Podcast
The Pursuit of Health Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Eric Fethke · EN
The Pursuit of Health is a weekly podcast dedicated to a thorough exploration of the American Healthcare System at a critical time in our nation’s history. The podcast’s creator and host, Dr. Eric Fethke, is a pediatric cardiologist and educator trained at Columbia University, with over 25 years of experience practicing medicine. Students, professionals, and everyday people alike are invited to learn from guest experts who are pursuing groundbreaking work to improve America's health. Join us on our journey towards a better healthcare!
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep107: From Hospice to Outrage: Why Collective Action and Storytelling Can Fix American Healthcare w/ Dr. Jordan Grumet
1w ago00:51:16Tap to summarizeA conversation with Dr Jordan Grumet“ We just need enough people to stand up together in one voice and say, ‘How dare you?’”Dr. Jordan Grumet still has hope in American healthcare. He’s a hospice physician, author, financial advisor and host of the award-winning Earn & Invest podcast, who first entered medicine to answer a calling to serve others and save lives.Enter: insurance companies, legislation, medical malpractice and managed care - creating a system that’s separating doctors from patients, and maximizing profit.It’s time for collective action, advocacy, storytelling and outrage. It’s time for change.—We spoke about how medicine so often leaves clinicians feeling under-supported and facing burnout, why electronic medical records and profit-driven third parties create division, some proactive steps we can all take to raise our voice, and how narrative medicine and shared storytelling can restore bilateral trust in the system.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep106: Healing the Healers: How the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation is Transforming Mental Health for Healthcare Workers w/ Corey Feist
3w ago00:49:01Tap to summarizeA conversation with Corey Feist“We have to have a different approach to mental health in the United States.”Corey Feist is the co-founder and CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation, an advocacy organisation set up in memory of his sister-in-law, who died by suicide.Dr. Lorna Breen contracted COVID in spring 2020, sought her first mental health treatment, feared losing her credentials and license, and died two days after discharge.In the aftermath, health executive Corey was exposed to the scale of systemic failure throughout American medicine, and chose to seek change. We need to do more to support our healers.—We spoke about how licensing and credentialing repercussions deter physicians from seeking mental healthcare, how the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation is battling this, why burnout is an occupational, systemic problem, and how the bipartisan Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is making a difference for healthcare workers across the country.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep105: Lost in Translation: How Better Communication Can Transform Insurance Denials and Healthcare Delivery w/ Dr. Jennifer Bute
Jun 2600:52:07Tap to summarizeA conversation with Dr. Jennifer Bute What small changes can we make to improve our healthcare system?For Dr. Jennifer Bute, it’s about improving the way we use communication - both in clinical settings, in training, and particularly: in health insurance denials.Dr. Bute is a professor of Communication Studies at Indiana University, Indianapolis, who studies how people navigate health challenges through communication.After her son was repeatedly denied surgery, she realised the scope of this issue: unclear terminology from insurers, arms-length appeals processes, and exclusionary time commitments.The toll is psychological, practical, financial… we don’t need to accept this reality.—We spoke about her lived experience of receiving a denial, how that ignited her mission, her experience using communication and translation to enhance healthcare delivery, how patients can better support and educate themselves during denial situations, and why she ultimately believes it’s time for change.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep104: Caring for the Caretakers: Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces and a Thriving Healthcare Workforce w/ Dr. Heidi Schrumpf
Jun 100:50:37Tap to summarizeA conversation with Dr. Heidi SchrumpfThe mental health of healthcare workers must be a priority.With too many clinicians, nurses, and healthcare workers experiencing burnout, Dr. Heidi Schrumpf - Director of Clinical Services at Marvin Behavioral Health - joins us to share some cost-saving, life-saving solutions.Our guest couldn’t be better placed - Marvin’s core mission is to deliver high-quality, evidence-based mental health care for health employees and their families, through virtual therapy and AI-enabled coaching.It’s time we looked after those who look after us.—We spoke about prioritizing mental health, creating an environment where discussing one's mental state becomes as routine as discussing physical health, how a mentally healthy workforce leads to enhanced productivity, and why mental health support can enable healthcare institutions to retain their valuable employees longer, reducing turnover rates and improving patient experiences.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep103: Breaking the Silence on Men's Health: Sexual Function, Prostate Cancer and Why It's Time to Talk w/ Dr. Arthur Burnett
May 1800:49:57Tap to summarizeA conversation with Dr. Arthur Burnett“Optimizing sexual function is one of the most important things men can do to increase their overall health and happiness.”We welcome Dr. Arthur Burnett to the conversation, one of the world’s leading urological surgeons, educators and a pioneer in surgery and men’s health.His discovery of the role of Nitric Oxide in the erectile function helped make Viagra possible, his surgical work transformed prostate cancer care, and his career has consistently challenged how medicine treats men’s bodies and concerns. Who better to talk us through how stigma and silence are shaping men’s health outcomes?It’s time to talk.—We spoke about why sexual health is one of the most overlooked warning signs in modern medicine, how time-limited primary care visits mean physicians avoid sexual health conversations, how men’s reluctance to seek care is reinforced, not corrected, by the system, and how access gaps disproportionately affect Black men and marginalized groups.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep102: You Are the CEO of Your Health: Fatty Liver Disease, Missed Diagnoses and Demanding Better Care w/ Terri Milton
