Podcasts about Allegheny General Hospital

Jennifer Keeley and Mary Whittenhall, experienced nurse practitioners in the field of pulmonary hypertension, discuss the management of cough in patients receiving inhaled therapies for pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease. #GossamerBioPartner #sponsored This Special Edition episode is sponsored by Gossamer Bio. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: My name's Jennifer Keeley. I'm a nurse practitioner and I practice in a large academic institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Allegheny Health Network, specifically Allegheny General Hospital. I am a nurse practitioner there and have been in the clinic over 10 years, and in the PH space as a nurse practitioner for over 15 years, as a registered nurse for almost 20 years. So, I have a lot of experience and I'm really excited to be here today to talk about inhaled therapies and cough. Mary Whittenhall, MSN: My name is Mary Whittenhall. I'm also a nurse practitioner. I am currently an advanced practice provider at Pulmonary and Sleep Associates in East Providence, Rhode Island. I've been in pulmonary hypertension for about 11 years now. In that time, I have worked in a variety of settings, both inpatient and outpatient, managing patients with pulmonary vascular disease, and have also touched upon patients with interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension.  I get very excited when I hear about new opportunities for our PH patients. I think a lot about even when I started in pulmonary hypertension and the therapies that were available to our patients. Many of these therapies had been around for a little bit of time. But also something that I think is extremely exciting is that there's just been a rapid progression in development of therapies. And now, with the focus of looking at these therapies as potentially disease modifying, not necessarily slowing the progression of disease. With the advent of all of these new therapies, there become more options for our patients, as well. Often, patients can't tolerate some of the medications that we have due to side effects and despite lots of work to manage these side effects, the patients are not always successful. One of the great things being involved in an academic center is that we have the ability to help link patients to cutting edge research, particularly looking at a new drug that is an inhaled therapy that has shown significant promise in improving the lives of patients with pulmonary hypertension. As a part of the PH community, we all do quite a bit of networking with each other, as well as with our patients and other colleagues in the space. In that time, we did network regarding the study and have participated in some activities where we're looking at the data from the Phase 2 part of this trial and then also looking at some of the side effect management related to the medication, which seemingly is well tolerated. However, for some patients it may not come extremely easy. I think that's where the role of the nurse or the advanced practice provider really comes in this space is that we have a real strong dedication to helping educate patients about ways to manage these side effects. We want patients to be able to continue with therapies. We don't want them to say, "Well, this isn't working for me, it's time to move on." I think that we have a lot of strategies and a lot of experience with trying to help patients really figure out the best way to manage these things and to be confident that they can continue on with obviously the biggest benefit of improving their pulmonary vascular disease. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: We actually met at an advisory board last year. It was an advisory board consistent of registered nurses and nurse practitioners who, just like Mary and myself, have vast experience with patients and therapies, not just in the inhaled space, but more conventional pulmonary vasodilator medications that have been used in our patients for many, many years. As Mary had suggested before, when we start to think about newer agents, many, many of them are not the conventional pulmonary vasodilator medications, but disease modifying agents. Now, we've acquired an armamentarium of medications. So, inhaled delivery is just a really great option to avoid systemic side effects on top of each other. Our PH patients today, many of them are on more than three therapies, many of them are on four or even more therapies, so the delivery of the medication is just one aspect. When we talk about cough and side effects, I like to think about it and explain to my patient when we talk about side effects, particularly cough, to imagine a Venn diagram with cough being in the middle and what affects cough. You see this outward circle, how we deliver it, what kind of device we deliver it in. The drug, how small, large are the particle size? Is it easy enough to use for our patients? The formulation, is it dry powdered versus inhaled aerosolized? And then finally, just the patient themselves. What's their background? What type of PAH do they have? So, we can talk a little bit more about this, but just to get us started, this is how this developed and we had a lovely advisory board meeting with seralutinib and Gossamer Bio, and this was the outcome of it. We produced a lovely poster. This is a conversation if you will, that Mary and I are going to have based on what we talked about and the poster production, that came out of that wonderful advisory board. Mary Whittenhall, MSN: Inhaled therapies are unique in a way in that they actually have direct access to the lungs. So, when you think of an oral medication, an oral medication needs to be digested in the gut and sometimes that systemic digestion takes a while. Additionally, it's also often that we see patients that have more systemic side effects when we're using an oral formulation. Intravenous or subcutaneous formulations of these medications tend to cause pretty strong systemic side effects for patients, and there tends to be a lot of management that we need to do to help make these side effects more tolerable. For most of our patients, I say to them, "You're going to think I'm cruel because I don't really want these side effects to go away." In a way, we look at them almost as if you have a cup and your cup is full of water and after the top of the water hits the rim of the cup, then the water starts to spill over onto the sides of the cup. I think of other medications that we typically prescribe for patients in that way that when we get that spill over, so to speak, it's an indication that we've actually targeted all of those receptors that we want to help with vasodilation. Now that we're looking at other medications that don't really necessarily look at vasodilation, we're looking more at treating the blood vessels in a different way or affecting the process for which those blood vessels become diseased. I think that the side effects become different and I think they become less. In working with inhaled therapies, as you can imagine, the number one side effect that most patients will complain of is cough. Sometimes we have patients who have an underlying cough already, and that's usually not related to PAH, but in PH-ILD where we now have an FDA indication to use another inhaled therapy, we've seen in treating these patients that baseline cough is something that is extremely problematic for them before they even start therapies. So, trying to find ways to improve that baseline cough, treat any underlying symptoms, things like acid reflux as well, that may cause that, treating seasonal allergies, et cetera, and then, obviously, managing any additional overlapping side effects that may occur because of the new therapy that they're on. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: I think that's a really important part, is to talk with the patient, educate the patient on these inhaled therapies. First and foremost, that cough is almost an expected side effect. These are patients particularly with our interstitial lung disease patients that have PAH, cough is a part of their daily life. It's important to document and ascertain what these patients' baseline cough is. In many, many clinics, particularly pulmonary PAH clinics, and I'm sure much like Mary's, many of my colleagues have recommended using validated cough questionnaires so that we can get a really, really good baseline of what that patient's baseline cough is. Are you coughing at night? Do you have mucus? How long have you been coughing? Does it interfere with the quality of your life? Do you cough at night? Does it keep you up? Does it interrupt your sleep? Those kinds of things that help differentiate acute cough versus chronic cough. Many of these patients cough every day. They also have other inhaled therapies such as our ILD patients that are also on corticosteroids, many of them on inhaled corticosteroid therapy that can thin the oral pharynx, the posterior pharynx, and really affect the degree of nerve innervation in the posterior pharynx in the mouth. So, just really understanding what the patient's baseline cough is and educating them on the fact that cough is likely going to be a side effect with the use of this inhaled therapy. Certainly, as we continue to use the therapy, we would hope that the cough can be mitigated either through some lifestyle modifications, some natural remedies, and even some medical remedies such as bronchodilators. But really teaching the patient about the medication and inherently that this is likely going to induce a cough, but that we have mitigation strategies to help dissipate the cough. I always like to tell my patients also in the clinical trials, particularly the Phase 2 clinical trials that are out there that patients had a lot of cough. The patients on drug that were in most of the Phase 2 clinical trials for seralutinib and even for treprostinil inhaled, 30 to 40% of them experienced cough. But at the same token, the placebo-based patients that did not receive drug in these Phase 2 clinical trials also had a lot of cough. So, what that's telling you is yes, you're going to get probably some more cough, but it's likely not going to be that much or more far advanced than the cough that you're already experiencing. I also think it's important to tell these patients, many, many patients that experienced cough did not stop the medication. Actually, in these Phase 2 clinical trials, very few stop the medication. So, that gives you a really good big picture that we are pretty good at educating our patients how to mitigate cough, and if we aren't, then we should learn how to do so. Mary Whittenhall, MSN: I think it's important for us to set some expectations for patients when we're talking about cough. We've already discussed a bit that cough can happen for people from other things outside of their lung disease, but it's important to also look at what may be causing the cough when we are giving a patient an inhaled therapy. So, any type of inhaled therapy, whether that be a dry powder, a mist, whether that's nebulized or through in actuated inhaler, there are particles inside of that medication as it's going in and those little particles, when your lungs inhale that medication, those particles are penetrating your lungs and your lungs are not accustomed to them being there. It's almost as if your lungs are saying, "I don't recognize this. I don't know why this is here," and it may feel like it's an irritant, so you may start coughing as a result of that, but the cough is not necessarily a bad thing. Those particles are there, and the job is to essentially help deliver the medicine to penetrate that lung tissue and then for your body then to absorb the medicine. Your airways and your blood vessels inside of your lungs are extremely close to each other. So, when you inhale that medication, those little blood vessels are also right next to where those airways are, and then that is how those blood vessels then absorb that medication, because they're so close to the site at which those particles come into your lungs. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: I think this is an important concept to understand. They choose the form of delivery based on the goal of delivering the most medication efficiently to the distal bronchioles. That's where the disease is. It's in the distal arteries. So, trying to formulate how we get these very powerful, oftentimes disease modifying agents into the periphery of the lungs can be very challenging. Dry powdered inhaler is one form that the variability of delivery is not as dispersed as an aerosolized. So, it's more efficient delivery to the place where the medication needs to work the best, and that's in the distal periphery of the lungs. Unfortunately, one thing you have to deal with is that oftentimes these medications, dry powdered medications, not just in the PH space, but there's a lot of other dry powdered inhalers in the COPD space, as well. Oftentimes, what happens is these powdered particles get dispersed extra thoracically. So, they get dispersed in the oral mucosa, in the posterior pharynx, on the way down into the stomach. That's wherein we have to deal with mitigating side effects. The biggest side effect of these particles, even though they're very small, is cough. So, technique comes into play. Mitigating things to coat the posterior pharynx come into play. Re-education comes into play. Show me again how you're doing this inhalation, because I don't think that you're holding this okay. In one instance, I had a patient that was inhaling dry powdered inhaler with the medication right out of the refrigerator. So, the medication was cold. It was clumping at the back of her throat. All of these things really take into consideration how we most efficiently get the medicine to these pulmonary arterial hypertension patients where their disease is oftentimes very difficult to get to, and other forms of medications that are systemic, orals, parenterals that have first pass metabolism, and so you're going to get more side effects from those medications. So, I always teach my patients, "Hey, we're a couple steps ahead because we're bypassing the type of metabolism that you get with orals and even parenterals." Mary Whittenhall, MSN: There are so many challenges that these patients face. Oftentimes, patients have never been sick before they develop this, and now we're putting them on multiple therapies, multiple modalities, telling them that there's going to be side effects and they need to learn how to manage them. It's certainly a lot to handle. But I think one of the best things that we have in our PH community is that we really work so hard to partner with the patients and their loved ones and forming this relationship, fostering that relationship as time goes on, I believe that these patients really do trust us and that what we're telling them is things are going to be okay. We are going to be there by your side. We're not going to give you this medicine and then say, "See you in six months. Hope everything goes well." We're really going to be working with them. In some cases in my specialty clinic, we have nurses, we have a pharmacist, a pharmacy tech, and then our advanced practice providers that check in with these patients quite regularly. We are actually taking the initiative to reach out to them versus the patient who may be having trouble advocating for themselves or feeling like, "Really, I don't want to be a pain, but this is challenging for me." We are really in touch with them, and that connection also helps to keep patients on therapy. So, what are some of the specific techniques to manage or mitigate cough? This is something that was a real hot topic at our last advisory meeting. We put together a bunch of folks in the room who deal with other inhaled therapies and patients that have cough and said, "Well, what do you tell patients to do?" First and foremost is to look at any other potentially underlying conditions that may be causing cough and ensure that treatment of those underlying conditions is optimized. I think cough is actually the number one referral for any type of pulmonary practice, but it is a really, really broad differential when it comes down to it. We obviously look first at things like environmental factors. If this could be seasonal allergies, then we try treating patients with antihistamines. Perhaps some of those are intranasal, as well, that may help with some things like rhinorrhea or post nasal drip. Acid reflux is actually a huge, huge reason for cough. Many patients say, 'Well, I don't get acid reflux. I don't feel that burning in my chest after I eat," but come to find out that it can actually be a silent trigger. So, treating patients with medicines that help to reduce acid or suppress acid will oftentimes help with that cough. On top of that, when we're dealing with patients that are on inhalers and now we're adding another inhaled therapy. I find that for some patients that are on actual inhalers that sometimes they do better with nebulized treatments. The nebulized treatments are slower, and may have a bit of a better penetration into the lungs and the patients tend to like it. It is one of those things that you do need to be compliant with in order to really see the benefits to it. I will say that oftentimes, again, partnering with the patient, giving them specific instructions about how to do all of this, we can really see some improvement to those symptoms. Then, there's just basic over-the counter measures and precautions, things like making sure that when you're eating that you're not laying down at least for 60 minutes after you've been eating. If you do have acid reflux, trying to sleep with two pillows or a wedge pillow, that can help to keep the head of your bed elevated. Some of our patients have those really fancy adjustable beds that are also quite helpful for that. I think that sometimes things like basic cough drops actually can be quite wonderful and helpful. Drinking very cold or very warm water or tea, adding some honey to that if a patient isn't diabetic, things like that tend to really help with cough. We reinforce these measures when we start therapies like this. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: In terms of mitigation, I think it's really important on technique. This is why, as Mary had alluded to, it's so important to follow up closely with these patients, particularly our elderly patients who sometimes don't, if they have connective tissue disease or scleroderma, have a lot of good fine motor coordination. A couple of things that I wanted to touch on with regards to that… One, these inhalers are typically high resistance, low flow. So, these are not the type of patients that need to be taking in very forceful inhalations with these inhalers and thank goodness, because we're talking about patients that have inflammatory interstitial lung disease, as well as pulmonary vascular disease. So their degree of inspiratory effort is actually minimal to disperse that medication to the distal pulmonary bronchials. It's equivalent to them taking a deep breath in when you ask them to auscultate their lungs. So it's not a big forceful breath. The other thing is too, a lot of times, sometimes more variability in the disbursement of the drug is better in compliance with some patients. Dry-powdered inhalers, again, do not take a very big forceful effort, but some of them, because they are powder, some of the medication will actually hit the back of the throat as it goes down and can cause some irritation, whereas the nebulized form does have a variability in disbursement and can be more easily tolerated in some. The other issue is the technique itself. Oftentimes, we ask them in some of the inhaled therapies to lower the device itself so that the tongue doesn't protrude and get in the way, because if medication gets on the tongue, the next swallow that they take, that medication is going to hit their posterior pharynx, and they're going to probably cough pretty aggressively. I always start off by telling my patients, "Cough is not a bad thing. It's actually a protective reflex and it's involuntary. So, if you cough, don't actually negate it. Don't think it's a bad thing." It's actually a very protective mechanism that avoids irritation in most of our patients probably already irritated mucosa. So, that's how I like to start the conversation. There's so many good techniques that we can share with them over time, and I might add that each patient is different. Each patient needs to have a personalized plan. When we talk about giving patients warm tea, typically chamomile, chamomile tea in itself is anti-inflammatory. Then, when you add something like honey, which is also a soothing, anti-inflammatory natural remedy, you have to really think to yourself, "They're getting honey. If they're diabetic, we don't want to give them too much honey." But, you have to make sure that their swallowing technique is good. There's no aspiration there, particularly if we give them cough drops. Then, just simple things that actually numb or anesthetize the back of the throat are very, very helpful for elderly patients who do have very friable tissue and mucosa from previous therapies like inhaled corticosteroids, as I had talked about before. Dairy products, I tend to ask my patients to avoid those. They can produce a lot of mucus, which these coughs that we see in our inhaled therapy patients are typically tend to be dry coughs, but some patients that have concomitant asthma, COPD, along with their ILD that are using these inhaled therapies can actually have more of a congested mucoid cough. So, avoiding dairy before and after use is always very smart. Avoiding alcohol, avoiding acidic drinks like orange juice, also very, very helpful. Mary Whittenhall, MSN: The part about technique I think is so, so important here. Oftentimes, when patients start these therapies, when they are approved in that space, the specialty pharmacy has a nurse educator that will come out to the patient's home and provide education not only about the medication, but about the administration of that medication. In many cases, the patients will take their first dose while the nurse is present so that the nurse can then critique whether or not the patient took it appropriately and how they tolerated it. I'm going to give a shout out to our nurse educators from the specialty pharmacies, because they are also a really crucial set of eyes and ears for us out in the community. They do provide education to the patients in the home. We have had situations where the patient has done well while the nurse is there, and then two weeks later we get a call from the patient saying, "I can't do this. This isn't working for me." And I'll say, "Okay. Well, you have a couple options. We can have you come in to the clinic and I want you to bring your device with you, and I would like to watch you do a treatment, or I can have the nurse come out and see you again and go over that." And they'll say, "I already know what I'm doing. I don't need that." But in many instances, we have found that they have adjusted their technique. They might've gotten into some bad habit since the nurse has left them. So, really reinforcing that is important. The other thing that I wanted to bring up is that some of our patients with connective tissue disease also have thickness in their tongues. So, their tongues become thicker and more sclerotome as their connective tissue disease progresses. For some of those patients, it is actually hard for them to get their tongue flat enough so that they can get the medication down into their lungs. So, working with those patients to find strategies to help rectify that. I will say that it is not impossible, it just takes maybe a little extra work. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: Inhaled therapies in themselves are pretty portable. Mary had alluded to a little bit earlier, our patients with pulmonary vascular disease, PAH, that are on parenteral therapies, delivering the conventional pulmonary vasodilator therapies. As we get into the new disease modifying agents such as seralutinib, which are anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-prolific medications, these are portable therapies that are actually modifying the disease. So they're portable. They're easy to use. They're easy to use for our patients, again, that are elderly or are younger and are still working, they have a professional life, they don't have to wear a pump that's 24/7 oftentimes. They can use these inhaled therapies first to see if they can avoid parenteral therapy with prostacyclins. Their quality of life is improved immensely. When you can take an inhaled therapy two to four times a day and really improve quality of life, decrease cough, decrease dyspnea, or shortness of breath on exertion. Sometimes, these patients that do very, very well can actually reduce their supplemental oxygen needs. Just improving their walk distances without having to stop or have excessive dyspnea, improves their quality of life. More time spent with loved ones and more time spent in social environments rather than sitting at home. These wonderful inhaled portable therapies have significantly changed our patients' lives and improved their quality of lives. Mary Whittenhall, MSN: This community I think is phenomenal. It's made up of so many great people. There are many patients who have been a part of this space for a long time who really want to help other patients who may be newer to the journey than them. I'm a big advocate for support groups. We've had an extremely active support group in our area for a long time, and I often partner some of my patients that have been with me for quite some time with some of the new patients that may need a bit more help. I can tell them things and my colleagues can tell them things. Oftentimes, the same message doesn't resonate. It resonates differently, I think when it comes from a peer, a patient who may have experienced the same thing as them. One of the things that I really try to drive home with our patients is just that sense of empowerment. Connect with these other folks in the community. They want to help you. They remember what it feels like being newly diagnosed or starting a new therapy or transitioning from another therapy. What that change is like. One of the other things I tell my patients is that we all sit at the same table. I'm not better than you. Maybe I have this information, but this information is for you. It's for you to take and to improve your life. If that information doesn't work for you, then you come back to me with some feedback and we come up with something else that's going to be more helpful to you. I really think having an equal playing field with them and having a very open and honest dialogue is what is going to help our patients do the best. If patients don't feel comfortable reaching out to other local patients or connecting with an in-person support group, there are tons of online resources through the PHA, through phaware®, Team Phenomenal Hope, lots of great groups out there that do things virtually. I think in some ways for some patients, anonymity is important, so being able to protect that is an option for them, but to be able to still get what they need so they can become the best advocate for themselves that they can. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: I stress so importantly to my patients, we are here today in this great environment and we have the armamentarium of medications to treat because of patients just like you that have contributed to the science of the disease and implemented themselves and engaged in these clinical trials. Right now we have an ongoing clinical trial for seralutinib called PROSERA, that's enrolling as we speak. Patients are the best advocates, not only for themselves, but for other patients, and they talk. There's a lot of social media out there where patients communicate amongst themselves and they say, "Through the help of my provider and through the help of my family, I was hesitant to start this additional therapy." They do have, at this juncture, and I don't think it's such a bad thing, they do have a little bit of a pharmacy burden now. Again, these aren't our patients that are on one or two therapies. They're on four or more oftentimes. When you take in our ILD patients, they're also on disease modifying agents, as well, for their interstitial lung disease. So again, I think it's really important for patients to communicate amongst themselves and share their ups and downs in the disease, but also share the rewards that come with surviving and living with PAH. I think one thing that we really do have to understand though is like many other chronic diseases, PH is a personalized disease. You need to have a personalized approach for your patients. That's why it's so very important to do a really good history of your patients and understand not only what their baseline cough is, but who they are, what their personal history is. Are they working? Who's helping to care for them? Who's helping to make that chamomile tea with honey? Who's going to the store to get that? A personalized approach is so important for these patients, I can't stress that enough. Mary Whittenhall, MSN: Special thanks to everybody involved in this project. This was extremely exciting. To my co-podcaster, Jennifer Keeley, who is amazing, and all of us in the PH community are extremely lucky to have her. We are all aware that you are all rare, and we are grateful to be able to help you in this journey. Jennifer Keeley, DPN: Thank you so much, Mary, and what a pleasure it's been to speak with you about cough and inhaled therapies, and thank you to Gossamer Bio for this opportunity and for the opportunity that led to this podcast, which was a significant advisory board amongst specialists in our field, advanced practice providers and registered nurses who were able to convene in a great open space and talk about this. I think this moves our science forward. It helps us to talk about the disease and take better care of our patients. Again, my name is Jennifer Keeley. It's been such a pleasure to deal with my good friend Mary Whittenhall today, and we're aware that our patients are very rare. Learn more about pulmonary hypertension trials at www.phaware.global/clinicaltrials. Follow us on instagram, facebook and x.com @phaware. Engage for a cure: www.phaware.global/donate #phaware Share your story: info@phaware.com Like, Subscribe and Follow us: www.phawarepodcast.com. #phawareMD #PHILD @GossamerBio @AHNtoday

In this episode, Imran Qadeer, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and President of Allegheny General Hospital, discusses leveraging AI and digital tools to reduce clinician burnout, enhance patient care, and navigate workforce and financial challenges while offering advice for emerging healthcare leaders.

Bad news this week for recreational cannabis fans, but good news for Steel Curtain stans. Kennywood's newest steel coaster will open Memorial Day weekend, driverless trucks made in Pittsburgh are hitting Texas highways, there's more pothole drama at Pittsburgh Mills mall, and the Pittsburgh Zoo has unveiled its giraffe enclosure renovations. Plus, we're talking about why a few state bills — cannabis, school vouchers, early voting — can't get off the ground, and whether we all have Max's hit series "The Pitt" to thank for a big renovation at AGH. Notes and references from today's show: Bill to sell legal marijuana through state stores rejected by GOP-led panel [SpotlightPA]  Democrats endorse set of changes to Pennsylvania election rules, sending bill to state Senate [AP News]  Pa. Senate passes bill banning trans girls and women from school sports [WITF] Pennsylvania GOP Makes Another Attempt To Pass School Vouchers [Forbes] Aurora rolls out driverless trucks in Texas [Axios Pittsburgh]  The Most Common Jo in Every State [Planet Money] Self-Driving Trucks Are Going to Hit Us Like a Human-Driven Truck [Medium] Confusion among travelers at Pittsburgh International Airport amid TSA changes, looming Real ID deadline [KDKA] Asphalt company says Pittsburgh Mills owner never paid them for filling potholes [TribLive] Major $43M project will renovate, expand Allegheny General Hospital's emergency department [WPXI] What ‘The Pitt' Gets Right About Pittsburgh [City Cast Pittsburgh] Kennywood Park's Steel Curtain Returns Memorial Day Weekend [Pittsburgh Magazine] Community group sets public meeting on Pittsburgh Zoo's proposed giraffe barn [TribLive] Baby Animals, Snake Emergencies & Why AZA Matters to the Pittsburgh Zoo [City Cast Pittsburgh] Learn more about the sponsors of this May 15th episode: Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Airport Corridor Transportation Association Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books Pittsburgh Pride Heinz History Center Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hottest new medical drama is set in Pittsburgh! Max's "The Pitt" just wrapped its first season, which follows a 15-hour shift at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center (aka Allegheny General Hospital). But just how "Pittsburgh" is the show? The City Cast Pittsburgh team is sharing our favorite local homages and Easter eggs, guessing which neighborhoods the characters might live in, and discussing the authenticity of nurse Dana's yinzer accent. Plus, a local healthcare worker tells us whether the show feels true to life. "The Pitt" is coming back to town later this year to film its second season. What Pittsburgh storylines or references would you like to see? Leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Note: If you haven't already watched the Pitt, we save spoilers for the second half of the episode! Notes and references from today's show: How Real Doctors Brought 'The Pitt' To Life [Science Friday] Get more from City Cast Pittsburgh when you become a City Cast Pittsburgh Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm  Learn more about the sponsors of this April 24th episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Pittsburgh Opera Perrico Gardens Allegheny County Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leora, co-host of Elevate Care, interviews Laura Griffin, VP of Nursing Operations at ECU Health, on her journey in healthcare, her role in optimizing nursing operations, and the partnership with AMN Healthcare. The conversation covers the challenges faced in staffing post-pandemic, the importance of workforce analysis, and the implementation of a centralized staffing office. Laura emphasizes the significance of building a positive culture, addressing burnout, and leveraging data for informed staffing decisions. She expresses excitement for the future of nursing at ECU Health and the ongoing innovations in healthcare.Chapters00:00 Introduction to ECU Health and Laura Griffin's Background02:52 Laura's Role and Responsibilities at ECU Health06:04 Partnership with AMN Healthcare: Challenges and Solutions08:53 Workforce Analysis and Staffing Strategies11:48 Centralized Staffing Office: A New Approach14:57 Building a Positive Culture and Retention Strategies18:10 The Importance of Data in Staffing Decisions20:58 Future of Nursing Operations and Addressing Burnout23:53 Final Thoughts on Healthcare Innovations and Partnerships About LauraLaura Griffin currently serves as Vice President of System Nursing Operations at ECU Health, a position held since November 2023. Prior to this role, Laura held multiple leadership positions at Allegheny Health Network from May 2012 to July 2023, including Vice President of the Nursing Institute and Vice President of Nursing Operations & Strategy. Laura's early career at Allegheny Health Network included roles such as Director of Network Nursing Operations and Clinical Project Manager at both Allegheny General Hospital and West Penn Hospital, focusing on clinical project design and implementation with a strong emphasis on data analysis. In addition to practical experience, Laura has contributed to academia as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health from August 2018 to January 2024. Laura holds a Master of Health Administration from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Mount Union. About LeoraAs President of Workforce Strategy & Optimization (WSO) at AMN Healthcare, Leora leads the WSO team in strategy, technology, analytics solutions, and consulting. She has over 15 years of experience in healthcare services, business development, and program management. She holds an MBA from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami. Connect with Leora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leorawestbrook/ About The Show: Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Find Us On:Website – https://www.amnhealthcare.com/podcast/elevate-care-podcast/YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@ElevateCarePodcastSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5R2oWLZXYfjtPGW7o5KpuoApple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-care/id1710406359Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amnhealthcare/LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/amn-healthcare/X – https://twitter.com/amnhealthcare/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/amnhealthcare/ Powered by AMN Healthcare

In this episode with Dr. Nicole O'Barto Trainer, we dialogue about the role of a holistic approach to augment mental well-being. We explore the role of nutrition and environmental health as influences of mental and overall wellness.Dr. Nicole holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from West Virginia University, with clinical training at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Specializing in mind-body therapies for chronic gastrointestinal and somatic disorders, she received additional training from the Allegheny Center for Digestive Health. Since 2009, Dr. Trainer has focused on integrative mental health, boasting advanced skills in mindfulness interventions, HeartMath biofeedback, and functional approaches to depression and anxiety, encompassing nutrition, micronutrient therapy, and amino acid therapy.She can be reached at nicole.trainer@nativeclinics.comYou'r listening to YOUR Mental Wellness podcast for YOUR voice and sanity. Thank you for joining us this week on your mental wellness podcast for your voice and sanity. Make sure to check out our show notes, visit our website, www dot tools for vitality.com where you can subscribe to the show. We would appreciate it if you would tell a friend about the podcastWhat are your questions about your mental wellness, tools for vitality, or any other topic that comes up for you? Email me: toolsforvitality@pm.me . Tools for Vitality: Therapy, Coaching, Optimizing Nutrition and Movement for Mental Wellness

Nicole received her doctorate in counseling psychology from West Virginia University. She was clinically trained in the Department of Psychiatry at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. She also has specialized training in the integration of mind-body therapies in the treatment of chronic gastrointestinal disorders and somatic disorders from the Allegheny Center for Digestive Health. Dr. Trainer has been studying integrative mental health since 2009 and has advanced training in mindfulness-based interventions, HeartMath biofeedback, and functional approaches to depression and anxiety, including nutrition, micronutrient therapy, and amino acid therapy. Dr. Trainer has been working in private practice since 2011. She founded Native with the intention to shift the conversation in mental health care away from deficits and subjective lists of symptoms treated largely with pharmaceuticals to one focused on innate health and the integration of evidence-based complementary and alternative therapies. Further, Dr. Trainer believes that a more dynamic and holistic approach to mental health treatment would better prepare an individual for the lifelong process of understanding their emotional self and taking care of their mental health. Dr. Trainer is also passionate about raising mental health awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding seeking help for mental health problems. She encourages a conceptualization of mental health that is more fluid and allows for occasional disruptions in emotional well-being to be embraced as a natural part of the human experience and not pathologized. In this episode, we cover: - how she became a pioneer in the nutritional psychology space - how inflammation, oxidative stress, brain plasticity, and your microbiota affect your mental health - how chronic GI disorders and mental illnesses are linked - why symptoms are invitations to explore more about yourself and your body ... and more! You can connect with her over on Instagram: @nativementalhealth Or check out her website: nativeclinics.com You can learn more about me by following on IG @imperfectlypaigewellness or by checking out my blog, freebies, and offers on my website: https://imperfectlypaigewellness.com Please share with #PaigeTalksWellness to help get the word out about the show - and join the Imperfect Health Fam over on Facebook.

Join for the third episodes in the Association of Out Surgeons & Allies (AOSA) series for a discussion on LGBTQIA+ healthcare providers and their patients.   Host:  Nina Clark, MD  Guests:  - Andrew Schlussel, DO, Colorectal and General Surgeon, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center - Dr. James Taylor, Assistant Professor of Colorectal Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center - Dr. Alex Bonte, General Surgery PGY4 at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack NJ.  - Dr. Paige Tannhauser, General Surgery PGY3 (completed) at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh PA, and currentlyfinishing up a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Virginia. Learn more and get involved with AOSA: https://www.outsurgeons.org Twitter/X: @OutSurgeons Resources Mentioned This Episode:  "Gender Unicorn" schema for terminology: https://transstudent.org/gender/ LGBTQ Healthcare Directory: https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/ CDC Recommendations in LGBTQ Health: https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/index.htm WPATH Resources: https://www.wpath.org/  Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.   If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen/

Good morning from Pharma and Biotech Daily, the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in the Pharma and Biotech world. In today's episode, we have several news and insights to cover. Let's dive right in.## Restructuring Efforts at Beam and Top Biopharma ConferencesBiopharmaceutical company Beam is undergoing a restructuring effort, which will lead to the layoff of 100 employees. This move is aimed at prioritizing medicines for sickle cell and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The company will also trim its plans for other programs.In other news, the top biopharma conferences for 2024 are already being planned, with a few key meetings remaining this year. While these conferences are important for networking and knowledge sharing, let's focus on the developments within the industry itself.## Ultragenyx's Exciting Venture and Worldwide Clinical Trials' Human-Centered ApproachUltragenyx, a biopharmaceutical company, is planning to spin out a new company focused on Alzheimer's gene therapy. The CEO, Emil Kakkis, believes that the findings are too exciting to ignore and describes this venture as "high-risk, high-return." This move highlights the ongoing pursuit of innovative treatments in the biopharma industry.Meanwhile, global clinical trials provider Worldwide Clinical Trials is delivering excellence in the clinical trial experience by offering a human-centered approach that combines cutting-edge science. This approach emphasizes the importance of putting patients first.## Merck's Partnership and Challenges in Biotech IPOsMerck has formed a partnership with Daiichi Sankyo to invest in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancer treatment. This partnership solidifies the potential of ADCs in reshaping cancer treatment.On the other hand, fewer biotech companies are going public after a record run. Some companies have seen their shares lose value on the stock exchange, indicating that the public market may be becoming more selective in its support of biotech companies.## Insights in the Medtech Industry and Challenges for Biotech CompaniesMoving on to the medtech industry, Intuitive Surgical's Q3 sales missed estimates due to factors such as robot leasing and decreased demand in China. However, the company's overall procedure growth exceeded market expectations.The CEO of Advamed has warned Congress about potential supply shortages caused by regulations on ethylene oxide (ETO) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This highlights the need for changes to regulatory proposals to ensure a steady supply of medical devices.## Addressing Affordability of Insulin and Telehealth in the Defense SectorGoodRx and Sanofi have partnered to make insulin more affordable. This partnership aims to address the rising cost of insulin, which has led many patients to ration their supply or go without. However, there are still concerns about high drug prices that need to be addressed.Amwell and Leidos have scored a defense contract worth up to $180 million, highlighting the growing role of telehealth in the defense sector. As more healthcare services are being provided remotely, telehealth is playing a crucial role.## Physician Turnover and Healthcare Worker StrikesA study has found that physician turnover is driven by a desire for increased flexibility. This highlights the need for healthcare organizations to prioritize work-life balance and offer more flexible schedules to retain physicians.Over 1,200 nurses in Pittsburgh have authorized a potential strike at Allegheny General Hospital amid ongoing contract negotiations. This is just one example of healthcare worker strikes occurring across the country, driven by concerns over working conditions, staffing levels, and wages.## Challenges in the Biotech Market and Strategies for Combating BurnoutThe biotech market continues to face challenges, with several gene therapy or editing companies laying off employees this year. Additionally, leader

It's the Friday news roundup! Archers have taken out a surprising number of deer in Pittsburgh parks; the city school board is considering closures (again); and many of our city's institutions are striking — or thinking about going on strike. Plus, an update on Pittsburgh's bid for a new energy production center. We love to cite our sources:  WESA covered declining enrollment at Pittsburgh Public Schools Workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have been on strike for a year, with ongoing coverage from the strike paper, the Pittsburgh Union Progress TribLive reported that nurses at Allegheny General Hospital voted in favor for a possible strike The Pittsburgh Film Worker Solidarity Market is this coming Saturday We spoke with Spotlight PA reporter Kate Huangpu about why our state wants hydrogen hubs Learn more about the upcoming hydrogen hubs from PublicSource and WESA WESA reported that archers killed four deer during the first weekend of the city's deer management program Want some more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SHOW TOPICIntroducing "The Power of Prevention: Insights into Youth Substance Abuse and Addiction" with Dr. C. Thomas BrophySPECIAL GUESTDr. C. Thomas BrophyDr. C. Thomas Brophy is one of the regions only physicians board certified in Addiction Medicine as well as Emergency Medicine. He is local to the western PA area, obtained his neuroscience degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and completed his medical residency training at Allegheny General Hospital. With a passion for education, Dr. Brophy has become well known for educating the public as well as medical professionals on the neuroscience of addiction. He is a regular contributor to KDKA radio and has organized and executed over 100 public education seminars on topics related to addiction. His passion for helping addicts started at an early age.  Dr. Brophy has dedicated his life to not only helping those struggling with addiction, but also helping everyone understand the neurophysiology of addiction better, so that we can all be part of the solution. Dr. Brophy began working with the Gaiser Center in 2019 and serves as Medical Director for the facility.IN THIS EPISODE, WE WILL REVIEWThe upcoming parent event, "The Power of Prevention: Insights into Youth Substance Abuse and Addiction" Facts about the neuroscience of addictionWhat parents can expect to hear during "The Power of Prevention"Why attend "The Power of Prevention"

In this latest episode of ASTCT Talks, Dr. Rebecca Gonzalez sits down with Dr. Katie Gatwood and Dr. Timothy Porter to kick off National Pharmacy Month by discussing the clinical implications of post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) use outside of the haploidentical setting. They delve into their respective cancer centers' primary donor sources for match unrelated donors and the breakdown of conditioning intensity within their hematologic patients. They delve into the future of PTCy discussing the potential for earlier de-escalation of immunosuppressants to limit drug-related toxicities and optimize patient outcomes as well as important supportive care considerations. Despite the exciting prospects, the need for robust prospective data before implementation is emphasized. About Dr. Rebecca Gonzalez Dr. Rebecca Gonzalez (@xnyerin) received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. She completed her PGY2 Oncology residency at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. Following post-doctoral training, Dr. Gonzalez was a Hematology Clinical Pharmacist at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute prior to transitioning to Moffitt Cancer Center in 2015. She is Board Certified in Oncology Pharmacy and currently practices as a Clinical Pharmacist in Blood and Marrow Transplant/Cellular Immunotherapy at Moffitt in Tampa, Florida. She was a past chair of the ASTCT Pharmacy Program Planning Committee in 2021-2022 and has been involved in several ASTCT teaching activities since 2017. Her interests include survivorship, GVHD, supportive care and infectious disease complications related to transplant and immune cellular therapy. About Dr. Katie Gatwood Dr. Gatwood is a Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist and Clinical Pharmacist Specialist specializing in Adult Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Michigan and completed her residency training at the University of North Carolina Health Care. Dr. Gatwood is the chair-elect of the ASTCT Pharmacy SIG Sterring Committee. She was also awarded the 2021 ASTCT Pharmacy SIG New Practitioner Award and is passionate about clinical research and education, with a focus on VOD, CAR T-cell therapy, and oncology pharmacists' role in ambulatory care. About Dr. Timothy Porter Dr. Timothy Porter is a Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist and practices as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL. He earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Duquesne University School of Pharmacy and then completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, followed by a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He then practiced as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital before transitioning to Moffitt Cancer Center in 2022. Dr. Porter is a member of the ASTCT Pharmacy SIG Education Committee and serves as the Journal Club Lead. His professional interests include management of infectious complications in immunocompromised patients, GVHD, CAR T-cell therapy, clinical research, and education.

On this episode of FM On Demand with Tara Fitzpatrick, we are zooming in on the Cura Comfort Cart at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Comfort Cart is proving to be a great way for the dining crew to help the nursing staff provide comfort to hospital visitors who have just received bad news. The reality of a hospital setting is: Death is part of life. And bad news can also come in the form of a move to hospice, a diagnosis or any jarring medical event, really. The professional caregivers have to walk a fine line between compassion and professionalism. Staying sane and filling their own cups means they can care for others more effectively. We talk with creator of the cart, Cura Hospitality's Jessica Kotuba, patient services manager, and Windy Flynn, dining services director. The two are experienced in the healthcare space, and have some interesting info to share about the carts and also how their skill sets help them practice compassion.

Dr. Waggel is a mother, physician, author, motivational speaker, teacher, cancer survivor, marathon runner, and founder of Improve Medical Culture. She has a degree in psychology, biology and medicine and has over 17 years of experience working in the mental health field.   Dr. Waggel completed a four-year undergraduate degree in only three years, receiving the highest distinction, summa cum laude. She also completed a Master of Science in Biology Degree with high honors. In the late 2000s, she worked in geriatric medicine both in the outpatient setting and in the hospital setting at the University of Pittsburgh. During this time, she was also a neuropsychiatry intern at Allegheny General Hospital performing neuropsychological testing on trauma patients. Dr. Waggel spent 4 years assisting as an intern medic for the United States Coast Guard. She volunteered as a mental health professional for United Planet. Most recently, in 2023, Dr. Waggel became certified in perinatal mental health. Specifically, advanced studies in perinatal psychopharmacology (medication for pregnant people). She feels this area is understudied and pregnant women deserve an educated professional to provide correct diagnosis and treatment. To receive this certification, one must have either a graduate degree or medical degree (she has both), 2 years working with the perinatal population (she has over 12), 20 hours of training in perinatal mental health and psychopharmacology, and a passing score on a three-hour certification exam. She offers a free therapy group for this population.How to contact Dr. Waggel:https://improvelifepllc.comlinktr.ee/improvemedicalcultureWebsite for the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications:https://womensmentalhealth.org/research/pregnancyregistry/  Coaching offerBuzzsprout - Get your podcast launched! Start for FREEKristen Boss The Social Selling Academy Training program for Network Marketers to grow a business without burnout. Click for $100 off!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showConnect with Kelly Hof at kellyhof.comMedical Disclaimer:This podcast is intended as a safe space for women to share their birth experiences. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Each woman's medical course of action is individual and may not appropriately transfer to another similar situation. Please speak to your medical provider before making any medical decisions. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that evidence based practice evolves as our knowledge of science improves. To the best of my ability I will attempt to present the most current ACOG and AWHONN recommendations at the time the podcast is recorded, but that may not necessarily reflect the best practices at the time the podcast is heard. Additionally, guests sharing their stories have the right to autonomy in their medical decisions, and may share their choice to go against current practice recommendations. I intend to hold space for people to share their decisions. I will attempt to share the current recommendations so that my audience is informed, but it is up to each individual to choose what is best for them.

Dr. J. Christopher Gayton is an orthopedic doctor who helps patients in Conway and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He is a fellowship-trained hand surgeon and is board certified in orthopedic surgery. He specializes in hand and upper extremity care, such as treating injuries and conditions of the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder, including carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. He also treats fractures of the upper and lower extremity. He completed his undergraduate degree in cellular biology at the University of Georgia and his medical doctorate at the Medical College of Georgia – Georgia Regents University. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency training at Wright State University and his hand and upper extremity fellowship training at Allegheny General Hospital. Connect with Dr. Gayton https://www.orthosc.org/doctors/j-christopher-gayton-md Social Media: ChrisGaytonMD --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/urcaringdocs/message

Episode page with video, transcript, and more Joining us today as our guest is Louis (Lou) A. Shapiro. He is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital for Special Surgery HSS. He has served in this role since October 2006. Under Lou's leadership, HSS has experienced significant growth, expansion of facilities and recognition as the world leader in its specialty areas of orthopedics, rheumatology and their related disciplines. Lou has more than 30 years of healthcare experience, including as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania, and as a leader in the healthcare practice at McKinsey & Company. He began his career at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he served in a number of capacities. Today we're going to be talking about how the culture at HSS contributes to their habitual excellence, including 13 years being ranked #1 at what they do as a specialty hospital for musculoskeletal care. What's the role of hiring the best of the best and how does a culture help them thrive and stay? What can be learned from the HSS approach that delivers such great value, including incredibly low infection rates. In today's episode, Lou talks with with host Mark Graban, about topics and questions including: Patients being willing to travel to HSS for better care and service (Net Promoter Score of 94) HSS will be celebrating its 160th year anniversary Do other organizations who are losing patients to HSS look to them for how to improve and compete? Why Lou doesn't compare HSS to anybody else Sharing data transparently Culture as strategy Would the HSS management model and culture translate to a general hospital or system? Commitment to culture on top of hiring the very best (and keeping them) Breaking down tradeoffs: better flow, faster care can also be more caring care, higher quality care, safer care Comparing costs - not just per episode, but across the continuum including conservative care The importance of not becoming a commodity Being visible and accessible as a leader "Excellence" as one of the values of the organization and realizing you're not perfect Aiming for and wanting ZERO injuries, infections, complications and ZERO dissatisfied patients

Paul Kochu had just graduated from the nursing program at Duquesne University and was working in the ICU at Allegheny General Hospital in December 2014.  Unfortunately, his bright future was cut short by what the Medical Examiner calls an “undetermined freshwater drowning.”  His family, however, does not accept this manner of death and believes something more sinister may have happened.  How did this kind-hearted nurse end up face down in the Ohio River, 85 miles from his home in the South Side? Listen as Grace tells the story and discusses details and theories with Sarah. Photos, sources, and additional information available at kccpod.com

Hour Three - Dr. Arpit Mehta - Director of Pharmacy at Allegheny General Hospital, joins this hour with details and recommendations. 

PITTSBURGH — In his 22 years at Amazon, including his role as the first CEO of the company's Worldwide Consumer business, Jeff Wilke always kept the place he was raised, and the people he grew up with, in the back of his mind. “I always wanted to lead in a way that if I went back, and people from high school could ask me anything about what I was encountering, the decisions I made, how I made them, that they'd be proud of me,” Wilke said. Born at Allegheny General Hospital in 1966, Wilke grew up in the community of Green Tree, Pa., just outside of Pittsburgh. He wore flannel shirts to class at the public high school, Keystone Oaks, and played baseball in the shadow of the water tower still visible from the Parkway on the drive into the city. In addition to shaping his values as a leader, his hometown gave him a first-hand view of the decline of the steel industry that had put Pittsburgh at the center of the industrial revolution. In the decades that followed, Pittsburgh's role in the rise of robotics and artificial intelligence have made the city an emblem of U.S. resilience and reinvention. Since leaving Amazon last year, Wilke has returned to his industrial roots as the chairman and co-founder of Re:Build Manufacturing, a Massachusetts-based company seeking to revive the U.S. manufacturing industry. Re:Build has made nine acquisitions, in areas including engineering services and advanced materials, with 600 employees in eight states. We caught up with Wilke as part of GeekWire's recent return to Pittsburgh, talking about his upbringing and history in the city, and his outlook for the future of robotics, AI, automation and U.S. manufacturing. Previous Podcast:After helping Amazon reinvent commerce, Jeff Wilke turns attention to reviving U.S. manufacturing Related Coverage: GeekWire's return trip to Pittsburgh See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 2 | Episode 18 | May 4, 2022Adam Cohen, MD, the chair of Emergency Medicine and the medical director for the Emergency Department at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), will discuss the renovation and expansion of the emergency department and why emergency services are essential for a community on Wednesday, May 4.Dr. Cohen received his medical degree at the State University of New York Medical Center in Brooklyn, a graduate degree in physiology from Hahnemann University in Pennsylvania, and a bachelor's in psychobiology from Binghampton University in New York. He completed his residency training in a combined Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine program at Allegheny General Hospital in Pennsylvania. He is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.Medical Matters Weekly features the innovative personalities who drive positive change within health care and related professions. The show addresses all aspects of creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all, including food and nutrition, housing, diversity and inclusion, groundbreaking medical care, exercise, mental health, the environment, research, and government. The show is produced with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV). Viewers can see Medical Matters Weekly on Facebook at facebook.com/svmedicalcenter and facebook.com/CATTVBennington. The show is also available to view or download a podcast on www.svhealthcare.org/medicalmatters.Underwriter: Mack Molding

Host: Dr. Jamie Murphy, Student Affairs DirectorGuest: Dr. Joseph DeltondoDr. Joseph Deltondo is a 2007 LECOM graduate and is board certified in Anatomic & Clinical Pathology. He currently serves as a forensic pathology specialist at Allegheny General Hospital. Dr. Deltondo shares his journey into medicine, what a pathologist does, the "CSI" effect, and dispels the myths about the perception of the type of person who pursues this specialty as he continues to be one of the LECOM healthcare heroes.________Please visit LECOM.edu for to learn more about the educational opportunities available at our institution.

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal and Daniel Ambinder) join Dr. Kushani Gajjar and Dr. Mitha Naik from the Allegheny Health Network for a walk along the Three Rivers Trail in Pittsburgh. They discuss a case of young woman in her third trimester of pregnancy with a known history of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The management of pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy and RV failure in the context of pregnancy is described. The E-CPR segment is provided by Dr. Nandita Scott, Co-Director Corrigan Women's Heart Health Program and Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy Service at Massachusetts General Hospital. Special cameo appearance by Dr. Dani Crousillat. If you're a current internal medicine resident, interested in the intersection between medical education, cardiovascular disease and digital media, consider applying to the CardioNerds Academy using this link. The deadline for this application is October 15th 2021. Learn more by visiting the CardioNerds Academy page. Claim free CME just for enjoying this episode! Disclosures: None Jump to: Patient summary - Case media - Case teaching - References CardioNerds Case Reports PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Patient Summary - Pulmonary Hypertension in Pregnancy A 33-year-old woman in the third trimester of pregnancy, with a known history of untreated PAH in the setting of TKI therapy, presents with shortness of breath. She is found to have PA pressure greater than systemic pressure with PASP >130. We describe the management of PH and RV failure in the context of a pregnancy. The patient was admitted to the ICU where a multidisciplinary team was mobilized, involving high risk ob-gyn, maternal fetal medicine, critical care, anesthesiology, and advanced heart failure. They began pulmonary vasodilators including treprostinil, tadalafil and inhaled nitric oxide. They also added inotropic and vasopressor support for right ventricular dysfunction with her severe PAH. Fetal heart monitoring was performed. PAH also led to worsening of known chronic thrombocytopenia in the setting of CML. HELLP syndrome was ruled out. The patient had preterm rupture of membranes at 32 weeks of gestation and the team pursued assisted vaginal delivery to prevent vagal response. Following successful delivery, the patient elected to undergo intra-uterine device placement. Post-delivery, vasopressors and inotropes were weaned, and she was discharged on treprostinil, ambrisentan and tadalafil. Thankfully both the mother and baby returned healthy and well at 1 month follow up. Case Media - Pulmonary Hypertension in Pregnancy CMRCXRTTETTEClick to Enlarge Episode Teaching - Pulmonary Hypertension in Pregnancy Pearls - Pulmonary Hypertension in Pregnancy Pulmonary Hypertension is defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) of >20mmHg. There are 5 major types of pulmonary hypertension. Risk modifiers include symptom burden, exercise capacity, presence of pericardial effusion, RV function and hemodynamics.Multidisciplinary care teams are the key to achieving optimal pregnancy outcomes in patients with PH. It is critical to create a team of experts with experience in pulmonary hypertension and plan for constant communication before, during, and after pregnancy.Pregnant women who are already on PAH therapy outpatient should continue them during pregnancy (under the direction of PH experts) except for endothelin receptor blockers which fall in pregnancy category X.PH during pregnancy is associated with up to 38% maternal mortality rate as the right ventricle (RV) is often unable to handle the volume shifts and hemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.Patients with RV failure leading to low cardiac output and hypotension, like in this case,

Dr. Alejandro Badia, MD, F.A.C.S., is an internationally renowned orthopedic surgeon who completed his undergraduate degree at Cornell University and received his Doctorate of Medicine from New York University.  Dr. Badia completed his general surgery internship and orthopedic residency at Bellevue Hospital and NYU.  Dr. Badia then completed a fellowship for hand and upper extremity surgery at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Over his career, Dr. Badia has achieved tremendous success as a surgeon, entrepreneur, and author. On this episode, he we discuss his new book Healthcare From The Trenches. For more information visit: https://www.drbadia.com — Hosts: Daniel Epstein & Raj Kavadi Producer: Timothy Crowe Social Media Director: Anja Von Der Osten Music: Foximusic.com

Featured Guests: Dr. Kadisha Rapp, is a board certified Emergency Medicine physician with over 20 years' experience, bestselling author of the book, “Help US Help YOU in the Emergency Room,” contributing author to the bestselling book, “The Making of Medical Mogul, Volume 3” and creator of The Mobile MD Kit, and The Mini Mobile MD Kit. She was born in Washington, DC, completed her undergraduate studies at The Johns Hopkins University, her medical training at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, her Emergency Medicine residency at Howard University Hospital, and she completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Allegheny General Hospital,in Pittsburgh,Pa., under the physicians for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Her mission is simple: Be safe. Be successful. Dr. Deitrick L. Gorman was born in a Midwestern city in Indiana. She graduated with Bachelor's degree from Purdue University, Master's degree at Indiana University and attended medical school in Stratford, New Jersey (Rowan University) where she earned her Doctorate. She went back to her hometown of Fort Wayne to complete her Family Medicine residency. In addition to being one of America's most respected Family Physicians, Dr. Deitrick L. Gorman is also recognized as a 3 times best-selling author. She is a speaker, consultant, blogger, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Dr. Deitrick is America's Relaxation Doctor. As one of the nation's most acclaimed cardiovascular physicians and surgeons, Board- certified cardiologist Dr. Sanul Corrielus is also a nationally recognized, wellness speaker, consultant and media personality. Dr. Corrielus is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Corrielus cardiology and he shares his knowledge via his Facebook live show “Meducation.” With his credentials and superb “bedside manner,” it's no wonder that the doctor is on track to revolutionize community-based heart healthcare across America. Dr. Ericka Goodwin is a Harvard trained, double board-certified psychiatrist, as well as a bestselling author, speaker, and integrative lifestyle coach. Her latest book is Fix Your Fairytale: A Woman's Guide to a Great Life, Love, and Legacy. She is passionate about improving mental wellness, making people feel loved, cared for, and seen. Dr. Ericka works as a traveling psychiatrist and has her own Adult Telepsychiatry Practice. Dr. Ericka also mentors and volunteers as faculty at Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Kathy Farah is an Integrative and Holistic Family Physician with a special interest in Mind-Body Medicine and social determinants of health, including racism. She is a faculty member for the Center for Mind Body Medicine, and is the lead for their programs in Indigenous Communities, and the combined Whole Health Coaching model at the Veterans Administration in the Florida region. She provides consultation at Children's Minnesota in the Department of Pain, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine in Minneapolis, MN, in addition to Western Wisconsin Health. Rev. Zemoria Brandon is an interfaith ministers as well as Chair & Social Worker Administrator of Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/carol-penn/support

As many of you know, I am very passionate about elevating the conversation regarding our mental health and wellbeing and I remain more committed than ever to move this vital part of our lives out of the dark corners and into the light.  To further my commitment, I asked a national leader in the field of pediatric mental health to share his pioneering journey, work and mission of improving the mental wellbeing of children across the country.  During this episode, we are fortunate to learn from Dr. Parker Huston, Clinical Director for the On Our Sleeves Program, which is part of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Huston and his team are working tirelessly to make mental healthcare accessible to all children, and their caregivers, in every community across our nation.  I look forward to having you a part of this important and timely conversation, and how you and your community can help Dr. Huston’s mission with the On Our Sleeves program as we continue to work together to move our mental health and well-being forward during these critical times.  Episode Highlights: Dr. Parker Huston’s background in science Identifying and solving for gaps in pediatric mental health Introduction and overview of the On Our Sleeves program Ways to interact and support On Our Sleeves About Our Guest: Parker Huston, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and Clinical Director of the On Our Sleeves Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He is also the Population Health Clinical Lead for Behavioral Health. He works part-time in the Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding Clinic as well. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Miami University of Ohio, then earned master’s and doctoral degrees from Michigan State University. He continued his training at Allegheny General Hospital and The Children’s Institute Rehabilitation Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Psychology at Akron Children’s Hospital. He has a current faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in The Ohio State University College of Medicine.   In his role with the On Our Sleeves movement, Dr. Huston works on population mental health initiatives. He develops, manages and shares mental health content and advocates for children's mental health on a local, regional, and national level. He also provides education and programming to families, schools and companies on how to discuss mental health and improve mental wellness and access to services in their community. He enjoys speaking with children, families, community and business leaders, and others who are passionate about improving children’s mental health and bringing increased awareness and access to resources into the community.  Dr. Huston's passion is rooted in providing education and opening doors so that children and their families can achieve their maximum potential and feel like they have agency in their lives. He believes that improving children’s mental health is important to set them up for success as adolescents and adults. Focusing on good mental health practices during childhood can create healthy habits throughout the lifespan. Links Supporting This Episode: On Our Sleeves website: https://www.onoursleeves.org/ (CLICK HERE) Dr. Parker Huston LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parker-huston-26590817/ (CLICK HERE) Visit our website: https://www.passionatepioneers.com/ (CLICK HERE) Subscribe to newsletter: https://forms.gle/4XjvmqWxaaNe21PX6 (CLICK HERE) Guest nomination form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqk_H_a79gCRsBLynkGp7JbdtFRWynTvPVV9ntOdEpExjQIQ/viewform (CLICK HERE) Support this podcast

Featured Guests: Dr. Kadisha Rapp, is a board certified Emergency Medicine physician with over 20 years' experience, bestselling author of the book, “Help US Help YOU in the Emergency Room,” contributing author to the bestselling book, “The Making of Medical Mogul, Volume 3” and creator of The Mobile MD Kit, and The Mini Mobile MD Kit. She was born in Washington, DC, completed her undergraduate studies at The Johns Hopkins University, her medical training at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, her Emergency Medicine residency at Howard University Hospital, and she completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Allegheny General Hospital,in Pittsburgh,Pa., under the physicians for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dr. Kathy Farah, is an Integrative and Holistic Family Physician with a special interest in Mind-Body Medicine and social determinants of health, including racism. She is a faculty member for the Center for Mind Body Medicine, and is the lead for their programs in Indigenous Communities, and the combined Whole Health Coaching model at the Veterans Administration in the Florida region. She provides consultation at Children's Minnesota in the Department of Pain, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine in Minneapolis, MN, in addition to Western Wisconsin Health. Sheila Bauer is a licensed Parent and Family Educator for the Schools of Eastern Carver County, Minnesota. She holds a Master of Education degree and has facilitated groups for over 20 years in various educational and professional settings. Sheila also serves as a Regional Faculty Supervisor with the University of Minnesota for students seeking teaching licensure. As a faculty member with The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, Sheila facilitates a small group model of self-care designed to alleviate symptoms of stress and trauma. Her work with this model continues in Broward County, Florida in the aftermath of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and in communities adversely affected by the opioid epidemic. Sheila has a particular affinity for teaching mind-body skills to educators, parents, and children. She also leads professional development training for teaching staff on the topics of Trauma Informed Classrooms and Adverse Childhood Experiences. Sheila loves fiercely, dances joyfully, and laughs easily. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/carol-penn/support

There are many incredible people working every day that share a passion for bringing innovative healthcare solutions to large populations of people.  A new area of focus in the effort to do so is called Inclusion Health. Inclusion Health is a developing approach that aims to target extreme health and social inequities. Inclusion health focuses on target populations have common adverse life experiences and risk factors such as poverty, homelessness, imprisonment, drug addiction and childhood trauma that ultimately lead to social isolation. Subsequently, these populations have extremely poor health, multiple illnesses, and are likely to experience premature death. Likely, these people also face numerous barriers to actually accessing health services that they need. Many times the people that become socially isolated are suffering from something called tri-morbidity: physical sickness, mental illness and addiction. The Inclusion Health movement aims to highlight these issues and the magnitude and consequences of extreme health inequity in our society, the need for preventive and early intervention approaches, and find ways to improve access to essential health services for individuals harmed by social exclusion. We are very fortunate to be joined on this episode by an individual that has dedicated his career to helping people that are suffering from social exclusion and all of the health issues that come with that. Stuart Fisk is a passionate and devoted healthcare provider that works to eliminate healthcare inequality. Stuart Fisk is the Director of the Center for Inclusion Health of Allegheny Health Network and a nurse practitioner with the Positive Health Clinic at Allegheny General Hospital. Fisk has been involved in HIV activism, research, nursing, and prevention since 1988, and has provided hospice, nursing and medical care for persons living with HIV disease since 1992. He has dedicated his career to helping socially and economically marginalized people and is often asked if his work can be disheartening. He says, that the work isn’t sad, the broken system aimed at serving people in need is disheartening. After finishing nursing school, Stuart Fisk then worked as a hospice nurse in San Francisco’s gritty Tenderloin district where single-room occupancy hotels served as housing for members of marginalized populations, many with HIV/AIDS who were not getting care. He credits those people for really teaching him not only how to be a nurse but more importantly how to be a human being. That dedication to people fuels his work to this day. Fisk moved to Pittsburgh, PA in 1996 and started to work with the then West Penn Allegheny Health System which is now the Allegheny Health Network. He started an HIV program in 1998. The idea for the Center for Inclusion Health, formed in 2014, came from his desire to identify populations within the system facing significant barriers to care and change things throughout the system to better serve them.

Today's special guest is one of the most sought after physicians for reference on Coronavirus as an infectious disease team member on the John Hopkins Health Emergency collaboration focusing on COVID-19.  Dr. Adalja is a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. His work is focused on emerging infectious disease, pandemic preparedness, and biosecurity. Dr. Adalja has served on US government panels tasked with developing guidelines for the treatment of plague, botulism, and anthrax in mass casualty settings and the system of care for infectious disease emergencies, and as an external advisor to the New York City Health and Hospital Emergency Management Highly Infectious Disease training program, as well as on a FEMA working group on nuclear disaster recovery. He is currently a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s (IDSA) Precision Medicine working group and is one of their media spokespersons; he previously served on their public health and diagnostics committees. Dr. Adalja is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians Pennsylvania Chapter’s EMS & Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness Committee as well as the Allegheny County Medical Reserve Corps. He was formerly a member of the National Quality Forum’s Infectious Disease Standing Committee and the US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Disaster Medical System, with which he was deployed to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake; he was also selected for their mobile acute care strike team. Dr. Adalja’s expertise is frequently sought by international and national media. Dr. Adalja is an Associate Editor of the journal Health Security. He was a coeditor of the volume Global Catastrophic Biological Risks, a contributing author for the Handbook of Bioterrorism and Disaster Medicine, the Emergency Medicine CorePendium, Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple, UpToDate’s section on biological terrorism, and a NATO volume on bioterrorism. He has also published in such journals as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Adalja is a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Emergency Physicians. He is a member of various medical societies, including the American Medical Association, the HIV Medicine Association, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is a board-certified physician in internal medicine, emergency medicine, infectious diseases, and critical care medicine. Dr. Adalja completed 2 fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh—one in infectious diseases, for which he served as chief fellow, and one in critical care medicine. He completed a combined residency in internal medicine and emergency medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he served as chief resident and as a member of the infection control committee. He was a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine from 2010 through 2017 and is currently an adjunct assistant professor there. He is a graduate of the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and he obtained a bachelor of science degree in industrial management from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Adalja is a native of Butler, Pennsylvania, and actively practices infectious disease, critical care, and emergency medicine in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, where he also serves on the City of Pittsburgh’s HIV Commission and on the advisory group of AIDS Free Pittsburgh.

Founder of the nation's largest student and new dentist community igniteDDS, Dr. David Rice travels  the world speaking, writing and connecting today's top young dentists with tomorrow's most successful dental practices.  In addition to igniteDDS, Dr. Rice maintains a team-centered restorative and implant practice in East Amherst, NY.  He has completed curriculums at the Spear Center, The Pankey Institute and The Dawson Center.  He completed his General Practice Residency at the Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and his DDS degree 22 years ago at the State University of NY at Buffalo.

This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, and Sidekick Media Services. We are broadcasting from our bunkers again this week as Brian Crawford of PGHMuseums.org joins us! This week’s topics include: Katie's Awesome thing of the Week is British Library’s Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibit available online Chilla is excited about the FCC requiring phone companies to authenticate Caller ID Brian is getting a lot our of his Mirosoft Surface Hub, and expanded with his KETAKY Microsoft Surface Pro USB/HDMI hub like this one. Sorg likes the new trend of professional sports like NBA and NASCAR adopting esports as an alternative to their events Everyone's favorite Weather App Dark Sky has been acquired by Apple Pornhub Donates 50,000 Surgical Masks to Coronavirus Frontliners in NYC and a sex worker COVID-19 relief fund Want to travel at home? Earth Cam.no cost but to get all $4.99 in app purchase on iOS Dudders fills us in on the seedy world of Animal Crossing High Stakes Musical Chairs The Office’s John Krasinski launched a YouTube channel dedicated to good news Miss the Sidekick or Android G1? Here's a new keyboard slider phone on indiegogo! After the show remember to: Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to see how awesome Slice is? Pirates players bought some pies for Allegheny General Hospital workers. Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Briand Crawford (@PGHMuseums), Michael Sorg (@Sorgatron), Katie Dudas (@Kdudders), and John Chichilla (@chilla) You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, and Sidekick Media Services. We are broadcasting from our bunkers again this week as Brian Crawford of PGHMuseums.org joins us! This week’s topics include: Katie's Awesome thing of the Week is British Library’s Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibit available online Chilla is excited about the FCC requiring phone companies to authenticate Caller ID Brian is getting a lot our of his Mirosoft Surface Hub, and expanded with his KETAKY Microsoft Surface Pro USB/HDMI hub like this one. Sorg likes the new trend of professional sports like NBA and NASCAR adopting esports as an alternative to their events Everyone's favorite Weather App Dark Sky has been acquired by Apple Pornhub Donates 50,000 Surgical Masks to Coronavirus Frontliners in NYC and a sex worker COVID-19 relief fund Want to travel at home? Earth Cam.no cost but to get all $4.99 in app purchase on iOS Dudders fills us in on the seedy world of Animal Crossing High Stakes Musical Chairs The Office’s John Krasinski launched a YouTube channel dedicated to good news Miss the Sidekick or Android G1? Here's a new keyboard slider phone on indiegogo! After the show remember to: Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to see how awesome Slice is? Pirates players bought some pies for Allegheny General Hospital workers. Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Briand Crawford (@PGHMuseums), Michael Sorg (@Sorgatron), Katie Dudas (@Kdudders), and John Chichilla (@chilla) You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, and Sidekick Media Services. The studio may be a little emptier than usual, but Sorg is pulling in Katie and Chilla to talk this week in tech news (and to catch up since everyone's been confined to home since last week's episode). This week's topics include: Chilla has given up on 2020. He is headed back to 1997 for his Awesome Thing of the Week with 1997 Chat. Katie's Awesome Thing of the Week last week extended into this week as she's been checking out Animal Crossing New Horizons to help keep her connected with her niece. We're talking comparison points between Animal Crossing on iOS to the new Animal Crossing New Horizons. Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is the Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah and the tech behind some talk show responses to COVID-19 shutdowns. Trevor Noah isn't the only one adjusting to COVID-19 shutdowns, Oprah has an AppleTV+ series. Have you checked out Netflix Party? Sorg has been checking out some thoughts from some of the podcasts he follows, and is sharing. Apple has a new iPad Pro with LiDAR scanner and trackpad support! Chilla is running through some great options for keyboards and other options for the new iPad Pro from Apple. Brother Sorg let us know about the Jay and Silent Bob video game on Steam. With dining establishments moving to takeout options, a Portland strip club is offering curbside delivery with Boober Eats. Using Zoom for video meetings? We have some pro tip options to avoid XXX videos flooding your screens. Pornhub is now Stay-At-Home-Hub. The Cowboy Museum put their security guard in charge of their social media - and it's just what we need. Adobe Creative Cloud is giving 2 months of service for free. After the show remember to: Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to see how awesome Slice is? Pirates players bought some pies for Allegheny General Hospital workers. Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Michael Sorg (@Sorgatron), Katie Dudas (@Kdudders), and John Chichilla (@chilla) You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, and Sidekick Media Services. The studio may be a little emptier than usual, but Sorg is pulling in Katie and Chilla to talk this week in tech news (and to catch up since everyone's been confined to home since last week's episode). This week's topics include: Chilla has given up on 2020. He is headed back to 1997 for his Awesome Thing of the Week with 1997 Chat. Katie's Awesome Thing of the Week last week extended into this week as she's been checking out Animal Crossing New Horizons to help keep her connected with her niece. We're talking comparison points between Animal Crossing on iOS to the new Animal Crossing New Horizons. Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is the Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah and the tech behind some talk show responses to COVID-19 shutdowns. Trevor Noah isn't the only one adjusting to COVID-19 shutdowns, Oprah has an AppleTV+ series. Have you checked out Netflix Party? Sorg has been checking out some thoughts from some of the podcasts he follows, and is sharing. Apple has a new iPad Pro with LiDAR scanner and trackpad support! Chilla is running through some great options for keyboards and other options for the new iPad Pro from Apple. Brother Sorg let us know about the Jay and Silent Bob video game on Steam. With dining establishments moving to takeout options, a Portland strip club is offering curbside delivery with Boober Eats. Using Zoom for video meetings? We have some pro tip options to avoid XXX videos flooding your screens. Pornhub is now Stay-At-Home-Hub. The Cowboy Museum put their security guard in charge of their social media - and it's just what we need. Adobe Creative Cloud is giving 2 months of service for free. After the show remember to: Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to see how awesome Slice is? Pirates players bought some pies for Allegheny General Hospital workers. Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Michael Sorg (@Sorgatron), Katie Dudas (@Kdudders), and John Chichilla (@chilla) You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

Naomi was 52 when she felt a lump in her breast. She went to the Breast Center at Allegheny General Hospital for her gynecologist appointment. In the next few hours, Naomi had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy and received a diagnosis of stage 4 breast cancer. She shares how her husband rallied behind Naomi and gave her strength and faith to fight the advanced disease for the last 10 years. The I Had Cancer podcast provides personal and truthful conversations with cancer survivors along their journeys. Each episode will feature a different person with their unique perspective on their own fight against cancer. They are sharing their story to help others who might be facing similar challenges and to say they went from “I Have Cancer” to “I Had Cancer.”  If you would like to be a guest on a future I Had Cancer Podcast, send an email to IHadCancer@highmarkhealth.org with your name and phone number. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the participants and do not reflect the views or opinions of AHN, its subsidiaries or affiliates. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

Dan was vacationing in Austria with his wife when he suffered a seizure and learned he had brain cancer. He recounts how Highmark helped him return to the US via an air ambulance and had Dan, 34, admitted to Allegheny General Hospital. Listen to Dan describe his brain surgery, performed while he was awake in order to preserve parts of the brain that control vision, speech and movement. The I Had Cancer podcast provides personal and truthful conversations with cancer survivors along their journeys. Each episode will feature a different person with their unique perspective on their own fight against cancer. They are sharing their story to help others who might be facing similar challenges and to say they went from “I Have Cancer” to “I Had Cancer.”  If you would like to be a guest on a future I Had Cancer Podcast, send an email to IHadCancer@highmarkhealth.org with your name and phone number. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the participants and do not reflect the views or opinions of AHN, its subsidiaries or affiliates. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

Dr. Raymond Benza is a cardiologist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Alle-Kiski Medical Center and Allegheny General Hospital. He has been in practice for more than 20 years. In this episode, Dr. Benza discusses the importance of clinical trials in patients with pulmonary hypertension including a new molecule that's on the forefront of treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension called PB1046. Learn more about pulmonary hypertension trials at www.phaware.global/clinicaltrials. Never miss an episode with the phaware® podcast app. Follow us @phaware on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube & Linkedin Engage for a cure: www.phaware.global/donate #phaware #ClinicalTrials #phawareMD @PhaseBio

When patients are undergoing surgery, nurses work to ensure their patients are in the safest, proper position whether they’re lying on their back supine, face down prone, or even inverted in Trendelenburg position. To do this, healthcare providers use foam, gel, or bean bag positioners to properly support their patients, but some hospitals are using makeshift positioners that not only don’t work as well, but can even further injure the patient. On this episode of AliTalks by AliMed, host Daniel Litwin broke down the issue of proper positioners with Mary Grace Hensell, former director at Allegheny General Hospital, an educator and medical legal consultant, and Steve Dunn, product manager for AliMed. “Nurses are ingenious in a lot of ways to get a position situated for surgery. About 30 years ago, it was acceptable to position patients with pillows and foam,” Hensell said. “But as we’ve moved forward, we’ve found there are a lot more positioning agents out there to keep our patients safe. We really don’t need to make our own devices as nurses anymore.” AliMed develops and delivers positioning solutions that improve patient outcomes, offering unique and innovative gel and foam products engineered to redistribute pressure, maximize stability, reduce shear, and improve imaging visualization. AliMed’s positioners range from adult and bariatric to pediatric and neonatal to support all range of patients. "It’s about the safety of the patient overall,” Dunn said. In this episode, Hensell and Dunn also discussed the legal liability that comes with DIY positioners and how they’re helping raise awareness and education of proper positioners for healthcare facilities worldwide.

In this full episode of "Exploring Minds", Amesh Adalja provides his professional insight on a range of topics from infectious diseases, pandemics, epidemics, endemics, vaccines, and the threat of bio-terrorism. - Dr. Adalja, a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, was named one of STAT's "13 Clinicians to Follow on Twitter and in 2015 named one of 5 "Pennsylvanians to Watch" by the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Dr. Adalja is currently a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s (IDSA) Precision Medicine working group, as well as one of their media spokespersons; he previously served on their public health and diagnostics committees. He is also a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians Pennsylvania Chapter’s EMS & Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness Committee as well as the Allegheny County Medical Reserve Corps. He was formerly a member of the National Quality Forum’s Infectious Disease Standing Committee, where he currently is an expert reviewer, and the US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Disaster Medical System, with which he was deployed to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake; he was also selected for their mobile acute care strike team. He has served on US government panels tasked with developing guidelines for the treatment of botulism and anthrax in mass casualty settings, the system of care for infectious disease emergencies, and as an external advisor to New York City Health and Hospital Emergency Management Highly Infectious Disease training program, as well as on a FEMA working group on nuclear disaster recovery. Dr. Adalja is an Associate Editor of the journal Health Security. He was a contributing author for the Handbook of Bioterrorism and Disaster Medicine and is also a contributing author to the upcoming edition of Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple. He has published in such journals as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Adalja is a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Emergency Physicians. He is a member of various medical societies, including the American Medical Association, the HIV Medicine Association, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.. Dr. Adalja completed 2 fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh—one in infectious diseases, for which he served as chief fellow, and one in critical care medicine. He completed a combined residency in internal medicine and emergency medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he served as chief resident and as a member of the infection control committee. He was a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine from 2010 through 2017. He is a graduate of the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and he obtained a bachelor of science degree in industrial management from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Adalja is a native of Butler, Pennsylvania, and actively practices infectious disease, critical care, and emergency medicine in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, where he also serves on the City of Pittsburgh’s HIV Commission and on the advisory group of AIDS Free Pittsburgh. - SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/exploringmindsshow FOLLOW ALONG FOR UPDATES AND NEW EPISODES: Discord - https://discord.gg/YhaAcN3 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/exploringmindsshow Twitter - https://twitter.com/ExploreMinds_TV Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/exploreminds_tv/ Website - exploringminds.show — Exploring Minds with Michele Carroll is the online show committed to exploring the world beyond talking points. Thank you for listening! Support the show.

Dentist Lorraine Callen sees a lot of patients at Allegheny General Hospital. Using special magnifying lenses, called loupes, she is able to see their teeth much better. It has also played havoc with her memory. She can’t always remember a patient by their name, but when she sees their teeth or an x-ray, “I can remember people's stories about their grandkids.”

James M. Nolan is an Operating Partner of Velocity Fund Partners, in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he currently serves as CEO for InClinica, a global CRO; CEO for SkinJect; Operations Partner for Velocity Fund; and President and CEO for E3 Therapeutics. In addition, Mr. Nolan is a Principle Consultant of ChemImage Holdings, and recently served as a Principle Consultant for Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa. Mr. Nolan’s mission is to explore and identify business opportunities and novel technologies to establish new life science companies, both domestically and globally. He works to identify opportunities; create high-quality research programs; establish and maintain dedicated executive teams; deliver strong revenues and profits, as well as accountability; and position start-up and existing businesses for sustainable market growth. His areas of expertise include R&D evaluation and implementation, product development and marketing, recruiting top scientific talent and evaluating executive team members, new product/service/market launches, deal structuring and contract negotiation, budgets and timelines, investor relations and coordinating senior team management. Mr. Nolan began his pharmaceutical career at Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals, a division of Dow Chemical. During his career at Dow, he participated in the development of corporate strategies and product positioning for allergy, AIDS, gastrointestinal and anti-infective products. His major role at Dow was as an interface between R&D and the business organization. Following his time at Dow, Mr. Nolan served as the Director of Product Planning and Marketing, North America for Anequest focusing on anesthesia and related products. Later, Mr. Nolan was responsible for global marketing and new product and program development at Wyeth-Ayerst International, and he also served as the Chairman of the Research and Development Task Force. He managed strategic planning for domestic and international new product introductions, as well as research development and marketing management, with a focus on new product and business discovery, rollout and acquisition. In late 1995, Mr. Nolan established the Institutes for Pharmaceutical Discovery, L.L.C. (IPD), based in Branford, Ct. to discover novel therapies for diabetic complications, diabetes, obesity, and related disorders. For 17 years, he served as the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer. IPD consisted of three institutes: the Institute for Drug Discovery, L.L.C., (IDD), the Institute for Bioanalytics, L.L.C. (IBA), and IPD Consumer Health, L.L.C. The focus of IPD grew to include inflammation, cardiovascular disease, dermatology, asthma, and cancer. IPD employed research scientists having expertise in synthetic medicinal chemistry, in vitro screening, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and in vivo modeling. In 1998, Mr. Nolan organized IBA, which developed customized single-plexed and multiplexed assays for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic/device industries. IPD Consumer Health was established in 2004 and provided specific, business development, targeted marketing and sales initiatives for global niche markets with solid scientific support. In 2012, Mr. Nolan moved back to Pittsburgh, founded NKV Consulting and joined the management team of ChemImage Holdings Inc., where he continues to serve as a Principal Consultant. He is a graduate of Villanova University and completed the Executive Progam in Marketing Management at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Randolph Resnik is a leading clinician, educator, researcher, and author in the field of prosthodontics and oral implantology. Dr. Resnik received his dental degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Upon graduation from dental school, he continued his training at the University and received a specialty degree in Prosthodontics. Dr. Resnik then furthered his post-graduate education at the University of Pittsburgh by completing a fellowship in Oral Implantology, while also earning a master's degree for his research on dental implants. He has spent the last 30 years working alongside Dr. Carl Misch, serving as surgical director of the Misch International Implant Institute and Chief of Staff. During that time, Dr. Resnik established himself as one of the world's experts in dental implant radiology, while also continuing to improve educational protocols in implant dentistry through the Misch Institute. Dr. Resnik serves on faculty positions at numerous universities, including The University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, and Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.    Along with his passion for lecturing and education, Dr. Resnik is also an accomplished author, having published numerous research articles across his career. His recent textbook “Avoiding Complications in Oral Implantology” is a best seller.  He has also been a contributing author to all three editions of Contemporary Implant Dentistry and two editions of Dental Implant Prosthetics.     https://www.resnikdentalimplants.com/

Dr. Resnik is a one of the original faculty and founding members of the Misch Institute since 1988 and worked alongside Dr. Carl Misch for over 30 years. He is internationally known as a leading educator, clinician, author and researcher in the field of Oral Implantology and Prosthodontics. He received his dental education from the University of Pittsburgh along with his specialty degree in Prosthodontics, Surgical Fellowship in Oral Implantology, and a Master’s degree in Oral Implantology/Radiology.  Currently, Dr. Resnik is a Clinical Professor of Oral Implantology and Periodontics at Temple University in Philadelphia, Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine Department of Graduate Prosthodontics, faculty at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and the Surgical Director and Chief of Staff of the Misch International Implant Institute. He is a consultant to numerous implant companies and laboratories. Dr. Resnik is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology and the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. He is a frequent lecturer, both domestically and internationally, along with being a leading researcher and author in the field of Oral Implantology. Dr. Resnik is the author of the recently released leading textbook in Implant Dentistry “Avoiding Complications in Oral Implantology” by Elsevier Medical Publishing. He maintains a private practice in Pittsburgh, PA limited to Oral Implantology.

TREATING TRAUMATIZED KIDS: WHY YOU SHOULD CARE Death, family violence, abuse, bullying…it’s all traumatic, and it will happen in one form or another to more than two-thirds of American kids by the time they are 16. Some will figure out how to live with it, some won’t, but all will likely carry long-term effects in behavior, coping, physical health, and psychological health, into adulthood. So how do we help them? Dr. Anthony Mannarino and his colleagues have developed a therapy that can work – and there’s evidence to prove it. Mannarino is a professor at the Drexel University College of Medicine and vice-chair of the department of psychiatry at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, and he has years worth of follow up studies that show the Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach works. And that benefits not only the patients, but also friends, family and society in general. Join us as we discuss kids and trauma, TF-CBT, and resources for families in need.  

Dr. Raymond Benza is a cardiologist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Alle-Kiski Medical Center and Allegheny General Hospital. He has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Benza discusses the benefits of inhaled iNO (nitric oxide) in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Learn more about pulmonary hypertension at phaware365.global. Never miss an episode with the phaware® podcast app. Follow us on facebook, twitter, instagram, youtube & linkedin @phaware #phaware #phawareMD

The delivery of healthcare, particularly in the in-patient setting, is facing rising costs and a lack of robust quality measures. Patients suffer from preventable errors, accidents such as patient-falls continue to occur and infections/environmental hazards complicate patient recovery. These problems plague American Healthcare even as diligent, skilled and passionate clinicians work to help patients and deliver the best care at the right time for the best price. Listen in as we conclude our three-episode discussion in front of a Carnegie Mellon University audience of researchers, staff and students who are participating in a fireside chat with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, President and CEO of Allegheny General Hospital.

The delivery of healthcare, particularly in the in-patient setting, is facing rising costs and a lack of robust quality measures. Patients suffer from preventable errors, accidents such as patient-falls continue to occur and infections/environmental hazards complicate patient recovery. These problems plague American Healthcare even as diligent, skilled and passionate clinicians work to help patients and deliver the best care at the right time for the best price. Listen in as we continue part two of our three-episode discussion in front of a Carnegie Mellon University audience of researchers, staff and students who are participating in a fireside chat with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, President and CEO of Allegheny General Hospital.

The delivery of healthcare, particularly in the in-patient setting, is facing rising costs and a lack of robust quality measures. Patients suffer from preventable errors, accidents such as patient-falls continue to occur and infections/environmental hazards complicate patient recovery. These problems plague American Healthcare even as diligent, skilled and passionate clinicians work to help patients and deliver the best care at the right time for the best price. Today, our episode will be held in front of a Carnegie Mellon University audience of researchers, staff and students who are participating in a fireside chat with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, President and CEO of Allegheny General Hospital. The delivery of healthcare, particularly in the in-patient setting, is facing rising costs and a lack of robust quality measures. Patients suffer from preventable errors, accidents such as patient-falls continue to occur and infections/environmental hazards complicate patient recovery. These problems plague American Healthcare even as diligent, skilled and passionate clinicians work to help patients and deliver the best care at the right time for the best price. Today, our episode will be held in front of a Carnegie Mellon University audience of researchers, staff and students who are participating in a fireside chat with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, President and CEO of Allegheny General Hospital.

According to the Society of Neuroscience, the average human brain has about 90 billion neurons that make 100 trillion connections or synapses. Scientists believe this astounding number of neurons is accountable for the traits that make us uniquely human: our thoughts, memories and emotions. Recent technological advances have made the brain accessible in a way that previous generations of scientists could only dream about. And yet the brain is still a mystery. On this episode of Innovation Unleashed, we will talk with Dr. Donald Whiting, Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery for Allegheny Health Network and is Director of the Allegheny General Hospital’s nationally recognized Center for Spasticity and Movement Disorders and Division of Neuromodulation and one of just a handful of renowned specialists in the country who are helping study and pioneer the use of Deep Brain Stimulation for treating conditions other than movement disorders, including obesity and obsessive compulsive disorder. Dr. Whiting will also discuss novel techniques and technologies to better image the spine and provide more personalized care strategies for patients with back and neck injuries.

Michael Gannon began his EMS career in 1979 as a volunteer at Medical Rescue Team South Authority (MRTSA). In 1981 was hired as a full time Paramedic. Today he is the EMS Program Coordinator at Allegheny General Hospital. Mike is an award winning educator, a patient's and Paramedic best friend with his skills and knowledge. During our conversation learn how I played minor role in Mike's move from MRTSA to his current position. Mike also talks about his first call at MRTSA that you will want to hear.

David Lindell has over 40 years of EMS experience as a provider, educator, flight medic and leader. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Listen to his story of being part of Freedom House Ambulance Service and part of the first class of Paramedics to be hired by the City of Pittsburgh. Dave's current position is with Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh as an EMS Program Coordinator and he works part-time with Penn Hills EMS.

Deep Brain Stimulation Applications—click here to listen. In this podcast, topic editor Dr. Kim Burchiel of the Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, speaks with Dr. Michael Oh of the Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  They discuss Dr. Oh and colleagues’ article:  “Deep brain stimulation for obesity: past, present, and future targets,” which appears in […]

HSS hosted a live webinar, sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of America, which discussed the advances in lupus research. This program was led by Susan Manzi, MD, from Allegheny General Hospital and HSS’s experts Michael D. Lockshin, MD and Jane E. Salmon, MD. An overview of lupus and discussion about current and future therapeutic treatment options are featured in this podcast.

Podcast #127 is a very special conversation with a leader and a hero of mine in the world of patient safety, Richard P. Shannon, MD. Dr. Shannon is a cardiologist and is Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as well as the Senior Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs, Department of Medicine.Dr. Shannon was an early pioneer in the use of Lean and Toyota methods to improve outcomes and patient safety, namely the reduction of hospital acquired central line bloodstream infections when he was at Allegheny General Hospital, near Pittsburgh, as documented in Naida Grunden’s book "The Pittsburgh Way to Efficient Healthcare: Improving Patient Care Using Toyota-Based Methods. Dr. Shannon learned from PRHI and Paul O’Neill, my guest In episode #124 (www.leanblog.org/124) This podcast was produced in conjunction with the Healthcare Value Network. Visit their website at http://www.healthcarevalueleaders.org. To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/127. You can leave comments there, as well. For earlier episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Oncology Times Broadcast News: Bevacizumab Did Not Improve Disease-Free Survival In Adjuvant Therapy For Early Colon Cancer For adjuvant treatment of stage II and stage III colorectal cancer the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor inhibitor, bevacizumab, gave no benefit in disease-free survival after a median follow up of three years when added to standard oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in the NSABP C-O8 phase III study reported at the 2009 ASCO meeting held in Orlando, Florida . Lead author Dr Norman Wolmark MD Chair of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, and Chair of the Department of Oncology at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, said in an interview with Peter Goodwin: "These data do not support using bevacizumab in the adjuvant setting."