How to make healthcare more human

How to make healthcare more human

Author: The BMJ May 29, 2026 Duration: 36:19
Does healthcare have a moral emergency? In this episode of the Medicine and Science podcast, Kamran Abbasi sits down with healthcare leaders Maureen Bisognano, president emerita of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Bob Klaber, director of strategy at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, to discuss why they're calling the lack of humanity in medicine an emergency. We ask why this dangerous imbalance between the rational (efficiency, data, and metrics) and the relational (human connection, empathy, and listening) has developed in modern medicine. We also learn how simple changes, like asking "What matters to you?" instead of just "What's the matter?, can help us put the humanity back into healthcare.   Reading list Read the BMJ Article: Healthcare's moral emergency: reconnecting healthcare with its mission and purpose Michael West on workforce kindness Amy Edmondson on psychological safety Len Berry on cancer care & kindness  

Produced by The BMJ, this weekly audio series delves into the pivotal research and urgent clinical debates shaping modern medicine. Each episode moves beyond the published page, bringing together the authors, critics, and practitioners directly involved to dissect a new study or a pressing health question. The conversation is rigorous and nuanced, designed for those who appreciate the complexity behind headlines. You’ll hear unscripted discussion about methodology, implications for practice, and the occasional healthy disagreement that drives science forward. This isn't just a summary of the latest findings; it's a critical appraisal in real time, offering listeners a front-row seat to the evolving discourse that defines evidence-based care. The Medicine and Science from The BMJ podcast serves as an essential audio companion for clinicians, academics, and anyone keen to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind medical news. It transforms the latest evidence from the journal into an accessible, thought-provoking dialogue, ensuring that busy professionals can stay deeply informed. Tune in for a direct, intelligent, and often surprising take on the science that matters most.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Medicine and Science from The BMJ
Podcast Episodes
The Trump administration is an international health emergency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:07
Covid 19 was the last Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Our guests in this podcast think that the Trump Administration should be declared the next one. Joining Kamran Abbasi are, Fatima Hassan, hu…
The 15th strike, and bringing compassion back to A&E [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:21
Coming up in this week’s episode: The 15th Strike: As the latest six-day walkout by resident doctors in England concludes, the BMJ's news team examines the state of the ongoing dispute over pay and training places. Iain…
How the war in Iran will disrupt medical supplies around the world [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:50
The Gulf states are not large producers of pharmaceuticals or healthcare products - but the oil they supply, and the transport infrastructure they have built, are key components in a worldwide logistical network that und…
Is the NHS in danger of making misinformation worse? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:17
The lure of health influencers and AI chat bots is strong. More and more people are placing trust in them to answer their health problems, misplaced trust - as we know these AIs can misinform. At the same time, people ar…
What should GP's make of the new NHS contract? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:41
In this episode, Dr Katie Bramall, Chair of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee, joins the podcast to discuss her concerns surrounding the new GP contract imposed by the UK government. GP contract overhaul: What's…
Rethinking Cancer Survivorship and the Autism Gender Gap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:17
In this week’s episode, we challenge long-held medical narratives, starting with how the healthcare system manages life after a cancer diagnosis. While medical advancements mean more people are surviving cancer than ever…