Apr 2700:41:55Tap to summarizeA conversation with Terri MiltonYou are the CEO of your own health.Terri Milton received a diagnosis of fatty liver disease in 1998, and was told there was nothing they could do.But liver disease is progressive, and after it developed to Stage 4 cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma twenty years later, Terri received a liver transplant in 2022.Her story exposes how routinely this disease has been minimized in primary care - but it’s time for change, and Terri is using her voice to educate, empower, and demand better detection measures for patients.—We spoke about her experience first hearing “fatty liver” back in 1998, the missed warning signs in her past labs and imaging, how measurable lifestyle interventions such as unprocessed diets, portion control, and activity can provide meaningful impact, and why siloed healthcare needs be addressed in favour of the ‘whole picture’. You can find the American Liver Foundation here: https://liverfoundation.org/Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep101: Redesigning Women's Health: Precision Medicine, Hormone Disorders and the Future of Fertility w/ Kirsten Karchmer
Apr 1300:47:53Tap to summarizeA conversation with Kirsten Karchmer“What happens in society when we restore women to their full, embodied selves?”Kirsten Karchmer is a reproductive health expert with over 20 years of experience helping women navigate fertility challenges.Having been diagnosed with MS in her early adult life, Kirsten experienced major improvement through Chinese medicine principles - which highlighted a focus on treating the whole system, rather than the diagnosis alone.Combining the wisdom of Eastern and Western medicine philosophies with modern technology, Kirsten is using data, AI pattern matching, and holistic health principles to educate women and alleviate symptoms of PMS, PMDD, endometriosis and more.It’s time to redesign women’s healthcare.—We spoke about why precision medicine is all about individualized diagnosis and targeted intervention, why current policymakers are not advocating for women - they're advocating for a political agenda, how the Conceivable app combines data points with virtual care teams to uphold women’s health, and why her blueprint for positive, practical menstrual education will remove shame from the equation!Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep100: For Lil Roopie: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a Mother's Fight and Keeping Matthew's Legacy Alive w/ Carol Roopchandsingh
Apr 200:24:36Tap to summarizeA conversation with Carol RoopchandsinghHe never stopped fighting. Neither will she.Matthew Roopchandsingh - known to many as Lil Roopie - lived for nearly thirty years with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He built a YouTube channel, designed his own logo, and spent his life reaching out to others with disabilities, telling them never to give up hope. He passed away on November 14th, 2024.His mother, Carol Roopchandsingh, was his caregiver, his advocate, and his guardian. She worked three jobs. She slept in hospital chairs. She fought insurance companies, dismissive doctors, and a system that too often asked: why provide care to someone who will never get better?Today, on our milestone 100th episode, Carol bravely sat with Dr. Fethke to bring Matthew's story out of the shadows - and to make sure his legacy is just beginning.I am honored to introduce Carol Roopchandsingh.—We spoke about the long and painful road to Matthew's Duchenne diagnosis, the systemic failures that denied him the equipment, therapy, and support he needed, the emotional and physical toll of caregiving with no safety net, how Matthew channelled his condition into a platform of advocacy and joy, and Carol's vision for a foundation in his memory - to fight for every person who lives with disability, that the system forgets.Lil Roopie’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lilroopie/featuredFollow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep99: From the Secretary's Office to the Front Lines of the Fight for Medicaid w/ Kody Kinsley
Mar 2000:49:50Tap to summarizeA conversation with Kody Kinsley“Leadership starts with each of us.”Kody Kinsley is the former Secretary of North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services, who currently serves as a Senior Policy Advisor at Johns Hopkins University and the Milken Institute.His impact on North Carolina policymaking saw Medicaid expansion to 600,000 residents, $835 million secured in behavioral health funding, and $4 billion brokered in medical debt relief.In other words, Kody is a public health champion. He joins us today to give the inside scoop on the looming impact of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, outlining the daunting road ahead - but carrying hope each step of the way.—We spoke about his personal journey and commitment to healthcare reform, the need for better policy changes over simply cutting costs, why we need a healthcare system that prioritizes affordability, reduces patient burden, and leverages value-based care, and why public sentiment and community input are crucial for developing effective healthcare policies.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →Ep98: From Tragedy to Innovation: Patient-Led Data Systems and ALS w/ Indu Navar
Feb 1900:45:57Tap to summarizeA conversation with Indu NavarWe have to care to cure!Indu Navar is the founder of EverythingALS and a leading voice in patient-driven ALS research.After losing her husband to ALS following a long and exhausting diagnostic process, Indu turned her background in technology and data systems toward fixing what she saw as a broken approach to ALS care and research.She takes us through the history of the disease, before highlighting how her company is spearheading a patient-led data revolution - updating decades-old medical research on ALS with information direct from our patients' lived experiences.—We spoke about what has changed in ALS research in 2026 and why it matters for patients, how a lack of traditional biological biomarkers and a reliance on elimination-based testing has meant both diagnosis efficacy and treatment options have stalled, and how patient-driven research is reshaping discovery, trials, and treatment pathways.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com. My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4
Transcribe →