Healthcare Insights

Tamar Blue is Y Combinator Alum, founder and CEO of MentalHappy. Her passion for formulating mental health solutions began in high school when she started a peer support organization and now heads up a company providing online support groups for practices to extend office hours and outreach to clients and patients. More about the Mental Happy platform here: https://www.mentalhappy.com/ And more about Tamar here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarlucienblue/

Dr. Evans is the CEO and co-founder of Wellness and Equity Alliance, a national alliance of public health clinicians and supporting operations committed to transforming health care delivery to vulnerable communities. He is an experienced and passionate infectious disease and public health expert who has been on the front lines of major disease outbreaks (including two Ebola outbreaks) around the globe. He is also the author of "Pandemics, Poverty, & Politics - Decoding the Social and Political Drivers of Pandemics from Plague to Covid-19." Read more about Dr. Evans here: https://www.tylerevansmd.com/

Thomas is a business communication consultant, coach, entrepreneur, and author of the book TASK: Performance Based Communication. He shares insights and tactics to communication effectively, to understand, and to generate positive outcomes when working with patients, clients, customers, and colleagues. This is his third appearance on the podcast. Learn more about TASK at https://www.amazon.com/TASK-Performance-Communication-Thomas-Reid/dp/1792161018

Ronny Bell, PhD, MS, is chair of the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy and the Fred Eshelman Distinguished Professor. His research focuses on health disparities in cancer as well as a concentration in chronic disease disparities with an emphasis on rural and underserved populations. As an enrolled member of the Lumbee tribe of eastern North Carolina, and Chair of the North Carolina American Indian Health Board, he is particularly interested in factors that contribute to health disparities in American Indian populations. Read more at https://pharmacy.unc.edu/directory/bellr/

Barbara L. Nye MD is a Board-Certified Neurologist, UCNS Board Certified Headache subspecialist. She is the Director of the Headache Fellowship at Atrium Health – Wake Forest Baptist and Associate Professor of Neurology at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Dr. Nye talks about her clinical approach, current treatment approaches, and advocacy for patients suffering from headache disorders. More on Dr. Nye at https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/n/barbara-l-nye

Dr. Smiler returns to the podcast to discuss men's health, challenges men and boys are facing in the modern era, and what it means to be a man in America in the 21st Century. Learn more about Dr. Smiler at https://andrewsmiler.com/

Mark is the CEO and co-founder of Nomi Health, a company with a mission to fix healthcare by building better system from the ground up. Mark shares his experience as an entrepreneur and as a healthcare consumer, and provides insights into what is wrong with current payment systems, how they impact care delivery, and how his company is creating a transparent system between providers and payers. Read more about Nomi Health at https://www.nomihealth.com/

Dr. Wells is a professor of neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Director of the Comprehensive Headache Program at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. She shares what she has learned in over 20 years of patient care and research on non-pharmacological approaches to treating migraine, and her current work on the mind/body connection to combat Migraine disease. More about Dr. Wells here: https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/w/rebecca-erwin-wells Participate in her latest clinical trial "Be WELL with Migraine" here: https://www1.wakehealth.edu/beinvolved/eng/studies/IRB00079570 Get CE Credit: This episode is part of the free Podcast CE Learning Series. Earn CE credit for listening! Register here: http://nwahec.org/75184

Crystal Norman is the Regional Long-term Care Ombudsman at Piedmont Triad Regional Council. She shares her experience and knowledge about navigating the realities of skilled nursing, assisted living, and long term care in our area. More about PTRC here: https://www.ptrc.org/ More about Crystal here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalleenorman/

April is the Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. She shares her insights of providing care to the uninsured population in North Carolina and the challenges of providing care in the 65 clinics across North Carolina. Read more about April and the NCAFCC at https://ncafcc.org/

Amol Joshi, researcher, educator, engineer, technology innovator, joins the podcast for a far ranging conversation about technology, innovation, education, artificial intelligence, and dreaming big. He shares his experience working with students, founders, executive, and venture capital and discusses ethical concerns, the importance of trust and confidence. Read more about Amol here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amolmjoshi/

Heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Dr. Shapiro joins us to discuss the increase in cardiovascular disease mortality, the primary causes and risk factors associated with CVD, common treatment approaches, and advances in screenings for risk and new treatments. Read more about Dr. Shapiro at https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/s/michael-d-shapiro

