Date: 2/24/26
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 28 How to Do the ER (Better Than I Did)

Episode summary:

Getting through the ER feels like an uphill battle, and there are frictions on both sides of the bed that make the experience harder than it should be. I made lots of mistakes with my own trip to the ER last summer, and give some tips based on what I learned there.

References:

List of what to bring to the ER:

Electronics: chargers: phone, laptop, watch, noise cancelling headphones

Meds: actual bottles or list of prescriptions, supplements

Clothes: comfy clothes, extra undies, warm socks, nonslip socks

Paperwork/legal stuff: medical history form, emergency contact info, medical insurance card(s), healthcare paperwork (advanced directives?), drivers license/ID

Bathroom stuff: travel toiletries, lip balm, body lotion

Other: notepad and pen, luggage tags, pillow, pillowcase, something to read, sleep mask, prayers, hand sanitizer, silky pillow case, lavender lotion, your own blanket, reading light, reading glasses, ear plugs, sense of humor, cpap machine

Food/drink (realizing you might not be able to): granola bars, other snacks, gum, bottled water, water bottle with straw

People: hubby, me, mom, anyone who can advocate

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

Date: 02/10/26
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 27 Healthcare Paperwork That's Worth Your Time

Summary
In this episode of the Dr. Patient Podcast, Dr. Heather Johnston discusses the importance of understanding and managing healthcare paperwork. She emphasizes the need for patients to take control of their healthcare by completing essential forms such as medical history, HIPAA authorizations, power of attorney for healthcare, and living wills. The episode provides insights into how these documents can protect patients' rights and wishes, especially in critical situations where they may be incapacitated. Dr. Johnston also offers resources for listeners to access these forms and encourages proactive engagement in their healthcare decisions.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Patient Empowerment
03:04 Understanding Healthcare Paperwork
15:14 Navigating Advanced Directives
28:56 Summary and Resources for Patients

Resources

Link to ALL forms

Keywords
patient empowerment, healthcare paperwork, HIPAA, advanced directives, medical history, power of attorney, living will, patient rights, healthcare wishes, healthcare communication

Website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Email: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

This season I'll be diving into more topics related to patient advocacy: healthcare paperwork, laws that protect patients, how to manage a hospital discharge and more. Of course, there will be amusing personal healthcare stories sprinkled in.

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

Date: 7/30/24
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 26 Advocate Toolkit, Hospital Edition

Episode summary:
It's so incredibly complicated to be a patient today, as I recently observed when I hung out at the bedside of a sick relative. If you don't have a "doctor friend", you might need to help your friend or family member get the best possible experience in the hospital by becoming their advocate. Hear about my own observations on where and when help is needed, and also hear some tips on how you can get started.

Guest(s): none

Key Terms: none

References: none

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

Date: 7/22/24
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 25 The Disadvantage of Medicare Advantage, Part 2

Episode summary: Part 2 discussing why Medicare Advantage plans are an actual DISadvantage for you and for our country's fiscal system. When you sign up for Medicare, you have a choice of Traditional/Original, Medicare or "Medicare Advantage", which is technically not Medicare and is instead a private health insurance company caring for you on their behalf, like a surrogate. The plans are Uber-restrictive and filled with hidden costs that many people don't recognize until it's too late. They often offer "zero dollar premiums" to lure folks in, then you might have trouble getting back into regular Medicare. Join Alexandra "Al" Eidenberg from The Insurance People, and me to hear all of the details.

Guest(s): Alexandra (Al) Eidenberg, President and Founder of The Insurance People

Key Terms: none

References:
The Insurance People homepage: www.theinsurancepeople.com
How to sign up for Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/how-do-i-sign-up-for-medicare

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

Date: 6/16/24
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 24 The Disadvantage of Medicare Advantage, Part 1

Episode summary:
Wow, I knew Medicare was complicated but didn't realize just how complicated. I've spent the last few weeks diving deep and was most curious about Medicare Advantage, Part C of Medicare, where beneficiaries can sign up for private health insurance. This week I'll be talking about how bad this is for our federal budget, and how the model simply doesn't work fiscally. Next week, in Part 2, I'll be talking with Al (Alexandra) Eidenberg about why it's also bad for the beneficiaries themselves.

Guest(s): none

Key Terms:
CMS - Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
HMO - Healthcare Maintenance Organization
Beneficiary or Enrollee - the person signing up for a health plan
Fee-for-service - a model of healthcare where a doctor or hospital gives a service and is then paid for it
Capitation - a monthly payment Advantage plans get per patient that are signed up on their plan

References:
Video by Congresspeople Mark Pocan, Jan Schakowsky and Ro Khanna
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
How the Government Updates Payment Rates for Medicare Advantage Plans
Understanding Medicare Advantage Payment
Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment
US Sues Cigna for fraudulent diagnostic codes
Advantage plans overpaid by about $140 billion over last 12 years
Video: How to Sign up for Medicare
MedicareFAQ: Why Advantage Plans are Bad
Understanding Medicare Advantage Payment

Other podcasts on this topic:
Arm and A Leg
The Real Investment Show

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

Date: 6/18/24
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 23 In Doctors We Trust

Episode summary: What is trust as it relates to the doctor-patient relationship? How is it fostered when the very healthcare system itself works against it? Why is it important, and what can you do to foster it with your doctor?

Guest(s): none

Key Terms: none

References:
Trust, Race and Risk in American Medicine: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hast.1080

Patient Trust in Physicians:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1495476/

The importance of building trust in the physician-patient relationship:
https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/the-importance-of-building-trust-in-the-physician-patient-relationship

Physician perspectives on building trust with patients:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hast.1528?af=R

Summary table of survey questions of patients about trust:
https://www.drpatientpodcast.com/blog/eps-22-and-23-doctor-satisfaction-and-trust-in-doctors/

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com

Date: 6/11/24
Name of podcast: Dr. Patient
Episode title and number: 22 Doctors in Distress

Episode summary: The majority of doctors today are dissatisfied with the healthcare system. That's not to say that they don't want to be doctors anymore. It's just that they're fed up with the same system that patients are stuck in and fed up with. It's important that doctors and patients see and understand each other more clearly to strengthen their relationships against the onslaught of external forces that are slowly degrading our health system in the US.

Guest(s): Dr. Karen Leitner

Key Terms: none

References:
Dr. Leitner's site: https://www.karenleitnermd.com/
NYTimes article (might require a sign-in, sorry): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/15/magazine/doctors-moral-crises.html
Physicians Foundation report: http://physiciansfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/PF23_Brochure-Report_Americas-Physicians_V2b-1-2.pdf

Podcast website: www.drpatientpodcast.com

Podcast email, become a guest: drpatientpodcast@gmail.com