Michelle Crouch is a freelance writer and healthcare reporter for The Charlotte Ledger and North Carolina Health News, which is a nonprofit statewide newsroom that covers a variety of healthcare topics in North Carolina.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Crouch about the state of healthcare — why it is the way it is, and where it is heading. It’s a recording of a conversation and Q&A session at The Sharon at South Park on Jan. 6, 2025. It is part of a monthly series of discussions at The Sharon on current events.

In response to questions from Mecia and residents of The Sharon, Crouch also discusses the landscape of healthcare in Charlotte and how it affects patients, why there is a drive to consolidate healthcare, tips for consumers on how to navigate medical billing, the significance of the new medical school at The Pearl in Charlotte and the use of artificial intelligence in medicine

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This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is produced by Lindsey Banks.

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