HealthSource Radio at the University of Vermont Medical Center

The University of Vermont Health Network is undergoing a significant upgrade to its electronic health record system, which will impact the Network’s patients and providers across Vermont and northern New York. To better understand these changes, we invited leaders from across the Network to sit down for one-on-one Q+A conversations. This is our conversation with Adam Buckley, MD, chief information officer at The University of Vermont Health Network.

The University of Vermont Health Network is undergoing a significant upgrade to its electronic health record system which will impact the Network’s patients and providers across Vermont and northern New York. To better understand these changes, Neal Goswami of the University of Vermont Medical Center invites leaders from across the Network to sit down for one-on-one Q+A conversations.

The University of Vermont Health Network is embarking on a major upgrade to its electronic health record system. Over the next several years, hospitals in the network will be transitioning to a system called Epic. We'll be chatting with several network leaders about the transition and what it means for patients and providers.

Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States. In Vermont, child neglect and abuse has increased by 60 percent since 2012. James Metz, MD, talks to us about the signs of child abuse and much more. Dr. Metz is pediatrician at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and assistant professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.

Have you heard of the inherited heart condition that affects about 1 in 500 people? It’s called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and it causes an enlarged heart, which may result in chest pain, dizziness, and even a sudden cardiac arrest. Here to talk to us about the tiny molecular motors that power the heart, mutations that enhance their function, and UVM research discoveries in this area is David Warshaw, PhD, Professor and Chair of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics at the University of Vermont.

According to the American Heart Association, about five million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year. Harold Dauerman, MD, cardiologist at UVM Medical Center, talks about what heart valve disease is and new treatments for it. Dauerman is a professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.

More than five million Americans have heart failure, making it one of the leading causes of hospitalization. 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. Experts estimate that by 2030 more than eight million Americans will have heart failure, that's one out of every 33 people. Heart failure also accounts for the highest 30 day admission rate of any diagnosis. With more than one million hospitalizations each year in the US. A new program with the University of Vermont Health Network is helping to reduce that rate, seeing a 14 percent reduction in its first year. Robert Hamble, a heart failure nurse clinician at the University of Vermont Medical Center, talks with us about his work on this issue.

Intermittent fasting refers to an eating style where you eat within a specific time period and fast the rest of the time. Some say intermittent fasting is an effective way to lose weight, others say it's not safe. Bridgette Shay RD and Emily Claremont, RD, both registered dietitians at The University of Vermont Medical Center talk about the new trend.

A new eating disorder is getting noticed by healthcare providers. Orthorexia refers to an obsession with proper or healthful eating. People with orthorexia become so fixated on healthy eating that they actually do damage to their own well-being. Orthorexia is not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, but awareness is growing. Dr. Amy Littlefield is a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist with a board certification in integrative oncology. She now partners with the University of Vermont Cancer Center to provide treatment of cancer patients during chemotherapy infusion, and will talk to us about Orthorexia.

Statistics show only 9.2% of people ever achieve their New Year's resolutions. So are they worth it, and if so, how do you achieve them? Corey Cenate and Sarah Yandow are both health coaches with the employee wellness program at The University of Vermont Medical Center. Cenate and Yandow talk about how to keep your resolution.

A little known medical condition known by the four letters PCOS is a major cause of infertility and risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. If you watch the popular NBC television series, This Is Us, you may be familiar with main character Kate struggles with PCOS related obesity and infertility. PCOS refers to polycystic ovary syndrome. Jennifer Dundee, MD is a gynecologist who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Vermont Medical Center. She's also an assistant professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.

Your body needs Vitamin D for bone growth and health and other important body functions. But many of us are Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression and weight gain. Bridget Shea, RD, and Emily Clairmont, RD are both are registered dieticians at the University of Vermont Medical Center. They will be talking about why we need Vitamin D and how to get more of it.

Less than 10 years ago, e-cigarettes hit the market. Today, more than 460 different e-cigarette brands are available. They are popular among teens, and are now the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States. Yet, e-cigarettes may cause damage that may be worse than conventional cigarettes. Gayle Finkelstein, MSRN, talks about the impact of e-cigarettes and what Vermont is doing to combat teen usage. She's a poison prevention educator with the Northern New England Poison Center and the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Dr. Joseph Ravera is Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the University of Vermont Children's Hospital. He talks to us about common holiday and winter-related illnesses and injuries, how to prevent them, and provides details on the new pediatric ER at the UVM Medical Center, set to open in 2019.

