In this episode of the Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer is joined by Dr. Roger Kapoor, physician leader and author of Working Happy!: How to Survive Burnout and Find Your Work/Life Synergy in the Healthcare Industry.

Quint and Dr. Kapoor dive deep into one of healthcare’s most urgent challenges: burnout. Drawing from personal experience, clinical insight, and extensive research, Dr. Kapoor explores why so many healthcare professionals are feeling overwhelmed—and what we can do about it. He explains that burnout isn’t just a workplace issue; it often starts within ourselves, and recognizing this can be the first step toward healing.

Listeners will hear why “work/life balance” may be a flawed concept and how “work/life synergy” can offer a more sustainable, fulfilling way forward. They’ll learn about the powerful concept of ikigai (a Japanese term for “reason for being”) and how finding purpose in even the smallest moments can bring resilience and joy back to a healthcare career. Dr. Kapoor also explores fundamentals like diet, exercise, and sleep in a way that’s fresh and compelling. (You’ll love his insights on the “night shift janitors” that clear out the waste in our brains.)

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in healthcare who’s grappling with stress, seeking practical ways to recharge, or simply wanting to reconnect with the meaning behind their work.

About Dr. Roger Kapoor

Roger Kapoor, MD, MBA, is the senior vice president of Beloit Health System in Beloit, Wisconsin, a community-based nonprofit hospital with approximately 23 service locations. He is a Harvard-trained dermatologist who also holds an MBA from the University of Oxford in England and has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles published in professional journals including the New England Journal of Medicine. He was the recipient of the Wisconsin Medical Society’s Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, Young Physician Leadership Award and named one of the Top 25 Emerging Leaders in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare.

Kapoor has been credited with re-engineering the delivery of healthcare to his community, resulting in a dramatic rise in patient satisfaction at his institution from a stagnant 16th percentile to an astonishing 88th percentile in less than a year. He concurrently ushered in transformative results in quality, leading teams to achieve three consecutive “A” ratings from the national watchdog group Leapfrog, a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Five-Star Quality Rating System, and numerous quality-of-care pathway accolades.

As a practicing board-certified dermatologist, he has built a successful medical and cosmetic dermatology practice using advanced techniques to help patients live happier, healthier lives.

His book Working Happy! How to Survive Burnout and Find Your Work/Life Synergy in the Healthcare Industry was published in 2024.