Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Amy Hendel, R-PA The obesity epidemic causes numerous health problems but it's hard for one person to change their ways when the rest of the family continues old patterns. Amy Hendel joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to discuss how to help the group change their eating habits and take on a healthy lifestyle. The two discuss how families can work together as a team as well as how medical professionals can tackle the overweight issue with their patients.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Caroline Hall, MD Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a well-known cause of hospitalization in infants, but new research suggests the burden of illness may be more substantial than previously recognized in healthy, older children as well. Investigators estimate over two million children under the age of five require medical treatment for RSV each year. Because it can be difficult to prevent and treat RSV infections, is there a role for a vaccine against the illness? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu welcomes Dr. Caroline Hall, professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, to explore these questions. Dr. Hall also explains how the characteristics of the virus and its mechanisms of transmission contribute to its proliferation.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Jian Han, MD The 'superbug' methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a top concern for hospitals and doctors nationwide. So what are we doing to combat this? Dr. Gian Han, director of Diatherix Laboratories, tells host Bruce Japsen about molecular diagnostic technologies being developed for doctors to detect MRSA and prevent infection in patients.

Host: Mary Leuchars, MD Guest: Alex Haynes, MD The annual number of surgeries performed worldwide outnumbers even childbirth. What do the latest studies examining surgical checklists tell us about their impact on reducing global morbidity and mortality? Sharing insights on this subject is Dr. Alex Haynes, surgical research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and Massachusetts General Hospital, and lead author of a recent study evaluating the WHO surgical safety checklist. Dr. Haynes and colleagues successfully demonstrated that the use of a simple surgical checklist during major operations can lower the incidence of deaths and complications by more than one-third. Dr. Mary Leuchars hosts.

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Steven I. Kern, JD Will openness and honesty about medical errors help you avoid medical litigation? By quickly disclosing errors, offering apologies and, when necessary, providing fair compensation, some medical centers around the country are trying to get out in front of their medical mistakes. Yet, this may not be the best approach for all practitioners. Host Dr. Larry Kaskel reviews your options and a few specific cases with Steven Kern, a health law attorney with Kern, Augustine, Conroy & Schoppmann, a firm representing physicians and other health professionals.

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD Guest: Anne Louise Oaklander, MD, PhD How is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) distinguished from chronic or phantom limb pain? Can something as simple as a fracture or blood drawing trigger this condition? Dr. Anne-Louise Oaklander, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, joins host Dr. Michael Greenberg to discuss the intricacies of neuropathic pain. Since CRPS is rare, at what point should a physician suspect CRPS, and can this condition be treated?

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Patrick Killeen, PA-C Where do physician assistants fit into the organizational chart within hospitals? How are PAs categorized within the organization? Are they considered allied health staff with no vote on hospital issues, or are they medical staff with a voice? Host Lisa Dandrea Lenell and Patrick Killeen, director at large on the American Academy of Physician Assistants' board of directors, tackle the difficult issue of the evolving role of the PA within a large hospital setting. They discuss the importance of having PAs serve within the administration and the challenges of achieving that goal.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Eric D. Levens, MD Dr. Eric Levens, Lieutenant Commander in the United States Public Health Services, discusses ethical issues that arise when research involves human oocyte donation. Among the topics discussed by Dr. Levens and host Dr. Maurice Pickard are issues surrounding donor protection. There are tensions around the potential greater risks than benefits to the donor. Additional controversies exist around the issues of informed consent and compensation.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Sten Vermund, MD, PhD Past research tells us that many young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients are at higher risk for health problems, such as depression, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. We're also learning that the response of the young person's family can trigger or worsen these conditions. Dr. Sten Vermund, professor of pediatrics, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Jennifer Shu to explore how physicians can work with families and patients to create a healthy dynamic as patients begin to express their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Ken Harbert, PhD More than 8000 military corpsmen will head back to civilian life this year after being released from the military. How do they go about furthering their education to become a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or even pursue a medical degree, after serving their country? Dr. Ken Harbert, president of Health Watch, Ltd., talks with host Lisa Dandrea Lenell about the education challenges for corpsmen who want to pursue an advanced health degree. The two talk about the need for bridge programs and mentoring programs for veterans.