Inside the mind of a surgeon-senator: William Frist on fixing American health care: Part 1

In part one of this two-part episode, William Frist, MD, and host Chethan Sathya, MD, discuss Dr. Frist’s unlikely arc from heart and lung transplant pioneer to U.S. Senate Majority Leader to global conservation advocate. Dr. Frist explains how scientific curiosity and a problem-solving mindset led him from “healing one-on-one” to impact at scale through public policy. He also explores the modern trust gap in public health and institutions, the echo chambers amplified by social media and the clinician’s unique responsibility to rebuild credibility through empathy, evidence and alignment. Dr. Frist’s optimism is grounded in experience: He recounts the creation and success of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — PEPFAR — a program that has helped keep 26 million people alive and, just as importantly, built durable health infrastructure and democratic transparency across scores of countries. Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.