Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Gary Becker, PhD Nobel Prize recipient for Economic Science, Dr. Gary Becker, professor of economics and sociology at the University of Chicago, explains how monetary incentives would sufficiently increase the supply of organs for transplant surgery, eliminating the very long queues in the donor market. Undoubtedly the suffering of those on the waiting list would be significantly decreased, but are there costs that might not be immediately obvious? Join Dr. Becker and host Dr. Maurie Pickard for this fascinating discussion.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Nortin Hadler, MD Dr. Nortin Hadler, professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, joins host Dr. Maurice Pickard to discusses his book, Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America. Dr. Hadler's book examines the reach of medical treatment in America and the degree to which health is determined by socioeconomic factors that are out of a doctor's hands.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Nortin Hadler, MD Dr. Nortin Hadler, professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at the University of North Carolina discusses his new book Worried Sick. A prescription for Health in an Overtreated America. He documents how the consumer needs to adopt an attitude of skepticism regarding the claims of modern medicine and arm themselves with enough information to make some of their own decisions about what care is truly necessary. Hosted by Dr. Maurice Pickard

Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD Guest: Bertha Madras, PhD According to Dr. Bertha Madras, deputy director of demand reduction in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George W. Bush, random drug testing gives young people a good reason not to succumb to peer pressure. But the implementation of random drug testing in schools has stirred a controversial public health debate. Is this an invasion of privacy? Is school an appropriate environment for these measures? Dr. Madras provides a detailed explanation of current policy, and responds to critical comments from groups that oppose the widespread implementation of random drug testing in schools. Dr. Bill Rutenberg hosts.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Jon Black, Mr. Although most Americans may be most familiar with social networking on the internet via Facebook or Myspace and even Sermo for doctors, other health care sites are emerging to bring doctors and consumers together. Jon Black, chief executive officer of CheckMD, tells host Bruce Japsen about putting various aspects of health care together into a new kind of social networking site, featuring medical care and guidance for patients.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Raymond Scalettar, MD So just how can the medical community prevent and reduce underage drinking? Is it even a doctor's responsibility? Dr. Raymond Scalettar, a former Chairman of the American Medical Association and an adviser to the Distilled Spirits Council, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about what physicians may encounter and how they can help in dealing with adolescents with drinking problems.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Raymond Scalettar, MD So just where are teens getting their alcohol and what can the medical profession do about it? Dr. Raymond Scalettar, former chairman of the American Medical Association and adviser to the Distilled Spirits Council, tells host Bruce Japsen about a new national study showing parental influence on how children get alcohol and how physicians can help the situation.

Host: Lee Freedman, MD Guest: Babatunde Olowokure, MD, MPH, PhD Guest: Stephen Karpiak, PhD Rates of STDs in the over-45 population have increased more than twofold since the year 2000. The trend is pushing healthcare providers to stay current on how best to address issues associated with STD care for the older demographic. Host Dr. Lee Freedman learns more from Dr. Babatunde Olowokure, consultant regional epidemiologist from the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency, and author of research published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Dr. Stephen Karpiak, research director for the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America. What's driving this staggering rise in STDs? What initiatives are underway to boost physician awareness of therapeutic measures for our older patients?

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: Laurie Edwards Better technology and treatments mean that people with serious childhood illnesses such as cystic fibrosis and type one diabetes are reaching adulthood in unprecedented numbers. That means they are also struggling with college, relationships, fertility and employment. Laurie Edwards, a health journalist and author of Life Disrupted, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss these issues.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: George I. Viamontes, MD, PhD Ion channels, G proteins, receptor subunit proteins - many of these concepts were developed after we received our training. What does the practicing clinician need to know? Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes Dr. George Viamontes, assistant clinical professor of medicine in the department of psychiatry at Columbia School of Medicine, who will explain to us the latest science behind neurotransmitters and how it impacts what we do in our offices every day.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: George I. Viamontes, MD, PhD Signal transduction is a key concept in cell and molecular biology. How can understanding this concept help us understand how psychotropics and psychotherapy works? Dr. George Viamontes, author of An Atlas of Neurobiology: How the Brain Creates the Self, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss signal transduction.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Karen Fields, MSPAS, PA-C Few organized exposures to the midlevel practitioner fields currently exist for students considering career paths in medicine. However, some educational leaders are working to increase student awareness nationally. Host Lisa D'Andrea talks with Ms. Karen Fields, physician assistant and the founder of Medical Mentoring, a unique program for high school students offering hands-on clinical experience with working physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Harry Keyserling, MD A single vaccine is now available for immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. As we consider offering this to our pediatric patients, what are the vaccine's unique challenges and benefits? How does this combination vaccine compare with other options for immunization? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu examines these questions and more with Dr. Harry Keyserling, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Harry Keyserling, MD Physicians administering rotavirus vaccines to infants now have the choice of two distinct immunizations. How do the two vaccines differ? How effective are these immunizations in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis infections? How can we decide what to offer our patients? Dr. Harry Keyserling, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, lays out the details of the new vaccines with host Dr. Jennifer Shu.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Mitchell Levy, MD Who delivers the best critical care, the critical care specialist or the physician without those credentials? Dr. Mitchell Levy, Professor of Medicine at Brown Medical School and Medical Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Rhode Island Hospital discusses his recent study on the association between critical care management and patient mortality in the ICU. The answer may surpise you! Join host Shira Johnson.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD What should be done if research subjects become ill from phase 1 clinical trials? Dr. Jonathan Kimmelman, assistant professor of the Biomedical Research unit at McGill University says most programs do not provide health care or compensation from loss of time from work or for pain and suffering. He also tells host Dr. Pickard that data is viewed as proprietary and is not shared. With trials continuing to move to for-profit companies, is federal oversight being lost? Furthermore, does this lead to increased risk for all those concerned?

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD Dr. Jonathan Kimmelman, assistant professor of the Biomedical Research unit at McGill University, discusses with host Dr. Maurice Pickard what appears to be a ‘job' that may exploit the underclass in Phase 1 clinical studies. The poor in the studies are less likely to have access to the drugs when approved, which calls the risk/benefit ratio into question. Do for-profit research companies and for-profit Institutional Review Boards provide adequate protection for the rights of the volunteers?

Host: Cathleen Margolin, PhD Guest: Andrea Asnes, MD, MSW A patient's palpable anger during a clinical visit can create uniquely challenging situations for the clinician. Whether or not the emotions are justified, how can a practitioner keep their cool and diffuse the tension? Even when proper medicine is practiced, are there certain situations where apologizing is the most effective course of action? Dr. Andrea Asnes, practicing pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Cathleen Margolin to share practical advice for managing anger during clinical visits.

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Kerri Remmel, MD, PhD Late in 2007 the University of Louisville began utilizing an RP7 robot system to provide neurology support to surrounding county hospitals without on site neurologists. Dr. Kerri Remmel, interim chair of the Department of Neurology and director of the University of Louisville Stroke Program joins us host Dr. Larry Kaskel to discuss the successes of this program since its onset. Dr. Remmel provide an inside look at how physicians, staff and patients have implemented and adapted to telemedicine as a tool to evaluate and treat neurology patients.

Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD Guest: Thomas Saving, PhD "If consumers care about the cost of healthcare, innovations will be directed at making things less costly," says guest Dr. Thomas Saving, the director of the Private Enterprise Research Center at Texas A&M University about how to fund healthcare. In this segment, Dr. Saving discusses with host Dr. Bill Rutenberg how Medicare can pay for itself. They discuss budget based capitation, limited healthcare provisions for retirees and overall reform in the way we pay for healthcare.