Healthcare Insights

Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Alan R. Cohen reflects on four decades of treating childhood brain tumors, revealing how cutting-edge technology—from advanced imaging to AI—has transformed outcomes while underscoring a deeper truth: healing extends far beyond the tools. Through stories of young patients and their families, he highlights the essential role of empathy, compassion, humor, and hope in the...

Sia Beasley shares how simple, consistent movement— and meaningful social connection — can transform healthspan and quality of life, especially as we age. From evidence-based fall prevention and the power of tai chi to the critical role of strength, mobility, and community belonging, the conversation highlights practical ways to stay independent and thrive across the lifespan. The episode also shi...

Michelle Curtin is a clinician educator in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at Advocate Health Wake Forest Baptist and an Associate Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She shares her latest insights in approaches to treatment and advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Find out more about Dr. Curtin at: https://www.wakehealth.edu/providers/c/michelle-curtin This episode is par...

Joshua Resnikoff, co‑founder and CEO of Sunstone Health, joins the podcast to talk about the “diagnostic odyssey” faced by families navigating complex and rare conditions. Drawing from both professional expertise in biotech and deeply personal experience as a parent, Joshua unpacks why diagnosis can take years, how system inefficiencies—not a lack of science—drive delays, and how AI and genomics c...

Peter Basica - founder of 360 Smarter Care - joins the podcast to talk about why the U.S. healthcare system struggles with trust, adherence, and rising costs—and what can be done about it. The conversation explores how personalized digital therapies, micro‑learning, and actionable data can improve patient behavior and outcomes, while preserving the essential human connection in care. Together, the...

Pharmacist, nutritionist, and skincare chemist Ben Fuchs joins the podcast to explore an integrative, inside‑out approach to health, healing, and longevity. Drawing on nearly four decades of experience, Fuchs reframes skin health as a direct reflection of cellular, digestive, and systemic health, emphasizing nutrition, detoxification, and lifestyle over symptom-focused treatments. The conversation...

Paula Yost is an attorney, licensed clinical mental health counselor, and author who writes and speaks about what happens when families are forced to navigate broken systems. She is the author of Tumbleweeds: How to Be an Advocate for Your Children and Yourself in a Failing System now available on Amazon.com. Paula gets real and shares insights and stories from her experience in the legal system,...

Dr. Nelva Lee shares practical, leadership‑driven solutions to improve education, healthcare access, and workforce readiness. Dr. Lee emphasizes early literacy, ending social promotion without proficiency, and expanding vocational certifications and apprenticeships—especially in healthcare and skilled trades—through public‑private partnerships. She critiques administrative bloat, regulatory barrie...

Dr. Freischlag returns to the podcast to reflect on her illustrious career spanning 5 decades. She shares stories and insights from her roles as a vascular surgeon, educator, leader of major healthcare systems, and her role as an ambassador as she begins her new chapter in retirement. Read more about Dr. Freischlag here: https://www.wakehealth.edu/about-us/leadership/freischlag

Extended Benefits Adviser, author of "Emapthy and Understanding in Business," and host of the "Planning with Purpose" podcast, Raymond Lavine shares his insights for choosing a policy for long term care plan insurance. Read more about Raymond at https://raymondlavineofficial.com/

Former surgeon, practicing physician , technologist, and author Sarah Matt discusses the evolving landscape of healthcare access, emphasizing the importance of her “five pillars”—geography, financial, digital, knowledge and trust, and cultural—as essential frameworks for understanding modern barriers to care. We explore the rapid growth of telemedicine, remote monitoring, AI, and robotics, particu...

Jada B. Charley, CEO of Crittenton of North Carolina, joins us for an in‑depth look at the organization’s long-standing mission to support pregnant women, young mothers, and youth in foster care. Charley shares her journey into nonprofit leadership, details Crittenton’s four core programs, and offers a vivid picture of daily life for residents navigating pregnancy, parenting, education, trauma sup...

Jodi Scott, Co-founder of Green Goo, shares insights from her journey from pre‑med and psychoneuroimmunology to founding a plant‑based first‑aid and body care company built on botanical science and sustainable practices. We explore the development of evidence‑informed herbal formulations, the challenges of scaling production, the impact of FDA regulation on natural products, and the ways skin heal...

