The Smart Health Podcast: Recent Episodes
St. Luke's Health
The Smart Health Podcast connects legitimate experts in the field with the listener to answer important, topical health and wellness questions in an informative and entertaining platform. Never afraid to ask why or how, your host, Kevin Keys, has a passion for keeping the public properly informed about health and wellness. Join Kevin, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with a MS in Kinesiology and background in Health, Wellness, and Personal Training as he satisfies his curious brain and seeks life-changing information to share with you… the listener. Discover how you can elevate your health and take on your goals with confidence. Don't forget to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode, and as always… Be informed – Stay healthy – Live well.
Kevin is joined by four special guests from St. Luke's Health-Sugar Land Hospital to talk about why the facility's award-winning maternity unit is such a special place.
Guests:
Lisa Grimes-Lewis, MSN, RNC-OB
Summer Alexander, MSN, RN, CPHQ
Lisa-Ann Brown, BN, RN
Jennifer Cage, RN
OBGYN and Maternity Services at Sugar Land Hospital: https://locations.stlukeshealth.org/location/family-birthing-center-sugar-land-hospital
One of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care in America: https://www.stlukeshealth.org/newsroom/stlukes-health-sugar-land-hospital-named-one-of-best-hospitals-for-maternity-care-in-america
If you want to see more from St. Luke's Health Sugar Land Hospital, check out this video on a special family and their heartfelt story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGLQH0Q5SKM
Heart surgeon Dr.Kenneth K. Liao joins Kevin to talk about how St. Luke's Health is leading the way in cardiovascular surgery in Houston and beyond.
Related Links:
Kenneth K Liao, M.D., Ph.D., FACS
Cardiovascular Care at St. Luke's
Texas Heart Institute at BSLMC
Houston Chronicle - Robotic Heart Surgeries in Houston
Kevin and Dr. Lawson are joined by Nike Onifade, vice president of oncology at St. Luke’s Health, and Dr. Mothaffar Rimawi, executive medical director of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, to discuss how the new O'Quinn Medical Tower at McNair ushers in a new era of internationally renowned outpatient and cancer care for St. Luke's Health.
To learn more about each location, check out the link below:
News release: https://www.stlukeshealth.org/newsroom/o-quinn-medical-tower-at-mcnair---st--luke-s-health
O'Quinn Medical Tower at McNair: https://www.stlukeshealth.org/omt
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center: https://www.stlukeshealth.org/cancer
Kevin is joined by special guest, Juan Carlos Jamandre, or JC as his patients know him. Together they initiate the revitalization of the “A Day in the Life” miniseries, where we highlight some of our all-star staff members and the positive impact they have on the communities we serve.
JC has been consistently recognized by patients as providing exceptional care as a Multi Modality Technologist. He talks about what a Multi Modality Technologist does, what drives his passion each day, and how both God and his patients have played an important role in his career.
From research into coma to technology helping our stroke patients, join Kevin, Dr. Lawson and Dr. Chethan Rao to learn how St. Luke's Health is leading the way in brain health.
Curing Coma Campaign: curingcoma.org
Viz.ai: www.stlukeshealth.org/newsroom/baylor-st-lukes-medical-center-first-bring-applied-artificial-intelligence-stroke-care-greater
Recognizing stroke: https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/signs_symptoms.htm
Join Kevin and Dr. Doug Lawson as they talk about the intersection of care, cost, and outcomes and how high value care benefits patients and employers who depend on St. Luke's Health.
Blog: Quality Care and the Business of Healthcare
Houston Chronicle: St. Luke's delivers quality care at lower cost, but pricier rivals profit more
Houston Chronicle: Which Houston hospitals are the most expensive?
Join Kevin and Dr. Doug Lawson as they welcome special guest, Dr. John Goss. Dr. Goss is a specialist in adult and pediatric liver transplantation, hepatobiliary surgery, and surgical management of liver tumors. Together they discuss the success of the Transplant Center and Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center and how it continues to bring to life our mission, vision, and values.
BLSMC - Transplant Center
Become a donor today - DonateLifeTexas.org
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, was again recently recognized as a Best Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to being ranked number two in the Houston Metro Area and number three in Texas, Baylor St. Luke’s was also ranked nationally in six specialties.
Join Kevin and Dr. Lawson as they welcome their first special guest, Chief Operating Officer for St. Luke’s Health and president of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Liz Youngblood. Together, they discuss the importance of these ratings and rankings, and how honored St. Luke's Health is to have earned these high accolades in such a wonderful partnership with Baylor College of Medicine.
If you would like to learn more, check out the link below:
https://www.stlukeshealth.org/us-news-world-report
Join Kevin and Dr. Doug Lawson as they continue the Lunch with Lawson mini series and explore the successful and inspiring Hello Humankindness campaign, while celebrating the hard-working nurses and staff that bring it to life in the St. Luke’s Health Texas System.
