Out of Patients with Matthew Zachary

“Get your affairs in order” was the advice from one ER doctor to Rayanne Lehman upon seeing her chest X-Ray. That was 4 years ago. When Maida Mangiameli received her Small Cell Lung Cancer diagnosis she wanted to live to know her newborn grandchild and that child is now 6 years old. And for patient Montessa Lee, her Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) diagnosis 16 years ago has led her to a lifetime of advocacy work for lung cancer research, funding and education along with a commitment to being a voice for the voiceless. These lung cancer success stories are not only hopeful but through their journeys, these three patients and their caregivers have gathered a wealth of information and insight to share with others.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this series finale, we meet Maimah Karmo, President and CEO of the Tigerlily Foundation, and learn about her journey to end disparities for young breast cancer patients of color. If you like this series, be sure to subscribe, leave a rating a review, share on social media, and please tell your community to check it out.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we meet breast cancer advocates and users of #BCSM, Liza Bernstein, Anne Marie Mercurio, Christine Hodgdon, and Julia Maues. We find out how they got involved in #BCSM and how they utilized the hashtag to further their advocacy. If you like this series, be sure to subscribe, leave a rating, a review, share on social media, and please tell your community to check it outSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Breast Cancer Social Media (#BCSM) is an online community dedicated to empowering those affected by breast cancer. #BCSM began in 2011 as a conversation on Twitter and has grown into a world of support, guidance, and reliable information. In this episode, we meet breast cancer survivors and co-moderators of #BCSM, Alicia Staley and Jody Schoger. We also find out how Dr. Deanna Attai got involved in the online patient community.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The fight for equitable healthcare goes to Congress. Plus, we meet the next generation of breast cancer activists. Relevant Resources: Leslie’s Week METAvivor - Political advocacy work  Tigerlily Foundation - Political Advocacy WorkTigerlily Foundation - RAISESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Because of years of being delayed, dismissed, and denied, metastatic patients have had to become the experts in their own care. With the help of doctors and researchers, these patients are now changing the healthcare system from the inside out. Relevant Resources:Tigerlily Foundation - Barriers ToolkitStorm Riders Network - Christine’s Database for Clinical TrialsThe BECOME Project - Stephanie Walker’s Study Trials of Color - Sharon Riveria-Sanchez’s OrgMETAvivor - Research - Exciting MBC research made possible by METAvivor grantsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, only one type of patient has been represented in the breast cancer awareness movement. In this episode, we learn the consequences of this representation gap and meet patients who are flipping the script.Relevant Resources: METAvivor - Health Disparities in MBC Tigerlily Foundation - Barriers ToolkitTigerlily Foundation - My LifeShonte Drakeford - My Life, My Legacy  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following the 2023 Healthcare Burnout Symposium, returning champion Dr. Gabe Charbonneau (CEO at Medicine Forward) is joined live in the studio with Dr. Todd Otten (COO at Medicine Forward) for a frank and candid conversation about the state of the state as it pertains to their grassroots movement, "Fight Burnout." Primary care is at the epicenter of clinician burnout, and positive change is happening, yet where we are blind is that there is still quite a bit of stigma about burnout. Today's extraordinary human conversation delves deep into the critically understated issues of moral injury, including how Hippocrates-driven providers receive the support and care they need to live their lives while saving lives in the process. Learn more about the Fight Burnout movement at https://www.fightburnout.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Wayback Machine was in full force today when my buddy Darren Petronella dropped by the studio for an IRL nostalgia-driven, GenX-themed episode about aging gracefully and our modern-day "Get Off My Lawn" grievances about life, the universe, and everything. Darren and I first met while undergraduates at SUNY Binghamton, with a common thread being musical theater nerds. His claim to fame, says me, was his epic rendition of "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin, and who knew all these years later, we'd meet up in person, and it would be like we'd not missed a day in over 30 years. Oh yes, and healthcare shenanigans abound. Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The twins are back for another "very special episode" (no — not the one where Arnold gets molested on Diff'rent Strokes or Alex P. Keaton's friend dies) of Out of Patients to celebrate all the things and talk with their Daddy about what 2024 has in store for them. Like what? Well, their forthcoming 14th Birthdays, 8th Grade Graduation, and the start of their Freshman Year of High School! Plus, we talk gratitude, challenges, what it means to be a teenager in 2023, and a little Gen-X fatherhood pride when we talk about their favorite 1970s and 1980s hit songs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Knownst to me, but unknownst to others, long before the Award-Winning documentary "The Cancer Mavericks: A History of Survivorship" hit podcast feeds, a pilot episode was storyboarded and produced to test the waters with our newly minted production team, helmed by acclaimed executive producer, Steve Lickteig. If all went to plan, we would proceed with the heavy lifting needed to bring this 320-hour, 8-episode history series to life. Suffice it to say, it indeed went to plan.For this pilot episode, the chosen topic would center around a history of cancer throughout the last century's zeitgeist of mainstream film and television. The storyboarding around this pilot would ultimately lay the groundwork for what would become Episode 6 of the final series, titled "Caner Mavericks Goes To Hollywood."So, who better to join host and narrator Matthew Zachary for this exploit of pop culture-meets-healthcare narrative than his mother, Roz Greenweig? A 30-year veteran educator within the NYC public school system (Kindergarten and First Grade,) Roz is also an ardent, veteran, encyclopedic cinephile who holds a Master's Degree in Film History and Film Studies with a concentration in Film Noir.Together, Mother and Son wax poetic on the taboos, the trends, and the trajectory that the cancer narrative took over the past 100 years across scores of films and television series.Thanks to this pilot episode, the project was greenlit to bring to life the groundbreaking, award-winning, and "appointment-listening" documentary The Cancer Mavericks: A History of Survivorship.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, Matthew welcomes Dr. Aaron Neinstein, Chief Medical Officer at Notable, which is — jargon alert — a leading automation platform for patient engagement and staff workflows. What does that mean? Well, you'll find out from this underachieving Triple board-certified endocrinologist (yes, triple) who received his degree while on a Ski Lift in Montana. You can't make this stuff up. A spirited Diabetes-focused discussion ensues, tackling everything from patient trust, access to the latest and greatest gizmos and medications, and whether AI will indeed become Skynet and kill us all. Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Once again, the SUNY Binghamton alumni network bestows upon us an incredible guest more than worthy of the hot seat. Dr. Adam Harris is a self-proclaimed "reluctant medical practitioner" who accidentally found himself proficient in all the right classes only to realize, "Why not?" Now serving as Clinical Assistant Professor at the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Senior Director of Strategy and Operations at Oscar Health, he's become somewhat of a unicorn with perspectives from all sides of healthcare. Beyond all things SUNY Binghamton, they discuss how social media helped and ruined everything, patient empathy and trust, the role of today's physician in "Burnout land," and when and if insurance will ever get it right.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The best way to describe Dr. Aditi U Joshi would be a "Telehealth Whisperer" who comes to the party with a storied history as an emergency medicine physician and former advisor to such juggernauts as the American Medical Association and Weight Watchers. The author of "Telehealth Success: How to Thrive in the New Age of Remote Care," Dr. Joshi takes us on a historical tour of the tools that underlie successful telehealth programs and practices and how everyone can implement them, including a hot take on where telehealth sometimes goes wrong and where it more likely goes right for companies, health systems, providers, and the ultimate end user, the patient.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you get when you cross a professional wrestler, small business coffee company executive, nonprofit consultant, and rare cancer? Well, that would be the uniquely talented and inspiring unicorn that is Sean Wachter, who joined Matthew live in-studio for one hell of a conversation about how they're both somehow still alive. Well, that and much more, including a total 80s WWF throwback session to WrestleMania, a debate over Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and how Galaxy Quest got it right with "Never give up. Never surrender." Plus a healthy dose of nonprofit therapy and survivor guilt.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Spring of 2023, Matthew had the pleasure of speaking at an event hosted by Quest Analytics, a fabulous company whose mission has been to improve provider network management and help people across America receive the information and care they deserve. In today's episode, Quests's CEO, Steve Levin, joins Matthew to talk about what "access" really means and how the concept of "urban pre-planning" is getting reinvented at all cultural and socioeconomic levels to ensure those hypertargeted communities are provided with the tailored healthcare infrastructure they deserve.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Owen Muir is an Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families-trained psychiatrist and official Mentalizing Treatment Supervisor. He is the coauthor of Adolescent Suicide and Self Injury: Mentalizing Theory and Treatment, a dual board-certified physician, with ABPN certification in general and child and adolescent psychiatry and a practicing physician in New York. But beyond the LinkedIn profile, he's a badass "inside baseball" advocate railing against the insurance industry for it's nonsensical malfeasance in the way it treats patients. His infamous newsletter, the "Frontier Psyciatrist's Substack" is appointment reading by anyone wishing to take an active role in fixing America's broken healthcare system.