Cataracts, which are the age-related changes of the eye’s natural lens, are the leading cause of reversible blindness worldwide and among older adults in the U.S. As proteins in the lens break down over time, they cause the lens to be less transparent and less able to change its shape. The lens can’t contract into a ball for near vision or flatten for distant; images become cloudy, blurry, less bright, and less colorful. Untreated advanced cataracts can lead to total blindness, which amazingly can still be reversed with surgery. Current estimates are that four million cataract surgeries are performed annually in the U.S., and the surgery is considered the safest invasive procedure done on humans. On this episode, we'll take a deep dive into the most common surgery performed in the U.S. today.

The US rural healthcare crisis is a quiet emergency affecting roughly 60 million people — one-fifth of the population — who face higher mortality rates, systemic hospital closures, and severe specialist shortage. Over 700 rural hospitals (roughly 30% of the national total) are currently at risk of closing due to financial shortfalls. Since 2005, more than 190 rural hospitals have closed while another 25% have closed their maternity wards. While 20% of Americans live in rural areas, only 10% of US physicians practice there. Rural residents face higher rates of premature death from heart disease, cancer, and stroke compared to their urban counterparts. Suicide rates are significantly higher in rural areas, particularly among adult men and children. While only one-third of motor vehicle accidents occur in rural areas, they account for two-thirds of all accident-related deaths. This episode explores the rural healthcare crisis.

The facts are staggering. Lung cancer remains the number one cancer killer of both men and women. 230,000 new lung cancer diagnoses are expected in the US this year. The average annual cost of treating advanced or metastatic lung cancer is astronomical, often exceeding $200,000 per year. Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scans is severely underused in the U.S. with less than 20% of the millions of eligible high-risk former and current smokers getting tested. Lung cancer screening works. It’s safe and effective. It saves lives. It saves healthcare dollars as the cost of treating advanced cancer continues to skyrocket. On this episode, we'll try to understand how to increase use of this inexpensive test that can save more lives and money than any other in healthcare.