Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Lee Freedman, MD Guest: William Hanson, MD Robotic appendages assisting in surgery that allow procedures to be performed on a patient by a physician on the opposite end of the globe, and machines that kill cancer cells on a molecular level--these are just two of the medical advances that are already beginning to revolutionize medicine. Dr. William Hanson, director of the surgical intensive care unit at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and author of the book The Edge of Medicine, surveys the technologies that will soon change the physician's landscape. Dr. Lee Freedman hosts. What ethical concerns will some of these new developments present?

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Jun Ye, PhD Diagnosing life threatening diseases and other medical conditions could soon be as easy as breathing. June Ye, a physics professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder and his graduate student, Michael Thorpe, discuss their research on a technique that uses lasers to detect specific chemical compounds in the breath of patients. They explain to host Dr. Larry Kaskel the underlying mechanisms of this technology, which is known as optical frequency comb, and how that it is able to derive health information from the patient's breath. Tune in to hear how this technology, once perfected, will improve the efficiency of diagnosing and monitoring diseases, as well as save patients thousands of dollars on diagnostic testing.

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Sandy Praeger Sandy Praeger, past-president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel to discuss the NAIC's July 2008 survey that analyzed how consumers handle healthcare expenditures.

Host: Susan Dolan, RN, JD Guest: Barbara Rutt, MDiv, BCC, Chaplains are increasingly being recognized as a critical resource on a hospital medical team. Our guest today, Chaplain Barbara Rutt, manager of Pastoral Care at the Lehigh Valley Health Network talks with host Susan Dolan, RN about her role as a member of the of trauma team, the open heart team and as a collaborator for the medical rounds of the palliative team. Join us to learn about the day in the life of a hospital Chaplain and how you might incorporate their services into your medical team.

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD Guest: Susan Weisberg, MD What advantages are there for physicians who see patients at their homes, and what are the limitations of a home practice? Dr. Susan Weisberg, a pediatrician who sees patients in her home during clinic after-hours, explains her reasons for practicing at home. What's involved in setting up a home practice? Dr. Michael Greenberg hosts.

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD Guest: Jay Parkinson, MD, MPH A relatively new primary care practice based in Brooklyn, New York, is using new ways to serve the un- and under-insured communities in its own neighborhood. The practice, Hello Health, is based on membership and pay-per-visit office fees from patients instead of insurance, and encourages patients to communicate with their physician via instant message, email and video chat. But critics of this model say internet communication is often misinterpreted and cannot be relied upon to build a solid physician-patient relationship. Dr. Jay Parkinson, co-founder of Hello Health, describes his new model for healthcare and his plans for expanding the internet-based primary care practice model. Is this model really the way of the future? Dr. Michael Greenberg hosts. You can visit Hello Health here.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: James C. Turner, MD Most of us have fond memories of our college years. As we now see in our families and in our practices, and perhaps retrospectively in ourselves, the behavior of college students is often influenced by what is perceived to be normal among their peers. Looking more specifically at social norms research, college students tend to overestimate negative behavior, while underestimating positive behavior, relating to a range of health issues, from smoking and binge drinking to risky sexual practices and wearing seat belts. Dr. James Turner, president-elect of the American College Health Association, and executive director of the National Social Norms Institute, explains how social norms campaigns can highlight differences between the perceptions and realities that influence young people, to improve their actions and ultimately their health. Dr. Jennifer Shu hosts.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Cliff O'Callahan, MD, PhD As physicians, we are often asked to give our time and money to charitable medical organizations. With so many groups working on health issues across the world, how can we best decide where to focus our energy and our donations? Is it more important to focus on how much we give, what we give, or how we give? Dr. Cliff O’Callahan, pediatrician and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Section on International Child Health, details a series of items we should consider when we make our contributions to charity with host Dr. Jennifer Shu.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: Alan Astrow, MD Breaking difficult news to patients is something that, as doctors, we have to do. Are there approaches that make it easier and clearer for the patient? In this segment, Dr. Alan Astrow, director of the division of hematology and medical oncology at Maimonides Cancer Center in New York City, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss specific case examples of how to break difficult and often complicated news to patients. Dr. Astrow has a special interest in the treatment of breast cancer, gynecological cancers and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. He has conducted research on how to help physicians understand a patient's wishes, values and needs as well as how to improve communication between doctor and patient.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: David Spiegel, MD Several studies have found that over half of all physicians have used placebos in their practice. Is there scientific validity to the prescribing of placebos? Dr. David Speigel, associate chairman of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to review the science behind placebos. Dr. Spiegel has extensively studied how psychological factors affect the brain's response to pain and illness.

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: John Sweet, MBA Medical office buildings are a safe and stable bet for some real estate investors. John Sweet, a managing director at the Ziegler Healthcare Real Estate Fund, discusses the ins and outs of medical real estate. Mr. Sweet highlights the impact of the current economic climate on the healthcare industry, and the benefits of medical properties. Tune in to hear host Dr. Larry Kaskel, as he explores the real estate opportunities within the medical market, and the current opportunities for physicians.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Marianne Gaushe-Hill, MD EMS care has advanced since the first ambulances scooped a patient up and ran to the hospital. But is it time to go back to BLS? Dr Marianne Gauche-Hill, Director of EMS at UCLA Harbor and Professor of Medicine at UCLA, discusses research from Canada and the US showing that for certain diagnosis, EMS should not continue ACLS at the scene. Join Dr Shira Johnson as she discusses this controversal topic which may impact the EMS budget at your facility.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Marianne Gaushe-Hill, MD When should your emergency medical services unit be transporting instead of treating? Dr. Marianne Gauche-Hill, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of EMS at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, reveals recent studies in the literature showing that less treatment may be more efficacious. Join Dr. Shira Johnson as she interviews Dr. Gauche-Hill to discuss scenerios when the diagnosis in the field may have a better outcome if ACLS care is delivered at the receiving facility.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Philip Newbold Innovation. It's important to change healthcare. But is there an innovator in everyone? Philip Newbold, president and chief executive of Memorial Hospital and Health System in South Bend, Indiana, tells host Bruce Japsen how we can find the innovator in each of us and how this could lead to improvements in medicine and the patient's healthcare experience.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Anita Duhl Glicken, MSW Anita Glicken, professor of pediatrics and section head of the Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant program at University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, discusses the scope and admission requirements of this unique physician assistant program. Ms. Glicken explains how the program was started over 30 years ago, long before most physician assistant programs, and prepares its graduates through innovative curriculum to provide comprehensive medical care for people of all ages, emphasizing the care of infants, children, and adolescents. The program is different than most physician assistant programs in that it is a three-year master's level education program and graduates receive specialized training in pediatrics and psychology. Tune in to hear how this unique program is attempting to address the shortages of health care professionals in rural areas and primary care/pediatric practices.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Art Kellerman, MD The emergency department is at the interface between the community and the healthcare system. What impacts the emergency department impacts us all. Dr. Art Kellerman, professor of emergency medicine at Emory University, discusses the challenges facing American healthcare and the groundwork for changing the practice of emergency medicine. As associate dean for health policy at Emory, he is on the forefront of such issues as access to care and healthcare reform. Dr. Shira Johnson is the host.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Art Kellerman, MD In a chaotic and uncontrolled environment, the emergency department is taking the lead in clinical research. Dr. Art Kellerman, professor of emergency medicine at Emory University, discusses how clinical trials performed in this challenging environment are shaping the future of the ED and of medicine. Dr. Shira Johnson hosts as Dr. Kellerman discusses his experiences at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta's only public hospital and Level 1 trauma center, as one of the nation's leading emergency care researchers.

Host: Lee Freedman, MD Guest: Frederick Vivino, MD Sjogren's syndrome is a commonly overlooked autoimmune disorder. Dry eyes and whole-body dryness are just two of the symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome that can suggest other conditions as well. How does Sjogren's present itself beyond dry eyes, and how severe is the condition? Dr. Frederick Vivino, clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, describes some of the tests and therapies available for Sjogren's syndrome to host Dr. Lee Freedman. Produced in Cooperation with

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: James Jones, PhD, APA-C Captain James Jones, program manager of the Army's Interservice Physician Assistant Program, discusses with host Lisa D'Andrea Lenell the role of the physician assistant on the battlefield. Captain Jones describes the specialized training provided to physician assistants and the team approach employed by the military which utilizes medics, physician assistants, and physician. Tune in to hear how physician assistants have been and continue to be a vital force in the provision of healthcare to military personnel.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: James Jones, PhD, APA-C The Army offers well qualified officers, enlisted soldiers, and cadets an incredible educational opportunity to become a physician assistant (PA) through the Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP), located at the AMEDD Center & School, Fort Sam in Houston, Texas. Cpt. James J. Jones, program manager of the IPAP program, explains to host Lisa D'Andrea Lenell how 150 soldiers a year are trained as physician assistants in a consolidated tri-service program for the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, National Guard, and U.S. Public Health Service. Tune in to hear how physician assistants serve as the primary medical provider to soldiers in combat, division level units and to the soldiers' family members.