Conversations on Health Care
292 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★ - 23 ratingsConversations On Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe. The podcast is produced by Community Health Center, Inc., Connecticut’s largest provider of medical, dental and behavioral healthcare to the underserved, and hosted by Founder, President and CEO Mark Masselli and Vice President and Clinical Director Margaret Flinter.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Why NIH’s Dr. Collins Accompanies Opera’s Renee Fleming in Highlighting Music & Mind’s Power
April 17, 2024 22:16 - 31 minutes - 29.6 MBWhat happens when music therapists and neuroscientists team up? Patients win, says Dr. Francis Collins. From adults with Parkinson’s disease to children with autism, music has the power to help people walk, talk, ease pain and so much more. Dr. Collins recently stepped down from his role as the longest-serving director of National Institutes of Health. As he faces a personal battle against prostate cancer, he’s exploring the promising impact that music and art therapy could hold for patients...
Opera Superstar Renée Fleming & Experts Reveal How Music Can Make Us Healthier in New Book
April 08, 2024 22:28 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBOriginally published April 9, 2024 She’s received worldwide praise for singing at the Super Bowl, during a presidential inauguration and regularly for The Metropolitan Opera, but Renée Fleming is stretching her voice in new ways. She’s the editor of “Music and Mind,” a curated collection of essays from leading scientists, artists, creative arts therapists, educators and health care providers about the powerful impacts of music and the arts on health and the human experience. Renée shares how...
Reporters’ Roundtable: Why Health Care Will Impact the Election—But to Whose Advantage?
April 03, 2024 21:03 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBOriginally published April 4, 2024 It’s about seven months to election day and our regular panel of health care journalists sees a lot of divisions in the electorate. Joyce Frieden, who’s in charge of MedPage Today’s coverage of Washington and health policy, says the debate over abortion is driving voter interest. Yet Ben Leonard, a health care reporter at POLITICO, notes that Republican voters place issues such as immigration ahead of health care. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Weixel, a health polic...
Expanded Coverage of Weight Loss Drugs? Diabetes Advocates Say Yes
March 27, 2024 14:34 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBOriginally published March 28, 2024 Medicare just announced that it will pay for weight loss drugs if patients using them also have heart disease and need to reduce the risk of future heart attacks and strokes. Medicare has already been covering the costs of the GLP-1 class of drugs to treat diabetes problems. However, Medicare Part D plans are still restricted by law from covering obesity medications used for chronic weight management alone. It’s a decision the American Diabetes Association...
Young Deaths from Colorectal Cancer Skyrocket as New Research Emerges
March 20, 2024 20:50 - 29 minutes - 27.8 MBThe recent death of former college football player Craig Roh from colon cancer at age 33 has brought attention to the “alarming” increase of colorectal cancer in young people. The American Cancer Society reports colon cancer is now the most common cause of cancer deaths in men under 50 and second for women under 50. Dr. Alan Venook at the University of California-San Francisco is one of the nation’s leading colorectal cancer researchers. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and... Re...
Super Sperm Donors – America’s Underground Surrogacy Movement: Author Explains Her Journey
March 13, 2024 17:37 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBOriginally broadcast on March 14, 2024 The family planning revolution has a new chapter and journalist Valerie Bauman is both documenting it and participating in it. She and others pursuing alternatives say they’re frustrated with fertility clinics because of the cost, what they call the discriminatory nature of the system and the lack of insurance coverage. Bauman explains how she met her sperm donor and why others like her say it makes sense for them. Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret... ...
IVF Fallout: Top Biden Health Official Sees Dangers Beyond Reproductive Rights
March 04, 2024 16:50 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBOriginally broadcast on March 4, 2024 Even as Alabama scrambles to enact a law protecting in vitro fertilization in the state, the Biden-Harris Administration sees additional challenges that legislation may not be able to quickly fix. Carole Johnson leads the Health Resources and Services Administration, the part of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department tasked with strengthening the health workforce and connecting skilled professionals to rural, urban and tribal underserved communiti...
Nurses Ask: Where is the respect?
February 29, 2024 14:38 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBOriginally broadcast on February 29, 2024 Americans say nursing is the most respected profession, but nurses say their challenges tell a different story. They’re sounding the alarm on staffing shortages, violence in the workplace and racism (63% of nurses say they have personally experienced an act of racism in the workplace). The American Nurses Association is also fighting an American Medical Association policy recommending advanced practice registered nurses be licensed and regulated by b...
Better Primary Care: What Will It Take to Get the U.S. to Wake Up to the Need?
February 21, 2024 22:57 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOriginally broadcast on February 22, 2024. U.S. spending on primary care fell again, to a mere 4.6% of total health care dollars spent. Primary Care Collaborative is the only national multi-stakeholder organization focused on whole-person primary care. Primary Care Collaborative President & CEO Ann Greiner joins hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to discuss better compensation and reimbursement for primary care clinicians and efforts to increase training, expanding access to community ...
Damning Research Reveals Extent of Pediatrics Care Gap: Children of Color Receive Worse Treatment
February 14, 2024 21:28 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBOriginally broadcast on February 15, 2024 Across the board, children of color in America receive less treatment and fewer life-saving interventions than white children, according to a research review published in Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. The data find that strongest disparities between whites and children of color involved pain management; kids of color are less likely than their white peers to get painkillers for a broken arm or leg, for appendicitis or for migraines Dr. Nia Hear...
Mental Health’s AI Revolution: What It Means for Patients & Providers
February 08, 2024 14:29 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBOriginally broadcast on February 8, 2024 How is the long-held image of a psychiatrist with a couch in an office being replaced by artificial intelligence? And what are the promises and perils of using technology to help treat depression and anxiety? Dr. Jodi Halpern is a psychiatrist, noted author and co-founder of the University of California’s Berkeley Group for Ethics and Regulation of Innovative Technologies. Research shows that 26% of adult Americans have a diagnosable mental health sit...
A Roadmap to Improve Health Outcomes By Investing In Green and Healthy Homes
January 24, 2024 14:26 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBOriginally broadcast on January 25, 2024 There are many ways to address the social determinants of health but do we need to pay more attention to the one right in front of us? The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative thinks so, and it’s focused on addressing health inequities by making homes healthier, safer and more energy efficient. Ruth Ann Norton leads the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, a national nonprofit operating in 65 communities that’s helping residents understand that unhealthy.....
Helping Community Health Workers Succeed: Ideas From an Innovative Program
January 17, 2024 21:49 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBOriginally broadcast on January 18, 2024 Experts praise community health workers as the keys to building a more equitable and fair health care system in America. Is there a way to unlock more success for hiring and retaining them? Dr. Shreya Kangovi thinks so; she developed the IMPaCT Care program, which is saving money and quickly growing. “Conversations on Health Care” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter talked to her about how it’s a standardized, scalable program that transforms the...
She Helped Design Pres. Biden’s AI Bill of Rights—How Does It Protect Patients?
January 10, 2024 21:55 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBOriginally broadcast on January 11, 2024 Less than three months ago, Alondra Nelson, Ph.D., proudly watched as President Biden unveiled the administration’s blueprint for an artificial intelligence bill of rights, which is focused on ensuring safe, secure and trustworthy technology. Nelson had a big role in developing the strategy as she served as deputy assistant to the president and acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Since then, major health care co...
Are You Up to Date on Health Care Policy & Innovation as 2024 Kicks Off? We Can Help.
January 03, 2024 20:46 - 27 minutes - 26.2 MBOriginally broadcast on January 4, 2024 A new year brings hope for breakthroughs for our most complex health care issues. The leading thinkers have been sharing their perspectives with us. We’ve captured the highlights from our recent interviews covering vaccinations, abortion, mental health and all the top stories with hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter. Plus, we have important updates for 2024. Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation...
Long COVID: 2023’s Enduring Medical Mystery
December 27, 2023 15:51 - 29 minutes - 27.6 MBOriginally broadcast on December 28, 2023 The diagnosis and treatment of Long COVID made many advancements in the past 12 months and “Conversations on Health Care” covered all of them. We’ve collected the most important insights from leading researchers and clinicians as this medical mystery continues. Join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter as they highlight the perspectives of guests ranging from NIH researchers and patients, to the leader of the Mayo Clinic’s COVID Activity Rehabili...
Any Hope to Avoid Govt. Shutdown in ’24? Health Care Reporters Assess the Chances
December 20, 2023 21:43 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBOriginally broadcast on Thursday, December 21, 2021 The advice from one of Washington’s health care policy reporters is to rest up and enjoy the holidays because 2024 is going to be a very intense time. The top items on the agenda include a federal fight over the budget (including health care) that could lead to a government shutdown at the beginning of the year, a presidential campaign that will place health issues at the forefront, continuing concerns about AI and... Read More Read More...
Holiday Blues & America’s Mental Health Crisis: Insights from NAMI’s CMO Dr. Ken Duckworth
December 15, 2023 01:40 - 32 minutes - 30.5 MBOriginally broadcast on December 14, 2023 This is a critically important time for Dr. Ken Duckworth as the chief medical officer for NAMI— the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It’s the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Yet the holidays often bring increased instances of depression, which is especially troubling for a country already experiencing the highest rates of suicide i...
How Do We Get More Latinas Interested in Nursing? Ideas & Inspiration from Authors of New Book
December 06, 2023 22:02 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBOur guests were looking for a book that told real-life stories about Latinas in nursing, but they couldn’t find one. So they took the job upon themselves and wrote their own book, titled Latinas in Nursing: Stories of Determination, Inspiration, and Trust. The book is a compilation of the beautiful stories of the challenges, growth and discovery influential Latina nurses share about their journeys, including during the COVID pandemic. Right now, Hispanics make up 19% of the total U.S. popula...
Environmental Leader Dr. Vanessa Kerry Delves Into Intersections of Health and Climate at COP28 Global Climate Gathering
November 30, 2023 01:19 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOriginally broadcast on November 30, 2023 The United Nations Climate Change Conference (known as COP28) is underway and on Dec. 3 it will feature a “Day of Health.” This is the first time the world leaders on climate change will devote an entire day to how climate change is affecting our physical, mental and emotional health. Dr. Vanessa Kerry, the World Health Organization Director-General Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health, joined us with an overview of what to expect... Read Mo...
Can She Solve the Mystery of Long COVID? Dr. Lisa Sanders Searches for Clues
November 22, 2023 00:30 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBOriginally broadcast on September 28, 2023 Dr. Lisa Sanders grew up reading Sherlock Holmes. Now, she’s looking to solve health care mysteries as the medical director of the Yale New Haven Long COVID Multidisciplinary Care Center. She recently explained her patients are getting better through a variety of approaches and she’s hopeful the caseload will continue to decrease. Dr. Sanders, well-known for writing The New York Times “Diagnosis” column, rejects Long COVID skepticism because she say...
Is the Air We Breathe Safe? Award-Winning Scientist Linsey Marr & Green Building Council’s Peter Templeton Share Their Insights
November 16, 2023 01:17 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOriginally broadcast on November 16, 2023 Did you catch environmental engineer Linsey Marr, Ph.D., on “60 Minutes” explaining how she was confident she knew COVID was an airborne virus (even when the World Health Organization was saying otherwise)? Learn more about her insights and latest observations as she joins “Conversations on Health Care” this week. Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter also discuss air quality and energy efficiency with Peter Templeton, president and CEO of the U.S...
New NACHC CEO Dr. Kyu Rhee: Top 3 Goals for Community Health Centers
November 08, 2023 21:41 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOriginally broadcast on November 9, 2023 Experienced health care executive Dr. Kyu Rhee, recently named as the president and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers, says member organizations are working on three big goals: Being the provider of choice, the employer of choice and the partner of choice. As he and NACHC members focus on these items, they’re also nervously awaiting congressional action. In late September, Congress passed a short-term extension of funding for...
Grantmaking During Global Turmoil: The Rockefeller Foundation’s President Dr. Rajiv Shah
November 01, 2023 20:49 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBOriginally broadcast on November 2, 2023 Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, served on the National Security Council and elevated the role of development as part of our nation’s foreign policy while he was USAID Administrator. Dr. Shah, our guest this week on “Conversations of Health Care,” explained that the war in Gaza requires a need to balance defense, diplomacy and development. His new book Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens, takes readers inside past e...
Preventing Veteran Suicides: VA Under Secretary Dr. Shereef Elnahal Outlines Plan
October 25, 2023 20:25 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBOriginally broadcast on October 26, 2023 Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the Under Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, says their most important clinical care and public health issue right now is preventing veteran suicides. The data show that 17 vets a day die by suicide. Their work includes making sure vets know that the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline is available for them. He also explained that the VA has communicated to the U.S. Attorney General and... Read More Rea...
Flu Update from CDC Dir. Cohen: So Far, Not An Early Flu Season
October 19, 2023 13:15 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOriginally broadcast on October 19, 2023 Dr. Mandy Cohen, the new CDC director, is facing big hurdles as she tries to explain to Americans the benefits of three vaccines now available at the same time: the updated COVID and the flu vaccine (for everyone 6 months and older) and the RSV vaccine (for eligible older adults). There’s vaccine skepticism and have been some issues with insurance payments. At the same time, she’s trying to rebuild trust in the CDC when... Read More Read More The ...
Budget Woes & Health Care Policy Snarls: Latest Views from D.C.
October 11, 2023 20:07 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBWhile both parties in Washington dig in for a longer fight over the budget, health care policy hangs in the balance. Ben Leonard with POLITICO and Nathaniel Weixel with The Hill both cover health care policy and join us for a reporters’ roundtable to go over the pending issues as the government faces another funding shutdown in mid-November. Join us as hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter highlight how the direction of Congress will impact America’s health care system. Conversations... ...
Ideas for Improving Hispanic Health with Dr. Elena Rios, President & CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association; Charles Barber on “Paz y Salud” Publication
October 04, 2023 20:38 - 29 minutes - 27.9 MBPortions of this broadcast previously aired in May 2021. As we mark Hispanic Heritage Month, we hear from Dr. Elena Rios, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, which represents the interests of the nation’s 50,000 Latino physicians. This is an encore presentation from 2021 yet many of the issues we discussed then are still relevant, including Latino vaccine hesitancy and the pandemic’s mental health toll. Join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter for their conve...
NYT’s Diagnosis Columnist Dr. Lisa Sanders’ Views on Long COVID Affirmed by New Research
September 27, 2023 19:44 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBResearchers just announced they have found clear differences in the blood of Long COVID patients—this is the scientific proof that some in the health care sector want to see. Right before this news broke, we asked Dr. Lisa Sanders, the director of the new Yale New Haven Long COVID Multidisciplinary Care Center, about the lack of a Long COVID blood test. She pushed back on skeptics because she has seen clinical evidence of the condition. Now, it appears Dr. Sanders... Read More Read More ...
New Ways to Solve Big Health Problems: Lola Adedokun, Aspen Global Innovators Group
September 20, 2023 20:36 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBLola Adedokun is executive director of the Aspen Global Innovators Group, which advances a portfolio of programs focused on health and prosperity in the U.S. and around the world. This work includes a focus on what she calls powerful women who are redesigning health systems to better meet the needs of families. Join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter as Adedokun explains how local leaders are at the forefront of designing solutions that work for local populations. Conversations on Heal...
Effects of Trans Bans on LGBTQ+ Health Care: “State of Emergency”
September 13, 2023 19:49 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBTwo of the leading and most influential experts in LGBQT+ health issues join “Conversations on Health Care” to discuss what the Human Rights Campaign calls its community’s “state of emergency.” Dr. Marwan Haddad is the immediate past chair of the HIV Medicine Association and the medical director at the Center for Key Populations at Community Health Center, Inc. Dr. Carl Streed is the president-elect of the US Professional Association for Transgender Health and the research lead for the Gende...
Former White House COVID Coordinator Dr. Jha: Debate About Boosters for Young People Is OK
September 06, 2023 18:21 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBDr. Ashish Jha, the former White House COVID Coordinator, says he expects vaccines updated for this fall will provide a “great deal of protection” but he acknowledges there are questions about whether a young person should get the booster. “My best read of the literature is that, yes, they should [get the COVID booster shot]. A reasonable person could read the literature and say, ‘I don’t know if that’s true and let’s have that debate.’” Dr. Jha says, unfortunately, that... Read More Read...
Mayo Clinic Long COVID Expert Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn: Cases Down as Stigma Continues
August 30, 2023 13:40 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBThe director of Mayo Clinic’s COVID Activity Rehabilitation Program says they’re seeing a decrease in Long COVID cases, likely due to variant changes and the effectiveness of vaccines. Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn describes Long COVID as a group of symptoms that linger longer than the normal COVID recovery period. He says fatigue and physical complaints decrease but patients have lingering cognitive effects like brain fog. Unfortunately, Dr. Vanichkachorn says patients can still face stigma for th...
U.S. Suicide Rates at All-Time High: American Psychiatric Association President Responds
August 23, 2023 13:44 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBFederal provisional data shows more people died from suicide in the United States last year than any other year on record. American Psychiatric Association President Dr. Petros Levounis is at the center of efforts to prevent suicides, with substance use addictions a key part of his focus. He and the 38,000 APA members have launched a campaign called “Confronting Addiction: From Prevention to Recovery.” Dr. Levounis discusses vaping, opioids, alcohol and the rapidly growing addiction to tech....
Community Health Legend Dr. Carl Lecce: Lessons Learned
August 17, 2023 15:35 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBThe nation’s expanded focus on community health and family (or primary) care didn’t just occur by chance. It took the dedicated commitment of professionals across the country to make it happen. This week we present a special edition of “Conversations on Health Care” with Dr. Carl Lecce. For 45 years he’s served as a family physician with Community Health Center in Middletown, Connecticut. Our hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter have worked closely with Dr. Lecce through the years and......
Interview with NBC’s Dr. John Torres On Location at Aspen Ideas: Health
August 09, 2023 19:43 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBMillions look to NBC News Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. John Torres for advice and insights about their health. But how is he coping with surveys that show Americans lost trust in mainstream media during the pandemic and are increasingly turning to social media for health news? He gives us good advice about where to go for verified information. Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter also ask him about his role with NATO Special Forces on a variety of initiatives including... Read More...
Record Heat Wave: L.A.’s Chief Heat Officer Speaks Out
August 02, 2023 19:30 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBScientists say this July was the Earth’s warmest month on record in “hundreds, if not thousands, of years.” The City of Los Angeles is taking a unique approach to help its people deal with the record-breaking temperatures through the leadership of Marta Segura, one of the few appointed chief heat officers in the world. Her work is focused on finding solutions when the weather causes physical and mental health issues and she’s keeping equity at the forefront of their efforts.... Read More ...
Have a Way to Beat an Illness?These Federal Experts Need to Hear From You
July 27, 2023 16:07 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBWe’re on location at Aspen Ideas-Health, talking with the leaders of a new innovation effort. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is backed by $2.5 billion dollars in federal money with a mandate to accelerate better health outcomes for everyone. The initiative aims to work outside of traditions with a “range of performers and a variety of approaches to solve” health care’s biggest hurdles. Can they find a way to reduce cancer deaths? That’s one of the questions hosts... ...
Latest on Long COVID: NIH Study Leader Leora Horwitz, MD
July 19, 2023 17:37 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MBOne of the nation’s top experts on Long COVID explains that it’s still a mystery why virus symptoms remain months and sometimes years after an infection. Dr. Leora Horwitz helps lead the National Institute of Health’s study of Long COVID. She’s the director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Science at NYU Langone Health, where they’re integrating the research activities of almost 200 clinical sites. She says they have found evidence of the virus persisting as well as... ...
HHS Sec. Becerra’s Exclusive Interview With “Conversations on Health Care”
July 12, 2023 15:02 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBU.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra joins “Conversations on Health Care” to answer questions about the big issues he’s facing as the nation’s top health official. Most importantly, he’s dealing with the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision turning abortion law over to the states. Secretary Becerra says, “A woman is three times more likely to die of a complication during pregnancy if she happens to reside in a state that restricts her access to abortion......
Tough, Feisty, Visionary: Mount Sinai’s CEO On Location at Aspen Ideas: Health
July 05, 2023 15:11 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBDr. Kenneth Davis, CEO of Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, juggles a multitude of challenges operating one of the largest systems in the U.S. These include trying to overcome hurdles with a population health initiative as an alternative to the traditional fee-for-service insurance model and defending its Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Davis also reflects on how he and his colleagues traversed the early COVID wave. Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter talked w...
