AMA COVID-19 Update

Why is relating to patients important? How do you treat brain cancer? What is brain cancer treatment like? What are the benefits of understanding patient experience? AMA President-elect Bobby Mukkamala, MD, shares his personal journey from brain tumor diagnosis through recovery. Dr. Mukkamala discusses how being a patient reshaped his views on health care, the challenges of understanding a cancer diagnosis, the importance of family support—and how these experiences align with AMA priorities like prior authorization reform and addressing physician shortages. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Is there a blood test for Alzheimer's? What causes colon cancer? How many measles cases in 2025? Is bird flu still an issue? What outbreaks are happening right now? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, covers the first measles cases of the year in new U.S. cities, and avian flu outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry. Also discussing a recent survey on Alzheimer's disease and new research suggesting links between gut bacteria and colon cancer in younger adults. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How is AI used in health care data? What does AI help with in health care? How is AI used in emergency rooms? What are the benefits of AI in health care? How is AI used in medical documentation? Learn about using AI in electronic health records to improve patient care and the future of AI in health care with guest Dana Sax, MD, research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and emergency physician at The Permanente Medical Group. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Do older adults get lonely? How often do doctors feel lonely? What does long-term isolation do to a person? How often do adults feel lonely? How can loneliness be addressed? What does loneliness look like in older adults? Our guest is Ved V. Gossain, MD, the immediate past chair of the AMA Senior Physician Section, joins to discuss the epidemic of loneliness, how loneliness effects health, and addressing physicians loneliness. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Should I be worried about measles? What is long COVID and why is it so complex? How long does long COVID last? How many people have long COVID? Is measles endemic? Get the latest on the measles outbreak, MMR vaccines, U.S. measles endemic status and childhood antibiotics with AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Are vaccines safe? How long have vaccines been around? What is ACIP? Is there a booster for RSV? How old is the measles vaccine? What happens at ACIP meetings? What are the latest vaccine recommendations? Sandra Fryhofer, MD, AMA's liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), shares news from the most recent meeting. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What causes colon cancer? Is colon cancer becoming more common? Is cancer screening effective? Can colon cancer happen at a young age? Can a FIT test detect colon cancer? Our guest is Doug Corley, MD, PhD, chief research officer for The Permanente Medical Group. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How many measles cases in 2025? Can CT scans cause cancer? What is the best treatment for gonorrhea? What states have bird flu? What animals are affected by bird flu? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, covers measles outbreak states, latest bird flu news, treatment for gonorrhea and CT scan radiation. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Why are physician wellness programs important? What are Physician Health Services? What is a physician health program? Why is physician well being important? Our guest is Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, chief medical officer for the Federation of State Physician Health Programs, and the executive medical director of the Washington Physicians Health Program. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How to onboard a new physician: What does hospital orientation consist of? How long is orientation at a hospital? How much does physician onboarding cost? The challenges of onboarding new doctors and advice for physician onboarding training with Susan Slaughter, director of physician relations and practice development at Hattiesburg Clinic. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Is physical therapy covered by insurance? What is a PT cap? What happens when you can't do physical therapy? Does Medicare limit physical therapy? Our guests are Courtland Keteyian, MD, president and CEO of the Jackson Health Network and medical director for occupational health at Henry Ford Jackson Hospital; Sam Porritt, founder and chairman of the board of the Falling Forward Foundation; and Atul Patel, MD, a practicing physiatrist, member of the governing board for Falling Forward, and a board member and treasurer of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Is flu season over? What helps allergies at home? Are there long-term effects of COVID? Do people get sick more often after COVID? Why kids should have phones? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the ongoing measles outbreak, latest study on COVID and the immune system, managing seasonal allergies, plus a new study about kids mental health and smartphone use. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What does depression look like? What types of depression are there? What causes SAD? What are SSRIs? What are the signs that someone is depressed? What is seasonal affective disorder? Our guest Andrea DeSimone, DO, chair of the psychiatry department at Bayhealth Medical Center, discusses clinical depression, major depressive disorder, MDD, and seasonal depression symptoms. Dr. DeSimone shares the latest in mental health research and treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD depression). American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How many measles cases in 2025? Is there a blood test for Alzheimer's? Is the shingles vaccine safe? Does the shingles vaccine prevent dementia? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, covers measles outbreak news, a new blood test for Alzheimer's disease, the latest trends in childhood vaccination rates, and how the shingles vaccine helps prevent dementia. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is long COVID? What are the signs of long COVID? Does getting COVID multiple times increase long COVID risk? What long COVID treatments are available? Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, Sterling Professor of Immunobiology at Yale University, discusses new long COVID research, emerging treatments for long haul COVID, and the latest from the Yale Long COVID clinic. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What are the outcomes of prior authorization patients? How do insurance companies use AI? How does prior authorization work? Who is responsible for getting pre authorization? AMA President Bruce A. Scott, MD, shares key takeaways from the AMA's recent prior auth survey, discusses physicians' concerns about prior authorization in healthcare, how prior authorization negatively impacts employers by reducing employee health and productivity. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How do you get typhus? Can you die from typhus? What age do you get the measles vaccine? Are people still getting COVID? When does flu season end 2025? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses murine typhus and measles outbreaks in the U.S., the latest measles vaccination rates, as well as current COVID-19 and seasonal flu going around. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is translational science? How is AI used in healthcare? What is JAMA+ AI in medicine? How long does it take to publish a study in JAMA? How many journals does JAMA publish? JAMA® Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, discusses her priorities for JAMA this year, the launch of JAMA+ AI and Translational Science Reviews, and what's still to come in 2025. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What happens on Match Day? How many residency programs are there in the US? How many medical students matched in 2025? What happens if you don't match? Jeanette Calli, chief of match operations at the National Resident Matching Program, discusses the latest main residency match results, including Match Day participation rates and trends in the residency match process. Also covering Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) results for residency placements. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Is norovirus going around? How is norovirus spread? How long are you contagious with norovirus? What kills norovirus on surfaces? How to avoid norovirus when family has it? Our guest is Joanna Bisgrove, MD, family physician at Rush University Medical Center and a member of the AMA Council on Science & Public Health. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Can you stay healthy when traveling? How many measles outbreaks in 2025? Which countries have measles? What is immune amnesia? What is sleep maxxing? Discussing rising measles cases globally, avian flu in chickens, dengue fever news, immune amnesia, and how to get better sleep with the latest sleep trend in 2025 with AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Finding a lawyer for doctors: Do I need an employment contract lawyer? What do physician contracts include? How long are most physician contracts? A health care attorney shares insights on navigating the complexities of doctor employment agreements and the importance of hiring a healthcare lawyer for contract review and negotiation. Guest Richard Levenstein, JD, attorney at law at Nason Yeager, discusses common issues in contracts, negotiation strategies, and the long-term implications of contract terms on a physician's career. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How many measles cases in 2025? Should you go to the hospital for measles? When did COVID start? How long can long COVID last? Why are microplastics bad? Covering the latest measles outbreak news, recent flu vaccine meeting updates, plus new studies on long COVID and the health effects of microplastics on the body with AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Having to close your doctor's office: Why is it so hard to see a doctor? Why would you close a medical practice? What's it like to close a medical practice? Lisa Egbert, MD, speaker for the AMA House of Delegates, talks about how the latest Medicare payment cut forced her to make the difficult decision to close her practice and what this means for her patients. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Can cats get bird flu? Is there cure for measles? How many measles cases in the US? Is the new COVID vaccine effective? Why are cancer screenings declining? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses post-pandemic cancer screening rates, latest updates on the measles outbreak, bird flu in cattle, H5N1 in pets, and the effectiveness of the COVID vaccine. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How is medical education changing? What is precision education? What does the AMA give grants for? What is an example of precision education in medicine? Our guests are Sanjay Desai, MD MACP, chief academic officer, and Kim Lomis, MD, vice president of medical education innovations, with the American Medical Association. AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Who should have hormone replacement therapy? What age does menopause start? Can menopause affect your heart? Why does menopause increase risk of heart disease? Our guest, Melissa Joy Tracy, MD, professor of medicine and systems medical director of cardiac rehabilitation, at Rush University Medical Center, discusses the latest science on how to prevent heart disease after menopause. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Why was the flu shot meeting cancelled? Can you die from measles? Why have measles come back in the US? Why are eggs so expensive? How does bird flu spread to humans? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, USDA's bird flu response, new research on long COVID in kids, as well as the FDA canceling a flu vaccines meeting. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Does med school prepare you for residency? What is competency-based medical education? What is an example of competency-based education? Our guests are Laura Edgar, EdD, senior vice president of competencies, milestones, and faculty development at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; Lisa Howley, PhD, MEd, senior director of transforming medical education at the Association of American Medical Colleges; and Mark Speicher, senior vice president of research, learning, and innovation at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is an extreme risk order? How many states have ERPO laws? What are the criteria for an ERPO? Do ERPO laws work? American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger is joined by two guests from Johns Hopkins University. Spencer Cantrell, JD, is an assistant scientist of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. She is also the co-lead of the National ERPO Resource Center. Katherine Hoops, MD, MPH, is an associate professor of pediatric critical care medicine. She also represents critical care medicine on the AMA Firearm Injury Prevention Task Force.

