Episode 16: Healing the Healers with Erik Goldman - 25 Years Covering the Business of Integrative Medicine
In this episode, Doctors and Brothers Erik and Davin Lundquist sit down with Erik Goldman, the co-founder and editor of Holistic Primary Care, a publication that has spent 25 years bridging conventional and integrative medicine for over 60,000 physicians. Goldman shares his journey from covering dermatology news to becoming New York bureau chief at International Medical News Group, where he realized mainstream medicine was almost entirely focused on end-stage disease with little attention to prevention or whole-person health. That realization led him and Publisher Meg Sinclair to launch HPC in 2000.
The conversation dives deep into the structural forces shaping healthcare — the rise of managed care and HMOs in the 90s, how the "gatekeeper" model distracted primary care from its healing mission, and why insurance-based reimbursement remains the biggest barrier to integrative medicine adoption. Goldman draws on his experience producing the Heal Thy Practice conferences (2009-2016) to share what made practitioners successful: confronting their psychology around money, breaking out of professional silos, and being willing to take risks even when the path isn't clear.
Looking forward, Goldman argues the tipping point won't come from government but from Fortune 500 employers demanding better care models from insurers. He calls for the field's "different tribes" — naturopaths, MDs, nurses, chiropractors — to present a unified front and position integrative medicine as the core of healthcare, not a side dish. Essential listening for any clinician navigating the business side of integrative practice.
The conversation dives deep into the structural forces shaping healthcare — the rise of managed care and HMOs in the 90s, how the "gatekeeper" model distracted primary care from its healing mission, and why insurance-based reimbursement remains the biggest barrier to integrative medicine adoption. Goldman draws on his experience producing the Heal Thy Practice conferences (2009-2016) to share what made practitioners successful: confronting their psychology around money, breaking out of professional silos, and being willing to take risks even when the path isn't clear.
Looking forward, Goldman argues the tipping point won't come from government but from Fortune 500 employers demanding better care models from insurers. He calls for the field's "different tribes" — naturopaths, MDs, nurses, chiropractors — to present a unified front and position integrative medicine as the core of healthcare, not a side dish. Essential listening for any clinician navigating the business side of integrative practice.
Creators and Guests
Host
Dr. Davin Lundquist
Dr. Davin Lundquist is a board-certified family physician, innovator, and healthcare leader with over 25 years of experience integrating medicine, technology, and holistic wellness. A graduate of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, he has held senior leadership roles at CommonSpirit Health, Dignity Health, and Augmedix, where he advanced the use of technology to enhance patient care. Driven by a passion to move beyond symptom management, Dr. Lundquist founded the Quantum Advantage Method™, a science-based, holistic framework designed to help individuals restore vitality and reverse dysfunction. His approach blends functional medicine, advanced diagnostics, and principles of quantum science to empower patients to achieve optimal health and lasting transformation.
Host
Dr. Erik Lundquist
Dr. Erik Lundquist, MD, ABFM, ABoIM, IFMCP Dr. Erik Lundquist is the founder and medical director of the Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine, where he blends conventional, holistic, and functional approaches to help patients achieve lasting wellness. Board-certified in Family and Integrative Medicine, he specializes in endocrine disorders, chronic fatigue, migraine management, cardiometabolic health, and chronic pain. A graduate of St. Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Lundquist completed his Family Medicine residency at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, where he served as chief resident. He spent eight years on active duty with the U.S. Navy, including service as a battalion surgeon in Iraq and at the Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy. Certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine, Dr. Lundquist is passionate about empowering patients to take charge of their health and teaching fellow clinicians integrative approaches to chronic disease. Outside of medicine, he enjoys the outdoors, singing, dancing, acting, and spending time with his wife and three children.
Guest
Erik Goldman
Erik Goldman is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Holistic Primary Care — News for Health & Healing, a publication reaching over 60,000 physicians with evidence-based coverage of integrative, functional, and holistic approaches to patient care. A medical journalist for more than 40 years, Erik began his career in 1985 as a freelance medical writer before serving as New York Bureau Chief for Elsevier's International Medical News Group. In 2000, he co-founded Holistic Primary Care with publisher Meg Sinclair, creating a trusted bridge between conventional and integrative medicine for primary care clinicians. Erik is also co-producer of the "Heal Thy Practice: Transforming Patient Care" conference series and The Practitioner Channel Forum, an annual executive retreat focused on the practitioner channel in natural health. In 2022, he received the UNPA Integrity in Journalism Award from the United Natural Products Alliance in recognition of HPC's journalistic standards. A graduate of SUNY Binghamton with a degree in Biology and Philosophy, Erik is based in New York City and brings a deep personal interest in music, depth psychology, ecology, and indigenous healing traditions.