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month: What St. Luke’s Health is Doing to Stop This Global Crime in its Tracks
More than 25 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking, a terrible crime that involves the exploitation of women and children, as well as the forced labor of men and women of all ages, by others for financial gain. In the US, Texas is one of 3 states with the highest incidence of human trafficking.
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and St. Luke’s Health is committed to helping stop this crime in its tracks. In this episode, Kevin talks with St. Luke’s Health CEO, Dr. Doug Lawson, about the measures and community partnerships we’ve forged in Texas to build awareness and provide care for victims of human trafficking who seek help in our hospitals–and what you can do to help
What Does Excellence in Health Care Really Mean?
Fiscal Responsibility, Technology, Patient Safety: These are all standards of excellence that guide St. Luke’s Health in its mission to provide the best possible care to every individual in the communities we serve.
Yet how in our daily work–from our front-line care providers to our executive leadership, from our administrators to our support staff–do we uphold the ideals of delivering high value, high quality care to our patients? Join Kevin in conversation with St. Luke’s Health CEO, Dr. Doug Lawson, Ph.D. in this first episode of our “Lunch with Lawson” miniseries podcast.
At CHI St. Luke's, we believe humankindness is at the root of all healing. It’s a simple belief that while medicine has the ability to cure, it’s our shared humanity that holds the power to heal. Humankindness is about going beyond for others—no matter whom it may be. It’s about showing kindness and a willingness to help those who may not be able to help themselves.
Join Kevin as he chats with our President of the north Houston market, Jim Parisi, and Director of Mission & Spiritual Care for The Woodlands campus, Tyler Whipkey. Together they shed some light on Hello Humankindness, share some great examples of it in action, and remind us that we all have the power of Hello Humankindness inside us.
Kevin welcomes back infectious disease specialist, Dr. Charles Sims to give an update on the COVID-19 vaccine and answer some of your Ask the Doctor social media submitted questions. Tune in and hear the most recent information about the vaccine from the expert himself!
Highlights Include:
- 7 question "Ask the Doctor" lightning round
- Addressing the vaccine ingredients
- Concerns around missing the 2nd dose appointment
- Medication interactions
If you are interested in signing up to get a vaccine from CHI St. Luke's, you can CLICK HERE
(Brand of vaccine varies from each facility)
If you have questions about the Vaccine, you can CLICK HERE and look for the Covid-19 chat box assistant in the bottom right corner of the website.
Warmer months mean that people are starting to come outside, be more active, and generally start thinking more about their health. Join Kevin as he interviews the well respected, minimally invasive, bariatric surgeons and acid reflux specialists, Dr. Yong Choi and Dr. James Dickerson, as they look at health through the lens of nutrition.
Highlights include:
- Nutrition & Obesity epidemic awareness
- Bariatric surgery overview
- Acid Reflux surgery overview
Click here to learn more about Weight Loss Services
Click here to learn more about Acid Reflux Treatment Options
As 2020 comes to a close we finally have a light at the end of the tunnel. In our very first panel interview episode, Kevin sits down with returning guests, Dr. Syed Raza, Dr. Charles Sims, and Dr. Jefy Matthew and asks some of the tough questions around the vaccine. Listen in and learn what the vaccine holds for our future.
Highlights include:
- Safety and efficacy
- Side effects and contraindications
- Pregnant, breastfeeding, and immunosuppressed populations
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cancer for women, with a 1 in 8 or about a 13% chance of developing it in a woman's lifetime. Needless to say, this topic is important for all of us! In this episode, Kevin sits down with Medical Oncologist, Dr. Angela Coscio and discusses current developments in breast cancer prevention techniques and treatment options. Tune in and hear about the brand new Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center and how Dr. Coscio and the team she works with is helping to fight back!
Continuing the mini series, A Day in the Life, Kevin sits down with very special guest, Roxann Langston. A Desert Shield Army veteran with 53 years of nursing experience, her story is one of the most interesting and unique stories that we have highlighted so far. It was our honor to hear her speak from the heart about what it’s like to be a nurse!
He's BACK for round 2! Our most popular guest, infectious disease specialist Dr. Charles Sims, sits back down with Kevin to answer some of the tough questions about COVID-19 and what the future looks like for a 2nd wave, a vaccine, and getting back to normal.
Highlights include:
- Will there be a second wave
- What does COVID look like in the midst of the upcoming flu season
- How safe is our community and return to normalcy
- Herd immunity, previous positive patient immunity, and possible treatments/vaccine
The ER can be a scary place for some of us, and COVID-19 has raised a lot of questions about how the ER has adapted. Listen in as Kevin sits down with regional medical director for the emergency department, Dr. Ronald Jensen, as he aims to ease fear by answering some of the tough questions about how our ER is prepared to provide high quality compassionate and safe care for all patients.
Highlights include:
- What to do before you go to the hospital
- How the hospital is prepared to keep everyone safe
- Why COVID-19 shouldn't stop you from going to the ER for other emergencies
During COVID and always, our team is dedicated to keeping you safe. Find a location here: bit.ly/3fcDuPH
Continuing our mini series, A Day in the Life, Kevin sits down with RN and Case Manager Jennifer Clark. Listen in and discover how case management requires a high level passion, dedication, and hard work to ensure advocacy for the patient and their families.
