Clinician's Roundtable

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, complicate up to 10% of pregnancies worldwide. Hypertension is the leading medical problem encountered in pregnancy and, despite major advances in medicine, remains one of the greatest causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Host Dr. Patrice Basanta-Henry speaks with guest Dr. Fyama Wenner, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Atlanta Maternal Fetal Medicine, about updated recommendations for the management of hypertensive disease in pregnancy.

Dr. Shira Johnson speaks with Dr. Charles Walker, Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Urology at Yale University School of Medicine. The two focus on erectile dysfunction as a common complication for patients dealing with diabetes and heart disease, and ways that clinicians can help patients manage this problem through lifestyle modifications. Dr. Walker also introduces emerging pathophysiological understandings of ED as a potential predictor of diabetes.

Obstetrical emergency care units offer pregnant women highly-specialized emergency care as a better alternative to the traditional emergency room visit. These units have been proven to increase patient satisfaction and improve emergency room wait time lengths. Where are they being utilized, and what are the barriers to implementing them nationwide?

Host Renee Allen talks with guests Dr. Brian Gilpin, National Clinical Director of Operations for OB Hospitalists at Mednax National Medical Group, and Dr. Christopher Swain, Founder and Chief Medical Officer for Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG). They discuss the benefits and challenges of obstretical emergency care units.

The American Heart Association instituted a Strategic Impact Goal to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular deaths and disabilities by 20% by 2020.

Host Dr. Matt Birnholz chats with Dr. Patricia Sulak, Endowed Professor of the Texas A&M University College of Medicine about the 7 key health metrics to reduce cardiovascular deaths including blood pressure, physical activity, and healthy diet, among others.

Babies born before 37 weeks gestation face many challenges in their first weeks of life. For premature babies to thrive in the NICU, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all preterm babies weighing less than 1500 grams be fed human milk. However, this recommendation creates a dilemma for mothers who are unable to supply their own breast milk and must therefore turn to donation programs to feed their babies.

Dr. Renee Allen chats with Scott Elster, CEO of Prolacta Bioscience, about the goals of breast milk donor programs to improve health outcomes for critically ill preemies, while also reducing NICU costs.

Innovations in medical genetics are changing the practice of obstetrics and gynecology. With advancing knowledge of underlying genetic predispositions, doctors can provide more precisioned care plans for patients in women's health centers.

Dr. Matt Birnholz talks with Dr. Ronald J Wapner, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Reproductive Genetics at Columbia University, about how the ever-changing field of medical genetics is revolutionizing OB/GYN treatment options and patient care.

Many physicians are daunted by the contract negotiation process for a new job. They often worry that employers will retract their offers if candidates try and negotiate for a more favorable contract.

Dr. Renee Allen sits down with Arden Miller, JD, attorney with Cohen, Pollack, Merlin and Small P.C. in Atlanta, Georgia to talk about best practices for contract negotiation. They discuss guidelines physicians should employ while going through this process and ways to ensure an agreement is reached that is mutually beneficial to all involved.

Dr. Matt Birnholz sits down with Dr. Carl Schultz, Research Director at the Center for Disaster Medical Sciences at University of California, Irvine. Dr. Schultz is a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the UC Irvine and recipient of the Disaster Medical Science Award at ACEP. He talks about the challenges of securing funding for disaster relief in the field and the integration of citizen volunteers in a disaster incident.

Meningitis is one of the most feared manifestations of infectious disease for the medical community. Yet in spite of this fact, there are very few educational or advocacy-based resources dedicated to increasing public and professional awareness for meningococcal disease and updated prevention methods.

Dr. Matt Birnholz talks with Lynn Bozof, cofounder and President of the National Meningitis Association, an organization fully dedicated to meningitis education and prevention. They discuss her family’s tragic experience with the deadly disease, the preventive mission that originated from this loss, and ongoing efforts to educate clinicians and patients on the need for vaccinations and boosters.

Cannabis is gaining increased acceptance within the medical community for pain relief and other supportive care applications. But for oncology specialties, the use of cannabis may additionally extend into therapeutic purposes for patients.

From the floors of the A4M Conference in Las Vegas, Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Constance Finley, Founder and CEO of Constance Therapeutics, a California-based cannabis collective. The two discuss cannabis and cannabis oil applications for cancer patients, and their potential therapeutic effects.