Guest: Matt Freitas, FNP-C, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Delivering quality mental health care to patients seems to come with an overwhelming number of obstacles. How can primary care practices make it easier to provide psychiatric and psychological services? Matt Frietas, an NP/PA and vice president of Aspen Medical Group in Modesto, California, speaks with host Lisa Dandrea Lenell about how his clinic overcame billing issues, HIPPA laws and charting problems to provide quali...
Nov 17, 20100
Guest: James Van Rhee, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA The physician assistant profession is one of the fastest growing careers in the United States, and PA programs are popping up all over the country to keep up with the demand. The latest addition is the physician assistant program at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. Director. Jim Van Rhee PA-C joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to discuss the details of the program, how it differs from other P...
Nov 17, 20100
Guest: Susan Matthews, PhD Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP In September, over 5,000 nurses and nurse practitioners were invited to participate in a conference call with First Lady Michelle Obama to discuss the latest changes in healthcare policy. Five were invited to travel to Washington to participate in a roundtable discussion at the White House with the First Lady. Included in that group was Dr. Susan Matthews, owner of Bluegrass Regional Healthcare in Beaver Dam, Kentucky. Dr. Matthews ...
Nov 17, 20100
Guest: Christine Kessler Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP What makes Americans fat? Diet isn't entirely to blame. Christine Kessler, who is a nurse practitioner in the department of endocrinology and metabolic medicine at a Washington, DC, teaching hospital, joins host Mimi Secor to discuss the many variables that are attributed to obesity in this country. They also look at what nurse practitioners can do to help their patients come up with strategies for living healthier lives....
Nov 17, 20100
Guest: David Goldberg, MD, JD Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Non-invasive body contouring allows physicians to tighten skin without surgery. What are the different types of non-invasive body contouring procedures, and how have these procedures evolved? Dr. David Goldberg, clinical professor of dermatology and director of laser research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, medical director of Skin, Laser and Surgery Specialists of New York and New Jersey, and co-director of ...
Oct 19, 20100
Guest: Jeffrey Nicholson, PhD, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA All PAs hope to never be sued. But if it happens, will malpractice coverage pay for legal costs and court awards? Is employer-provided malpractice coverage enough, and what are the differences between the types of policies? PA Jeff Nicholson, president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in Legal Medicine, sorts out these issues and others with host Lisa Dandrea Lenell. They also look at whether additional...
Oct 14, 20100
Guest: Russell Dorr, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA The virus that nearly wipes out the population in mega-popular horror writer Stephen King's novel The Stand and the physician assistant pressed into running the hospital in King's Under the Dome were created out of the author's imagination — with the technical advice of PA Russell Dorr. Mr. Dorr is a physician assistant at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Family Practice in Merrimack, New Hampshire, and has been Stephen King's medical r...
Oct 14, 20100
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Guest: Eileen O'Grady, PhD, RN, NP Every day, we hear about the rise of chronic disease and rates of obesity. How do we persuade patients to change their behavior in order to become healthier? A new answer may lie in the field of wellness coaching. Dr. Eileen O'Grady, nurse practitioner, wellness coach and visiting professor at the Leinhard School of Nursing at Pace University in New York City, talks with host Mimi Secor about the evidence-based methodology b...
Oct 14, 20100
Guest: Eileen O'Grady, PhD, RN, NP Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP How does the medical home fit into the rapidly changing healthcare model in the United States? The idea of the medical home isn't a new one. It's actually based on a concept created by the American Academy of Pediatrics in the 1960s. Dr. Eileen O'Grady, nurse practitioner and visiiting professor at the Leinhard School of Nursing at Pace University in New York, joins host Mimi Secor to explain how the medical home works, the ...
Oct 14, 20100
Guest: Elizabeth Sheehan Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Seven hundred women a day receive medical care inside moldy tents on the grounds of what once was the Grace Children's Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. But their circumstances will soon improve, thanks to an innovative nonprofit organization, Containers to Clinics, launched by PA Elizabeth Sheehan. Containers to Clinics converts empty shipping containers into state-of-the-art medical facilities in rural areas where electricity...
Sep 15, 20100
Guest: Donald Sefcik, MD Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA After many years of discussion, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) will offer PAs Certificates of Added Qualification in 5 specialties, beginning in 2011. Dr. Don Sefcik, chairman of the NCCPA, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to explain what it takes to obtain certification, what the benefits are to PAs, and why the NCCPA decided to institute the certification now, with the nation's healthcar...
Sep 15, 20100
Guest: Barbara Phillips Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Millions of people worldwide have Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. What do you need to know about today's Internet-savvy e-Patient, who uses online tools to share information with their medical providers, search for medical information, and manage and cope with their medical conditions. Nurse practitioner Barbara Phillips, founder and CEO of NP Choice, LLC, joins host Mimi Secor to discuss how to effectively connect with your p...
Sep 08, 20100
Guest: Ken Harbert, PhD Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Do some of your patients have trouble sleeping, experience nightmares or are filled with anger or rage? If so they may be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Ken Harbert, dean of the school of physician studies at South College in Knoxville, Tennessee, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to discuss how to identify post traumatic stress disorder and how to distinguish between PTSD and every day stress, as well as how to ...
Aug 30, 20100
Guest: Yvette Petti, PhD, APRN-BC Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP In the next five years, women will account for more than 10 percent of the veterans in the United States. The growing population of female soldiers has raised new challenges for government. Not only are women facing some of the same health issues as men, like depression and post traumatic stress disorder, but they are dealing with issues like sexual trauma, and the need for services such as mammograms and fertility counseling...
Aug 19, 20100
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Emmanuel Teye Adjase, MD The Rural Health Training School in Kintampo, Ghana, was established in 1969 by the Ministry of Health. Now this one-of-a-kind school has trained more than 500 medical assistants who are the backbone of healthcare in Ghana. Medical assistants, comparable to physician assistants in the US, provide care to people living in remote and under-served communities. Dr. Emanuel Teye Adjase, director of the school, joins host Lisa ...
Jul 22, 20100
Guest: Michael Powe Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Recently, Aetna, which is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, announced it would reimburse PAs at 85 percent of the physician pay schedule. So what does this move mean for PAs? Michael Powe, vice president of health systems reimbursement policy for the American Academy of Physician Assistants, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to look at the current reimbursement picture and how PAs can make sure they are being ...
Jul 21, 20100
Guest: Michael Powe Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Medicare and physician assistants both entered the healthcare field in the 1960s, but despite their similar ages, physician assistants don't always understand Medicare. Complicated rules and seeming inconsistencies can lead physician assistants to make billing errors — and avoiding these errors is more important than ever, as the federal government is looking more closely at Medicare billing, with an eye on potential fraud. Michael P...
Jul 21, 20100
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Guest: Kimberly Comparetto, NP Alcohol, ecstacy and marijuana use has always been an issue for teens in the United States, but there are other alarming trends as well. More than five percent of 12 year-olds in this country say they have abused prescription drugs. As a medical professional on the front lines, how do you talk to teens and their parents if you suspect an addiction problem with your patients? Kimberly Comparetto, a psychiatric mental health NP wh...
Jul 16, 20100
Guest: Susan Scanland, MSN, CRNP, GNP-BC Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP How can we limit the risk of Alzheimer's disease? New research suggests a correlation between obesity, type 2 diabetes and dementia. Susan Scanland, gerontological nurse practitioner, discusses this research with host Mimi Secor. She discusses how Alzheimer's, weight and waist size seem to be related, and how clinicians can help patients reduce their risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Jul 14, 20100
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Guest: Helen Carcio, NP More than 33 million people in the United States suffer from overactive bladder problems. Bladder health programs are being established in existing and new clinics to treat this issue that is rapidly growing, especially among the elderly. NP Helen Carcio began a certification program on the internet that teaches medical entrepreneurs how to establish these clinics. She joins host Mimi Secor to discuss start-up costs, the treatment proc...
