The Podcast by KevinMD

Muhamad Aly Rifai, an internist, psychiatrist, and addiction specialist who survived a federal healthcare fraud prosecution and wrote a memoir, walks through what happens when agents knock. He warns against answering questions, explains why mere silence can fail without a verbal rights invocation, and stresses calling specialized counsel and routing all communication through lawyers.

Fertility specialist and founder of Montgomery Fertility Center Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa discusses her article "Infertility public health: the WHO's new global guideline." Oluyemisi examines the historic release of global guidelines that reframe infertility as a matter of social justice rather than a luxury concern. The conversation highlights the practical strengths of these recommendations for low-resource settings while acknowledging critical gaps regarding environmental toxins and cultural nuance. Oluyemisi argues that addressing the emotional toll of fertility struggles requires a shift in how health care systems prioritize reproductive rights. Listen to discover why this scientific milestone must become a moral mandate for equitable access worldwide. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Let's work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD → https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Errol (Earl) Stewart Jr., an internal medicine physician and medical director of health equity, shares why pancreatic cancer disproportionately harms Black Americans. He recounts patterns he noticed, critiques current screening guidance, and outlines practical screening approaches and advocacy steps. Short, urgent, and focused on race-specific prevention and policy change.

Dennis Hirsch, a health care attorney who advises on physician contracts and wRVU-based pay. He breaks down risky wRVU thresholds, the need for realistic benchmarks and ramp-up guarantees, pitfalls like billing-date crediting and clawbacks, and key negotiation priorities to protect income.

Shiv K. Goel, an internal and functional medicine physician and writer, explains how emotions shape chronic illness. He discusses psychoneuroimmunology, a patient story of suppressed grief, and why symptom-focused care falls short. He outlines clinical listening, somatic therapies, meditation, and tools like AI to scale mind-body approaches.

Jason McKitrick, a healthcare consultant focused on office-based policy, and Saravanan Kasthuri, an interventional radiologist running a rural ambulatory practice, explain why Medicare cuts are crushing independent rural care. They discuss shrinking reimbursements, rising costs, consolidation into hospitals and private equity, and a proposed technical fee schedule as a fix. The conversation highlights threats to access for underserved patients.

Tod Stillson, a family physician and digital health entrepreneur who founded ChatterX, explains why doctors should lead AI integration. He talks about digital fluency, AI as a clinical assistant rather than a replacement, and practical tools like ambient scribes and decision support. He also covers how AI can reduce admin burdens and restore human connection in care.

In this engaging conversation, Sarah Matt, a surgeon turned health tech strategist, dives into fee-for-service reform and the urgent need for a value-based healthcare system. She critiques the outdated payment models that prioritize volume over quality. Sarah shares practical strategies for leveraging remote patient monitoring to improve health outcomes and discusses how clinicians can navigate billing realities. With compelling examples, she highlights the transformative potential of telemedicine and the technological infrastructure challenges that remain.

Urologist William Lynes discusses his article "A urologist's perspective on presidential health transparency." William examines the medical plausibility of a former president being diagnosed with widespread metastatic prostate cancer just months after leaving office. He explains why the slow growth of this disease means it almost certainly existed during the presidency and challenges the narrative that it went undetected despite world-class health care. The discussion covers the standard of care regarding PSA screening and hormonal therapy while highlighting how symptoms like bone pain would likely have been obvious to any competent medical team. William ultimately questions the ethics of Dr. Kevin O'Connor and argues that concealing such a diagnosis constitutes a severe violation of the physician's code of conduct. Listen to understand the grave implications of medical transparency at the highest levels of government. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Let's work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD → https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Fertility specialist Oluyemisi Famuyiwa discusses their article "Why carrier screening results are complex." Oluyemisi explores the transition to "Genetic Carrier Screening 3.0," a new era where expanded panels reveal hidden complexities that defy simple positive or negative interpretations. The conversation highlights how specific variations in genes like CFTR and SMN1 can lead to unexpected clinical consequences, such as male infertility or silent carrier status in spinal muscular atrophy. By examining the nuances of hemoglobinopathies and X-linked conditions, Oluyemisi explains why being a "carrier" often has direct health implications for the parents themselves, particularly mothers. This episode emphasizes the urgent need for expert interpretation and counseling to ensure patients truly understand the genetic information in their hands. Advanced science demands advanced communication to protect your family's future. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Let's work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD → https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended