SoundPractice

American Association for Physician Leadership® · soundpractice.com

SoundPractice, hosted by the American Association for Physician Leadership®, delivers practical information and fresh perspectives for physician leaders and those running healthcare systems. Physician advocates Michael Sacopulos, JD (healthcare attorney, author, speaker) and Cheryl Toth, MBA (business writer, speaker - former practice consultant and healthcare tech executive) bring you the best thought leaders, crisp humor, and pithy tips to help your healthcare organization thrive.

208 episodes

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Episodes 208

Rethinking Reform: Ken Terry on Primary Care, Cost, and the Future of U.S. Healthcare
11d ago · 28:28
In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos talks with veteran healthcare journalist Ken Terry about his new book, Beyond Medicare for All: Cracking the Code of the Healthcare Affordability Crisis, published by the American Association for Physician Leadership. Terry, a former senior editor at Medical Economics has written for publications including Medscape Medical News, WebMD, cio.com, InformationWeek, and Fierce Healthcare. He is the author of two previous books on healthcare reform, Rx for Health Care Reform (Vanderbilt University Press, 2007) and Physician-Led Healthcare Reform:
Leading with Clarity: Self-Awareness, Civil Discourse, and the Future of Healthcare Culture with Dr. Jessica Bunin
25d ago · 34:47
What if healthcare’s greatest barrier is not funding, technology, or policy, but leaders’ lack of self-awareness? In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos talks with Jess Bunin, MD, MHPE, FACP, FCCM, CEC, a psychiatrist, author, and co-founder of All Levels Leadership, a consulting firm designed to revolutionize healthcare leadership training. Dr. Bunin brings a perspective forged at West Point and through a military career that included deployment to Iraq, leadership as an ICU director and chief of critical care, and service as dean of community at the Uniformed Services Universi
A Physician, a Rare Disease, and the Art of Being Present with Dr. Lyndsay Hoy
1mo ago · 39:32
Lyndsay Hoy, MD, was just beginning her first week of anesthesia residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania when she was received a life-altering diagnosis: lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare and progressive lung disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age. Diagnosed within 36 hours of experiencing symptoms, Hoy embarked on a journey defined by the dual roles of clinician and patient — a dynamic that profoundly influenced every aspect of her life. From her marriage to fellow physician Vincent Hoy, to her decision to pursue IVF and embryo preservation, to h
Healing from the Inside Out: How Medicine Must Learn to Share Its Power with Dr. Rana Awdish
1mo ago · 26:27
What happens when a physician becomes a patient — and discovers that medicine can heal the body but leave the person behind? In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with Rana Awdish, MD, medical director of care experience at Henry Ford Health and bestselling author of In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope. Awdish's path to physician leadership is unlike most. As a pulmonary and critical care fellow at Henry Ford, she nearly died — and that experience cracked open a new understanding of what physicians actually need to do their job
Between Heartbeats and Algorithms: Reclaiming What Matters in Healthcare with Dr. Devjit Roy
2mo ago · 30:02
What happens when the art of medicine collides with the rise of clinical algorithms, electronic health records, and artificial intelligence? In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos speaks with Devjit Roy, MD, MAS, MSPC, CPE, from Nathan Littauer Hospital in rural New York — about his book, Between Heartbeats and Algorithms: Reclaiming What Matters in Healthcare. Roy explains how the book grew from journals he kept while working on the front lines of a COVID surge hospital, where he recorded patient stories as a way of processing the trauma. Years later, those stories became the f
The Circle of Money: What Physicians Need to Know About Health Plan Contracting with Dr. Jacob Asher
2mo ago · 40:50