Summer McGee, President of Salem Academy and College, returns to the podcast to give an update of progress since her arrival as President of the institution. Summer shares her insights and experience on a variety of topics including: - How Salem is preparing young leaders for healthier communities - Infusing health and wellness across the curricula and developing new health-related programs and leadership development - The current state of women in leadership roles - Developing the next generation of women leaders and the path to leadership - Building confidence and keeping interest high in non-traditional pursuits in a single sex environment - Updates on the Academy college prep experience - Growth in size and geographical reach - The role of athletics and growth in the athletics programs - Cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit and partnerships in the innovation community - Recruiting and retaining faculty in a competitive landscape - Changes in the approach from Janterm to Maymester - The importance of student mental and physical health - Growth around Old Salem and South Broad Street and creating bridges to and partnerships with surrounding communities - The use of artificial intelligence at the college - Balancing protection of women only spaces and inclusion with regards to transgenderism - Future direction of the Health Leadership Forum - Collaboration and support from other women leaders in the community Learn more about Summer and Salem at https://www.salem.edu

Katie joins the podcast to discuss the effects of social media on adolescents' mental health, including issues such as anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia, and discuss strategies to mitigate these effects. We talk about various coping mechanisms and resilience-building strategies that can help adolescents and young adults navigate the challenges of modern life. And she offers several tactics to manage social media and device usage effectively. Read more about Katie at https://www.ksempowers.com

Luka is the CEO of Grapevine, a company with a mission to transform healthcare procurement. From college dorm to medical supply chain optimization, Luka describes how he helped transform the medical supply procurement supply chain to make it easier and more cost effective to purchase medical supplies from multiple vendors and why it became his mission to start a company that helps practices spend less time and money on procurement and more time on patient care. More about Grapevine here https://www.go-grapevine.com/

Dr. Diamantidis, a research clinician in nephrology and the interim director of the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity (MACHE) at Wake Forest University School of Medicine - delves into the significant disparities in nephrology and discusses the inequities in diagnosis and treatment, particularly among Black and Hispanic populations, and explores the causes of these disparities. She also highlights importance of community partnerships in mitigating health disparities, the higher costs associated with delayed care, and innovative treatments like mRNA-based therapies and transplants. Additionally, she addresses the barriers to kidney transplants and informs us about the kidney donation process, scientific advancements- in the quest for cures for kidney disease, and the current state of dialysis treatments for kidney disease. More about Dr. Diamantidis here: https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/d/clarissa-jonas-diamantidis More about MACHE here: https://school.wakehealth.edu/research/institutes-and-centers/clinical-and-translational-science-institute/maya-angelou-center-for-health-equity

Northwest AHEC began in 1974. In this special episode we take a moment to connect with colleagues, faculty, and partners to reflect on the many ways in which Northwest AHEC has impacted the health of the region over the past 50 years.

Angela Sharkey, MD, FAAP, is a professor of pediatrics and special advisor to the Dean for Education Innovation at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Sharkey shares her passion for teaching and learning and shares the vision of the next generation virtual immersive teaching and learning environments using cutting edge technology to potentially transform and accelerate healthcare education. Read more about Dr. Sharkey here: https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/s/angela-sharkey

David Zaas, MD, MBA is a lung transplant pulmonologist, clinician, researcher, and professor in Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Immunologic Diseases. He is also the President of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Dr. Zaas shares many insights into talent recruitment, working as a physician scientist in an academic medical center, his exposure to science and medicine as a young volunteer, challenges in the business of delivering quality care, advances in lung transplantation and medical education, AI and the pace of discovery and innovation, and much more. Learn more about Dr. Zaas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzaasmd/

Terri Yates, PhD is the Vice Chief Academic Officer – Health Professions for Advocate Health. Her role partners with the Deans, Department Chairs and Presidents of the education programs within Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Carolinas College of Health Sciences, and Cabarrus College of Health Sciences. Her role provides the coordination, planning, and strategic vision for the program's growth and expansion as it relates to Health System workforce needs. We talk about the opportunities and challenges that face educating tomorrow's healthcare workforce. Learn more about Terri here: https://school.wakehealth.edu/about-the-school/leadership/terri-yates

Mark Shill, president of Intelligent Business Solutions, Inc., has been building tech solutions in healthcare for over 35 years. He has been involved with artificial intelligence since 1984. We talk about the evolution and adaptation of technology in the healthcare sector and his new project in "social and community care" providing solutions that connect community members to needed services. More about his company here: https://thesolutions.com/ and more about Mark here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-shill/

Dr. Gurcan is the director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and the Clinical Image Analysis Lab at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. We talk about AI in healthcare, his early work in imaging, and his excitement and concerns about developments in AI with regard to healthcare delivery for all. Find out more about Dr. Gurcan at https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/g/metin-nafi-gurcan and the Center for AI Research at https://school.wakehealth.edu/research/institutes-and-centers/center-for-artificial-intelligence-research

Tina is the Director of Client Services of Crisis Control Ministry where she trains and oversees the Client Services volunteers and manages the department's budget. Margaret is the Executive Director of Crisis Control Ministry where she is responsible for the overall operations of the ministry as well as community relations, board relations, fundraising and strategic planning.

