Primary Care Today: Recent Episodes
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Primary Care Today features conversations with clinical experts representing a wide range of medical specialties to highlight the latest trends in primary care practice, from clinical pearls to updated guidelines, health informatics, and practice management. This series is hosted by Dr. Brian McDonough, a nationally recognized clinical expert, teacher, and public speaker in primary care.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Victoria A. Statler, MD, MSc
Test-confirmed influenza outcomes provide a specific measure of influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) and has helped to illustrate the potential benefit of cell-based versus egg-based vaccines.1 So what data support improved VE from cell-based flu vaccines versus egg-based vaccines? To learn more, join Dr. Jennifer Caudle as she speaks with Dr. Victoria A. Statler, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville and the Director of the Pediatric Transplant and Immunocompromised Host service at Norton Children’s Hospital.
Reference:
- Stein AN, Mills C, McGovern, et al. Superior effectiveness of cell-based versus egg-based quadrivalent influenza vaccines against test-confirmed influenza over three consecutive seasons in the United States. Paper presented at: The Ninth European Scientific Working Group Influenza (ESWI) Influenza Conference; September 17-20, 2023: Valencia, Spain.
USA-FCV-24-0055 08/24
Guess what? The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices had a unanimous vote in favor of a preferential recommendation of vaccines for the cool adults who are 65 and older—one of these options is adjuvanted influenza vaccines.1 Talk about a milestone in the world of public health! Now the burning question is why on earth did they decide on adjuvant vaccines? Let's unravel this immunization mystery together, shall we?
Reference:
- Grohskopf LA, Blanton LH, Ferdinands JM, Chung JR, Broder KR, Talbot HK, Morgan RL, Fry AM. Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2022-23 influenza season. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2022 Aug 26;71(1):1-28. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7101a1
USA-CRP-23-0037 12/23
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Wendy Wright, DNP
Guest: Elias Chahine, PharmD, FCCP, FASCP
While the flu may seem benign to some, it may result in up to 710,000 hospitalizations and up to 52,000 deaths every year.1 So how are current and concerning trends in declining flu vaccinations being addressed? To hear the latest updates and recommendations, join Dr. Charles Turck as he speaks with Dr. Wendy Wright, Owner and Family Nurse Practitioner at Wright & Associates Family Healthcare in New Hampshire, and Dr. Elias Chahine, Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Wellington Regional Medical Center.
Reference:
- Disease Burden of Influenza. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html. Updated October 4, 2022. Accessed November 28, 2023.
USA-CRP-23-0043 01/24
Several factors impact vaccine effectiveness from year to year. One of them is the phenomenon of strain mismatch which may result from egg adaptation during the egg-based influenza vaccine manufacturing process.1 So what exactly is the process of egg-adaptation? Gather your esteemed colleagues from far and wide, and tune into this episode of World of Tomorrow to learn more.
Reference:
- Rajaram S, Boikos C, Gelone DK, Gandhi A. Influenza vaccines: the potential benefits of cell-culture isolation and manufacturing. Ther Adv Vaccines Immunother. 2020;8:1-10.
USA-CRP-23-0021 11/23
Host: Sara W. Koblitz
Guest: Michael J. Thorpy, MD
While most clinicians are aware of a drug being either “approved” or “not approved” by the FDA, many are not familiar with the term “tentative approval.” Leading experts, attorney Sara Koblitz, JD, and Dr. Michael Thorpy, review the FDA approval process, explore how “tentative approval” is currently impacting treatment in the field of sleep medicine, and discuss how “non-drug” issues are related to delayed FDA approval. Review the latest safety and efficacy pivotal trial data associated with once-nightly sodium oxybate and find out if we’re truly on the cusp of a new awakening in sleep medicine.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Kareen Y. Espino, MD
What is cultural humility, and how can it be incorporated into clinical practice? How does a patient's culture impact their health behaviors, and why does your own culture and your “practice” approach matter?
Listen in as 2 leading experts navigate concerns surrounding cultural humility and emphasize the importance of empathy while they review tips for improved communication with Latino patients. There are easy ways to integrate small but meaningful changes into your clinical practice to help bridge communication gaps and enable your patients to live healthier lives.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Alvaro E. Galvis, MD, PhD
How does a patient's culture impact their health behaviors? Find clues in a case highlighting how cultural responsiveness leads to open patient-clinician communication that is the cornerstone of good clinical care.
Listen in as 2 leading experts address disparities by breaking down barriers and building better communication with Latino patients. Will you evolve your clinical approach by taking the necessary (easy) steps to help overcome medical mistrust?
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Alejandra Hurtado
National trends highlight the necessity of a diverse workforce that can better meet the needs of underserved Latino communities. Hear about the real impact being made by training programs designed to meet community needs through the eyes of a medical student as she discusses her cultural background and future aspirations to give back to the health of her community. Will you be inspired to offer mentorship opportunities and diversify your staff to provide culturally appropriate care?
Guest: John Friedewald, MD
What did the first day of the American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Week 2021 showcase? From COVID-19 to developments in kidney disease, Dr. John Friedewald, Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, shares highlights from Day 1.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Robert O. Roswell, MD, FACC, FACP
Diversifying our physician workforce so that it is more racially, ethnically, and geographically balanced can ultimately have a positive impact on community health. Join us as two experts discuss how pipeline programs reaching children as early as elementary school can help ensure workplace diversity. Also find out how clinicians can be advocates for their patients by helping to disentangle them from structural inequities and working towards policy changes. There’s a lot than can be done to provide more balanced care, but we need to look beyond simple fixes to the root causes of the issues. So find your bandwidth – that’s what you can do today – and discover why it’s so important to move upstream to solve the problems manifesting downstream.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Sateria Venable
Regional healthcare disparities are biases that are based on where people live. Are your patients’ treatment options being impacted and limited by their geographical location? Join us as our two experts discuss how to support broader policy issues and highlight the importance of diagnostic algorithms that have been developed with diverse input. These steps may be of value in your clinical practice to ensure all patients have equal access to care regardless of their epidemiologic, socioeconomic, or insurance circumstances.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Candice Taylor Lucas, MD, MPH, FAAP
What is cultural humility, and how can it be incorporated into clinical practice? How does your patient's culture impact their health behaviors, and why does your culture matter?
Listen in as two leading experts navigate concerns surrounding cultural humility and emphasize the importance of empathy, awareness, and advocacy. Discover ways to integrate small but important changes into your clinical practice to help bridge communication gaps and enable your patients to thrive.
Host: Charles P. Vega, MD
Guest: Lionel Phillips, MBA
Learn why diversity in clinical trials is so important to community health. Two experts discuss the key role that trusted messengers play in enrollment, why it is critical to break the cycle of medical mistrust, and the downstream effect of a lack of diversity in clinical trials.
Host: Ricardo Franco, MD
Guest: Charles P. Vega, MD
Armed with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for HCV universal screening and risk-based testing — and an understanding of the simplicity of prescribing and managing direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies — primary care providers (PCPs) will be well equipped to step up and provide comprehensive HCV care and cure. This educational activity offers practical tips and tactics to prepare PCPs for their central role in eliminating HCV.
Guest: Jennifer Caudle, DO
It’s an unfortunate reality that an increasing number of patients are refusing to get vaccinated—regardless of whether that’s the recommendation for themselves or their children. But luckily, there are ways you can talk to your patients about this, as Dr. Jennifer Caudle explains.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Kisma Orbovich
Improvement is something we’re all constantly chasing, whether it’s in the form of a promotion, a bigger house, or maybe even an ideal weight. So why do we often fail miserably at these attempts to make our lives better?
To get to the bottom of this dilemma, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Kisma Orbovich, the CEO of Illumination Academy, to reveal the secret to true success and how gratitude may just be the lifehack we’ve been searching for.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Teresa Gil, PhD
Since about 21 million mothers in America experienced sexual abuse in their childhood, there’s a good chance that some of these women are our patients. So as their physicians, how can we provide them with the best possible care as they continue to cope with the lifelong effects of sexual abuse? That’s what Dr. Brian McDonough explores with Dr. Teresa Gil, author of Women Who Were Sexually Abused as Children: Mothering, Resilience, and Protecting the Next Generation.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Cecilia Van Cauwenberghe
What was once a sci-fi tale is now a reality, but unlike the aliens and monsters common to this genre, artificial intelligence isn’t something healthcare professionals need to fear. On the contrary, it may just be the key to unlocking new solutions in the pharmaceutical industry, as Dr. Cecilia Van Cauwenberghe explains.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Christopher Spagnuola, MD, FAAOS
As with any technology, there are benefits and limitations to the computerization of healthcare. On the plus side, as Dr. Christopher Spagnuola explains, electronic medical records are streamlining communication between medical providers when it comes to prescriptions, and telemedicine is revolutionizing post-op following orthopedic surgery. But there are unfortunately some downsides to this technology as well.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Daryl Gioffre, DC
Are our diets helping or hurting us? To examine the link between your gut and your overall health, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by nutritionist Daryl Gioffre, who suggests that an unhealthy gut could very well be the root cause of significant health issues.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Jorge Garcia, MD
Even though people have gained immunity to the Zika virus in certain parts of the world, Zika outbreaks can—and do—still occur. Tune in as Dr. Jorge Garcia joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the who, what, where, why, and how of the Zika virus, the once headline-dominating epidemic.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Patricia (Tia) Powell, MD
Since dementia is one of the most common health problems in the United States, it's hard not to know at least one person who is impacted by it. Proof of this is Dr. Tia Powell, who discusses the far-reaching impacts of dementia with Dr. Brian McDonough.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: David Neagle
Is it possible that our environment and experiences have subconsciously programmed our emotional response to the world around us? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is David Neagle, author of The Millions Within: Tips to Improve Emotional Intelligence, to offer advice on what impacts our emotional intelligence and the changes we can implement to strengthen our own.
Produced in cooperation with:
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Kenneth Davin Fine, MD
Dr. Brian McDonough brings up an age-old question: can listening to music cureyour ailments? In an attempt to put this long-lived discussion to rest, Dr. McDonough welcomes Dr. Kenny Fine, a physician-musician of 15 years.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Martin Lupinetti
Guest: Richard Snyder, MD
First there was paper, then there were traditional electronic health records…so what’s next? Well, more and more states across the country have been diligently working on the development and implementation of health information exchange, bringing all available information to a single point of care. Join Dr. Brian McDonough as he dives deep into the database with Rich Snyder, Chief Medical Officer of Independence Blue Cross, and Martin Lupinetti, President of HealthShare Exchange.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
In the early years of Dr. Robin Miller's career, she found herself writing more prescriptions and spending less time counseling the patients sitting in her exam room. It was then that she realized that something had to change…so she quit her job and began a fellowship in integrated medicine.
Dr. Brian McDonough talks with Dr. Miller about her decision to switch her career focus and how her approach to diagnosing and treating patients has evolved.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Elizabeth Dowdell, PhD, RN FAAN
Bullying is an unfortunate reality of the adolescent years. However, the implosion of the internet has created a new digital threat that is faceless and nameless: cyberbullying. Dr. Elizabeth Dowdell uncovers the link between risky online behaviors and their impacts in a discussion with Dr. Brian McDonough.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Cass Ingram, D.O.
Getting to the root of the intolerable running nose and watery-eyed allergy symptoms is Dr. Cass Ingram, author of Doctor's Guide to Wild Oregano. Reflecting on his research with Dr. Brian McDonough, Dr. Ingram points out the centuries-old natural remedy and the benefits it still possesses today.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Palliative and hospice care both have very important roles in healthcare, but unfortunately, they are often overlooked as resources.
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Chief Medical Officer of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Dr. Stephen Goldfine, who offers his perspective on the stigma surrounding these two areas of healthcare and recommendations on how to make the conversation easier for you and your patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Physicians have one of the most stressful careers out there, forcing them to learn how to cope with high pressure on a day-to-day basis. And with the rates of physician burnout on the rise, adding a little laughter to your life and practice could be just what the doctor ordered.
Sharing their experiences on learning to cope with these pressures and incorporating humor into their practice are Dr. Brian McDonough and Dr. John Kelly, Clinical Professor of Orthopedics at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Louis J. Aronne, MD, FTOS
Obesity rates have been rising for years, resulting in a constant influx of books claiming to have the cure for this newly classified disease. However, it's not just our patients who are dealing with issues of weight. Introducing innovative techniques and approaches is Dr. Lou Aronne, Director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Cornell Medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
In a time when humans walked among wild animals, the fight-or-flight response could've been the difference between eating dinner or being dinner. Today, however, the effect of this stress could be much more problematic for our society. In a review of his findings, Dr. Pratha Dutta joins Dr. Brian McDonough to focus on how our body and immune system react to sympathetic activation and what this might mean for some of your patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Lorina Marshall-Blake, MGA, FAAN
Complicating the already-complex issue of the opioid epidemic is the stigma that it often comes with, which defers those who so desperately need help from seeking it. Fortunately, there are organizations like the Independence Blue Cross who are doing their part in humanizing opioid addiction and encouraging those affected to find help through its awareness campaign “Someone You Know.”
To dive deeper into this campaign, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation's President Lorina Marshall-Blake.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Joy Stephenson-Laws
According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, approximately two million workers fall subject to workplace violence every year. With that number continuing to increase, creating a healthy work environment is becoming the central focus of many employers. But how exactly can you go about doing that?
Join Dr. Brian McDonough as he speaks with Joy Stephenson-Laws, founder of Proactive Health Labs and author of Minerals-The Forgotten Nutrient: Your Secret Weapon for Getting Healthy and Staying Healthy, who reveals simplistic approaches to obtain happier employees, less stress, and positive productivity.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Have we been fed misinformation about how our food choices affect our bodies? Listen in as Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with mythbuster and co-founder of the Florida Wellness Center Dr. Julie Gatza, who proposes a new spin on the most common misconception surrounding healthy eating.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Tanya Altmann, MD
To investigate the concerning rise in both asthma and allergies in children, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Tanya Altmann, pediatrician and Editor in Chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics parenting books, to discuss why a missing component of the gut microbiome may be the potential cause and how nutrition and probiotics play a vital role in a child's growth and development.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Mark Zucker, Director of the Cardiothoracic Transplantation Program at RWJBH/Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, and his HCM patient and founder of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, Lisa Salberg, to discuss her inspiring story and the importance of early diagnosis.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
With a wide spectrum of symptoms, treating depression often becomes frustrating—not only for the patient, but for the primary care physician as well. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Dr. Paul Gross, founder of the TMS Center of Lehigh Valley, to address the difficulties of properly identifying depression. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Green also exposes the impactful therapy Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which has been linked to improving other diseases beyond depression.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Is it possible that our emotional baggage is undermining our physical health? Dr. Bradley Nelson, holistic doctor and author of The Emotion Code, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the various impacts that negative emotions can make toward health maintenance and disease prevention.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Tobacco use accounts for nearly half a million deaths in the U.S. each year and is the leading cause of lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association.
However, the economic and societal costs of smoking are also staggering. Every year, Americans spend more than $300 billion, which includes both medical care and lost productivity. Unfortunately, some people will have to pay more depending on the state in which they live.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with analyst Jill Gonzales from Wallethub, a financial website that calculated the true per-person cost of smoking in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
At the age of 35, Jessica Cross was pursuing a rewarding career and raising a family with her loving husband when she was dealt a crippling blow: suffering a stroke that left her paralyzed on the right side of her body and hospitalized for months.
Two years later, still in rehabilitation, Cross began punching at a keyboard to restore function in her arm and hand. Having little interest in typing mindlessly, this daily rehab exercise soon grew into writing what would become the book, Crossed Lines: What Lies Buried Within the Heart.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Jessica Cross to talk about her journey through enduring this stroke, her recovery and rehab, and subsequent activism around education and wellness for stroke survivors.
Jessica Cross is an author, speaker, and Executive Director of Strong Cross Foundation.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Benjamin Levine, MD, FACC
Poor fitness in middle age is a strong predictor of a person’s future risk of heart failure. Prolonged exercise training, including a regular routine of high-intensity and moderate-intensity workouts, can forestall the effects of sedentary aging by preventing increased left ventricular stiffness.
Dr. Benjamin Levine joins host Dr. Brian McDonough to talk about how regular exercise training may provide protection against the sedentary aging of the heart by preventing an increase in cardiac stiffness.
Dr. Levine is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Director of Autonomic Function and Cardiopulmonary Clinics at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection remains one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in both females and males, with about 9 in 10 people contracting HPV at some point in their lives.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Samantha Gottlieb, medical anthropologist and author of Not Quite a Cancer Vaccine: Selling HPV and Cervical Cancer. They explore the history of Gardasil, a vaccine developed for HPV but marketed primarily as a cervical cancer vaccine, which became embroiled in sociopolitical debates about adolescent sexuality and pediatric vaccinations.
The two discuss these precedents alongside current controversies, such as whether vaccinating both males and females will induce herd immunity, and if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
According to a report from the Trust for America’s Health, an estimated 1.6 million people could die from drugs, alcohol, and suicide in the next ten years. This is a 60% increase from the past decade.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough talks with John Templeton Jr, President of Footprints Beachside Recovery Center in Florida, about treating addiction and what doctors need to know about reducing opioid addiction risk in their pain medication management.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Over 33,000 lives were lost to opioid overdose in 2015, translating into 91 people dying each day, according to the most recent CDC data. Reducing exposure to prescription opioids, for situations where the risks of opioids outweigh their benefits, is a crucial part of reversing this trend.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough explores alternative options to prescription opioids with addiction specialist Dr. Isaac Alexis, Medical Director of the Lifeline Addiction Center in Beckley, WV.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Exercise can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with veteran personal trainer and exercise therapy specialist Bobby Whisnand about ways to to keep your workout "working out" and how to avoid exercise pitfalls.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Several studies have shown that therapy dogs help to reduce people’s pain levels and anxiety. Therapy dogs have also been found to increase patients’ physical, mental, emotional and social states and improve their quality of life.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough talks with David Frei, co-creator of Angel on a Leash, a charity supporting therapy dog programs that serve health care facilities, about how therapy dogs bring comfort, affection and happiness to people in confined living situations. Frei is the former host of The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and expert analyst for The National Dog Show on NBC Thanksgiving Day.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes between 150 to 170 pounds of refined sugars every year. Excessive sugar consumption is linked to a long list of health problems, from obesity and cardiovascular disease to joint inflammation and ADHD, but most of us can’t seem to be able to stop eating sugar no matter how hard we try.
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to address the growing threat of sugar addiction is health educator and wellness expert Dr. David Magnano.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
There is nearly a 20% chance that each of us will suffer a concussion this year. More concerning yet, over 30% of those concussions will lead to a long-term, potentially permanent disability. Many studies have explored how the use of Omega-3 fatty acids may add some measure of resilience within the brain to withstand injury in those at significant risk.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Dr. Michael Lewis, founder of the nonprofit Brain Health Education and Research Institute about how the utilization of Omega-3 fatty acids may facilitate the concussion healing process and relieve symptoms.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Bob Arnot is an award-winning medical correspondent for NBC and CBS News and served as MSNBC’s chief foreign correspondent in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He also worked as an Olympic physician and is a sports enthusiast who competes in Ironman events, triathlons, marathons, big-wall ice climbing, Himalayan climbs, the 100-mile Canadian ski marathon, 24-hour bike races, big wave surfing and stand-up paddling.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Dr. Arnot to talk about his medical career and his involvement in endurance sports competitions. His broad experiences allow for unique insights into pain management, opioid addiction, and living and working through injuries.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Out of the approximately 340,000 hip fractures that occur in the US each year, 9 out of 10 of them happen to people older than 65. Hip fractures in an older population can result in significant complications including pneumonia and blood clots, among others.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Dr. Derek Donegan, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery in the Division of Orthopedic Trauma at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to talk about some of the challenges physicians face when treating hip fractures in elderly patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 44,193 Americans die by suicide each year. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) has been developed as a means of helping users identify whether someone is at risk for suicide, assessing the severity and immediacy of that risk, and gauging the level of support that the person needs.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough talks with Dr. Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber, Founder and Director of the Columbia Lighthouse Project who disseminates the C-SSRS worldwide as a tool for suicide prevention.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
With more than 100 different disorders, rheumatic diseases comprise one of the most prevalent disease groups in the industrialized world. In fact, a third of the population will be affected by a rheumatic disease at some point during their lifetimes.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Dr. Carol Langford, Chair of the Committee of Education at the American College of Rheumatology, about the diagnostic and treatment challenges of rheumatic diseases.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Allergies occur when your immune system mistakes a normally harmless allergen for a dangerous invader and moves to destroy it, producing an allergic reaction. What exactly causes this response, and what are the best treatments to combat it?
Host Brian McDonough chats with Dr. Avery August, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, about his research regarding how allergens affect the immune system.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Every year, 1 in 6 Americans get sick from eating contaminated food.
USDA Food Safety expert Sarah Lichtman joins host Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss ways to safely handle food, prevent food poisoning, and minimize risk of foodborne illnesses.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Millennials report higher incidence and prevalence rates of depression than any previous generation. Why is this, and what can be done to help these patients?
Host Brian McDonough speaks with Dr. John Huber, Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, about the reasons why millennials are struggling with depression and anxiety, and tips for helping these patients handle the unique stressors in life they are facing.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Signe Whitson
What is passive-aggressive behavior, and what can (or should) people do when confronted with it?
Host Brian McDonough sits down with Signe Whitson, author of the book The Angry Smile: The New Psychological Study of Passive-Aggressive Behavior at Home, at School, in Marriage & Close Relationships, in the Workplace and Online. Ms. Whitson is an educator on bullying, crisis intervention, and child and adolescent emotional and behavioral health. She offers real-world examples and empowering, practical strategies for individuals confronted with passive aggressiveness.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Cigarette smoking is one of the leading cause of preventable death in North America, an unfortunate statistic that is rapidly replicating across the rest of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts based on current trends that cigarette smoking will kill a billion people this century.
But what can be done to reverse this trend?
Host Brian McDonough talks with David Sweanor, Adjunct Professor of Law, and Chair of the advisory committee for the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, at the University of Ottawa. Mr. Sweanor has been spearheading efforts to reduce cigarette smoking nationally and globally.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Allison Willis, MD
More men than women are diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease by almost a 2 to 1 margin. However, women receive supportive surgery less often than men, and their symptoms are more severe on average by the time surgical options are taken.
Host Brian McDonough chats with Dr. Allison Willis, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, about gender differences in diagnosing and managing Parkinson's Disease.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The Mediterranean Diet, rich in plant-based foods, is associated with a variety of health benefits, including a lower incidence of dementia. Extra-virgin olive oil, a specific ingredient used abundantly in this diet, is now speculated to help protect people against cognitive decline.
Host Brian McDonough talks with Domenico Pratico, Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Microbiology at the Center for Translational Medicine at the Louis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, about how consumption of olive oil can preserve memory and cognitive ability and potentially reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Vegetative state is commonly defined as "wakefulness with awareness." Patients with a vegetative state diagnosis will show only reflex behavior, are not able to follow commands and are unable to communicate. This barrier in the inability for patients to communicate can make it difficult for doctors to measure their level of consciousness. In fact, some patients who are believed to be in a completely vegetative state may be more aware of what's going on than people realize.
Host Brian McDonough joins Dr. Adrian Owen, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging at the Brain and Mind Institute at Western University. They talk about how the use of MRI technology is aiding doctors in measuring the level of consciousness in patients under vegetative states.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Recently, Millennials (those born after 1980) have become the largest generation in the U.S. workforce and are also the fastest-growing population of customers in the marketplace. By extension this makes them a dominant player in the health care field, both as patients and providers. But Millennials exhibit different attitudes toward employment, consumerism, health, and wellness compared to previous generations, with greater emphasis on social responsibility. This challenges conventional thinking on workforce management and customer/patient engagement.
Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Brian Peavey, CEO of real estate company Profitshare, about the shifting paradigm toward social responsibility in Millennials.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Interoperability refers to the capacity for computer systems and software to exchange information and interpret that shared data.
The ability for machines to communicate efficiently within healthcare systems offers a myriad of vital benefits to patients and providers. For instance, as data becomes more mobile, personal health information entered by clinicians can begin to reach patients wherever they are and whenever they need it.
Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Brendan McCorkle, CEO and Founder of CloudMine, to discuss his perspectives on the importance of health care systems interoperability and how to implement it successfully.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Could constant cell phone use be damaging children's brains?
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Daniel Debaun, author of Radiation Nation: The Fallout of Modern Technology," about how electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation produced by modern technology such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, Wi-Fi, and smart meters may be emerging as a health threat with many unknown consequences.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Katherine Schneider, MD
What does MACRA mean to the clinical practice environment, and how will it impact your own practice? Dr. Katherine Schneider, President and CEO of the Delaware Valley Accountable Care Organization, discusses how MACRA is affecting physician practices. Host Dr. Brian McDonough joins her to outline what physicians can do to prepare for the changing landscape of payment through Medicare.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
It's widely known that genetics, family history, race, and other factors all play important roles in cancer risk. But what kinds of roles do they play, specifically, and how can we leverage these understandings into better primary care?
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Maureen Murphy, research scientist at the Wistar Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Murphy has spent the past twenty years studying how genes affect breast cancer risk in women, particularly for African American populations. She discusses her findings on the discovery of p53 protein variants and how this advances the role for precision medicine in treating breast cancer.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Annalisa Scimemi
Hemorrhagic strokes account for about 200,000 strokes per year. Of those who survive, about 66 percent suffer some permanent brain damage. Our guest, biophysicist Dr. Annalisa Scimemi, has been studying the receptors in the brain that may contribute to brain damage immediately after hemorrhagic stroke. Alongside host Dr. Brian McDonough, she will discuss how to lessen the effects of brain damage following a stroke.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Michel Pascal
Most of us struggle to be productive during the workday due to daily stress. The task of decluttering our minds proves challenging. On this segment, Michel Pascal, author of the book Meditation for Daily Stress: 10 Practices for Immediate Well-being, speaks with host Dr. Brian McDonough about ways to achieve calmness and improve productivity in our daily lives. He provides meditation techniques that reduce stress, de-clutter minds, and help one to discover inner peace.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Howard Spiva
Wearing a helmet is an overlooked but critical safety precaution, particularly among children. Attorney Howard Spiva knows the lifelong struggle of individuals recovering from traumatic brain injuries, having devoting much of his career to providing helmet safety education for children. Joined by host Brian McDonough, Mr. Spiva discusses important details about helmet safety, the current status of helmet laws, and continuing efforts to reduce traumatic brain injuries nationwide.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Jennifer Singleterry, Senior Analyst of Policy and Legislative Support for the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, about the organization's new report revealing monetary burdens for cancer patients.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Several new screening tests have been developed to help doctors find colorectal cancer early when it's most treatable and can reduce the burden of this disease and the death toll nationwide.
Host Dr. Matt Birnholz chats with Dr. John Kisiel, gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, about new screening guidelines for detecting colorectal cancer.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Dr. John Barrasso, US Senator from Wyoming and former orthopedic surgeon, about the current state of health care policy as seen from the senate floor.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Brian McDonough talks with Dr. Joel Nitzkin, preventive medicine physician and senior fellow in tobacco policy for the R Street Institute. The two discuss their respective priorities for reducing tobacco-attributable illnesses and death.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough chats with physician and nutrition expert Dr. Cass Ingram, author of The Wild Turmeric Cure, about the various reported health benefits of wild turmeric as a disease-preventing spice.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough chats with cardiologist Dr. Andrew Waxler about the life and career lessons he learned from his unique family upbringing as the nephew of celebrity comedian Joan Rivers. He then draws on these lessons to describe important steps people can take to live healthy lifestyles for best cardiac outcomes.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Polycystic Ovary Syndrom (PCOS) afflicts 10 to 15% of women worldwide, yet physicians often don't recognize the symptoms associated with this disease.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Dr. Fiona McCulloch, a Toronto-based naturopath and author of the book 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS, about different approaches to managing PCOS and how dietary changes can make huge impacts for women dealing with PCOS.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Deadly Prescription author Dr. Robert Marx, Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine. The two discuss powerful impacts that corporate conflicts of interest from pharmaceutical companies can have on patient health.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Lee Buckler, Director, Chief Executive Officer and President of RepliCel Life Sciences based in Vancouver, BC. Mr. Buckler and his colleagues are tackling a mix of medical and cosmetic issues that include hair regeneration, repair of painful and debilitating tendon injuries and rejuvenation of damaged skin.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
How can primary care clinicians best help women facing a diagnosis of breast cancer, and what counseling methods will guide them to optimal treatment plans?
Host Brian McDonough talks with Dr. Richard Bleicher, Director of the Breast Fellowship Training Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center, about strategies health care providers should take to help breast cancer patients deal with their diagnosis and prepare for the next steps in therapy.
Host: Kathy King, RDN
Osteoporosis treatments most commonly focus on drugs, hormone replacement therapies, and mineral supplements. But are there other effective ways to build bone vitality?
On this episode of NutritionEdge, Kathy King speaks with Dr. Amy Lanou, Professor and Chair of Health and Wellness at the University of North Carolina-Asheville. Dr. Lanou is author of the book Building Bone Vitality: A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis—Without Dairy, Calcium, Estrogen, or Drugs.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Harley Rotbart, MD
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Dr. Harley Rotbart, Professor of Pediatrics at University of Colorado School of Medicine and author of the book Miracles We Have Seen: America's Leading Physicians Share Stories They Can't Forget.
This collection of remarkable stories offers a compelling glimpse into the lives of physicians—their humanity and determined devotion to their patients and their patients' families. It reminds us that what we don't know or don't understand isn't necessarily cause for fear, and can even be reason for hope.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Diabulimia, defined as the manipulation of insulin treatments by Type 1 diabetic patients in order to lose weight, is a rising problem among teens and young adults in the U.S, particularly young women. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this dual diagnosis phenomenon of diabetes and eating disorders, ways in which they exacerbate other disease processes, the long term consequences, and management priorities for phycisians is author and registered dietitian Susan Weiner. Susan is a recipient of the AADE Diabetes Educator of the Year award and has devoted much of her writing and clinical expertise to addressing diabulimia in at-risk patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Holidays, life events, and even seasonal changes in general can cause an extraordinary amount of stress for young children.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Christine Bronstein, entrepreneur and author of the children’s series Stewie Boom!, about different methods gleaned from pediatricians and other parents to help children cope with stress.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough explores the importance of finding personal fulfilment in work and home life with Dr. William Schiemann, CEO of Metrus Group and author of Fulfilled! Critical Choices: Work, Home, Life.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough chats with Scott Schober, CEO of Berkeley Varitronics Systems and author of Hacked Again: It Can Happen to Anyone, Even a Cybersecurity Expert, about the growing need for cyber security in the health care sector.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Jeena Cho, co-author of The Anxious Lawyer: an 8-week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice through Mindfulness and Meditation, about how meditation can reduce anxiety, improve focus and clarity, and renrich your quality of life.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Health informatics provides a way for knowledge about patients, diseases, therapies and medicines to be more easily shared. Greater access to data can be used to improve healthcare on a larger scale.
Dr. Brian McDonough talks with Dr. Don Liss, Senior Medical Director at Independent Blue Cross about how health informatics is shaping health care.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
50% or women who suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) are unaware that they have it.
Dr. Brian McDonough talks with naturopathic doctor Fiona McCulloch about that the signs of PCOS and various approaches women can utilize in dealing with it.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia among people aged 65 and older. With the population of older Americans growing, research for new therapies becomes ever more critical. Yet one of the most important factors in advancing research, fundraising, has been hampered by numerous challenges.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough talks with Charles Fushcillo Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America about the challenges in securing additional funding for Alzheimer’s Research.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Chris Kelly, leading advocate for "smell training," a program offering help and training to people whose sense of smell has been impaired.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Can the simple act of smiling more often help us live happier, healthier, and more abundant lives?
To answer this question in entertaining detail, Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes onto the show Dr. Rich Castellano, facial plastic surgeon, founder and CEO of ImageLift in Tampa, FL, and author of The Smile Prescription.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
An old adage states "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip." Applied to drug delivery, dosing, and compliance by patients, this phrase couldn't be more accurate. Drug information and clinical decision support systems are evolving to address problems in getting the right medications to the right patients, but more work needs to be done.
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss barriers and solutions to medication-related decision support is Dr. Shobha Phansalkar, Director of Informatics and Clinical Quality Control at the Clinical Drug Information Division of Wolters Kluwer. Additionally, she is an Assistant Professor in Medicine at the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
In a survey released by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), nearly half of men reported that their health was "good" or "excellent." This marked a dramatic increase in health perceptions from men over the past decade, despite the fact that more men now live with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes than ever before. What does this discrepancy between perceptions and realities tell us about the state of health care for men in America?
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss special considerations and primary care priorities for men is Dr. John Meigs, practicing generalist and President-Elect of the AAFP.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Charles Pollack, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of the Jefferson Institute of Emerging Health Professions at Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine. Dr. Pollack's team recently formed the Center for Medical Cannabis Education & Research, tasked with providing expert-developed, unbiased information to clinicians and patients about the medical uses of marijuana and cannabinoid-focused therapies.
The two discuss current clinical recommendations for cannabis based on the available research, and where the benefits and risks collide amidst mass public interest.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, has gained rapid popularity as patient populations have broadened. Once intended almost exclusively for cancer patients undergoing aggressive chemotherapy treatments, more and more healthy women are choosing this resource to expand their reproductive options later in life.
Dr. Lisa Ashe, internist and medical director for Be Well Medical Group in Alexandria, VA, speaks with Dr. Brian McDonough about her personal experience with egg freezing from three simultaneous vantage points: physician, patient, and minister.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
In the aftermath of mass violence, from September 11th to the Paris attack to the Orlando shooting, fear and confusion often dominate the public consciousness. Unfortunately, most clinicians are not trained in tactical medicine to respond in times of crisis such as these. But a small subset of survuval medicine experts are working to change this pattern.
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Dr. Joseph Alton, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of OB/GYN, and author of The Survival Medicine Handbook: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way. The two discuss key survival and disaster response considerations for clinicians caught in violently dangerous situations.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Over one million amputees suffer from phantom limb pain, a debilitating condition made all the more complex to treat due to the root question "How do I treat pain arising from a limb that no longer exists?" But new understandings of the pathophysiology behind this disease have led to more meaningful interventions, enabling better counseling strategies for primary care physicians.
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Dr. J. David Prologo, Assistant Professor of Radiology at Emory Healthcare and Director of Interventional Radiology Services at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. Dr. Prologo has helped pioneer research ushering in new treatment methods, such as cryoablation, for the treatment of phantom limb pain in amputees.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Charles N. Walker, MD
Dr. Charles Walker, Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Urology at Yale University School of Medicine, shares clinical insights about penile prostheses, such as inflatable versus malleable devices, used as surgical gold standards to treat erectile dysfunction.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
For most people, the home is a refuge and an oasis, a place to feel safe. But few ever wonder whether their homes and the everyday household items they use to clean and maintain them could be detrimental to their health.
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the unsettling health risks behind common household items, and what consumers should keep an eye on, is Andre LaCroix, Vice President of Easy Breathe, Inc.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Michael Stierstorfer, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and founder of East Penn Dermatology, has led efforts to teach clinicians about Type IV allergies as potential causes for common gastrointestinal diseases such as IBS, coining the term "allergic contact enteritis." He joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss intersections between dermatology and gastroenterology in the study of hypersensitivity reactions.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Each year more than 70 million post-surgical patients are prescribed opioids. Research shows 1 in 15 will go on to use the medications long term, potentially putting them at risk for addiction and overdose.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with Dr. Susan Downey, a board-certified plastic surgeon, to talk about opioid abuse and what alternative prescription options are available instead of narcotics.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Joe Klest, Chicago attorney and author of The Whole Truth. Mr. Klest has represented victims in over 500 sexual abuse cases. He and Dr. McDonough discuss clinical recognition methods and action plans for child abuse, legal contexts for reporting, and the need for increased awareness by clinicians in primary care settings.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Denise Daniels, Peabody Award-wining broadcast journalist, author, and child development expert who specializes in the social and emotional development of children. Ms. Daniels talks about the challenges in helping children cope with the consistent exposure to tragic news around the world stemming from terrorism, wars, and natural disasters.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Andrea Shin, MD
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Andrea Shin, practicing gastroenterologist and Assistant Research Professor of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. They discuss the unique physical, emotional, and social challenges faced by people dealing with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They also focus on the three types of IBS (constipation, diarrhea, and constipation/diarrhea), and how to best manage each condition.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Cryotherapy, the science of freezong for medical purposes, uses extreme cold temperatures to cool down the body and has both current and emerging medical applications ranging from brain resuscitation in emergency settings to inflammation reduction in medical spas.
Host Dr. Brian McDonough sits down with science and health journalist Renee Ebersole to talk about the rise of cryotherapy, the mechanisms governing its medical utilities, and the benefits vs risks of its applications in various health settings today.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Dr. Philip E. Empey, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics at the University of Pittsburg School of Pharmacy. Their discussion centers on advancements in genetic testing to detect variances in response to anticoagulation therapies for patients undergoing vascular procedures such as stent placements.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
According to a recent study, the percentage of elderly people in American nursing homes who are moderately to severely overweight has climbed to 25%, a dramatic increase from 14% back in 2000. How does this alarming trend affect both health outcomes and care delivery in caregiving settings?
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this underrecognized issue of obesity in senior populations is Dr. Caroline Cederquist, bariatrics expert and founder of Cederquist Medical Wellness Center in Naples FL. Dr. Cederquist is also co-founder of bistroMD, a company premised on delivering physician-designed gourmet meals to patients for purposes of weight loss and health maintenance.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The Baby Boomer generation is fast-approaching a critical period in health care decision-making, the choices of which may dictate continued health or rapid decline. What are the care priorities that clinicians should keep in mind with this special population?
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Marcia Feldt, author of The Oys & Joys, a novel that crystalizes many of the challenges facing Baby Boomers through the eyes of four women. Ms. Feldt describes the personal journeys of her characters, drawn from several years of advocacy for patients in this generation, and she shares tips that clinicians can consider to help these patients address priority health needs.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guidelines in testing intervals and recommended methods for cervical cancer screening have been changing rapidly. What's the bottom line on helping primary care clinicians best protect their patients from this disease development? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough on the floors of Omnia Education's Women's Health Annual Visit in New York to discuss updated strategies drive down cervical cancer risk is Dr. Edward Mayeaux, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes John Roman, CEO of Defend Your Head, a sports safety company based in Chester County, PA. Mr. Roman is a former offensive lineman in the NFL with the New York Jets (1976-1983) before launching a 30-year successful career on Wall Street. He joins Primary Care Today to discuss technological advances in helmet design and construction for football players of all ages. His company has recently developed ProTech, a football helmet product using a soft outer-shell technology designed to improve energy and force dissipation and reduction.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Kidney stones are on the rise, particularly among adolescents, females, and African-Americans in the U.S. This marks a striking change from the historic pattern in which middle-aged white men were at highest risk for the painful condition. While the overall increase in kidney stones in children and adolescents has been known, a recent study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology provided greater clarity on the specific groups of patients at greatest risk by analyzing age, race and sex characteristics among children and adults in South Carolina over a 16-year period, from 1997 to 2012.
Lead author Dr. Gregory Tasian, Assistant Professor of Urology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and an attending pediatric urologist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this startling trend, the factors that may be driving it, and appropriate preventive and treatment strategies for kidney stones.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Sedentary behaviors are rapidly on the rise as technological advances streamline public capabilities to work and conduct regular tasks at the click of a button. Yet while some health impacts of increased sedentary lifestyles are now generally understood and accepted, the question of whether sporadic or even regular exercise habits can compensate for sedentary time is not well known. But an advancing arm of research is addressing this knowledge gap, and the initial findings are startling.
Joining Primary Care Today to share new insights is Dr. Wendy King, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburg Graduate School of Public Health. Dr. King and colleagues authored a report published in Preventive Medicine focusing on sedentary behaviors and how they affect health outcomes in the presence and absence of exercise.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Respiratory complications of GERD are surprisingly common, particularly in patients experiencing silent, asymptomatic reflux for long periods of time. Yet the frequently subclinical nature of this disease progression is especially difficult to detect. How can clinicians better identify this rising issue, and are current treatment paradigms in primary care enough?
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Dr. Jamie Koufman, Professor of Otolaryngology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of the Voice Institute of New York. Dr. Koufman discusses the top considerations for helping prevent and treat reflux disease to help curb respiratory and other complications.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Primary care practices are environments with deeply emotional caregiving relationships, but communicative barriers between clinicians and patients make some important conversations difficult to approach on both ends. The patient advocate is an emerging role to help bridge these communicative divides in general practice. How can these care navigators facilitate better health outcomes, and what do clinicians need to know to support this cause?
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Pamela Wilson, leading expert in the caregiving industry and author of The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life’s Unexpected Changes, to discuss the benefits of patient advocacy in primary care.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
On the subject of smoking, health risks differ from one form of smoking product to another. Yet these differences aren't always well understood by health professionals. Is there such a thing as a "safe" tobacco alternative, or is smoking cessation the only viable choice for risk reduction?Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the literature on tobacco harm reduction, as well as review the broadening spectrum of smoking formulations, from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco products to e-cigarette devices, is Dr. Brad Rodu, Endowed Chair in Tobacco Harm Reduction Research from the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Tina Kaur Thethi, MD, MPH, FACE
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Tina Thethi, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the section of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Tulane University Health Sciences Center. The two discuss pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options for obesity, with an eye on longer term management strategies to curtail the development of diabetes after lifestyle modifications fall short of target goals.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr Ken Yeager, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Ohio State University School of Medicine. Dr. Yeager examines how physicians can help their patients handle the stress of a "24-hour news world" with depictions and images of disasters coming into their homes every day.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss clinical approaches to endemic fears and anxieties spread by acts of mass violence and terrorism, both abroad and within the U.S, is Dr. Arthur Caplan, Professor and founding Director of the Division of Medical Ethics in NYU Langone Medical Center’s Department of Population Health.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss updated considerations and approaches to the pre-participation physical exam is Dr. Mark Mirabelli, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Orthopedics, Family Medicine, and Physiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY. Dr. Mirabelli is a medical consultant to regional professional and college sports teams. He also serves as the supervising physician for University Sports Medicine athletic trainers at several area high schools. Their discussion centers on the most vital health concerns for young athletes, from cardiac screening protocols to asthma maintenance to concussion assessments.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Shoulder pain is one of the most common presentations in primary care, but the most proper workups to determine causes and develop effective treatment plans are not universally known. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to update clinicians on common shoulder injuries, the patient histories that often correspond with them, and best treatment practices for each problem, is Dr. Kelton Burbank, orthopedic surgeon and the Worcester Medical Center in Worcester, MA. Dr. Burbank is the orthopedic consultant for the UMass-Amherst men’s hockey team and the Massachusetts representative to the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He is also president of the New England Orthopedic Society.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Eric Edmonds, co-director of 360 Sports Medicine and one of two fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego with subspeciality certification in sports medicine. Dr. Edmond is also an associate clinical professor at UC San Diego, where he is actively involved with the education of pediatric orthopaedic fellows, residents from UC San Diego, the Navy and the Air Force, and UC San Diego medical students.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Marcy Lake, faculty member of the Kaiser Permanente Family Medicine Residency Program in Portland Oregon and author of a recent article in American Family Physician devoted to disorders of the pituitary gland. Their discussion tours diagnostic considerations toward the workup of pituitary diseases, and emerging treatment paradigms for clinicians at general, endocrinology, and surgical levels of care.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Liz Joy, President-Elect of the American College of Sports Medicine, President of the Female Athlete Triad Coalition, and Adjunct Professor of Family & Community Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Their discussion centers on health maintenance for female athletes and the special factors that must be considered to care for this unique patient population.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. John Ely, Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Dr. Ely has written numerous articles addressing the top questions surfacing in general practice. He joins Primary Care Today to focus on perhaps the most common question asked between colleagues in family medicine: "What is this rash?"
