Is religion good for your health? What is spiritual health care? How is spirituality related to health? Why is spirituality important in health care? Is there a relationship between spirituality and health? Our guest, Christina Puchalski, MD, professor of medicine and executive director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality & Health, discusses the integration of spirituality into healthcare and shares her journey in developing medical school curriculum on spiritual care for pat...
Feb 14, 2025•16 min•Ep. 562
What kills the most Americans? What type of flu is going around? How much is a flu test? How many people died from COVID? What causes heart disease in women? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses cardiovascular disease statistics, heart disease in women, the latest bird flu developments, and flu test at home. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to y...
Feb 10, 2025•13 min•Ep. 561
Do gun violence prevention programs work? Why is my doctor asking if I own guns? Why are doctors asking about guns? How can doctors help with gun safety? Our guest Chethan Sathya, MD, director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention at Northwell Health, joins to discuss the critical issue of gun safety and how hospitals can use a strategic framework that includes community engagement, research, policy development, clinical integration, and medical education. Dr. Sathya emphasizes the importanc...
Feb 07, 2025•20 min•Ep. 560
What is going on with eggs in the U.S.? Is there a new strain of bird flu? How do you treat TB? How is TB transmitted? What is the most recent Ebola outbreak? Today's episode covers tuberculosis cases in the U.S., the outbreak of TB in Kansas City, and the emergence of a new bird flu strain H5N9. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, also breaks down the ongoing Ebola situation in Uganda. She highlights the implications of these health threats, outl...
Feb 05, 2025•12 min•Ep. 559
Is social media useful in medicine? What is health misinformation? How is social media impacting health care? How to address medical misinformation online? Science communicator and medical mythbuster, Joel Bervell, MD, discusses what motivated him to become a doctor and shares details for his new STEM show on Youtube "The Doctor Is In," which is designed to inspire young children to pursue careers in healthcare. Dr. Bervell also shares insights on how social media is changing medicine, and encou...
Feb 03, 2025•12 min•Ep. 558
What is Joy in Medicine? Why are there mental health questions on physician licensure? What is the goal of the AMA Joy in Medicine Recognition Program? Kevin Hopkins, MD, physician director of health system engagement at the American Medical Association, explains the ins and outs of the AMA Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program. Dr. Hopkins shares examples from past AMA Joy in Medicine honorees, tips for health system leaders, and recent changes for the 2025 application cycle, includ...
Jan 31, 2025•9 min•Ep. 557
Should I be worried about bird flu? How dangerous is the new COVID variant? How does bird flu spread to humans? Is bird flu going to become a pandemic? What is HMPV? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the "mystery virus" human metapneumovirus, that HMPV is not new, and shares trends in seasonal influenza and COVID-19 cases. Also covering the latest bird flu news of H5N9 on a California duck farm, as well as a raw pet food recall and the...
Jan 29, 2025•14 min•Ep. 556
Which physician has the highest burnout? How does gender affect burnout? Why is mental health important for healthcare workers? Our guest, Mary Pan, MD, family medicine physician and chief wellness officer at the Washington Permanente Medical Group, discusses the ongoing issue of burnout among women physicians, the persistent gender gap in burnout rates, and outlines innovative health care support systems like physician mentorship and peer support to improve the well-being of doctors. Dr. Pan sh...
Jan 27, 2025•10 min•Ep. 555
What is value-based care? How does value-based care work? How to optimize value-based care? What is population health management? What is cost control in healthcare? Our guest is Lori Prestesater, senior vice president of Health Solutions at the American Medical Association, discusses the evolution of value-based care delivery and the the three pillars of value-based care: population health and quality management, cost management, and alternative payment models. She shares CPT code news and exam...
Jan 24, 2025•10 min•Ep. 554
What does Ozempic do? What are the side effects of Ozempic? Is bird flu still around? Is there a vaccine for norovirus? Is red dye 3 banned in US? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses high rates of COVID, RSV, and seasonal flu, as well as the recent CDC alert regarding hospital testing and treatments for bird flu. Also covering the FDA ban on red dye no. 3, plus new research on how GLP-1 drugs could lower the risk of 42 health conditions ...