Few physicians ever experience healthcare from the perspective of a health plan, but Jacob Asher, MD, is an exception. A former ENT surgeon with Kaiser Permanente, Asher shifted gears in 2008 to pursue a career in commercial health plan management. Over the next 14 years, he served as California Commercial Market Medical Director for Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare. Today, he shares his expertise by mentoring students in Stanford University's Master’s Program in Medical Informatics. In this conversation with host Michael Sacopulos, Asher pulls back the curtain on commercial insu
Ethics at the Edge: Bioethics, AI, and the Courage to Lead with Arthur Caplan, PhD
3mo ago · 43:32
What does it take to build a culture of ethics inside a health system — and what happens when leaders lack the courage to defend it? In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with Arthur Caplan, PhD, one of the world's foremost bioethicists and the founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine's Department of Population Health. Dr. Caplan traces his path into bioethics from a childhood hospitalization for polio to graduate training at Columbia, where he witnessed firsthand the ethical gaps in medicine's early encounters with IVF, infor
Where Will Doctors Train? Residency Applications, Abortion Restrictions, and the Coming Workforce Crisis with Dr. Anisha Ganguly & Dr. Anna Morenz
3mo ago · 30:15
In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos speaks with two physician-researchers whose landmark study is sounding an early warning about the long-term consequences of state abortion restrictions on the U.S. physician workforce. Anisha Ganguly, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Anna Morenz, MD, MPH, assistant clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Arizona, discuss their study published in JAMA Network Open in March 2026. Their study analyzed nearly 24.2 million residency applications submitted to mor
From Battlefield to Bedside: Physician Leadership Lessons from Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling
4mo ago · 39:14
What does commanding troops in combat have to do with leading a hospital? More than you might think. In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, U.S. Army (Ret) — former commander of U.S. Army Forces in Europe, CNN military analyst — to explore the surprising parallels between military and medical leadership. Soldiers and physicians share more in common than most realize. Both are defined by their profession first, and both operate in life-and-death environments where leadership is not optional. Hertling shares how he came to spend nearly a deca
How Physician Leaders Can Rediscover Their Human Spirit with MaryCay Durrant
4mo ago · 34:30
What does it mean to truly flourish at work — and why are physician leaders especially vulnerable to losing that? In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with MaryCay Durrant, a nationally recognized expert on human fulfillment whose 30-year career has taken her inside transformation efforts at Deloitte, Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson, Hyatt, and — increasingly — the world of healthcare and physician leadership. MaryCay brings a perspective that is part organizational science, part nature wisdom, and entirely focused on helping leaders rediscover what fuels them. Her approach
Driving Value-Based Care by Putting Patients First with Dr. Pamela Sullivan
5mo ago · 25:08
Pamela Sullivan, MD, MBA, CPE, is the author of the new book, Career Prescription Guide: A Physician's Guide for Career Transformation or Advancement. She is a national medical director, High-Risk Programs at P3 Health Partners and founder of National Healthcare Solutions LLC. Dr. Pamela Sullivan brings a career as varied as it is distinguished — from physical therapist to emergency medicine physician, urgent care pioneer, and now national leader in value-based care. In this episode, Dr. Sullivan shares her unconventional path through medicine, her hard-won perspective on patient-centered lead
Why Healthcare Leadership Is So Hard — And What to Do About It
5mo ago · 29:08
Join host Mike Sacopulos for a compelling conversation with Michael S. Hein, MD, MS, MHCM, PCC, senior vice president and executive coach, MEDI Leadership, about his new book, Shifting Towards Unorthodoxy. Drawing on nearly four decades in healthcare — from competitive swimming coach to general internist, CMO, CEO, and now executive leadership coach — Hein tackles a question that haunted him throughout his career: Why is healthcare leadership so difficult? In this episode, he introduces the crucial distinction between complicated and complex systems, explores how industrial-age mindsets contri
