← The Peter Attia Drive

#150 - Senator Bill Frist, M.D.: A modern Renaissance man's journey through science, politics, and business

Feb 22, 2021 2h 23m 20 insights
<div> <p><span> Bill Frist is a nationally acclaimed heart and lung transplant surgeon, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, and is actively engaged in health policy and education reform. In this episode, Bill takes us through his long and varied career in medicine, politics, and business, which includes establishing the organ transplantation program at Vanderbilt as well as rising from the lowest-ranked member of the U.S. Senate to the Majority Leader in two terms. We discuss some of the most significant moments of his time in the Senate, such as advocating for AIDS prevention programs' funding and addressing complicated issues like stem cell research and the end-of-life issues raised by the Terri Schiavo case. We also hear his first-person account of what happened behind the scenes on September 11, 2001, his frustration with our lack of preparation for the pandemic, and his thoughts about the current state of U.S. politics. Finally, we talk about his current endeavors in health policy and education reform.</span></p> </div> <div> <p>We discuss:</p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Bill's decision to pursue medicine and do organ transplants (3:40);</li> <li>The miraculous nature of organ transplants: History, Bill's work, and the most exciting things to come (12:00);</li> <li>Frist's experience building up the heart transplant program at Vanderbilt (21:45);</li> <li>The famous rivalry between surgeons Denton Cooley and Michael DeBakey (29:15);</li> <li>How the medical field can attract bright young people to pursue medicine (33:00);</li> <li>Bill's decision to leave medicine and run for the US senate (38:00);</li> <li>The value in having scientists and physicians in Congress (47:30);</li> <li>A discussion on whether or not senators should have term limits (55:30);</li> <li>The highly polarized nature of politics, and how we can fix it with empathy (1:00:30);</li> <li>Bill's time in the Senate and quick rise to Senate Majority Leader (1:05:30);</li> <li>The lifesaving impact of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) under George W. Bush (1:15:15);</li> <li>How Bill reversed course on his view of the value and morality of stem cell research (1:19:45);</li> <li>Complex end-of-life decisions, and Bill's role in the infamous Terri Schiavo case—a story that captures the conflict among law, morality, and improving technology (1:30:00);</li> <li>Remembering the events of September 11th from Bill's perspective in the Senate (1:49:45);</li> <li>The coronavirus pandemic: Bill's accurate 2005 prediction, and a discussion about future preparedness (1:56:45);</li> <li>The divided state of US politics, and how we can come together (2:06:45);</li> <li>How experience in medicine and politics is shaping Bill's current endeavors in business, reforming education, palliative care, and more (2:12:45); and</li> <li>More.</li> </ul> <div> <span>Learn more: </span><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/"><span>https://peterattiamd.com/</span></a></div> <div> </div> <div> <span>Show notes page for this episode: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/BillFrist">https://peterattiamd.com/BillFrist</a> </span></div> <div> </div> <div> <span>Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: </span><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/"><span>https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/</span></a></div> <div> </div> <div> <span>Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: </span><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/"><span>https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/</span></a></div> <div> </div> <div> <span>Connect with Peter on</span> <a href="http://facebook.com/PeterAttiaMD"><span>Faceboo</span></a><span>k</span> <span>|</span> <a href="http://twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD"><span>Twitter</span></a> <span>|</span> <a href="http://instagram.com/PeterAttiaMD"><span>Instagram</span></a><span>.</span></div> </div>
Actionable Insights

1. Create an Advanced Directive

Proactively establish a living will or advanced directive while in good health to outline your end-of-life wishes. This prevents difficult decisions and potential family disagreements during times of crisis, ensuring your preferences are respected.

2. Lead with Empathy

Approach all interactions with an empathetic mindset, actively listening and observing non-verbal cues before speaking. This builds trust, fosters fairness, and allows for deeper understanding in any field.

3. Bridge Divides with Empathy

Actively cultivate empathy and strive to understand both sides of an issue, even when disagreeing, to bridge political and societal polarization. This connectedness is crucial for fostering constructive dialogue and finding solutions.

4. Prioritize Foundational Science

Ensure all clinical applications and interventions are fundamentally rooted in correct, systematically developed science, supported by facts and thorough clinical trials. Avoid premature introduction of new methods to ensure patient safety.

5. Embrace Deliberate Problem-Solving

When confronted with seemingly insurmountable challenges, adopt a deliberate, disciplined, and focused process. Systematically work through problems over time, even in the face of repeated failures, to achieve ultimate success.

6. Adapt Policy to Evolving Science

Recognize that scientific understanding and capabilities evolve, with new techniques and clinical trials providing updated knowledge. Policymakers must be prepared to adapt their positions and policies based on this evolving scientific evidence.

7. Separate Politics from Policy

Strive to distinguish political considerations from sound policy and scientific facts when making decisions, especially in complex matters. This approach helps ensure decisions are based on objective evidence and public good.

8. Broaden Ethical Tech Discussions

When facing rapid advancements in science and technology (e.g., synthetic biology, CRISPR), actively work to broaden ethical discussions beyond academic and political circles to include the general public. This ensures appropriate ethical constructs are developed with wider societal input.

9. Invest in Public Health Infrastructure

Advocate for and support sustained, long-term investment in local public health infrastructure, including increasing the number of full-time public health professionals. This is crucial for effective pandemic preparedness and community health resilience.

10. Foster Bipartisan Dialogue

High-level leaders should regularly convene bipartisan groups from opposing parties for quiet, off-the-record discussions. This builds trust, creates space for genuine dialogue, and provides political cover for lower-level leaders to compromise.

11. Cultivate Mentorship-Driven Teams

Replicate successful mentorship models and build dedicated teams that share a ’team first’ mentality, embrace simplicity, and are not afraid to iterate and refine processes. This approach fosters continuous improvement and long-term success.

12. Foster a Merit-Based Culture

Build a work environment that prioritizes merit over seniority, values a strong team approach, and shows immense respect for all members. This fosters a collaborative and effective system where individual ego is secondary to collective success.

13. Strategically Support Innovation

Institutions should provide strategic financial and operational support for high-impact innovations, especially in their early, less-proven stages. This commitment helps new programs establish themselves and ultimately benefits a wider population.

14. Maintain Broad Interests

For those entering specialized fields like medicine, maintain broad interests and develop talents outside the core professional area. Keep these parallel interests active through hobbies or regular engagement to enhance perspective and contribution.

15. Commit Fully to Endeavors

When embarking on a new path or challenge, commit ‘all in’ rather than holding back. This full dedication is crucial for navigating difficult transitions and achieving success.

16. Prioritize K-12 Education

To effect profound societal change, especially globally and for vulnerable populations, prioritize investment and reform in K-12 education. This area has a strong nexus with health and overall well-being, leading to dramatic improvements.

17. Invest in Mission-Driven Health

When investing or starting companies in the health sector, focus on mission-directed health service companies that aim to uplift vulnerable populations. This approach aligns with a broader goal of healing and providing hope, addressing unmet needs in communities.

18. Innovate Holistic Palliative Care

Develop and support healthcare systems that provide comprehensive, non-hospice palliative care for individuals in their last year of life, especially in underserved areas. This holistic approach integrates spiritual, mental, nutritional, exercise, and general medical care.

19. Address Elderly Social Determinants

Create integrated care models for the frail elderly that holistically address both medical costs and social determinants of health. This involves combining various support systems to provide comprehensive care beyond traditional medical treatment.

20. Maintain Optimism & Engage

Cultivate an optimistic outlook and actively engage in challenging situations, working to bring diverse people together. This approach can lead to positive outcomes and help overcome seemingly intractable problems.