The Pursuit of Health Podcast

In this episode of The Pursuit of Health, Dr. Eric Fethke delves into the concept of anger as a significant medical and health issue, exploring how it can harm individual and societal wellness or be transformed into a positive force. Through powerful patient stories, he highlights the impact of anger on our health and stresses the importance of choosing leaders who promote unity over division—an essential consideration for the upcoming election.

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

It’s time to change the way we look at medical necessity and payment policies.

According to Tanya Sanderson, using AI could just be our best option.

Her work with human-centred tech company Xsolis is shaking up healthcare, improving outcomes for patients, saving money, and doing away with the excess of waste in our current system. 

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We spoke about the value of combining diverse experiences from the nursing, finance, legal and technology worlds to create an approach that ultimately best serves the patient, the payment denial patterns in healthcare and how they have negatively impacted patient outcomes, using AI to break down silos between payers and providers, and how everyone can best begin to access AI approaches in their own institutions and communities.

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

Like so many other aspects of our healthcare system, obesity is a health equity issue.

Today we welcome Dr. Kara Mayes, Chief Medical Officer of Ilant Health, a company focused on value-based obesity management and cardiometabolic health. 

Dr. Mayes joins us to cast a lens on obesity in America, during a time that weight loss drugs have gained notoriety. But why do we so often fail to treat obesity like we do any other disease?

Sharing an informed outlook on the scope of the problem and the different socioeconomic factors that come into play, Dr. Mayes presents her approach for a healthier America.

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We spoke about the rising obesity rates in our country, her work with Ilant Health, the modern approach to obesity as a true medical condition, the role and history of pharmaceutical options for obesity such as GLP-1 medications, and why obesity really is a health equity issue - going on to uncover some of Dr. Mayes’ suggestions for addressing these hurdles.

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

“Medical consumerism figures more as a problem than progress.”

Today’s guest is the award-winning historian, American public health expert, and author, Professor Nancy Tomes.

In a discussion encompassing past, present, and future, Professor Tomes provides a unique historical lens to better understand the healthcare challenges of today, in hope of sparking solutions for an equitable system for every patient in America.

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We spoke about the evolution of critical consumerism in healthcare, how that led to today's increased complexity, the role of advertising and other stakeholders in our system, the importance of primary care physicians, and how a historical approach can help us return to some of the fundamentals that made American healthcare exceptional in the first place.

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

Investment in pediatric care is an investment in our future. So why is our system slow to change?

Enter Alison Curfman, MD - co-founder of Imagine Pediatrics, a value-based pediatric medical group pioneering tech-enabled care for chronically ill children.

Alison is passionate about improving outcomes, reducing costs, supporting parents, and enabling young people, through an innovative blend of pediatric telehealth and virtual care.

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We spoke about Imagine Pediatrics, the meaning of fee-for-service versus value-based care, encountering systemic resistance to change, unfounded concerns about telehealth, the success Imagine Pediatrics are overseeing, and a look into the future - addressing patient, family, and policymakers to seek broader change in our healthcare.

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

The only barrier to success in the Pursuit of Health is ourselves.

Joining to contribute to our ongoing healthcare conversation, is self-described “recovering managed care executive” Ron Howrigon.

As President and CEO of Fulcrum Industries, Ron is in the business of helping physicians and hospitals with negotiations for managed care contracts - having chosen to leave a lucrative career in favor of seeking systemic improvement.

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We spoke about his experience on “the other side of the fence”, the key factors contributing to the cost of healthcare, how to make a system that is cost-effective, and why we need to set politics aside to address the fundamental health issues affecting our nation.

Ron is the author of FLATLINING: How Healthcare Could Kill the U.S. Economy and the host of The FLATLINING Podcast.

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. Christine Ko

Metacognition, growth mindset, compassion. How does this all tie into healthcare?

Enter Dr. Christine Ko, Professor of Dermatology and Pathology at Yale University, and author of How to Improve Doctor-Patient Connection: Using Psychology to Optimize Healthcare Interactions.

Drawing from her experiences as a physician, mother, and patient, Dr. Ko has developed an actionable guide that encourages physicians to step back and reflect - using psychology principles to enhance healthcare delivery.

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We spoke about powerful examples of negative and positive interactions between doctors and patients, how the healthcare system itself has contributed to the problems in the patient physician interaction, how metacognition can be used as a tool to address many of these problems, and the importance of relationships.

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. Michael Smith

Medication is sometimes required. But prevention starts with the patient.

This is one of the core philosophies of this week’s guest Dr. Michael Smith.

Naturopathic physician, and founder of Focused Family Integrative Medicine, he is dedicated to preventative medicine - advocating for sleep, exercise and nutrition as foundational pillars for health, not overmedication.

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We spoke about the role of naturopathy within a healthcare team, why it's not a competition between disciplines but actually an integrative partnership, the role of doctors as teachers, epigenetics, how patients can be inquisitive, and the idea of healing versus curing.

See here for the paper regarding the AMA’s opposition to Naturopathic Doctor Licensure.

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. Jeffrey Charles Hardy

The system is not the solution, the process is the solution.

In our fragmented healthcare system, how can we start thinking globally? What impact do our actions hold for the planet and all its people?

Dr. Jeffrey Charles Hardy is an author, thought leader, Founder and President of Care for Peace, a nonprofit focused on international health development - the perfect guest to open our minds and present new possibilities.

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Dr Fethke and Dr Jeffrey discussed siloed healthcare, our need for a “common toolset”, his time building health systems in Myanmar, how we can apply his experiences here in America, humility, and his passion for a life providing 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 Justin and Ashley K. George

Resilience is a muscle. The challenges don’t get easier, we just get stronger at handling them.

A couple who know this from experience are Justin and Ashley K. George.

When their son Elliot was diagnosed with a heart defect, it took everything for them to stay strong amidst the crisis, counting the support they received from family, medical professionals and co-workers as essential.

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We spoke about Elliot’s story, the issues of navigating employment during a difficult time, the importance of community and of family, recommendations for policymakers and physicians, and Ashley’s recently published children’s book A Heart Warrior Blooms.

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