Shannon Dowler, MD (aka Rap DKTA D) discusses the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections across the state and country, the concern of drug resistance, and STIs in the era of hookup apps. Learn more about Dr. Dowler and watch Rap DKTA D's videos at https://www.shannondowlermd.com/

Ruth Benca, MD is the Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. She is a researcher on sleep and sleep-related conditions. We talk about the common problems associated with sleep deprivation and strategies for better sleep. Learn more about Dr. Benca here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-benca-86b12026/

Emergency Department doctor Stephen Lee Powell, MD talks about emergency medicine, challenges in medical care, training for emergency medical careers, and much more in this episode of Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina. More about Stephen at https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/p/stephen-lee-powell

Marvin and his team of licensed Medicare guides aim to liberate individuals from the confusion surrounding Medicare, empowering them with knowledge and guidance for a worry-free retirement through optimal Medicare plans. Find out more at https://medicareschool.com/

Rachel Patricia Zimmer, DNP, NP is an assistant professor in implementation science at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Reverend Tembila Covington is the Senior Pastor at Exodus United Baptist Church and a Program Director at Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods, both in Winston-Salem, NC. We discuss social drivers of health factors including access to care, food insecurity, poverty, housing, violence, and how community health workers and food prescriptions can help bridge the gap between healthcare systems and historically underserved communities. Learn more about Rachel at https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/z/rachel-patricia-zimmer and Rev. Covington at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tembila-covington-3ab1581b/

Soon, 20% of the US population will be over the age of 65, and amouting to 40-50% of clinical and hospital encounters. Hal Atkinson is a professor and clinician in gerontology and geriatric medicine and Wake Forest University School of Medicine and joins us to talk about the two main hypothesis for the cause for Alzhieimer's disease and the latest in treatments for slowing cognitive decline. We learn about the difference between dementia and Alzheimers, factors related to cognitive decline, and the GUIDE program for supporting patients, families, and caregivers including cargiver respite funding. More about Hal here: https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/a/hal-huntley-atkinson

Gretchen is a pediatric physician with Twin City Pediatrics in Clemmons, NC. She talks about the rise in depression, anxiety, and ADHD in pediatrics and the need for more mental health providers for that population. More about Gretchen here: https://www.shotshurtless.com/providers/gretchen-hoyle

Dr. Gligorovic returns to the podcast to discuss the role of tele-psychiatry in the emergency department and shares his findings from a study of psychiatry visits in the ED before and during the COVID-19 pandemic response. We also discuss Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and other modalities to treat severe depression and OCD.

Kenneth T. Kishida is an Associate Professor at Wake Forest School of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, the Department of Neurosurgery, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His research grapples with the questions of how the human brain gives rise to conscious subjective experiences and how those processes guide human behavior and decision-making. Leanr more at https://www.kishidalab.com/

Beth is the Chief Executive Officer at Global Medical Virtual Assistants, a leader in providing trained medical virtual assistants to the healthcare industry. We talk about how virtual assistants can reduce staffing costs and streamline practices in front and back office tasks at scale. See more at https://www.globalmedicalva.com/

Jennifer is the VP of Industry Partnerships and Continuous Innovation at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, NC. We discuss the business climate and career growth potential in today's workforce. Learn more about FTCC at https://www.forsythtech.edu/

Sebastian Kaplan, PhD is a clinical psychologist at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We discuss teens and family therapy and approaches to counseling parents and teens. Learn more about Sebastian at https://www.wakehealth.edu/providers/k/sebastian-g-kaplan

Jamaul is a Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Jrumz Earwear, Director of Community Outreach at High Level Speech and Hearing Center, a musician, and a brand consultant for healthcare practices. He shares his ideas for creating revenue streams that compliment serving patients in the healthcare practice setting. Learn more about Jamaul at https://www.instagram.com/jamaulthemaven/?hl=en

