Curie: Healthcare in Focus

Curie: Healthcare in Focus

by Curie

Medicine News Commentary

Season 1

The Great American Healthcare Heist with Chris Deacon

What if America’s $4.9 trillion healthcare system isn’t broken, but stolen? In this episode, attorney-turned-benefits leader Chris Deacon joins Curie to expose what she calls “The Great American Healthcare Heist.” Drawing on her experience overseeing benefits for hundreds of thousands of New Jersey employees, Deacon unpacks how middlemen, opaque contracts, and administrative bloat siphon dollars away from clinicians and patients alike. From jaw-dropping examples of employers paying millions while providers see only a fraction, to the hidden trade in claims data that shapes care and costs behind the scenes, this conversation pulls back the curtain on a system designed to extract. We explore why transparency is so fiercely resisted, what fiduciary responsibility should look like in employer plans, and why clinicians must understand the financial mechanics of coverage if they want to truly advocate for their patients. Part exposé, part call to action, this episode challenges listeners to see healthcare not just as medicine—but as money, power, and policy in motion.

From Bedside to Boardroom - Krista Bragg on Bridging Clinician and Executive Perspectives

In this episode of Curie, Andrew sits down with Krista Bragg, a healthcare leader whose career has spanned the ICU, the C-suite, health insurance, consulting, and now advising startups. Krista shares what she’s learned moving from bedside nursing to executive leadership, and why too few hospital leaders have clinical backgrounds. She reflects on safety culture, the importance of empowering clinicians’ voices, and the tension between fee-for-service and value-based care. The conversation also dives into her work with startups building solutions from AI-enabled nursing workflows to EHRs in Africa, and her new book The Startup Guide to US Healthcare. Packed with stories and practical takeaways, this episode is about bridging the gap between leadership and clinicians, aligning incentives with patient outcomes, and reimagining how healthcare can work better for everyone.

AI Scribes – The Hidden Cost of Progress

AI scribes promise to free physicians from endless documentation, but who really pays the price? In this episode, Andrew examines the double-edged nature of tools from companies like Abridge and Ambience. On one hand, they capture more accurate notes and give doctors back precious face-to-face time. On the other, they can drive higher bills, adding yet another layer of cost in an already strained healthcare system. Through candid physician voices, we explore the ethical trade-offs: better charts versus bigger charges, efficiency versus equity, and whether patients would ever accept higher costs for more attention in the exam room. At the heart of it all is a simple question: are AI scribes making medicine better—or just more expensive?

Dr. Nasser Hanna - A Life in Medicine, Mentorship, and Advocacy

What does it take to turn personal hardship into lifelong advocacy? In this conversation, Dr. Nasser Hanna—thoracic oncologist, researcher, teacher, and founder of End Lung Cancer Now—shares the remarkable journey behind his new memoir My Patch. From his family’s immigrant roots in Egypt and Sudan, to formative mentors who pushed him to think bigger, to the failures that taught him resilience, Dr. Hanna reflects on the values that shaped his career and the cause that defines it today: ending the stigma and suffering of lung cancer. We explore his philosophy on education, failure, advocacy, and why no patient deserves blame for their disease. A candid, deeply human look at the intersections of medicine, compassion, and public health.

The Cost of Compassion - A Surgeon’s Mental Health Journey

In this deeply candid episode of Curie, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Adam Rosen—author of O.R. Confidential: Confessions of a Gen X Surgeon—opens up about the hidden side of surgical life. With over 20 years in the OR and hundreds of joint replacements under his belt, Dr. Rosen reflects on burnout, mental health stigma in medicine, and the generational pressures that shape physician careers. He shares his own breaking point, the challenges of seeking help, and how that journey has transformed not only his life but also how he connects with patients. We also explore broader systemic issues—administrative overload, policy failures, and how culture in medicine can evolve to better support physicians. Honest, unfiltered, and ultimately hopeful, this episode offers lessons for clinicians navigating the realities of modern healthcare.

From TikTok to Treatment: Dr. Erin Nance’s Fight for Better Healthcare

On her very first day as a surgical resident, Dr. Erin Nance got the call that would change her life: her brother had been in a diving accident and was now a quadriplegic. That experience - being both a physician and a family member on the other side of the curtain - shaped her career and fueled her passion for patient advocacy. In this episode, Dr. Nance shares the story behind her bestselling memoir Little Miss Diagnosed, explains her “Seven Stages of Misdiagnosis” framework, and talks about why diagnosis is power. We also dive into her new digital health platform, FeelBetr, which connects credible medical experts with patients who need answers, and her work as host of The Medical Detectives podcast. Follow Dr. Nance on TikTok: @littlemissdiagnosed

Breaking Down the Silos - Jacob Kendall on 4D Health and Smarter Patients

What happens when you’ve lived healthcare from both sides of the bedrail? In this episode, Andrew sits down with Jacob Kendall—patient, caregiver, and founder of The Smart Patient—to explore the complex, multi-dimensional realities of American healthcare. Drawing from his own journey through two open heart surgeries and years as a full-time caregiver, Jacob shares candid stories of navigating the healthcare system’s fragmented handoffs and hard choices. Together, they unpack Jacob’s “4D Health” framework, a call for clinicians and patients alike to move beyond siloed, one-size-fits-all medicine and embrace a holistic, interdisciplinary approach. The conversation ranges from the power (and pitfalls) of social media health advice to the challenges of generational change, and offers practical tips for clinicians trying to practice whole-person care—even in a world of 15-minute appointments. Whether you’re a clinician, a caregiver, or a patient, this is an episode about the simple, actionable things anyone can do to make healthcare more human.

The 15% Markup - How Hospital Acquisitions Drive Up Healthcare Prices

Hospitals are quietly buying up physician practices—and healthcare prices are soaring as a result. In this episode, Andrew unpacks the “15% markup” that hits patients when independent doctors are absorbed by hospital systems. You’ll learn why costs rise without improvements in care, how regulatory loopholes keep this trend flying under the radar, and what this consolidation means for physician autonomy and patient choice. With real data and stories from the front lines, discover how the corporatization of medicine is changing what it means to be a doctor—and a patient—in America.

Why Health Insurance is Broken - A Conversation with Neal Shah

Why is America’s health insurance system so dysfunctional—and what can be done about it? Andrew sits down with Neal Shah, author of Insured to Death, to break down the true scale of insurance denials, administrative waste, and the human toll of a broken system. They dive into real-world strategies for fighting back (including free AI tools like Counterforce Health), the growing role of technology and innovation, and bold ideas for meaningful reform. Plus, Neal shares how his eldercare platform, CareYaya, is connecting healthcare students with families in need—offering hope for a more humane, affordable, and efficient future in healthcare. Resources mentioned: Counterforce Health – free AI tools to fight health insurance denials CareYaya – affordable, student-powered eldercare

Clinicians on the Uncertain Art of Everyday Practice

Medicine isn’t always about finding answers—it’s often about navigating the endless gray zones between evidence, patient beliefs, and the realities of daily life. In this episode of Curie, Andrew explores the art of practicing medicine when guidelines meet real-world complexity. From negotiating alternative therapies to facing non-adherence and confronting the limits of influence, this episode draws on real clinician stories to highlight the challenges, frustrations, and moments of humility that define the clinical experience. It’s a conversation for every HCP who’s ever stayed up at night replaying the “unsolvable” cases—and a reminder that progress is sometimes just showing up, visit after visit, and never losing sight of the human side of medicine.

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