What's the new long COVID study? How bad is this year's flu? How many measles vaccines do you need? What food has been recalled? When to get RSV vaccine pregnancy? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the ongoing flu season, 2025 measles outbreak news, a new study on long COVID in women, uptake of maternal RSV vaccines, as well as food recalls and financial challenges faced by rural healthcare facilities. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is a leadership program? Why is leadership training important for physicians? Why are leadership skills important in health care? Our guest, Nigel Girgrah, MD, PhD, chief wellness officer at Ochsner Health, discusses the critical connection between physician burnout and feeling valued at work, as well as the importance of career development and leadership programs in enhancing job satisfaction for doctors. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Who is responsible for getting pre authorization? How can pharmacists help doctors? What can the technician do to help expedite prior authorization? Our guests from Geisinger Health System are Kristen Kruszewski, director of pharmacy strategy, Seth Gazes, associate vice president of pharmacy strategy and planning, and Jerry Greskovic, vice president of ambulatory pharmacy services. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

How bad is the flu right now? Can people get the bird flu? How do you get bird flu? What states have bird flu? Are measles going around? How contagious are measles? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the current bird flu outbreak 2025—including cases of avian flu among veterinarians. Also covering how dangerous seasonal flu is this year, and the rising measles cases in the U.S. fueled by the Texas measles outbreak. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is the role of research in medical education? How important is research for residency? What are good research topics for medical students? Our guest, Frederick Chen, MD, MPH, chief health and science officer at the American Medical Association, discusses the growing importance of research in medical education and residency. He explains how research helps medical students stand out in a competitive admissions process and provides valuable skills like scientific methods and teamwork. Dr. Chen also shares insights from his own experience in residency, and talks about the AMA Research Challenge for students and residents with a $10,000 grand prize. AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Is religion good for your health? What is spiritual health care? How is spirituality related to health? Why is spirituality important in health care? Is there a relationship between spirituality and health? Our guest, Christina Puchalski, MD, professor of medicine and executive director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality & Health, discusses the integration of spirituality into healthcare and shares her journey in developing medical school curriculum on spiritual care for patient health and well-being. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What kills the most Americans? What type of flu is going around? How much is a flu test? How many people died from COVID? What causes heart disease in women? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses cardiovascular disease statistics, heart disease in women, the latest bird flu developments, and flu test at home. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Do gun violence prevention programs work? Why is my doctor asking if I own guns? Why are doctors asking about guns? How can doctors help with gun safety? Our guest Chethan Sathya, MD, director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention at Northwell Health, joins to discuss the critical issue of gun safety and how hospitals can use a strategic framework that includes community engagement, research, policy development, clinical integration, and medical education. Dr. Sathya emphasizes the importance of screening patients for gun violence risk and how the AMA is advocating for firearm violence prevention to create impactful change. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is going on with eggs in the U.S.? Is there a new strain of bird flu? How do you treat TB? How is TB transmitted? What is the most recent Ebola outbreak? Today's episode covers tuberculosis cases in the U.S., the outbreak of TB in Kansas City, and the emergence of a new bird flu strain H5N9. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, also breaks down the ongoing Ebola situation in Uganda. She highlights the implications of these health threats, outlines the importance of infectious disease monitoring, virus tracking, and timely public health response strategies. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Is social media useful in medicine? What is health misinformation? How is social media impacting health care? How to address medical misinformation online? Science communicator and medical mythbuster, Joel Bervell, MD, discusses what motivated him to become a doctor and shares details for his new STEM show on Youtube "The Doctor Is In," which is designed to inspire young children to pursue careers in healthcare. Dr. Bervell also shares insights on how social media is changing medicine, and encourages other physicians to follow their passions in creating impactful content. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is Joy in Medicine? Why are there mental health questions on physician licensure? What is the goal of the AMA Joy in Medicine Recognition Program? Kevin Hopkins, MD, physician director of health system engagement at the American Medical Association, explains the ins and outs of the AMA Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program. Dr. Hopkins shares examples from past AMA Joy in Medicine honorees, tips for health system leaders, and recent changes for the 2025 application cycle, including updates on medical credentialing language and teamwork assessment. AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts. 

Should I be worried about bird flu? How dangerous is the new COVID variant? How does bird flu spread to humans? Is bird flu going to become a pandemic? What is HMPV? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the "mystery virus" human metapneumovirus, that HMPV is not new, and shares trends in seasonal influenza and COVID-19 cases. Also covering the latest bird flu news of H5N9 on a California duck farm, as well as a raw pet food recall and the dangers of H5N1 for dogs and cats. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

Which physician has the highest burnout? How does gender affect burnout? Why is mental health important for healthcare workers? Our guest, Mary Pan, MD, family medicine physician and chief wellness officer at the Washington Permanente Medical Group, discusses the ongoing issue of burnout among women physicians, the persistent gender gap in burnout rates, and outlines innovative health care support systems like physician mentorship and peer support to improve the well-being of doctors. Dr. Pan shares insights from the AMA's Mini-Z Survey, which shows that while burnout rates are decreasing, women still experience higher levels of burnout compared to men—especially when it comes to work done outside of regular hours. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What is value-based care? How does value-based care work? How to optimize value-based care? What is population health management? What is cost control in healthcare? Our guest is Lori Prestesater, senior vice president of Health Solutions at the American Medical Association, discusses the evolution of value-based care delivery and the the three pillars of value-based care: population health and quality management, cost management, and alternative payment models. She shares CPT code news and examples of CPT code changes in healthcare payment models, like the rise of digitally enabled care during the COVID pandemic for telehealth and telemedicine services. AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts.

What does Ozempic do? What are the side effects of Ozempic? Is bird flu still around? Is there a vaccine for norovirus? Is red dye 3 banned in US? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses high rates of COVID, RSV, and seasonal flu, as well as the recent CDC alert regarding hospital testing and treatments for bird flu. Also covering the FDA ban on red dye no. 3, plus new research on how GLP-1 drugs could lower the risk of 42 health conditions like Alzheimer's, dementia, substance abuse disorders and more. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.