Turn on the Lights Podcast

What if the hospitals serving society’s most vulnerable were actually delivering some of the most essential care in the country? In this episode, Dr. Eric Wei explores the vital role of public hospitals in serving vulnerable populations and dispelling the myth that they provide second-tier care. He discusses system improvements through Lean strategies, the challenges of Medicaid reliance, Bellevue...

Burnout among health care professionals isn't just a staffing issue; it’s a crisis rooted in systems, culture, and misaligned values. In this episode, Dr. Steve Swensen explores the growing crisis of burnout and moral injury among health care workers, highlighting its roots in emotional exhaustion, misaligned values, and lack of agency, and how it harms clinicians, patients, and organizational per...

AI in health care is advancing rapidly, with promising uses in imaging and admin tasks, but its diagnostic and patient-facing roles demand careful, human-centered oversight to ensure safety and equity. In this episode, experts Brett Moran, Charles Binkley, and Lucas Zier discuss the evolving role of AI in health care, from established tools like imaging assistance to emerging solutions like ambien...

Consumers must understand the crucial difference between legally permissible contaminant levels and true health-based goals for drinking water.  In this episode, Cydian Kauffman, CEO of Pure Water Northwest, shares how his experience in property management led him to focus on water quality. He explains the EPA’s standards /MCL versus MCLG) and why municipalities often prioritize the less health-fo...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights The current health care system often prioritizes industrial processes over genuine human connec...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights What if the path to better health and stronger communities doesn’t start in hospitals, but in o...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights What happens when the power of large language models meets the complexity of modern medicine? I...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights Democratizing knowledge is critical to bridging health care gaps and improving patient outcomes...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights The erosion of government-funded science infrastructure is leading to a loss of competitive edg...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights The separation of oral and physical health has created a significant crisis in the US, leaving...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights What happens when one of America’s largest health care systems quietly limits your access to es...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights How do we scale proven solutions in health care, climate resilience, and public health to creat...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights Curious about how we can fix the inefficiencies of the U.S. health care system and ensure bette...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights Palliative care aims to treat symptoms and improve patients' quality of life, even if they are...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights The U.S. health care system is complex, costly, and often frustrating, but what if we could rei...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights Anyone can choose leadership, and it requires bold aims, intentional actions, and disciplined r...

The structure of the U.S. health care system, particularly employer-sponsored insurance, is significantly impacting the economic well-being of most Americans.  In this episode, Zack Cooper, Associate Professor of Public Health and Economics for Yale University, examines the drivers of rising health care costs and their impact on individuals and the economy. He highlights the disconnect between Med...

Learning health networks offer a powerful, cost-effective approach to improving health care outcomes by fostering collaboration. In this episode, Dr. Peter Margolis, Co-Director Emeritus of the James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and Dr. Daniel Hyman, Principal and Founder of Frontline Quality Solutions, LLC, discuss the learning health network...

The key to improving broken systems lies in identifying leverage points and strategically restacking existing resources. In this episode, Dan Heath, a New York Times bestselling author, discusses how to apply behavioral and systems thinking principles to health care. He emphasizes that health care, despite its challenges, can improve by focusing on successful examples, addressing system bottleneck...

How well is the U.S. health care system working, and what is being done to address its biggest challenges? In this episode, Dr. Liz Fowler, former Deputy Administrator and Director of the Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, discusses the progress and challenges of U.S. healthcare reform, emphasizing the impact of the ACA, the shift to value-based care, and the need f...

Health care institutions can significantly reduce their environmental impact while also saving money and improving community health.  In this episode, Dr. Jeff Thompson, former CEO of Gundersen Health System and advisor, discusses his pioneering work at Gundersen Health System in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He explains that by focusing on waste reduction, energy efficiency, and renewable en...

How can we tackle deep-rooted health inequities and ensure sustainable change in our communities? In this episode, Dr. Thea James, Vice President of Mission and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Boston Medical Center, and Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and the Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, talk about the persistent challenges in achieving health equ...

Despite decades of progress in geriatric care, too many older adults still struggle to receive the reliable, evidence-based care they deserve. In this episode, Dr. Terry Fulmer, President of the John A. Hartford Foundation, and Faith Mitchell, an Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute, discuss the development of age-friendly health systems and the ongoing challenges in ensuring older adults recei...

Is medical education stuck in the past, or can innovative approaches reshape the future of health care? In this episode, Dr. Abraham Nussbaum, Chief Education Officer at Denver Health, discusses the evolution and challenges of medical education, emphasizing the limitations of the traditional "textbook of the body" approach rooted in the Flexner Report. He highlights the growing importance of addre...

Did you know that sleep-deprived doctors are more likely to make critical errors or that poor communication during patient handoffs can jeopardize care? In this episode, Dr. Christopher Landrigan, Chief of General Pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital and co-founder of the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute, emphasizes the importance of systemic changes, improved communication, and financial suppo...