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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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A conversation with Dr Ellana Stinson

Money affects everything in American healthcare. And too often, it gets in the way.

Taking the bull by the horns is Dr. Ellana Stinson.

Having felt the frustration of cost-cutting on the frontline, she chose to do an MBA in finance - seeking to better understand how mysterious financial bodies - particularly private equity firms, are creating huge problems for our ability to provide quality care.

We spoke about why she did an MBA, her advocacy, private equity, the fact that doctors don't understand the finances of medicine, and why this matters 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

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Welcome to our third installment of our Case Studies From The Heart series.

In the episode, Dr. Fethke shines a light on the topic of immigrant healthcare, by sharing his own experience successfully treating a young child from Honduras with Turner’s syndrome.

Immigrant healthcare can be a controversial and heavily politicized topic, with arguments from both sides about the best approach to take.

Join us, as Dr. Fethke considers his own call to action - one that he believes reflects the roots of our American principles.

“We should celebrate, not suppress, the diversity of our people.”

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

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Is it time to revamp medical education?

This week’s guest, Dr. Austin Chiang, certainly thinks so.

Leading an already distinguished career, Dr. Chiang is a top gastroenterologist, Chief Medical Officer of the Endoscopy division of Medtronics, Founding President of the Association for Healthcare Social Media (AHSM), and the author of recently published Gut: An Owner's Guide.

In addition, his TikTok account alone hosts more than 575,000 followers - which is just one of the social media channels he uses to communicate healthcare information, straight to the people who might need it.

He reflects on how COVID proved to be a turning point in the link between social media and public health outcomes, revealing how healthcare professionals can best use social platforms to create resources for patients, demonstrate the value of science-based practice, and fight misinformation.

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