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Melissa Berry, aka The Cancer Fashionista, is a Stage 1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She is now the founder of Cancer Fashionista (a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle platform for the breast cancer community), the host of the "Dear Cancer, I'm Beautiful" podcast, and the board chair for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation. Today, she's a trusted leader, outspoken advocate, and notable influencer recognized for her outstanding support of women.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Matthew welcomes one of his nearest and dearest friends, Geralyn Lucas, whom he met in the earliest days of the nascent adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer movement circa 2004. Geralyn, a storied American journalist and television producer, had only recently survived breast cancer and released the infamously notorious book, "Why I Wore Lipstick To My Mastectomy," which was adapted shortly after into a Lifetime television show soon after. As one of the first published authors who unapologetically interjected humor and snark into her story, Geralyn solidified herself as an authentic origin story influencer of AYA culture and paved the way for others to usher un a new era of patient empowerment and cancer survivorship.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2021, OffScrip Health produced The Cancer Mavericks: A History of Survivorship, an award-winning 8-part limited documentary series about the people and not the disease.So, if you're a narrative history podcast junkie, listen to Episode One of The Cancer Mavericks right here on the Out of Patients feed today. Learn how the Black Panthers became breast cancer advocates and how a $250,000 full-page ad in the NY Times shamed President Nixon into giving a damn about cancer. And how 50 years of social justice movements have brought us into today's conversations about healthcare, income inequality, and race relations.Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cancer-mavericks-a-history-of-survivorship/id1566467305Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1Viodbe0rNxET08IyCiDmqAJGnPHsqDDO4xBsrc0cJSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are hijacking today's episode of Out of Patients to bring you the pilot episode of "Cancer Coaster," a fresh new series from OffScrip Health focused on the many ups and downs of the emotional journey cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers face. For this particular pilot, we're focusing specifically on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia with our partner, The CLL Society, and their CEO — and special guest — Carly Boos. The average CLL patient has extreme highs and lows during their disease, from the lows of diagnosis, relapse, and the unknowns of watchful waiting to the highs of long-term stability and MRD negativity. See what Carly and OffScrip Health have in store for this groundbreaking series that will interview patients and their caregivers to talk about their emotions during their CLL journey, focusing on their feelings and where they went for support and resources.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The SUNY Binghamton alumni network is rife with incredible humans who are changing the world one day at a time. On the show today, I'm proud to welcome Tom Heymann, President and CEO at Sepsis Alliance, the nation's leading infection prevention and Sepsis education and advocacy organization.While there may be obvious parallels between oncology and Sepsis (e.g., misdiagnosis, access to care, patient advocacy), the similarities end quite abruptly, as you'll hear on today's show. My only experience with Sepsis was when Tony Soprano got shot during Season Six, Episode Two of The Sopranos, "Join The Club."While I am grateful not to have dealt with a Sepsis diagnosis personally or in my family, Tom brought a Plus One in the form of Sepsis-survivor Bennett Kleinberg, who regains his comedy of terrors and how Sepsis Alliance became the support community he never knew he needed.Please enjoy a very serious show with a surprising sense of humor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes LinkedIn DMs come in handy, as this is the case with Dr. Paul Toomey. A cold outreach became a spot on the show when this Board-certified surgical oncologist — and biomedical engineer by trade — began to share his remarkable story with me. Paul is the CEO of Ring of Hires, which claims to hold the mantle of "The Zillow of Healthcare." Paul's hill to die on is helping rural private practices with their staffing challenges to ensure office culture meets the needs of their patients. He's got a compelling and highly relevant narrative to share, so stick around and enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Prepare the Wayback Machine for today's chat with Leah Shearer, who, for all intents and purposes, was one of the first ten volunteers from 2007 who contributed to the birth of Stupid Cancer and the greater young adult cancer movement.The "girl so nice she got cancer twice" Leah—a native of Rochester, NY— found out about my efforts when I guest starred as myself on a TV show called "Side Order of Life" for a scene I wrote based on a real-life young adult cancer meetup. (Back then, we called them "Stupid Cancer Happy Hours.") So, she emailed me, and the rest was history.I hadn't seen her in years, but we've reunited right here in-studio for a nostalgic trip down memory lane about how the sausage was made and what it took to build a global movement from scratch before the Internet, life with dumb phones. At an irreplicable moment in time, everyone dropped their egos and their missions to unite around one cause: Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer deserved better. And we won.