Medvale – February 21, 2025
Trust has always been the foundation of healthcare. Patients rely on their doctors to guide them, physicians trust the system to support them, and organizations are expected to act in the best interest of those they serve. But something has changed. Trust is eroding—among patients, providers, and institutions alike. In a recent Megaphone episode, Medvalista Tom Ferkovic sat down with Dave Self to unpack the deeper issues driving this breakdown and explore what it would take to restore confidence in the system.
One of the key insights from their discussion? Healthcare isn’t just broken—it’s buried under layers of complexity that make trust nearly impossible. Administrative overload, rigid regulations, and financial incentives misaligned with patient care have created a system that feels more like an obstacle course than a place of healing. Ferkovic argues that real change won’t come from tweaking policies at the edges—it requires “opening the code” of healthcare, much like Apple did when it unleashed app development to innovators. But right now, that code is locked behind insurers, EHR giants, and bureaucratic red tape.
So, where do we start? Ferkovic emphasizes that rebuilding trust means cutting through the noise and taking action. Medvale, as a peer-driven community, can be a space where healthcare leaders challenge each other, share unfiltered insights, and push for real solutions. If the system won’t change itself, those working within it need to take the lead.