Podcasts about uconn health

Send us a textHealthcare innovation has never had more hype or more pressure to deliver real results. With AI accelerating and digital health entering a more mature phase, what does “better” actually look like in practice? Halle Tecco, Author of Massively Better Healthcare joins CareTalk host John Driscoll, Chairman of UConn Health, to discuss what Silicon Valley gets right and wrong about healthcare, why innovators need to align incentives with outcomes, and how leaders should think about AI with clear guardrails instead of buzzwords.

Send us a textAre GLP-1 drugs becoming a long-term foundation of healthcare? In this clip from our episode "What JPM Signals for Healthcare in 2026", CareTalk hosts David Williams and John Driscoll discuss why GLP-1s may be evolving beyond short-term weight loss treatments.Listen to the full episode here

Send us a textAI, GLP-1s, federal policy, and China. Those themes dominated last week's JP Morgan Health Care Conference in San Francisco. But what, if anything are the implications for the broader healthcare world in 2026?Hosts David Williams, President of Health Business Group, and John Driscoll, Chairman of UConn Health discuss what stood out most at JPM, including why the GLP-1 wave may be entering a new phase, how Big Tech and AI are reshaping the healthcare landscape, and why China's growing presence in biotech is becoming harder to ignore.

Send us a textWill AI actually replace jobs in healthcare, or change what people work on? In this clip from our episode Top Insights From JPM Conference 2026, CareTalk hosts David Williams and John Driscoll discuss why concerns about job loss came up at JPM, and how industry leaders are instead focusing on the new kinds of work AI could enableListen to the full episode here

Send us a textUnsurprisingly, AI dominated the headlines at this year's JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, but there were some other exciting developments that shouldn't be overlooked.CareTalk hosts, David Williams, President of Health Business Group, and John Driscoll, Chairman of UConn Health, share their on-the-ground insights from JPM, including where AI is delivering substance over hype, why government partnership will play a larger role in health sector reform, and what's driving a renewed sense of optimism across healthcare.

It’s been nearly five years since recreational cannabis was legalized in Connecticut. Since then dozens of dispensaries have opened across the state, making purchasing products easier than ever. But new research says cannabis use among teens is rising, and that evidence doesn't support using cannabis as a medical cure-all. Today, an update on cannabis use and regulation in our state. GUESTS: Lila McKinkley: Cannabis Control Division Director at Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Dr. Sarah Feldstein Ewing: Professor at UConn Health and Vice Chair of Research Dr. Deepak Cyril Dsouza: Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine Ryan Vandrey: Professor in the Department of Behavioral Psychiatry at John Hopkins University School of Medicine Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textReferrals are meant to connect patients to the care they need, but in reality, they often become a source of delays, dropped handoffs, and administrative chaos. Between intake complexity, missing information, and outdated processes, too many patients get stuck between diagnosis and treatment. Trey Holterman, Co-Founder and CEO of Tennr joins CareTalk host John Driscoll to discuss why referrals break down so often, what makes intake workflows so hard to fix, and how health systems can improve throughput and access without ripping out the systems they already rely on. 

Send us a text2025 has been another whirlwind year for healthcare. Between the new Administration upending the apple care, the explosion of AI, and the continued march of GLP-1s, the landscape has shifted under our feet.Will things settle down in 2026 or become even more volatile? Hosts David E. Williams and John Driscoll join CareTalk to share their predictions for 2026, discussing how AI will evolve, why affordability will dominate the conversation, what may change in drug pricing and value-based care, and how policy decisions could ripple across the healthcare system.w

Send us a textFederally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) care for more than 30 million Americans, yet many people have never heard of them or understand how they stay afloat. A major piece of their financial survival is the 340B drug pricing program, which has quietly become one of the most important funding mechanisms in the safety net and it is under growing pressure.Scott Seidelmann, CEO of Nuvem, joins CareTalk hosts David E. Williams and John Driscoll to discuss how FQHCs serve underserved communities, why 340B has become essential to their operations, and what policy changes could make or break their ability to deliver care.

Send us a textLung cancer is often discovered too late, when treatments are expensive and survival rates are low. But what if routine chest x-rays could flag cancer early…long before symptoms appear? AI is transforming everyday imaging into a powerful early detection tool, reshaping screening economics and saving lives around the world. Prashant Warier, CEO and Founder of Qure.ai, joins CareTalk to discuss how AI enables earlier diagnosis, why chest x-rays are an untapped opportunity for detection, and what it takes to integrate AI into national health systems at scale.

Send us a textHealth insurance in the United States is incredibly complex, filled with deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, narrow networks and more. Why is our system such a maze? Is it the unintended product of decades of patchwork policies, or is the complexity intentional?In this episode of CareTalk, hosts David E. Williams and John Driscoll break down the real reasons health insurance is so hard to navigate, exploring the structural fragmentation of the system, the role of intermediaries like PBMs and brokers, the impact of convoluted billing practices, and what meaningful simplification would actually look like.

Send us a textPhone lines are jammed. Staff are overwhelmed. Patients wait, hang up, or fall through the cracks entirely. Meanwhile, the pressure to improve access keeps climbing.In this Executive Feature, Chetan Reddy, Founder and CEO of Confido Health,  joins host, David E. Williams to discuss why patient access is breaking down, how AI voice agents can resolve routine calls instantly, and what it takes for practices to improve patient experience without adding staff.

In this episode of PRIM&R's podcast, "Research Ethics Reimagined," we celebrate PRIMR25 Award recipients Lisa Chuba and Alison Pohl from UConn Health, along with the first-ever Outstanding Student Poster Award recipient, Leah Huff, from the University of Virginia. Chuba and Pohl discuss transforming their IACUC's relationship with researchers from adversarial to collaborative through creative outreach programs. Huff shares her research on reimagining consent as an ongoing educational process that adapts to different learning styles, drawing connections between effective teaching and participant understanding.

Dave Altimari, investigative reporter for CT Mirror. CT could bond $390M for UConn Health, including Waterbury Hospital purchase.

Greg Bordanaro, Editor Hartford Business Journal. Re: talk about a key vote by UConn's board on Friday to approve UConn Health's purchase of Waterbury hospital and how this is a key step in ending the Prospect Medical bankruptcy case; the gloomy outlook of CT manufacturers in the face of tariffs, labor shortages, etc. The city of Hartford's efforts to crackdown on problem landlords and blighted properties. We also talk about changes in CPA requirements to try to address a workforce shortage in the accounting industry.

In this episode, Sarah E. Ginnetti, Chief Revenue Cycle Officer and VP of Clinical Revenue at UConn Health, discusses her top priorities, the role of AI and analytics in revenue cycle management, and how collaboration across clinical, finance, and strategy teams is shaping the future of healthcare operations.

