Episode 10: The Future of Medicine with One of the Greatest Healthcare Visionaries of Our Time with Dr. Toby Cosgrove

What if healthcare focused less on treating disease and more on creating health? In this powerful conversation, Brigid sits down with Dr. Toby Cosgrove, visionary former CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, to unpack the bold decisions he made that changed healthcare—from banning smoking and removing McDonald’s from hospital cafeterias to pioneering functional medicine on a global stage. Dr. Cosgrove shares his insights on why nutrition, prevention, and innovation (including AI) are essential to transforming healthcare. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why Dr. Cosgrove banned smoking and soda from Cleveland Clinic campuses The backlash (and eventual success) of these groundbreaking health initiatives How nutrition, obesity, and chronic disease are linked The pivotal role of functional medicine in the future of care How AI could change the practice of medicine and patient outcomes Timestamps 04:41 – Dr. Cosgrove’s vision: shifting from “sickness” to “health” care 06:39 – Banning smoking at the Cleveland Clinic & backlash 10:38 – Removing soda and McDonald’s from hospital cafeterias 11:52 – The politics of sugar and its parallels to tobacco 26:35 – Bringing nutrition into medical education 33:11 – Founding the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine 38:54 – Why doctors resist change & the potential of AI in healthcare 43:06 – The future role of dietitians, health coaches & food prescriptions Next Steps + Resources Watch the full episode on YouTube Brigid’s Website Brigid’s Instagram