Off the Chart: A Business of Medicine Podcast

Physicians spend years mastering medicine, but many leave training with little guidance on managing money, debt or long-term financial decisions. Michael Jerkins, M.D., M.Ed., an internal medicine and pediatrics physician and co-founder of Panacea Financial, sits down with Medical Economics Senior Editor Richard Payerchin to break down what financial pressures look like at every stage of a physici...

Health systems and medical groups are fighting the same three-headed problem: money, access and staffing. In this episode, American Medical Group Association (AMGA) President and CEO Jerry Penso, M.D., MBA, and Practicing Excellence founder Stephen Beeson, M.D., discuss their new partnership meant to strengthen physician development without pulling clinicians out of the exam room. They explain why...

Pediatrician and author David Higgins, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., joins the show to unpack what’s really happening with vaccine confidence. Higgins explains why true anti-vaccine activists are a tiny minority, how media coverage can exaggerate hesitancy and why most parents still want vaccines for their children — even if they come in with questions. He also digs into the role of social media algorithms...

Two hours. One studio. Zero confetti (almost). In the 2025 Off the Chart Holiday Spectacular, Off the Chart hosts Keith Reynolds and Austin Littrell race to clean the studio before a holiday party — and along the way, revisit some of the most important conversations of the year. Listeners hear from Anders Gilberg of MGMA on what 2026 health care policy could actually bring for physician payment, p...

Today’s episode is brought to you by Specialdocs Consultants, and our topic today is the growing popularity of concierge medicine. As physician burnout, payer pressures, and patient expectations reach new inflection points, many doctors are rethinking how they practice medicine. For this episode, Medical Economics Content Vice President Chris Mazzolini sat down with Greg Grant, the Chief Operating...

Most physicians say they’re satisfied with their jobs — but far fewer say they feel engaged at work. That disconnect is at the center of CHG Healthcare’s 2025 Physician Sentiment Survey, which draws on responses from more than 900 physicians nationwide. In this episode of Off the Chart, Medical Economics  Assistant Editor Austin Littrell speaks with Bill Heller, chief operating officer at CHG Heal...

Vaccine conversations have changed. Sure, there have always been skeptics, but since the COVID-19 pandemic — and especially since Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has headed Health and Human Services (HHS) — debates have only intensified. For physicians, what used to be occasional questions in the exam room have become daily conversations that are more emotional, more complex and more consequential for pub...

Point-of-care testing has become a core part of how many primary care practices diagnose, treat and manage patients — but deciding which tests to offer, how to implement them and whether the investment makes sense isn’t always straightforward. Daniel Krajcik, D.O., MBA, a primary care physician with the Cleveland Clinic, joins the show to break down the real-world considerations of bringing rapid...

American College of Physicians President Jason Goldman, M.D., MACP joins the show to talk about one of the most difficult realities in clinical practice today: medical misinformation. Goldman discusses the ripple effects he sees in the exam room — confused patients, politicized vaccine debates and growing skepticism toward scientific evidence. He also shares his perspective on the broader challeng...

Jared Rhoads, M.S., M.P.H., founder of the Center for Modern Health and senior lecturer of health policy at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, joins the show to talk about private equity’s role in health care and how politics are reshaping policy. Rhoads offers a different take on private equity, arguing that current research is too mixed and fragmented to justify swe...

David N. Gans, MSHA, FACMPE , retired senior fellow at MGMA, joins the show to talk about the real pressures facing practices today — rising costs, flat reimbursement, staffing strain and the push for efficiency. Gans breaks down the key metrics leaders should watch in 2026, the compliance gaps he sees most often, and how to evaluate new technologies like automation and artificial intelligence. He...

Krista Blackwell, Ph. D. , clinical assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, joins the show to talk about two new reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) examining ultraprocessed foods and their growing role in the American diet. Blackwell explains why youth...

Loren Adler, fellow and associate director at the Brookings Institution's Center on Health Policy, joins the show to talk about his new Health Affairs study examining the rise of insurer-owned primary care practices. Adler breaks down how quickly payer ownership has expanded, why certain markets are seeing far higher concentrations and what this consolidation means for costs, competition, Medicare...

Mental health remains a silent crisis among physicians. Medical Economics Senior Editor Richard Payerchin sat down with Daniel Saddawi-Konefka, M.D., MBA, and Christine Yu Moutier, M.D., to learn more about the rising rates of depression and suicidal ideation among physicians, why stigma and licensing questions still keep many from seeking help, and how to separate burnout from true mental health...

After the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history, the government is finally open again — but for medical practices, the relief is short-lived. In this episode, Physicians Practice editor Keith Reynolds sits down with Anders Gilberg, senior vice president of government affairs at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), to talk about what the reopening actually means for medical groups. G...

Denied claims are cutting deeper into practice revenue — and the numbers are getting worse. In this episode, Medical Economics Managing Editor Todd Shryock talks with Clarissa Riggins, chief product officer at Experian Health, about the company’s 2025 State of Claims Report . Riggins explains why claim denials are rising, how inaccurate patient data and staffing shortages are fueling the problem,...

In the 100th episode of Off the Chart: A Business of Medicine Podcast , host Austin Littrell is joined by Todd Shryock, Richard Payerchin, and Keith Reynolds — the editors from Medical Economics and Physicians Practice who helped build Off the Chart into what it is today. Together, they look back on favorite conversations, memorable guests and defining trends from the show’s first 100 episodes. Fr...

Jennifer Trilk, Ph. D., FACSM, DipACLM, professor of biomedical sciences and director of lifestyle medicine programs at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, joins the show to discuss how her program is reshaping physician education through lifestyle medicine. Trilk explains how training future doctors in nutrition, physical activity, behavior change and self-care is key...

Stefanie Simmons, M.D., FACEP, chief medical officer of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation , joins the show to talk about the state of burnout in health care and what’s being done to fix it. She explains how the foundation is working to remove stigmatizing mental health questions from licensing and credentialing forms, and why addressing burnout requires systemic change — not just resilience t...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is entering everyday care, so of course it’s raising questions about malpractice. In this episode, we sat down with three national experts shaping how AI liability will evolve: Sara Gerke, associate professor of law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; David A. Simon, J.D., LL.M., Ph. D., associate professor of law at Northeastern University; and Deepika Sri...

David Ford, CEO of MedWay, joins the show to discuss how the California Medical Association’s (CMA's) new business support program is helping independent physicians take control of their practices without taking on more administrative work. Launched in 2025, MedWay is a subscription-based management service designed to handle HR, payroll, benefits, insurance and other day-to-day business operation...

Paul Merrick, M.D., and Dan Greenleaf of Duly Health and Care join the show to discuss why independent medical practices deliver high-quality care at lower costs — and why that matters for the future of U.S. health care. They share insights from a Duly study on health care spending, the importance of physician autonomy and how independent groups can stay competitive amid industry consolidation. Le...

Katie P. Russell, J.D., partner at Brown Immigration Law in Cleveland, Ohio, joins the show to explain what physicians and practice managers should do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes knocking at their practice door. She discusses how to identify valid warrants, protect patient information under HIPAA, and prepare staff with clear response plans. Russell also shares how practices...

David Tawes, regional inspector general in the Office of Evaluation and Inspections at HHS’ Office of Inspector General, joins the show to discuss the agency’s new report on the massive rise in Medicare spending for skin substitutes. He explains what’s driving the surge — from changing billing practices to outright fraud — and how policymakers can balance patient access with stronger oversight. Ta...

Bryan Jepson, M.D., CFP, joins the show to explain what “true wealth” really means for physicians, and why retirement planning goes far beyond money. He explains how to balance financial goals with personal fulfillment, tackle student debt and make smart decisions about saving, investing and enjoying life along the way. Music Credits: Distant Memories by Buurd - stock.adobe.com Relaxing Lounge by...