Designing Healthcare that Cares Podcast

What if the key to better patient care, lower burnout, and higher physician engagement wasn’t more mandates or metrics, but intentional, evidence-based skill development that enriches clinicians while improving outcomes?

In this inspiring and practical episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Dr. Stephen Beeson. Drawing from his groundbreaking work at Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group, where patient experience soared from the 6th to the 93rd percentile, Dr. Beeson shares how a continuous human development approach can create extraordinary results for patients, care teams, and organizations.

They discuss:

What if setting clear boundaries actually freed you to innovate more boldly, take smarter risks, and combat overwhelm in high-stakes healthcare environments?

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Sheri Jacobs, as she shares her unconventional path, from photojournalist capturing Michael Jordan to founding a thriving consulting firm and chasing wildlife adventures across Antarctica and Africa, and how those experiences shaped her powerful framework on boundaries.

They discuss:

What if the perfectionism that got you through med school and residency is now quietly sabotaging your well-being, relationships, and leadership?

In this vulnerable, soul-sister-style return conversation on Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes back Dr. Jillian Rigert, for a deep dive into perfectionism's hidden costs. They unpack its roots in seeking belonging and approval, how it shows up as procrastination and resistance, even when creating courses, masking vulnerability, shame spirals, and high-stakes pressure in healthcare and academia. 

Drawing from personal stories, near-death experiences, community (like the ACE group), Kristen Neff's self-compassion research, s...

What if the perfectionism that got you through med school and residency is now quietly sabotaging your well-being, relationships, and leadership?

In this vulnerable, soul-sister-style return conversation on Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes back Dr. Jillian Rigert, for a deep dive into perfectionism's hidden costs. They unpack its roots in seeking belonging and approval, how it shows up as procrastination and resistance, even when creating courses, masking vulnerability, shame spirals, and high-stakes pressure in healthcare and academia. 

Drawing from personal stories, near-death experiences, community (like the ACE group), Kristen Neff's self-compassion research, s...

Imagine reclaiming your time as a physician: finishing charts by dinner, building meaningful patient relationships, and running a sustainable practice without burnout?

In this insightful episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Dr. Natasha Beauvais, as she shares her unexpected journey from traditional medicine to concierge care after taking over her mentor's practice over a decade ago.

They explore:

What if your drive to "do it all" as a clinician leader is fueling chaos, not results?

In this vulnerable solo episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin gets transparent about her stumbles transitioning from private practice to health system leadership: inflating her irreplaceability, mirroring toxic after-hours work culture, avoiding peer-to-report conversations, and blasting misaligned emails that sparked backlash. Highlighting the gap between clinical excellence and leadership training.  She shares mindset shifts like embracing "you're replaceable" for delegation, themes of unclear roles, emotional pressure, and team bottlenecks. 

Perfect for underprepared clinician leaders feeling re...

Imagine completing all your charting and tasks during work hours, leaving no homework behind and gaining more time for family and self-care?

In this practical episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Dr. Sarah Smith, as she recounts her transformation from endless after-hours work to a sustainable clinical routine while practicing in Australia and Canada.

They explore:

Imagine turning a life-altering cancer diagnosis into a journey of empowerment, fun, and profound personal growth, without denying the hardship?

In this inspiring episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Dr. Cindy Howard, as she shares her unique path from an allopathic family background to chiropractic medicine, her battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma 11 years ago, and how it reshaped her approach to wellness, patient care, and leadership.

They explore:

Imagine ditching the hustle of endless hours for small, intentional acts that build unbreakable teams and combat healthcare burnout without costing a dime?

In this engaging episode, Dr. Laura Suttin interviews Rachel DeAlto, CSP, as she shares her unconventional journey from practicing law and launching a startup to becoming a media personality on shows like Married at First Sight, and now empowering leaders through her books “Relatable“ and “The Relatable Leader“. 

They explore: 

As the year winds down, reflection becomes unavoidable — especially after a season filled with change, growth, and transition.

In this solo episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin looks back on 2025 through the lens of alignment — learning to move toward what feels true and away from what no longer fits. Rather than forcing a polished “word of the year,” Laura names the complexity of the past twelve months, holding gratitude and grief at the same time.

She shares openly about the personal and professional moments that shaped her year: her daughter leaving for college...

Burnout rarely shows up all at once. It creeps in quietly — disguised as overwhelm, responsibility, and “this is just how work is.”

Ellen Whitlock Baker knows this firsthand. After nearly 20 years in higher education leadership, she hit a breaking point that forced her to confront something deeper than stress: misalignment between her values, her identity, and the systems she was operating inside.

In this conversation, Ellen and Dr. Laura Suttin explore why burnout isn’t an individual failure, but a predictable outcome of workplaces that rely on overwork, blurred boundaries, and mission-driven guilt. They unpack how iden...

Most of us didn’t learn about money until adulthood — often by accident or after making mistakes we wish someone had warned us about. Dr. Michele Cho Dorado was no different. In fact, she was nearly a decade into attending hood before realizing she had no real financial education and wasn’t alone in that experience.

