The Podcast by KevinMD

Kevin Pho, MD

Social media's leading physician voice, Kevin Pho, MD, shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from. 15 minutes a day. 7 days a week. Welcome to The Podcast by KevinMD.

  1. 8h ago

    Hidden fees in employer health plans are about to come out

    Many companies pay for their workers' health care directly, and the fees buried in those plans have been hard to see. Paul Pender, an ophthalmologist, explains why new transparency and fiduciary rules taking hold in January 2027 will force these self-insured employers to ask for that data. This episode is based on his article "Self-insured employer health plans face a new reckoning," published on KevinMD. You will hear why the executives who sign off on these plans can be held personally liable, and how class action lawsuits argue that hidden fees cost employees money. He describes how brokers may shift from retention bonuses paid by insurers to fees paid by the employers they serve, and why employees could see better benefits and fewer surprise bills. He also outlines Our Town Healthcare, a physician-centered plan model set to be tested in two Georgia cities by a company he advises and invests in. Press play to hear why he expects the big players to resist, and why he says employers should have a compliance plan ready. If this episode helped, follow The Podcast by KevinMD on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and leave a rating. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

  2. 1d ago

    Bringing a newborn home? What hospitals don't tell new parents

    Hospitals send new families home with a medically stable baby and instructions for feeding, sleeping, and car seats. What many parents do not get is guidance on newborn brain development and how babies take in the world through their senses. Cynthia Parente, an early childhood educator, spent more than 30 years running music, play, and art programs for young children and their families. This episode is based on her article "Newborn brain development starts at discharge," published on KevinMD. You will hear how rocking, singing, eye contact, and talking support your baby's development, and how tummy time can begin with your newborn on your chest. She explains why she wants every family, whether at a rural hospital or a major medical center, to leave with the same information, ideally through a QR code at discharge. She also urges stressed new parents to build a village, assign clear roles, trust their instincts, and make time. Press play to hear how she translates the science into guidance families can use from the first day home. If this episode helped, follow The Podcast by KevinMD on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and leave a rating. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

  3. 2d ago

    Physician pay won't budge for one doctor. Negotiate as a group.

    Many physicians are told their pay follows a standard plan that cannot change for one person. Jon Appino, a physician contract and compensation consultant at Contract Diagnostics, says administrators are often telling the truth. His firm is a central resource for physicians and their families, offering consulting and coaching on employment contracts, compensation, schedules, and benefits. This episode is based on his article "Negotiating physician compensation works better in groups," published on KevinMD. You will hear why hospital systems revisit pay plans every two or three years, and why waiting for the new addendum often means it has already cleared finance. He explains how your group can get involved twelve months ahead, bring its own data, and raise staffing, equipment, and call, not just salary. He shares how three and a half general surgeons gained about $140,000 per physician per year after their plan went five years without review. For new physicians handed a non-negotiable contract, he lays out the clarifying questions to ask, and why asking for more after hearing "standard" can sound bad. Press play to hear when a group voice works best and how to be proactive before your next pay plan arrives. If this episode helped, follow The Podcast by KevinMD on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and leave a rating. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

  4. 4d ago

    Shy doctors can lead: imposter syndrome and the path to physician leadership

    She never saw herself as a leader, and she was quiet and shy, yet she became a chief medical officer. Vidhya Prakash is an internal medicine physician and chief medical officer at SIU Medicine. This episode is based on her article "What becoming a chief medical officer taught a shy doctor," published on KevinMD. You will hear how mentors tapping her on the shoulder led her into leadership, and why she stopped equating leaders with loud, commanding personalities. She describes the imposter syndrome and self-doubt that tell many budding women physician leaders they are not worthy unless they check every box. She explains why a physician's problem-solving training is a strong base, and where more development is needed: engaging a team, navigating conflict, and the business side. She shares how she learned budgets by sitting with finance leaders, and why mentors and sponsors make leadership less lonely. Press play to hear why she says it is never too early or too late to pursue leadership, and how to invest in your own. If this episode helped, follow The Podcast by KevinMD on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and leave a rating. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