Andrea Villanti, PhD, MPH, talks to us about lung cancer and smoking – and much more. Villanti is an associate professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Vermont. She specializes in understanding tobacco use, including predictors and patterns of tobacco use in young people, as well as how to improve tobacco control policy and program decision making, including tobacco regulatory science.

Matthew Gilbert, DO, MPH, an endocrinologist at the UVM Medical Center and associate professor at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, brings us up to date about the difference between these two diseases, the range of treatment advances, and the new options and technologies available to patients.

Rich Wyckoff, Regional Information Security Officer for the New York affiliates of the University of Vermont Health Network, provides expert information on cybersecurity and tips on how to protect yourself from an attack. He also discusses how the UVM Health Network keeps patient and employee information safe.

Rich Wyckoff, Regional Information Security Officer for the New York affiliates of the University of Vermont Health Network, provides expert information on cybersecurity and tips on how to protect yourself from an attack. He also discusses how the UVM Health Network keeps patient and employee information safe.

Debra Leonard, MD, PhD, talks about the latest advances in genetic testing and what it means for patients and families. Dr. Leonard is chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the UVM Health Network and professor and chair of the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine at UVM.

Benjamin Lee, MD, is a pediatric infectious diseases physician at the UVM Children's Hospital. He is also a researcher at the Vaccine Testing Center at the University of Vermont. He talks about what makes the flu deadly, why the flu vaccine is important, and how to stay healthy.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disabling central nervous system disease. MS may result in a range of physical and cognitive problems. Globally, 2.3 million people live with multiple sclerosis. Recently a study at UVM identified misdiagnosis of MS as a problem with significant consequences for patients. Pilot studies at UVM also showed that new MRI methods may improve MS diagnosis.

Every time you eat you change body chemistry. As a result, you can either increase or decrease your inflammation and pain. Whether chronic pain is associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or injury, the foods you choose to fuel your body make a difference.

Peter Jackson, MD, a pediatric psychiatrist at the UVM Medical Center, and assistant professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM, and Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D, a professor of pharmacology at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM discuss the safety of marijuana.

Evidence shows that acupuncture can be used to treat chronic pain. Robert Davis, MS, L.Ac, a licensed acupuncturist affiliated with the University of Vermont Integrative Health and the UVM Medical Center Comprehensive Pain Program received a federal grant to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture and see how it can contribute to the fight against the opioid crisis

Childhood experiences, both positive and negative, have a lifelong impact on our health and wellbeing. Consider this: People with positive childhood experiences live 20 more years on average than those with negative experiences. That’s quite an impact. And there’s more. The landmark Kaiser ACE Study — ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experience —shows links between negative experiences and risky behavior, psychological issues, serious illness, and the leading causes of death.

Anyone who has seen movies like Contagion, or watched the news during coverage of the Ebola or Zika crises knows how scary infectious diseases can be and the panic they can set in motion. The heroes of these stories are the people developing the vaccines. What you might not know is that some of these heroes are right here in our backyard at the Vaccine Testing Centerat the Larner College of Medicine at UVM. In the interview that follows, Ross Colgate, PhD, MPH, a faculty scientist with the Vaccine Testing Center, describes the group's work.

Many of us hear the term “gluten free” and scratch our heads. Grocery store shelves are filled with “gluten free” products. And, while for some going “gluten free” is a simple diet choice, for others with celiac disease it is a dire health concern. Celiac disease affects about one percent of the US population. It is rare and there is no cure, so treating the disease with dietary changes is critical to overall health. Bridget Shea, RD, a registered dietician at the University of Vermont Medical Center, offers information, tips, and shares a very personal experience with us.

Today suicide ranks as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. But in Vermont it's the eighth leading cause of death. In recent years in Vermont, people have died by suicide at a rate more than 35% higher than the national average. With the recent deaths of high profile celebrities like Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, as well as a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that shows a significant rise in depression and suicide, questions and fears about suicide abound. Here to talk to us is Thomas Delaney, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and a researcher based in the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program.

With the advent of online health advice sites, a self-diagnosis and its possible treatment are only a few mouse clicks away. Carrying your anxieties about your health into your internet searches may be a symptom that you've got the increasingly common ailment you won't find diagnosed there: Cyberchondria. Here to talk to us about cyberchondria is Alan Lampson, MLS, a medical librarian and lead of the Frymoyer Community Health Resource Center at The University of Vermont Medical Center.

More than 40 million Americans suffer from varicose veins. For some, varicose veins are a cosmetic nuisance, but for others, they can be quite painful, and could be an indication of other circulatory issues. But what are varicose veins, and how can we really deal with them? Here to shed some light on this vascular condition is Dr. Matthew Alef, a vascular surgeon at the University of Vermont Medical Center, and an assistant professor at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine.

Pretty much everyone has heard of or maybe even tried a fad diet. You've probably heard of Atkins, Paleo, and Whole30 and probably many, many more. The list of diets goes on and on. The latest trendy diet is a Ketogenic diet, also known as the Keto diet. Is this diet a dangerous form of food deprivation, or a healthy way of eating for all of us to embrace? Here to help us answer that question and more, is Bridget Shea RD, a registered dietitian at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Today over a million people in the US are living with HIV, the number of new infections in the US continues to decline. But annual infections and diagnoses have increased among some groups, so testing is still critically important. Here to talk to us about this topic are Zpora Perry, a social worker with the Infectious Disease Clinic and the HIV Care Clinic at the UVM Medical Center and Jay, a Vermonter living with HIV, who is here to share his story with us.

In the United States, more than 15 million informal caregivers, primarily family, provide unpaid care to people with Alzheimer's disease. It can take a devastating toll. Here to talk to us about the ups and downs of caregiving are Pamela Bydler, director of programs and outreach at the Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and Maggie Evans, a school counselor in Franklin County, Vermont who is caregiver to her husband Larry. Larry was diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer's disease in his late 50's.

It's becoming clearer than ever that health isn't just about what happens in the hospital or the doctor’s office. Health is impacted by so many factors including what we eat, where we live, and the resources around us. That's why every three years, the University of Vermont Medical Center and its community partners come together to conduct a community health needs assessment to understand what can be improved in our community to help people get and stay as healthy as they can be.

Most of us know someone who has had a stroke. The earlier you recognize a stroke and start treatment, the better the chances for a good recovery. Knowing the symptoms, and immediately dialing 911 are the most important steps for survival. Listen to our interview about stroke prevention and what is being done to make sure that patients receive quality stroke care when they need it with Dr. Guillermo Linares, director of the UVM Health Network Stroke Center, and Assistant Professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.

Summertime in Vermont and the Northeast brings green pastures, tall grass, warm weather, and ticks. Most tick-borne diseases are transmitted early in summer months like May, June, and July, but the season really lasts all the way into fall. Early in the season is the most important time to take extra precautions to prevent those tick bites. Here to teach us a little bit about tick-borne diseases and how to prevent them is Michelle Bell, registered nurse at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Every May, National Nurses Week gives us an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the immeasurable impact that nursing professionals have at the bedside and beyond, supporting and caring for patients and their families at every stage of life. The UVM Medical Center celebrates our nurses this week and today on HealthSource Radio, we're taking a look at some of the new and exciting opportunities for nurses and aspiring nurses in Vermont. Joining us to talk about the profession of nursing is Kate FitzPatrick, Chief Nursing Officer at the UVM Medical Center.

Many doctors' offices, hospitals, and clinics have hired advanced practice providers to offer more access to healthcare, especially in places where there are not enough physicians to provide needed healthcare services, but some patients might be confused by the term. Advanced practice providers, or APPs, are non-physician members of a healthcare team. They include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and others. APPs may not be physicians, but they are clinical providers who have undergone specialized education, training, certification and licensure. This makes APPs valuable to any healthcare team, especially in places where it can be difficult to get an appointment. Today, we have Christine O'Neill, director of advanced practice providers at the UVM Medical Center and a physician assistant.

Aptly named the cruise ship virus for its ability to rapidly spread through a population, norovirus is one of the most contagious viruses out there. And one of the most common. Worldwide, about one out of every five cases of a diarrhea and vomiting illness is caused by norovirus. This amounts to 685 million cases of norovirus every year. Here to talk to us today about norovirus and maybe how to avoid it is Angela Theiss, MD, second year pathology resident at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Bone disease is a condition that damages the skeleton, and makes bones weak and prone to fractures. While you may think that weak bones are a natural part of aging, people of all ages can improve their bone health. Here to tell us how to keep our bones strong and tell us more about common bone diseases is Dr. Jennifer Kelly, Endocrinologist and Director of the Metabolic Bone Program at the UVM Medical Center, and Associate Professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.

Blood loss, or hemorrhage, is the most common cause of preventable death, except for injury. In many cases, medical personnel are not on the scene of a car accident, or hunting accident, or maybe an injury at work, quickly enough to control bleeding. That leaves it to average folks to step in and help out. That's why trauma surgeons from around the country created a campaign called Stop The Bleed, which has already trained about 100,000 people in the US. The trauma team at the UVM Medical Center wants to add to that number and will soon begin offering free public courses. Here to tell us more about that today is Dr. Tim Lee. He's an acute care surgeon at the UVM Medical Center and assistant professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.

Prostate cancer kills 30,000 American men each year, or one out of every 40 men. And one of every nine will be diagnosed with it sometime in their lifetime. Dr. James Wallace, a radiation oncologist and chief of radiation oncology at the UVM Medical Center, and an associate professor at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM talks about who should get tested for prostate cancer and when, learn about the value of certain tests and hear about some very interesting research happening here at the UVM Medical Center and UVM Cancer Center that aims to improve how risk is determined, among other things.

Dr. Christopher Brady, an ophthalmologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and assistant professor at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, discusses diabetic retinopathy, a disease that affects nearly 8 million Americans and is a leading cause of blindness in adults.

A discussion with Dr. Stephen Leffler, Chief Population Health and Quality Officer at the UVM Health Network and an emergency medicine physician about the progress we've made in combating the opioid crisis and how far we have to go.

Dr. Jesse Moore, a colon and rectal surgeon at the UVM Medical Center and an associate professor at the Larner College of Medicine talks about who is at risk for colorectal cancer and how to get tested to catch this cancer early.

In this conversation with Judy Peterson, president and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties, we learn how more and more care is being delivered at home – from wound care, recovery from surgery and tele-monitoring for patients with chronic disease to even the most complicated treatments like ventilators and feeding tubes. She also describes how coordination of patient care across all providers will improve now that the VNA has joined the University of Vermont Health Network.

A new clinical trial done at the University of Vermont shows that magnesium may be a safe, effective, and less expensive treatment option for mild to moderate depression. We spoke with one of the leaders of this clinical trial, Emily Tarleton, PhD, RD, CD. She is a Bionutrition Research Manager at the University of Vermont's Clinical Research Center.

It's a new year and that means a new opportunity to trade our unhealthy habits for healthy ones. But, some people may be tired of making the same old New Year's resolutions regarding eating, losing weight, fitness, sleep, tons of different things. Learn more about approaching behavior change in a new way and setting resolutions with Bridget Shea, a registered dietician and Audrey Munroe, a licensed clinical social worker both from the UVM Medical Center Community Health Team.

A conversation that occurred on WDEV’s “Open Mike” program on January 11, 2018. Host Mike Smith interviewed Dr. John Brumsted, president and CEO of the UVM Health Network and Judy Peterson, president and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties about the two organizations deciding to create a formal affiliation.

Today on HealthSource, we're joined by Jennifer Levy, one of our physical therapists at the UVM Medical Center, to talk about physical therapy as an alternative treatment option for many types of pain. Hoping to avoid addiction and looking for ways to treat the underlying causes of their pain rather than mask it, many patients and physicians are considering whether non-opioid approaches such as physical therapy may be better in some cases.

Your Pelvic Floor: Why You Should Care About It by The University of Vermont Medical Center