Health Calls

COVID-19: Implications for Nursing Education and Leadership

The International Year of the Nurse and Midwife coincided with the “Year of COVID-19.”  In this episode, we hear from two authors who contributed articles for the Fall 2020 Nurses Leading the Way issue of Health Progress.  Sr. Rosemary Donley, a nursing professor at Duquesne University, discusses how the pandemic can reshape the future of nursing education, while Kathy Sanford, executive senior VP and chief nursing officer for CommonSpirit Health, talks about how it has the underscored the i...

Special Well-Being Exercise Podcast

Using CHA’s reflection and meditative videos, this podcast leads the listener through almost an hour of self-care exercises.

COVID-19 and Care for Older Persons

Guests Ruth Katz from Leading Age, a nonprofit focused on education, advocacy and applied research for older adults, and Justin Hinker, the administrator of Avera Prince of Peace Retirement Community in Sioux Falls, S.D., share their perspectives on how the pandemic has created new challenges and opportunities for those who care for older persons.    Related Health Progress articles Creating a Good Country to Grow Old In The Pandemic and Lessons to Share in Long-Term Care  

Public Policy and the Common Good

A priest and a law professor come together for a robust discussion on how the common good can be better understood in the context of public policy, particularly health care policy. Fr. Charles Bouchard, CHA's senior director, theology and sponsorship, joins Prof. Sam Halabi, the Manley Hudson professor of Law at the University of Missouri – Columbia, to share insights from their recent Health Progress articles. Advocacy, Prophecy and the Common Good ACA Insurance Expansion Shows Signs of R...

Hospital Chaplains and COVID-19

The role of hospital chaplain has been evolving, and COVID-19 has created new challenges and opportunities for how chaplains provide spiritual care and emotional support for patients, their loved ones, and fellow caregivers.  Guests Chelsea Leitcher, a chaplain who served with Dignity Health, and Jane Levdansky, a chaplain with SSM Health, share their experiences and insights of how their ministry has changed during the pandemic.  Related Health Progress articles: Post-Intensive Care Syndr...

COVID-19: Health Care Disparities During the Pandemic

COVID-19: Caring for the Caregivers

The pandemic is requiring clinicians to make major adjustments in how they provide care.  Laura McKinnis, who serves as a nurse practitioner in emergency medicine in the Milwaukee area, shares her experience in caring for COVID-19 patients, her family and herself. Cindy Rosburg, chief human resources officer at Mercy in St. Louis, provides an overview of changes their system has made to care for their caregivers during the crisis.  Health Progress article: Gazing Through the Mask www.medic...

Data in Health Care

Would you be willing to sacrifice some personal privacy so that you or a loved one could live a longer, healthier life?  That’s the main question explored in this episode featuring Alan Pitt, MD, a professor of neuroradiology at the Barrow Neurological Institute (part of CommonSpirit Health).  Dr. Pitt is joined by CHA Director of Ethics Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, PhD for a discussion about the benefits, risks and ethical and practical considerations around the use of personal data in deliver...

Global Health – A Case Study

Catholic health care has an international presence and CHA members in the U.S. support this global ministry through donations of surplus medical supplies and equipment and organizing and staffing medical missions.  In this episode, we discuss how the Catholic church in Tanzania and Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach in Springfield, IL are working together to improve health in that country.  CHA’s Brian Reardon and Bruce Compton talk with Fr. Charles Kittima, secretary general of the Catholic ...

Housing and Transportation

Stable housing and reliable transportation have a direct link to the health status of individuals.  In this episode, Jane Graf, President and CEO, Mercy Housing, and Will Snyder, Sr. VP, Chief Advocacy Officer, AMITA Health, discuss how Catholic health care is collaborating with other organizations to ensure the housing and transportation needs of their patients are met.  

Carrying the Torch

As the laity are increasingly called to serve as leaders and sponsors in Catholic health care, it is imperative that they have the education, ministry formation and spiritual practices needed for these roles. Sister Maureen McGuire, DC, of Ascension, Patrick McCruden of SSM Health, and Diarmuid Rooney of CHA discuss the development of lay leaders who will carry the ministry’s torch forward. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE Ministry Formation Overview webpage Health Progress articles: Ministry ...

The Suicide Epidemic

The CDC reports more than 45,000 Americans died from suicide in 2016. How health care organizations and policy makers can better address this epidemic is the focus of this discussion with Lisa Picker, the mother of a suicide victim and an advocate for better mental health care, and Benjamin F. Miller, chief strategy officer of the Well Being Trust. CHA Suicide Prevention resources Health Progress article, "His Name was Liam" * Live performance of "Winter" by Liam Picker and Gohei Nishika...

Immigrant Youth at Risk

Mark Kuczewski, PhD, professor of medical ethics at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and Fr. Corey Brost, director of Viator House of Hospitality, discuss the many challenges facing undocumented youth and share their insights on what Catholic health care can do to support them. Related Health Progress articles: Limbo Really Exists: Undocumented Youth at Risk Asylum Seekers Find Safe Haven Links mentioned in episode: Loyola Sanctuary Doctor resource page Viator ...

Assembly 2019

Brian and Mary Ann review the 2019 CHA Assembly. Highlights include a panel discussion on the clergy abuse scandal, a bi-partisan discussion about Medicare for All, comments from CHA’s incoming and outgoing chairpersons, remarks by the award recipients and a final thank you from Sr. Carol Keehan, DC.

Healing Spaces

From natural elements and religious art, to meaningful encounters with staff, the environment where health care services are provided plays an vital role in the healing process. In this episode Philip Boyle, senior vice president, mission and ethics, Trinity Health, and Zeni Fox, a member of the Ascension Sponsor and professor emerita, Seton Hall University, share their insights and experiences in helping create healing spaces.

Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM conference call with members

This podcast is a recording of an April 29 teleconference with CHA members following the announcement of Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, as the new president and CEO of CHA. During the first part of the teleconference, Sr. Mary talks about her background and then joins Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, CHA’s current president and CEO, to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead for Catholic health care and the transition in leadership.

Genomics and Ethics

Genetic engineering holds the promise of curing and preventing disease. But as this technology advances and is more widely adopted, there are a variety of moral and ethical issues to consider. In this episode, Dr. Paul Scherz, PhD, from The Catholic University of America, and Fr. Kevin FitzGerald, SJ, PhD, from Creighton University, discuss the ethics of biomedical research and medical genomics.

Food and Water: Justice, Spirituality and Health

Every human needs food and water to live. But are these basic elements for life equitably available and is Catholic health care giving them adequate attention and reverence? To discuss those and other questions, we brought together three authors who contributed to the March-April 2019 issue of Health Progress: Francine Blinten, a clinical nutritionist with the Connecticut Mental Health Center, Jon Magnuson, director of Cedar Tree Institute, and Camille Grippon, system director, global mini...

Medicaid Policy

CHA has launched the “Medicaid Makes It Possible” campaign to help ensure Medicaid remains viable. A panel of experts discuss why Medicaid is vital to our nation’s health care delivery system and some of the policy challenges facing the program. Guests include Cindy Mann, former deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP at CMS, currently a partner with the Manatt Health Team; Joan Alker, Executive Director, Center for Children and Families at Georgetown Universi...

Catholics Against Human Trafficking

The Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking consists of national and international agencies working to eliminate the scourge of human trafficking. Two coalition members - Anne Victory, HM, RN, MSN, Director of Education Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, and Hilary Chester, PhD, Associate Director for Anti-Trafficking Programs, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - discuss what is being done to identify and help victims. For a list of resources and groups address...

Sr. Carol Keehan on Major Issues in Catholic Health Care

CHA President and CEO Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, talks about challenges to the ACA and Medicaid, education around palliative care, the clergy sex abuse scandal and the process for selecting her successor.

Washington Update: The 2018 Midterm Elections

Mike Rodgers and Lisa Smith from the CHA Advocacy team explain how the 2018 midterm elections may impact health care policy in 2019. Topics discussed include protecting the ACA, expanding Medicaid, and an overview of legislation on palliative care, drug discount pricing, and programs for the elderly.

The Resilient Clinician

Mental health issues facing health care professionals, especially physicians, is getting more attention recently and was a major topic at CHA’s Physician Leader Forum in October, 2018. One of the speakers at the forum was Dr. Robert Wicks, an author and psychologist who teaches at Loyola University Maryland and writes and lectures extensively about the prevention of secondary stress. Dr. Wicks shares his insights on how those who care for others need to also care for themselves.

Palliative and Hospice Care

What is palliative and hospice care and what does Catholic social teaching say about it? What conversations do clinicians need to have with their patients and each other about end of life issues? These and other questions are discussed by a panel of experts from CHA, the Archdiocese of Boston, Washington University, Mercy and St. Louis University.

Taking our Care Outside the Walls

This episode looks at how Catholic health care collaborates with others to extend care in the community. Coletta Barrett, Vice-President of Mission, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Chair of the Board, Mayor's Healthy City Initiative in Baton Rouge, LA, and Julie Trochio, Senior Director, Community Benefit and Continuing Care for CHA are the featured guests.

When Disasters Strike: A Special Convening for International & Domestic Response

Highlights from a two-day conference on how Catholic health care can best respond to domestic and international disasters is the focus of this episode. Guests include Lance Mendiola from CHRISTUS Health, Karen Reich from Bon Secours, Dr. Alex Garza from SSM Health, and Kim Burgo from Catholic Charities USA. The episode was taped on-site at CHRISTUS Health in Irving Texas. Note: CHA’s publication “Disaster Response: Considerations for Catholic Health Care” can be ordered and downloaded a...

Caring for those who suffer

This episode features an interview with David Addiss, MD, MPH, the director of the Focus Area for Compassion and Ethics at the Task Force for Global Health, and adjunct professor at Emory and Notre Dame. Dr. Addiss provides additional insight into his recent Health Progress article about how global health must draw on compassion, solidarity and justice. Bruce Compton, Senior Director of International Outreach for CHA, joins the discussion on how Catholic health care can best work to alleviat...

Assembly 2018 Highlights

Staff from CHA discuss their favorite moments from Assembly 2018 in San Diego. Audio highlights from Assembly speakers Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, Martin Sheen, Jon Meacham and Steve Pemberton are featured. Topics include the impact each individual can have on the lives of others, the state of political discourse in the U.S., immigration, the value of empathy, leadership traits, and CHA’s “Medicaid Makes It Possible” campaign.

Discussing the opioid epidemic and health care disrupters

The first episode of "Catholic Health USA," focuses on the opioid epidemic and features two segments with Dr. Fred Rottnek, a professor and director of community medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Host Brian Reardon, CHA's vice president of communications and marketing, is joined by Mary Ann Steiner, the editor of Health Progress, and Clay O’Dell, the director of CHA member advocacy, in talking with Dr. Rottnek. In the third segment, Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, CHA's preside...