“Even when the system seems unbeatable, persistence, evidence, and truth can prevail.” - Dr. Rifai

Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist and host of Skin Deep, welcomes Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai — triple-board-certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, and addiction medicine. A genuine telehealth pioneer since 2006, Dr. Rifai helped build the nation's first emergency telehealth system and co-authored the field's early clinical guidelines. What does it cost to be ahead of your time? He knows firsthand. His book, Doctor Not Guilty, hit number one on Amazon in mental health and health law. His core message: impeccable documentation isn't just best practice — when the government comes knocking, it becomes your entire defense.

The episode covers every stage of Dr. Rifai's seven-year ordeal: a Medicare audit in 2017, a federal indictment in 2022, and a five-day trial in May 2024 that ended with a "not guilty on all charges" verdict in just two hours. Can one physician really beat the Department of Justice? Dr. Rifai walks through the investigation tactics physicians rarely see coming — secret bank access, four consecutive IRS audits, staff intimidation. He also spotlights landmark physician cases, including one now petitioned to the U.S. Supreme Court, and resources for doctors who need support today.

Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai is board-certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, and addiction medicine, with over 15 years in private practice. A telehealth pioneer since 2006, he helped establish the nation's first emergency telehealth system and authored foundational guidelines for the field. In May 2024, he was acquitted on all counts of federal healthcare fraud following a landmark five-day trial. His memoir, Doctor Not Guilty — a number one Amazon bestseller in mental health and health law — chronicles that journey. He now advocates for physicians facing legal challenges through www.shield.expert.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Dr. Rifai shares his telehealth career and the book that came from his legal fight
• (06:36) Inside the investigation: how a 2017 Medicare audit became a federal indictment
• (12:54) Other physicians who fought back — and the case now before the Supreme Court
• (17:00) How Dr. Rifai protected 20,000 patients' trust and fought back through the media
• Share with a dermatology pro you know, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes!

About the show: Welcome to Skin Deep, a podcast designed for dermatology professionals. Host Dr. Anna Chacon, a distinguished dermatologist and author, shares her unique experiences and offers valuable insights on the future of dermatology, including telemedicine and teledermatology in reaching underserved communities. Dr. Chacon provides actionable recommendations for dermatology practices, emphasizing compassion, patient education, and staying current with advancements in the field.

About the host: Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Indigenous Dermatology, specializes in treating patients in remote and rural communities. As the first dermatologist serving Alaska's Bush region, she travels by bush plane to reach isolated communities. Dr. Chacon holds medical licenses in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, providing both in-person and teledermatology services.

Resources:

Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai:

Website: www.alyrifai.com

Practice (Blue Mountain Psychiatry): www.bluepsychiatry.org

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alyrifai

SHIELD — Support and Help in Ethical Legal Defense:

• (00:00:00) - Dr. Muhammad Ali Refai on Trial for Healthcare Fraud
• (00:06:55) - Ex-Telehealth Employee Accused of Fraud
• (00:11:34) - Viraj Gupta on the IRS Audit
• (00:14:57) - The COVID Pandemic physician case
• (00:17:28) - Physicians facing criminal prosecutions

What drives a surgeon to leave the operating room?

Dr. Anna Chacon welcomes Dr. Samuel Sarmiento, a physician-turned-strategy consultant who transformed his medical career into entrepreneurial success. Dr. Sarmiento, founder and CEO of Juniper Life Sciences, brings a unique blend of surgical training from Mayo Clinic and dual graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University in public health and business administration. His boutique consulting firm specializes in health, wellness, and digital health companies, from supplement brands to biotechnology startups. Dr. Sarmiento's journey reveals the importance of aligning professional choices with personal values and recognizing burnout before it takes hold.

This conversation explores the critical decision points facing physicians considering non-traditional career paths. Topics include the practical value of MPH and MBA degrees for healthcare professionals, strategies for physicians experiencing burnout, and the role of self-reflection in career transitions. Dr. Sarmiento shares his passion for language learning—he speaks seven languages—and discusses how it enhances cultural competence and business relationships. The episode also addresses emerging trends in healthcare, particularly artificial intelligence's potential to reduce administrative burden and improve patient care, while maintaining the irreplaceable human element of medicine.

Dr. Samuel Sarmiento is a physician-turned-strategy consultant specializing in health, wellness, and digital health sectors. Originally from Ecuador, he completed his surgical internship at Mayo Clinic before earning dual graduate degrees in Public Health and Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. He founded Juniper Life Sciences, a boutique consulting firm helping companies innovate through strategic consulting and clinical research. A polyglot speaking seven languages, Dr. Sarmiento is exploring AI's role in reducing physician burnout and envisions creating a holistic healing center in Ecuador integrating physical, mental, and spiritual wellness.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Dr. Samuel Sarmiento shares his path from Ecuador to Mayo Clinic and discovering consulting wasn't the right fit
• (03:14) Family influence and maintaining cultural identity while building a career in the United States
• (05:52) The real value of public health and business degrees for physicians considering entrepreneurial paths
• (10:36) Language learning as a tool for cultural competence and enhanced business relationships
• (15:42) Essential advice for physicians considering entrepreneurship or experiencing clinical burnout
• Share with a dermatology pro you know, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes!