June is Men's Health Month. Listen in as Kevin invites back popular guest, Dr. Raza. They discuss everything a man can do to stay healthy. Highlights include:
- Common health concerns
- Non-invasive screenings
- Prevention and treatment efficacy
- Simple steps to improve overall health
Introducing a brand new mini series: A Day in the Life. As a way to honor ALL healthcare workers, this series we will be interviewing some of the rock star staff members at CHI St. Luke's who have dedicated their lives to the world of healthcare. We kick off this series with our very special guest and ER Supervisor, Toni Rogers. Listen in as we capture what it is like to work in ER and learn how every shift can be a roller coaster ride! Buckle up!
Are virtual visits here to stay? Are they the new norm? Listen in as Kevin sits down with the very decorated Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Angela Nunnery to ask these questions and more about the future of virtual visits.
Highlights include:
- Pros & Cons of virtual visits
- Virtual vs. In-person visits
- Who should consider a virtual visit
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/resources/virtual-doctors-appointments-new-norm
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
Tune in as Kevin sits down with two very special guests: Chief Nursing Officer & VP of Patient Care Services, Ellen Pitcher, and Army 1st Lieutenant Critical Care Nurse & COVID-19 Rapid Response Team Member, Tony Hopkins. Together they discuss how the landscape of nursing has changed with the COVID-19 pandemic and what the everyday 12hr shift looks like for an ICU nurse working closely with positive cases.
If you want to help say thank you to nurses, check out the Nightingale Society link below:
https://chistlukeshealth.org/give/nightingale
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/COVID-19
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
Many people don't associate COVID-19 to cardiology, but the cardiovascular system is very closely connected to the respiratory system. Listen in as Kevin asks the highly respected interventional cardiologist, Dr. Vincent Aquino, all the questions about how COVID-19 has impacted in heart health.
https://wnhhc.com/
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/COVID-19
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
Kevin sits down with the very popular Family Medicine Physician and Medical Director of Baylor St. Luke's Medical Group, Dr. Peter Bigler. They discuss what the current status of healthcare looks like and what the future holds for it. Some highlights include:
- How COVID-19 has positively changed our health habits
- How to address non-COVID-19 emergencies
- How the pandemic might change the healthcare landscape
- Is telemedicine here to stay
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/COVID-19
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
We're back with another episode! This time Kevin welcomes the very brilliant Pulmonologist and director of the Intensive Care Unit at CHI St. Luke's Health - The Woodlands, Dr. Jefy Mathew. This episode is loaded with updated information on COVID-19 and has some special insight from a physician whose team works tirelessly to help patients overcome this disease. Highlights include:
- Physiology of mild and severe cases
- Post recovery outlook
- Masks options and best practices
- AND... the celebration of a recently released positive COVID-19 patient, who battled relentlessly with the help of ALL staff members to overcome this disease!
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/COVID-19
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. In an effort to quiet fear and spread legitimate information, Kevin follows up the COVID-19 episode with a very in depth, but still concise interview with infectious disease specialist, Dr. Charles Sims. Kevin also introduces a new "lightening round" segment, where Dr. Sims quickly answers over 15 questions asked by you, the listeners, from our “ask the doctor” post on social media. And remember...
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face.
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/COVID-19
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
In a very special episode, Kevin sits down with VP of medical operations, Dr. Syed Raza to discuss everything you need to know about Corona Virus (COVID-19).
Highlights include:
- Signs & symptoms
- What to do if you think you have COVID-19
- How likely are you to contract COVID-19
- Prevention
- Differences between the flu and COVID-19
- What our future looks like
- What you can do to help "flatten the curve" and help our medical community
- And... Dr. Raza's 4 big take-a-ways!
CLICK HERE to see a very cool info-graphic to help visualize how quickly this disease can spread. Thank you for listening.
Links:
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/COVID-19
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/healthy-resources
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
https://coronavirus.baylorcme.org/professionals/introduction-epidemiology.html
https://www.mctx.org/public_notices/corona_virus_information.php
Kevin sits down with the very brilliant endovascular neurosurgeon, Dr. Jeremiah Johnson (not from the movie) and asks questions about stroke awareness. They discuss some of the groundbreaking procedures that are used in current neurosurgery, while also highlighting risk factors, signs, and symptoms. In particular the acronym FAST. Listen in and learn how FAST can help save lives.
Facial drooping
Arm weakness/numbness
Speech difficulty
Time sensitivity (call 911)
Comprehensive Stroke Center at The Woodlands HospitalConnect withDr. Johnson: St. Luke's Bio, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
February is American Heart Month. Listen in as your host, Kevin Keys asks Dr. Syed Raza some important questions around heart health and discover what you can do keep a healthy heart. Let's Pump it Up!
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/
https://www.chistlukeshealth.org/shine
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital