Primary Care Perspectives

While many famous figures, including President Biden, have worked to decrease the stigma around stuttering, there are still significant psychosocial effects for many children who stutter. Joseph Donaher, PhD, CCC-SLP, a speech language pathologist at the Center for Childhood Communication at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, teaches us about the natural history of stuttering, when to refer to a speech therapist or other clinician, and how we can help support the well-being of these children. This is an important listen for pediatricians, parents, and teachers!

How can lawyers and pediatricians work together to improve patient care? Osarugue Osah-Edoh and Andrew Yang, lawyers at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia and in the CHOP Medical Legal Partnership, educate us on how lawyers embedded in the healthcare setting support patients and their families with critical legal needs.

Inflammation, recurrent infections, fevers and rashes, and poor growth may all be ways that immune dysregulation presents in primary care patients. Edward Behrens, MD, Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses the Dysregulated Immune Response Team (DIRT) and their innovative approach to immune dysregulation management. Using a multidisciplinary team, precision medicine, collaborative research, and care coordination, the DIRT program is improving care for patients with rare diseases. 

Google searches for tongue tie, or ankyloglossia, have doubled in the past five years and the number of infants having frenotomies is also increasing. Helping us understand the tongue anatomy and sort out myths surrounding tongue ties is Adva Buzi, MD, an attending physician in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Together, we discuss diagnosis, indications for referral, potential benefits/risk of frenotomy, and the myths surrounding ankyloglossia. 

How is artificial intelligence (AI) already being used in pediatrics and how will we use it in the future? In this episode, Bimal Desai, MD, MBI, FAAP and Kevin Johnson, MD, MS, FAAP explain not only how we use AI currently, such as using an ambient scribe, but also how we can use AI in the future, including augmented imaging. We explore the benefits of AI for patient outcomes, concerns about data privacy, and anticipatory guidance for our patients.

Diet culture seems pervasive in our society and impacts our children and adolescents. In this episode, Nicole Cifra, MD, MPH, MHPEd, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia discusses the influence of diet culture, signs of eating disorders, and ways to have a weight neutral approach with patients. Early identification of eating disorders has a huge impact on prognosis and primary care providers play a crucial role in this identification. 

With their diverse work experience and unique skill sets, advanced practice providers (APPs) are able to contribute to not only the wellbeing of patients but also that of other providers. Bridget Sullivan Garmisa, MSN, MS, CRNP, RD, nurse practitioner at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, shares her perspective as an APP and gives insight into clinician well-being and burnout, including the varying degrees of burnout among different roles, driving factors like workplace inequality, as well as ways to spark joy in the workplace; and more. This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2023 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

As the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, magnesium is essential for regulating many bodily functions. But as a supplement — especially over the counter — it could do more harm than good. Neil Patel, PharmD, BCOP, Director of Retail and Specialty Pharmacy and Investigational Drug Service at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, reviews different formulations and potential contraindications, and shares dosing considerations and general guidelines for treating pediatric constipation and migraine management; and more. This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2023 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

Unlike diabetes, the first line of treatment for prediabetes isn’t medication — but rather lifestyle modifications. Rachana D. Shah, MD, MsTR, Medical Director of the Healthy Weight Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, reminds primary care physicians about therapeutic options, reviews the American Academy of Pediatrics’ most recent screening guidelines, highlights the risk factors of prediabetes plus how to manage it; and more. This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2023 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

“To fast or not to fast?” When it comes to cholesterol screening, that is the question. Rachel Shustak, MD, and Jordy Martino, MSN, CRNP, an attending cardiologist and a nurse practitioner with the Lipid Heart Clinic at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, respectively, provide answers to that age-old question plus non-pharmacologic approaches proven to lower cholesterol levels; and more. By taking the ideal screening ages, lifestyle changes and diet recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and translating them into real, practical tips for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, they help to settle a longstanding debate among primary care physicians. This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2023 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.