — if they are to improve access and outcomes.

As the episode wraps, the conversation turns toward hope: a new generation of patients who expect partnership, transparency, and agency in their health care. Dr. Bhatt reflects on the power of long-term doctor–patient relationships and how digital tools, when designed thoughtfully, can remove noise and bring humanity back to the center of care.

This episode serves as a hopeful conclusion to the series — pointing toward a future where technology supports connection, empowerment, and better health for all.

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Is technology pulling health care away from human connection — or helping us get back to it?

In Part Two of this three-part series on The Exam Room Podcast, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues her conversation with Dr. Ami Bhatt, cardiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, to explore how digital tools and AI can support truly human-centered care.

Dr. Bhatt reflects on how modern health care has shifted from deeply personal relationships to time-limited, data-heavy encounters — and why neither patients nor clinicians are satisfied with that reality. She explains how thoughtfully designed digital systems can reduce administrative burden, synthesize complex data, and give clinicians the space to reconnect with patients through eye contact, conversation, and empathy.

The episode also dives into the evolving role of AI in health care: from background support that simplifies logistics and documentation, to patient-facing tools that can improve access, engagement, and even help address loneliness. The discussion emphasizes transparency, consent, and choice — allowing patients to decide when they want efficiency and when they want human connection.

Finally, Dr. Bhatt explores how generative AI may help health care move beyond surface-level data toward understanding what patients truly value, enabling more personalized, equitable, and meaningful care experiences.

This episode is a thoughtful exploration of how technology, when used intentionally, can help health care feel human again.