20-Minute Health Talk host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with Craig Spencer, MD, — ER physician, global health leader, and public health professor at Brown University — for a story that stretches from childhood dreams of “sharkology” to the front lines of the 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak. [Note that this was recorded prior to the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.] Dr. Spencer explains why he walked away from a surgical path, moved to China, and ultimately chose emergency medicine to “treat anyone, for anything, anywhere.”

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

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Part two turns to home turf: Covid-19’s early days in New York City. Dr. Spencer addresses what public health experts got right — including the lifesaving impact of Operation Warp Speed — and what went wrong. Dr. Spencer and Dr. Sathya also unpack the collapse of trust in medical science, arguing that public health’s dramatic successes in saving lives and protecting populations at home and abroad can’t remain invisible if experts want to convince the general public — especially when fear, loss, and economic pain reshape perceptions.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

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• Publications

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the first episode of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with Don Berwick, MD — former Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator (CMS) and founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Dr. Berwick traces his path from early harrowing medical experiences to a career dedicated to improving patient care and healthcare delivery. The conversation moves to how patient solidarity could become a force for change and why simplifying to a single, public payer could create conditions that could fix the delivery of health care while actually improving patient choice and lowering costs.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

• Press releases
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Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In episode two, Dr. Berwick challenges some basic assumptions: Does competition truly drive innovation in health care? He argues that cooperation often outperforms competition, citing VA-led safety advances and national patient-safety collaboratives at CMS (like the Partnership for Patients) that rewarded results and spread what worked. He also identifies some of the issues that both health care and politics face in lobbying and the undue influence of moneyed interests.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

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Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with television host and political commentator S. E. Cupp to explore how a “moderate middle” of Americans can still lead in an era obsessed with extremes. Cupp traces her journey from Republican insider to independent conservative, sharing why principles—not parties—guide her in politics and public health. They break down how nearly every hot‑button health topic gets pulled into political trenches, and what it takes to build real inroads of agreement.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

• Press releases
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• Publications

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In part 2, S. E. Cupp digs into how to maintain integrity in a chaotic media environment. She distinguishes healthy scientific and journalistic skepticism from conspiratorial content spirals — and explains why some “alternative voices” deserve a hearing while others don’t. Cupp shares how she sets firm on‑air boundaries (including saying no to harmful pairings) to protect her family, her audience, and her mental health — and how those choices can improve the public conversation.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

• Press releases
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• Publications

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the first half of host Sandra Lindsay’s conversation with Tareq Aro, MD, urologist, he strips away the fear and mystery surrounding kidney stones. He explains how stones form, why they’re on the rise, and what’s raising the risk for most people. Even better, Dr. Aro provides clear and simple advice on how to prevent the stones from causing trouble in the first place.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

• Press releases
• Insights
• Podcasts
• Publications

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In part 2, Dr. Aro explains why many stones are “silent” — and why they suddenly announce their presence with the classic flank pain, which is among medicine’s most intense. He not only clarifies what to do in the moment, but also the options available to patients, including effective new treatments. Stay tuned for his checklist of behaviors that can help, along with advice on avoiding the stones altogether. checklist to help avoid ranging from minimally invasive treatments to of recurrence if nothing changes—and an empowering checklist to lower your risk.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom:

• Press releases
• Insights
• Podcasts
• Publications

Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities.

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.

For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.