A conversation with Brent Dial

To Brent Dial, the pursuit of health is about three things: agency, education, and collaboration.

And that’s exactly what Beek Health, the start-up he co-founded earlier this year, are all about.

Beek are on a mission to revolutionize the bloated patient data process: reducing wasted time, resources and patient stress. Gone are repeated scans, poor communication and unnecessary surgeries.

By putting the power into the patient's hands, their innovative combination of health literacy, technology, and patient empowerment raises hope for solving the issues of healthcare equity in the United States. 

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We spoke about how the current healthcare system often leaves patients feeling disconnected and uninformed, biomarkers, the role of technology in democratizing health information, and the need for a paradigm shift from a clinician-centric to a patient-centric approach.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

A conversation with Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett and Cheryl Harding

Healthcare is a matter of trust.

Pouring their efforts into rebuilding the critical tenet of medical trust are family physician and prominent voice on health equity Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett and community champion and strategic advisor Ms. Cheryl Harding.

Our two guests forged a bond when Dr. Gergen-Barnett assured an unwell Cheryl experiencing the worst of our healthcare system, “I’ll be your quarterback.”

This message of advocacy and team spirit forms the foundation for our conversation today, as they share their mission to educate, learn from the public, and grow community trust in medical care settings, five years after the pandemic exposed just how broken and divided our system truly is.

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We spoke about their work leading conversations in communities across Boston; why medical mistrust is an often forgotten social determinant of health; how storytelling, group visits, and community-led initiatives can rebuild trust and advance equity in healthcare; and why health must never be political.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

Our primary care system needs an Overhaul.

Leading the discussion is Dr. Marla McLaughlin, a national leader in care delivery innovation and CMO of apree Health.

As a family medicine physician with decades of frontline experience, Dr. McLaughlin knows the value of primary care firsthand. As she says, its value lies in the strength and depth of the relationship between patient and physician.

With a growing shortage of primary care physicians, weeks-long wait times for appointments, and worse outcomes - something is wrong. But Dr. McLaughlin is here to tell us her hope, and vision, for the future.

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We spoke about her journey, how she arrived here in this leadership position, why many patients see urgent care as a faster and easier, why skipping primary care leads to higher costs, fragmented care, and sub-optimal outcomes, and how apree Health are innovating in how patients interact with primary care.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

True health is only possible through prevention.

Our guest this week is renowned physiotherapist, educator, and founder of the AMT System - Tom Swales.

Tom has over 20 years of experience in orthopedic care, injury rehabilitation, and human performance - working with a huge range of people, from world-class athletes to the elderly.

Yet in 2023, Tom suffered with a near-fatal Streptococcus A infection - with doctors crediting his optimal physical health as the key driver for survival.

Having built back his strength, his experience as both patient and provider now presents him as a powerful educator on the power of prevention, human resilience and effective rehabilitation. 

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We spoke about how we can reimagine healthcare to keep people healthy before they reach the ICU, simple ‘body scan’ routines to flag up underlying physical issues, and why prevention should be number one for patients, clinicians, providers and insurers alike.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

A conversation with Dr. Munir Ghesani

Cancer care is due an update.

Leading the field with cutting-edge treatment options and an ethos rooted in equity, are United Theranostics - represented today by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Munir Ghesani.

As a leading voice in nuclear medicine, Dr. Ghesani expertly guides us through the current problems in cancer care, before outlining the promise of theranostic treatment.

With an unwavering focus on patient experience and creating equitable access, Dr. Ghesani provides a beacon of hope in our struggle against cancer.

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We spoke about how the structure of American healthcare has created enormous access gaps, 

the history and efficacy of Theranostics, and what it will take to design a system where world-class care is available in every ZIP code. 

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

A conversation with RJ Kedziora

“In the near future, it’s going to be irresponsible to not use AI.”

As co-founder of Estenda Solutions, RJ Kedziora is an expert in leveraging data for healthcare organizations, with over 25 years of experience improving patient outcomes.

He is a passionate advocate for the AI-clinician partnership: lightening administrative workloads, deepening patient connections, and spotting data patterns to highlight the bigger health stories that lay beneath.

As he says, AI doesn’t get tired. It knows the research. And it’s time we adopt it to realise the potential of American healthcare.

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We spoke about the history and the evolution of AI in healthcare, how AI can improve patient outcomes, and what patients should know about advocating for better technology in their care.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

A conversation with Ariana Thacker

We’re living through the 1918 flu pandemic all over again.

But this time, it's silent. 

Here to shed light on the staggering scale of mold related illness is Ariana Thacker - venture capitalist, former chemical engineer and Founder/CEO of MoldCo.

After battling mold toxicity, Ariana realised just how little modern American healthcare knew about mold - it’s barely even taught in our medical schools.

Her journey into healthcare wasn’t by choice, but it’s what this podcast is all about: identifying problems and building solutions that place patients first.

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We spoke about the systemic neglect of mold toxicity in mainstream healthcare, the estimated financial impact, the need for structural healthcare changes to address environmental illnesses, a vision for nationwide preventative care, and some practical, research-backed steps for patients.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

A conversation with Sahil Diwan

The future of healthcare is proactive.

And that can start from the smallest of treatments - as simple as getting your ears cleaned.

Enter Sahil Diwan, Co-Founder and CEO of SafKan Health, the medtech company behind OtoSet, the first FDA-cleared automated ear-cleaning headphones.

Sahil and his brother have designed a product with mass appeal - it’s regularly going viral on social media with millions of views. 

With people queuing up to try it out, Sahil takes us through how this evolution in ear care is transforming an often-neglected personal hygiene procedure - for patients and providers.

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We spoke about how OtoSet was created, the process of FDA approval, the connection between neglected ear care and health issues, and why consumer-led, tech-enabled proactive care paints a positive future.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

This episode is a collaboration with Doctors for America. 

“ It's our turn to step up and speak out.”

In another special episode of the Pursuit of Health podcast, Dr. Eric Fethke collaborates with Doctors for America to reflect on the impact of the 4th July tax bill, and the extent of its threat to our healthcare system.

Calling on former guests to contribute, and through resharing pertinent snippets from previous episodes of the show, Dr. Fethke presents the stark reality of the impact these cuts will have on patients, communities, hospitals, employers - the entire ecosystem of people in America.

It’s time for action, to fight back, raise the alarm and demand better from our government.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

A conversation with Neal Shah

The healthcare insurance system is on the cusp of collapsing.

Enter former Wall Street hedge fund manager Neal Shah, who channelled personal experiences of managing care for family members into a mission for transforming our entire system.

As CEO of social enterprise and health tech platform CareYaya and Chairman of Counterforce Health, Neal is dedicated to spearheading a revolution: bringing direct relationships to the forefront and bypassing huge corporations.

With costs rising, health statistics worsening, a workforce tiring, a population ageing - the time is now to act for change.

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We spoke about concepts from his new book Insured to Death, the systemic failures of health insurance in America, how patients can use AI and advocacy to challenge claim denials, and what it will take to build a more humane, transparent system that serves us all.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4