Bo is the executive director of the Bethesda Center for the Homeless in Winston-Salem, NC. We talk about the center's services and the challenges and opportunities we face in serving a growing homeless population. More about the Bethesda Center here: https://www.bethesdacenter.org/

Katie Passaretti, MD, is vice president and enterprise chief epidemiologist at Atrium Health. Dr. Passaretti is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. She is a member of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Learn more about Katie here: https://atriumhealth.org/clinical-expert-details/katie-passaretti-md

Marketing chief from UnaliWear talks about data-driven fall detection and wearables in the "I've fallen and I can't get up" world of caregiving. We discuss aging with dignity, privacy, and agency, as well as innovation and possibilities to ensure peach of mind for loved ones and usability and acceptability of the end user. Disclosure: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The commercial product(s) discussed on this podcast are not in any way an endorsement by Northwest AHEC, WFU School of Medicine, AHWFB, NC AHEC, or any of its affiliates for the product or its purchase. See more at https://www.unaliwear.com/ The Truth about Medical Devices YouTube https://youtu.be/xz_2jW-ooso?si=ed6AkKsqlp-aA1sK

Wellness and life satisfaction coach, James Traub talks about anxiety and how to find relief from anxiety to live a healthier and more stress-free life. Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestraub/ and https://www.innerstate.life/

The CEO of BATCH, a Wisconsin-based wellness products e-commerce company, talks about growing hemp and producing high quality CBD products, doing business in the hemp and wellness markets, and breaks down the differences between CBD, CBG, CBN, THC, and the chemistry of isloates, synthetics such as THCp, Delta-8, and Delta-10, and natural compounds. Read more about BATCH at https://hellobatch.com/pages/about

Andrew Smiler, PhD, is an author and licensed therapist with expertise in adolescent boys, men, and masculinity. We talk about the state of masculinity in Western culture and how boys turn into men. Read more about Andrew at https://andrewsmiler.com/

With over 30 years of experience and over 200,000+ patient interactions, Dr. Byungyol “Bill” Chun has seen firsthand how the healthcare system fails women. And now, the board certified OB-GYN is dedicating his life to fixing it. See more at https://www.billchunmd.com/

Peter C. Yesawich, PhD is Chairman of Hospitable Healthcare Partners, LLC, and Vice Chairman, Emeritus of MMGY Global. Hospitable Healthcare introduces healthcare providers to an original service model based on principles the hospitality industry has used to create great guest experiences. Read more at https://hospitablehealthcare.com

Thomas Reid is the co-founder of several for profit and nonprofit companies providing services for at-risk children and their families. He sits on several boards, including the board of directors of Lifeskills Foundation. He also works as a business development consultant, providing executive coaching, leadership development and helping owners to identify and achieve targets and goals. His book "TASK: Performance Based Communication" can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/TASK-Performance-Communication-Thomas-Reid/dp/1792161018

Chris is an associate professor of bioethics at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC. We discuss issues related to research and ethical concerns and approaches with artificial intelligence.

Michael Soo joins once again to talk about the Endocannabinoid system and it's role in the human body.

Stacy Wentworth, MD is an Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist with a research interest in cancer survivorship. Read more about Stacy athttps://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/w/stacy-wentworth

Aimee Lischke, MD of the Gaudiani Clinic, talks about trends and issues around disordered eating and eating disorders. the Guadiani Clinic features medical providers committed to providing informed, inclusive, and compassionate care to patients/clients with eating disorders. See more at https://www.gaudianiclinic.com/team

Whole Health Partners focuses on metabolic health, chronic disease, and weight management through the lens of lifestyle medicine. Whole Health Partners is a women-owned, values-led lifestyle medicine and behavior change practice. Joining us this episode is Dr. Kate Queen, MD, Jenni Groves, MS, RD, LDN, and Kait Atkinson, MS, RD, LDN to talk about their approach to delivering health care to their patients.

Jayvein is a student leader at Fayetteville State University where he is the founder of their NAMI campus affiliate. He is active in the community, his church, and shares his survivor story of resilience and mental health treatment for trauma and substance use. He is eager to support others in their recovery journey to whole person centered wellness. Jayvein has been educating agencies and community-based organizations who are willing to support youth/young adults receiving mental health, substance use and/or trauma-related services. Jayvein has promoted recovery-oriented systems of care by advocating for meaningful youth/young adult participation as full partners in service planning and systems level decision-making and advocating for a system-wide oriented change through youth-led/guided approaches that is trauma-informed, promotes positive youth development and person centered pathways to mental wellness and substance use recovery.