The Care Cascade

An A-minus isn't a crisis. But for some high achievers, it can feel like one. When does striving for excellence become something harmful? 

American teens are anxious, exhausted, and getting too little sleep. Are phones really the whole problem—or should we also be looking at our culture of achievement? 

They were conscientious objectors who refused to fight in World War II. So they found another way to serve: they offered their own bodies for dangerous medical experiments. 

<p>The United States spends trillions of dollars on healthcare every year, but our outcomes are worse than those of other countries that spend less money. Why? Physician and healthcare executive Vivian Lee explains the psychological and economic incentives embedded in the America ... Show More

A troubling disconnect between medical expertise and insurance mandates is putting patients' health at risk. Policies like step therapy and prior authorization are forcing individuals into treatments not recommended by their doctors—often with devastating consequences. In this ep ... Show More

We look at how our culture's massive effort to address pain has paradoxically increased it. And we follow one young girl as she struggles through a bizarre and extreme treatment program. NOTE: The treatment in this episode is administered by trained professionals in a hospital se ... Show More

Dr. Centor discusses the unintended consequences of the U.S. health care delivery and payment system on quality of care, physician wellness, patient satisfaction, and health care costs with Dr. Maria Maldonado. Dr. Maldonado is the author of a recent Annals "On Being a Doctor" es ... Show More

<p>When a doctor reveals a terminal diagnosis to a patient -- that process is as delicate a procedure as any surgery, with potentially serious consequences if things go wrong. If the patient doesn’t understand their prognosis, for example, they could end up making uninformed deci ... Show More

The dangers of developing an unconscious life purpose.