FHC #148: End-of-life lessons and combatting health disparities

Fixing Healthcare Podcast

In this month’s Diving Deep episode, part of the Fixing Healthcare podcast series, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr dive into two vital topics in healthcare: lessons learned from experts on end-of-life care and innovative solutions to address chronic disease in underserved communities.

The episode begins with an exploration of end-of-life care, revisiting Season 9 of the podcast series, which focused exclusively on this emotionally charged topic. Dr. Pearl reflects on his conversations with guests like Dr. Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal, and the powerful lesson that “people have goals besides living longer.” The hosts discuss how clinicians need to respect patient autonomy, particularly when the choices revolve around what makes life worth living versus prolonging survival at all costs.

Next, the conversation shifts to the topic of chronic disease management in underserved communities. Dr. Pearl references his recent Forbes article, which outlines how social determinants of health (SDOH) contribute to health inequities in the U.S. He introduces a practical solution: GenAI-driven health hubs, designed to combat chronic disease in low-income areas.

The hosts discuss the implementation of these hubs, explaining how they could provide affordable, targeted and technologically advanced support to individuals in areas where healthcare resources are limited. By leveraging generative AI tools, the hubs would help manage chronic diseases, reduce the burden on overworked doctors and prevent life-threatening complications. With a small investment, Dr. Pearl argues, these hubs could yield significant cost savings by preventing just one major health event, such as a heart attack or stroke.

Click play to hear these insights and more, and explore how healthcare leaders can improve care for patients at all stages of life.

HELPFUL LINKS

• 9 Powerful Lessons On Life You Can Learn From Experts On Death (Forbes)
• GenAI-Driven Health Hubs Can Combat Chronic Disease In Underserved Areas (Forbes)
• Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s newsletter)

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Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.

Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The post FHC #148: End-of-life lessons and combatting health disparities appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.