What if the most powerful clinical tool in healthcare wasn't a drug, a device, or a data platform — but a word?

In this episode of Experiencing Healthcare, Jamie and Matt have a conversation that starts with Disney World germs and ends with something that will change the way you lead your team tomorrow.

They unpack the idea of Intentional Positive Reinforcement — not the hollow "great job" you throw over your shoulder in the hallway, but the kind of deliberate, meaningful recognition that creates a ripple effect all the way to the patient's bedside. Matt shares what a dental hygienist taught him about doing things right, why a pair of clicking heels in a nursing home hallway was actually a leadership strategy, and what happens to a healthcare team that only ever hears what they're doing wrong.

This is a conversation for the bedside nurse and the C-suite executive. For the credentialing specialist who never sees a patient and the clinical coordinator who sees dozens. Because in healthcare, everyone plays a role in the patient experience — and the way we lead people determines the care those people deliver.

If you've ever wondered whether your words are adding to your team or subtracting from them, this episode is your answer.

In this episode of Experiencing Healthcare, Jamie and Matt unpack a term that instantly hits home for people in healthcare: Productivity Dysmorphia—when you’re doing a lot, but it still feels like it’s never enough.

They explore why clinicians, leaders, and support teams often leave work exhausted yet feeling unproductive, how healthcare metrics can accidentally reinforce that feeling, and why stories and outcomes matter just as much as numbers. Matt offers a powerful reminder: your value isn’t the sum of your task list—and not everything meaningful is measurable.

On a cold January day in South Carolina, Jamie and Matt Staub unpack why focus is one of the most underrated leadership skills—especially in healthcare, where everything can feel urgent. They break down how leaders decide what deserves attention, how to “push pause” on non-emergencies, and why coaching people through problems is often more effective than absorbing them. The conversation also explores decision fatigue, the difference between being busy and being focused, the role of habits (including insights from Atomic Habits), and how boundaries protect the work that actually moves the mission forward. Along the way, they normalize attention struggles, reframe “failure” as part of growth, and offer practical ways to stay aligned to goals without losing empathy or accessibility.

What if problems weren’t something to avoid—but something to value? In this episode of Experiencing Healthcare, Jamie and Matt explore a powerful idea: Problems are Currency—but only when we stop pointing at them and start owning them. They break down how excuses form, why asking for help is a leadership strength, how to prioritize what matters most (not just what’s loudest), and how small wins create real momentum. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or hesitant to tackle a tough issue, this conversation will help you shift from reaction to resolution.

In this 2026 edition of Experiencing Healthcare, we open the year with a deceptively simple leadership question: who’s the hardest person to lead? The answer isn’t a teammate—it’s yourself. Through humor, real-world CEO moments, and hard-earned reflection, Matt unpacks why self-leadership is often overlooked, how boundaries are actually discipline in disguise, and why emotional regulation is the foundation for every decision you make—especially in a “heavy” industry like healthcare. The takeaway: if you want to lead others well this year, start by leading you with intention.

As 2025 comes to a close, Jamie sits down with Matt to look ahead to 2026 with honesty, leadership, and momentum. They reflect on habits worth reclaiming, the difference between awareness and action, and what it means to provide stability in uncertain seasons. Matt shares his “One Word” for 2026—Direction—and unpacks how it shapes his leadership, health journey, and commitment to helping teams move past what holds them back. Jamie also shares his own word—Directness—and the courage it takes to lean into discomfort for growth.

In Episode 100, Jamie and Matt reflect on a year that fundamentally reshaped how Matt experiences healthcare—as both a patient and a caregiver. Matt shares an update on his active surveillance prostate cancer journey, including lifestyle changes, monitoring, and learning to live with uncertainty.

The conversation expands beyond Matt’s diagnosis to include the realities of caregiving: navigating a father’s dementia and hospice journey, processing anticipatory grief and loss, supporting a teenage daughter through surgery, and helping a mother recover after a stroke. Matt speaks candidly about caregiver burnout, moments of emotional paralysis, and the importance of asking for help.

Together, Jamie and Matt explore how grief lingers, how recovery often proves harder than the crisis itself, and why healthcare must focus on what happens after discharge. Episode 100 closes with a powerful reminder: it’s okay not to be okay—but it’s not okay to face it alone.

EPISODE NOTES

• Jamie and Matt open the episode with lighthearted holiday banter and personal Christmas traditions.
• This 99th episode marks a milestone far beyond the average podcast lifespan of seven episodes.
• Jamie introduces the shift from typical healthcare culture/policy topics to a deeply personal conversation about patient experience from Matt’s perspective.
• Matt admits he’s more nervous for this episode than almost any other—because it’s personal.
• The conversation acknowledges the hardship of 2024–2025 for both hosts’ families.
• Matt walks through how a wellness check and PSA screening unexpectedly detected something abnormal.
• An MRI experience becomes meaningful thanks to a tech who sensed his anxiety and used music to calm him—highlighting how small patient-experience moments matter.
• The MRI revealed something suspicious, leading to a biopsy.
• Matt received his cancer diagnosis alone in a conference center during a professional event—an emotionally jarring moment.
• He immediately sought clarity and support from a physician colleague, who helped him interpret the results.
• Matt reflects on the shock of seeing “prostate cancer” in writing and how it triggered grief-like emotions.
• He emphasizes the importance of asking for results early so patients can process before appointments.
• His urologist spent over an hour walking through options—an impactful example of patient-centered communication.