Navigating the U.S. healthcare system sometimes feels like playing a game. Host Priya Bathija introduces a new kind of health resource: The Women’s Health Playbook. After 22 years of working inside the healthcare industry, Priya is stepping out from behind the curtain to give you the "plays" you’ve never had. We’re moving beyond general advice to deliver the exact tactics and strategies you need to take up space in the exam room, understand your data, and finally make sense of your medical bills.

• (00:00:01) - The Women's Health Playbook
• (00:00:36) - Healthcare: The Women's Health Playbook

EPISODE 1 — Finding a doctor shouldn’t feel like a full-contact sport, but for women in the U.S. healthcare system, it often does. In this episode, Rebecca Bloom (attorney, advocate, and author of “When Women Get Sick”) helps us break down how to choose the right doctor, what “in-network” really means, and the exact questions to ask before your first appointment. Consider this your step-by-step playbook for finding a physician who advocates for you and passes the vibe check.

In this episode, we walk you through these key topics:

• Best resources and platforms for finding doctors (e.g., ZocDoc, insurer websites, referrals)
• How to verify credentials and read patient reviews critically
• Factors to consider beyond reviews: location, hospital affiliation, virtual capacity, relational style
• Developing questions to ask during your first appointment to assess compatibility
• How in-network vs. out-of-network factors impact access and costs
• Building relationships with your care team, including nurses and patient navigators

Want to dive deeper into this episode? Get the full breakdown including show notes, tactics, resources, and complete transcript here: Scouting the Field – Finding the Right Doctor

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EPISODE 2 — What does your doctor actually need from you to provide the best care? In this episode, Celina Gorre, CEO of WomenHeart, acts as our coach. Celina takes us through an essential drill to prepare for that doctor’s visit, walking us through the five crucial elements to bring, why your wearable trends might matter more than the absolute numbers, and why she says being young doesn’t give you a free pass to ignore your data.

In this episode, we walk you through these key topics:

• The 5 Big “Packs”: A checklist of the five concrete categories you must prepare or bring to any appointment.
• Mastering Symptoms: How to note intensity, frequency, and changes in your “day-to-day” life (e.g., the fatigue that’s different).
• Pregnancy as a Stress Test: Why your history of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes is vital data for all your future doctors, not just your OB-GYN.
• The “Generational Health” Audible: Creative ways to get your family to talk about their health history (including card games and “blaming the doctor”).
• Wearable Realities: How to frame the data from your Apple Watch or Fitbit—focusing on trends over numbers—so your doctor takes it seriously.
• Shared Decision-Making: The shift toward a partner-consumer mindset where the doctor presents options, but you determine what works best for your lifestyle.

Want to dive deeper into this episode? Get the full breakdown including show notes, tactics, resources, and complete transcript here: The Pre-Game Prep: Setting the Agenda

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EPISODE 3 — In the U.S. healthcare system, we are often plagued by forms… sometimes filling out the exact same information for the same company at two different locations. It’s easy to feel buried in paperwork, but these documents aren’t just throwaway sheets; they are the legal and clinical foundation of your care. In this episode, Kelly Greening (VP and Deputy General Counsel at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital) acts as our coach to help us decode the clipboard. We discuss what’s actually required, why your test results might hit your phone before your doctor calls, and how to build your own “Digital Health Binder” so your data stays in your hands.

In this episode, we walk you through these key topics:

• The “Big Five” Forms: Breaking down Intake, Medical History, Privacy Practices, Consent to Treat, and Financial Responsibility.
• Optional vs. Required: Which demographic and social needs questions you can legally skip if you’re uncomfortable.
• The 21st Century Cures Act: Understanding why “instant” test results in your portal can be both empowering and stressful.
• Proxy Access & Privacy: How your access to your child’s medical records changes once they hit age 12.
• Interoperability: How “Data Sharing” can save your life in an emergency—and how to opt out if you prefer.
• The Digital Health Binder: Simple steps to ensure your medical history follows you, even if a practice closes or you switch systems.

Want to dive deeper into this episode? Get the full breakdown including show notes, tactics, resources, and complete transcript here: Beyond the Clipboard: Mastering the Paperwork

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EPISODE 4 — If you are nervous, scared to ask the hard questions, or have a history of shutting down in the exam room, you are not alone. This is an experience many women dread, but it is one we can take control of. In this episode, Amanda Berk, co-founder of the patient advocacy startup LIORA Health, coaches us through navigating the exam room. She breaks down why your 15-minute slot must be prioritized for your goals, how an advocate acts as your ultimate "wingwoman," and the specific phrases you can use to redirect a distracted clinician and have your lived experience taken seriously.