Dr. Fauci Tells “Conversations on Health Care” On Location at Aspen Ideas: We Need More COVID Booster Shots
June 28, 2023 23:51 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBDr. Anthony Fauci shared a sobering message with “Conversations on Health Care”: In the past year about 20% of Americans have received the COVID booster vaccine; “that’s not good if you really want to get a degree of immunity that you can lift up,” he says. Fauci explains that getting to 50% should be the goal. “What we’re hoping is that people who come in with the uptake of a flu vaccine would also come in…at the same time, the... Read More Read More The post Dr. Fauci Tells “Conversati...
A Right to Health? The U.S. Legal Case for Making it Happen
June 22, 2023 12:58 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBLaw professor and public policy advocate Christina S. Ho’s new book, “Normalizing an American Right to Health,” boldly makes the legal case for health as a right that should already exist in the United States. She explains why and unpacks how reinsurance and a Health Impact Assessment fit into her analysis. Join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter as she wonders why we can provide government subsidies for things like fracking, which has negative health effects, but avoid doing more... ...
Roe Reversal: 1 Year Since Supreme Court Took Away Federal Right to Abortion
June 16, 2023 11:57 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBJune 24 will mark the one-year anniversary since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling, taking away the constitutional right to abortion. That decision negated nearly five decades of legal precedent and pushed the abortion question to the 50 state legislatures. This week’s guests explain the effect of the ruling on women and maternal health in ways that are just now starting to be fully understood. Dr. Herminia Palacio is president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute, which seeks...
The Doctor & ChatGPT Will See You Now: Is This the Future?
June 08, 2023 12:13 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBThe World Health Organization recently issued a statement expressing concern about artificial intelligence in health care. Mayo Clinic’s Chief Information Officer Cris Ross, who’s been leading innovation projects for over 30 years, says “perhaps” we should be worried about ChatGPT. “These technologies are value-neutral but their usage is not necessarily value-neutral. Bad people can use good technology for bad purposes. So I think there’s a very robust debate about whether these technologies...
The Expanding Obesity Revolution: New Options
May 31, 2023 19:29 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBAs many Americans start the summer stressed about their physiques and health, there are important developments. Drug-makers report successful mid-stage trials for oral compounds that could soon join the injectable prescription medication to treat obesity that’s already on the market. Dr. Jamy Ard, president-elect of The Obesity Society, says he believes oral obesity medications offer new options for those not comfortable with an injectable drug and for those who suffer adverse side effects f...
Will Patients Listen If Health Care Providers Talk Climate Change?
May 24, 2023 17:39 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBDr. Vivian Lee, an author and senior lecturer at Harvard Medical School, is impressed by a study that found a large majority of patients responded in a favorable way when a pediatrician shared climate change details during well-child visits. She joins hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to explain why we need health care providers and health systems to step up to do more about the undeniable risks from climate change. Listen in as they discuss her perspective and her... Read More Rea...
Reaction to New CDC Ventilation Targets in Light of COVID
May 17, 2023 20:08 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MBThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just updated its ventilation guidance on helping prevent indoor transmission of the virus that causes COVID. It includes a recommendation to get at least five air changes per hour of clean air in occupied spaces. Dr. Joseph G. Allen and other experts have been advocating for this guidance even before the pandemic. He’s the associate professor and director of the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr.... ...
COVID Emergency Ends but Mental Health Issues Remain
May 10, 2023 18:45 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBToday, as the United States officially ends the COVID public health emergency, we know too many Americans continue to deal with the aftereffects of the pandemic, including mental health and substance abuse challenges. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., serves as Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She joins hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to explain plans for dealing with the fact there are more Americans dying of...
COVID Investigator Praises Community Health Workers: “Huge Innovation”
May 03, 2023 19:11 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBPhilip Zelikow, co-author of the new book “Lessons from the COVID War,” has an important finding as the U.S. still grapples with the tough questions from the pandemic: “We point out in the report that community health workers can play this extraordinary role…where we had them [during the pandemic], they were really effective and that’s like a huge innovation that should punch out to us as a lesson from this war and can have a dramatic effect in America,” says... Read More Read More The p...