EP209: The Art of Diagnosis: Insights from Dr. Lisa Sanders

Dr. Lisa Sanders on Diagnosis, Cognitive Bias, and Making Time to ListenChristine interviews Dr. Lisa Sanders, Yale School of Medicine professor and Medical Director of Yale’s Long COVID Multidisciplinary Care Center, known for the New York Times “Diagnosis” column and consulting on House. Sanders describes switching from Emmy-winning CBS News producer to physician after seeing a sports medicine doctor perform CPR and save a drowning woman, and realizing she wanted to save lives. She discusses avoiding diagnostic cognitive bias by staying aware you can be wrong, keeping a differential diagnosis, and “trust but verify,” sharing a case where she accepted a patient’s self-reported POTS diagnosis and later found hyperthyroidism. Sanders argues diagnostic errors often stem from rushed visits and urges physicians to demand more time, noting she secured hour-long new-patient visits and 30-minute follow-ups. She addresses patients not being believed, especially with post-infectious syndromes like long COVID, POTS, MECFS, and fatigue, and advises support for non-linear career paths.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:00 From TV News to Medicine01:31 The CPR Moment That Changed Everything03:42 Fighting Diagnostic Bias04:45 Trust but Verify POTS Mix Up06:49 Reclaiming Time With Patients10:45 Why Patients Aren't Believed12:11 Fatigue and Post Infectious Syndromes13:45 Advice for Nonlinear Careers14:43 Final Thoughts and Farewell