Is the American healthcare system truly broken—or has it simply become too complex for patients and physicians to navigate? In this episode, Sandy Kibling talks with Dr. Terry Adirim, a board-certified pediatric emergency physician, physician executive, healthcare advisor, and author of The Prepared Patient: Your Guide to Surviving the Healthcare System. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Adirim explains why patients face long waits, rushed appointments, confusing insurance rules, denied care, and mounting costs.
You’ll learn how to prepare for medical appointments, find the right provider, understand the difference between an explanation of benefits and an actual bill, and advocate for yourself when a claim or charge doesn’t look right.
Dr. Adirim also discusses the growth of concierge and direct-pay medicine, the pressures facing physicians, and why technology alone cannot repair the healthcare system.
Her message is reassuring and direct: It’s not you—it’s the system. But becoming an informed and prepared patient can help you make better decisions for yourself and your family.