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Gregory Weinstein, Professor and Vice Chair and the Director of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery. He is the Co-Director of The Center for Head and Neck Cancer in The Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The two discuss a dramatic rise in HPV-related cancers over the past decade, and what clinicians need to be aware of in assessing their patients for these indidious diseases.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Amy Price, staff physician in the Department of Family Practice at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Dr. Price authored an article titled "Bipolar Disorders: A Review" in American Family Physician, journal of the AAFP. She explains the keys to recognizing, diagnosing, and treating bipolar disorder in primary care settings.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
How can pharmacy practice inform the primary care and family medicine communities about approaching challenging diabetes cases? Christa George, Pharm.D, Associate Professor in the departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Family Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss Type 2 Diabetes from the unique vantage point of the pharmacist.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) bring unique challenges to the primary care practice environment and require personalized therapeutic approaches to address both psychiatric and somatic health issues. Dr. Jill Fenske, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to guide clinicians toward a better understanding of this complex disorder with multiple varied manifestations.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Jonathan Firnhaber, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at East Carolina University School of Medicine, to provide top recommendations for prevention, assessment, and treatment of skin cancer at the primary care level.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Gail L. Torkildsen, staff ophthalmologist at Andover Eye Associates and one of the leading Dry Eye Principal Investigators in the world. Dr. Torkildsen has served as P.I. on over 20 client-sponsored Dry Eye studies since 2002. In this discussion she takes listeners on a tour of common eye problems faced in primary care, and how clinicians can better prepare themselves to address issues such as Meibobian gland disorders, blepharitis, dry eyes, and conjunctivitis with greater confidence.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Tina Thethi, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the section of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Tulane University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Thethi provides the inside scoop on diabetes topics of particular interest to endocrinologists in practice today, from pre-diabetes management to continuous glucose monitoring to novel drug research and development.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
A clinical pearl in the arena of eye care is that serious eye problems tend to manifest serious symptoms and signs, which makes vision loss one of the key findings in a diagnostic workup. Yet vision testing is commonly neglected in primary care practice even when patients present with eye-related complaints. What are the most important steps a clinician can take when assessing eye problems, and where does the primary care practitioner fit into the ophthalmologic care continuum? Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Sumitra Khandelwal, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine, to examine the top issues in eye care for generalists and ophthalmic specialists.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
From patient consultation services to remote physician visits, telemedicine is rapidly gaining a foothold in clincial practice. But what are the potential gains vs pitfalls for integrating these technologies at the primary care level? Dr. Mark Seraly, practicing dermatologist and founder of DermatologistOnCall.com, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss clinical, operational, and financial trends in telemedicine today.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Atul Grover, MD, PhD, Chief Public Policy Officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to discuss the looming physician shortage in the US and what needs to be done now to positively impact that shortage ten years down the road.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Donovan Green, personal trainer and author of No Excuses Fitness, to Primary Care Today. Mr. Green talks about practical, brass tacks strategies for getting in shape, starting with the basic primer to just get people moving regardless of fitness level.
Case-based simulator software is fast becoming the hottest and most innovative form of medical education in clinical training programs today. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to update listeners on the origins, rapid evolution, and future horizons of medical simulation is Douglas Seifert, Founder and CEO of Syandus Inc. Syandus is a leading provider of intelligent simulation learning technologies, and its health education programs offer doctors a "learn by doing" gaming approach to improving clinical decision-making skills.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
As an unforgivingly cold, frigid winter in America has led to the explosive release of tree pollens over a short period this spring, seasonal allergies have returned with a vengeance. Says, Dr Mitchell Gaynor, clinical assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, this could make for one of the worst allergy seasons of all time. How can primary care providers ready themselves on the frontlines of this mass allergy assault? Dr. Brian McDonough and Dr. Gaynor discuss strategies to keep clinicians on top of this emerging threat, including new understandings of eco-genetic mechanisms of allergic disease.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects an estimated one out of ten people in the US, yet the causes for this disease are multivariate and often unknown from case to case, creating a reputation in practice as a "waste basket diagnosis." Dr. Michael Stierstorfer, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and founder of East Penn Dermatology, has been a pioneer in helping clinicians better understand one potential cause of IBS. His own experience as IBS patient led to the remarkable discovery of an allergic contact enteritits underscoring his disease, which has led to new diagnostic and treatment algorithms for IBS patients nationwide. Dr. Stierstorfer joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this unexpected path toward discovery and subsequent career specialization.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Many of us use online search engines as our primary source for referenced information, but is it a truly reliable source for health information? And which medical organizations are at the forefront for leveraging these information portals to maximum effects for both patients and health professionals? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the recent technological advancements, institutional partnerships, and revenue streams underlying search engine-optimized health information is Chris Seper, vice president of healthcare for Breaking Media and founder of MedCityNews.com.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the state of mental health services in the US, as well as current to emerging care resources for children with developmental disabilities such as autism, is Robert Kreider, JD. Mr. Kreider is President and CEO of Devereux, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare in the country.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
A new therapy in the form of a vibrating pill-size capsule may help alleviate chronic idiopathic constipation without significant side effects. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this innovative treatment method is Dr. Anish Sheth, practicing gastroenterologist at Princeton Medical Group in Princeton, NJ. And, to our listeners, please note that Dr. Sheth was not involved in the clinical trials of the investigational treatment mentioned in this interview.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. McDonough welcomes Dr. Donald Frei, neuroradiologist and Director of Neurointerventional Surgery at Radiology Imaging Associates in Denver, CO. Dr. Frei is working towards establishing state-of-the-art diagnosis and management strategies in treating patients with acute stroke. His procedural specialties include acute catheter directed stroke intervention, angioplasty/stent revascularization of cerebrovascular stenosis and minimally invasive treatment of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Marla Heller, MS, RD is the author of the best-selling books, The DASH Diet Action Plan, The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution, The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook, and more recently The DASH Diet: Younger You. In her discussion with host Dr. Brian McDonough, she proposes a nutritional guidance plan intended to halt and even reverse many of the effects of aging by improving blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and helping readers reach a healthy weight.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Nearly 55% of infants in the United States sleep on unsafe bedding, despite warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to use firm flat surfaces covered with fitted sheets. Parents are being presented with several more comfortable, "baby friendly" appearing alternatives, as well as having their infants children sleep with them in their own beds, both of which create risks of SIDS and roll-over suffocations, respectively. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss safety standards and health priorities for infant sleep habits is Dr. Shalini Paruthi, Assistant Professor in the Divisions of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Medicine, and Director of the Pediatric Sleep Research Center at St. Louis University School of Medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Stress has long been associated with cardiovascular risk, but few studies have connected stress with worsened recovery rates after heart attacks. Moreover, the recently published discovery that women with mental stress may suffer worse outcomes recovering from heart attacks than men under similar conditions raises more questions than answers. What are the possible mechanisms by which this gender disparity in outcomes may occur, and how can clinicians help mitigate this risk? Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Nieca Goldberg, cardiologist and director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The controversy over vaccinations and whether or not to regulate their administration has reached a boiling point in the United States with the recent measles outbreak originating in Disneyland, and prominent politicians like Senator Rand Paul and Governor Chris Christie have weighed in to support the anti-vaccine community's appeal for individual choice. What are the ethical, sociological, and political ramifications of these developments in the national vaccination debate, and how should the medical community respond? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the vaccination controversy is Dr. Arthur Caplan, Professor and founding Director of the Division of Medical Ethics in NYU Langone Medical Center’s Department of Population Health.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