Jul 14, 20100
Guest: Karen Bass, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Karen Bass began her career in the 1980s as a PA working in the nation's largest trauma center at the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center, but away from the ED she had a passion for politics. Today she is the former speaker of the California Assembly and the democratic nominee for the 33rd congressional district in California. Speaker Emeritus Bass joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to discuss how her career in healthcare shaped an...
Jul 01, 20100
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: William Fenn, PhD, PA-C The House of Delegates establishes philosophies and beliefs for the physician assistant profession. It was a busy time for delegates at this years AAPA Conference in Atlanta. Several legislative issues passed, some failed, some had to be tabled and some major issues didn't even come up. What changes were made and how will these decisions affect PAs across the country? Dr. William Fenn, immediate past vice president of the ...
Jun 17, 20100
Guest: Jeremy Allen, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA When patients go to the emergency department for a non-life-threatening emergency, it seems impossible to predict how long the wait could be to see a medical provider. But now patients in New Britain, Connecticut, can plan their care by checking their iPhone. Physician assistant Jeremy Allen talks with host Lisa Dandrea Lenell about his role as lead developer on an iPhone app for the Hospital of Central Connecticut. They discus...
Jun 17, 20100
Guest: Roger Green, DNP Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Retail health clinics are popping up all over the United States in grocery and drug stores. More than 10,000 NPs and PAs are employed by these clinics— and they are the largest employer for NPs nationwide. So why do nurse practitioners and physician assistants want to work at these clinics? Dr. Roger Green, division western region vice president of the Little Clinics in the Kroger grocery store system, joins host Mimi Secor to discuss ...
Jun 08, 20100
Guest: Roger Green, DNP Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Healthcare practiced between the grocery store's pharmacy and produce section is becoming one of the largest sectors employing nurse practitioners in the United States. Since retail clinics see patients from the age of 1 to 100 most NPs are family nurse practitioners. Dr. Roger Green, division vice president of the western region of the Kroger grocery store system's Little Clinics, joins host Mimi Secor to talk about why such clinics a...
Jun 08, 20100
Guest: Captain Linnea Axman, FNP Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Nurse practitioners can be found in all branches of the military. NPs are deployed to all areas of the globe, wherever there are soldiers— from war zones to humanitarian efforts. How does a career as a Navy NP differ from a civilian NP? Captain Linnea Axman, lead research administrator, project director and family nurse practitioner at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California, joins host Mimi Secor to talk about her c...
May 12, 20100
Guest: Loretta Ford, EdD, RN, PNP, FNP Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP In 1965, Dr. Loretta Ford, a pediatric nurse at the University of Colorado Medical Center, began to grow concerned about the patients in her community. She saw a need for improved healthcare delivery, especially in the growing number of rural and urban areas where primary pediatric physicians were lacking. Dr. Ford, renowned as the founder of the nurse practitioner field, joins host Mimi Secor to talk about the challenge...
May 12, 20100
Guest: Robert M. Blumm, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Forty years ago, the title of "physician associate" was changed to "physician assistant." Now there is a strong grassroots effort amongst PAs to change the name back. On April 5, 2010, 50 leaders in the PA profession signed a letter declaring that the title "physician associate" better fits the role. Bob Blumm, immediate past president of the Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants and a supporter of the letter, ...
Apr 22, 20100
Guest: Jeffrey Nicholson, PhD, PA-C Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA A malpractice lawsuit is something all physician assistants want to avoid, but what do you do if you are sued by a patient? We'll explore the difference between malpractice for physicians and malpractice for PAs, and can a PA be qualified to testify in court as a legal expert? Dr. Jeffrey Nicholson, president of the American Academy of PAs in Legal Medicine, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to talk about the process of ...
Apr 22, 20100
Guest: Marie-Eileen Onieal, PhD Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP With more Americans due to become insured as a result of healthcare reform, nurse practitioners will be increasingly necessary to help make up for the shortage of primary care physicians. Residents of Massachusetts have been required to have health insurance since 2007. There, nurse practitioners have stepped in to meet the demand for primary care. Nurse practitioner Dr. Marie-Eileen Onieal, health policy expert and director of...
Apr 20, 20100
