Communication Is Our Thing: Dr. Todd Wolyn on Vaccine Misinformation, Online Attacks, and Training Trusted Messengers

In this Pediatric Lounge episode, hosts interview nationally recognized pediatrician and vaccine advocate Dr. Todd Wolyn, co-founder and former CEO of Kids Plus Pediatrics in Pittsburgh, about communication in pediatric care. Wolyn shares why he chose pediatrics, how Kids Plus grew from a small practice to three offices with expanded services like a regional breastfeeding center and the free, community-based “New Moms Coffee” support groups. He recounts creating an HPV vaccine PSA in 2017 that drew a coordinated global anti-vaccine social media attack, leading to research, a clinician toolkit, and the not-for-profit Shots Heard Around the World. The discussion critiques reliance on talking points and limited communication training, explores why vaccine concerns vary along a continuum, and introduces Wolyn’s Trusted Messenger program, including free CME and a June launch of a train-the-trainer institute using the AIMS methodology.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:55 Why Pediatrics
02:25 Meeting Seth and Thinking Bigger
04:42 Building Kids Plus Pediatrics
05:53 New Moms Coffee Community
07:56 Shots Heard Around World Origins
11:54 Online Attacks and COVID Echoes
15:11 HPV Uptake and Vaccine Baggage
21:50 Why Communication Training Fails
27:45 Curiosity With Resistant Families
30:14 Vaccine Concern Spectrum
32:52 Practice Policies and Trust
37:24 Natural vs Liberty Beliefs
40:03 Talking Points Backlash
46:50 Better Vaccine Messaging
49:28 Trusted Messenger Mission
51:54 Scaling Trust Locally
59:04 Training the Trainers
01:01:57 Wrap Up and Credits

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

AI Won’t Replace Pediatricians—But Pediatricians Using AI Will

In this Pediatric Lounge episode, hosts George and Herb talk with Dr. Igor Trogan about why AI is becoming essential for independent pediatric practices, emphasizing that ambient AI scribing restores eye-to-eye patient interaction, improves documentation, and enables more accurate CPT coding and billing. They discuss financial pressures from declining reimbursement and rising overhead, how EHRs were built largely for accounting and reporting, and the need to balance evidence-based pathways with clinical judgment. Dr. Igor Trogan describes using HIPAA-compliant Google Gemini agents to support coders, catch underbilling, generate rebuttals to payer downcoding, and improve care quality by finding care gaps and medication or dosing errors. He also shares using Base44 (non-HIPAA) to rapidly build custom operational apps (inventory, scheduling, command-center dashboards), plus website chatbots, insurance-card and immunization-record agents, AI-generated training materials and social media content. They conclude the best first step is adopting ambient AI.

00:00 Podcast Intro and Premise
01:24 Why AI Is Now Essential
01:50 Ambient AI Restores Connection
05:05 Billing Pressures and EHR Mandates
08:15 Care Pathways vs Clinical Judgment
13:05 Pediatrics Complexity and Art
17:17 AI for Coding and Billing Accuracy
24:15 Fighting Downcoding With AI
25:50 Quality Checks and Care Gaps
33:08 Clinical Safety and Error Catching
34:41 Custom Apps for Operations
37:03 Scheduling App Fix
39:06 Vibe Coding Explained
39:56 Practice Hub App
40:42 War Room Dashboard
42:57 Will EHRs Be Replaced
47:17 Website Chatbots Agents
49:53 Ambient AI Billing Boost
53:49 NotebookLM For Students
55:34 Care Gaps Holy Grail
01:00:50 Dashboards Outreach Agents
01:02:42 Marketing Training With AI
01:03:54 First Step Start Today
01:04:37 Closing Credits

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

The Brand Is Your Doctor Now: Provider-Agnostic Care and the Risk to Relationship-Based Pediatrics

