To Care is Human

Dr.  Airica Steed, President & CEO of The MetroHealth System, discusses the importance of representation in healthcare and how bias can negatively influence outcomes by sharing personal and professional experiences.

With over two decades of experience in healthcare, Dr. Karana Pierre has had the opportunity to care for patients from a variety of cultures. Listen as she shares the importance of cultural humility, and how acknowledging and understanding a patient's cultural background is key to a successful treatment plan and patient relationship.

Trisha Choi, MA, CPXP, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19 and, as a result, endured many hospital stays. After a negative experience with a nurse during one particular stay, she decided to pivot her career to healthcare. Listen as she discusses her healthcare experience with a mental health diagnosis and the importance of being able to ask for - and accept - help.

Dr. Jennifer Kemp changed the way she practiced medicine as a radiologist after her husband's cancer diagnosis. Listen as she talks about the lived experience of a family member going through treatment and the anxiety of waiting on radiology reports. This perspective inspired a journey to redefine the relationship between patients and their radiologists; both through direct communication and techn...

Bob Pollard was a healthy 62-year-old when he was diagnosed with COVID-19, in the hospital and unable to breathe with a high likelihood of not making it through the night. Ultimately, he spent 17 days on a ventilator and a combined three months in the hospital and a rehab facility. Bob's tough journey back to health propelled a complete change of career. Listen as he shares how he went from COVID-...

While healthcare executives and patients want more digital options, many healthcare app developers struggle to provide a platform that attracts users and increases engagement. Joshua Titus, CEO at Gozio Health, discusses why this challenge exists and provides insight into how to ensure mobile platforms can succeed.

Jennifer Purdy, Executive Director of Patient Experience at the Veteran's Experience Office shares the importance of remaining aligned with and staying true to the mission of serving those who have served. She emphasizes the importance of understanding who the human being is behind the veteran and ensuring that staff feel empowered to find ways to meaningfully connect to improve the overall collec...

Dennis W. Pullin, president and CEO of Virtua Health, shares how his organization orients to the consumer while continuing to tackle the waves of the pandemic. He shares the importance of listening, observing and gathering facts to make sound decisions as a leader that creates the opportunity to provide an elevated experience for his staff, the patients and the community they serve.

Risa Hanau, LCSW, is an expert in caring for those at end-of-life. She also is a natural "giver" who is quick to support a loved one in need. Facing her own rare disease diagnosis and the physical challenges that come with Ehlers-Danlos, however, required she take a new journey of asking for help. Join us for this compelling and raw story of Risa's journey to accepting support while coping with a...

Alina Moran shares her story of growing up in a family that had little access to healthcare resources and how that propelled her path to leadership in a career focused on advoating for healthcare equity and the healing power of human kindness. She also shares her experience running a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing the needs of her staff and the patients they serve.

Mary Smith was diagnosed with COVID-19 early on in the pandemic. Since then, she has grappled with Long-COVID. In this podcast you will learn more about how Long-COVID impacts a person's day to day life.

Jeff Cousins and his wife were excited to find out they were pregnant with their first child. 23 weeks and five days into the pregnancy, they learned there were issues with their son's development and this began a whole new chapter in their lives. Learn more as Jeff unpacks his Tiny Story": Special Needs Child Changed My Life."

In this Special Edition of the To Care is Human podcast series, podcast hosts, Jason Wolf and Tiffany Christensen have a conversation looking back on 2021, another challenging year for healthcare. Listen as they share their reflections of hurting, healing, hope and the human experience in healthcare. 

Brett Brende, Vice President of Customer Engagement for Healthcare at SMG, shares how having employees who are engaged, excited and happy in their work roles has a direct impact on overall patient experience.

Glenda Sirota lives in Chicago, is 80 years old and says she is "living her best life" after a series of extreme medical events that placed her in a coma for 28 days. When she woke up, her body needed a lot of care but her mind and spirit were strong. She also woke up with a very unusual gift. Learn more about Glenda's story in this podcast where she unpacks her Tiny Story, "Born unhealthy, died,...

Jeff Fallon, chairman and CEO at eVideon Healthcare, reflects on the role technology can play in meeting patient expectations for engagement and information while giving healthcare teams greater efficiency and enabling hospitals to improve satisfaction and reduce readmissions.

Dr. Grace Cordovano is a board certified patient advocate with a wealth of experience navigating the US healthcare system on behalf of herself, family and clients. In this podcast, Dr. Cordovano helps us understand what she means by "hacking healthcare" in order to move from "patient-centered care" to "life-focused care."   

Microsoft is impacting the world  by empowering people and organizations through software and  the power of data. Antoinette Thomas, US Chief Executive Officer and Industry Executive for US Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft, shares why a focus on equity is so important to their organization and what they are doing to make meaningful contributions during the pandemic and beyond.

As healthcare continues to focus on dismantling systemic racism, the move from ideas to action must be intentional and strategic. Thought leaders like Dr. Julia Iyasere provide a model and support for change agents across the globe. Join this compelling conversation and learn more about how the landscape of healthcare is changing and what can be done next to create health equity.

Dr. Jim Castellone is the Chief Medical Officer for Eastern Connecticut Health Network and an ER physician who has been on the front lines of COVID-19 since beginning of the pandemic and in one of the United States' most heavy hit regions. Listen as he shares his perspective as a doctor who works to care for his COVID-19 patients and as a father and husband working to protect his family from the v...

When Tanya Lord's son, Noah, was born she was a pathologically shy mom who had found her purpose in motherhood. After Noah died from medical error, Tanya was adrift in a sea of grief. Tanya shares how "grief found my voice and improved my purpose." You won't want to miss this story about a mother's love and how her grief drove her to make change in the world. 

Listen as Jacqueline speaks with Jason Wolf about her core leadership beliefs including clear communication and visibility/approachability of leaders. She emphasizes the importance of being present and determining how best to manage staff needs for PPE and financial stability. Jacqueline Herd embodies the belief that in order to best elevate the human experience in healthcare and serve patients, w...

Jono Broad grew up with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis only to learn well into adulthood that the correct diagnosis was cystic fibrosis. How did his life as an unwell child, being told by his community that he would never live a normal life shape him? Find out in the third episode of the "Tiny Story" Series where Jono unpacks what he means by "Living beyond expectation, no barriers unbroken."

Ryan Fowler "never wanted for anything" growing up but found himself self-medicating with drugs and alcohol in his teens and 20's, resulting in full-blown addiction. Now 6 years sober, this advocate for harm reduction and new ways of caring for those suffering from substance use disorders shares his harrowing story of life on a thin edge. Few people can share such raw and personal details as Ryan...

In a time of crisis, such as we have experienced in this pandemic, often what is needed is a sense of predictability, a reinforcement that "we can do this". This conversation with Jason Wolf and Chris Woleske, President & CEO of Bellin Health, explores how serving as a "Chief Predictability Officer" can support and inspire our healthcare teams. Chris Woleske shares how her organization became a po...