Whole Person Care in Rheumatology: Listening Beyond the Labs | Ep20

This episode is sponsored by NURP NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required.  Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more.  Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice. _______________________________ In this episode of Healing People, Not Patients, Dr. Jonathan Weinkle interviews board-certified rheumatologist Dr. Brittany Panico about shifting from “survival mode” and checklist-driven care to a more patient-centered approach. Brittany shares how listening deeply, observing body language, and building relationships transformed her practice. They discuss rheumatology’s diagnostic challenges, including patients who don’t fit formal criteria, gout with normal uric acid, the value of serial labs, and collaboration across specialties. Brittany also explains how osteopathic training and systems thinking shaped her approach to medicine and leadership. Top 3 Takeaways Believe the narrative first. Objective findings matter, but patients who have been disbelieved often hide or minimize symptoms. Slowing down, asking “tell me more,” and decoding their language (pain vs. stiffness, flare vs. sleep deprivation) builds trust and often reveals the real problem. Criteria are research tools, not bedside walls. Many patients fall into diagnostic gaps. Persistence, serial testing, early empiric treatment within safe limits, and coaching patients to advocate for themselves can close those gaps without waiting for textbook presentations. Relationship and follow-through scale. Whether in a 15-minute check-in or leading a team, the habits of presence, clear communication of goals, and rapid feedback loops (“call them in two weeks, not three months”) turn isolated visits into ongoing care. About the Show   Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship. "Our theme song, 'Room for the Soul,' is available on Bandcamp at https://jonathanweinkle.bandcamp.com/track/room-for-the-soul."   About the Guest Dr. Brittany Panico is a board-certified rheumatologist. She completed residency and fellowship in Chicago and has practiced academic and private-practice rheumatology in Phoenix, caring for the full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient autoimmune and musculoskeletal disease. She is a DO whose training emphasized problem based learning, osteopathic manipulative medicine, and systems thinking. She is active on social media advocating for whole-person, narrative-centered care. Connect with the Guest Website: drbrittanypenico.com About the Host Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being. He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients. 🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com 🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a 📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen 📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle     The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.