Dr. Chris Werness is a Chiropractic Physician, Author and Human Performance Consultant. He has been in practice over 27 years, helping patients recover from injuries, gain postural improvement and functional strength. He is the founder and chief of BioPeakHealth, a Raleigh, NC-based clinic helping patients improve health and overcome auto-immune conditions, brain fog, fatigue and chronic pain usin...

Galen Karlan-Mason, MBA is the CEO and founder of GreenChoice, a company with a mission to end the health epidemic, with food as the key to health and the wellbeing of our planet. Galen shares insights on how GreenChoice is providing product data that empowers consumers and healthcare systems to make better food purchasing choices that align with their nutrition and impact goals. Find out more abo...

Accomplished romance author Cara Lockwood joins us to share her story and insights from her battle with breast cancer. From diagnosis, to contemplating esacpe, through treatment, and now thriving, Cara brings levity and motivational pep talks to help those who are affected by this cancer that effects 1 in 8 women in the US. Her new book There's No Good Book for This (But I Wrote One Anyway) - The...

Dr. Teresa Lyons, a scientist, educator, and autism advocate, to discusses the evolving landscape of autism care. Drawing from personal experience and professional expertise, Dr. Lyons explores the intersection of science, intuition, and advocacy, emphasizing the importance of functional medicine and parental insight in navigating autism’s complexities. The conversation covers recent breakthroughs...

Dr. Kate Lund, clinical psychologist, TEDx speaker, and author shares her personal journey of overcoming childhood medical challenges and explores how resilience is more than just bouncing back—it’s a lifestyle built on self-awareness, supportive networks, and intentional habits. Dr. Lund offers practical strategies for managing stress, fostering agency, and finding joy, while discussing the impac...

Water quality expert Cydian Kauffman explores the critical connections between water safety and health. Drawing on real-world experience and technical knowledge, Cydian unpacks the complexities of municipal and well water systems, revealing hidden risks from contaminants like arsenic, chlorine byproducts, pharmaceuticals, and “forever chemicals.” The conversation highlights the limitations of curr...

Discover the urgent realities and innovative solutions at the intersection of healthcare, insurance, and technology in this compelling episode of Healthcare Insights at Northwest North Carolina. Host Andrew Brewer welcomes Neil K. Shah—CEO, author, and founder of Counterforce Health—to unpack the growing crisis of health insurance claim denials and their profound impact on patients, providers, and...

Dr. George Ibrahim, founder of Biltmore Restorative Medicine and Aesthetics challenges conventional wisdom about hormones, aging, and wellness. Drawing on decades of experience as a surgeon and urologist, Dr. Ibrahim explores the science and misconceptions behind hormone replacement therapy, the impact of aging on hormone levels, and the critical role of individualized care for both men and women....

Discover the transformative power of empowerment in this episode as host Andrew Brewer sits down with John Boswell, Chief Operating Officer of Zoe Empowers. Learn how Zoe Empowers is revolutionizing charitable work by guiding orphaned and vulnerable youth in the poorest regions of Africa and India from dependency to self-sufficiency through a unique, locally-driven three-year program. Boswell shar...

Discover the transformative power of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Join Amber Nelms, founder and CEO of Triangle ABA, as she shares her personal journey from parent to board-certified behavior analyst and business leader. Amber reveals how her mission—to catalyze people become the heroes of their own stories—shapes every aspect of Triangle ABA, from individualized autism therapy to empowering f...

Our guest is a dermatologists who sees patients and does research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, one who is internationally recognized for his work in dermatology, particularly in psoriasis and on how well patients use recommended treatments. If you count publications, our guest may be the most productive researcher at Wake Forest. With over 1,500 Medline-refere...

Dr. Kevin J. Tracey, President and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research joins the podcasts to share his insights on the groundbreaking role of the vagus nerve in regulating inflammation and its implications for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Tracey explains how inflammation, while essential for healing, becomes problematic when uncontrolled—leading to chronic co...