Clinician's Roundtable

Guest: George I. Viamontes, MD, PhD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Signal transduction is a key concept in cell and molecular biology. How can understanding this concept help us understand how psychotropics and psychotherapy works? Dr. George Viamontes, author of An Atlas of Neurobiology: How the Brain Creates the Self, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss signal transduction.

Guest: Karen Fields, MSPAS, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Few organized exposures to the midlevel practitioner fields currently exist for students considering career paths in medicine. However, some educational leaders are working to increase student awareness nationally. Host Lisa D'Andrea talks with Ms. Karen Fields, physician assistant and the founder of Medical Mentoring, a unique program for high school students offering hands-on clinical experience with working physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

Guest: Harry Keyserling, MD Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP A single vaccine is now available for immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. As we consider offering this to our pediatric patients, what are the vaccine's unique challenges and benefits? How does this combination vaccine compare with other options for immunization? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu examines these questions and more with Dr. Harry Keyserling, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine.

Guest: Harry Keyserling, MD Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Physicians administering rotavirus vaccines to infants now have the choice of two distinct immunizations. How do the two vaccines differ? How effective are these immunizations in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis infections? How can we decide what to offer our patients? Dr. Harry Keyserling, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, lays out the details of the new vaccines with host Dr. Jennifer Shu.

Guest: Mitchell Levy, MD Host: Shira Johnson, MD Who delivers the best critical care, the critical care specialist or the physician without those credentials? Dr. Mitchell Levy, Professor of Medicine at Brown Medical School and Medical Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Rhode Island Hospital discusses his recent study on the association between critical care management and patient mortality in the ICU. The answer may surpise you! Join host Shira Johnson.

Guest: Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD Host: Maurice Pickard, MD What should be done if research subjects become ill from phase 1 clinical trials? Dr. Jonathan Kimmelman, assistant professor of the Biomedical Research unit at McGill University says most programs do not provide health care or compensation from loss of time from work or for pain and suffering. He also tells host Dr. Pickard that data is viewed as proprietary and is not shared. With trials continuing to move to for-profit companies, is federal oversight being lost? Furthermore, does this lead to increased risk for all those concerned?

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD Dr. Jonathan Kimmelman, assistant professor of the Biomedical Research unit at McGill University, discusses with host Dr. Maurice Pickard what appears to be a ‘job' that may exploit the underclass in Phase 1 clinical studies. The poor in the studies are less likely to have access to the drugs when approved, which calls the risk/benefit ratio into question. Do for-profit research companies and for-profit Institutional Review Boards provide adequate protection for the rights of the volunteers?

Guest: Andrea Asnes, MD, MSW Host: Cathleen Margolin, PhD A patient's palpable anger during a clinical visit can create uniquely challenging situations for the clinician. Whether or not the emotions are justified, how can a practitioner keep their cool and diffuse the tension? Even when proper medicine is practiced, are there certain situations where apologizing is the most effective course of action? Dr. Andrea Asnes, practicing pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Cathleen Margolin to share practical advice for managing anger during clinical visits.

Guest: Kerri Remmel, MD, PhD Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Late in 2007 the University of Louisville began utilizing an RP7 robot system to provide neurology support to surrounding county hospitals without on site neurologists. Dr. Kerri Remmel, interim chair of the Department of Neurology and director of the University of Louisville Stroke Program joins us host Dr. Larry Kaskel to discuss the successes of this program since its onset. Dr. Remmel provide an inside look at how physicians, staff and patients have implemented and adapted to telemedicine as a tool to evaluate and treat neurology patients.

Guest: Thomas Saving, PhD Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD "If consumers care about the cost of healthcare, innovations will be directed at making things less costly," says guest Dr. Thomas Saving, the director of the Private Enterprise Research Center at Texas A&M University about how to fund healthcare. In this segment, Dr. Saving discusses with host Dr. Bill Rutenberg how Medicare can pay for itself. They discuss budget based capitation, limited healthcare provisions for retirees and overall reform in the way we pay for healthcare.