The Hidden Costs of Generative AI: What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know
5mo ago · 30:00
Join host Mike Sacopulos for an eye-opening conversation with Hugo Huang about the financial realities of adopting generative AI in healthcare organizations. Drawing from his Harvard Business Review article "What CEOs Need to Know About the Costs of Adopting Gen AI," Hugo explains why many companies are pulling back from AI implementation due to unexpected cost pressures — and what leaders can do to avoid these pitfalls. From understanding the difference between predictive and generative AI to navigating infrastructure bottlenecks and the emerging "diamond-shaped" organizational structure, thi
The ER as America's Mirror: 37 Years on the Front Lines with Dr. Louis Profeta
6mo ago · 30:25
In this deeply moving episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with Louis M. Profeta, MD, a clinical instructor of emergency medicine at Indiana University and Marian University Schools of Medicine, bestselling author, and speaker. Profeta shares his unconventional path to medicine — from a catastrophic neck injury that ended his Olympic dreams to choosing his college based on a basketball game. He candidly admits he initially pursued medicine for financial security, but along the way discovered a profound calling in emergency medicine, which he describes as "the most spiritual
Finding Purpose: Dr. Jordan Grumet on Burnout, Meaning, and the Deathbed Test
6mo ago · 33:41
Mike Sacopulos speaks with Jordan Grumet, MD, associate medical director of Unity Hospice, podcaster, and author of The Purpose Code. Grumet shares his deeply personal journey from burning out as an internal medicine physician to finding fulfillment in hospice care, and explains how his work with dying patients has revealed profound lessons about living with purpose. Most people get purpose wrong, Grumet argues. Rather than being your "why" in life — some grand, audacious mission — purpose is simply the actions you take in the present and future that light you up. This reframe makes purpose ab
AAPL Helix: Transforming Physician Leadership Development Through Innovative Technology
7mo ago · 31:11
In this enlightening episode, Mike Sacopulos sits down with three visionary leaders from the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL) — Peter Angood, MD, president and CEO, Joe LiVigni, senior vice president of education, and Devin Glasgo, director of consumer experience and development — to discuss the groundbreaking launch of AAPL Helix. AAPL Helix is a comprehensive learning ecosystem designed to redefine how physician leaders develop their skills throughout their careers. From AI-powered personalized learning to seamless community integration, this platform is more than just a
Unlocking Leadership Potential: The Power of Executive Coaching with Vivek Iyer
7mo ago · 24:34
In this insightful episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with Vivek Iyer, an internationally recognized executive coach and principal of Swanvesha Executive Coaching. The Significance of Swanvesha: Derived from Sanskrit, "Swanvesha" means "self-enquiry," embodying the fundamental principle of coaching — that true, lasting solutions arise from introspection and focusing on what lies within one's control. Vivek shares his journey from corporate strategist to certified coach, offering valuable perspectives on how coaching can transform physician leaders facing the unique challen
Confronting Sexual Misconduct in Healthcare with Dr. Matthew Mazurek
8mo ago · 34:06
In this episode of SoundPractice, Matthew Mazurek, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Yale School of Medicine discusses his new book, Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, and Discrimination in Healthcare by the AAPL. Mazurek reveals sexual misconduct in healthcare occurs on multiple levels: - Confidential surveys show the problem remains significantly underreported. - Social media has created new avenues for inappropriate behavior, particularly among younger staff members. - Healthcare workers face harassment from patients more frequently than in other STEM fields due to physical touching
Strategic Thinking for Physician Leaders with Dr. Michael Gardner
8mo ago · 34:39
In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos explores the critical skill of strategic thinking with Michael Gardner, MD, vice president and administrator of Women's and Children's Hospital at University Health in San Antonio, Texas. Gardner shares his extensive journey through physician leadership and breaks down why strategic thinking is essential for physicians who want to shape the future of healthcare. Michael Gardner is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as maternal fetal medicine. He is a certified physician executive (CPE) and in 2025 became a fellow of the Am
Communications at a City Hospital with Media Relations Director Dan Collins
9mo ago · 29:34
Media relations is more than press releases — it's a strategic tool for driving hospital goals like patient acquisition, physician recruitment, and employee retention. Key Insights - Media vs. PR: Public relations is the tree; media relations is its largest branch. Both must align with organizational priorities, not executive egos. - Platform Strategy: Tailor content for each platform. Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok. Know your audience and demographic. - Crisis Management: Handle negative social media comments strategically —hide misinformation, engage critics through patient advocates, and turn t
Burned-Out Doctors: A Neuropsychologist's Guide to Physician Well-Being with Dr. John Sawyer
9mo ago · 34:40
In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with John Sawyer, PhD, ABPP-CN, a neuropsychologist and medical director of professional staff experience at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, who leads initiatives to address physician burnout and improve well-being across Ochsner's 40,000 employees. With healthcare facing a workforce crisis — an aging population requiring more care, fewer physicians entering the field, and reduced discretionary time among practitioners — Sawyer shares Ochsner’s innovative approach to tackling burnout. Since 2017, Ochsner has focu
Building Patient Loyalty Through Split-Second Kindness: A Conversation with Susan Baker
10mo ago · 33:57
In this episode join healthcare executive and patient experience expert Susan Baker as she uncovers actionable strategies to increase patient loyalty and recommendations. From mastering respect-driven behaviors to leveraging social media testimonials, Susan shares insights that can transform your patient experience and drive revenue growth. Discover how to: - Define and demonstrate respect in every interaction. - Empower patients by offering choices, not commands. - Build trust by acknowledging preferences — even when compromises are needed. - Nail the basics: introductions, empathy, wait-time
From Burnout to Breakthrough: Dr. Mohamad Saad on Organizational Alignment and Physician Coaching
10mo ago · 32:49
In this compelling episode, we sit down with Mohamad Saad, MD, MBA, CPE, an internal medicine physician, healthcare leader, and certified coach, to explore solutions for two of healthcare's most pressing challenges: workforce disengagement and physician burnout. With 70% of employees disengaged and burnout at crisis levels, Saad presents a data-driven approach to organizational alignment and coaching that can revolutionize healthcare leadership. Why it matters: Burnout and disengagement don’t just affect morale — they impact outcomes. Engaged employees are 1.5x more productive, and inspired em
The Future of Medicine with Dr. Bertalan Mesko
11mo ago · 37:40
Healthcare is changing faster than ever, but it is not just about new technology. It is about patients becoming active, equal partners in their own care. In this episode, Mike Sacopulos sits down with Bertalan Mesko, PhD, director of The Medical Futurist Institute and author of The Guide to the Future of Medicine, Technology, and the Human Touch, to explore how patient empowerment is reshaping the future of medicine. Mesko explains why the biggest shift in modern healthcare is not AI or digital tools — it is the idea of patients becoming “members of their own medical team” and working side-by-
The Physician’s Voice: Combating Misinformation with Dr. Peter Hotez
11mo ago · 32:39
In this episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos sits down with Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and molecular virology, Baylor College of Medicine and the co-author of the new book (with Michael Mann) Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces that Threaten Our World. Hotez pulls back the curtain on the alarming rise of anti-science movements that are costing lives and threatening public health. From vaccine misinformation that led to 200,000 preventable COVID deaths in America to a tragic measles outbreak fueled by unvaccinated populations, he reveals t

Episodes

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SoundPractice

Episodes 208

Rethinking Reform: Ken Terry on Primary Care, Cost, and the Future of U.S. Healthcare

Leading with Clarity: Self-Awareness, Civil Discourse, and the Future of Healthcare Culture with Dr. Jessica Bunin

A Physician, a Rare Disease, and the Art of Being Present with Dr. Lyndsay Hoy

Healing from the Inside Out: How Medicine Must Learn to Share Its Power with Dr. Rana Awdish

Between Heartbeats and Algorithms: Reclaiming What Matters in Healthcare with Dr. Devjit Roy

The Circle of Money: What Physicians Need to Know About Health Plan Contracting with Dr. Jacob Asher

Ethics at the Edge: Bioethics, AI, and the Courage to Lead with Arthur Caplan, PhD

Where Will Doctors Train? Residency Applications, Abortion Restrictions, and the Coming Workforce Crisis with Dr. Anisha Ganguly & Dr. Anna Morenz

From Battlefield to Bedside: Physician Leadership Lessons from Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling

How Physician Leaders Can Rediscover Their Human Spirit with MaryCay Durrant

Driving Value-Based Care by Putting Patients First with Dr. Pamela Sullivan

Why Healthcare Leadership Is So Hard — And What to Do About It

The Hidden Costs of Generative AI: What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know

The ER as America's Mirror: 37 Years on the Front Lines with Dr. Louis Profeta

Finding Purpose: Dr. Jordan Grumet on Burnout, Meaning, and the Deathbed Test

AAPL Helix: Transforming Physician Leadership Development Through Innovative Technology

Unlocking Leadership Potential: The Power of Executive Coaching with Vivek Iyer

Confronting Sexual Misconduct in Healthcare with Dr. Matthew Mazurek

Strategic Thinking for Physician Leaders with Dr. Michael Gardner

Communications at a City Hospital with Media Relations Director Dan Collins

Burned-Out Doctors: A Neuropsychologist's Guide to Physician Well-Being with Dr. John Sawyer

Building Patient Loyalty Through Split-Second Kindness: A Conversation with Susan Baker

From Burnout to Breakthrough: Dr. Mohamad Saad on Organizational Alignment and Physician Coaching

The Future of Medicine with Dr. Bertalan Mesko

The Physician’s Voice: Combating Misinformation with Dr. Peter Hotez

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Episodes 208

Rethinking Reform: Ken Terry on Primary Care, Cost, and the Future of U.S. Healthcare

Leading with Clarity: Self-Awareness, Civil Discourse, and the Future of Healthcare Culture with Dr. Jessica Bunin

A Physician, a Rare Disease, and the Art of Being Present with Dr. Lyndsay Hoy

Healing from the Inside Out: How Medicine Must Learn to Share Its Power with Dr. Rana Awdish

Between Heartbeats and Algorithms: Reclaiming What Matters in Healthcare with Dr. Devjit Roy

The Circle of Money: What Physicians Need to Know About Health Plan Contracting with Dr. Jacob Asher

Ethics at the Edge: Bioethics, AI, and the Courage to Lead with Arthur Caplan, PhD

Where Will Doctors Train? Residency Applications, Abortion Restrictions, and the Coming Workforce Crisis with Dr. Anisha Ganguly & Dr. Anna Morenz

From Battlefield to Bedside: Physician Leadership Lessons from Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling

How Physician Leaders Can Rediscover Their Human Spirit with MaryCay Durrant

Driving Value-Based Care by Putting Patients First with Dr. Pamela Sullivan

Why Healthcare Leadership Is So Hard — And What to Do About It

The Hidden Costs of Generative AI: What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know

The ER as America's Mirror: 37 Years on the Front Lines with Dr. Louis Profeta

Finding Purpose: Dr. Jordan Grumet on Burnout, Meaning, and the Deathbed Test

AAPL Helix: Transforming Physician Leadership Development Through Innovative Technology

Unlocking Leadership Potential: The Power of Executive Coaching with Vivek Iyer

Confronting Sexual Misconduct in Healthcare with Dr. Matthew Mazurek

Strategic Thinking for Physician Leaders with Dr. Michael Gardner

Communications at a City Hospital with Media Relations Director Dan Collins

Burned-Out Doctors: A Neuropsychologist's Guide to Physician Well-Being with Dr. John Sawyer

Building Patient Loyalty Through Split-Second Kindness: A Conversation with Susan Baker

From Burnout to Breakthrough: Dr. Mohamad Saad on Organizational Alignment and Physician Coaching

The Future of Medicine with Dr. Bertalan Mesko

The Physician’s Voice: Combating Misinformation with Dr. Peter Hotez