This realization set off an identity-shifting journey:
➡️ from “just a doctor” to real estate investor
➡️ from real estate investor to children’s book author
➡️ from clinician to someone shaping the next generation's relationship with money

Michele shares how learning to i...

Burnout is often discussed like a clinical condition — something to solve, measure, or “fix.”

But what if burnout is actually a signal? A message inviting us to pause, reset, and redesign the way we lead and care?

In this deeply honest episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin and Dr. Jeff Gaines explore what it really takes to build a healthcare culture where clinicians feel valued, grounded, and supported — not just productive.

Drawing from 20+ years in Emergency Medicine and years serving as Chief Medical Officer and VP of Medical Affairs, Dr. Gaines s...

For physicians, burnout can feel like an inevitable cost of caring. But what if it’s actually an invitation to realign with who we are?

In this episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin talks with Dr. Christine Kempton, professor of hematology at Emory University and founder of Christine Kempton Coaching, about her personal and professional journey from perfectionism and overwork to purpose and presence.

Christine shares how her early years as a ballet dancer shaped her drive for external validation—and how those same perfectionist patterns followed her into medicine. Through candid refl...

You don’t have to be on a basketball court to know what it means to be under pressure.

In this episode of Designing Healthcare That Cares, Dr. Laura Suttin talks with Coach Mark Gottfried, a nationally recognized NCAA coach turned motivational speaker, about the parallels between leading a team of athletes and leading a team of healthcare professionals.

Mark opens up about his decades on the sidelines—400 wins, national championships, and the lessons that stuck long after the buzzer sounded. He shares how his Get It Done mindset—rooted in Grit, Integrity, and Desire—applies...

Dr. Ruth Mannschreck is a dentist, business owner, and founder of Shoreline Strategies LLC, focusing on helping practice owners become more efficient and streamlined. 

She’s a wealth of experience and expertise on practical things that clinicians and/ or business owners can do to improve their processes and build a healthy culture. 

Here are my takeaways from this incredible episode-

In this solo episode, I announce a new brand I’m launching - Dr. Laura Suttin: Designing Healthcare that Cares. The new brand reflects an evolution of my work and of my own personal development.

This shift isn’t just about a new name or logo. It’s about stepping more fully into the work I’m meant to do, while adding consulting and speaking to my suite of services. I still love coaching, I’m still actively coaching, and that won’t change.

💡 In this episode, I’ll walk you through:

Dr. Dawn Sears is a nationally recognized gastroenterologist, speaker, coach, and fierce advocate for women in medicine. In this heartfelt episode, she shares her inspiring journey from leading wellness initiatives in her hospital (starting with soda machines!) to creating powerful coaching communities that are truly changing the face of leadership in healthcare.

Here are my key takeaways from this episode - 

What happens when we realize that fitting into traditional medicine might mean losing touch with who we really are?

In this heart-opening conversation, I’m joined by my good friend Dr. Tracey O’Connell. Tracey is a Board Certified radiologist, Professional Certified Coach, and facilitator of Brené Brown’s Shame Resilience Program. 

Together, we explore the emotional weight of medical training, the myth of resilience, and how expressive writing can reconnect us to our own truth.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite belong in medicine, or like you’ve had to compart...

In this heartfelt episode of The Purposeful MD Podcast, I am joined by the incomparable Gregory Proctor.

Gregory is a Navy veteran, cancer survivor, and award-winning author. 

He truly is energy in motion. He shares his extraordinary story of transformation, from high-powered executive to cancer patient and now to mission-driven philanthropist and inspiration to so many.

Here are the key takeaways from this episode - 

One of the most delightful guests I’ve ever had on the podcast!

Rachel Pedersen is an online marketing expert, a content creator, and business owner who has scaled to over 3 million followers, and reached over 100 million people annually. Her authentic and warm approach attracts millions to her website and her programs. She’s also a proud mom and wife. Her 2022 book, Unfiltered, is a USA Today bestseller. 

I’ve been a fan of hers for years. Sitting down with her was like talking to an old friend. 

My takeaways from this incredible conversa...

In this solo episode, Dr. Laura Suttin shares how she identified her four core values—purpose, connection, empowerment, and joy—and how they became the compass guiding her decisions, boundaries, and energy. 

You'll hear how to uncover your own values, spot where you’ve drifted, and take one simple step to realign.

Inside the episode:

In this episode of The Purposeful MD Podcast, Dr. Laura Suttin welcomes Alan Utley, a speaker, coach, and culture crafter with 25 years in senior HR leadership. Alan shares his journey from accidental HR beginnings to pioneering the “Fanatical Grace” framework — a powerful approach to transforming workplace culture through humanity, accountability, and kindness.

This conversation is filled with laughter, honest reflection, and practical wisdom for any physician or healthcare leader navigating complex teams and high-pressure environments.

You’ll learn:

In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with my good friend and colleague, Dr. Lindsey Van Duyn, a family physician and the founder of Immersive Medical Therapy. What started as a personal mission to help teens in her rural Iowa community has grown into a pioneering program that is making a real impact in the lives of adolescents struggling with depression and anxiety.

Dr. Van Duyn shares how a single patient’s story became her “why” — and how, despite barriers and setbacks, she followed her passion and built something truly innovative using virtual...