What happens when a physician who spent decades treating patients suddenly finds himself on the other side of the exam table, unable to get a simple answer about his own aneurysm? Jeffrey Junig, a psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, shares how a life-saving surgery and a casually dropped diagnosis exposed the growing disconnect between clinical excellence and patient experience. Based on his KevinMD article, "Why quality of life in health care is often overlooked," this conversation digs into what gets lost in 15-minute visits, why patients turn to the internet when doctors won't engage, and how even a physician with full access to medical literature struggled to advocate for his own care. You'll hear practical advice for patients who feel rushed or dismissed, honest reflection on polypharmacy and the limits of app-based communication, and a powerful case for why the doctor-patient relationship remains the most undervalued tool in medicine. If you've ever left a clinic feeling unheard, this episode will remind you that your questions deserve real answers.

Tune into our episode "2026 Cholesterol Guidelines: LDL goals, lipoprotein(a), and coronary calcium scoring," brought to you by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

For the first time in eight years, LDL cholesterol goals have changed, and preventive cardiologist Seth Baum says the new guidelines are a long-overdue course correction. He breaks down the new LDL targets for your highest-risk patients, why the LDL hypothesis should be retired in favor of the LDL fact, why lipoprotein(a) screening finally belongs in every patient's workup, what a coronary calcium score over 300 really means for how aggressively you treat, and how to talk to statin-skeptical patients without losing their trust. Listen now at KevinMD.com/cholesterol.

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