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Our guest this week recently published an opinion piece criticizing how the Army undermines its health and fitness efforts through the poor nutrition environments on its installations. We dive into that conversation, looking at both the problems with Army nutrition, and the many ways leaders are working to fix them.MAJ Christina Deehl is a Registered Dietitian from Army's Medical Center of Excellence where she works in the Directorate of Training and Doctrine. Her recent op ed stirred up a lot of conversation about the gap between what Army leads aspire to in the nutrition domain of H2F and the actual food environments on our installations.Christina has 16 years of active duty service, including time with H2F at the 101st and XVIII ABC, serving as the command performance dietitian for US Army Special Operations Command, a fellowship with the Olympic Committee, clinical time at a couple hospitals, and two stints as a cultural support team leader.Around the time we recorded, research by a team she was on was also published: Normative fat-free mass index values based on body composition method in Army personnelOther references from the conversation:DA PAM 30-22 AR 30-22 Fixing the Randolph Sheppard ActGAO Report: Food Program:DOD Should Formalize Its Process for Revising Food Ingredients and Better Track Dining Facility Use and CostsGAO Report: DOD Food Program:Additional Actions Needed to Implement, Oversee, and Evaluate Nutrition Efforts for Service Members
Rabbi Fredda Cohen recently retired after a distinguished tenure as Director of Pastoral Care & Education at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. She managed a staff of six chaplains and numerous volunteers. She has rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and is a board certified chaplain under the auspices of NAJC. Rabbi Cohen received the prestigious Chaplain of the Year Award conferred by the New York Board of Rabbis in 2015. Prior to her career as a chaplain/rabbi, Rabbi Cohen earned a law degree from Fordham University and worked as a trusts and estate attorney. Here is Rabbi Cohen appearing on a White Plains Hospital podcast. Rabbi Cohen moderates this discussion. Rabbi Simcha Silverman, serves as director of Chaplaincy Services at Northwell Health, Lenox Hill Hospital. In his capacity as director, he oversees the department of multiple chaplains, provides pastoral care to patients, their family members and hospital staff. He also serves as Rabbi of the hospital, creating an infrastructure and setting for Jewish people of all types to feel most welcomed and have their cultural and religious needs met. Prior to coming to Lenox Hill in 2012, Rabbi Silverman worked in hospice. He completed his chaplain internship and residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Downtown Miami and received his board certification through the NAJC. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Bellevue University and Semicha from the Mirrer Yeshiva. In addition to his hospital responsibilities, Rabbi Silverman serves as the rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim of Flatbush, a synagogue in Brooklyn NY that has just marked its centennial anniversary. Rabbi Silverman co-authored this piece on the Northwell website regarding his facility's new chapel. Chaplain Mark Daniels serves as the Manager of Spiritual Services at the Cohen Children's Medical Center of New Hyde Park, NY, which is also part of the Northwell Health system. Chaplain Daniels has had a rich, multi-faceted career that included a decade in education during which he was headmaster of a school. He then led his own home decor business for over 25 years. Having endured a serious health crisis, Chaplain Daniels was inspired to train as a chaplain, first at Mount Sinai West (formerly Roosevelt Hospital) after which he completed his training at North Shore University Hospital before doing advanced work in a fellowship at Cohen Children's Medical Center. He has been at CCMC for nearly a decade. Chaplain Daniels has been an active Reform Jew his whole life. He is a Board Certified Chaplain and serves on the NAJC Board. Here is an article profiling Chaplain Daniels during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. About our host:Rabbi Edward Bernstein, BCC, is the executive producer and host of NeshamaCast. He serves as Chaplain at Boca Raton Regional Hospital of Baptist Health South Florida. He is a member of the Board of Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains. Prior to his chaplain career, he served as a pulpit rabbi in congregations in New Rochelle, NY; Beachwood, OH; and Boynton Beach, FL. He is also the host and producer of My Teacher Podcast: A Celebration of the People Who Shape Our Lives. NeshamaCast contributor Chaplain David Balto is a volunteer chaplain at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and Western Correctional Insitution, Maryland's maximum security prison. He coordinated the annual National Bikur Cholim Conference. Support NeshamaCast and NAJC with a tax deductible donation to NAJC. For sponsorship opportunities as either an individual or institution, please write to Rabbi Ed Bernstein at NeshamaCast@gmail.com Thank you to Steve Lubetkin and Lubetkin Media Companies for producing this episode. Transcripts for this episode and other episodes of NeshamaCast are available at NeshamaCast.simplecast.com and are typically posted one week after an episode first airs. Theme Music is “A Niggun For Ki Anu Amecha,” written and performed by Reb-Cantor Lisa Levine. Please help others find the show by rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts or other podcast providers. We welcome comments and suggestions for future programming at NeshamaCast@gmail.com. And be sure to follow NAJC on Facebook to learn more about Jewish spiritual care happening in our communities.
This week on the Long Island Tea Podcast, Sharon and Stacy are catching up on another exciting week across Long Island, from organizational updates and community wins to highlights from the Suffolk County Marathon and all things Haunted Long Island. They're diving into local happenings, seasonal fun, and a few spooky stories—and to make things extra fun, they're joined by Angelica Miceli, Discover Long Island's Director of Partnerships and Engagement and resident lover of all things Halloween.#ShowUsYourLongIslanderThis week's spotlight shines on Tim Howe, COO of Spectrum Designs Foundation, recently honored with the “Live Long & Prosper” Tribute Award from the Nimoy Knight Foundation alongside Temple Grandin. Under his leadership, 70% of Spectrum's employees are on the autism spectrum, redefining inclusion and innovation while partnering with major brands like Google, J.Crew, the Born This Way Foundation and of course, Discover Long Island.#LongIslandLifeHauppauge's Tom Primrose took first place at the Suffolk County Marathon with a time of 2:50:30, dedicating his run to Long Island veterans.Haunted Long Island: From Sagtikos Manor and Camp Hero to Oheka Castle and Sweet Hollow Road, discover 13 spooky spots that make Long Island a Halloween hotbed — read more at discoverlongisland.com/blog.Fall Long Island Restaurant Week runs November 2–9, offering two-course lunches for $24 and three-course dinners from $29–$46 at top restaurants including Calissa, Shandon Court, and more — book early at longislandrestaurantweek.com.Last Chance Giveaway: Win tickets to the Blanc & Franc Summit on November 14 at RG|NY, celebrating Long Island wines — or use code BAFS20 for 20% off at liwines.com/events.The NY Jets will honor Suffolk first responders Dylan Hever, Sean Higgins, and Travis Yacovone, who saved a man's life during a senior picnic, at First Responder Appreciation Day at MetLife Stadium.Bethpage entrepreneur Angela Carillo, founder of Alegna Soap, wowed crowds at the Women's Expo, turning her kitchen-table soap-making hobby into a thriving Long Island business.Cohen Children's Medical Center has launched Long Island's first pediatric heart transplant program, offering world-class care in a new $110 million facility in New Hyde Park.Toys “R” Us returns to Long Island with a new 7,000 sq. ft. store at Tanger Outlets Deer Park, opening in late November with nostalgic brands like LEGO and Barbie.#ThisWeekendOnLongIslandSegment sponsored by East End Getaway – your source for the best Long Island events and experiences.Friday, October 31Sag Harbor Pumpkin Trail | Sag Harbor | 1 PMHalloween Party for Kids | Glover's Park, Westhampton Beach | 3:30–5:30 PMRed Carpet Dance Party with Scary-oke | Bay Street Theater | 4–6 PMSaturday, November 1Ghost Hunting on the Cutchogue Village Green | 6–7:30 PM (Session 1) or 8–9:30 PM (Session 2)Monster House Matinee Screening | Sag Harbor Cinema | 11 AM (Sat & Sun)Plan your Halloween adventure at EastEndGetaway.com#CelebriTEAMariska Hargitay revealed that Long Island psychic John Edward predicted her Law & Order: SVU fame before she landed the role of Olivia Benson — a true Long Island twist of fate.CONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/longislandteapodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DiscoverLongIslandNYTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@longislandteapodcastX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/liteapodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/longislandteapodcastEmail: spillthetea@discoverlongisland.comShop: https://shop.discoverlongisland.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode, Todd Smith, MD, Chief Physician Executive at Sutter Medical Center, joins the podcast to discuss ambulatory growth strategies and clinical standardization. He shares insights on improving access to care and the importance of effective orientation programs for staff to ensure high-quality patient experiences.
On this episode, Todd Smith, MD, Chief Physician Executive at Sutter Medical Center, joins the podcast to discuss ambulatory growth strategies and clinical standardization. He shares insights on improving access to care and the importance of effective orientation programs for staff to ensure high-quality patient experiences.
In this episode of our series on APAC countries' EMR implementation, Franklin Vibar, CIO of Asian Hospital and Medical Center in the Philippines, talks about how the hospital guided physicians and staff through the implementation of an EMR system and achieved 95% adoption.
Dr. Adrian Miller is a board-certified, fellowship trained radiologist in breast imaging at Peeples Cancer Institute at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia.For more information about Peeples Cancer Institute, call 844-PCI-HOPE or visit VitruvianHealth.com/cancer.This program in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to replace professional medical care. Please see your healthcare provider if you have a health problem.
Dr. Adrian Miller is a board-certified, fellowship trained radiologist in breast imaging at Peeples Cancer Institute at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia.For more information about Peeples Cancer Institute, call 844-PCI-HOPE or visit VitruvianHealth.com/cancer.This program in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to replace professional medical care. Please see your healthcare provider if you have a health problem.
Dr. Adrian Miller is a board-certified, fellowship trained radiologist in breast imaging at Peeples Cancer Institute at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia.For more information about Peeples Cancer Institute, call 844-PCI-HOPE or visit VitruvianHealth.com/cancer.This program in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to replace professional medical care. Please see your healthcare provider if you have a health problem.
El Dra. Adrian Miller es radiólogo certificado y con especialización en imágenes mamarias en el Instituto Oncológico Peeples del Centro Médico Hamilton en Dalton, Georgia. Para obtener más información sobre el Instituto Oncológico Peeples, llame al 844-PCI-HOPE o visite VitruvianHealth.com/cancer.Este programa no pretende diagnosticar ni tratar enfermedades ni reemplazar la atención médica profesional. Si tiene algún problema de salud, consulte a su profesional de la salud.
El Dra. Adrian Miller es radiólogo certificado y con especialización en imágenes mamarias en el Instituto Oncológico Peeples del Centro Médico Hamilton en Dalton, Georgia. Para obtener más información sobre el Instituto Oncológico Peeples, llame al 844-PCI-HOPE o visite VitruvianHealth.com/cancer.Este programa no pretende diagnosticar ni tratar enfermedades ni reemplazar la atención médica profesional. Si tiene algún problema de salud, consulte a su profesional de la salud.
El Dra. Adrian Miller es radiólogo certificado y con especialización en imágenes mamarias en el Instituto Oncológico Peeples del Centro Médico Hamilton en Dalton, Georgia. Para obtener más información sobre el Instituto Oncológico Peeples, llame al 844-PCI-HOPE o visite VitruvianHealth.com/cancer.Este programa no pretende diagnosticar ni tratar enfermedades ni reemplazar la atención médica profesional. Si tiene algún problema de salud, consulte a su profesional de la salud.
The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Friday, October 24, 2025.
Florida Coast Medical Center - Now Open with Tyler Sherrill, CEOSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Blaine Clarke and Samantha Rux joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the Radiology Department at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee. As the OSF HealthCare system moves to a regional approach, Blaine Clarke has taken on the Director of Radiology, and Daniel Kroll is now the supervisor of Radiology at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center. Daniel Kroll brings experience and expertise from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and OSF St. Luke's is encouraging everyone to schedule their mammograms. OSF's radiology department now features easy self-scheduling online, through the MyChart app, or on “Walk-In Wednesdays” in Kewanee, Galesburg, and Monmouth. "Walk-In Wednesdays" run from noon to 2:30 PM at OSF Saint Luke's in Kewanee. Multiple services, including CT, MRI, and ultrasound, are available with quick access and the same radiologists as Peoria's larger centers. Diagnostic days on Fridays help patients receive follow-up imaging if routine mammograms reveal concerns. Early detection remains key—screenings are recommended starting at age 40, or earlier if there's a family history. Remember—both women and men should be aware and get checked if needed. Patients seeking advanced imaging services have found a convenient option closer to home at Galesburg's Radiology Department. Residents from the surrounding areas are choosing this facility for its prompt scheduling and high standards of care, often available more quickly than at larger institutions where waits can stretch to weeks. Both CT and MRI scans are offered, handled by skilled technicians, and interpreted by the same radiologists who serve major hospitals like OSF St. Francis. This connection ensures consistent quality while sparing patients a lengthy drive or the hassle of larger parking areas, making specialized care more accessible and comfortable locally. Residents in the Kewanee area have access to advanced diagnostic imaging services at OSF Saint Luke's, located at 1051 W South St in Kewanee, IL. The department offers CT scans, MRI services, and X-ray services as part of OSF HealthCare Saint Luke Medical Center's commitment to local healthcare. CT scans and X-rays are offered around the clock, while MRI appointments are available weekdays, with extended hours on select days and Saturday mornings. Central Scheduling can be reached at 309-852-7550 for more details or to arrange an appointment. The center emphasizes convenience and comprehensive care.
Dr. Joan Buckley and Pandora Groth learn about SIDS—Sudden Infant Death Syndrome—a heartbreaking and often misunderstood condition. Joining us is a leading voice in the field, Dr. Matthew Harris, the Medical Director of Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Support at Cohen's Children's Medical Center, and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra / Northwell.
There is great power in becoming a leader as an oral surgeon at your medical center. Tuning in, you'll hear all about Dr. Liddell's career and what his leadership role in his medical center looks like, the political side of healthcare, admin for leaders of medical centers, and more! We delve into how his exposure to leadership has changed the way he practices medicine before discussing the plethora of issues he sees in cases that have gone wrong. Dr. Liddell even shares some nuggets of wisdom he's learned during conflict resolution and how you can get started in this area of the industry. Finally, our guest answers our rapid-fire questions and reminds us of the importance of getting a seat at the table. Thanks for listening! Key Points From This Episode:Welcoming Dr. Aaron Liddell back to the show. Dr. Liddell tells us about his leadership role and how he got there. The political side of healthcare and why making connections is helpful.What admin looks like for leaders at medical centers. How his leadership position has changed the way he practices. What issues Dr. Liddell sees when reviewing a case that went badly. Some communication tips he has learned about conflict resolution. Dr. Liddel shares advice for anyone who wants to get started in this area. As always, our guest answers our rapid-fire questions to end off. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Dr. Aaron Liddell on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronliddell/ Dr. Aaron Liddell on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/aaronliddellmd/ Outlive — https://www.amazon.co.za/Outlive-Science-Longevity-Peter-Attia/dp/1785044559 Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.comDr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059
Angela discusses respiratory illnesses, allergies, vaccines, scheduling appointments, and more on the WRAM Morning Show.
Why is Governor Abbott forcing Houston to remove the iconic rainbow crosswalks in Montrose? Plus, are we going to see flight delays across Houston airports because of the government shutdown? And, what kind of workforce reductions will we see in the Texas Medical Center after President Trump increased the cost of H-1B visas? Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Monica Flores Richart, education advocate and attorney, about those stories and more!Stories we talked about on today's show: Metro to remove pride crosswalk after Greg Abbott threatens to withhold funding from Texas cities Government shutdown could trigger ground stops at Houston airports, FAA says Airport delays through the eyes of Houston Redditors When the U.S. government shuts down, Houston does what it does best: shows up How a $100,000 visa fee could shake up Houston's health system East Downtown ‘Superhub' for homeless proposed by Houston Housing Department Can Mayor Whitmire Really End Homelessness in Houston? Learn more about SERJobs Learn more about the sponsors of this October 10th episode: Westbury Christian School Wise AIA Houston Bayou City Art Festival Downtown Houston+ Inprint Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston Follow us on Instagram @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Photo: Pixabay/Pexels
Witnesses describe an intense situation that led to officers fatally shooting a man outside Queen's Medical Center. For the second consecutive day, fire breaks out on a Nanakuli property. Plus with no signs of progress, the federal government shutdown is raising concerns for Hawaii nonprofits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A man is dead after an officer-involved shooting outside Queen's Medical Center. A house fire in Nanakuli prompts road closures and sends one woman to the hospital. The federal government shutdown enters its second day, as federal workers face potential layoffs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Dr. Miriam Parsa, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer at Cottage Children's Medical Center, shares how her team is collaborating with Children's Hospital Los Angeles to expand specialty care, strengthen training, and improve access for families along California's central coast.
In this episode, Dr. Miriam Parsa, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer at Cottage Children's Medical Center, shares how her team is collaborating with Children's Hospital Los Angeles to expand specialty care, strengthen training, and improve access for families along California's central coast.
At 75, Kathleen (Kathy) Haney embodies resilience, purpose, and care. Family duties once slowed her college path, but persistence carried her to an undergraduate degree in occupational education and a graduate degree in vocational education administration. She went on to become the coordinator/director of dental hygiene and dental assisting at the community college and university levels. Her career spanned teaching, mentoring and serving as an accreditation site surveyor for American Dental Assistant/Dental Hygiene Programs. Ultimately, Kathy moved on to become the Asst. Director of Education for the IL. State Medical Society and then the Academic Coordinator of Pediatrics at RUSH University Medical Center, again her duties included preparing accreditation documents. Kathy's self-care story includes surviving uterine cancer and enduring a grueling replacement of a hip implant that fractured within her after 20 years of use. She has devoted years to the Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society's Children's Clinic as a volunteer, and she mentor's women dealing with gynecologic cancer through the Northwestern Univ. Medical Center's Woman to Woman Program, and the OCRA (Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance) Support Groups, which addresses all types of gynecologic cancer. "I strive to grow older with dignity and self-respect as I live my life with purpose and help others do the same." - Kathleen Haney Connect with Kathy Email khaney48@gmail.com ---- This episode is supported by Our Sponsor: Women's Connection is a nonprofit women's group with chapters around the country, connecting vibrant, accomplished women, age 50 and forward, around common interests--empowering each other to thrive, and sticking together as we travel through the stuff of life, no matter what comes our way. womenconnecting.org Age-Wise Collective: Boomer Banter with podcaster Wendy Green. This isn't just another podcast about retirement or getting older. Wendy Green invites you into real conversations about what it means to age with purpose, vitality, and ...[more] https://heyboomer.biz
The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
Episode 30: 70Bs Medical Service Corps Officers: The Starting Point – A Conversation with COL Clint Cobb & LTC Dan WinnieIn Episode 30, we sit down with two phenomenal leaders in the Medical Service Corps community: COL Clint Cobb, the 70B Consultant to The Surgeon General, and LTC Dan Winnie, Deputy 70B Consultant and Commander of the Medical Readiness Battalion at Fort Bliss. Together, they deliver a powerhouse conversation packed with mentorship, insight, and a clear-eyed look at the future of the 70B AOC.This episode is more than a leadership deep dive—it's a masterclass in how to grow, lead, and shape the future of Army Medicine.
Send us a textIn this episode of the Grow Clinton Podcast, Andy and Jenny are joined by two medical providers from MercyOne Medical Center & Hospital in Clinton, Iowa. Christine Lynch, DPM, is a podiatrist at MercyOne Clinton Specialty Care. She earned her bachelor's degree in biology from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, and her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Des Moines University. Christine completed her residency at Miami VA Hospital in Miami, Florida.Dr. Lynch focuses on understanding her patients, educating them about their conditions, and helping them select the most suitable treatment options for their individual lifestyles. Outside of work, Christine enjoys walking her dog, supporting her children, and baking.W. Ashton Nickles, DPM, is also a podiatrist specializing in podiatric surgery at MercyOne Clinton Specialty Care. Originally from Southern California, he now considers himself an Iowan. He attended Brigham Young University for his undergraduate studies, majoring in Human Development. He moved to Iowa to continue his education at Des Moines University in 1999 and trained at Broadlawns Medical Center.Outside of work, Ashton spends most of his time with his wife and seven children. He enjoys outdoor activities such as woodworking, canoeing, and camping. He is actively involved in his faith and volunteers at his church, currently teaching an early morning gospel study class for high school students.Dr. Lynch and Dr. Nickles can be reached by calling 563.244.5900.For more information about MercyOne Clinton, visit their website at https://lnkd.in/gsgtqv_8. To promote your business, organization, or event on the podcast, contact Grow Clinton at 563.242.5702 or visit www.GrowClinton.com.Grow Clinton values your feedback! Please complete a short survey at https://lnkd.in/gfzKpUEM.Grow Clinton champions economic growth, fosters community, and supports the sustainable success of businesses in the Greater Clinton Region.Thank you for your ongoing support. ~Andy
Send us a textIn this episode of At the Bench, hosts Dr. Misty Good and Dr. Betsy Crouch sit down with Dr. AnneMarie Stroustrup, Chair of Pediatrics at Zucker School of Medicine, Physician-in-Chief at Cohen Children's Medical Center, and senior vice president of the pediatric service line at Northwell Health.Dr. Stroustrup reflects on her path from early work in biotechnology to training as a neonatologist and physician scientist. She shares how volunteer experiences in an under-resourced emergency department shaped her decision to pursue medicine, and how her MPH in epidemiology provided the tools to investigate critical questions about fetal and neonatal exposures.The conversation highlights her research on environmental chemicals—particularly phthalates—and their links to outcomes such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, work within the NIH ECHO program, and the importance of large-scale, collaborative science. Dr. Stroustrup also discusses the persistence required in research, navigating funding rejections, and translating epidemiologic findings back to bench models.The discussion concludes with her insights on leadership in neonatology, from directing divisions and fellowships to now serving as chair, balancing research, clinical duties, and family life while advocating for sustainable staffing models in pediatrics.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!
Oral Arguments for the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center invites community members to sit at the controls of the Intuitive da Vinci 5 surgical robot during an open house Sept. 9–10 in the Firstenburg Tower Lobby (420 NE Mother Joseph Pl., Vancouver). The system offers a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery and laparoscopy, and is used in procedures such as hysterectomy, prostatectomy, gallbladder removal, appendectomy, and bariatric surgery. To reserve a specific time slot, email Alex Reid. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/peacehealth-southwest-medical-center-invites-community-members-to-try-out-the-intuitive-da-vinci-5-surgical-robot/ #VancouverWA #PeaceHealth #RoboticSurgery #daVinci5 #MinimallyInvasive #MedicalTechnology #Healthcare #OpenHouse #CommunityEvent
Samantha Rux joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to praise the volunteers at OSF Saint Luke and talk about volunteer opportunities at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee. Looking to make a meaningful impact in your community? OSF Saint Luke Medical Center is inviting new volunteers to join its dedicated team. Opportunities range from greeting guests and assisting visitors at the information desk to escorting patients as a transporter or helping out in the Alcove Gift Shop. Volunteers play a vital role, ensuring a warm welcome and supporting both patients and staff with various tasks. Whether you have a knack for customer service or enjoy lending a hand, there's a role for everyone. Applications and background checks are required. To get started, call 309-852-7822 or apply online today.
In this episode, Dr. Navneet Dang, Chief Medical Officer at Geisinger Community Medical Center, shares how the Care Without Delay program is improving patient access, reducing delays, and scaling systemwide. He highlights the program's impact on emergency department flow, hospital operations, and overall patient outcomes.
In this extraordinary episode of Do The Thing Podcast, Stacey Lauren speaks with Olga Rudnieva, the powerhouse behind Superhumans Center, a state-of-the-art clinic in Ukraine providing surgery, prosthetics, and full rehabilitation to victims of war.Olga's story isn't just inspiring, it's proof of what happens when you stop waiting and start doing. With no prior experience in prosthetics or hospital development, she returned to a war-torn country, crash-tested her vision, and built a movement that now serves thousands.This conversation dives into how to take action even when the path is unclear, how to build in the midst of chaos, and why collaboration beats isolation every time.Watch to learn:- What it means to say “yes” before you feel ready- How to build a mission-driven team that grows with you- Why bold ideas need relentless crash-testing- What it takes to create global partnerships under pressure- And how implementation, not ideas, is what changes livesTimestamps:2:02 — How Olga responded when war broke out while she was abroad8:14 — The moment a question changed everything: “What if we built a center?”15:40 — Building with no blueprint: how they got started with nothing24:09 — The real reason sharing your idea publicly is essential39:42 — Why helping one person is always worth it—and how it scales YouTube: https://youtu.be/9xt28qPK_csApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-olga-rudnieva-built-a-world-class-medical/id1618590178?i=1000724185897Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/54UNY4TYtm8aoy8tBKWdK9
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Jeff Ballard, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee, who highlights the state's largest independent dental benefits carrier, covering 1.5 million residents, and discusses their vision coverage, their recent recognition with the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics, and how they reinvest profits back into Tennessee communities as a nonprofit. Delta Dental operates the largest dental network in both Tennessee and the United States, offering special benefits and new services for small employers, while also maintaining strong ethical practices recognized by the Better Business Bureau. Through its Smile180 Foundation, Delta Dental of Tennessee has donated over $75 million to community oral health initiatives since 2015, and the company has big plans to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026 while continuing its focus on community service and oral health care.Delta Dental of Tennessee's ImpactDelta Dental of Tennessee, led by President and CEO Jeff Ballard, is the largest independent dental insurance company in Tennessee, covering 1.5 million residents. About six years ago, the company expanded their benefits offering to include vision insurance, now serving 100,000 people. As a not-for-profit organization, Delta Dental reinvests its profits back into Tennessee, having contributed $4 million last year. The company maintains the largest dental network in both Tennessee and the United States, with 90% of state dentists in its network and 200,000 dentists nationwide, ensuring access to dental care across the country.Delta Dental's New Benefits and ExpansionJeff discusses Delta Dental of Tennessee's special needs benefit, which was implemented three years ago to provide extra time and sensitivity visits for patients in need. He also mentioned their new office in Nashville's Medical Center, which has brought new energy to the company. Jeff further explains that they are rolling out new benefits to small employers, offering significant savings through their network for preventive services.Delta Dental of Tennessee's BBB Torch Award for EthicsJeff and Jeremy discuss Delta Dental of Tennessee's recent BBB Torch Award for Ethics in the large company category. Jeff explains that the award represents their long-standing partnership with the BBB and their commitment to ethical business practices. He highlights that the award is their first under his management team, demonstrating their dedication to integrity and trustworthiness. Jeremy asks about the small actions that contribute to such powerful outcomes, and Jeff emphasizes the importance of making ethical decisions as CEO, referring to their company values and the impact of leadership on the organization's culture.Delta Dental of Tennessee's Community Oral Health InitiativesAlong with its corporate foundation, Smile180, Delta Dental of Tennessee focuses on community reinvestment as part of its mission of "ensuring healthy smiles." Since 2015, the Smile180 Foundation has contributed over $75 million in oral health education, scholarships, and support for underserved communities, including charitable dental clinics and children's hospitals. The company has initiated various community programs, including toothbrush distributions, mouth guard initiatives, an annual Kids Dental Day and Shoe Distribution, and special healthcare screenings for the Special Olympics. Looking ahead, Delta Dental of Tennessee plans to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026 with community events and a birthday party, while maintaining its commitment to oral health care and community service.Visit https://deltadentaltn.com to learn more about Delta Dental of Tennessee.
Mimi Coomler, Chief Executive Officer of Tucson Medical Center, highlights her work serving the southern Arizona community and the recent launch of the cancer strategy center. She addresses the pressing issues of affordability and reliability in the health system, while also sharing how new AI upgrades and technological advances are shaping the future of care delivery.
The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Thursday, August 28, 2025.
The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
Dr. Carole Keim welcomes Dr. Jason Bronstein, a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, to The Baby Manual. Dr. Bronstein shares his journey from general pediatrics to specializing in childhood asthma, sleep apnea in children, and other pediatric breathing issues. He explains the types of cases referred to a pulmonologist, such as persistent chronic cough, difficulty breathing, or repeated respiratory infections. Dr. Keim and Dr. Bronstein discuss how conditions like asthma or congenital lung disorders are diagnosed, and Dr. Bronstein also highlights how environmental asthma triggers, such as smoke, mould, and allergens, can affect a child's lung health. Dr. Keim and Dr. Bronstein explore how pediatric sleep studies are used to evaluate children for obstructive sleep apnea, especially those with snoring, ADHD-like symptoms, or conditions like Down syndrome or autism. Dr. Bronstein describes what to expect during a sleep study and outlines when it's appropriate. They also cover safe and effective cough remedies for children, including honey for cough, saline nebulizers, and tips for using humidifiers without causing mould exposure. This episode is all about actionable advice for parents concerned about their child's breathing, sleep quality, or lung function. Dr. Jason Bronstein, MD:Jason Bronstein, MD, is the Medical Director of the Mount Sinai Pediatric Sleep Medicine Program and Director of the Mount Sinai Children's Integrative Sleep Center.He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and he completed his Pediatrics Residency at Northwell Health, Cohen Children's Medical Center. Dr. Bronstein completed his Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship at Nemours, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. He completed fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and jointly at the University of Pennsylvania.He treats sleep disorders across the age spectrum, including obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, and other pulmonary, neurologic, and behavioral conditions of sleep. He performs advanced interpretation of polysomnography and associated sleep study testing.Dr. Bronstein is dedicated to improving the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in infants, children, and adolescents. His professional activities include clinical care, graduate medical education, and research. He also treats general respiratory disorders in children in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, delivers multidisciplinary care of children with complex medical disorders via various special programs, and works with the adult sleep medicine and adult sleep laboratory programs in the Department of Medicine.__ Resources discussed in this episode:The Holistic Mamas Handbook is available on AmazonThe Baby Manual is also available on Amazon__Contact Dr. Carole Keim MDlinktree | tiktok | instagramContact Dr. Jason Bronstein, MDwebsite
In this episode of the SRNA "Ask the Expert" podcast moderated by Dr. GG deFiebre, Dr. Kyle Blackburn and Dr. Benjamin Greenberg discussed the need for updated diagnostic criteria for myelitis. Dr. Blackburn explained the term myelitis and the importance of precise terminologies for accurate diagnoses and research [00:05:10]. Dr. Greenberg elaborated on the advancements in testing and understanding of associated disorders like NMOSD and MOGAD since 2002 [00:11:10]. Both experts stated that the shift from "transverse myelitis" to "myelitis" will aid future research, treatments, and patient care [00:17:27]. They reassured patients that these changes would essentially refine their care but not alter it dramatically [00:23:40]. They encouraged patients to stay informed and communicate with their healthcare providers about these updates [00:28:58].Kyle Blackburn, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He specializes in neuroimmunology and has clinical interests in antibody-mediated neurologic disorders, including autoimmune encephalitis, epilepsy, and ataxias; neurologic complications of cancers, including paraneoplastic disorders and checkpoint inhibitor/CAR T-cell toxicity; and demyelinating disorders, including sarcoidosis, neuromyelitis optica, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-associated disease, and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Blackburn earned his medical degree at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. He performed his residency in adult neurology at UT Southwestern, serving his final year as Chief Resident, and stayed to complete a fellowship in neuroimmunology, during which he earned the James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Award from the Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association (SRNA). He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2020.Benjamin M. Greenberg, M.D., M.H.S. is a Professor and the Cain Denius Scholar in Mobility Disorders in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of Translational Research and Strategic Initiatives for the Department of Neurology. He is also the interim Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center and the Director of the Neurosciences Clinical Research Center. In addition, he serves as Director of the Transverse Myelitis and Neuromyelitis Optica Program and the Pediatric Demyelinating Disease Program at Children's Medical Center.Dr. Greenberg earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine before completing an internal medicine internship at Chicago's Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center. He performed his neurology residency at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He also holds an M.H.S. in molecular microbiology and immunology from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, as well as a bachelor's degree in the history of medicine – both from Johns Hopkins. Prior to his recruitment to UT Southwestern in 2009, Dr. Greenberg was on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins Division of Neuroimmunology, serving as the Director of the Encephalitis Center and Co-Director of the nation's first dedicated Transverse Myelitis Center.Dr. Greenberg splits his clinical time between adult and pediatric patients at William P. Clements Jr. and Zale Lipshy University Hospitals, Parkland, and Children's Medical Center. His research focuses on better diagnosing, prognosticating, and treating demyelinating diseases and nervous system infections. He also coordinates clinical trials to evaluate new treatments to prevent neurologic damage and restore function to affected patients. 00:00 Introduction00:58 Overview of Myelitis and Diagnostic Criteria02:57 Historical Context and Importance of Updated Criteria05:10 Challenges with Current Terminology11:10 Changes in Understanding and Diagnostic Approaches17:27 Implications for Patients and Clinical Practice23:40 Impact on Research and Future Directions28:58 Patient Advocacy31:17 Conclusion
OSF Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee has secured a prestigious five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This accolade places the hospital among an elite group recognized nationally for superior healthcare delivery. Evaluations covered key areas including patient safety, overall patient experience, and the effectiveness of medical treatments. Hospital administrators attribute this achievement to the dedication and expertise of their medical staff, as well as a continued focus on quality improvement. President Jackie Kernan and Samantha Rux joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about what the award means to OSF Saint Luke. “This recognition is a powerful testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of our team,” said Jackie Kernan, president of OSF Saint Luke. “Our caregivers are unwavering in their commitment to delivering high-quality, compassionate care. Their efforts ensure that our patients have access to health care locally, and this honor reflects our continued promise to improve the health and well-being of the community we serve.” The recognition not only boosts community confidence but also cements OSF Saint Luke's reputation as a leader in compassionate and effective care in the region.
The Texas House delivered President Donald Trump a victory Wednesday when it approved a congressional redistricting plan that could be crucial for Republicans to hold control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. The partisan gerrymander could flip as many as five Democratically held seats to Republican, taking aim at districts in North Texas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and South Texas. In other news, Dallas hired a commercial real estate investment and development company earlier this year to find potential sites for a new Dallas Mavericks arena; a sophomore junior varsity football player at Lancaster died Wednesday morning, two days after he reported feeling unwell while at practice. Preston Malone III, a 15-year-old student at Lancaster High School, was pronounced dead at Children's Medical Center after he was rushed there on Monday by paramedics; nd across Texas, doctors and patients say anxiety, confusion and legal concerns have transformed a routine adherence to standard of care into something new — a standard of fear. An anonymous emergency doctor based in Dallas said the state's abortion ban has created a world of distrust in doctor's offices. Patients don't know if they can trust their physicians. Physicians don't know if they can trust their patients. In “Standard of Fear,” we share doctors' firsthand accounts of the impact Texas' abortion bans have had on their practice. Read the series now at DallasNews.com/TexasAbortions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Rural birthing centers are closing at an alarming pace in Wisconsin and across the country, but Door County Medical Center CEO Brian Stephens says their birthing center isn't going anywhere. Stephens and Dr. Dorene Dempster join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about why rural hospitals struggle to keep the service going and what the Medical Center does to keep theirs open to serve our isolated community.
In this episode, Aaron F. Hajart, COO of Community Medical Center at RWJBarnabas Health, discusses the organization's transformation through strategic planning, improved patient experience, and operational excellence. He highlights major successes in reducing readmission rates, fostering culture change through leadership engagement, and positioning the hospital for growth in areas like GI, oncology, and maternal care.
Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, although it is often misdiagnosed. A careful history and clinical examination for other neurologic findings, such as bradykinesia, dystonia, or evidence of peripheral neuropathy, can reveal potential alternative etiologies. Knowledge about epidemiology and associated health outcomes is important for counseling and monitoring for physical impairment and disability. In this episode, Lyell Jones, MD, FAAN, speaks with Ludy C. Shih, MD, MMSc, FAAN, author of the article “Essential Tremor” in the Continuum® August 2025 Movement Disorders issue. Dr. Jones is the editor-in-chief of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology® and is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Shih is clinical director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Additional Resources Read the article: Essential Tremor Subscribe to Continuum®: shop.lww.com/Continuum Earn CME (available only to AAN members): continpub.com/AudioCME Continuum® Aloud (verbatim audio-book style recordings of articles available only to Continuum® subscribers): continpub.com/Aloud More about the American Academy of Neurology: aan.com Social Media facebook.com/continuumcme @ContinuumAAN Host: @LyellJ Guest: @ludyshihmd Full episode transcript available here Dr Jones: This is Dr Lyell Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Continuum. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio. Be sure to visit the links in the episode notes for information about earning CME, subscribing to the journal, and exclusive access to interviews not featured on the podcast. Dr Jones: This is Dr Lyell Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology. Today, I'm interviewing Dr Ludy Shih, who recently authored an article on essential tremor for our latest issue of Continuum on movement disorders. Dr Shih is an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and the clinical director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Dr Shih, welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Why don't you introduce yourself to our listeners? Dr Shih: Thank you, Dr Jones, for having me. It's a real pleasure to be here on the podcast with you. I'm a neurologist, I trained in movement disorders fellowship, and I currently see patients and conduct clinical research. We offer a variety of treatments and diagnostic tests for our patients with movement disorders. And I have developed this interest, a clinical research interest in essential tremor. Dr Jones: And so, as an expert in essential tremor, the perfect person to write such a really spectacular article. And I can't wait for our listeners to hear more about it and our subscribers to read it. And let's get right to it. If you had, Dr Shih, a single most important message for our listeners about caring for patients with essential tremor, what would that message be? Dr Shih: Yeah, I think the takeaway that I've learned over the years is that people with essential tremor do develop quite a few other symptoms. And although we propose that essential tremor is this pure tremor disorder, they can experience a lot of different comorbidities. Now, there is some debate as to whether that is expected for essential tremor or is this some part of another syndrome, which we may talk about later in the interview. But the fact of the matter is, it's not a benign condition and people do experience some disability from it. Dr Jones: And I think that speaks to how the name of this disorder has evolved over time. right? You point out in your article, it used to be called benign essential tremor or benign familial tremor. But it's really not so straightforward as it. And fairly frequently these symptoms, the patient's tremor, can be functionally limiting, correct? Dr Shih: That is correct. In fact, the reason I probably started getting interested in essential tremor was because our center had been doing a lot of deep brain stimulation for essential tremor, which is remarkably effective, especially for tremor that reaches an amplitude that really no oral medication is going to satisfyingly treat. And if you have enough upper limb disability from this very large-amplitude tremor, a surgical option may make a lot of sense for a lot of patients. And yet, how did they get to that point? Do they continue to progress? These were the sort of interesting questions that got raised in my mind as I started to treat these folks. Dr Jones: We'll come back to treatment in just a minute here, because there are many options, and it sounds like the options are expanding. To start with the diagnosis- I mean, this is an extraordinarily common disorder. As you point out, it is the most common movement disorder in the US and maybe the world, and yet it seems to be underrecognized and frequently misdiagnosed. Why do you think that is? Dr Shih: Great question. It's been pretty consistent, with several case series over the decades showing a fairly high rate of quote/unquote “misdiagnosis.” And I think it speaks to two things, probably. One is that once someone sees a postural and kinetic tremor of the arms, immediately they think of essential tremor because it is quite common. But there's a whole host of things that it could actually be. And the biggest one that we also have to factor in is also the heterogeneity of the presentation of Parkinson's disease. Many people, and I think increasingly now these days, can present with not a whole lot of the other symptoms, but may present with an atypical tremor. And it becomes actually a little hard to sort out, well, do they have enough of these other symptoms for me to suspect Parkinson's, or is the nature of their tremor suspicious enough that it would just be so unusual that this stays essential tremor and doesn't eventually develop into Parkinson's disease? And I think those are the questions that we all still grapple with from time to time in some of our clinics. Dr Jones: Probably some other things related to it with, you know, our understanding of the pathophysiology and the availability of tests. And I do want to come back to those questions here in just a minute, but, you know, just the nomenclature of this disorder… I think our clinical listeners are familiar with our tendency in medicine to use words like essential or idiopathic to describe disorders or phenomena where we don't understand the precise underlying mechanism. When I'm working with our trainees, I call these “job-security terms” because it sounds less humbling than “you have a tremor and we don't know what causes it,” right? So, your article does a really nice job outlining the absence of a clear monogenic or Mendelian mechanism for essential tremor. Do you think we'll ever have a eureka moment in neurology for this disorder and maybe give it a different name? Dr Shih: It's a great question. I think as we're learning with a lot of our neurologic diseases---and including, I would even say, Parkinson's disease, to which ET gets compared to a lot---there's already now so much more known complexity to something that has a very specific idea and concept in people's minds. So, I tend to think we'll still be in an area where we'll have a lot of different causes of tremor, but I'm hopeful that we'll uncover some new mechanisms for which treating or addressing that mechanism would take care of the tremor in a way that we haven't been able to make as much progress on in the last few decades as maybe we would have thought given all the advances in in technology. Dr Jones: That's very helpful, and we'll be hopeful for that series of discoveries that lead us to that point. I think many of our listeners will be familiar with the utility---and, I think, even for most insurance companies, approval---for DAT scans to discriminate between essential tremor and Parkinsonian disorders. What about lab work? Are there any other disorders that you commonly screen for in patients who you suspect may have essential tremor? Dr Shih: Yeah, it's a great question. And I think, you know, I'm always mindful that what I'm seeing in my clinic may not always be representative of what's seen in the community or out in practice. I'll give an example. You know, most of the time when people come to the academic Medical Center, they're thinking, gosh, I've tried this or that. I've been on these medicines for the last ten years. But I've had essential tremor for twenty years. We get to benefit a little bit from all that history that's been laid down. And so, it's not as likely you're going to misdiagnose it. But once in a while, you'll get someone with tremor that just started a month ago or just started, you know, 2 or 3 months ago. And you have to still be thinking, well, I've got to get out of the specialist clinic mindset, and think, well, what else really could this be? And so, while it's true for everybody, moreso in those cases, in those recent onset cases, you really got to be looking for things like medications, electrolyte abnormalities, and new-onset thyroid disorder, for example, thyroid toxicosis. Dr Jones: Very helpful. And your article has a wonderful list of the conditions to consider, including the medications that might be used for those conditions that might result or unmask a tremor of a different cause. And I think being open-minded and not anchoring on essential tremor just because it's common, I think is a is a key point here. And another feature in your article that I really enjoyed was your step-by-step approach to tremor. What are those steps? Dr Shih: Well, I think you know first of all, tremor is such common terminology that even lay people, patients, nonclinicians will use the word “tremor.” And so, it can be tempting when the notes on your schedule says referred for tremor to sort of immediately jump to that. I think the first step is, is it tremor? And that's really something that the clinician first has to decide. And I think that's a really important step. A lot of things can look superficially like tremor, and you shouldn't even assume that another clinician knows what tremor looks like as opposed to, say, myoclonus. Or for example a tremor of the mouth; well, it actually could be orolingual or orobuccal dyskinesia, as in tardive dyskinesia. And another one that tremor can look like is ataxia. And so, I think- while they sound obvious to most neurologists, perhaps, I think that---especially in the area of myoclonus, where it can be quite repetitive, quite small amplitude in some conditions---it can really resemble a tremor. And so, there are examples of these where making that first decision of whether it's a tremor or not can really be a good sort of time-out to make sure you're going down the right path to begin with. And I think what's helpful is to think about some of the clinical definitions of a tremor. And tremor is really rhythmic, it's oscillatory. You should see an agonist and antagonist muscle group moving back and forth, to and fro. And then it's involuntary. And so, I think these descriptors can really help; and to help isolate, if you can describe it in your note, you can probably be more convinced that you're dealing with the tremor. The second step that I would encourage people to really consider: you've established it's a tremor. The most important part exam now becomes, really, the nontremor part of the exam. And it should be really comprehensive to think of what else could be accompanying this, because that's really how we make diagnosis of other things besides essential tremor. There really should be a minimum of evidence of parkinsonism, dystonia, neuropathy, ataxia- and the ataxia could be either from a peripheral or central nervous system etiology. Those are the big four or five things that, you know, I'm very keen to look for and will look pretty much in the head, neck, the axial sort of musculature, as well as the limbs. And I think this is very helpful in terms of identifying cases which turn out to have either, say, well, Parkinson's or even a typical Parkinson disorder; or even a genetic disorder, maybe even something like a fragile X tremor ataxia syndrome; or even a spinal cerebellar ataxia. These cases are rare, but I think if you uncover just enough ataxia, for example, that really shouldn't be there in a person, let's say, who's younger and also doesn't have a long history of tremor; you should be more suspicious that this is not essential tremor that you're dealing with. And then the last thing is, once you've identified the tremor and you're trying to establish, well, what should be done about the tremor, you really have to say what kind of tremor it is so that you can follow it, so you can convey to other people really what the disability is coming from the tremor and how severe the tremor is. So, I think an example of this is, often in the clinic, people will have their patients extend their arms and hands and kind of say, oh, it's an essential tremor, and that's kind of the end of the exam. But it doesn't give you the flavor. Sometimes you'll have a patient come in and have a fairly minimal postural tremor, but then you go out, take those extra few seconds to go grab a cup of water or two cups of water and have them pour or drink. And now all of a sudden you see this tremor is quite large-amplitude and very disabling. Now you have a better appreciation of what you really need to do for this patient, and it might not be present with just these very simple maneuvers that you have at bedside without props and items. And then the severity of it; you know, we're so used to saying mild, moderate, severe. I think what we've done in the Tremor Research Group to use and develop the Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale is to get people used to trying to estimate what size the tremor is. And you can do that by taking a ruler or developing a sense of what 1 centimeter, 2 centimeters, 3 centimeters looks like. I think it'd be tremendously helpful too, it's very easy and quick to convey severity in a given patient. Dr Jones: I appreciate you, you know, having a patient-centered approach to the- how this is affecting them and being quantitative in the assessment of the tremor. And that's a great segue to a key question that I run into and I think others run into, which is when to initiate therapy? You know, if you see a patient who, let's say they have a mild tremor or, you know, something that quantitatively is on the mild end of the spectrum, and you have, you know, a series of options… from a medication perspective, you have to say, well, when does this across that threshold of being more likely to benefit the patient than to harm the patient? How do you approach that question? What's your threshold for starting medication? Dr Shih: Yeah. You know, sometimes I will ask, because---and I know this sounds like a strange question---because I feel like my patients will come for a couple of different reasons. Sometimes it's usually one over the other. I think people can get concerned about a symptom of a tremor. So, I actually will ask them, was your goal to just get a sense for what this tremor is caused by? I understand that many people who develop tremor might be concerned it might be something like Parkinson's disease. Or is this also a tremor that is bothering you in day-to-day life? And often you will hear the former. No, I just wanted to get checked out and make sure you don't think it's Parkinson's. It doesn't bother me enough that I want to take medication. They're quite happy with that. And then the second scenario is more the, yeah, no, it bothers me and it's embarrassing. And that's a very common answer you may hear, may be embarrassing, people are noticing. It's funny in that many people with essential tremor don't come to see a doctor or even the neurologist for many years. And they will put up with it for a very long time. And they've adopted all sorts of compensatory strategies, and they've just been able to handle themselves very admirably with this, in some cases, very severe tremor. So, for some of them, it'll take a lot to come to the doctor, and then it becomes clear. They said, I think I'm at the point where I need to do something about this tremor. And so, I think those three buckets are often sort of where my patients fall into. And I think asking them directly will give you a sense of that. But you know, it can be a nice time to try some as-needed doses of something like Propranolol, or if it's something that you know that they're going to need something on day-to-day to get control of the tremor over time, there are other options for that as well. Dr Jones: Seems like a perfect scenario for shared decision-making. Is it bothersome enough to the patient to try the therapy? And I like that suggestion. That's a nice pearl that you could start with an a- needed beta blocker, right, with Propranolol. And this is a question that I think many of us struggle with as well. If you've followed a patient with essential tremor for some time and you've tried different medications and they've either lost effectiveness or have intolerable adverse effects, what is your threshold for referring a patient for at least considering a surgical neurostimulator therapy for their essential tremor? Dr Shih: Yeah, so surgical therapies for tremor have been around for a long time now, since 1997, which was when it was approved by the FDA for essential tremor and Parkinson tremor. And then obviously since then, we have a couple more options in the focus ultrasound thalamotomy, which is a lesioning technique. When you have been on several tremor medications, the list gets smaller and smaller. It- and then chance of likely satisfying benefit from some of these medications can be small and small as you pass through the first and second line agents and these would be the Propranolol and the primidone. And as you say, quite a few patients- it's estimated between 30 to 50% of these patients end up not tolerating these first two medications and end up discontinuing them. Some portion of that might also be due to the fact that some of our patients who have been living with essential tremor for decades now, to the point that their tremor is getting worse, are also getting older. And so, polypharmacy and/or some of the potential side effects of beta blockers and anticonvulsants like primidone may be harder to bear in an older adult. And then as you talk about in the article, there's some level of evidence for topiramate, and then from there a number of anticonvulsants or benzos, which have even weaker evidence for them. It's a personal decision. As I tell folks, look, this is not going to likely extend your life or save your life, but it's a quality of life issue. And of course, if there are other things going on in life that need to be taken care of and they need that kind of care and attention, then, you know, you don't need to be adding this to your plate. But if you are in the position where those other things are actually okay, but quality of life is really affected by your being unable to use your upper limbs in the way that you would like to… A lot of people's hobbies and applications are upper limb-based, and enjoying those things is really important. Then I think that this is something- a conversation that we begin and we begin by talking about yes, there are some risks involved, but fortunately this is the data we have on it, which is a fairly extensive experience in terms of this is the risk of, you know, surgery-related side effects. This is the risk of if you're having stimulation from DBS stimulation-related side effects, which can be adjustable. It's interesting, I was talking with colleagues, you know, after focused ultrasound thalamotomy was approved. That really led more people to come to the clinic and start having these discussions, because that seemed like a very the different sort of approach where hardware wasn't needed, but it was still a surgery. And so, it began that conversation again for a bunch of people to say, you know, what could I do? What could I tolerate? What would I accept in terms of risk and potential benefit? Dr Jones: Well, I think that's a great overview of a disorder where, you know, I think the neurologist's role is really indispensable. Right? I mean, you have to have this conversation not just once, this is a conversation that you have over time. And again, I really want to refer our listeners to this article. It's just a fantastic overview of a common disorder, but one where I think there are probably gaps where we can improve care. And Dr Shih, I want to thank you for joining us, and thank you for such a great discussion on essential tremor. I learned a lot from your article, and I learned even more from the interview today. I suspect our readers and listeners will too. Dr Shih: Well, thank you again for the invitation and the opportunity to kind of spread the word on this really common condition. Dr Jones: Again, we've been speaking with Dr Ludy Shih, author of a fantastic article on essential tremor in Continuum's latest issue on movement disorders. Please check it out, and thank you to our listeners for joining today. Dr Monteith: This is Dr Teshamae Monteith, Associate Editor of Continuum Audio. If you've enjoyed this episode, you'll love the journal, which is full of in-depth and clinically relevant information important for neurology practitioners. Use the link in the episode notes to learn more and subscribe. AAN members, you can get CME for listening to this interview by completing the evaluation at continpub.com/audioCME. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio.
In this episode, Darian Harris, CEO of Mills-Peninsula Medical Center at Sutter Health, shares insights on expanding healthcare access, workforce development, and leveraging technology to enhance patient care. He discusses innovative strategies, including behavioral health investments, robotics, and a tuition-free diagnostic imaging program, shaping the future of healthcare in Northern California.
This episode recorded live at the Becker's Hospital Review 15th Annual Meeting features Stephanie Everett, Administrator of Mountrail Bethel Home and Chief Executive Officer of Mountrail County Medical Center. She shares her journey from foundation director to CEO, highlights a $53 million expansion project, and discusses the importance of listening to staff, addressing rural staffing challenges, and embracing technology to deliver the best possible patient care.
Mira Yaache, MHA, MBA, Interim Administrator of Neurosciences and Administrator of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, shares her perspective on the growing influence of private equity in healthcare and its impact on the anesthesia market. She explores concerns about the future of private equity in the sector, highlighting the implications for providers and organizations. Yaache also addresses the ongoing challenges surrounding declining reimbursements and what they could mean for long-term sustainability.
“The Jewish voice must be heard, not because it's more right or less right, but it's there. The suffering is there, the grief is there, and human grief is human grief.” As Jews around the world mark Tisha B'Av, we're joined by Columbia University professor and award-winning poet Owen Lewis, whose new collection, “A Prayer of Six Wings,” offers a powerful reflection on grief in the aftermath of October 7th. In this conversation, Lewis explores the healing power of poetry in the face of trauma, what it means to be a Jewish professor in today's campus climate, and how poetry can foster empathy, encourage dialogue, and resist the pull of division. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod: Latest Episodes: An Orange Tie and A Grieving Crowd: Comedian Yohay Sponder on Jewish Resilience From Broadway to Jewish Advocacy: Jonah Platt on Identity, Antisemitism, and Israel Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: The Dinah Project's Quest to Hold Hamas Accountable Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Owen Lewis: Overheard in a New York Restaurant. I can't talk about Israel tonight. I know. I can't not talk about Israel tonight. I know. Can we talk about . . . Here? Sure. Let's try to talk about here. Manya Brachear Pashman: On Saturday night, Jews around the world will commemorate Tisha B'av. Known as the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, the culmination of a three week period of mourning to commemorate several tragedies throughout early Jewish history. As a list of tragedies throughout modern Jewish history has continued to grow, many people spend this day fasting, listening to the book of Lamentations in synagogue, or visiting the graves of loved ones. Some might spend the day reading poetry. Owen Lewis is a Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics at Columbia University. But he's also the award-winning author of four poetry collections which have won accolades, including the EE Cummings Prize and the Rumi Prize for Poetry. His most recent collection, A Prayer of Six Wings documents in verse his grief since the October 7 terror attacks. Owen is with us now to talk about the role of poetry in times of violence and war, what it's been like to be a Jewish professor on the Columbia campus, and a Jewish father with children and grandchildren in Israel. And also, how to keep writing amid a climate of rising antisemitism. Owen, welcome to People of the Pod. Owen Lewis: Thank you so much, Manya. Manya Brachear Pashman: So you opened with that short poem titled overheard in a New York restaurant. I asked you to read that because I wanted to ask whether it reflected how you felt about poetry after October 7. Did you find yourself in a place where you couldn't write about Israel, but yet you couldn't not write about Israel? Owen Lewis: Among the many difficult things of that First Year, not only the war, not only the flagrant attacks on the posters of the hostages one block from where I live, 79th and Broadway, every day, taken down every day, put back up again, defaced. It was as if the war were being fought right here on 79th and Broadway. Another aspect that made this all so painful was watching the artistic and literary world turn against Israel. This past spring, 2000 writers and artists signed a petition, it was published, there was an oped about it in The Times, boycotting Israeli cultural institutions. And I thought: artists don't have a right to shut their ears. We all need to listen to each other's grief, and if we poets and artists can't listen to one another, what do we expect of statesmen? Statesmen, yeah, they can create a ceasefire. That's not the same as creating peace. And peace can only come when we really listen to each other. To feel ostracized by the poetry community and the intellectual community was very painful. Fortunately, last summer, as well as this past summer, I was a fellow at the Yetzirah conference. Yetzirah is an organization of Jewish American poets, although we're starting to branch out. And this kind of in-gathering of like-minded people gave me so much strength. So this dilemma, I can't talk about it, because we just can't take the trauma. We can't take hearing one more thing about it, but not talk about it…it's a compulsion to talk about it, and that's a way to process trauma. And that was the same with this poetry, this particular book. I feel in many ways, it just kind of blew through me, and it was at the same time it blew through me, created this container in which I could express myself, and it actually held me together for that year. I mean, still, in many ways, the writing does that, but not as immediately and acutely as I felt that year. Manya Brachear Pashman: This book has been praised as not being for the ideological but for the intellectually and emotionally engaged. So it's not it's not something that ideologically minded readers will necessarily be able to connect to, or is it actually quite the opposite? Owen Lewis: Well, it's very much written from the gut, from the experience, from in a sense, being on the ground, both in Israel and here in New York and on campus, and trying to keep a presence in the world of poetry and writers. So what comes from emotion should speak to emotion. There are a few wisps of political statements, but it's not essentially a politically motivated piece of writing. I feel that I have no problem keeping my sympathies with Israel and with Jews. I can still be critical of aspects of the government, and my sympathies can also be with the thousands of Palestinians, killed, hurt, displaced. I don't see a contradiction. I don't have to take sides. But the first poem is called My Partisan Grief, and it begins on October 7. I was originally going to call the bookMy Partisan Grief, because I felt that American, Jewish, and Israeli grief was being silenced, was being marginalized. And I wanted to say, this is our grief. Listen to it. You must listen to this. It doesn't privilege this grief over another grief. Grief is grief. But I wanted ultimately to move past that title into something broader, more encompassing, more humanitarian. Manya Brachear Pashman: And did that decision come as the death toll in Gaza rose and this war kept going and going and the hostages remained in captivity, did that kind of sway your thinking in terms of how to approach the book and frame it? Owen Lewis: Yes, but even more than those kind of headlines, which can be impersonal, the poetry of some remarkable Palestinian poets move me into a broader look. Abu Toha was first one who comes to mind Fady Joudah, who's also a physician, by the way. I mean his poetry, I mean many others, but it's gorgeous, moving poetry. Some of it is a diatribe, and you know, some of it is ideological, and people can do that with poetry, but when poetry really drills down into human experience, that's what I find so compelling and moving. And that's what I think can move the peace process. I know it sounds quite idealistic, but I really think poetry has a role in the peace process here. Manya Brachear Pashman: I want to I want to unpack that a little bit later. But first, I want to go back to the protests that were roiling Columbia's campus over the past year and a half, two years. What was it like to be, one, writing this book, but also, teaching on campus as a Jewish professor? Owen Lewis: Most of my teaching takes place up at the Medical Center at 168th Street. And there I have to say, I didn't feel battered in any way by what was happening. I had a very shocking experience. I had a meeting that I needed to attend on, or that had been scheduled, I hadn't been quite paying attention. I mean, I knew about the encampments, but I hadn't seen them, and I come face to face with a blocked campus. I couldn't get on the campus. And what I'm staring at are signs to the effect, send the Jews back to Poland. I'm thinking, Where am I? What is this? I mean, protest, sure. I mean we expect undergraduates, we expect humans, to protest when things really aren't fair. But what did this have to do…why invoke the Holocaust and re-invoke it, as if to imply the Jews should be punished? All Jews. And what it fails to account for are the diversity of Jewish opinion. And you know, for some Jews, it's a black or white matter, but for most thinking Jews that I know, we all struggle very much with a loyalty to Israel, to the Jewish people, to the homeland and larger humanitarian values. So that was quite a shock. And I wrote a piece called “The Scars of Encampment,” in which I say, I can't unsee that. " And I go to campus, and, okay, it's a little bit more security to get onto campus. It's a beautiful campus. It's like an oasis there, but at the same time, I'm seeing what was as if it still is. And in a way, that's the nature of trauma that things from the past just roil and are present with almost as much emotion as when first encountered. Manya Brachear Pashman: So did you need to tune out those voices, or did that fuel your work? Owen Lewis: No, that fueled my work. I mean, if anything, it made me feel much more, a sense of mission with this book. And a commitment, despite criticism that I may receive, and no position I take is that outlandish, except to sympathize with the murdered on October 7th, to sympathize with their families, to resonate with what it must be like to have family members as hostages in brutal, brutal conditions. Not knowing whether they're dead or alive. So I really felt that the Jewish voice must be heard, not because it's more right or less right, but it's there. The suffering is there, the grief is there, and human grief is human grief. Manya Brachear Pashman: Owen, if you wouldn't mind reading another poem from the collection. Of course, many of us remember the news out of Israel on Thanksgiving Day 2023, right after October 7th. And this poem is titled, “Waiting for the Next Release, Reported by the New York Times, November 23 2023”. Owen Lewis: Waiting For the Next Release, Reported N.Y. Times, Nov. 23, 2023 Maybe tomorrow, if distrust doesn't flare like a missile, some families will be reunited. How awful this lottery of choice; Solomon would not deliberate. Poster faces always before my eyes, Among them, Emma & Yuli Cunio. Twins age 3, Raz Katz-Asher, age 4, Ariel Bibas, another four year old. What do their four year old minds make of captivity? What will they say? What would my Noa say? What will the other Noas say? Remembering Noa Argamani, age 26, thrown across the motorcycle to laughter and Hamas joy. I have almost forgotten this American day, Thanks- giving, With its cornucopian harvests, I am thinking of the cornucopian jails of human bounty. (What matter now who is to blame?) Manya Brachear Pashman: Really beautiful, and it really captures all of our emotions that day. You have children and grandchildren in Israel, as I mentioned and as you mentioned in that poem, your granddaughter, Noa. So your grief and your fear, it's not only a collective grief and fear that we all share, but also very personal, which you weave throughout the collection. In another poem, “In a Van to JFK”, you talk about just wanting to spend one more hour with your family before they fly off to Israel. And it's very moving. But in addition to many of the poems, like the one you just read, they are based on and somewhat named for newspaper headlines, you said that kind of establishes a timeline. But are there other reasons why you transformed those headlines into verse? Owen Lewis: Yes, William Carlos Williams in his poem Asphodel, says, and I'm going to paraphrase it badly. You won't get news from poems yet, men die every day for wanting what is found there. And I think it's a very interesting juxtaposition of journalism and poetry. And I mean, I'm not writing news, I'm writing where my reflections, where my heart, goes in response to the news, and trying to bring another element to the news that, you know, we were confronted. I mean, in any time of high stress, you swear off – I'm not watching any more TV. I'm not even gonna look at the newspaper. And then, of course, you do. I can't talk about Israel today. I can't not talk about it. I can't read the paper. I can't not read the paper. It's kind of that back and forth. But what is driving that? And so I'm trying to get at that next dimension of what's resonating behind each one of these headlines, or resonating for me. I mean, I'm not claiming this is an interpretation of news. It's my reaction, but people do react, and there's that other dimension to headlines. Manya Brachear Pashman: That seems like it might be therapeutic, no? Owen Lewis: Oh, totally, totally. You know, I'm very fortunate that having started a career in medicine, in psychiatry, and particularly in child and adolescent psychiatry. I always had one foot in the door academically. I spent, you know, my life as, I still teach, but I'm very fortunate to have, maybe 10+ years ago, been introduced to a basically a woman who created the field of Narrative Medicine, Rita Sharon. And now at Columbia in the medical school, we have a free-standing Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, of which she's chairman. So I've had the fortune of bringing psychiatry and medicine and writing together in a very integrated way. And yes, writing is therapeutic, especially, I could say in medicine, which has given itself over to electronic medical record keeping, but our whole society is moving towards the electronic. And what happens when you sit and write, and what happens when you then sit and read, you reflect. Your mind engages in a different way that is a bit slower than the fast pace of electronic communications and instant communications and instant thinking. And now with AI, instant analysis of any situation you want to feed data from. So that's sorely lacking in the human experience. And the act of writing, the act of reading has huge therapeutic values, huge salutary benefits for humans in general, but particularly in times of stress. In a lot of work on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, finding an outlet, an artistic outlet, it doesn't have to be writing, but that's often a way of transcending the trauma. And medicine is filled with trauma. People trying to come to terms with acute illnesses, chronic illnesses. Doctors and caregivers trying to come to terms with what they can and can't do. And you know, we're coming up against limitations. But how do you make peace with those limitations? And it's not that it's a magical panacea, but it's a process of engagement, not only with the subject, but with yourself in relation to the subject. Manya Brachear Pashman: I mean, I imagine dialogue is really the healthiest way of conversation and speaking through and interacting with a topic. And so I would imagine poetry, or, as you said, any art form, responding to news reports, it makes that a two way conversation when you're able to process and it's not just the headlines shouting at you, you're actually interacting and processing it by writing and reaction, or painting and reaction, whatever you choose to do. Owen Lewis: Exactly. Manya Brachear Pashman: You have said that poetry can serve a purpose during times of war. Is this one of the purposes to to be therapeutic or are you talking more in terms of what statesmen could learn from it? Owen Lewis: Well, yes, of course, what statesmen could learn from it, but it's human nature to want to take sides. I mean, that's kind of just what we do. But I think we can always do better than that. So I'm really talking about the people. I mean, there are also many Jews who are so angry at Israel that they can't listen to the story of Jewish grief. They should be reading mine and others poetries from this era. I wish the Palestinian poets were. I wish the Palestinian people. I mean, of course, in their current situation, they don't have time when you're starving, when you're looking for your next glass of fresh water. You don't have time for anything beyond survival. But once we get beyond that, how long are these positions going to be hardened. I mean, I think when the people of all sides of the dilemma really listen to the others, I mean, they're, I mean, if, unless as Hamas has expressed, you know, wants to push Israel into the sea, if Israel is going to coexist with the Palestinian people, whether they're in a nation or not in a nation, each has to listen to the other. And it's, you know, it's not one side is right, one side is wrong. It's far too complex a history to reduce it to that kind of simplicity. And I think poetry, everyone's poetry, gets at the complexity of experience, which includes wanting to take sides and questioning your wanting to take sides and moving towards something more humanitarian. Manya Brachear Pashman: You said earlier, you recommend Abu Toha, Fady Joudah, two Palestinian poets who have written some beautiful verse about– tragically beautiful verse–about what's happening. But there have been some really deep rifts in the literary world over this war. I mean, as you mentioned before, there was a letter written by authors and entertainers who pledged to boycott Israeli cultural institutions. Some authors have refused to sell rights to their books to publishers in Israel. So why not reciprocate? And I know the answer. I think you've already addressed it pretty well. What's wrong with that approach? Owen Lewis: In any conflict, there are at least three sides to the conflict. I mean, claims to nationhood, claims to who shoved first, who. I mean, you don't entangle things by aggressively reacting. I mean, if we learned anything from Mahatma Gandhi, it's what happens when we don't retaliate, right? And what happens when we go the extra mile to create bridges and connections. There are a host of people in Israel who continue to help Palestinians get to medical facilities, driving them back and forth, working for peace. I mean, there's a Palestinian on the Supreme Court of Israel, and well, he should be there. You know, that's the part of Israel that I am deeply proud of. So why not retaliate? I think it entrenches positions and never moves anything forward. Manya Brachear Pashman: So have you gotten any negative feedback from your writing colleagues? Owen Lewis: Some cold shoulders, yes. I mean not nothing overtly. I haven't been slammed in a review yet. Maybe that's coming. But when I publish pieces, I tend not to look at them. I had an oped in the LA Times. I've had some other pieces, you know, that precipitates blogs, and I started to read them. And the first blog that came off of the the LA Times oped was, God, is he an opportunist, just taking advantage of having a daughter in Israel? And trying to make a name for himself or something. And I said, You know what, you can't put yourself out and take a position without getting some kind of flack. So occasionally, those things filter back, it's par for the course. Manya Brachear Pashman: Right, not really worth reading some of those. You included Midrash in this book. You also spelled God in the traditional sense in the poems. Why did you choose to do that? Owen Lewis: Well, I felt it honors a tradition of Jewish writing. It mean we have yud, hey, vav, hey, you know, which in English comes down as Yahweh, but it's unpronounceable. The name of God is unpronounceable. And, you know, yud, hey, vav, hey is just a representation. It isn't God's name. And there's a tradition that the name of God, when it's written down, can't be destroyed. And it's a way of honoring that tradition. Millennium of Jewish writers, you know, it's similar to say Elokim, instead of Elohim when the text is written. To sort of substitute. We know what we're talking about, but really to honor tradition, to pay respect and sort of to stay in the mind frame that, if there is a God, he, she, they, are unknowable. And somehow it creates, for me, a little bit of that mystery by leaving a letter out. It's like, G, O, D, seems more knowable than G-d. It's leaving that white space right for something bigger, grander, and mysterious, for the presence of that right in the word itself. Manya Brachear Pashman: And what about including Midrash? Owen Lewis: That's a very interesting question. You know Midrash for me, when you steep yourself in traditional Midrash, there's stories that exemplify principles and they fill in gaps. I mean, some of the most important. I mean, we have this notion of Abraham breaking the idols of his father before he left. No. That's Midrash, thats not in the Torah. And yet, nine out of ten Jews will say that's in the Torah, right? So, it kind of expands our understanding of the traditional text. But it also very much allows a writer to creatively engage with the text and expand it. It's like a commentary, but it's a commentary in story, and it's a commentary in terms that evoke human responses, not necessarily intellectual responses. So frankly, I think it's every Jews' responsibility to write Midrash. That reinvigorates the stories, the texts, and the meanings, and then we write midrashes upon midrashes. And you know, we get a whole community buzzing about a single story. Manya Brachear Pashman: Which is very much what you've done with this collection, you know, writing poetry in response to news stories and engaging it in that way. It's very Jewish response, I would argue. Do you observe Tisha B'av? Owen Lewis: You know what I do. You're gonna laugh. My grandmother always warned us, don't go in the water on Tisha B'av, the sea will swallow you up. So I'm a big swimmer. I love swimming. I don't swim on Tisha B'av, because I hear my grandmother's voice, I'm going to be swallowed up. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you could please wrap up this conversation by sharing a poem of your choice from your latest collection. Owen Lewis: A poem I love to read again starts with a headline. 2000 Pound Bombs Drop, Reported N.Y. Times, Dec,, 22 2023. In Khan Younis, the call to prayer is the call of a dazed Palestinian child crying baba, standing at the brim of a cavernous pit of rubble biting his knuckles–baba, baba . . . It's so close to the abba of the dazed Israeli children of Be'eri, Kfar Azza. There is no comfort. From his uncles he's heard the calls for revenge– for his home and school, for his bed of nighttime stories, for his nana's whisper-song of G-d's many names. His Allah, his neighbor's Adonai, cry the same tears for death and shun more blood. No miracle these waters turning red. Who called forth the fleets of avenging angels? By viral post: Jewish Plagues on Gaza! A firstborn lost, then a second, a third. What other plagues pass over? Hail from the tepid sky? From on high it falls and keeps falling. Though we've “seen terrible things,” will you tell us, Adonai, Allah, tell us– do You remember the forgotten promise? From the pile once home of rubble stone, a father's hand reaching out, baba, abba crushed by the load. We know the silence of the lost child . . . G-d “has injured us but will bind up our wounds . . .” Mothers Look for us, called by the name yamma, calling the name imma. Our father of mercy, not the god of sacrifice. Our many crying heads explode. Manya Brachear Pashman: Owen Lewis, thank you so much for talking to us about how this book came about and for sharing some of these verses. Owen Lewis: Thank you so much. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to listen to my conversation with Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2025. Hear how his Jewish identity shapes his work, how his comedy has evolved since the Hamas terror attacks, and what he says to those who try to silence him.
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