In this episode, Sarah E. Ginnetti, Chief Revenue Cycle Officer and VP of Clinical Revenue at UConn Health, discusses her top priorities, the role of AI and analytics in revenue cycle management, and how collaboration across clinical, finance, and strategy teams is shaping the future of healthcare operations.

Will you be attending the upcoming conference Homeopathy – Groundbreaking Science and Global Health 2025 at UConn Health in Farmington, CT in October?Today we are joined by a special guest Lisa Amerine, ND, DABHM and after you listen to this episode we hope your answer is yes!Find all the conference details here —>https://homeopathyusa.org/product/seminar-access-homeopathy-groundbreaking-science-and-global-health-2025/Strange Rare Peculiar is  a weekly podcast with Denise Straiges and Alastair Gray discussing everything you REALLY need to know about homeopathy.Lisa Amerine, ND, DABHM, is a Naturopathic Doctor with an expertise in homeopathy practicing in Lafayette, Colorado. After attaining her Naturopathic Doctorate degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (now Sonoran University), Dr. Amerine went on to become one of few doctors in the country who have achieved Diplomate status with the American Board of Homeopathic Medicine.In addition to her busy practice, she is the current president of the American Institute of Homeopathy, the oldest medical organization in the United States.  She represents the United States as the National Vice President for an international organization known as the Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis.  Dr. Amerine also serves on the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians where she is a past president and the current treasurer.  She has spent countless hours serving on other boards and consulting with different associations with in the homeopathic profession.  Dr. Amerine has spoken nationally and internationally sharing and teaching her passion of homeopathy.  Denise Straiges MA, CCH, RSHom(NA), PCH is fiercely committed to raising the bar in academic and clinical training for all Homeopaths. She is the President and Clinical Director of The Academy of Homeopathy Education (AHE), and established HOHM Foundation, whose initiatives include the Homeopathy Help Network, a not-for-profit, research-based initiative focused on delivering high quality, affordable Homeopathy care to all. Under her leadership, AHE was named exclusive educational provider for the American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH), the oldest medical society in the US.Denise is a 2023 graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her dissertation, Contingent Evolution: Homeopathy and 19th Century Biomedicine explores how the uptake of bacteriological discoveries into the canon of 19th century medical knowledge was an interdependent and non-linear process in both orthodox and heterodox spaces. In conjunction with HOHM Foundation, she has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on clinical outcomes and education in integrative medicine, and her dissertation was released as a book in 2023. She is completing a compendium of homeopathic case analysis with expected publication in 2024/25.Alastair Gray has a Ph.D. in Public Health. More specifically he is an expert in the field of Complementary Medicine education. Much of his research has a focus on technologies in the field of CM and learning technologies in the education of future practitioners. He teaches at and heads the academic, operations, and research at the Academy of Homeopathy Education. In addition, he holds various consulting roles: academic (College of Health and Homeopathy, NZ), educational (National Centre for Integrative Medicine, UK), as well as consulting to many organizations on homeopathic provings and e-learning worldwide. A regular seminar and conference presenter worldwide and having spent a decade in the higher education arena in Australia, he is the author of 23 books and numerous articles on primary research in natural medicine. Alastair has been in practice for more than 30 years.https://academyofhomeopathyeducation.com/professional-program/

Host Paul Pacelli kicked off Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" looking at results from the latest survey of unionized public school teachers in Connecticut regarding pay and working conditions (00:50). Quinnipiac University Management and Medical Sciences Professor Angela Mattie discussed a proposed state takeover of Waterbury, Bristol, and Day Kimball Hospitals by UConn Health (15:55). Commuter columnist and advocate Jim Cameron dropped by to chat about the growing number of electric bikes, scooters, and skateboards on local roads (25:33). Finally, Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio talked about a piece she wrote after getting tipped off about the work attendance of a Hartford public school official (35:22) Image Credit: Getty Images / DigitalVision

Ticks can be active whenever the temperature is above 40 degrees, meaning the tick-borne illness is more than a seasonal worry limited to a portion of the summer. And Connecticut is seeing more types of ticks, and more than just Lyme disease.  Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, chief of UConn Health's Division of Infectious Diseases, explains all this, plus how to recognize, treat, and reduce the risk of tick-borne illness, and says some potentially promising Lyme disease news is on the horizon. (Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, September 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) Kevin Dieckhaus, MD https://www.uconnhealth.org/providers/profiles/dieckhaus-kevin UConn Health Division of Infectious Diseases https://www.uconnhealth.org/infectious-diseases

“There's no such thing as a healthy tan.” While we may be coming around on that idea, are we getting distracted by potential reasons not to use sunscreen? Are there ingredients in sunscreens that are toxic to us, or to the ocean's ecosystem? What about those spray sunscreens? Dr. Jenna Kelsey, UConn Health dermatologist, joins to help weigh the risks and benefits of these factors against the carcinogenic properties of sun exposure. (Dr. Jenna Kelsey, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) Jenna Bordelon Kelsey, MD https://www.uconnhealth.org/providers/profiles/bordelon%20kelsey-jenna UConn Health Dermatology https://www.uconnhealth.org/dermatology-cosmetic-surgery/dermatology UConn Health's advanced melanoma program https://www.uconnhealth.org/cancer-blood-disorders/services-specialties/skin-cancer American Academy of Dermatology https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/prevent 

Join us for a special episode of SRP with Peter Gold as we catch up and discuss The American Institute of Homeopathy's up comingInternational Research ConferenceOctober 17-19, 2025.The American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH), The Faculty of Homeopathy (the preeminent homeopathic organization in the U.K.), The Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (HANP), the Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering and the Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at UConn Health are hosting an international homeopathic research conference in the U.S. – on October 17-19 titled “Homeopathy – Groundbreaking Science and Global Health.” The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) is also supporting the conference. The event will be held at UConn Health. UConn Health is a major medical school and a teaching hospital in Connecticut. The event will feature leading research scientists and physicians from around the world presenting the latest basic science, pre-clinical and clinical research, and clinical insights in homeopathy.Learn more —>https://homeopathyusa.org/homeopathy-groundbreaking-science-and-global-health/Strange Rare Peculiar is  a weekly podcast with Denise Straiges and Alastair Gray discussing everything you REALLY need to know about homeopathy. If you'd like to study homeopathy, visit:https://academyofhomeopathyeducation.com/For accessible homeopathy care, visit: https://homeopathyhelpnow.com/Denise Straiges MA, CCH, RSHom(NA), PCH is fiercely committed to raising the bar in academic and clinical training for all Homeopaths. She is the President and Clinical Director of The Academy of Homeopathy Education (AHE), and established HOHM Foundation, whose initiatives include the Homeopathy Help Network, a not-for-profit, research-based initiative focused on delivering high quality, affordable Homeopathy care to all. Under her leadership, AHE was named exclusive educational provider for the American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH), the oldest medical society in the US.Denise is a 2023 graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her dissertation, Contingent Evolution: Homeopathy and 19th Century Biomedicine explores how the uptake of bacteriological discoveries into the canon of 19th century medical knowledge was an interdependent and non-linear process in both orthodox and heterodox spaces. In conjunction with HOHM Foundation, she has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on clinical outcomes and education in integrative medicine, and her dissertation was released as a book in 2023. She is completing a compendium of homeopathic case analysis with expected publication in 2024/25.Denise maintains a busy practice in classical homeopathy with a focus on complex neurological and autoimmune conditions and provides clinical supervision and mentorship to students and professional homeopaths around the world.Alastair Gray has a Ph.D. in Public Health. More specifically he is an expert in the field of Complementary Medicine education. Much of his research has a focus on technologies in the field of CM and learning technologies in the education of future practitioners. He teaches at and heads the academic, operations, and research at the Academy of Homeopathy Education. In addition, he holds various consulting roles: academic (College of Health and Homeopathy, NZ), educational (National Centre for Integrative Medicine, UK), as well as consulting to many organizations on homeopathic provings and e-learning worldwide. A regular seminar and conference presenter worldwide and having spent a decade in the higher education arena in Australia, he is the author of 23 books and numerous articles on primary research in natural medicine. Originally educated as a historian, he teaches the history of health, healing, and medicine at schools, colleges, and universities in multiple countries. Alastair has been in practice for more than 30 years.

They come in all kinds of colors, flavors, sizes, and prices — products claiming to deliver a burst of energy to wake you up, keep you going, or give you that needed jolt. Are they more than just high doses of caffeine and sugar? What are we actually drinking? Do we really need them? Are there healthy (or healthier) alternatives? UConn Health registered dietitian Linda York joins us to discuss the exploding energy drink trend, and offer some less caffeinated ways to boost your energy. (Linda York, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, July 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) UConn Health Nutrition Services: https://www.uconnhealth.org/nutrition-services 

In this episode we speak with President and CEO of the UConn Foundation, Amy Yancey - a powerhouse in higher education philanthropy who most recently launched the largest fundraising campaign in UConn's history: the $1.5 billion Because of UConn initiative that just experienced a $720M raise which exceeded their initial launch goal. Congratulations to Amy, her team, and UConn!Amy leads all philanthropic fundraising, alumni relations, and endowment investments for the University of Connecticut—including all campuses, UConn Health, and Athletics. She also serves on President Radenka Maric's senior leadership team.Before UConn, Amy held senior fundraising leadership roles at Boston College, the University of Virginia, Penn State, and the University of Tennessee, where she earned a bachelors in philosophy and a masters in plant sciences and agricultural economics. Her work has led to over $15B raised in support of scholarships, faculty, research, and more.But Amy's leadership story goes far beyond dollars raised. From navigating male-dominated spaces to modeling bravery for her daughter, Amy offers a masterclass in pragmatic, purposeful leadership—and what it truly takes to thrive at the top.This conversation is packed with real talk, strategic insight, and powerful reflection on what it means to lead with integrity, vision, and heart.

s the push to ban certain food dyes gains momentum, what should we know about them, and about other additives in our food supply? What are the potential consequences of ingredients that are not naturally occurring? How do we know what to believe and what conclusions to draw? Dr. Rebecca Andrews, UConn Health primary care physician whose roles include director of primary care, associate program director of UConn's Internal Medicine Residency, and nationally, chair of the American College of Physicians Board of Regents, helps us try to navigate it all. (Dr. Rebecca Andrews, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, June 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) Dr. Rebecca Andrews https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Andrews-Rebecca Internal Medicine at UConn Health https://health.uconn.edu/internal-medicine/

Vaccines are considered by more than a few scientific experts to be among the most significant developments in modern medicine. Now, it's hard to know what to believe about vaccinations. The resurgence of measles, effectively eradicated in the U.S. 25 years ago, is one indication that in some pockets of our country, is one indication of doubt in vaccines' effectiveness. Meanwhile, the federal government is pulling back on its recommendations about who should take the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Melissa Held, professor of pediatric infectious diseases and senior associate dean of medical student education at the UConn School of Medicine, and Dr. David Banach, associate professor of medicine, infectious diseases physician and UConn Health's hospital epidemiologist, join us to help separate facts from myths. (Dr. Melissa Held, Dr. David Banach, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, May 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) Dr. Melissa Held https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Held-Tobin-Melissa Dr. David Banach https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Banach-David UConn Health's Infectious Diseases Division https://health.uconn.edu/infectious-diseases/ American Academy of Pediatrics https://www.aap.org/  Infectious Diseases Society of America https://www.idsociety.org/ Connecticut Department of Public Health https://portal.ct.gov/dph 

When severe depression becomes treatment-resistant depression, an unconventional medication is proving to be effective. It's a specific form of ketamine that is administered by nasal spray in a supervised clinical setting, approved by the FDA for this purpose. Dr. Caleb Battersby, director of interventional psychiatry at UConn Health, explains how esketamine works and why this treatment approach has been providing hope for those who otherwise may be out of answers. (Dr. Caleb Battersby, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, April 2025, studio and technical support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) Dr. Caleb Battersby https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Battersby-Caleb UConn Health Department of Psychiatry https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/ Find a treatment center https://www.spravato.com/find-treatment-center/ UConn Health Minute: Treating Severe Depression (December 2024) https://today.uconn.edu/2024/12/uconn-health-minute-treating-severe-depression/  

Treatable but not curable, endometriosis affects one in 10 women and girls of reproductive age. But it's not all that well understood and recognized, and can go undetected, leading to years of avoidable suffering and causing time away from school, work, and other activities. UConn Health is part of a collaboration with The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and the state of Connecticut called EndoRISE, which seeks to raise awareness and advance research of endometriosis. Dr. Danielle Luciano, director of minimally invasive gynecological surgery at UConn Health, and Jasmina Kuljancic, EndoRISE program manager from JAX, help lead this effort.  (Dr. Danielle Luciano, Jasmina Kuljancic, Chris DeFrancesco, March 2025, studio and technical support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat) EndoRISE https://www.ctendorise.org/ Dr. Danielle Luciano https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Luciano-Danielle Endometriosis care at UConn Health https://health.uconn.edu/women/gynecology/endometriosis/ UConn Today: 'EndoRISE Launch Marks New Era in Endometriosis Research and Support' https://today.uconn.edu/2024/06/endorise-launch-marks-new-era-in-endometriosis-research-and-support/  

In August of 2024, Connecticut news outlets were buzzing about Budderfly; a Connecticut company bringing renewable energy to UConn Health's Farmington campus. Then, the governor name-dropped the Shelton-based company during his 2025 state of the state address. We connected with Budderfly CEO Al Subbloie to understand their business model and how it's lowering Connecticut's carbon footprint. For more information: https://www.budderfly.com/ Image Credit: Getty Images

The deadliest form of skin cancer is even deadlier when it spreads beyond the skin. When simply cutting out the cancerous skin is not enough, melanoma goes from a dermatology matter to an oncology matter. Dr. Margaret Callahan is a medical oncologist and Dr. Giao Phan is a surgical oncologist. Together they lead UConn Health's advanced melanoma program, which offers specialized care for when this cancer has spread. (Dr. Margaret Callahan, Dr. Giao Phan, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2024) Dr. Margaret Callahan https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Callahan-Margaret Dr. Giao Phan https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/PHAN-GIAO "Advancing Specialty Care for Metastatic Melanoma at UConn Health," UConn Today, Sept. 23, 2024 https://today.uconn.edu/?p=219219 Drs. Phan and Callahan on Channel 3's "Great Day Connecticut," Dec. 18, 2024 https://youtu.be/OXqT8x79SZo Skin Cancer care at UConn Health's Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center https://health.uconn.edu/cancer/patient-services/clinical-services/skin-cancer/ 860-679-4600 Melanoma navigator 860-692-8455

November 14, 2024: Dirk Stanley, CMIO at UConn Health, takes listeners through a journey of healthcare technology's profound evolution and its impact on patient care. How does a clinical informaticist balance IT complexities and medical nuances? And what challenges arise in standardizing medical terminology, especially when simple differences in words can shape a patient's treatment? Together with host Bill Russell, Dr. Stanley examines the need for precise data standards, the promise and pitfalls of AI in medical documentation, and how ambient listening and computer vision could redefine clinical workflows. Key Points:00:33 Dirk Stanley's Career Journey09:19 The Role of a CMIO17:14 AI Implications24:48 Data Management and Workflow DesignSubscribe: This Week HealthTwitter: This Week HealthLinkedIn: Week HealthDonate: Alex's Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

The focus of attention on cancer care most often goes to the curative treatments required to put cancer into remission, but what do cancer survivors need after that point to fully recover and lead their best possible lives? We discuss that question and how 340B can help answer it with guests Sarah Loschiavo and Ellen Morris-White, two nurse practitioners with UConn Health based in Farmington, Conn.Survivorship Care at a Crucial TimeUConn Health's Cancer Survivorship Program is led by advanced practice registered nurses who provide comprehensive care and support to cancer patients starting three to six months after their curative cancer treatments are complete. With the help of 340B funding, the multidisciplinary program is broad in scope, including referrals to meet cancer survivors' physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and financial needs. The goal is to keep patients on the road to recovery and to continue screening for any cancer recurrence or secondary cancers that could occur.340B Is Key To Covering Costs UConn Health covers the costs of its survivorship care, and low-income patients can receive additional financial assistance for their ongoing cancer therapies through this program. 340B funding is essential to making that happen. Over time, the program is expected to decrease health care costs by avoiding hospital readmissions and cancer recurrences. Building Out Best PracticesEvidence on survivorship care models is lacking, but UConn Health has worked on research that could provide some best practices for other institutions. Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach for hospitals, they can use elements of the nurse practitioner-led, interdisciplinary model to meet cancer patients' needs months and even years after curative treatment. Resources: UConn Health Cancer Survivorship ProgramDesigning, Implementing, and Evaluating an Interprofessional Survivorship Model of Care in an Academic Cancer Center

A New TikTok trend about folks taping their mouths closed at bedtime to force them to breathe through their nose... Is it a good idea?... Dr Adrian Salmon from UConn Health's Sleep Disorders Center tells us.

Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research for the VA St. Louis Health Care System and Jaime Seltzer, scientific director of #MEAction and Stanford University research scientist, discuss the ranging impacts of long covid and how health care institutions can improve in educating the public on the diagnosis. Then, Chimére L. Sweeney, founder and director of The Black Long Covid Experience and Linda Sprague Martinez, director of the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health discuss the challenges people of color and marginalized communities face in the health care system. Finally, Ashwin Vasan, commissioner of the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene discusses how the city is implementing new strategies to aid long covid patients. Conversation recorded on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

The inequities associated with gaining access to quality healthcare are often discussed, and my guest this week has taken steps to address them. Dr. Jaime Imitola and his team at UCONN Health have created a tool called VISIBL-MS, a bilingual framework designed to increase doctors' and patients' awareness of the early signs of MS. We'll also share the results of a study that clearly illustrate progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA). We'll tell you about a small study that showed a positive outcome for people with progressive MS who received neural stem cell therapy. We'll share details of a study that identified a panel of 20 blood-based proteins that have been shown to be predictive of MS disease activity. (And we'll tell you why that's a good thing for patients and researchers!) And we're reminding you that we're just over 2 weeks away from CRUSH MS! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: VISIBL-MS  :22 Study results provide evidence of PIRA  1:41 Stem cell therapy for progressive MS?  4:28 Researchers identify a panel of 20 proteins that are predictive of MS disease activity 7:19 We're just over 2 weeks away from CRUSH MS!  10:07 Dr. Jaime Imitola discusses how VISIBL-MS will increase doctors' and patients'  awareness of the early signs of MS.  11:35 Share this episode  31:33 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  31:53 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/358 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com VISIBL-MS: A Bilingual Educational Framework To Increase Awareness of Early Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585241228739 STUDY: Acute Clinical Events Identified as Relapses with Stable Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38949816 STUDY: Phase I Clinical Trial of Intracerebroventricular Transplantation of Allogeneic Neural Stem Cells in People with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1934590923003934 STUDY:  Inflammatory and Neurodegenerative Serum Protein Biomarkers Increase Sensitivity to Detect Clinical and Radiographic Disease Activity in Multiple Sclerosis https://nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48602-9 CRUSH MS: Tickets and Info https://crushms.org Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200 Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 358 Guests: Dr. Jaime Imitola Privacy Policy  

Dr. Douglas Peterson presents the latest evidence-based guideline from ISOO, MASCC, and ASCO on the prevention and management of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiation therapy. He covers topics such as recommended initial workup, best practices for prevention of ORN of the head and neck before and after radiation therapy, nonsurgical and surgical management of ORN, and management of adverse events associated with ORN. Dr. Peterson also comments on the importance of this guideline and what researchers should address moving forward. Read the full guideline, “Prevention and Management of Osteoradionecrosis in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Treated with Radiation Therapy: ISOO-MASCC-ASCO Guideline” at www.asco.org/head-neck-cancer-guidelines. TRANSCRIPT This guideline, clinical tools, and resources are available at http://www.asco.org/head-neck-cancer-guidelines. Read the full text of the guideline and review authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.23.02750.   Brittany Harvey: Hello and welcome to the ASCO Guidelines podcast, one of ASCO's podcasts, bringing you timely information to keep you up to date on the latest changes, challenges, and advances in oncology. You can find all our shows, including this one, at asco.org/podcasts.   My name is Brittany Harvey and today, I'm interviewing Dr. Douglas Peterson from UConn Health, lead author on “Prevention and Management of Osteoradionecrosis in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Treated with Radiation Therapy: International Society of Oral Oncology, Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer, American Society of Clinical Oncology Guideline.” Thank you for being here, Dr. Peterson. Dr. Douglas Peterson: Thank you, Brittany. My pleasure to be here. Brittany Harvey: Before we discuss the guideline, I'd like to note that ASCO takes great care in the development of its guidelines and ensures that the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy is followed for each guideline. The disclosures of potential conflicts of interest for the guideline panel, including Dr. Peterson, who has joined us here today, are available online with the publication of the guideline in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, which is linked in the show notes.  So then, to dive into the topic we're here to discuss, Dr. Peterson, could you first provide an overview of the scope and purpose of this joint ISOO-MASCC-ASCO guideline? Dr. Douglas Peterson: I'll be pleased to do so, Brittany. Again, thank you for the opportunity to represent the panel in this guideline. The panel has strived to present a guideline that brings consistency in clinical practice regarding prevention and management of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORN) based on the highest quality contemporary science. Given the mechanistic and clinical complexity of ORN, we also stress the importance of interprofessional oncology care of these patients. The team includes, but is not limited to, clinicians representing radiation oncology, head and neck surgery, medical oncology, otolaryngology, dental medicine, oral medicine, oral oncology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and patient advocacy organizations. So it really is a collective enterprise that we bring to bear in the guideline.  In some cases, the panel has been fortunate to be able to utilize a high quality evidence base in the literature upon which we could build strong recommendations. In selected other cases, however, we utilized informal consensus given the low evidence quality in the field. The recommendations presented have been carefully framed in this context, with the goal of providing state-of-the-science guidelines in clinical decision making and management of ORN. I'd also like to point out that the guideline brings linkage to other guidelines published by ASCO and other major oncology organizations, regarding management of symptoms and other supportive care needs associated with ORN. These companion guidelines include addressing pain, dysphagia, oral care, trismus, and psychosocial impact and survivorship, to name a few. I'd also like to say that combining the expertise of ISOO, MASCC, and ASCO has provided an important opportunity to produce this guideline. This has been a comprehensive effort by many experts. In addition to the outstanding input from the panel, I am also personally so very grateful for the expert input from ASCO's Evidence-Based Medicine Committee, as well as endorsements from other key organizations, including the American Head and Neck Society, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, and the American Academy of Oral Medicine as endorsees of the guideline. Finally in addition, Dr. Nofisat Ismaila's leadership as ASCO staff has been absolutely invaluable as well.  Brittany Harvey: Excellent. I appreciate you providing that background on the development of this evidence-based guideline, which was developed by a multi-organizational and multidisciplinary panel.   So to dive into the key recommendations of this guideline, this guideline addresses six clinical questions. So, starting with question one, what key points would you like to highlight regarding how ORN is characterized, graded, and reported, and what is the recommended initial workup for patients?  Dr. Douglas Peterson: Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw of the mandible and maxilla should be characterized in the view of the panel as a radiographic, lytic, or mixed sclerotic lesion of bone, and/or visibly exposed bone, and/or, importantly, bone probed through a periodontal pocket or fistula. In the latter case, the clinical appearance of exposed bone may be extremely subtle. ORN is occurring within an anatomical site previously exposed to a therapeutic dose of head and neck radiation therapy. So we have a combined radiographic/clinical approach characterizing the lesion in the context of the patient having received previously a therapeutic dose of head/neck radiation therapy. We do recommend that clinicians evaluate ORN based on the most contemporary staging system, the ClinRad system, which is cited in the publication itself. We also advocate for the use of the ClinRad staging system not only in clinical assessment of patients, but also in clinical trials moving forward. We'll touch a little bit later on future research opportunities as well.  Finally, the initial evaluation of ORN should include a clinical intraoral examination, and again, the appearance of exposed bone may be extremely subtle, and/or a formal radiographic examination. The guideline delineates the various types of radiographic examinations that we recommend.  Brittany Harvey: Understood. Thank you for reviewing those recommendations regarding reporting and characterization of ORN, as well as the workup.   The next section of the guideline, it focuses on best practices to prevent ORN of the head and neck prior to radiation therapy. What are the key recommendations of that section?  Dr. Douglas Peterson: As with other adverse events in oncology patients, prevention is key. Prevention of ORN does require interprofessional management. The guideline lists several key recommendations along these lines. Now, an important caveat in what the guideline presents is that the target coverage of the tumor should not be compromised in order to avoid radiation dose to bone. So that's a very important caveat. Now having said that, focused effort should be made to reduce the mean dose to the jaw and the volume of bone receiving above 50 Gy whenever possible. So it's really a balance between maximizing target coverage of the tumor while limiting exposure to normal bone. In addition, a dental assessment by a dentist and dental specialist, if possible, is strongly advised prior to therapeutic-intent radiation therapy. The purpose of this assessment by the dental team is to identify and remove teeth which will place the patient at risk of developing ORN during the patient's lifetime, and to comprehensively educate the patient about the lifelong risk of ORN. Dental extraction in advance of radiation is often a consideration to these patients, and if clinically indicated, should occur at least two weeks prior to the commencement of radiation therapy. Now having said that, in the setting of a rapidly progressive tumor, extraction should be deferred and not cause delay in the initiation of radiation therapy. Brittany Harvey: So you just touched on key points of prevention prior to radiation therapy. Following those recommendations, what does the expert panel recommend regarding best practices to prevent ORN after radiation therapy? Dr. Douglas Peterson: This can be a challenging clinical issue. So the panel recommends that before finalizing dental treatment plans that may include extractions in patients with a history of head and neck radiation therapy, a review of the radiation therapy plan should be performed with particular attention focused on dose to the mandible and maxilla. For teeth in areas of high-risk for ORN, alternatives to dental extraction may be possible, for example, root canal or endodontic procedures, crowns, or dental restorations, or dental filling should be offered unless the patient has recurrent infections, intractable pain, or other symptoms that cannot be alleviated without extraction. So it really becomes a combined clinical decision making effort between the dental team and oncology team.  One controversial area has been hyperbaric oxygen being administered prior to dental extractions in patients who have received head and neck radiation therapy previously. The panel does not recommend routine use of prophylactic HBO prior to dental extractions in these patients who have received prior head and neck radiation therapy. However, the evidence base here is limited with low quality and we offer a weak strength of recommendation. It is a controversial area, so we did also include a qualifying statement that prophylactic HBO may be offered to patients undergoing invasive dental procedures at oral sites where a substantial volume of the mandible and/or maxilla receive at least 50 Gy. This is an area of controversy. We can talk about this in the future research directions, but clearly, new high quality research related to the role of HBO in the management of these patients is needed.  Brittany Harvey: Definitely. Thank you for touching on those points and that area of controversy. We can definitely touch on that a bit later as we talk about future research in this field.  As you mentioned, Dr. Peterson, this guideline addresses both prevention and management. So, in moving into the management of ORN, how should ORN be managed nonsurgically?  Dr. Douglas Peterson: The guideline relative to nonsurgical management of ORN is focused on the use of pentoxifylline. Now this maybe used in, and this is important, in cancer-free patients with mild, moderate, and severe cases of ORN. But pentoxifylline, the guideline also notes, is most likely to have a beneficial effect if the treatment is combined with tocopherol, antibiotics, and prednisolone as well. So there's clinical judgment involved in the nonsurgical management of ORN, centered with pentoxifylline in combination with tocopherol, antibiotics, and prednisolone. Brittany Harvey: Understood. And then expanding on the management of ORN, what are the key points for surgical management of ORN? Dr. Douglas Peterson: The panel offered several recommendations for which the strength of the recommendations was strong. Just to cite a few, in partial thickness ORN as defined by the ClinRad stage one and two that we talked about earlier, surgical management can start with transoral minor interventions which can lead to resolution over time. It may take time. It may take weeks or even a few months. Now this minimally invasive surgery may include debridement, sequestrectomy, alveolectomy, and/or soft tissue flap closure. Furthermore, small defects, clinically, for example, less than 2.5 cm in length, may heal spontaneously with local topical measures such as we described. It is recommended that larger defects, larger than 2.5 cm, in general be covered with vascularized tissue.  Brittany Harvey: Appreciate you reviewing those recommendations regarding surgical management of ORN. So to wrap up our discussion of the recommendations with the final clinical question, what is recommended for assessment and management of adverse events associated with ORN?  Dr. Douglas Peterson: This is a really important area as well in addition to prevention and management of ORN per se. The panel recommends that patients should be assessed by their healthcare providers for the presence of adverse events at the time of ORN diagnosis and periodically thereafter until the adverse event resolves based on patient status including any interventions or the adverse events that are clinically indicated. The panel and its literature evaluation learned that there is a relative lack of data specifically directed to the management of adverse events associated with ORN. However, this is such an important area that we wanted to address it head on. And so the management we recommend should be informed by pertinent available other guidelines that had been developed for analogous symptoms and/or disease states. The guideline provides links to these companion guidelines developed by ASCO as well as by MASCC and ISOO, the European Society of Medical Oncology, and NCCN. And so in the guideline we provide links on management of adverse events as produced by these other organizations. Table 3 presents a summary of the guidelines that address symptoms and supportive care needs associated with ORN.  Brittany Harvey: Thank you for reviewing all of these recommendations. It's clear that the panel put a lot of work and thought into these recommendations and provided needed guidance in areas with limited evidence. We'll have links available in the show notes for listeners to be able to go and read these recommendations for themselves and refer to the tables that you mentioned.  So in your view, Dr. Peterson, what is the importance of this guideline and how will it impact clinicians and patients with head and neck cancer? Dr. Douglas Peterson: As we talked about throughout this podcast, the guideline is designed to synthesize the contemporary science regarding ORN and translate that into recommendations for clinical practice in both prevention and management. As noted in the guideline, oncologists plus other interprofessional healthcare providers have been directly involved in the creation of the guideline, that interprofessional theme, which we believe is so essential given the mechanistic and clinical complexity of ORN.  Now, in addition to the expertise of the panel, the pending widespread distribution of the guideline represents an additional important opportunity for extending the impact across clinical oncology. So in addition to the publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, dissemination by MASCC and ISOO as well as our endorsees, the American Head and Neck Society, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, and the American Academy of Oral Medicine will also be key in broadening the impact and hopefully the utilization of the guideline. And members of these organizations may very well be involved in the management of these patients as well.  And then finally, the guideline is also designed to stimulate future research based on current gaps of the knowledge and we touched on some of those gaps, for example, with HBO for which new high quality research is needed.   Brittany Harvey: Absolutely. It's great to have so many partners in this guideline and we hope that this guideline will have a large impact for patients with head and neck cancer to improve their quality of life.   So then your final comment leads nicely into my last question and that we've already talked a little bit about some of the future research opportunities that this guideline highlights. So, to wrap us up, Dr. Peterson, what are the outstanding questions regarding osteoradionecrosis of the jaw secondary to head and neck radiation therapy in patients with cancer?  Dr. Douglas Peterson: There are several key areas that the panel identified as we went through a rigorous review of the highest quality literature. Some of the key areas to address moving forward include: prospective studies are needed to evaluate the clinical presentation, trajectory, and response to treatment of ORN-related symptoms and function impairment, in other words, the adverse event side of the story. In addition, social determinants of health, quality of life, and psychosocial impact of ORN warrant further investigation in head and neck cancer survivors as well. In addition, new research including randomized controlled trials and prospective multicenter trials regarding the systemic and surgical treatment of ORN is also warranted, and we touched on, for example, hyperbaric oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen has been a long standing management strategy of ORN. However, the trials to date are of limited quality in relation to supporting its use. So high quality new research related to the role of HBO in these patients is needed.   And the expert panel also encourages creation of predictive tools, a priori tools, directed to development, grading, and staging of ORN. These could include, for example, bone turnover markers and genetic markers to name two. And finally, the research opportunities that are presented in the guidelines such as what I briefly summarized today should ideally be addressed in large prospective multicenter observational studies of risk, outcomes, and financial cost of ORN or the various treatment strategies that are highlighted in the guideline.    Brittany Harvey: Excellent. Well, we'll look forward to research that addresses those outstanding questions and I want to thank you so much for your all your work on this guideline and for taking the time to share the highlights of this guideline with me today, Dr. Peterson.  Dr. Douglas Peterson: Thank you. My privilege to do so, Brittany. Brittany Harvey: And thank you to all our listeners for tuning in to the ASCO Guidelines podcast. To read the full guideline, go to www.asco.org/head-neck-cancer-guidelines. You can also find many of our guidelines and interactive resources in the free ASCO Guidelines app in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. If you have enjoyed what you heard today, please rate and review the podcast and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions.   Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.  

Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, a 76-year-old woman from Connecticut, has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, marking a significant development in the case surrounding the death of her husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi. The plea, announced by Hartford Judicial District State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott, follows a six-year legal saga that began with Dr. Bigazzi's mysterious demise. Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, an 84-year-old professor at the University of Connecticut, was discovered deceased in the couple's Burlington home in February 2018. The grim revelation came to light during a welfare check initiated by his employer, who had not heard from Dr. Bigazzi for several months. Authorities believe Dr. Bigazzi passed away in July 2017, as confirmed by a medical examiner who cited blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death. The circumstances surrounding his demise raised suspicions, particularly as police found evidence suggesting his body had been stored in the basement for months. Investigation into the case uncovered a disturbing detail: despite Dr. Bigazzi's death, his paychecks continued to be deposited into the couple's joint checking account until the authorities discovered his body in early 2018. This revelation further fueled suspicions surrounding Kosuda-Bigazzi's involvement in her husband's death. In the wake of the guilty plea, Kosuda-Bigazzi faces charges of first-degree manslaughter and larceny. Her sentencing is slated for June 28 in Hartford Superior Court, bringing a semblance of closure to a case that has gripped the community for years. “This case has been pending for six years, so we are thankful we were able to reach a resolution today,” remarked State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott following Kosuda-Bigazzi's plea. Kosuda-Bigazzi's legal journey began in February 2018 when she was initially charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. Despite posting a $1.5 million bail, she was placed under house arrest, with the details of the case sealed by the court. The University of Connecticut community mourned the loss of Dr. Bigazzi, acknowledging his longtime tenure as a faculty member in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UConn School of Medicine. UConn Health expressed its condolences in a statement, highlighting the collaborative efforts between university and local law enforcement in investigating Dr. Bigazzi's death. As the legal proceedings unfold, the plea from Kosuda-Bigazzi marks a significant milestone in unraveling the mysteries surrounding Dr. Bigazzi's death, offering some closure to his family and the community at large. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, a 76-year-old woman from Connecticut, has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, marking a significant development in the case surrounding the death of her husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi. The plea, announced by Hartford Judicial District State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott, follows a six-year legal saga that began with Dr. Bigazzi's mysterious demise. Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, an 84-year-old professor at the University of Connecticut, was discovered deceased in the couple's Burlington home in February 2018. The grim revelation came to light during a welfare check initiated by his employer, who had not heard from Dr. Bigazzi for several months. Authorities believe Dr. Bigazzi passed away in July 2017, as confirmed by a medical examiner who cited blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death. The circumstances surrounding his demise raised suspicions, particularly as police found evidence suggesting his body had been stored in the basement for months. Investigation into the case uncovered a disturbing detail: despite Dr. Bigazzi's death, his paychecks continued to be deposited into the couple's joint checking account until the authorities discovered his body in early 2018. This revelation further fueled suspicions surrounding Kosuda-Bigazzi's involvement in her husband's death. In the wake of the guilty plea, Kosuda-Bigazzi faces charges of first-degree manslaughter and larceny. Her sentencing is slated for June 28 in Hartford Superior Court, bringing a semblance of closure to a case that has gripped the community for years. “This case has been pending for six years, so we are thankful we were able to reach a resolution today,” remarked State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott following Kosuda-Bigazzi's plea. Kosuda-Bigazzi's legal journey began in February 2018 when she was initially charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. Despite posting a $1.5 million bail, she was placed under house arrest, with the details of the case sealed by the court. The University of Connecticut community mourned the loss of Dr. Bigazzi, acknowledging his longtime tenure as a faculty member in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UConn School of Medicine. UConn Health expressed its condolences in a statement, highlighting the collaborative efforts between university and local law enforcement in investigating Dr. Bigazzi's death. As the legal proceedings unfold, the plea from Kosuda-Bigazzi marks a significant milestone in unraveling the mysteries surrounding Dr. Bigazzi's death, offering some closure to his family and the community at large. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, a 76-year-old woman from Connecticut, has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, marking a significant development in the case surrounding the death of her husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi. The plea, announced by Hartford Judicial District State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott, follows a six-year legal saga that began with Dr. Bigazzi's mysterious demise. Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, an 84-year-old professor at the University of Connecticut, was discovered deceased in the couple's Burlington home in February 2018. The grim revelation came to light during a welfare check initiated by his employer, who had not heard from Dr. Bigazzi for several months. Authorities believe Dr. Bigazzi passed away in July 2017, as confirmed by a medical examiner who cited blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death. The circumstances surrounding his demise raised suspicions, particularly as police found evidence suggesting his body had been stored in the basement for months. Investigation into the case uncovered a disturbing detail: despite Dr. Bigazzi's death, his paychecks continued to be deposited into the couple's joint checking account until the authorities discovered his body in early 2018. This revelation further fueled suspicions surrounding Kosuda-Bigazzi's involvement in her husband's death. In the wake of the guilty plea, Kosuda-Bigazzi faces charges of first-degree manslaughter and larceny. Her sentencing is slated for June 28 in Hartford Superior Court, bringing a semblance of closure to a case that has gripped the community for years. “This case has been pending for six years, so we are thankful we were able to reach a resolution today,” remarked State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott following Kosuda-Bigazzi's plea. Kosuda-Bigazzi's legal journey began in February 2018 when she was initially charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. Despite posting a $1.5 million bail, she was placed under house arrest, with the details of the case sealed by the court. The University of Connecticut community mourned the loss of Dr. Bigazzi, acknowledging his longtime tenure as a faculty member in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UConn School of Medicine. UConn Health expressed its condolences in a statement, highlighting the collaborative efforts between university and local law enforcement in investigating Dr. Bigazzi's death. As the legal proceedings unfold, the plea from Kosuda-Bigazzi marks a significant milestone in unraveling the mysteries surrounding Dr. Bigazzi's death, offering some closure to his family and the community at large. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com 

We talk politics with Jim Watkins, then discuss a story from the Courant on more wasted money at UCONN Health.

After a meaningful Women in Healthcare IT Leadership panel discussion at our 2023 Healthcare Education Summit,  we're pleased to welcome two incredible partners and female leaders to the show.  Our host, Steffany Whiting, is joined by Kat Hasanovic, (Senior Director of Clinical EHR Applications at Baptist Health in Jacksonville, FL.) and Ingrid Napoletano, (AVP of Information Technology Applications at UConn Health in Farmington, CT.) 

The Getting2U (G2U) crew get the chance to meet with subject matter expert, Danielle Warren-Diaz, Community Health Program Director at Connecticut Children's and UCONN Health's Youth and Family Community Health Program. The team's Hot Topic discussion was about the Department of Health and Human Service's new Chestfeeding Guidelines for people living with HIV. For more … Read More Read More

Mary Casey Jacob, PhD is interviewed by Dr. Daniel Grow, and together they explore the emotional and practical support that couples need to give each other when going through infertility and IVF. ‘Casey' is a professor emeritus of Psychiatry at UCONN Health and has long been a resource for couples navigating the struggles of infertility and an opinion leader in our field. Her warm and thoughtful approach has been appreciated by many. Find the #StartwithSART Fertility Experts series wherever you get your podcasts. Looking for advice on building a family? Ask the experts and #StartwithSART. For more information about the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, visit our website at https://www.sart.org Have a topic you'd like to hear? Tell Us!

Dr. Jeffrey Hines, Chief Diversity Officer at UConn Health and Dr. Tia Brown McNair, Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) draw on key ideas from the TRHT framework to shed light on how racial equity work is not solely the responsibility of a few, but rather, the responsibility of all community members. We discuss racial disparities in health and education,  as major public health concerns that require the active participation of multiple community stakeholders working towards a shared vision of transformation in higher education.

{This program originally aired live on Sunday May 21, 2023.} Since April 15, there has been violent conflict between Sudan's military, and a rival paramilitary faction known as the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. Reports from the country have the current death toll at 850 people. Joining host Mike Merli to speak about this urgent humanitarian crisis is Dr. Fawatih Mohamed Abouh, Assistant Professor at UConn Health, Epidemiologist with Yale New Haven Health System, and member of Connecticut's large and vibrant Sudanese-American community. Organizations engaged in direct response work include: Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) https://sapa-usa.org/sudan-war-crisis-emergency-relief/ https://www.facebook.com/SAPAinUS/ Sudanese American Womens Doctors Association (SAWDA) https://www.sawda-us.org/ Community Medical Response Team (CMRT) is a team engaged in crisis intervention work on the ground in Sudan. It was created amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and continues to provide critical services to people in need. It is a branch of the American non-profit Sustainable Development Response Organization (SUDRO). https://sudro.org/ For important background on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/women-speak-out-online-about-reports-of-sexual-violence-in-sudan https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/may/16/sudan-reports-of-women-being-raped-in-khartoum-by-armed-men https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230517-sudan-increased-instances-of-rape-lead-doctor-to-post-details-of-measures-to-take/ https://www.nytimes.com/topic/destination/sudan

On today's episode, I'm talking to UConn orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kathy Coyner about work-life integration.Dr. Coyner is an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UConn Health and team physician for UConn Athletics. Previously, she worked at UT Southwestern Medical Center and was a team physician for the NHL Dallas Stars. Kathy is on the board of the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine and is a member of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society. I am especially excited to have this episode go live today, on March 7th, because Kathy is one of many RJOS members I've been lucky enough to feature on the Madam Athlete podcast, and if you're listening on the day this episode goes live, I'll be giving the keynote address at the 2023 RJOS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas! Kathy has built a career around supporting women working in orthopaedics and STEM through RJOS and the Perry Initiative.We talk about:Making her first big career decision by choosing to go to UMass on a basketball scholarship over Yale in order to feel valued and supported in her career.How she personally handled gendered pay inequality.The work she does supporting women in orthopaedics and STEM through RJOS, the Perry Initiative, and the Inspiring Women in Engineering and Medicine workshop.How she integrates all of her work and life passions together.You can find the show notes and more resources at https://madamathlete.comKeep an eye out for new content or let us know what you'd like to see next by following us on social:Instagram: @theMadamAthleteFacebook: @MadamAthleteTwitter: @MadamAthlete

We look at the patient with known pulmonary hypertension admitted for new issues like sepsis and pneumonia, and how they differ from our usual bread and butter, with help from Dr. Raymond Foley, director of the medical ICU and the pulmonary/critical care fellowship at UConn Health, as well as director of their pulmonary vascular disease … Continue reading "Episode 54: The critically ill patient with pulmonary hypertension, with Ray Foley"

Riz Hatton shares the latest news on the Spine & Ortho industry.

Having children means that you can always expect the unexpected. One of my first big surprises becoming a mother was just how confusing it was to have kids in the first place. There were decisions to make that I didn't quite understand, options that I didn't know I had, and ways of doing things that I look back and wish I knew. Here in the U.S., the vast majority of babies are delivered by an obstetrician, one of the hardest working doctors in the field. But it wasn't always that way. Babies used to be birthed without the need for medical intervention, in the company of other women. As healthcare became more sophisticated, midwives dominated the delivery scene. But now, obstetricians, who are trained surgeons, have become primarily responsible for bringing babies into the world - or into the United States at least. So why is that? What has changed that has led birth to become so medically focused and less about the force of nature that is giving birth? Let's find out. On the show today is Dr. Cara Delaney, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Practicing Physician with UCONN Health. Cara received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and trained in Chicago and Boston.  She works as an academic OBGYN alongside residents, medical students, and patients, specializing in complex family planning, early pregnancy loss, and miscarriage management. She's passionate about reproductive justice and patient-centered care and we are thrilled to have her here on the freemom podcast this week.From mental health and managing relationships to raising changemakers and advocating for support, freemom is a podcast dedicated to ensuring that every mom feels heard. You can find us on the gram at @freemomcast or on the web at www.freemomcast.com. You can also support the show and help fund production with a sweet little five-dollar donation right here. Thanks for listening!From mental health and managing relationships to raising changemakers and advocating for support, freemom is a podcast dedicated to ensuring that every mom feels heard. You can find us on the gram at @freemomcast or on the web at www.freemomcast.com. You can also support the show and help fund production with a sweet little five-dollar donation right here. Thanks for listening!

Hello and Welcome to the Follow The Brand Podcast! I am your host, Grant McGaugh, and I wanted to know the impact of empathy and advocacy regarding career development. My guest Laura Marquez believes in two simple principles diversity of thought and the human connection. First, people are your most valuable assets; that's why she doubles down on soft skills that include emotional intelligence. She is empathetic to every patient and colleague and strives to show up every day as her best self.Laura Marquez is a one-time emergency medical assistant turned Clinical Informatics IT Leader helping patients with the technology tools to help improve the patient experience. Thriving under tremendous pressure and a passion for helping patients, she applies skills learned over a career by tapping into her strengths of compassion, communication, and competitiveness.  Laura Marquez is the Assistant Vice President for IT Applications at UConn Health, in Farmington, CT. Marquez brings more than 20 years of healthcare experience leading dynamic teams, driving innovation, and bringing out the best in people by tapping into their strengths. In addition, she has shared ideas to improve the workplace with empathy as a TEDx speaker and is regarded as a servant leader with a strong focus on the patient experience.Before UConn Health, Marquez led several IT teams at Valley Medical Center in Renton, WA, and served as a clinical informaticist and build analyst at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. In addition, she brings forth a unique clinical perspective from years spent at the bedside of a regional Level-1 trauma center as a medical assistant. Marquez holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Washington and a Bachelors in Biochemistry from Western Washington University. She has also participated in an executive leadership development program with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and is pursuing Fellowship status. Both inside and outside of work, she enjoys coaching and mentoring others in technology and leadership.         Let's Welcome Laura Marquez to the Follow The Brand Podcast, where we are building a 5 STAR brand that you can Follow!