Jan 22, 2025•13 min•Ep. 553
How to be healthy in the new year: What is lifestyle medicine? Does lifestyle medicine work? What are the benefits of lifestyle medicine? How to become a lifestyle medicine doctor? Our guest and chair of the American Medical Association Board of Trustees Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA, answers the question: What is lifestyle medicine and how it can benefit you? AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what m...
Jan 17, 2025•13 min•Ep. 552
How bad is flu in 2025? What mask is best for wildfires? Is norovirus still surging? How do you get rid of a stomach virus? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the health impacts of wildfires and the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. Also covering the latest viral infections, like the surge in norovirus cases, and respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and flu. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful al...
Jan 15, 2025•13 min•Ep. 551
What does the American Medical Association do? Are private practices closing? When do Joy In Medicine applications open? What's the new CMS rule on prior authorization? AMA President Bruce A. Scott, MD, joins to discuss the pressing issues facing physicians like Medicare payment reform, scope creep, prior authorization hassles, and the ongoing crisis of physician burnout. He highlights American Medical Association successes over the past year and how the AMA will fight for physicians and help pa...
Jan 13, 2025•13 min•Ep. 550
What does the AMA advocate for? What does the AMA do? Is Medicare reducing payments to doctors? Are there telehealth exemptions in 2025? Todd Askew, senior vice president of advocacy at the American Medical Association, joins from the AMA State Advocacy Summit to outline the AMA’s top priorities for 2025. This includes reversing Medicare payment cuts, extending telehealth policies, fixing prior authorization issues to reduce administrative burdens for doctors, as well as continuing grassroots an...
Jan 10, 2025•11 min•Ep. 549
Should I be worried about bird flu? How do humans get bird flu? What's the stomach virus going around? What happens if you drink alcohol daily? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses alcohol’s link to cancer, the latest bird flu news, flu season trends, and the rise of norovirus. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what ma...
Jan 08, 2025•12 min•Ep. 548
What is an ambient scribe? How does scribe AI work? Are AI scribes worth it? What are the medical issues with AI? Brian Hoberman, MD, executive vice president of information technology and chief information officer at The Permanente Federation and chief information officer at The Permanente Medical Group in Northern California. Dr. Hoberman discusses the implementation and impact of ambient scribe technology and shares insights on how technology enhances clinician-patient interaction by reducing...
Jan 06, 2025•16 min•Ep. 547
In the final AMA Update episode of 2024, American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger looks back on another year of stories about the work that physicians are doing across the country and how the AMA is fighting to support them. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what matters most — patients. We will meet this challenge together. Join us: https://ama-assn.co/JoinRenew 🥼 Go to https://ama-assn.co/FightingForDocs to learn more a...
Dec 23, 2024•4 min•Ep. 546
Is obesity decreasing in the US? Do women live longer than men? What are the US Dietary Guidelines 2025? Does America have a healthy diet? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses recent findings on obesity trends in the US, upcoming 2025 US Dietary Guidelines changes, the importance of a healthy diet and the need for health equity in dietary recommendations. Also covering Americans' healthspan lifespan gap and the implications of living long...
Dec 18, 2024•12 min•Ep. 545
What is direct-to-employer contracting in health care? What are value-based care examples? What are innovative care models? Jerry Finkel, MD, senior vice president and chief primary health officer at Henry Ford Health, discusses an innovative value-based care program between General Motors and Henry Ford Health that allows GM employees and their families to receive customized health care directly from Henry Ford Health, bypassing traditional insurance models. Dr. Finkel highlights the benefits o...
Dec 16, 2024•9 min•Ep. 544
What is the future of AI in healthcare? What is the future of RPM? Is telehealth increasing or decreasing? How can AI reduce physician burnout? Our guest is Margaret Lozovatsky, MD, vice president of Digital Health Innovations at the American Medical Association. AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what matters most — patients. We will meet this challenge together. Join us: https://ama-assn.co/JoinRene...
