Inside the mind of a surgeon-senator: William Frist on fixing American health care: Part 1

In part one of this two-part episode, William Frist, MD, and host Chethan Sathya, MD, discuss Dr. Frist’s unlikely arc from heart and lung transplant pioneer to U.S. Senate Majority Leader to global conservation advocate. Dr. Frist explains how scientific curiosity and a problem-solving mindset led him from “healing one-on-one” to impact at scale through public policy. He also explores the modern trust gap in public health and institutions, the echo chambers amplified by social media and the clinician’s unique responsibility to rebuild credibility through empathy, evidence and alignment. Dr. Frist’s optimism is grounded in experience: He recounts the creation and success of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — PEPFAR — a program that has helped keep 26 million people alive and, just as importantly, built durable health infrastructure and democratic transparency across scores of countries.

In part two, William Frist, MD, outlines a rural health strategy that meets people where they are, a plan that draws on community health workers, cultural literacy, and hybrid care models that blend local touch with technology. He underscores the social determinants of health, such as environment, behavior and equity. Dr. Frist also connects climate and biodiversity loss to day-to-day health, explaining how it can impact the heart, lungs and mental well-being. Keeping the discussion focused on the personal, he details actions anyone can take that have a broad-ranging impact. Finally, he explains his investment approach at Frist Cressey Ventures, which backs health services companies that close care gaps in areas such as home-based care and palliative care; these projects have the potential for strong ROI and faster impact than government-led efforts.   Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In part one of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with David Skorton, MD, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), for a candid look at a career defined by curiosity, openness, and unlikely pivots. Dr. Skorton traces his nontraditional journey from aspiring Los Angeles session musician to internist and cardiologist, to university president (Iowa and Cornell), to Secretary of the Smithsonian, and back to academic medicine at the AAMC. He shares lessons on saying yes to unexpected opportunities, seeking mentorship in all directions — including a charge nurse who guided him through his first night as an intern — and leading with a “beginner’s mind.” Mentioned in this episode: The Fundamental Role of Arts and Humanities in Medical Education — FRAHME: www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/frahme Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the second episode of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, the conversation turns to the future of medical education in a world reshaped by AI, information overload, and eroding public trust. David Skorton, MD, discusses with host Chethan Sathya, MD, how academic medicine can responsibly integrate emerging technologies — from ambient listening tools to AI competencies — while ensuring curricula, faculty development, and assessments keep pace. He underscores the importance of ethical guardrails and continuous learning for students, as well as listening with humility and engaging communities as partners. Mentioned in this episode: The Fundamental Role of Arts and Humanities in Medical Education — FRAHME: www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/frahme Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

On this episode of 20-Minute Health Talk, host Chethan Sathya, MD, speaks with emergency physician and CEO Eric Wei, MD. They trace his path from a resident focused on quality improvement to leading New York City’s storied flagship hospital, Bellevue. Dr. Wei shares why he still works Friday emergency department shifts, what COVID taught him about crisis management and the mission that drives care “without exception.” This is Part 1 of a two-part series. About Northwell Health Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch more episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In a climate of mistrust, what builds credibility? In part 2 of this 20-Minute Health Talk, host Chethan Sathya, MD, and Eric Wei, MD, make the case for empathy and listening to community messengers over monologues, share COVID coordination lessons we must hardwire, and outline top NYC public health priorities—mental health, homelessness, violence prevention, and closing life-expectancy gaps. This is Part 2 of a two-part series. About Northwell Health Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch more episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

Leana Wen, MD — Washington Post columnist, emergency medicine physician, author and former Baltimore health commissioner — joins host Chethan Sathya, MD, to explore what truly builds trust in public health: listening without judgment, translating evidence into real-life decisions and acknowledging the tension between individual liberty and community well-being. She shares lessons from Baltimore’s opioid response, the importance of one-on-one conversations, and why starting from shared values offers a path forward in a polarized time. About Northwell Health Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch more episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

Endometriosis can cause debilitating pain and infertility, yet getting a diagnosis can take nearly a decade. On this episode of 20-Minute Health Talk, hosted by Sandra Lindsay, RN, MBA, Christine Metz, PhD, co-director of the ROSE (Research OutSmarts Endometriosis) Study at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, explains what endometriosis is, why symptoms can be so misleading, and how today’s “gold standard” laparoscopy still misses cases. She also shares a breakthrough: analyzing menstrual effluent — natural tissue shed during periods — may lead the way to a noninvasive diagnostic test. Dr. Metz discusses how home-collected samples could accelerate diagnosis, guide treatment, and even help find other uterine conditions. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. About Northwell Health Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch more episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In part 2 of this 20-Minute Health Talk on endometriosis, host Sandra Lindsay, RN, MBA and guest Christine Metz, PhD, explore some of the findings from the ROSE Study at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, such as potential markers for fertility, chronic inflammation and general uterine health. Dr. Metz describes how anyone can join her ongoing research and how it may lead to diagnostics for conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and chronic endometritis.  This is Part 2 of a two-part series. About Northwell Health Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch more episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In this episode of the 20-Minute Health Talk podcast, Abe Sutton of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) joins host Chethan Sathya, MD, to share his personal path into public service and the lessons that shaped his approach to health policy. Sutton breaks down how CMS is tackling rising medical costs while raising the quality of care, covering value-based care models, payment reforms that reward outcomes over volume, and efforts to reduce administrative burden and improve care coordination. This is Part 1 of this series. Listen to Part 2 About Northwell Health Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch more episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.