147. Honoring National Physician's Week

<div class="HeaderWrapper-sc-__sc-1bypfuk-3 cDFEQK" data-qa= "question-header"><span class= "TextWrapper-sc-__sc-1f8vz90-0 cqvKYc"><span id= "statement-da45ce8c-46ad-4f15-bf40-cb37e5706cc3-LpjRfgRKMFVvrvwX-title" class="TextWrapper-sc-__sc-1f8vz90-0 hZUeEQ" role="heading" data-qa="block-title deep-purple-block-title" aria-live="off" aria-level="2"><em>The CME experience for this </em><em>Podcast</em><em> is powered by CMEfy - click here to reflect and unlock credits & more: </em><a href= "https://earnc.me/DHbRXI" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"><em>https://earnc.me/DHbRXI</em></a></span></span></div> <div class="SpacerWrapper-sc-__sc-4rs8xl-0 bfQixi"> </div> <p>This week we break from our normal format to have a discussion with doctors Marion Mass and Kimberly Jackson regarding the genesis of National Physicians' Week.</p> <p>Dr. Marion Mass is a practicing pediatrician who is also a physician advocate and healthcare activist. She is driven to take back medicine for patients and the medical profession. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a spotlight on dangerous deficiencies within the US healthcare industry. At the center of these deficiencies are Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), which are healthcare intermediaries that increase costs and create drug and supply shortages. Although GPOs and PBMs don’t produce or distribute a single product or provide direct care to a single patient, they control nearly 90% of the pharmaceutical supply chain. These middlemen amass huge profits because they enjoy government-mandated safe harbor protections at the expense of physician practice needs, sound medical decision-making, and patient choice. </p> <p>Dr. Kimberly Funches Jackson is the founder of Physicians Working Together and pioneer of National Physicians Week. Throughout her career as a board-certified physician, “Dr. J.” has dedicated her life to the care of others. She’s the medical director and co-owner of her Family Medicine & Pediatrics clinic and has provided medical care to adult