ER Doctor Turned CEO on Building a Culture That Heals | Dr. Joy Evers, MD

Designing an AI-First Primary Care Practice from Scratch | Dr. Zeshan Rajput, MD

What if you could design a primary care practice from a blank canvas - AI at the front door, overhead at half the industry average, and every minute saved reinvested in the doctor-patient relationship? Dr. Zeshan Rajput is doing it. A physician, clinical informaticist, and MBA with 15+ years across EHR implementations and federal health IT strategy, he's now building New Hope Primary Care in Columbia, Maryland from the ground up. We dig into: 🏥 Dr. Rajput's #1 tip for growing a practice - design every patient touchpoint the way Disney would, and ask whether you'd want to be your own customer 🤖 The four-bucket framework for deciding what AI should and shouldn't touch - human only, human-first/AI review, AI-first/human review, and AI only ⚠️ Printers, passwords, policies - the three failure modes of every tech rollout, and why policy is the one most practices get wrong 📊 The #1 reason healthcare tech implementations underdeliver - and it's not the go-live, it's the optimization window that follows 💰 Targeting 25-35% overhead in a world where most practices run 65-80% - and the provider-only staffing matrix behind it 🔥 The hot take that might get him in trouble - which subspecialties of medicine could become AI-first first Resources mentioned: 👤 Guest: Dr. Zeshan Rajput, MD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zrajput/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/zrajput/] 🏥 New Hope Primary Care: https://newhopeprimarycare.com/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast [https://newhopeprimarycare.com/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast] 📚 Books mentioned: If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 9 1/2 Things You Would Do Differently - Fred Lee 🧠 Frameworks mentioned: The 4-bucket framework for AI vs human work - credit to Dr. Mark Kramer 📝 Also referenced: Talkie blog post - How Much Do Missed Calls Cost a Medical Practice? (with embedded calculator): https://talkie.ai/blog/how-much-do-missed-calls-cost-medical-practice/ [https://talkie.ai/blog/how-much-do-missed-calls-cost-medical-practice/] 🎥 See how Talkie.ai works - AI medical receptionist demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg]

The HR Playbook Most Medical Practices Are Missing | Mike Lyons, SPHR

Most practice managers got promoted into leadership without anyone teaching them how to lead. The result is real, daily knowledge gaps that quietly cost practices in turnover, denied claims, and legal exposure. Mike Lyons, SPHR - founder of Seasoned Advice and host of Eye Care Leadership Live - spent nearly six years building the HR function at Austin Retina Associates before going independent. He joins Jakub Grajcar to break down how to hire, manage, and develop the leaders who actually scale a practice. We dig into: 🏥 Mike's #1 tip - why you cannot scale a practice without great managers 🤝 Hiring for people skills - what to look for and why promoting from within wins 🗓️ Managing the manager - the weekly cadence and skip-level habit that keeps it accountable 🙏 Gratitude as the ""Swiss army knife of leadership"" - and the two-part praise structure that lands 🔪 Sharpening the knife - why stepping back, delegating, and pouring into others is how managers actually create more time 📝 Documenting performance - kinder to the employee, and your best legal protection 📚 The books Mike recommends most Resources mentioned: 👤 Guest: Mike Lyons, SPHR LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelyonshr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelyonshr/]Website - Seasoned Advice: https://seasoned-advice.com [https://seasoned-advice.com] 🎙️ Podcast - Eye Care Leadership Live (for ophthalmology practice managers and leaders) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIW9O_gj4Ew_9I2ENW4VtjYT6vb80PG3m [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIW9O_gj4Ew_9I2ENW4VtjYT6vb80PG3m] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ORgeP9UqtEcEco3lEQaaS [https://open.spotify.com/show/3ORgeP9UqtEcEco3lEQaaS] 📚 Books mentioned The Advantage - Patrick Lencioni The Ideal Team Player - Patrick Lencioni The Energy Bus - Jon Gordon Change Your Brain, Change Your Life - Dr. Daniel Amen The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey 🎤 Also mentioned Toastmasters International - https://www.toastmasters.org [https://www.toastmasters.org] (both Mike and Jakub credit Toastmasters as foundational leadership development) Jacqueline Waterhouse, COT - prior podcast guest who connected Jakub and Mike - watch Jacqueline's episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuFJRnG9Lk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuFJRnG9Lk] 🎥 See how Talkie.ai works - AI medical receptionist demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg]

Is Your Practice Website a HIPAA Lawsuit Waiting to Happen? | Tim Bouchard

Is your practice website quietly setting up the next HIPAA lawsuit - and is your marketing message actually landing with patients who don't yet know they need you? Tim Bouchard, CEO of Buffalo-based agency Luminus and host of the Healthcare Marketing Edge podcast, joins Jakub to share 20+ years of healthcare marketing lessons. From building patient-centric brand messages to fixing the analytics setup that's quietly exposing practices to legal risk, Tim breaks down what every practice manager should be auditing right now. We dig into: 🏥 Tim's #1 tip for growing a practice - why every message should start with the patient's outcome, not your tech or certifications 🦵 The "knee replacement test" - how to write top-of-funnel copy that reaches patients who don't yet know they need you ⚖️ The HIPAA trap in Google Analytics - why CCPA and Colorado's CPA make standard tracking a legal risk regardless of your state 🔧 The Matomo workaround - how to run analytics, Meta ads, and email lists without exposing PHI 🌱 The community advantage - why small practices can out-brand PE-backed competitors with grassroots presence 🖥️ The biggest medical website mistake - sticky headers, persistent CTAs, and a homepage "sandwich" that reduces signup friction Resources mentioned: 👤 Guest: Tim Bouchard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbouchard/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbouchard/] Luminus Agency: https://luminus.agency/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast [https://luminus.agency/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast] 📋 Free download Luminus Healthcare Website Compliance Guide: https://luminus.agency/healthcare-website-compliance-guide/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast [https://luminus.agency/healthcare-website-compliance-guide/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast] 🎙️ Tim's podcast: Healthcare Marketing Edge: https://luminus.agency/healthcare-marketing-edge-podcast/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast [https://luminus.agency/healthcare-marketing-edge-podcast/?utm_campaign=talkie-podcast] ⭐ Recommended episodes: → Social Media Secrets for Authentic Patient Connection w/ Amanda Clark @ Atria Social: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPa0Gs84KT0 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPa0Gs84KT0] → Aligning Marketing and Operations for Sustainable Healthcare Growth w/ Michelle Hart @ BostonSight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frJui5Fv45s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frJui5Fv45s] 📊 Tools Matomo (HIPAA-compliant analytics alternative to Google Analytics): https://matomo.org [https://matomo.org] 📺 Other references Jakub's favorite horror podcast - The Magnus Archives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdiUHYacaRI&list=PLqwvYKgb9yRaxgDWwoMk6RFDmdvqxghqy [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdiUHYacaRI&list=PLqwvYKgb9yRaxgDWwoMk6RFDmdvqxghqy] Dark Side Off-Road (Tim's YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/c/darksideoffroad [https://www.youtube.com/c/darksideoffroad] The Story Till Now (off-roading YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/c/thestorytillnow [https://www.youtube.com/c/thestorytillnow] 🎥 See how Talkie.ai works - AI medical receptionist demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg]

ER Doctor Turned CEO on Building a Culture That Heals | Dr. Joy Evers, MD

What does it actually look like when a practice puts culture first - not as a slogan, but as an operating system? Dr. Joy Evers - board-certified emergency physician, CEO and founder of Healthtopia Clinics, and host of the Your Doctor Wants to Quit podcast - joins Jakub Grajcar to share how she built a four-location integrative primary care practice serving 35,000 patients in Southern California. From same-day walk-ins to real-time curbside consults between conventional and naturopathic providers, Dr. Joy breaks down what makes Healthtopia's model work - and why it starts with how leaders show up every day. We dig into: 🏥 Dr. Joy's #1 tip for growing a healthcare practice - why positive culture is the foundation everything else is built on 🧠 What self-reflection and daily writing practice have to do with being a better leader 👩‍⚕️ How Healthtopia blends conventional medicine with integrative care under one roof - and why that model scales 📋 The scheduling structure that makes same-day appointments and walk-ins possible (20- and 40-minute slots with built-in buffer) 🤝 How real-time curbside consults and a provider curriculum make team-based care actually work 💊 Why Dr. Joy chose insurance-based care over direct primary care - and the accessibility trade-offs involved Resources mentioned: 👤 Guest: Dr. Joy Evers, MD LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-evers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-evers] IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctorjoymd/ [https://www.instagram.com/doctorjoymd/] 🏥 Healthtopia Clinics: https://healthtopiaclinics.com/ [https://healthtopiaclinics.com/] 🎙️ Podcast: Your Doctor Wants to Quit Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-doctor-wants-to-quit/id1799382185 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-doctor-wants-to-quit/id1799382185]Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6lEmwFrsY94K9436zLOKG9 [https://open.spotify.com/show/6lEmwFrsY94K9436zLOKG9]YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8eEFDbJzYWqFzHmzAJm5A [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8eEFDbJzYWqFzHmzAJm5A]⭐ Recommended episode: "Doctor Doctor" - featuring Dr. Alyssa Burnham & Dr. Michael Turner: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3198m5k6zv16VvHaOAM8SE [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3198m5k6zv16VvHaOAM8SE] 🎥 See how Talkie.ai works - AI medical receptionist demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg]

