Clinician's Roundtable

Guest: Heidi Feldman, MD, PhD Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD "White matter of the brain is particularly more susceptible to injury after a premature delivery," explains Dr. Heidi Feldman, professor of developmental and behavioral medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Feldman and host Dr. Bill Rutenberg discuss neurodevelopmental recovery in preemies, as well as children with other brain damage. Can we capitalize on other healthy areas of the brain to make up for deficiencies from underdeveloped or injured areas of the brain?

Guest: Heidi Feldman, MD, PhD Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD Much is invested to bring premature infants to the point of hospital discharge. However, there is an extreme drop-off in services after the infant is released from the hospital. This is a very important area for preventative healthcares and should be conceptualized as a chronic condition says our guest, Dr. Heidi Feldman, professor of developmental and behavioral medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. She and host Dr. Bill Rutenberg discuss interventions often required to help a pre-mature infant to reach its developmental age. How much intervention is necessary? Do socioeconomics play a role in which children are most likely to catch up sooner? Why do kids who get the most services often have the greatest delay? Join us to learn more.

Guest: Jatinder Bhatia, MD Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Although breast milk is the ideal source of nutrition for children under 12 months, most babies receive infant formula at some point during the first year. With dozens of formulas on the market, making a choice can be confusing for parents and for physicians as well. Dr. Jatinder Bhatia, professor and chair of neonatology at the Medical College of Georgia, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, lends his expert insight on choosing an infant formula. What are the latest recommendations regarding infant formulas? How should physicians decide what formula is best for a patient? Dr. Jennifer Shu hosts.

Guest: Jatinder Bhatia, MD Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Darshak Sanghavi, MD It's the leading cause of death and morbidity in American adults, but the cardiovascular disease process may begin in childhood. A new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends some children as young as age 8 should receive pharmacologic treatment for dyslipidemia. The recommendations have stirred considerable debate among pediatricians and others in the medical community. Given the absence of long-term data to support the safety of prescribing statins, how was the decision made to go forward with these recommendations? What potential adverse effects from the medications should we be most concerned about? What are the most prudent alternatives to medicating children at risk for cardiovascular disease? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu welcomes Dr. Jatinder Bhatia, professor and chair of neonatology at the Medical College of Georgia, and a member of the AAP Committee on Nutrition, and Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, a pediatric cardiologist and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, for a candid discussion about the merits of the AAP recommendations.

Guest: William Jessee, MD Host: Bruce Japsen Should doctors also be running their own practices? Dr. William Jessee, president and chief executive officer of the Medical Group Management Association, tells Bruce Japsen about how a team approach between doctor and administrator may be in order to improve the patients' experience, boost doctor revenue and help foster more consumer-friendly medicine.

Guest: William Jessee, MD Host: Bruce Japsen The squeeze of reimbursement from private payers and Medicare cuts to doctors are conspiring to take a substantial toll on physician incomes, which in many cases, are not keeping up with inflation. Dr. William Jessee, president and chief executive officer of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), details trends in physician practice incomes, as documented in a survey conducted by the MGMA. Bruce Japsen hosts.

Guest: William Jessee, MD Host: Bruce Japsen Administrative burdens and an overload of paperwork have a cumulative effect on a medical group practice. How is a doctor supposed to deal with this so it does not effect patient care? Dr. William Jessee, president and chief executive officer of the Medical Group Management Association, tells Bruce Japsen about new and innovative ways MGMA advises doctors to deal with the ever-changing rigors of practicing in a group setting.

Guest: Alan Hemming, MD Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD As we extend the bounds of surgical resection for hepatic malignancies, we overcome previously held limitations of our efforts against liver disease. How do our techniques and theories on hepatic resection also relate back to hepatic transplantation? Are we developing more effective strategies to protect the liver during surgery? Dr. Alan Hemming, professor of surgery and chief of transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine, also peers into the future to examine the potential role of laparoscopy or endoscopy in hepatic surgery. Dr. Mark Nolan Hill hosts.

Guest: Alan Hemming, MD Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD In recent years, extensive debate has centered around the possibility of further extending the scope of hepatic resection. With research now demonstrating the potential value of extended resection, will more patients be offered this as a treatment option? Are there common complications to consider when evaluating a candidate for this surgery? Dr. Alan Hemming, professor of surgery and chief of transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine, explains the next steps toward entrenching extended resection in our arsenal of treatment for hepatic disease. Dr. Mark Nolan Hill hosts.

Guest: Alan Hemming, MD Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD For patients with severe hepatic malignancy, attempts to cure their illness are rarely, if ever, successful. We're learning, however, that a more aggressive surgical approach may extend survival rates well beyond those of our previous techniques. Dr. Alan Hemming, professor of surgery and chief of transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine, details his pursuit of novel measures to surgically address severe hepatic malignancies with host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill.