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What happens when a physician decides that simply surviving a broken healthcare system isn't enough—and sets out to change it?

In this episode of Medical Money Matters, Jill Arena welcomes Dr. Todd Otten, a board-certified family physician, author, and healthcare reform advocate who believes that meaningful change in American healthcare starts with the people who experience its challenges every day: physicians and patients.

With more than two decades of experience in medicine, including leadership roles as an ACO Medical Director and Chief of Staff, Todd has witnessed firsthand how systemic dysfunction affects patient care, physician well-being, and the financial sustainability of medical practices.

Rather than accepting the status quo, Todd has made it his mission to inspire a movement.

He is the co-author, alongside former patient Joshua Judy, of Ripple of Change, a book that explores the healthcare system from both sides of the exam room and challenges readers to rethink what's possible.

Todd is also the executive producer of the documentary Suck It Up, Buttercup: Trust & Betrayal — Healthcare in America, which examines the erosion of trust, physician burnout, patient suffering, and the urgent need for systemic reform.

Together, Jill and Todd explore what it will take to move beyond frustration and learned helplessness toward meaningful, physician-led change.

Because fixing healthcare isn't just about reimbursement rates, operational efficiency, or controlling costs. It's about rebuilding trust, restoring physician autonomy, and creating a system that works for everyone.

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Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Promo pricing available now: https://education.healtheps.com/offers/Ry3zfLYp/checkout?coupon_code=PHYSEDGE3000

Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self
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Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience
Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

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What if some of the biggest financial opportunities in your medical practice aren't hiding in your revenue cycle, expense reports, or reimbursement contracts—but in your people?

In this episode of Medical Money Matters, Jill Arena welcomes Amy Lafko, founder of Cairn Consulting Solutions, leadership and organizational development expert, and author of People First: A Proven Method for an Exceptional Healthcare Practice.

Together, they explore a powerful concept that challenges the way healthcare leaders think about profitability: the difference between dark green dollars and light green dollars.

Dark green dollars are the numbers we know how to measure. Revenue, expenses, payroll, collections, margins, and productivity. They're tangible, quantifiable, and easy to track on financial reports.

But light green dollars are different.

They're the financial value created—or lost—through people.

They show up when an engaged employee goes the extra mile for a patient, when a great manager retains a talented team member, or when a high-performing team solves problems efficiently instead of allowing them to escalate.

And they disappear through poor communication, disengagement, unnecessary turnover, unresolved conflict, ineffective leadership, and the countless inefficiencies that emerge when people aren't working well together.

These costs and opportunities are real, even when we can't easily assign them a dollar amount.

Amy has built her career around helping organizations unlock this hidden value. Through her People First methodology, she helps healthcare leaders strengthen their teams, improve accountability, create organizational alignment, and build cultures where employees and businesses can thrive.

The central message is simple: Grow your people to grow your business.

Because investing in people isn't separate from financial performance. It's one of the most important drivers of it.

Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop!
Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/
Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: https://share.hsforms.com/1FMup6xLPSpeA8hB77caYQwd32sx?hsCtaAttrib=171926995377

Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Promo pricing available now: https://education.healtheps.com/offers/Ry3zfLYp/checkout?coupon_code=PHYSEDGE3000

Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self
Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/
Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience
Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

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Imagine walking into a negotiation to sell your house. The buyer knows what every comparable house in the neighborhood sold for, but you don't. That's essentially how many physicians have negotiated insurance contracts for decades. The insurance companies had the data. We had our contracts, our collections, and maybe a few conversations with colleagues. But now, the rules have changed.

Today we're talking about something that could fundamentally change the way your medical group negotiates with insurance companies: healthcare price transparency.

And here's the really interesting part. The information you need to negotiate better contracts may already be publicly available. The question is whether you know where to find it, how to interpret it, and most importantly, how to use it.

For years, I've watched physicians work incredibly hard to grow their practices, improve productivity, and manage expenses, while overlooking one of the biggest opportunities to improve their financial performance: getting paid appropriately for the work they're already doing.

Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop!
Visit Jill’s company, Health e Practices’ website: https://healtheps.com/
Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: https://share.hsforms.com/1FMup6xLPSpeA8hB77caYQwd32sx?hsCtaAttrib=171926995377

Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Promo pricing available now: https://education.healtheps.com/offers/Ry3zfLYp/checkout?coupon_code=PHYSEDGE3000

Purchase your copy of Jill’s book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self
Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/
Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig’s website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience
Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/