Dec 13, 2024•16 min•Ep. 543
Is whooping cough going around? What is the best flu medicine? What is the latest strain of COVID? Is raw milk safe? Why drink raw milk? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses rising whooping cough cases, vaccines for whooping cough, and effectiveness of antiviral medicine for flu. Also covering milk safety around pasteurized milk vs raw milk and concerns over bird flu in raw milk. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The A...
Dec 11, 2024•13 min•Ep. 542
After sharing the news last month that he’s been diagnosed with a brain tumor, AMA President-elect Bobby Mukkamala, MD, joins us to share an update on how he’s doing, his treatment and lessons learned from navigating medicine as a patient. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what matters most — patients. We will meet this challenge together. Join us: https://ama-assn.co/JoinRen...
Dec 09, 2024•15 min•Ep. 541
What is virtual primary care? Should you reply thank you to your doctor? What is a virtual care physician? How do doctors use EHR secure messaging? Our guest is Matthew Sakumoto, MD, virtual-first primary care physician and chief medical information officer, at Sutter West Bay Region. Dr. Sakumoto shares his best practices for EHR inbox messaging and how physicians can create a personal connection, set expectations and more when caring for patients via text. American Medical Association CXO Todd...
Dec 06, 2024•16 min•Ep. 540
What are the statistics on vaccines? Are people getting vaccinated? What are common vaccines for children? Can kids get bird flu? Is it COVID season? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the latest trends in respiratory illnesses, what causes vaccine hesitancy and low seasonal vaccination rates for RSV, influenza and COVID-19. Also covering H5N1 in children, how bird flu spreads to humans and avian influenza symptoms in humans. American M...
Dec 04, 2024•12 min•Ep. 539
Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer Josh Lesko, MD, joins us to discuss the need for physicians to have a voice in the development of the technology they use. Dr. Lesko talks about the benefit of having a degree in computer science as a physician, how practices can involve clinicians in technology development and lessons learned from the rollout of the EHR. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to y...
Dec 02, 2024•7 min•Ep. 537
What is a respiratory infection? Can you test too early for COVID? How much exercise do adults need per day? Can exercise lower your blood pressure? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, covers current trends of COVID, RSV, and flu and preventing illness this holiday season. She also discusses the obesity epidemic in the US and why adding five minutes of exercise to your daily routine can help lower blood pressure, plus the mental and physical benef...
Nov 26, 2024•13 min•Ep. 538
Our guest is Reggie Lyell, MD, medical director of informatics at Baptist Health. Dr. Lyell discusses the near-death experience that caused him to retire and the opportunity that inspired him to return to work. He talks about his new role as a leader focused on improving clinical workflows and his current project to improve the in-basket experience. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can f...
Nov 22, 2024•16 min•Ep. 536
Can you die from E coli? Does E coli die when cooked? What are the symptoms of bird flu? Which carrots are being recalled? Does McDonalds still have E coli? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses recent E. coli outbreaks linked to organic carrots, baby carrots and fast food. Also covering Mpox cases in the US, rising bird flu cases, as well as getting COVID and flu vaccines ahead of the holiday season as respiratory illnesses increase. Amer...
Nov 20, 2024•13 min•Ep. 535
What is street medicine? Is street medicine effective? What are the barriers to care for homeless people? What extracurriculars for medical students stand out on residency applications? Richard Bryce, DO, medical director of Street Medicine Detroit and program director at Henry Ford Health System discusses the importance of meeting patients where they are, addressing unique challenges faced by unhoused individuals, and the impact of street medicine on both patients and health care providers. Dr....
Nov 18, 2024•11 min•Ep. 534
What does health care leadership do? Is health care leadership a good career? What are the rural health priorities? What are the challenges in rural health care accessibility? Our guest is the interim CEO of Marshfield Clinic Health System, Brian Hoerneman, MD. Dr. Hoerneman talks about his path to leadership, the unique perspective he has as a leader who grew up in Marshfield, the challenges facing Marshfield Clinic and rural health care, and the health system’s merger with Sanford Health. Amer...
Nov 15, 2024•12 min•Ep. 533
