COVID-19: On The Frontlines: Recent Episodes
ReachMD
In March 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the SARS-COV-2 infection outbreak a global pandemic, spurring one of the greatest public health crises and education efforts in recent history. And while there have been several victories in the battle against this global pandemic, such as the widespread adoption of telehealth and the development of COVID-19 vaccines, many questions still remain. That’s why our COVID-19: On the Frontlines series features infectious disease physicians and public health education experts from around the world to bring you the latest news on COVID-19 vaccines, clinical practice updates, and research from clinical trials so that we can continue to keep our patients safe amid this global pandemic and beyond.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Avindra Nath, MD
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 100 percent of the participants in this study had fatigue and experienced cognitive difficulties. So what can we learn from this new research to help us diagnose and treat patients with disabling neurological symptoms after they had COVID-19? To discuss the findings, Dr. Charles Turck is joined by Dr. Avindra Nath, Clinical Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Jonathan Li, MD, MMSc
COVID-19 viral rebound infections continue to impact patients and challenge clinicians. To help us better understand why some patients experience it—and how antiviral medication plays a role—Dr. Charles Turck and Dr. Jonathan Li explore COVID-19 rebound infections and antiviral treatment nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Why is are we currently facing a tripledemic? Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to uncover what has led to this dramatic increase in COVID-19, RSV, and the flu—and share strategies to combat this tripledemic—is ReachMD Host Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician at Children’s Medical Group in Atlanta, Georgia.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Paul G. Auwaerter, MD, MBA
Newer therapeutic options are now available to treat COVID-19. Don’t panic! Drs. Charles Vega and Paul Auwaerter are here to help you successfully integrate these therapeutics into your practice. Find out how to identify patients that are at risk for severe disease and select the appropriate treatment for the patient in front of you.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: David J. Cennimo, MD, FACP, FAAP, FIDSA
Clinicians treating patients in outpatient, urgent care, and emergent care settings who encounter patients with mild to moderate disease are tasked with providing optimal care to prevent disease progression. Drs. Charles Vega and David Cennimo take us through the spectrum of COVID-19 disease and identify available treatment options for your high-risk patients.
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Siwen Wang, MD
Have our patients experienced anxiety, depression, and stress following a COVID-19 infection? Joining Mario Nacinovich to dive into emerging research on post-COVID-19 psychological distress is Dr. Siwen Wang, a researcher in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: William Schaffner, MD
Before recommending the new COVID-19 booster, what do we need to know about this vaccine, and which of our patients fit the criteria for it? To learn the latest on what experts have to say about the new COVID-19 booster, Dr. Charles Turck speaks with Dr. William Schaffner from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
Host: Peter Buch, MD, FACG, AGAF, FACP
The COVID-19 pandemic has entirely transformed the educational community, especially for medical students. To find out more about this impact, Dr. Peter Buch is joined by two fourth-year medical school students, Miss Sheila Eghbali and Mr. Kyle Glose, to discuss their experiences.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare field has been hit hard—facing employment challenges, increased burnouts, and more. Yet salaries have been slow to rise, and conditions haven't improved. Dr. Thuy Nguyen from the University of Michigan School of Public Health joins Dr. Charles Turck to share how employment in the healthcare field has changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Heather Moday, MD
When we say the words behavior, diet, habits, and environment, chances are you don't think of the body's immune system. But based on recent research, all of those factors play a role in influencing immune function. So how can we keep them in mind and boost our immunity in the face of prevalent diseases, including COVID-19? Find out with Dr. Charles Turck as he speaks with Dr. Heather Moday, author of The Immunotype Breakthrough: Your Personalized Plan to Balance Your Immune System, Optimize Health, and Build Lifelong Resilience.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Amy McGorry PT, DPT, MTC
Guest: Catherine C. Crowley, PhD, CCC-SLP
COVID-19 has led to several unexpected challenges, impacting several parts of the body, including our patients' voices. What do we need to know about these impacts to better care for our patients? To answer this question, Drs. Amy McGorry and Catherine Crowley of Long Island University in New York join Dr. Charles Turck to share their clinical experience with vocal fatigue and dysphonia related to COVID-19.