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erica Hawthorne identifies as a "People-Focused Marketer," has won several industry awards in digital media strategy as a badass "Black Wellness Marketer." I recently heard her speak at a Pharma conference, and she blew the doors of the place, stunning the audience with her no-BS perspective and forthright honesty. She basically tore a hole in space/time, and I had to get her on the program. She joins me in-studio to share her remarkable story, her take on how to "fix" the parts we can, why Pharma Marketing is horrible, and what the "Ultimate Rubix cube" of patient-centricity could be. Even better, Erica is an archetype GenXer, so we throw down the gauntlet on nostalgia, the nineties (which sucked), the eighties (which were awesome), and all the shenanigans you would expect from this show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kicking off Season 8 of Out of Patients, in today's special "Back To School" episode, I'm joined live in-studio once again by my fabulous twins, Koby and Hannah. "Kids say the darndest things" ain't got nothing on this amazing conversation about how we spent our summer vacation, what it means to turn 13, and the looming accelerant that is 8th Grade (and soon High School right around the corner). Enjoy every moment.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's episode is made possible in part by The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN), the nation's leading cancer advocacy organization working daily to make cancer issues a national priority. Today I am joined live in-studio by Pam Traxel (ACSCAN Senior Vice President for Alliance Development and Philanthropy), Kate Weisman, a young adult cervical cancer survivor, and Ian Locke, a Ph.D. student in molecular cancer biology at Duke University. Kate is a state lead ambassador for ACSCAN Massachusetts, and Ian is a congressional district member for ACSCAN North Carolina. Together with Pam, we talk about channeling anger into action, what lobbying the federal government looks like, and how getting legislation passed across the aisle can help millions of Americans at a clip.What's more, we invite you — the listener — to join the thousands of cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and advocates fighting on Capitol Hill daily to make healthcare suck less for Americans. Why complain when you can do something tangible right now? How would you like to help reduce drug costs, improve access to care, and motivate the FDA to approve new life-saving treatments?Visit https://fightcancer.org and see how you can actively influence the government to do the right thing and help cancer patients nationwide.That's https://www.fightcancer.org/podNow go and be a badass cancer advocate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I sat down with this certified health educator named Julia who, after a storied career in that discipline, found herself in the patient's chair instead. So, she shared her both sides of the coin perspective on what it’s like to be an educator and then a patient and then the importance—the absolute utter importance—of self-advocacy as a person living with cancer. We talk about barriers to treatment all the time on this show and that means different things to different people.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest for this episode is Dr. Tania Small, a returning champion to Out of Patients. She is a pediatric oncologist by trade who crossed over to drug development so she could scale the medicines that could help more children than she ever could in practice. We had a great conversation about the past, the present, the future of oncology, and the impact this year’s conference will have on millions of patients worldwide.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Sudhir Gadh is a board-certified psychiatrist and Commander in the US Navy Reserve. He is also Medical Director for the Center for Recovery and Wellness, with a core focus on low-dose Lithium, as a comprehensive approach for patients to improve brain function. Joining Matthew live in-studio, they talk about our nation is failing to address the mental health crisis, empathy in medicine, physician burnout, ongoing stigma, and, most interestingly, the history of 7-Up. You heard that right. In his words, “Psychiatry is about understanding and adjusting your life story towards progress.” Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's quirky show, I welcome Jen Palumbo, an epic human Energizer Bunny who takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Jen is a freelance writer, Forbes contributor, and women's health advocate, specifically for reproductive rights. In a spirited coincidence, it turns out we both went to the same college at the same time, were both Theater people, and have dozens of friends in common. We are ships in the night for sure. As fellow parents of IVF children, we bonded over the current state of the state. And as fellow Binghamton graduates, we bonded over Wegmans, being Theater nerds, and 1990s dorm life in the southern tier. Jen is a true Long Island: loud and proud. Let the hilarity, dark humor, and GenX Therapy begin. Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mental health is an umbrella term that spans a spectrum of severity. But when it comes to treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, it's a whole other ball game. A former healthcare communications executive, Jon Nelson is a living, breathing example of hope and progress in the mental health ecosystem. Joining Jon is Dr. Helen Mayberg, a neurologist, and psychiatrist at the Nash Family Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics. Learn how the latest advances in Deep brain stimulation (DBS) practically cure suicidal patients like Jon, but not without a considerable asterisk around access, approval loopholes, coverage, emerging skepticism, and, of course, massive stigma.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gabe Charbonneau is a rural health Family Physician, Co-Founder of Medicine Forward, and progenitor of the viral #FightBurnout movement sweeping the country. Among the many critical issues discussed, Gabe highlights the decline in quality care against the backdrop of unrealistic demands of payers and health systems, the everyday mental health decay facing HCPs, and the relentless chokehold healthcare has on the entire medical profession. Are you angry yet? Gabe believes it's time to reclaim the soul of medicine in America. Learn more about Gabe and his social justice efforts at FightBurnout.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I was privileged to welcome Dr. Danielle Carnival, White House Cancer Moonshot Coordinator, to the studio. We talked about the President's priorities, principal directives, and legislative strategies, as well as what Americans can look forward to in the coming months and years through this ambitious and transformational National initiative. Carnival, who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience, served as chief of staff and senior policy director for the 2016-2017 White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force. Subsequently, she served as vice president of the Biden Cancer Initiative. She's also a friend of Wegman's. So there's that, too. To learn more about the Whitehouse Cancer Moonshot initiative, visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/cancermoonshot. Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's episode is a case study in the showcasing of genuine humanity. So we're going to rural Alabama to talk with a gentleman named Kermit Farmer, a genuine renaissance man of many disciplines. Kermit lost his wife Linda, an oncologist, to cancer after 19 years of marriage. He is doing extraordinary work in her name, her honor, and her spirit by supporting his local community through mission-driven community engagement. In his own words, "There is no elevator to healing. We all have to take the stairs."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world of investing, investor culture, startup culture, Series-B rounds, and cap tables are foreign concepts to many people, especially me. And to further reinforce my "fish out of water" status in this particular sector of the life sciences industry, I doubled down by welcoming Deanna Dammers to join me live in-studio at OffScrip Health HQ, whom I have christened "The VC Whisperer." Deanna possesses a rare breed of communications skills in the investor relations world, in addition to growing her portfolio as VP of Investor Relations for Kiffik Biomedical, an innovative new digital health platform transforming remote patient monitoring. She is also an avid animal lover and smart as a whip. Hear if you can spot her nervousness, as this was her first podcast interview. Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's modern-day pharmacist faces very different challenges, especially given America's rural health crisis. Everything from access and resourcing to burnout and pricing, patients are more dependent than ever on the relationship with their local pharmacist. Joining Matthew on today's episode is Eddilisa Martin, PharmD, owner & CEO, and Clara Health/M&B Sciences. She is the first in her family to graduate from college and the first African-American to receive a PharmD from the University of Oklahoma's College of Pharmacy. Having spent over 25 years in the life science industry, including 20 years as a national clinical executive for the life science sector, Eddilisa shares her extraordinary story and unique perspectives on navigating the nonsense of pharmacy benefits and COA assistance and preauthorizations and syllables that drive us crazy. Enjoy the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I am privileged to have lived an unordinary life. No one asks to get sick, yet here we are, drafted into a life born of our condition, fueled by the right amount of rage and disappointment, and motivated to do our best to plug the holes in the dam that we can.From fixing Macs in the 1990s at Omnicom, giving piano concerts for the American Cancer Society, sitting on the Advisory Board of Google Health, volunteering for the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, kicking off Health2.0, and moonlighting with Stand Up To Cancer, to founding Stupid Cancer, hosting The Stupid Cancer Show, producing the OMG! Cancer Summit and CancerCon, and reinventing myself with #OutOfPatients and OffScrip Health, it's been a very "Forrest Gump-ish" ride.Hearing "Write a book!" was a near-weekly suggestion throughout those years, yet I never felt it was the right time. The shelves in my office at Stupid Cancer featured hundreds of books, wall-to-wall. Human lives put to paper, some of whom are no longer with us.Well, now it's time – and it's official.For the past year, I've been in a stealth mode