In this episode, we walk you through these key topics:

• 15-Minute Game Plan: Realistically prioritizing your pressing issues and setting "SMART" goals for what you want to achieve before the appointment.
• Level-Setting the Vibe: Why clinicians aren't evil (they’re strapped by the system) and how to vulnerably share your history of dismissal to build rapport early.
• The Advocate’s Roster: The vital, note-taking role a friend, family member, or professional advocate plays in keeping you present and accountable (so you don’t just say, "I’m fine").
• The Redirect: Tactical advice and "audibles" for when a clinician is distracted, dismissive, or looking at their screen, empowering you to "take up space."
• Bringing "TikTok Research": How to present your own Google/AI/social media findings without offending the clinician, framing it to ask for their clinical expertise.
• The Fertility Check: Why you must ask "early and often" how new diagnoses or treatments will impact your fertility, regardless of your immediate plans.

Want to dive deeper into this episode? Get the full breakdown including show notes, tactics, resources, and complete transcript here: Game Day: Navigating the Appointment

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EPISODE 5 — You did the thing. You saw your doctor, asked your questions, and maybe got some answers. But as you walk out to your car, that familiar cloud of confusion and anxiety starts to set in. What did they say the next step was? Was I supposed to get a blood test or an X-ray first? Did I actually get the answer I needed?

Even a good visit requires follow-up action, and a bad visit often requires a total strategy reset. In this episode, Dr. Charlsie Celestine, a board-certified OB-GYN and host of the For Vaginas Only podcast, acts as our post-game coach. She walks us through how to utilize the “After-Visit Summary,” the crucial difference between a Patient Navigator and an RN, and exactly what to do—and say—if you realize you’ve just been medically gaslit.

In this episode, we walk you through these key topics:

• The “After-Visit Summary” (AVS): What it is, why it’s crucial for reducing anxiety, and how to get one if your doctor doesn’t offer it.
• Your Follow-Up “To-Do” List: Common action items, including medication trials, imaging studies, lab work, and symptom diaries.
• Relationship Building Beyond the Doctor: Understanding the vital roles of Registered Nurses (RNs) and Patient Navigators on your care team.
• When the Vibe is Off: How to determine if a doctor just had a bad day or if it’s time to find a new provider.
• The Medical Gaslighting Response: Recognizing minimization and a creative “what if” tactic to force a dismissive doctor to take your symptoms seriously.
• The Power of the Post-Visit Debrief: Why you should always sit down and review the appointment details with your support person immediately afterward.

Want to dive deeper into this episode? Get the full breakdown including show notes, tactics, resources, and complete transcript here: The Post-Game Analysis: What Comes Next?

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EPISODE 6 — In this episode, Dr. Jared Dashevsky, an internal medicine resident and founder of Healthcare Huddle, acts as our financial coach. Jared breaks down the absolute “need-to-know” essentials of medical insurance, the hidden purpose of the Explanation of Benefits (EOB), and why your doctor is the last person you should talk to about cost. He also gives us a tactical edge, explaining how to use AI to audit your bills for errors and what specific questions to ask the billing department if you have questions or just don’t know how you are going to pay the bill.

In this episode, we walk you through these key topics:

• The Insurance Roster: A simple breakdown of Premium, Deductible, Copay, Co-insurance, and Out-of-Pocket Max.
• The ACA Exception: Why preventative visits are (usually) $0 out of pocket.
• The Negotiations: The reality of In-Network vs. Out-of-Network, the tiers of doctors, and “surprise billing.”
• The EOB: Why this document (which is NOT a bill) is actually a vital harbinger of what you will owe.
• The AI Auditor: How to de-identify your medical bill and use platforms like ChatGPT or Claude to analyze it for duplicate charges or errors.
• The Payment Game Plan: Navigating financial assistance, charity care, and payment plans, including the key roles of social workers and the hospital coding department.

Want to dive deeper into this episode? Get the full breakdown including show notes, tactics, resources, and complete transcript here: The Bottom Line: Making Sense of the Bill

Explore more episodes at womenshealthplaybook.com.