Host: Hector O. Chapa, MD, FACOG
Guest: Dani Dumitriu, MD, PhD
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on all patients, especially pregnant women. Here to walk us through her research on the pandemic's impact on the psychosocial health of mothers and the neurodevelopment of their fetuses is Dr. Dani Dumitriu, a pediatrician, neuroscientist, and pediatric environmental health scientist at Columbia University in New York.
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Guest: Benjamin Abramoff, MD, MS
Once a patient is discharged from the hospital after battling COVID-19, the war they face with this disease may not be over. In fact, many patients continue to experience long-term effects, which is why some institutions have formed clinics that are solely dedicated to caring for these patients. To learn more about how one such clinic is helping patients manage these devastating effects, Dr. John Russell speaks to physiatrist Dr. Benjamin Abramoff from the Post-COVID Assessment and Recovery Clinic at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: William Schaffner, MD
From widespread variants to the threat of a twindemic -- what has the COVID-19 pandemic taught us? And can we learn to coexist with this virus? Dr. Charles Turck is joined by Dr. William Schaffner from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases to discuss what's on the horizon for the pandemic.
Host: Hector O. Chapa, MD, FACOG
Guest: Linda Bradley, MD
While many people across the country have access to COVID-19 vaccines, there are certain communities where access is not as easy. So what can we do to address the vaccination gaps and barriers to care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond? Find out with Dr. Hector Chapa as he speaks with Dr. Linda Bradley from Case Western Reserve University, who shares a brief history of the presence of social determinants of health and racial disparities across our nation and how they impact our current vaccination efforts.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Chris Beyrer, MD, MPH
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are also facing high rates of HIV and AIDS prevalence. But after the success of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, could an mRNA vaccine for HIV/AIDS be on the horizon? Here to explore emerging research and the potential role that mRNA technology might have in battling this global epidemic is Dr. Chris Beyrer, a Professor of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
Guest: Jeniffer Hernandez, PhD
Over 1.5 million viruses could potentially cause a future pandemic. Could antibodies be the key to neutralizing those viruses? Here to share how future vaccination efforts might incorporate neutralizing antibodies and her research on preventing future pandemics is Dr. Jeniffer Hernandez, Associate Professor of Biopharmaceutical Sciences at the Keck Graduate Institute.
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Guest: Jessica Malaty Rivera, MS
Social media and the ability to quickly spread information across the internet has allowed misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and the disease itself to spread like wildfire. But the good news is that when armed with effective counseling strategies and data from initiatives like the COVID-19 Tracking Project, we as clinicians can help stop the spread of harmful conspiracies and myths. Joining Dr. John Russell to talk about those essential strategies and the COVID-19 Tracking Project is infectious disease epidemiologist Ms. Jessica Rivera.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Animesh Ray, PhD
Getting ahead of the next pandemic may be possible thanks to deep machine learning’s ability to predict the structure of antibodies. And while that may sound like science fiction, this technology is currently being studied, which is why Dr. Animesh Ray from the Keck Graduate Institute joins Dr. Charles Turck to provide insight on where the research currently lies and what we have to look forward to.
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Randy Young, MD
Amid the surge of the Delta variant, critical care physician Dr. Randy Young is traveling to ICUs across the country to help treat patients. Tune in to hear Dr. Young share how this surge is impacting both patients infected with the variant and the healthcare professionals caring for them.
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Tune in to hear pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Shu share what we currently know about the risks and impacts of the Delta variant on our youngest patients and perhaps even more importantly, how we can help keep them safe.
Published September 23, 2021
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
School’s back in session, and that means it’s time we take a look at how we can help keep children safe and healthy both inside and outside the classroom with pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Shu.
Published September 21, 2021
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Pradipta Ghosh, MD
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how we practice medicine in a variety of ways, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, a recently developed AI model can help us predict the disease course of patients infected with COVID-19, and here to share how that model was developed based on pandemics of the past and how it can be used in the current—and even future—pandemics is Dr. Pradipta Ghosh, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Alberto Augsten, PharmD
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients turned to alcohol as a way to cope with this sudden and unprecedented global health crisis, and the rates of alcohol dependency are only continuing to rise according to recent studies. That’s why Dr. Charles Turck speaks with board-certified clinical toxicologist Dr. Alberto Augsten to help us better understand the challenges in screening patients for alcohol dependency amid the COVID-19 pandemic and how we can overcome those barriers to get our patients the best—and necessary—treatment.
Published August 20, 2021
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Shantanu Nundy, MD, MBA
With all of the chaos and changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be easy to focus on the negative impacts of this global health crisis. But for one physician, the same chaos and changes are exactly what forged his unique perspective: one that recognizes the benefits that has come out of the pandemic.
Joining Dr. Charles Turck to share why he believes the COVID-19 pandemic has changed healthcare for the better is primary care physician Dr. Shantanu Nundy, author of a recent article published in The Washington Post titled, “A Surprising Pandemic Side Effect: It Has Improved Healthcare.”
Published June X, 2021
Guest: Susan Butler-Wu, PhD, D(ABMM), SM(ASCP)
Dr. Susan Butler-Wu, Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Director of Medical Microbiology at LAC+USC Medical Center, investigates the differences—and highlights the benefits—of PCR versus antigen testing for COVID-19.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Gail Saltz, MD
The quarantine blues may have come to an end, but as the country continues to reopen, a whole new set of mental health challenges are just beginning. So how can we help our patients who found comfort in social distancing and mask-wearing mandates navigate this change and return to public places? To find out, Dr. Charles Turck speaks with psychiatrist Dr. Gail Saltz, who discusses the lasting effects of the quarantine blues, how we can help patients who are suffering from anxiety, and more.
Host: Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN
Guest: William W. Li, MD
As the number of new COVID-19 infections continues to decrease and the United States begins to open back up, it’s important to note that there are patients who have survived COVID-19 but are still suffering. The newly coined term “COVID long-haulers” refers to those patients who continue to have symptoms even after the acute infection is resolved. Joining Dr. Andrew Wilner to share what we know so far about COVID long-haulers and how we can help them is vascular biologist Dr. William Li.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Chris H. Cooper
Can new mask technology made with innovative materials better protect us from the coronavirus? Dr. Charles Turck speaks with Chris Cooper, Chief Science Officer and CEO of Airlock389, on improving mask technology after the supply shortage of masks during COVID-19.
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Guest: Ramiz Kseri, MD
What are some factors leading to disparities in care for our LGBTQ patients, and how do we keep them safe amid the pandemic? Dr. Jennifer Shu is joined by Dr. Ramiz Kseri, an Internist and Pediatrician and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences at Florida State University College of Medicine, to discuss how the LGBTQ community is affected by COVID-19 and other health risks.
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Guest: Ramiz Kseri, MD
Without an available vaccine, our pediatric patients can transmit COVID-19. With that in mind, how should pediatric practices adapt? Joining Dr. Jennifer Shu to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric care is Dr. Ramiz Kseri, a dually board-certified Internist and Pediatrician and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences at Florida State University College of Medicine
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Ping Zhang, PhD, FAMIA
The pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the world, but a new deep learning computer model may have discovered ten potential treatment options to combat COVID-19. Dr. Charles Turck sits down with Dr. Ping Zhang, who leads the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Lab and a faculty member at the Translational Data Analytics Institute at The Ohio State University, to discuss his team's findings.
Published March 29, 2021
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: John J. Russell, MD
As clinicians on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re among the first to hear about our patients’ fears of the vaccines’ validity and safety. So how can we help address their concerns? ReachMD hosts Dr. Jennifer Caudle and Dr. John Russell sit down together to talk about how we can counsel patients who may be hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Published March 16, 2021
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Paul Jarris, MD, MBA
Since the COVID-19 vaccines received an emergency use authorization, tracking possible adverse reactions in real time becomes even more important. But what are some of the limitations we’re facing in doing so, and how can we overcome them? To find out, Dr. Jennifer Caudle speaks with Dr. Paul Jarris, Chief Medical Advisor for MITRE Corporation.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Anjali Patwardhan, MD
In pediatric patients, can the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines impact the COVID-19 disease course? Dr. Jennifer Caudle joins Dr. Anjali Patwardhan, a pediatric rheumatologist at the University of Missouri Healthcare, to discuss COVID-19 in pediatric patients who’ve been vaccinated for influenza and pneumococcal.
Published March 16, 2021
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
In celebration of our “Heroes in Healthcare,” Dr. Matt Birnholz continues to commend our nominees for their valuable contributions to the field of medicine, taking strides to save lives and make a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Dr. Matt Birnholz reviews more nominees for our Heroes in Healthcare program and what their peers have to say about their efforts.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
In honor of our “Heroes in Healthcare” initiative, Dr. Matt Birnholz recounts some of the many healthcare professionals nominated by their peers who’ve bravely helped their patients combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guest: John J. Russell, MD
With so many COVID-19 vaccines in development, new medical ethical questions have been brought to the forefront of the healthcare field. With that in mind, Dr. John Russell takes us through the history of ethics and vaccinations throughout the world.
Published January 4, 2021
Guest: Lauren K. Brooks, MD
During this unprecedented time, finding the best approach to providing treatment for patients with thyroid cancer can be a challenge. Endocrinologist Dr. Lauren Brooks of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health shares some of her approaches to this dilemma and stresses the importance of keeping up on routine practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published September 28, 2020
Guest: Ann L. Steiner, MD
COVID-19 has encouraged many people to adopt new habits, but some of them can take a toll on a woman’s breast health. Tune in to hear Dr. Ann Steiner, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn Medicine, share what two of those risky habits are and how women can lower their risk of breast cancer while they’re sheltering at home.
Published September 23, 2020
Guest: Emily F. Conant, MD
When stay-at-home orders were put into place, healthcare institutions were forced to adapt the way they screen, care for, and treat patients. With that in mind, Dr. Emily Conant, Professor of Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, explains their three-step process to keep breast cancer patients and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published September 23, 2020
Guest: Ann L. Steiner, MD
When it’s not safe for a patient to come into the office, what can we do to help patients manage their breast pain at home? Dr. Ann Steiner, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn Medicine, explains how COVID-19 has influenced lifestyle and dietary habits and how simple changes can go a long way in managing breast pain.
Published September 23, 2020
Guest: Ann L. Steiner, MD
Access to breast cancer screening and treatment can be difficult for women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, healthcare professionals are finding ways to overcome these barriers. Dr. Ann Steiner, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn Medicine, compares her practice to before COVID-19 and explains how testing for breast cancer patients has changed.
*Published September 23, 2020*
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global concern among healthcare professionals has been the shortening supply of personal protective equipment like N95 masks. But now, that concern might become a thing of a past thanks to a recent development made by a team of researchers. To find out more about this discovery, Dr. Charles Turck joins us to discuss the innovation that could become a huge win in the battle against COVID-19.
Published August, 19 2020
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Now that we’re several months into the pandemic, many states and counties are turning to the local data gathered on COVID-19 incidence to help inform their plans moving forward. But are those reports really the most accurate sources of information? To find out, Dr. Charles Turck is here to discuss a recent report discussing how disparities in access to COVID-19 testing sites may be skewing case estimates.
Published August, 19 2020
Guest: Anil Agarwal, MD
How can healthcare professionals at the forefront of the pandemic protect the vascular integrity of COVID-19 patients undergoing acute dialysis procedures? Here to walk us through his process step by step is Dr. Anil Agarwal from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Published August 19, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Anil Agarwal, MD
The emergence of blood clotting and clogged equipment for vascular procedures is a more recent—and troubling—phenomenon that’s emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Tune in as Dr. Anil Agarwal from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center discusses these two challenges and strategies for overcoming them.
Published August 13, 2020
Host: Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN
Guest: William W. Li, MD
How do the lungs of healthy patients differ from the lungs of patients with COVID-19 or the flu? That’s the exact question Dr. William Li wanted to answer, and now, he’s sharing the results of his study that was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Published August 12, 2020
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
To find out how different racial and ethnic groups are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Charles Turck joins us to analyze data that was collected by the COVID Racial Tracker.
Published July 24, 2020
Guest: Gregory J Kubicek, MD
When caring for patients who are at greater risk of complications from COVID-19, what extra precautions are needed to help keep them safe and healthy? That’s what staff radiation oncologist Dr. Gregory Kubicek from the MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center shares with us.
Published June 23, 2020
Guest: Michael Greenberg, MD
The chaos and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic may make us forget the simple actions we can all do to connect with others and make the world a better place. Listen in as Dr. Michael Greenberg shares three of those simple actions.
Published June 15, 2020
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, children have adjusted their schedules and way of living like everyone else, but what effects has this massive shift had on our young patients? That’s the question Dr. Jennifer Shu is here to answer.
Published June 12, 2020
Guest: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Tune in to hear Dr. Jennifer Shu describe what her life as a pediatrician is now like due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the steps she has taken to keep her patients and colleagues healthy.
Published June 12, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: David Fajgenbaum, MD
Since its founding, the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) has worked to identify an effective treatment for Castleman disease, a rare immune system disorder that leads to a cytokine storm and multi-organ failure—much like what’s being seen in COVID-19 patients. Here to review how the CDCN’s innovations are now being leveraged toward the fight against COVID-19 is the CDCN’s Co-Founder and Executive Director Dr. David Fajgenbaum.
Guest: Bret Nelson, MD
When it comes to using ultrasound at the point of care in the setting of COVID-19, what do we need to keep in mind? Here to share his five key considerations is Dr. Bret Nelson, Professor of Emergency Medicine and the Chief of the Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Division at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Published June 5, 2020
Guest: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
As researchers look at the spread of COVID-19 in warm areas of the globe, their findings cast doubt on the idea that the summer heat will help slow the spread. Tune in as Dr. Charles Turck explains recent studies on how heat has very little—if any—impact on the spread of viruses.
Published June 5, 2020
Guest: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Against the backdrop of a global push to get more ventilators and other critical gear into the hands of healthcare professionals, some clinicians are opting out of using ventilators to treat their COVID-19 patients as several hospitals have reported unusually high death rates. Listen in as Dr. Charles Turck explains.
Published June 5, 2020
Guest: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
With the growing amount of illicit pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies filling the global market amid the COVID-19 pandemic, are we at risk of facing another public health crisis? Listen in as Dr. Charles Turck brings this troubling trend to light.
Published June 3, 2020
Guest: John J. Russell, MD
Could immunization techniques of the past help us in our current hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine? To find out, Dr. John Russell reviews the history of immunizations going all the way back to the 1100s.
Published May 29, 2020
Guest: Mangala Narasimhan, DO, FCCP
Managing COVID-19 continues to be a work in progress as healthcare systems struggle to prepare for high volumes of patients in such a quick time. To help address this, Dr. Mangala Narasimhan shares her experiences and the importance of planning for double during this outbreak.
Published March 16, 2020
Host: Victor Test, MD, FCCP
Guest: Andrew Klein, MS, RT
Tune in as Andrew Klein, a clinical nurse specialist in respiratory therapy, discusses his experiences caring for COVID-19 patients in a teamwork environment. Through these collaborations, the best care can be made available during this pandemic.
Published March 26, 2020
Host: Michael D. Christian MD
Triage focuses on doing the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. Dr. Mike Christian from the Task Force for Mass Critical Care explores the why, when, and ethics of triage to aid the imbalance of supply and demand in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published April 16, 2020
Guest: Martha Billings, MD, MSc
Guest: Renea Jablonski, MD
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians have quickly transitioned to telemedicine. To give us a better idea of what that transition has looked like in practice, Dr. Martha Billings and Dr. Renea Jablonski share their experiences in a pulmonary clinic setting.
Published March 19, 2020
Host: Steven Simpson, MD, FCCP
Tune in as Dr. Steven Simpson speaks with a clinician on the frontlines of COVID-19 who shares her experience managing a COVID-19 case that was caught days after the patient was admitted to the hospital.
Published May 19, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Salman Ahmed, MD, MPH
During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-consults have become the new norm, but what impacts do they have on patient care? To find out, Mario Nacinovich is joined by Dr. Salman Ahmed, who takes us through his research finding that e-consults might not just be the appropriate choice, but the preferred one over face-to-face appointments.
Published May 13, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Randy Young, MD
Here to give us a firsthand look into how ICUs across the country are confronting the COVID-19 pandemic head-on is Dr. Randy Young, a critical care doctor who’s treating COVID-19 patients in the mid-Atlantic area. Dr. Young joins Mario Nacinovich to discuss what he has seen during the pandemic and how the ICU is responding to both expected and unexpected challenges.
Published May 13, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: April Taylor, MS, MHA, CPPS, CPHQ
Every organization has disaster preparedness plans for one-day and one-week events like fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes, but how do those plans come into play during a pandemic like COVID-19 when there isn’t an end date in sight? Joining Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss this and more is April Taylor, Senior Director of Improvement and Project Management at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Published May 13, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Mark R. Cullen, MD
Here to share what we might soon learn about the COVID-19 pandemic is Dr. Mark Cullen, Scientific Committee Chair for the academic arm of the COVID-19 research database, which is a secure repository of HIPAA compliant, de-identified, and limited patient-level data sets.
Published May 13, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Mark R. Cullen, MD
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, endemic challenges surrounded fragmented data sets and long perspective clinical trials. But now, recently developed data sets are available to public health and policy researchers to not only overcome that challenge, but also to combat this global pandemic. Dr. Mark Cullen, Scientific Committee Chair for the academic arm of the COVID-19 research database at Stanford University School of Medicine, joins Mario Nacinovich to explain.
Published May 13, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
In the absence of a vaccine, researchers have reported the potential need for long-term social distancing measures through 2021. Tune in as Dr. Matt Birnholz breaks down these findings and what the potential impacts might be if these warnings are ignored.
Published May 11, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA
COVID-19 is constantly referred to as a global pandemic, but how often do you think of it as an info-demic? Or as a health equity issue? Joining Mario Nacinovich to give us a look at COVID-19 through a different lens is Dr. Renata Schiavo, Senior Lecturer, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences and Founder and President of the Board of Directors of the Health Equity Initiative. Dr. Schiavo discusses common barriers faced by the most vulnerable populations and how we can protect them during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published April 28, 2020
Host: Shira Johnson, MD
Guest: James Withers, MD
The street medicine movement is faced with the challenge of administering treatments and protection methods to a population that is often excluded and in dire need of care, and that challenge has only been intensified during this unprecedented time. Street physician Dr. Jim Withers, who’s credited with starting the street medicine movement, is here to share what it’s like to care for the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published April 27, 2020
Guest: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg has been in practice for over 40 years, but never had he received anything like what a patient recently gave him—which might not have happened if it wasn’t for the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Greenberg explains how this unique experience gave him a new perspective on the power of gratitude and how it can serve as a bigger lesson for us all.
Published April 27, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Anthony Dragun, MD
Throughout this global pandemic, radiation oncologists are faced with the challenge of finding ways to continue administering the necessary cancer treatments while limiting their patients’ risk of exposure to COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Dragun from the MD Anderson Cancer Center is here to explain how that can be done and why these new approaches should be embraced even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
Published April 27, 2020
Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc
Guest: Jonathan Riess, MD, MS
Due to the many challenges and complications that are now facing oncologists and their patients requiring lung cancer treatment, lung cancer care is changing in many ways to help minimize a patient’s risk of exposure, as Dr. Jonathan Riess from the UC Davis Medical Center explains.
Published April 24, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Kathryn J. Ruddy, MD
Guest: Joerg Herrmann, MD
To give us a better sense for how some cardiology and oncology specialists have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Joerg Hermann and Dr. Kathryn Ruddy, who are two members of the cross-disciplinary Cardio-Oncology clinic at Mayo Clinic, discuss their perspectives on this pandemic and how they’ve been treating immunosuppressed patients.
Published April 21, 2020
Host: John J. Russell, MD
In the absence of FDA-approved therapies and vaccines to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals on the frontlines are turning to malarial medicines like chloroquine and hydroquinone to treat their patients—despite the fact that there’s no evidence to support their use. But this isn’t the first time that medicines have been used for a different purpose than what they were intended for, as Dr. John Russell explains.
Published April 21, 2020
Host: John J. Russell, MD
The practice of quarantining ill patients goes back much further than you may realize. Tune in as Dr. John Russell walks us through the history of quarantines going all the way back to the year 1200.
Published April 21, 2020
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Throughout history, diseases have acquired names from geographical landmarks, the name of the organism, the anatomy impacted, and even the media. But some naming conventions have resulted in negative consequences, which is why the World Health Organization established best practices for naming novel diseases in 2015.
Here to walk us through those guidelines and to give us a brief history of how some well-known diseases—including the COVID-19 pandemic the world is currently facing—gained their name is Dr. John Russell.
Published April 21, 2020
Host: Paul Doghramji, MD
Guest: Gary Lyman, MD, MPH
Just two miles away from where the first case of COVID-19 was identified, the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research acted quickly to help protect patients. Here to walk us through the impacts, barriers faced, and strategies that have been implemented to help address those challenges is the oncology center’s Senior Lead of Health Care Quality and Policy Dr. Gary Lyman.
Published April 10, 2020
Guest: Michael Greenberg, MD
Join dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg as he shares his unique view that blurs science and spirituality and how it’s helping him create stronger connections with patients.
Published April 10, 2020
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Guest: Diane E Custer, MD
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across our nation and the world, more and more patients are experiencing anxiety and depression. Joining Dr. John Russell to explain how we can console our patients—all while maintaining our own mental health along the way—is Dr. Diane Custer.
Published April 8, 2020
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
To help both his patients and colleagues alike find support and comfort during the COVID-19 global pandemic, dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg shares his experiences, coping strategies, and outlets that are available.
Published April 3, 2020
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
To help alleviate pressure from hospitals that are experiencing a high influx of patients due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg decided to keep his doors open and is now sharing what it’s like to see patients during this outbreak.
Published April 3, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
A small-town emergency room in Louisiana has now seen hundreds of COVID-19 patients. Here’s what’s been learned in an anonymous ER doctor’s own words, as narrated by Dr. Matt Birnholz.
Published April 2, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
After the American College of Surgeons and the Surgeon General's suspension of non-emergent surgeries and procedures, Dr. Matt Birnholz explains the new guidelines and their impact on patients.
Published April 2, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
The international supply chain of medical equipment and materials has been strained by Asian and European countries already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why healthcare gear in dire need is now being looked at from a different perspective by university research teams. Listen in as Dr. Matt Birnholz sheds light on innovative ways PPE is being manufactured by Georgia Tech.
Published April 1, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
In the absence of a vaccine or antivirals against COVID-19, controlling its transmission through social distancing has been an essential strategy. And to prove it, a team from the University of Western Australia conducted research using a simulation city which implemented social distancing versus a city without it. Dr. Matt Birnholz summarizes this study's staggering findings.
Published April 1, 2020
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Social distancing is surprisingly not a new concept in the United States. As our country geared up for World War I in 1918, social gatherings and parades to support the military were at an all-time high. But as feelings of patriotism spread at these events, so too did influenza. Join Dr. John Russell as he recounts The Tale of Two Cities: Philadelphia and St. Louis and how the spread of influenza was dramatically different between the two cities due to the actions each took to mitigate risk.
Published March 28, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Healthcare workers face a new threat beyond the difficult prospects of overrun hospitals, PPE shortages, and incidental spread of the virus to their loved ones. As the pandemic escalates, shifting perceptions and moods from the public have put some clinicians in the crosshairs.
Published March 27, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Strategies of self-isolation from caregivers treating patients with COVID-19 are taking an emotional toll, cutting them off from their support networks at a time when workplace stress is at an all-time high. But the alternative, to many, is unthinkable.
Published March 27, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Emerging reports are painting a far more complex picture of clinical presentations for COVID-19 than previously thought, stemming to exceptionally high viral loads in nasal cavities. How will this affect the risk profile for otolaryngologists performing essential ENT procedures?
Published March 27, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Among the most touted candidates in the hunt for effective coronavirus treatments are the antimalarial drugs chloroquine and its derivative, hydroxychloroquine. Will these drugs become effective treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis agents?
Published March 23, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
COVID-19 has irreversibly altered the progression track for the next generation of physicians, with cancellations of Match Day events, Board exams, and clinical rotations in effect. Now an increasing number of entities are calling on medical students to join front-line efforts to combat the virus.
Published March 23, 2020
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Reports from hospitals in multiple states speak to a rapidly diminishing supply of personal protective equipment, leading healthcare systems to adopt alternative solutions to the shortage. But will these approaches meet the rising demand, and will clinicians be adequately protected along the way?
Published March 23, 2020