partnership with award-winning collaborative writer Debra Ollivier to create an extraordinary—and wholly original—book proposal. Together, with representation by literary agent Amanda Annis, at Trident Media Group, I am ecstatic to announce that "Permission To Be Pissed: A Practical Field Guide To American Healthcare" sold to Mayo Clinic Press.Note: This is not a memoir.Like "The Cancer Mavericks: A History of Survivorship," my book will tell the story of American Healthcare as it pertains to history, activism, progress, and how ordinary citizens can change the world one act at a time. Stories of those upon whose shoulders I stand, as well as today's advocates working on behalf of one patient or one million.A comedy book at its core, coupled with some "Dummies" ethos, and brainless explainers, I envision a world where it lives in the back pocket of every American who has been screwed by healthcare or is hoping not to get screwed in advance.It is time to stop depending on the industry to bend toward justice. It is time for all Americans to know all of the secret tips, tricks, and hacks hiding in plain sight and for the unsilent minority of patient advocates to have our voices and our stories heard by Millions of Americans.Stay tuned.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vanessa M. Rissetto, MS, RD, CDN, goes toe-to-toe with Matthew Zachary in a quick-witted battle of wry sarcasm, dark comedy, and GenX nostalgia in this throwback episode about life before the Internet when food, in general, was less horrible and how a BA in History transformed her into a Certified Dietitian Nutritionist. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Culina Health. she and her team offer personalized virtual nutrition care from experts you can trust – and it's covered by insurance, no less. They're reinventing what it means to work with a nutritionist without guilt, shame, or gimmicks. Learn more at https://culinahealth.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

[FANBOY ALERT] For most healthcare geeks, Andy Slavitt may be best known as the Former Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). For millions more, he is the podcast hero we didn't know we needed and the one we so clearly deserved as the host of Lemonada Media's award-winning podcast, "In The Bubble with Andy Slavitt."Launched just before the world went to shit in early 2020, In The Bubble became a literal voice of reason while we were sanitizing our Amazon boxes and fighting for toilet paper at Costco as if they were Cabbage Patch Kids in the 1980s. A weekly vocal elixir of sorts, Andy and his storied dry wit blended healthcare policy, layman's breakdowns, and human vulnerability with a healthy splash of entertainment thanks to such early guests as Tina Fey, Al Franken, and Matthew McConaughey. Each episode brought — and still brings —a little structure and sanity to an otherwise chaotic world. Today, Andy is currently USofCare Co-Founder and Board Chair Emeritus and still fighting the system for the benefit of all Americans to get less screwed by our broken healthcare system,.In the Bubble has been on my Mount Rushmore of podcasts since day one. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Sejal Vyas is a Pediatric and Adult Neuropsychologist with 25 years of experience who performs neuropsychological evaluations, legal/forensic assessments, learning consultations, and cognitive remediation. Her areas of expertise include neurodevelopmental syndromes (such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other genetic conditions), neurologic syndromes (such as concussions, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy), as well as other neuropsychiatric conditions (such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder). She has an established track record working with children, adolescents, and young adults and is set to partner with New York State on some groundbreaking research and programming later this year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For today's special 300th episode, Matthew talks among himself, reflecting with gratitude on how it all started and how it's still a thing. No guests; just Matthew and his thoughts. (Which, while usually an alchemical recipe for disaster, turns out pretty good this time around. Thank you to everyone who has helped bring this show into existence and believes in its mission, purpose, and impact.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Matthew fanboys out a bit, visiting Central Park SOLE for an interview with Board Certified Foot Surgeon and the star of the hit TLC show, "My Feet Are Killing Me." Dr. Brad Schaeffer.Spoiler: There's a lot of talk about feet. Before Brad became a famous TV star, he began life raised in rural America and has been very open about his struggle with his sexual identity within a traditional and religious community. He found his true self and, only recently, bravely and publicly chose to come out to America about who he is.In pursuing a career in podiatry, he trained at a Comprehensive Foot & Ankle Reconstructive Surgical Residency Program at Hoboken University Medical Center and crafted his skillset in cutting-edge surgical techniques and regenerative medicine.There is so much to love about this man, what he stands for, and why—after listening to this episode—you should watch TLC's My Feet Are Killing Me and see for yourself. Brad practices Hippocrates daily and embodies the spirit and practice of what it means to truly care for the patient first.He's also pretty awesome. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mental health is an umbrella term that spans a spectrum of severity. But when it comes to treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, it's a whole other ball game. A former healthcare communications executive, Jon Nelson is a living, breathing example of hope and progress in the mental health ecosystem. Joining Jon is Dr. Helen Mayberg, a neurologist, and psychiatrist at the Nash Family Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics. Learn how the latest advances in Deep brain stimulation (DBS) practically cure suicidal patients like Jon, but not without a considerable asterisk around access, approval loopholes, coverage, emerging skepticism, and, of course, massive stigma.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One might not inherently presume to put the words "Verizon" and "Healthcare" in sequential order, but that is precisely what Gary Lynch is here to talk about. The former 80s compute nerd, and professional strongman competitor is the Global Practice Lead for Verizon's Healthcare and Life Sciences Vertical. Proving that the communications giant is more than just cell phones, we talk about how the future of telehealth and rural health depends more on telecommunications infrastructure than we ever perceived. You'll also hear how Verizon implements health literacy and education initiatives nationwide with the most unlikely retail partners. That, and a healthy dose of 80s references.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This ad-free episode of Out of Patients is made possible by the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for community oncology practices and, most importantly, the patients they serve. COA is the only organization dedicated solely to community oncology, where most Americans with cancer receive treatment. Learn more at https://timetoscreen.org.In today's episode, Matthew is joined by Debra Patt, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, a practicing oncologist and breast cancer specialist in Austin, Texas, and an executive vice president of Texas Oncology with responsibilities in healthcare policy and strategic initiatives. She is an active leader in breast cancer and research in healthcare informatics.Their conversation ranges from cancer screenings, medical burnout, and COVID's impact on society to physician self-care, rural health challenges, and the mandatory dosage of 80s pop culture references.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when the agency veteran has healthcare land in her lap? How might a decades-long marketing and healthcare communications background inform perspective, self-advocacy, decision-making, and the digestion of medical and support-related communications? Well, the answer may surprise you. KayAnn Schoeneman is the President of Curley Company and a young adult survivor of colon cancer. Her advocacy focuses heavily on prevention, testing, and screenings before recommended age. Her agency's client work evocates her belief in giving back while digging deep into purpose-driven social justice causes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the doctor says, "go home," that isn't the end of the story, especially when you're navigating your adolescence and young adulthood against the grain when all of your cohorts go off to live their lives. Emily Parks is the founder of POP!, a growing community of patients living with rare and/or chronic illnesses who also identify as living with Medical PTSD. She is a fiercely vocal rare disease advocate and a chronically ill young adult making waves with her highly vocal activism. Today, Emily is the Massachusetts Pilot Director for the Health Advocacy Summit and the secretary of MedStar Georgetown Hospital's Patient & Family Advisory Council for Quality and Safety. For more about POP! visit https://popmedicalptsd.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Among the many cool things I love about my job interviewing amazing people is when I interview amazing people who also went to my alma mater, Binghamton University. Or what, as alumni of the 80s and 90s, will always refer to as SUNY Binghamton. (Sorry, not sorry.)Amy Gittelman fits both bills and happily took the hot seat to discuss why Pharma marketing sucks. what "digital media" meant back when AOL floppy disks were filling up our landfills, and, to get real for a moment, what it's like when your sister is diagnosed with Stage 2B Ovarian Cancer.Caregiving is an art form, and, in many cases, it can make all the difference in the quality of life experienced by a cancer patient. All the more reason for driving her purpose and passion while leading the first virtual patient acquisition platform leveraging the telehealth and virtual care industry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica Spangler, aka eCommJess, is a clinical pharmacist and first responder by day and a human cheat sheet for managing finances in her spare time. Health literacy is financial literacy, and even after working grueling hours in the ER and managing burnout, Jess takes to TikTok to proffer tips, tricks, shortcuts, loopholes, and sometimes basic civics to her millions of followers. Did you know you have negotiating power over your bill if your hospital is a nonprofit? Did you know that your credit score can be affected by financial toxicity? Probably not. eCommJess is the expert you never knew you needed to untangle yourself when healthcare (or anything else) comes to mess up your life. For more about Jess, visit her website and follow her on TikTok, where she does a great job talking to herself. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.