Physician-Founder on Adding a Digital Layer to Patient Care | Elizabeth Edens, MD

Most practices know they should be doing more with technology. Fewer have actually built it out. Dr. Elizabeth Edens - Founder of Health Meets Wellness and Medical Director at TouchCare Method - has. She joins Jakub to walk through what a fully digitized patient journey actually looks like in practice: a custom mobile app, an AI health coach, wearable integrations, and touchpoints that keep patients engaged between visits. Dr. Edens' specialty is weight management. The lessons apply to anyone trying to introduce software, AI, or remote monitoring into their patient experience. We discuss: 🏥 Dr. Edens' #1 tip for growing a healthcare practice - exploring how the energy of leadership sets the tone for every patient interaction ⏳ The most overlooked moments in patient care - and how to turn waiting room time into a win for your brand ✅ Why checklists aren't just for surgery - and how start-of-day prep shapes the entire practice ethos 📱 How a custom mobile app changed the way Dr. Edens manages patient care between visits ⚖️ Balancing high demand with longer, more intentional visits - and why going deeper can actually make follow-up smoother 💉 GLP-1 medications: what patients get wrong, what's missing from the media coverage, and what proper oversight looks like 🥦 The next frontier in weight management - addressing ultra-processed food 🤖 Lessons from rolling out an AI health coach adoption lesson 🔧 Build vs. buy: Dr. Edens' advice on white-labeling an existing medical app vs. building from scratch Resources mentioned: 👤 Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Edens LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-edens-md-286a09154/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-edens-md-286a09154/] Health Meets Wellness: https://www.healthmeetswellness.com/ [https://www.healthmeetswellness.com/] Touch Care Method: https://www.touchcaremethod.com/ [https://www.touchcaremethod.com/] 📚 Books mentioned: Seabiscuit - Laura Hillenbrand The Checklist Manifesto - Atul Gawande 🎲 Also mentioned: Terraforming Mars (Jakub's favorite board game) Timestamps: 0:00 Teaser: your energy sets the tone for your entire team — and your patients feel it the moment they walk in 1:50 Scaling Practice Management intro & meet Dr. Elizabeth Edens, Founder & Medical Director at Health Meets Wellness / TouchCare Method 3:36 Icebreaker: what does a perfect Saturday look like for Dr. Edens? 7:04 #1 tip for growing a healthcare practice: why every single moment in the patient experience matters 8:24 Turning wait time into value — how to make delays work for your practice instead of against it 10:25 Start-of-day checklists and the overlooked power of operational preparation 11:48 Building a genuinely cohesive team — why belief in the mission can't be manufactured 15:47 Inside Health Meets Wellness: balancing in-depth 1-on-1 care with high patient demand 18:04 How the Touch Care Method app creates meaningful touchpoints between visits 22:14 Tracking what patients actually eat and do — why data between visits changes the whole conversation 25:28 Driving patient adoption of health tech: removing friction and connecting habits to outcomes 28:33 Will every specialty have its own AI health coach? A look at where digital care is heading 31:34 Build vs. buy: why most practices shouldn't try to build their own patient app from scratch 35:40 Wearables, CGM, and body composition scales — the device stack powering Dr. Edens' practice 38:18 The next frontier in weight management: addressing ultra-processed food at the root 39:45 GLP-1 medications, misinformation, and what patients actually need to know before starting 47:00 Final advice for practice managers: identify your AI pain points and remove admin work first 49:09 Where to find Dr. Edens and the Touch Care Method app 🎥 See how Talkie.ai works - AI medical receptionist demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOiJ3ITTrLY&list=PLLjcCBHYN2KoBqm-Dx-8lIwWLuU-CHXSg]