Designing Healthcare that Cares Podcast

What if the missing piece in healthcare education isn't more information, but more practice? Dr. Laura Suttin sits down with Megan Fredrick, to discuss how experiential learning is reshaping healthcare workforce development. Drawing on more than 20 years of behavioral health experience, Megan explains how treating individuals with serious mental illness inspired her mission to build clinicians' co...

What happens when physicians understand medicine but not the business systems that determine how healthcare is delivered? Dr. Laura Suttin sits down with Dr. Erica Urquhart, former orthopedic surgeon, physician-scientist, author, and longtime private practice owner, to explore why physicians need greater financial and business fluency. Drawing from more than 20 years in independent orthopedic prac...

What if the biggest opportunities to transform healthcare are hiding in the systems physicians work within every day? Dr. Laura Suttin sits down with Dr. Marschall Runge, former CEO of Michigan Medicine and Dean of the University of Michigan Medical School, to explore the challenges facing physicians and the disruptive ideas that could make healthcare more effective, sustainable, and human-centere...

Artificial intelligence is changing healthcare faster than ever, but what does that really mean for clinicians, patients, and the future of medicine? In this insightful episode, Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Dr. Terry Adirim, for a conversation about the opportunities and realities of AI in healthcare. Drawing on more than three decades of experience in academic medicine, federal leadership, the Depar...

What if the most powerful leadership skill in medicine isn’t technical excellence, but the courage to be vulnerable? Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Dr. Daniel Eiferman, tenured professor of surgery at The Ohio State University and author of Cut Open: A Surgeon in Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Growth. Together they explore the hidden gaps in medical training, the isolating impact of complications, an...

What if better sleep was one of the most powerful leadership tools available to clinicians? Dr. Laura Suttin sits down again with Dr. Melissa Milanak to explore the unique sleep challenges faced by clinicians, healthcare executives, and physician leaders. Together, they unpack how leadership responsibilities, isolation, confidentiality burdens, perfectionism, and multiple competing roles can keep...

Can leadership be taught, or is it something physicians must intentionally pursue? In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Dr. Lee Scheinbart, drawing from decades of experience in clinical practice and healthcare leadership, Dr. Scheinbart shares his journey from hematology-oncology physician to physician leadership advocate. Together, they unpack the misconceptions surroundi...

What if one question, one observation, or one conversation could prevent a medical error and save a life? In this eye-opening episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes for a candid discussion about one of healthcare’s most important and under-discussed issues: preventing patient harm. Drawing from more than four decades of nursing experience and years of patient safety...

What happens when a life-threatening diagnosis transforms the way you lead, think, and care for others? In this deeply reflective episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin speaks with Savio Clemente, about resilience, healing, and what healthcare leaders can learn from navigating adversity firsthand. Savio shares his personal cancer journey, from an unexpected lymphoma diagnosi...

How can healthcare professionals create stronger patient connections without adding more stress or time to their already demanding workdays? In this episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Laura sits down with Dr. Chantal Lorio to discuss the transformative role empathy plays in healthcare. Drawing from over 30 years of clinical and leadership experience, Dr. Chantal explains how small moments...

What if the dementia journey didn’t have to be defined by fear, confusion, and guilt, but by clarity, compassion, and better days at home? In this heartfelt and practical episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Amy Shaw, drawing from her unique path; from primate cognition research and wedding photography to palliative care and dementia support, Amy shares why our cu...

What if the same drive and self-sacrifice that made you an excellent clinician is now quietly undermining your effectiveness as a leader, and your own well-being? In this heartfelt conversation on Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin sits down with Dr. Tracy Asamoah, as she shares her personal journey: an early multiple sclerosis diagnosis that prompted her to rethink her identity as...

What if the key to better patient care, lower burnout, and higher physician engagement wasn’t more mandates or metrics, but intentional, evidence-based skill development that enriches clinicians while improving outcomes? In this inspiring and practical episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Dr. Stephen Beeson. Drawing from his groundbreaking work at Sharp Rees-Steal...

What if setting clear boundaries actually freed you to innovate more boldly, take smarter risks, and combat overwhelm in high-stakes healthcare environments? In this insightful conversation, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Sheri Jacobs, as she shares her unconventional path, from photojournalist capturing Michael Jordan to founding a thriving consulting firm and chasing wildlife adventures across Anta...

What if the perfectionism that got you through med school and residency is now quietly sabotaging your well-being, relationships, and leadership? In this vulnerable, soul-sister-style return conversation on Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes back Dr. Jillian Rigert, for a deep dive into perfectionism's hidden costs. They unpack its roots in seeking belonging and approval,...

Imagine reclaiming your time as a physician: finishing charts by dinner, building meaningful patient relationships, and running a sustainable practice without burnout? In this insightful episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Dr. Natasha Beauvais, as she shares her unexpected journey from traditional medicine to concierge care after taking over her mentor's practice over a decade ago. They explore:...

What if your drive to "do it all" as a clinician leader is fueling chaos, not results? In this vulnerable solo episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin gets transparent about her stumbles transitioning from private practice to health system leadership: inflating her irreplaceability, mirroring toxic after-hours work culture, avoiding peer-to-report conversations, and blasting m...

Imagine completing all your charting and tasks during work hours, leaving no homework behind and gaining more time for family and self-care? In this practical episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Dr. Sarah Smith, as she recounts her transformation from endless after-hours work to a sustainable clinical routine while practicing in Australia and Canada. They explore: Charting as an optimizable skill...

Imagine turning a life-altering cancer diagnosis into a journey of empowerment, fun, and profound personal growth, without denying the hardship? In this inspiring episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Dr. Cindy Howard, as she shares her unique path from an allopathic family background to chiropractic medicine, her battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma 11 years ago, and how it reshaped her approach to well...

Imagine ditching the hustle of endless hours for small, intentional acts that build unbreakable teams and combat healthcare burnout without costing a dime? In this engaging episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Rachel DeAlto, CSP, as she shares her unconventional journey from practicing law and launching a startup to becoming a media personality on shows like Married at First Sight , and now empowe...

As the year winds down, reflection becomes unavoidable — especially after a season filled with change, growth, and transition. In this solo episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin looks back on 2025 through the lens of alignment — learning to move toward what feels true and away from what no longer fits. Rather than forcing a polished “word of the year,” Laura names the compl...

Burnout rarely shows up all at once. It creeps in quietly — disguised as overwhelm, responsibility, and “this is just how work is.” Ellen Whitlock Baker knows this firsthand. After nearly 20 years in higher education leadership, she hit a breaking point that forced her to confront something deeper than stress: misalignment between her values, her identity, and the systems she was operating inside....

Most of us didn’t learn about money until adulthood — often by accident or after making mistakes we wish someone had warned us about. Dr. Michele Cho Dorado was no different. In fact, she was nearly a decade into attending hood before realizing she had no real financial education and wasn’t alone in that experience. This realization set off an identity-shifting journey: ➡️ from “just a doctor” to...

Burnout is often discussed like a clinical condition — something to solve, measure, or “fix.” But what if burnout is actually a signal? A message inviting us to pause, reset, and redesign the way we lead and care? In this deeply honest episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin and Dr. Jeff Gaines explore what it really takes to build a healthcare culture where clinicians feel v...

For physicians, burnout can feel like an inevitable cost of caring. But what if it’s actually an invitation to realign with who we are? In this episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares , Dr. Laura Suttin talks with Dr. Christine Kempton, professor of hematology at Emory University and founder of Christine Kempton Coaching, about her personal and professional journey from perfectionism and overwo...