The Exam Room

What if the best way to improve healthcare outcomes isn't adding more metrics—but building stronger relationships? In Part 2 of this four-part conversation, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and RN Pamela Knowlton explore why prevention begins with trust, why patients should be engaged before they become high risk, and how meaningful human connection can improve both quality and outcomes. From relationship-base...

What happens when healthcare becomes more focused on metrics than people? In this episode of The Exam Room , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with experienced RN and case manager Pamela Knowlton to explore the growing tension between productivity, quality metrics, and truly patient-centered care. Drawing on years of experience working with high-risk patients, Pamela shares why relationship-building i...

What role do healthcare leaders play in the success of value-based care? In the final installment of this three-part series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues her conversation with Dr. Satya Sarma, Medical Director at Arizona Best Care Network, exploring the leadership principles that drive meaningful healthcare transformation. Dr. Sarma discusses clinician burnout, the growing pressures facing health...

What if one of the most effective ways to improve healthcare outcomes isn't treating more patients, but focusing more attention on the patients who need it most? In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Satya Sarma on The Exam Room, we discuss one of the most important realities of value-based care: Approximately 20% of patients account for nearly 80% of healthcare costs. But this isn't really a con...

In Part 1 of this special series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor welcomes Dr. Satya Sarma to discuss the foundation of value-based care and why it represents a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered. Drawing from his experience as a physician, healthcare executive, and public health leader, Dr. Sarma shares how his time caring for patients inspired a deeper interest in improving the systems that sh...

In the final episode of this three-part series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor and Geneva Miller explore what healthcare can learn from high-touch, personalized care models — especially when supporting patients and caregivers navigating chronic illness, cognitive decline, and complex care journeys. Drawing from her experiences in dialysis care, care coordination, and personal caregiving, Geneva shares why me...

In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues the conversation with Geneva Miller, founder of Equipped Healthcare Solutions, about why traditional patient education methods are falling short in modern healthcare. From laminated handouts and rushed appointments to health literacy gaps and limited resources, Geneva shares why simply giving patients information is no longer...

In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with nurse educator and Equipped Healthcare Solutions founder Geneva Miller to explore one of the most overlooked challenges in healthcare: patient understanding. Drawing from more than 14 years in nursing, dialysis care, case management, and value-based care coordination, Geneva shares powerful firsthand stories about medica...

Why do so many nurses leave during their first year? In this episode, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor speaks with nurse leader Heidi Sanborn about the growing challenges facing new nurses as they enter the workforce. They discuss burnout, workplace pressures, gaps between academic training and clinical practice, and the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing education. The conversation also exp...

Why do so many nurses leave during their first year? In this episode, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor speaks with nurse leader Heidi Sanborn about the growing challenges facing new nurses as they enter the workforce. They discuss burnout, workplace pressures, gaps between academic training and clinical practice, and the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing education. The conversation also exp...

In this short mid-year check-in, The Exam Room reflects on the conversations that have shaped the podcast so far this year—and the common thread connecting them all: a commitment to value-based care. From care coordination and patient engagement to data-driven decision making and team-based care, our guests have shared real-world insights on what it takes to improve outcomes and experiences in tod...

If value-based care represents better care… why isn't it standard for every patient? In Part 2 of this Exam Room Podcast series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues her conversation with Dr. Ben Schwartz, exploring the deeper challenges behind value-based care adoption. This episode dives into physician incentives, operational complexity, and the reality of running parallel care models in today's health...

Is value-based care actually working—or is it falling short of expectations? In Part 1 of this two-part Exam Room Podcast series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Dr. Ben Schwartz, a former orthopedic surgeon turned healthcare leader, to take a critical look at value-based care in practice. From bundled payment models to CMS strategy, this conversation explores the gap between theory and reality...

Are we measuring the right things in healthcare—or just the easiest things to track? In Part 2 of this Exam Room Podcast series, Dr. Rhiannon Winsor continues her conversation with healthcare advisor Kathy Letendre, diving into the critical difference between outputs and outcomes. This episode explores how over-reliance on productivity metrics and proxy measures can distort priorities, contribute...

What does real transformation in healthcare actually look like? In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with healthcare advisor and former executive Kathy Letendre to challenge a common assumption: that improvement comes from quick fixes and rapid change. Instead, this conversation explores why meaningful, lasting transformation takes time—and why many organization...

In the final episode of this three-part series, The Exam Room concludes its conversation with Joslyn Mikeworth, a community health worker at Canyonlands Healthcare, with a focus on growth, accountability, and what it takes to create better systems for frontline healthcare workers. Building on earlier conversations about frontline realities and advocacy, this episode explores what meaningful change...

In Part Two of this three-part series, The Exam Room continues its conversation with Joslyn Mikeworth, a community health worker at Canyonlands Healthcare, exploring the realities of advocacy and workplace culture on the frontlines of healthcare. Joslyn shares candid experiences navigating environments where support isn't always consistent, and where speaking up can feel difficult — but necessary....

In this episode of The Exam Room , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Joslyn Mikeworth, a community health worker at Canyonlands Healthcare, to explore what it's really like to work on the frontlines of rural healthcare. Joslyn shares her journey through multiple healthcare roles — from CNA to medical assistant to community health worker — and how those experiences shape the way she connects with...

In this episode of The Exam Room , Dr. Rhiannon Winsor sits down with Heidi Sanborn, clinical professor at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University, to explore one of the most pressing challenges in health care today: nurse retention and burnout. Drawing from her unique background in technology, bedside nursing, leadership, and academia, Heidi shares how syste...

In the final episode of this three-part series, The Exam Room concludes its conversation with Jessica Yanow, president and CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. This episode focuses on Medicaid unwinding, coverage retention strategies, and what health centers have learned from recent policy transitions. Jessica shares how Arizona's coordinated efforts — including data sharing,...

In Part Two of this three-part series, The Exam Room continues its conversation with Jessica Yanow, president and CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers. This episode focuses on the growing importance of partnerships and innovation in strengthening community health. Jessica discusses how health centers are collaborating with housing providers, public health agencies, schools, hea...

In Part One of this three-part series, The Exam Room welcomes back Jessica Yanow, president and CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, for a deeper conversation about the forces shaping primary care in Arizona and across the country. This episode focuses on the evolving policy and funding landscape facing community health centers. Jessica discusses regulatory changes, Medicaid s...

In the final part of this three-part series, The Exam Room concludes its conversation with Dr. Mary O'Connor, orthopedic surgeon and national leader in prevention-focused, value-based musculoskeletal care. This episode explores the structural and financial realities shaping health care delivery in the United States — and how those realities influence patient outcomes. Dr. O'Connor highlights the c...

In Part Two of this ongoing series, The Exam Room continues its conversation with Dr. Mary O'Connor, orthopedic surgeon and national leader in prevention-focused, value-based musculoskeletal care. This episode explores why patients are often more influenced by the experiences of other patients than by clinical advice alone — and why emotional readiness, trust, and peer support play a critical role...

In today's health care system, medical care often begins after people are already in pain — but research shows that medical treatment accounts for only a small fraction of what actually determines health. In Part One of this multi-part conversation, The Exam Room welcomes Dr. Mary O'Connor, orthopedic surgeon, former Mayo Clinic and Yale faculty member, and co-founder of innovative health organiza...