Ep. 39 Virtual oncology: Expert cancer care from anywhere

Prescribing GLP-1s: Evidence, limits, expectations

In this Permanente Docs Chat, host Alex McDonald, MD (family and sports medicine, Southern California Permanente Medical Group) sits down with Sean Hashmi, MD (board-certified nephrologist and obesity medicine specialist) to discuss lifestyle medicine, weight loss, and GLP-1 receptor agonist medications. GLP-1s are everywhere in the public conversation — yet many clinicians and patients have questions about how these medications fit into a comprehensive, sustainable approach to metabolic health. Dr. Hashmi shares practical guidance for frontline clinicians, including: - How GLP-1s work (satiety, “food noise,” and cravings) - Setting realistic expectations for weight loss and side effects - Why lifestyle foundations matter before, during, and after medication - The importance of strength training, sleep, and support systems - “SELF Principles” framework: Sleep, Exercise, Love, Food - Strategies to support patients long-term and reduce weight regain concerns Watch, subscribe, and share to help more clinicians access high-yield conversations like this. This content is for informational and educational purposes and is not medical advice. #LifestyleMedicine #ObesityMedicine #GLP1 #MetabolicHealth #PermanenteMedicine #DocsChat Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/PermanenteDocs], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/permanentedocs/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/permanente-medicine/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PermanenteMedicine]. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@permanentemedicine6233] channel.

The future of care at home

In this PermanenteDocs Chat, host Alex McDonald, MD, speaks with Hemali Sudhalkar, MD, hospitalist, inpatient palliative care physician, and National Medical Director of Strategy for Kaiser Permanente Care at Home, about how Advanced Care at Home delivers hospital-level care in patients’ homes. Dr. Sudhalkar explains why this shift is essential as the U.S. population ages and capacity strains grow, and how Kaiser Permanente’s integrated model enables safe, coordinated care beyond the hospital. She shares early results from Northern California, where nearly 4,000 patients have received care since 2020, with average length of stay reduced from 5.5 to 3.5 days, hospital readmissions 3 percent lower, and likelihood-to-recommend scores 10 points higher than inpatient care. The conversation covers clinician training, virtual nursing, and home visits — plus the policy steps needed to expand and sustain this model nationwide. Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/PermanenteDocs], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/permanentedocs/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/permanente-medicine/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PermanenteMedicine]. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@permanentemedicine6233] channel.

Ep. 41 Leading the future of pediatric care

In this episode, pediatric intensivist Eloa Adams, MD (Director of Inpatient Pediatrics Quality & Operations, TPMG) joins host Alex McDonald, MD to explore how integrated, community-based pediatrics keeps kids close to home. We dig into the rise of pediatric “care deserts,” why TPMG maintains local inpatient capacity, how tele-critical care links community EDs to specialists, and a sepsis-prevention effort summed up by “more awareness = more birthdays.” We also touch on supporting anxious parents, lessons for the wider system in value-based care, and what’s next for pediatric care delivery. Guest: Eloa Adams, MD Host: Alex McDonald, MD Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/PermanenteDocs], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/permanentedocs/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/permanente-medicine/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PermanenteMedicine]. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@permanentemedicine6233] channel.

Ep. 40: What every physician should know about care experience (and why it matters)

In this episode of the PermanenteDocs Chat, host Alex McDonald, MD, discusses the latest innovations in care experience with Wadie Marcos, MD, access and experience lead with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Dr. Marcos shares his insights on the changing health care landscape, focusing on improving access and the care experience. They candidly discuss the unique challenges and opportunities health care organizations face in meeting patient expectations. Dr. Marcos highlights some groundbreaking practices at Kaiser Permanente, like enhancing booking systems and smoothing the onboarding process for new members to increase satisfaction. They also talk about the crucial role of soft skills in care experience, the importance of trust-building by physicians, and how a team-based approach enables high-quality care. Dr. Marcos also covers the role ethical, evidence-based medicine plays in practicing medicine today and how disease prevention is central to Kaiser Permanente’s mission. Don’t miss out on this compelling conversation — watch the chat on YouTube or listen to it on your podcast platform of choice. And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future Permanente Medicine programming. #careexperience #patientexperience Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/PermanenteDocs], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/permanentedocs/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/permanente-medicine/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PermanenteMedicine]. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@permanentemedicine6233] channel.

Ep. 39 Virtual oncology: Expert cancer care from anywhere

In this episode of PermanenteDocs Chat, Alex McDonald, MD, speaks with Tatjana Kolevska, MD, about Kaiser Permanente’s Virtual Cancer Expert Review program—an innovative approach that ensures patients across the country have access to expert oncology care, no matter where they live. They discuss how Kaiser Permanente’s integrated model supports prevention, early detection, and coordinated treatment, and how AI and virtual consults are changing the game in complex cancer care. Topics covered include: * How virtual reviews improve cancer outcomes * Reducing unnecessary treatments through expert input * Equity and access in oncology * The power of team-based, value-based care Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/PermanenteDocs], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/permanentedocs/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/permanente-medicine/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PermanenteMedicine]. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@permanentemedicine6233] channel.