  5. 5d ago

    Patients hide their food allergy, and few doctors speak up

    On a Hulu comedy, a man hides his shellfish allergy from a coworker. When the reaction starts, he takes Benadryl. Lianne Mandelbaum is a food allergy advocate, president of the No Nut Traveler, and airline correspondent for Allergic Living. This episode is based on her article "Why a Hulu comedy's food allergy myths are dangerous," published on KevinMD. You will hear why she says every beat of that plot is a myth, starting with the idea that Benadryl treats anaphylaxis and ending with the show's diagnosis of adrenaline poisoning. She cites a global survey of 4,704 people in which 31 percent said they hid a food allergy to avoid getting in trouble or being mocked. Lianne then traces what that silence costs, including a college student who treated himself, told no one, drove to the hospital alone, and died in the parking lot. She also explains what changed in the latest airline rulemaking, and what she is asking clinicians to do about it. This episode is brought to you by ModMed. Welcome to your new AI-Powered Practice from ModMed. We're transforming specialty care by embedding AI Assistants across your entire workflow. Our all-in-one platform of EHR, patient engagement, practice management, and RCM helps reduce repetitive work while keeping you firmly in control. Trained on de-identified data from nearly a billion patient encounters, this isn't just smarter software. It's a new way of working for specialty medicine, more efficient and more connected to the patient experience. Start building your AI-Powered Practice at modmed.com. VISIT SPONSOR → https://www.modmed.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

  6. 6d ago

    U.S. health care won't be fixed until everyone can see a doctor

    Almost 50 years into practice, a cardiologist says American health care is getting worse by the day. Peter R. Kowey specializes in heart rhythm disorders and ran a cardiology division for 25 years. This episode is based on his article "Why a broken health care system keeps getting worse," published on KevinMD. You'll hear how the lack of universal health care puts cost into almost every exam room decision, from tests to prescriptions. He describes administrators setting 15- to 20-minute visits to generate revenue, and why he says physicians ceded that control themselves. You'll also hear why he doubts more medical schools will fix the doctor shortage, and how hard it is for foreign-trained specialists to practice here. His fixes start with basics: cheaper drugs, care for everyone, more use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants for high blood pressure and diabetes, and bipartisan pressure on lawmakers. Hear why he warns even his wealthy neighbors that no one is immune. If this episode helped, follow The Podcast by KevinMD on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and leave a rating. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

  7. Oct 28

    Joining a private practice? Get the partnership terms in writing first.

    Being offered partnership in a medical practice is usually good news, but not always. One physician paid $60,000 to buy in, then signed a contract making her cover all of a $325,000 bonus her two partners had given themselves. That meant $9,000 a month out of her pay, and leaving would keep her liable for a third of the office leases until she was replaced. Health law attorney and Physician Agreements Health Law founder Dennis Hursh discusses his KevinMD article "The partnership offer that cost her $325,000." He estimates he has reviewed four or five dozen partnership agreements and found only two really bad deals. You'll hear what to ask for in your first employment agreement, while you can still negotiate: the practice's finances, the shareholder agreement, the buy-in method, and partnership criteria. He also covers a partner title with no ownership or vote, a clause giving one founder 60 percent of every vote, and which decisions should be unanimous. Stay for the gut check and questions to ask before becoming anyone's business partner. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

  8. Oct 27

    Self-care isn't self-indulgence, and burnout isn't only a personal problem

    Doctors and nurses are trained to take excellent care of other people's health, and often don't look after their own. Close to half the health care workforce has burnout, and it shows in rounded shoulders, lower back problems, and little time to process a patient's death. Internal medicine and critical care physician Narinder Singh Parhar discusses his KevinMD article "The health care workforce crisis we keep ignoring." With nearly four decades in hospital and ICU medicine, he explains why clinicians treat self-care as self-indulgence and what feeds burnout, from training culture to productivity demands. You'll hear what you can do yourself, from exercise that strengthens your back and hips to regular meals and sleep. He makes the case for asking for protected meal time, seeking mental health support, and banding together with colleagues. Health systems have their part too: appropriate staffing, less unnecessary documentation, AI tools that save physician time, and healthy leadership role models. Stay for the whole plan, from what you can change yourself to what your health system has to do. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With more than 100 million impressions a year and nearly 750,000 followers, subscribers and email recipients across my channels, 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

4.8
out of 5
275 Ratings

About

Social media's leading physician voice, Kevin Pho, MD, shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from. 15 minutes a day. 7 days a week. Welcome to The Podcast by KevinMD.

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