On average, more than 90% of adults spend more than two hours each day using a digital device, and for 60% of the population, that daily use pattern extends beyond five hours. Regardless of the reasons why, all that time can take a toll on the eyes and lead to digital eye strain. Speaking on the health implications of digital eye strain is Dr. Dora Adamopolous, optometrist in practice in Alexandia, VA.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
A recent study in the British Medical Journal examined health recommendations from popular TV medical talk show hosts, discovering that approximately half of those recommendation have either no evidence or are contradicted by the best available evidence. Furthermore, potential conflicts of interest are rarely addressed. What ethical, legal, and clinical impacts do such health claims and recommendations have on patients and the medical community at large? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Dr. Joe Perrone, Chief Science Officer for The Center for Accountability in Science, an organization dedicated to uncovering the science behind news stories.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Mental illnesses are commonly encountered in primary care practice. Yet their sufferers are often relegated to mischaracterized roles of "problem patients" due to the impacts of their diseases on thoughts and behaviors. How can clinicians improve their approach to patients will mental health issues, and can this approach be duplicated at community-wide levels? Speaking on this important initiative is Dr. Marilyn B. Benoit, Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical and Professional Affairs at Devereux, one of the nation's premier nonprofit behavioral healthcare organizations. Dr. Benoit is a nationally-known and highly-respected child and adolescent psychiatrist with a wide-ranging career both as a practicing physician and a health care administrator in public, private and academic settings.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Mark Underwood, President of Quincy Bioscience, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel technologies to support cognitive function and other age-related health challenges such as memory.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Tanya Winders, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Allergy and Asthma Network, the leading patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending needless suffering and death due to asthma, allergies, and related conditions. They discuss ways of addressing healthcare access challenges for asthma and allergy patients, from socioeconomic support structures to education models to special risk situations like enterovirus outbreaks.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. David Fisher, orthopedic surgeon and Director of the Total Joint Center at Indiana Orthopedic Hospital, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss historical to current methods and technologies in knee replacement procedures, and how primary care clinicians can assess patients for surgical vs non-surgical interventions in patients with chronic knee pain.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
DNA testing can bring with it a level of risk that may be surprising to some; testing can bring about unexpected findings - either ucovering latent medical diseases and disorders or uncovering surprising family findings. Guest Dr. Doug Moeller speaks with Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss how the medical community can help prepare individuals for some of these findings. Dr. Moeller is the Medical Director at McKesson Health Solutions and is an expert on clinical coding with a growing focus on advanced diagnostics and episode of care management.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Herbal supplements have become increasingly popular in women's health circles, but there is a lot of misinformation about the relative benefits versus risks. How do clinicians wein their patients off harmful medications they are taking, and what health issues do women taking these medications encounter? Join Dr. McDonough and Pharmacist David Foreman to discuss the state of supplementation in and outside of health practices today.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough talks with Dusty Eber, creator and president of PatientSyle, an alternative hospital gown provider attempting to change the way patients see their medical experience. PatientStyle promotes its patient gown apparel as being high quality without compromising of medical service functions.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The notorious "Freshman 15" equates to weight gain commonly experienced by college-age students living away from home for the first time. How does this problem in weight management and healthy nutrition surface in primary care practice, and how can college students be counseled to avoid gaining extra weight during their first year? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to speak on this subject is Alice Holland, RNP, Director of Student Health Services at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Join Dr. Brian McDonough as he discusses the past versus present environments of medical practice with award winning journalist Steven Jacob. The two discuss a myriad of important topics encircling primary care, from the rise of concierge physicians and micropractices to accountable care organizations and healthcare costs.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Attila Hildmann, author of the international bestsellers Vegan for Fun and Vegan for Fit. Mr. Hildmann's work to promote veganism from a practical, cost-conscious perspective has revolutionized the German-language cooking and diet book market, which is the second largest in the world after the U.S. He discusses the health benefits versus day-to-day challenges of incorporating veganism into one's life, and how primary care clinicians can become involved in helping patients transition to healthier dietary patterns.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
What are the differences in managing the Ebola virius in Africa versus the United States? It has been relatively controlled to date, but what are the major concerns in spreading? Host Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes special guest Dr. Kamar Adeleke, cardiologist in New Castle, Delaware, whose practice includes frequent travels to Nigeria where he teaches at affiliated medical schools.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued new clinical guidelines recommending against screening pelvic examination in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women. The college describes the recommendation as strong, with moderate-quality evidence. What are the new guidelines? What does this mean for the general practitioner? Joining host Dr. Brian McDonough is Molly Cooke, MD. FACP, Professor of Medicine and inaugural Director of Education for Global Health Sciences at UCSF. Dr. Cooke serves on the ACP Clinical Guidelines Committee. She reviews the guidelines from the perspective as a general practitioner and the choices she must make during the time she has with patients. The guidelines were published online July 1 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Charles Cleary, President and CEO of Leadership Outcomes, Inc, a healthcare management consulting firm. Mr. Cleary's specialty is in helping healthcare organizations define outcomes to sustain the highest levels of medical & surgical quality care, patient engagement, satisfaction and retention. Their discussion centers on the ever-present mandate for higher quality care at greater efficiency and lower cost, and how individual practitioners and organizations alike can work to turn the seemingly impossible into reality.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The most common reason for patients to visit healthcare providers at all levels is to treat pain. Yet in spite of this known trend, medical education woefully underemphasizes methods to approach the myriad of communicative, ethical, and procedural issues deeply entrenched in modern pain management. Here to shed more light on this complex subject with host Dr. Brian McDonough are Drs. Sean Yanchunas and Jeffrey Fudin. Dr. Yanchunas, Pharm.D, MBA, is Clinical Content Manager and Workflow Subject Matter Expert at Catholic Health East Hospital. Dr. Fudin is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and Director of Pharmacy Pain Residency Programs at the Stratton Veterans Administration Medical Center in Albany, NY. He is also host of the popular blog PainDr.com.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Randa Sifri is an Associate Professor of the Department of Family and Community Medicine in the Sydney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Director of Reasearch in the Department, and Research Fellowship Director. Listen as Dr. Brian McDonough interviews Dr. Sifri on early diagnosis, prevention, and recommended screenings for cancer in primary care patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough interviews Dr. Kimberly Richter, a professor at University of Kansas Medical Center--Author of "Big Marijuana--Lessons from Big Tobacco" in the New England Journal of Medicine. The United States is divided over legalization of marijuana. Some of the points discussed include individual rights, tax revenue, medical effects, and social benefits and costs of marijuana legalization.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Larry Bauer, CEO of the Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC), a leading organization dedicated to the growth of family medicine and primary care nationwide. Mr. Bauer has spent over two decades helping connect those interested in improving the health of their community by strengthening family medicine/primary care services and medical education.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Primary care medicine is at the forefront for listening and responding to patients who suffer from chronic pain. Yet due to the myriad of potential causes and difficulty to treat, a regular office visit can become much more complex once a patient states he or she has pain. How do clinicians determine when the pain is physiologic vs psychologic in origin, and how can the potential for abuse of pain medicine be minimized? Host Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Dr. Adrian Popescu to determine what clinicians can do to uncover these issues and properly address and manage pain symptoms. Dr. Popescu is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Popescu is also Pain Medicine Program Director at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
This week, Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Janelle von Bargen, Instructor at the University of Delaware and member of the Behavioral Medicine faculty for the Saint Francis Family Medicine Residency Program in Wilmington, DE. Their discussion centers on the perspectives of the Behaviorist in numerous facets of primary care practice, from psychiatric patient screening and treatment considerations to electronic health record utilization.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Natural family planning (NFP), also called fertility awareness, is a method of birth control that does not use any drugs or devices. Despite gaining traction of late, there are varying attitudes and sentiments from the medical community toward this practice. Dr. Robert Motley, President of Medical Staff at Lehigh Valley Health Network, joins host Dr. Brian McDonough to describe this alternative approach and its respective advantages and disadvantages for patients.