About the show: Welcome to Skin Deep, a podcast designed for dermatology professionals. Host Dr. Anna Chacon, a distinguished dermatologist and author, shares her unique experiences and offers valuable insights on the future of dermatology, including telemedicine and teledermatology in reaching underserved communities. Dr. Chacon provides actionable recommendations for dermatology practices, emphasizing compassion, patient education, and staying current with advancements in the field.

About the host: Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Indigenous Dermatology, specializes in treating patients in remote and rural communities. As the first dermatologist serving Alaska's Bush region, she travels by bush plane to reach isolated communities. Dr. Chacon holds medical licenses in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, providing both in-person and teledermatology services.

Resources:

Website: jun...

• (00:00:00) - Top 10 non-clinical professionals in the life sciences
• (00:02:07) - What was it that made you think that you didn't want that
• (00:03:22) - Dr. Junipero Serra on His Family and Juniper
• (00:06:00) - Post-Post-Bacc MS in Business and Public Health
• (00:08:26) - What are some of the biggest challenges facing your practice?
• (00:09:49) - Teaching Yourself Five Languages As an Adult
• (00:14:14) - Are You More Productive As an Entrepreneur?
• (00:15:51) - What advice would you give to physicians considering a transition into entrepreneurship,
• (00:18:02) - In the Elevator With Dr. Remarkable

What if your smartphone camera could capture your complete vital signs during a virtual doctor visit—no wearable required?

Dr. Anna Chacon welcomes Dr. Joshua Engle, founder of With You MD, a virtual-first medical practice specializing in primary care and chronic care management for Medicare and Medicaid populations. Dr. Engle completed his training at USC and Harvard's Beth Israel, where he developed a passion for medical technology through programs pairing medical students with engineering students. His background includes working on pediatric seizure monitoring devices and neuroradiology research. Today, Dr. Engle champions telemedicine as a powerful tool to serve historically underserved populations through CCM and RPM billing codes.

How did COVID-19 accelerate the acceptance of virtual care in healthcare? The conversation explores Dr. Engle's entrepreneurial journey from academic medicine to launching With You MD, his strategies for patient acquisition through social media and networking, and the challenges of staffing a virtual practice. Dr. Engle shares insights from his podcast "Your First 100," discusses practical advice on EMR selection and hiring philosophy, and reveals his excitement about remote photoplethysmography (RPPG)—emerging technology that could revolutionize telehealth by capturing full vital signs through a smartphone camera.

Dr. Joshua Engle is a graduate of USC Keck School of Medicine who completed his internship at Loyola MacNeal Hospital and post-doctoral research at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. As founder of With You MD, he combines medical technology with wellness to serve Medicare and Medicaid populations. Before medical school, Dr. Engle launched a nonprofit providing over 3,000 free blood pressure screenings in underserved communities. Selected for USC's prestigious Health, Technology, and Engineering program, he pioneered work in neuroimaging for early disease detection. At With You MD, Dr. Engle ensures all medical technology undergoes rigorous clinical validation.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) From USC to healthcare entrepreneurship: Dr. Engle's medical technology journey
• (04:40) Choosing entrepreneurship over traditional hospital practice
• (09:24) Patient acquisition strategies: social media, networking, and organic growth
• (15:48) Building a virtual practice: platforms, technology, and With You MD's approach
• (19:35) The staffing challenge: hiring philosophy and setting expectations for success
• (27:52) The future of virtual care: remote photoplethysmography and emerging health tech
• Share with a dermatology pro you know, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes!

About the show: Welcome to Skin Deep, a podcast designed for dermatology professionals. Host Dr. Anna Chacon, a distinguished dermatologist and author, shares her unique experiences and offers valuable insights on the future of dermatology, including telemedicine and teledermatology in reaching underserved communities. Dr. Chacon provides actionable recommendations for dermatology practices, emphasizing compassion, patient education, and staying current with advancements in the field.

About the host: Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Indigenous Dermatology, specializes in treating patients in remote and rural communities. As the first dermatologist serving Alaska's Bush region, she travels by bush plane to reach isolated communities. Dr. Chacon holds medical licenses in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, providing both in-person and teledermatology services.

Resources:

Dr. Joshua Engle / With Yo...

• (00:00:00) - Dr. Joshua Engel on Virtual First Medical Practice
• (00:02:18) - How I got into telemedicine: My story
• (00:04:53) - Post-Post-Residency Care: How did you structure your
• (00:08:12) - Do you have any in-person care?
• (00:09:34) - How Do You Usually Get Patients to Attend Your Practice?
• (00:17:34) - EMRs for Virtual Clinics, which one do you use
• (00:19:22) - How to Train and Manage a Medical Practice Staff
• (00:23:12) - How to Get the Best Out of Your Staff
• (00:24:00) - Inspiring physicians: Suzy Baldwin
• (00:25:04) - Do you do any angel investing in healthcare startups?
• (00:26:41) - Startups in healthcare: How to get started
• (00:28:10) - What's next for Virtual Healthcare?