On The Pediatric Lounge, hosts discuss “provider-agnostic” or “physician-agnostic” care with pediatrician Dr. James Reilly, arguing corporate and private-equity models use protocols, EHR-driven algorithms, and lower-cost staffing to make clinicians interchangeable and reduce patient loyalty to individual physicians. They contrast efficient team-based support that preserves continuity with cost-cutting that sacrifices time, empathy, and physician satisfaction, and warn that “top-of-license” restructuring in psychiatry led to underfunding and a lasting mental health crisis. The conversation links critical pathways and Epic-style cognitive offloading to diminished clinical judgment, citing examples of inappropriate protocol orders, urgent-care misses, and MinuteClinic prescribing. They emphasize that longitudinal “thinking sciences” benefit from trust and wisdom that computers can’t replace, and predict worse outcomes, burnout, and access problems if relationships are replaced by brand-driven, algorithmic care.

00:00 Welcome to Pediatric Lounge
00:45 Meet Dr. James Reilly
01:53 Why Relationships Matter
03:12 What Is Provider Agnostic Care
04:40 Efficiency vs Assembly Line Care
07:28 Private Equity and Interchangeability
10:35 Top of License Mental Health Lesson
14:58 How Protocols and EHRs Started It
20:33 Algorithms vs Human Wisdom
26:38 Pediatrics Funding and Algorithm Upsides
31:00 Pediatrics Value Gap
31:36 Telemedicine Eye Miss
32:53 MinuteClinic Strep Mixup
35:27 Brand Versus Doctor
37:07 Thinking Sciences Model
43:09 Continuity Catches Problems
44:24 Lipoprotein A Wisdom
48:50 Medicine Art And Science
50:27 Interchangeable Doctors Burnout
53:46 Humans Not Algorithms
55:08 Wrap Up And Credits

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

The Five-Day Weekend: Retirement Planning and Practice Legacy for Pediatricians

In this Pediatric Lounge episode, hosts discuss Nicholas Children’s upcoming postgraduate pediatrics CME conference and then interview repeat guest Dr. Neil Bevin of RBK Pediatrics about physician retirement. Bevin describes planning a year ahead to transition administrative responsibilities, defining financial independence based on cost of living, and how taxes affect retirement withdrawals. He highlights common mistakes such as underfunding retirement in peak earning years, failing to adapt practice models as pediatrics shifts toward chronic disease management, and retaining control too long, which can damage practice value and legacy. He explains RBK’s move from a defined benefit plan to a 401(k) and Roth options, notes limited retirement participation among younger employees, and discusses private equity’s impact on job security and pensions. Bevin shares his semi-retired “five-day weekend” schedule, stresses planning hobbies and purpose, recommends saving early (including 529 plans), and emphasizes leaving unhealthy practices, avoiding divorce, and using keyman insurance in small practices.

00:00 Podcast Intro and CME Plug
00:50 Snowy Weekend Banter
01:27 Meet Dr Neil Bevin
02:07 Planning the Exit
04:42 Financial Independence Basics
06:17 How Much Is Enough
07:17 Common Retirement Mistakes
10:42 Practice Legacy and Adaptation
16:33 Giving Up Control
18:46 Retirement Mindset and Hobbies
21:42 401k and Roth Basics
23:30 Pensions and Private Equity Risks
26:29 The Five Day Weekend
27:36 Fair Scheduling Mindset
28:11 Flexibility Beats Absolutes
28:20 529 Plans For Kids
30:21 Inflation Crushing Doctors
32:36 Law Pay Versus Pediatrics
35:07 Private Equity Job Risk
38:26 Starting A Practice Today
39:30 Mortgage And Refi Strategy
42:42 Retirement Advice By Age
45:11 Keyman Insurance Matters
46:43 Practice Culture Horror Story
49:11 Wrap Up And Credits

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

Expanding Bluebird Kids Health: Access, Value-Based Pediatrics, and Payment Advocacy

Host Dr. Her Bravo welcomes Dr. Shannon Fox Levine and talk about her move into Bluebird Kids Health, which is expanding Palm Beach Pediatrics’ value-based, technology-forward model to new de novo sites in Florida to address pediatric care deserts for Medicaid populations, including new offices in Jacksonville and Broward County, and the use of a partnered mobile clinic. They discuss keeping Athena Health, hiring and training new clinicians, and interest in ambient AI to reduce documentation burden and improve patient relationships. Levine outlines Florida AAP concerns, including school vaccine mandate changes, Medicaid payment advocacy (including Medicare parity via incentives), and a pilot workflow to diagnose autism in primary care using tools like RITA-T and CARS-2 with appropriate reimbursement. She also describes her national AAP payer advocacy role, addressing issues like downcoding, EOB monitoring, and use of a price transparency tool, emphasizing sustainable payment to reduce burnout and maintain access.

00:00 Podcast Intro and CME
00:55 Meet Shannon Levine
01:46 Bluebird Kids Expansion
03:35 Tech and Mobile Clinics
06:55 Ambient AI for Notes
11:27 Training New Clinicians
14:13 Florida Advocacy Updates
16:37 Autism Diagnosis Pilot
20:11 Medicaid Contracts and Pay
22:31 Value Based Care Future
23:14 Florida MPIP Basics
24:08 Incentives Versus Quality
25:39 Risk Models And Proformas
28:11 Care Coordinators In Action
31:10 Stop Loss And Carve Outs
32:54 Metrics And Vaccine Denominators
35:35 AAP Payer Advocacy Workflow
40:11 Price Transparency Tool
42:26 Negotiating With Payers
45:11 Burnout And Closing Thoughts

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SOCIAL Media Pages ===============================
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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: Opportunities, Risks, and Guardrails

In this episode of The Pediatric Lounge, the hosts welcome back Dr. Rani Gareige, director of medical education and designated institutional official at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and a clinical professor at Florida International University, to discuss artificial intelligence in medical education now and in the future. They preview Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s 61st annual postgraduate pediatrics CME conference in Fort Lauderdale (Hilton Marina Resort, March 20–22), highlighting sessions on IBD, short stature, dermatology, psychological screening, AI in practice management, social media communication, genetic testing/personalized medicine, and Florida’s new requirement for EKG screening to clear athletes starting ninth grade.

The conversation covers common AI tools learners use (ChatGPT, Claude, OpenEvidence) and institutional concerns about HIPAA/PHI, including blocking public tools and using a secure in-house system (“Ask Nick”) and closed or constrained approaches (e.g., tools that search only approved sources or documents provided, such as Google Notebook).

They explore concerns about de-skilling and when to introduce AI in training, faculty development needs, and a precepting framework (DEFT-AI: Diagnosis, Evidence, Feedback, Teaching, and Recommendations for AI use) to assess clinical reasoning. The episode also discusses AI for simulated patient interactions (bad news delivery, motivational interviewing), ambient AI scribing pilots, clinician responsibility to review notes, and AI-driven coding that may reduce undercoding and administrative burden. The discussion concludes that AI will not replace physicians, but clinicians who use AI wisely may replace those who do not, stressing the importance of policies, ethics, transparency, and maintaining empathy and the art of medicine.

00:00 Podcast Intro and Guest
02:25 CME Conference Details
03:13 Hot Topics and New Laws
04:44 EKG Screening Program
07:42 AI Tools in Training
11:42 IRB and Data Privacy
14:39 Meeting Minutes Automation
16:48 Closed Models for Clinicians
19:13 AI Hallucinations and References
24:16 Deskilling and Timing AI
30:11 Teaching Frameworks for AI
32:46 Back to Evidence Basics
33:40 Questioning the Evidence
34:48 AI and Human Empathy
37:45 AI as Clinical Assistant
41:01 Recertification in the AI Era
46:32 Ethics and Prompting
50:40 AI Scribing and Guardrails
54:35 Coding and Care Gaps
57:15 Future of Medical Education
01:01:13 Virtual Trials and Wrap-Up
01:02:1

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

The Misery of the Vaccine Business: The Real Economics of Pediatric Vaccination

In this episode of The Pediatric Lounge, the hosts reflect on the PMI conference in New Orleans and discuss how U.S. pediatricians are portrayed as “bad guys” because of vaccines, leading into a conversation with Dr. Gail Schoenfeld about the “misery of the vaccine business.” Schoenfeld describes her participation in a white paper on the real economics of pediatric vaccination, motivated in part by feeling insulted by claims that pediatricians profit from vaccines, and explains she tried to educate the authors on vaccine financing and delivery costs. The discussion details the extensive, time-intensive workflow and infrastructure required to store, track, administer, and document vaccines, including staffing time, inventory reconciliation between VFC and commercial stock, compliance tasks, refrigeration and monitoring systems, generators, maintenance, insurance, space costs, and after-hours emergencies. They address vaccine “wastage” such as broken vials, patient refusal after preparation, expiration, documentation errors that prevent billing, and demand shifts (including Schoenfeld’s experience wasting 70 Moderna COVID doses at $133 each). The group argues that fixed reimbursement set by insurers and Medicaid often fails to cover true costs, making vaccination a money-losing service for pediatric practices; they cite examples including Medicare valuing vaccine administration code 90460 at $24 and Virginia’s Medicaid not paying 90460 and restricting VFC reimbursement to a limited admin fee, resulting in losses per vaccine, with a Mississippi example of $11 payment. They discuss why adult practices often refer vaccination to pharmacies and note pediatricians cannot easily do so. The conversation expands to broader issues with Medicaid underfunding, VFC compliance burdens and liability, quality incentive programs (HEDIS/NCQA) and how incentives can be perceived as conflicts of interest despite being framed as deferred or conditional payment, and how vaccine mandates and distrust after COVID have reduced routine vaccination uptake. Schoenfeld shares past work running community COVID vaccine clinics and contrasts inefficiencies seen elsewhere. The episode ends with reflections on pediatricians being underpaid despite providing essential preventive care, Schoenfeld’s commitment to serving a largely Medicaid population in the Hamptons, and her upcoming presentation on cost center/call center reports at a future conference, followed by standard podcast outro and disclaimer.

00:00 Welcome Back + PMI New Orleans Takeaways (Why Pediatricians Get

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.

Back to Where It All Begins: The Journey of Dr. Jason Haua

In this episode of The Pediatric Lounge podcast, hosts George and Jason introduce Dr. Jason Haua, who shares his unique career story of moving from leading a large, successful independent practice back to solo practice, focusing on mental health and autism. Dr. Haua discusses the importance of finding joy and fulfillment in medical practice, the challenges and benefits of running a smaller practice, and his reasons for stepping away from a larger organizational structure. The conversation explores the intricacies of managing a solo practice, dealing with insurance and administrative challenges, and the importance of maintaining a positive work culture. Dr. Haua also shares insights on legacy planning, practice efficiency, and the evolving landscape of pediatric care.

00:00 Introduction to The Pediatric Lounge
01:00 Meet Dr. Jason Haua: A Journey Back to Solo Practice
01:42 The Philosophy of Returning to Solo Practice
03:24 Building and Managing a Successful Practice
07:17 Challenges and Rewards of Mental Health Focus
08:30 Operational Efficiency in a Small Practice
16:10 Transitioning from Large Group to Solo Practice
20:36 The Role of Technology and Personal Touch
39:46 Future Plans and Legacy
41:44 Balancing Work and Personal Life
42:44 Challenges of Starting a Medical Practice
44:43 Financial Struggles in Pediatrics
46:27 The Cost of Medical Equipment and Supplies
48:21 Navigating Insurance and Billing Issues
01:13:07 The Role of Optimism in Professional and Personal Life
01:15:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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The Pediatric Lounge - A Podcast taking you behind the door of the Physician's Lounge to get a deeper insight into what docs are talking about today, from the clinically profound to the wonderfully routine...and everything in between.

The conversations are not intended as medical advice, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the host and guest.