FHC #209: What the AMA’s new CEO is hearing from doctors & patients right now

FHC #209: What the AMA’s new CEO is hearing from doctors & patients right now

From Fixing Healthcare Podcast by Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr

March 24, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

Dr. John Whyte discusses the current concerns of physicians and patients in healthcare as the new CEO of the American Medical Association.

Dr. John Whyte has spent his career at the intersection of medicine, media and public policy. Now, as CEO of the American Medical Association, he hears firsthand what physicians, patients and health leaders are most concerned about and what they expect from the future of healthcare. That perspective makes him an ideal guest for Season 11 of Fixing Healthcare with cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. This season’s guests bring more than impressive résumés and large social-media followings. They bring insight into what people across the country are actually talking about: the fears they express, the questions they ask and the expectations they carry into exam rooms, boardrooms and online conversations. Whyte has held leadership roles at the FDA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He later became chief medical officer at WebMD and chief medical expert for Discovery Channel. In each position, he has focused on translating complex medical issues into clear, actionable information. In this conversation, he shares what he is hearing now and why the answers will require both cultural and structural change. Key highlights include: Three concerns dominate for physicians…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. Robert Pearl, Jeremy Corr

Guest: Dr. John Whyte

Topics covered

  • healthcare concerns
  • physician frustrations
  • digital health
  • public policy
  • patient expectations

Keywords

  • AMA
  • healthcare
  • physicians
  • patients
  • digital health
  • public policy
  • prior authorization
  • scope-of-practice
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Medical Association, FDA, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, WebMD, Discovery Channel

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