Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Christopher B. Colwell, MD Evidence-based medicine has changed resuscitation in the field and in the emergency department. Dr. Christopher Colwell, associate director of emergency medicine at Denver Health Medical Center and medical director of the Denver Paramedic Division and the Denver Fire Department, reviews what what we know now about pre-hospital care. He discusses CPR, medications, and therapeutic post-arrest hypothermia with host Dr. Shira Johnson.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Calvin A. Brown III, MD Once the sole domain of anesthesiologists, rapid sequence intubation is now a skill practiced by all emergency department physicians. Dr. Calvin Brown III, attending physician in the emergency department at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston, explains the state of the art in intubation. Dr. Brown is interviewed by Dr. Shira Johnson as he reviews the basic technique of RSI, some of the pearls and pitfalls, and what is on the horizon for this skilled intubation technique.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Rachel Chin, MD Tattoos and body piercings have been around for hundreds of years. But now they are turning up in your office or your ED. Dr. Rachel Chin is a professor of emergency medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. She and Dr. Shira Johnson look at the potential complications you may see and how to treat them.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Howard Heit, MD Pain is generally considered to be the most common reason our patients come to see us. Yet it's a phenomenon that we don't fully understand and one that varies widely from patient to patient. With regard to the prescription of potent painkillers like methadone, should the often cryptic nature of pain warrant additional pain management training for practitioners ordering these meds? Dr. Howard Heit, a nationally recognized chronic pain and addiction medicine specialist practicing in northern Virginia, and an assistant clinical professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill to address the challenges of properly prescribing pain medication. What grade would Dr. Heit give our profession for our overall performance on pain management, and how can we improve that evaluation?

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Howard Heit, MD A drug that first gained prominence as a treatment for heroin addiction, methadone is now more commonly prescribed by medical practitioners for a range of severe pains. Why are we seeing this rise in methadone use? Are we, as prescribers, doing everything we can to understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methadone, and to ensure that our patients are also cognizant of the dangers? Dr. Howard Heit, a nationally recognized chronic pain and addiction medicine specialist practicing in northern Virginia, and an assistant clinical professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, shares his clinical expertise on the perils of the drug that is now the fastest growing cause of narcotic death in the United States. Dr. Mark Nolan Hill hosts.

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Wayne Peters, MD Recent studies indicate that some patients may not obtain the full benefits of aspirin's antiplatelet effects Guest Dr. Wayne Peters discusses with host Dr. Larry Kaskel the benefits of aspirin to prevent and manage heart disease, and the tests available to measure aspirin resistance or platelet function. Dr. Peters outlines the clinical importance of these tests and the various factors that can affect absorption including medications such as ibuprofen, smoking and high cholesterol. Tune in to hear how a simple urinary test will provide the primary care physician the information to effectively use aspirin for the prevention and management heart disease in combination with other prevention mechanisms.

Guest: John McConnell, PhD Host: Shira Johnson, MD The reality of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act is that patients can not be turned away. But the economics of providing emergency care to all is overburdening hospital resources. Our guest, healthcare economist specializing in ED care and associate professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, Dr. John McConnell, joins host Dr. Shira Johnson to talk about the economics of emergency care. Learn strategies and solutions that could solve the on-call crisis in hospitals.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: John McConnell, PhD The concept of the surgicalist was born of economic and practical necessity. Dr. John McConnell is a health economist and an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health and Science University whose research has focused on emergency and trauma care as well as health policy. He is interviewed by Dr. Shira Johnson to discuss how and why the role of the surgicalist evolved. Tune in to find out who may be seeing your next surgical consult from the ED. It may not be the surgeon on call.

Host: Mary Leuchars, MD Guest: Brian Kelly, MD Recent advancements in hip arthroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging have elucidated several sources of non-arthritic hip abnormalities which, if left untreated, could result in chronic disabling symptoms. What are the current indications for hip arthroscopy, and what management issues should clinicians be made aware? Host Dr. Mary Leuchars examines these questions with Dr. Brian Kelly, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and attending physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Host: Mary Leuchars, MD Guest: Brian Kelly, MD In sports medicine, the hip has traditionally received less attention from physicians than other joints. What are the types of non-arthritic hip pain that clinicians need to recognize in order to make accurate diagnoses for both recreational and professional athletes? Dr. Brian Kelly, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and attending physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, examines this issue from two vantage points: as clinician researcher, and as team physician for the NFL's New York Giants. Dr. Mary Leuchars hosts.