Tampa General Hospital Launches New Podcast to Cut Through Health Care Confusion and Empower Consumers

The podcast, featuring health care experts from across the country, offers practical guidance through straight talk to empower consumers to make more informed decisions about their own care.

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH) today announced the launch of "Give It to Me Straight, Doc," a bold new video podcast designed to demystify the U.S. health care system and empower listeners to become more informed — and more savvy — health care consumers.

As the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa General is uniquely positioned to translate academic expertise into real-world guidance. The podcast will feature voices from across the academic medical community: clinicians, researchers and faculty who are shaping the future of health care.

The podcast, produced in partnership with Parker Street, the digital creative agency affiliated with WFLA-TV in Tampa, tackles the confusion, complexity and frustration many Americans experience when trying to get the care they need. Through real‑life examples, expert insights and straightforward conversations, "Give It to Me Straight, Doc" provides practical tools to help people navigate the medical maze and take control of their health journeys. New episodes will be available twice monthly.

"Health care in America is incredibly complex — and patients often feel overwhelmed," said John Couris, president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General Hospital. "As an academic health system, our work with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine ensures that we are not only delivering world-class care today but also shaping the future of medicine. This podcast is an extension of that commitment — bridging academic expertise and public education so people can make informed decisions with confidence."

Hosted by veteran health care reporter Anjalee Khemlani, formerly of Yahoo Finance, the podcast blends human-centered storytelling with honest, hard-hitting conversations about the realities of the U.S. health care system. The debut episode explores the "triangle of care" — the interconnected roles of providers, insurers and pharmacies — and how those relationships shape a patient's experience.

"As a reporter, I've spent my career covering the forces that shape health care in this country," Khemlani said. "But most people don't see what happens behind the curtain — the systems, incentives and invisible hands that determine how and when they receive care. This podcast is about pulling that curtain back so listeners can make informed choices and advocate for themselves and their loved ones."

The podcast aligns with Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General's academic mission to advance health literacy, strengthen patient engagement and translate leading-edge science into practical, accessible knowledge for the public. Topics in upcoming episodes include what's broken in the U.S. health system, choosing the right care with confidence and how and why patients must play an active role in their own care.

"Education is one of the most powerful tools in health care," Couris added. "If we want people to thrive, they must have the knowledge, clarity and confidence to participate fully. This podcast is one more way we're fulfilling our promise to guide and support them every step of the way."

Listeners can access all episodes of "Give It to Me Straight, Doc" by downloading or following these channels:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• WFLA News Channel 8 streaming app
• YouTube
• TGH.org
• TGH social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, the Tampa Bay region's only academic health system, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network of hospital and outpatient services spanning across Florida. As the only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care center serving 23 counties, Tampa General delivers world-class care. The system's hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 Best Hospitals, with six medical specialties ranking among the top 50 in the nation and five additional medical specialties ranked among the top 10% best hospital programs in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center for real-time situational awareness, the academic health system has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to ensure patients receive leading-edge care as quickly and safely as possible. Tampa General's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by three prestigious Forbes magazine rankings — in the 2025 America's Best Large Employers, ranked as the Tampa Bay region's #1 employer in the health care category for the fifth year in a row, and among the top five in the state of Florida, in the 2025 Best Employers by State and the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women.

Tampa General is the area's safety-net hospital, caring for anyone regardless of ability to pay; in fiscal year 2024, Tampa General provided a net community benefit of approximately $289.1 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It was the nation's No. 1 adult solid organ transplant center in 2024 and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General transports critically injured or ill patients from surrounding counties to receive the advanced care their conditions require. Tampa General has a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General's footprint includes TGH North, which consists of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties; 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices; TGH Family Care Center Kennedy; two TGH outpatient centers; TGH Virtual Health; and 19 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care, powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Karen Barrera
Senior Director
MarComm, Media & Partnerships
(813) 928-1603 (cell)
[email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital