Clinician's Roundtable

Guest: Craig T. Standen, MBA Craig Standen, senior vice president of Ziegler Healthcare's finance team, reports to host Dr. Larry Kaskel the effects of the capital crunch and sub-prime debacle on hospitals and healthcare systems, and ultimately physicians. Mr. Standen explains how many hospitals and private practices began to depend on cheap credit that is no longer available, and have halted capital expenditures and reduced expenses accordingly in order to deal with the limited access to cash. Tune in to hear Mr. Standen's comments on the effects of the crisis on hospitals, smaller practice groups, and patients, as well as strategies for managing internal cash flow, and how this may impact access to care.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Donald J. Palmisano, MD JD Dr. Donald Palmisano, past-president of the American Medical Association and professor of surgery and medical jurisprudence at Tulane University School of Medicine, talks about his new book, On Leadership: Essential Principles for Success, and the idea that leadership qualities can be taught. He discusses how and why physicians should make their voices heard and take on roles of leadership in the greater world beyond the hospital walls. Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Donald J. Palmisano, MD JD Dr. Donald Palmisano, past-president of the American Medical Association and clinical professor of surgery and medical jurisprudence at Tulane University School of Medicine, discusses his book, On Leadership, Essential Principles for Success which includes lessons about leadership, resiliency and preparedness that come from experiences in the ranks of healthcare workers.

Host: Matthew J. Sorrentino, MD, FACC, FASH Guest: William S. Weintraub, MD, MACC, FAHA, FESC The COURAGE trial showed no substantial difference in cardiovascular outcomes among patients who received either optimal medical therapy or optimal therapy plus a percutaneous intervention. Dr. William Weintraub, professor of medicine at Chrisitana Care Health System in Newark, Delaware, describes his cost-benefit analysis of this trial and how cost effectiveness should be measured and evaluated in this patient population. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Sorrentino.

Host: Matthew J. Sorrentino, MD, FACC, FASH Guest: William S. Weintraub, MD, MACC, FAHA, FESC The COURAGE trial suggested that optimal medical therapy and angioplasty are equivalent in reducing major cardiovascular events for patients with coronary artery disease. Dr. William Weintraub, the John H. Ammon Chair of Cardiology and director of the Center for Outcomes Research at the Christiana Care Health System in Newark, Delaware, will describe his research on the impact of angioplasty on the quality of life for participants in the COURAGE trial and show that the patients with severe angina received the greatest benefit from angioplasty. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Sorrentino

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Maureen Corry, Ms. There is a national consensus on standards for perinatal care, but what does that mean and how did these come about? Maureen Corry, executive director of the ChildBirth Connection tells host Bruce Japsen of the Chicago Tribune about coming changes in perinatal standards at hospitals and how these measures should lead to improvements and provide consumers more information. Physicians, too, will be able to get an insight on how to prepare for this future movement.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Maureen Corry, Ms. The National Quality Forum has endorsed 17 perinatal standards to measure and improve quality of care. Maureen Corry, executive director of the Childbirth Connection, talks with host Bruce Japsen of the Chicago Tribune about these coming measures and what they will mean to child-birthing families and their physicians.

Host: Michael Kotzen, DPM Guest: Jack Morgan, DPM What are the latest trends in surgical treatment options available for patients suffering from recurrent heel pain, and how have podiatrists evolved in practice to manage the myriad of heel problems? Dr. Jack Morgan, attending staff member at the Los Angeles USC Medical Center and fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, outlines the most common causes of heel pain, their respective modern treatment strategies, and upcoming advances in joint biomechanics. Dr. Michael Kotzen hosts.

Host: Michael Kotzen, DPM Guest: Ronald Lepow, DPM Most of us will have walked the equivilent of three times around the world in our lifetimes. Taking into account that 75% of the population suffers foot problems at least once, the importance of taking care of our feet and ankles cannot be overstated. Dr. Ronald Lepow, past president of the American Podiatric Medical Association and the only American to ever serve as the President of the Federation Internationale des Podologues (FIP), joins host Dr. Michael Kotzen to discuss the evolution of podiatric medicine and surgery.

Host: Jim Keany, MD Guest: Retha Newbold, PhD Found in everything from baby bottles to contact lenses, to tooth sealants and soda can linings, bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make plastics more resilient. It is also a recognized hormone disrupter, with recent studies raising concerns about a potential link to cancers, diabetes and obesity. What is our current understanding of the true risks to humans? Should we be advising patients to avoid exposures to BPA? Dr. Retha Newbold, developmental reproductive biologist for the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, breaks down the issues related to this pervasive and potentially harmful product, which some states have even moved to ban in children’s products. Dr. Jim Keany hosts.