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Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Nancy Fan, practicing OB/GYN at Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE and current Chair of the School Health Committee for the Medical Society of Delaware, to discuss challenges and controversies surrounding breast feeding recommendations in maternity care practice.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Torpey White, Director of the Governance, Risk and Compliance Group. Their discussion will focus on compliance, as well as how to utilize electronic technology in order to benefit your patients. Mr. White will also touch on the HIPAA privacy rule, accepting credit card payments from patients, and how to securely handle patient data. He will also share his opinion on how physicians can protect their practices, as well as their patients' confidential information.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Tune in to hear how Chip Cleary serves as an advisor to physicians and others about Healthcare and Business.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
On this special program, Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with Chrissy McCoog and her father, Lou Antosh, about their collective experience in navigating a topsy-turvy healthcare system through the diagnosis, management, and followup of Chrissy's chronic kidney disease, Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Ms. McCoog details her nearly 20-year path as patient, and the struggles and triumphs she has witnessed. Mr. Antosh also describes his parental point of view as central advocate for his daughter's health and wellbeing, and the public awareness of FSGS that they are both trying to spread through the nonprofit organization, NephCure.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Shoshanna Sofaer, Professor and Robert P. Luciano Chair of Health Care Policy at Baruch College in New York. Dr. Sofaer has a wide range of research interests: health care quality measurement and improvement; interventions to provide health care consumers with information to support them in choosing and using health care wisely; broad-based coalitions and partnerships to pursue community health improvement objectives; and innovative medical education programs to increase the extent to which physicians integrate biomedical knowledge with interpersonal skills in working with patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Discussing innovative ENT treatments on the horizon for patients who experience loss of taste and smell is Dr. Edmund Pribitkin, Professor of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
How has the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model for primary care evolved since its inception? Speaking on this subject is Dr. William Warning, Program Director of the Crozer-Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Warning is also the Faculty Chair of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians Residency Program PCMH Collaborative, the largest Family Medicine Residency collaborative in the country. He is a speaker both regionally and nationally on PCMH implementation and interprofessional team-based care.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to talk about the roles of obstetrics and gynecology in primary care and medical education is Dr. James Cosgrove, Chairman of OB/GYN at Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE. They will discuss the importance of OB/GYNs keeping their primary care colleagues informed of patient screenings, surgeries, and conditions in order to enhance the level of care. Dr. Cosgrove will also touch on admission to medical schools, the importance of understanding the business side of medicine, and future advances in OB/GYN care.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Eric Topol, Scripps Health Chief Academic Officer and Editor-in-Chief of Medscape, to discuss the vision and research behind his book The Creative Destruction of Medicine. Dr. Topol reflects on the evolving personalization of medical care facilitated by technological advancements, and how health systems can leverage the personalized medicine movement toward greater transparency in care for patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Beverly Cowart from the Monell Chemical Sciences Center to talk about the neurobiological underpinnings of anosmia (loss of smell), the ways in which this condition presents clinically, and perspectives on how targeted treatments will be developed down the road.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by David Brooks, CEO of Medlio. Medlio is a secure, virtual health insurance card that provides cost transparency for patients and providers. Mr. Brooks shares his insights on how emerging mobile technologies can drive primary care practice toward greater efficiency alongside better outcomes for patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
"Doctors 'Google' their patients. In fact, the vast majority of physicians I know have done so... But it surprises me that more physicians don't pause and think about what it means for the patient-doctor relationship." This an excerpt by physician and author Dr. Haider Warraich from his New York Times article titled "When Doctors ‘Google' Their Patients." Join host Dr. Brian McDonough for an interesting discussion on the ethical ramifications of this trending practice among clinicians.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
In America, we spend over 2.6 trillion dollars on health care each year, yet we rank 37th in the world for health care outcomes. Speaking on this and other stark revelations of American healthcare is Dr. Ted Epperly, author of the Fractured:America's Broken Health Care System and What We Must Do to Heal it. In this discussion, Dr. Epperly draws on his decades of experience as a family physician to identify the system s gaps and disparities and propose a compelling strategy to mend them, with the goal of creating an integrated, accessible, patient-centered approach to health and medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
"There's no such thing as alternative medicine. There's only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't." This is a perspective shared by Dr. Paul Offit. In his book, Do You Believe in Magic? The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine, Dr. Offit offers a scathing exposé of the alternative medicine industry, revealing how popular therapies leverage efficacy via the placebo response despite being ineffective, expensive, and in some cases even deadly.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Pulse, an online magazine founded in 2008, uses stories and poems to tell the story of health care through the personal experiences of those who live it: patients, health professionals, students and caregivers. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to speak about this creative outlet for reflecting on the giving and receiving of medical care is Dr. Paul Gross, Pulse's Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Social Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Why do only 7-8% of medical school graduates nationwide choose Family Medicine, and what can be done on both micro and macro levels to counter this disparaging trend for primary care practice? Dr. Richard Young, Director of Research and Associate Program Director at the JPS Family Medicine Residency Program in Fort Worth, TX, discusses this issue in detail. Hosted by Dr. Brian McDonough.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Susan Weiner, a dietician based in Long Island, NY and author of The Complete Diabetes Organizer: Your Guide to a Less Stressful and More Manageable Diabetes Life. Their discussion offers tips for clinicians to better help their patients with this chronic condition.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Discussing ways in which general practitioners can "tackle" common sports injuries in practice is Dr. James Andrews, an orthopedic surgeon who practices in Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center. He also serves as the team doctor for Alabama, Auburn, and the NFL's Washington Redskins. Dr. Andrews is arguably the most renowned orthopedic surgeon in his profession for knee, elbow, and shoulder injuries; his roster of professional athlete patients has included Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, Emmitt Smith, Charles Barkley, Robert Griffin III, Roger Clemens, and Brett Favre.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Steven Davis, Chief of Plastic Surgery at Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Cherry Hill and Washington Township Divisions, and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at UMDNJ and PCOM. Their discussion centers on the emerging roles of cosmetic surgery in primary care, including the risks versus benefits in providing basic cosmetic procedures for patients in general practice.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Roughly 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year. However, despite this surprisingly high incidence, Lyme disease doesn't always present in the same way and co-infections with other tick-borne illnesses frequently occur, complicating the diagnosis. Dr. Kathleen Spreen, author of the recently published Compendium of Tick-Borne Disease-A Thousand Pearls, shares insights on common clinical misconceptions about Lyme Disease as well as her experiences in life and practice which propelled the creation of this important resource.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. David Lubarsky, Chief Medical and System Integration Officer and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management at University of Miami Health System. Their topic of discussion is the dilemma of pain complaints and how to evaluate legitimate chronic pain, medication-seeking behaviors, or combinations of the two. Dr. Lubarsky also speaks on when to consider alternatives to prescription narcotics, as well as the right time to refer patients to pain specialists.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
In the field of primary care, changing practice standards demand unique approaches from today's and tomorrow's generations of physicians. Dr. Khuram R Ghumman, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the Hartford HealthCare Medical Group in Enfield, CT, discusses his perspectives and expectations of the shifting healthcare landscape from a primary care point of view.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Dr. Tom Linden, the Glaxo Wellcome Distinguished Professor of Medical Journalism at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Linden directs the Medical & Science Journalism Program, one of the nation's first master's programs in medical journalism. He is also the author of "The New York Times Reader: Health & Medicine," a compendium of more than 50 stories featuring condensed interviews with Times reporters and a how-to manual for aspiring medical and health reporters.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Marcia Pelchat, physiological psychologist and Associate Member of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, discusses her research on the neuroscience and behavioral psychology of eating disorders, from picky eating to food addiction. She also describes current recovery methods for patients with recent-onset anosmia, or loss of the sense of smell.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a frequently discussed model for improving general practice, but converting from an ideal to a practical reality has been difficult for many clinicians on the front lines of care. Speaking on the triumphs and setbacks of this transitional period in practice is Dr. Hugh Bonner, Associate Director of the Saint Francis Family Medical Residency Program and past-president of the Delaware Academy of Family Physicians.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Arthur Caplan, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor of Bioethics and Director of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University's Langone Medical Center. Their topics of discussion include technological advancements, changes in care across the age spectrum, and medicolegal issues in modern practice management.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Brian McGowan, Chief Learning Officer of ArcheMedX, Inc, to discuss the educational, logistic, and communicative opportunities for clinicians who utilize both traditional and novel social media networks.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Depression is one of the most frequently encountered problems in primary care, accounting for approximately 10% of all patient visits. How should generalists approach diagnosis and treatment options for patients with depression? Joining host Dr. Brian McDonough to speak on this important topic is Dr. Paul Doghramji, Attending Physician in Family Practice and Physician Advisor at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, as well as Medical Director for health services at Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
As more hospitals and primary care settings move toward standardizing electronic medical records and automated physician order entry systems, the roles of the pharmacist in direct patient care are starting to become more visible. Dr. Joeseph Garbarino, Pharm.D, Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Mercy Philadelphia Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, talks about novel opportunities for heightened collaborations between physicians and pharmacists in today's clinical practice.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Allergic complaints in primary care settings are sometimes more than they appear, raising the importance of good diagnostic criteria for other underlying problems. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough for an in-depth discussion of allergy in the general and specialized practice levels is Dr. Will Sheppard, a board certified Otolaryngologist/ Head and Neck Surgeon and a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. His practice includes medical and surgical management of ear, nose, and throat disorders of pediatric and adult patients.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The Patient-Centered Medical Home: it may be a novel concept in practice, but it draws from ideals that are well known to all practitioners. In this discussion with host Dr. McDonough, Dr. Richard Snyder, a family physician and senior vice president and chief medical officer for Independence Blue Cross (IBC) in Philadelphia, provides his dual perspective on Patient-Centered Medical Homes from both clinical and insurance company settings.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Over the course of his storied career in emergency medicine at the University of Alberta, Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti has made it his mission to raise awareness of public safety and to promote injury prevention. Moreover, he has also become an internationally recognized figure in preventive care, lecturing frequently on the social determinants of health. In this discussion with host Dr. Brian McDonough, Dr. Francescutti focuses on ways in which medical professionals can begin to shift treatment paradigms from "disease care" to "health care," and the enormous cost benefit this will bring to modern healthcare systems.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Karl Doghramji, Professor of Psychiatry and Medical Director of the Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Doghramji speaks on the latest trends and updates from his field of expertise, sleep medicine.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with guest Dr. John Kelly, Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of Undergraduate Orthopaedic Education at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Kelly's areas of expertise are two-fold: (1) updating medical professionals with the latest trends in sports medicine management, and (2) addressing physician stress reduction strategies. This discussion broaches various interconnections between these two important subjects and their respective applications to primary care practice.