Clinician's Roundtable

First published in 2005, the story of how we've come to understand the complete sequence of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus begins years ago, in a remote Alaskan village, and continues today in research across the country. What are we learning about a virus that has taken many decades to comprehend? Dr. James Crowe, Jr., professor of microbiology and immunology, and director of the Vanderbilt Program for Vaccine Sciences at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and one of the researchers leading this expansive project, tells host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill that antibody recognition may actually bear a strong resemblance to cognitive memory. What does Dr. Crowe mean by this? Do we know how the immune system would respond if survivors were infected with this influenza virus?

Ron Nelson, a physician assistant and president of Health Services Associates, Inc., discusses with host Lisa D'Andrea different models for calculating the value of a physician assistant to a medical practice. Mr. Nelson explains several compensation models that may be used for a physician assistant and the benefits of different models that incentive both production and quality of care. Mr. Nelson outlines a simple model which establishes a floor for compensating a physician assistant based upon the physician assistant's costs to overhead, net charges, and quality of care.

Ron L. Nelson explains to host Lisa D'Andrea the structure of rural health clinics and the reimbursement incentives offered by the government for rural health clinics in order to assure access to healthcare in rural communities. Mr. Nelson describes the certification requirements for rural health clinics, which include that mid-level providers must provide fifty percent of the services. Mr. Nelson also outlines the relationship rural health clinics have with hospitals and the ownership opportunities for physician assistants. Mr. Nelson also highlights some of the difficulties Rural Health Clinics face in recruiting physician assistants to work at Rural Health Clinics.

Host Dr. Michael Greenberg continues part three of his informative tour of Philadelphia's Mutter Museum, part of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the oldest professional society in continuous operation in the United States since 1787. Curator Anna Dhody guides this tour of many of the museum's specimens, including the Hyrtal collection of 139 skulls and a medicinal herb garden representative of medicines of the 18th and 19th centuries.

This is Part 3 of an on-site discussion in three parts.

Part 1 >>

Part 2 >>

Host Dr. Michael Greenberg continues part two of his disturbingly informative tour of Philadelphia's Mutter Museum, part of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the oldest professional society in continuous operation in the United States since 1787. Curator Anna Dhody illuminates many of the museum's specimens, including preserved organs and a cast of the world's most famous Siamese twins.

This is Part 2 of an on-site discussion in three parts.

Part 1 >>

Part 3 >>

Host Dr. Michael Greenberg takes the show on the road to Philadelphia, where he enjoys a fascinating journey through the Mutter Museum, part of the College of Physicians of Philadephia, the oldest professional society in continuous operation in the United States since 1787. Dr. Greenberg tours the museum with its curator, Anna Dhody, who guides us through many of the museum's headliner exhibits.

This is Part 1 of an on-site discussion in three parts.

Part 2 >>

Part 3 >>

Dr. Désirée Ratner, director of dermatologic surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, discusses Mohs micrographic surgery, at technique developed by Frederick Mohs to allow complete visualization of high-risk skin cancer margins for complete removal. Learn how this procedure, initially developed with zinc floride paste to tag cancerous lesions, is now practiced. How does this surgery relate to standard frozen section histology and immunostaining techniques with which physicians are more familiar? Dr. Mary Leuchars hosts.

How often have you seem seemingly rational and experienced clinicians do something completely irrational and out of character? Like overlook an obvious diagnosis? Ori and Rom Brafman authors of Sway join host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss the irresistible pull of irrational behavior.

Chronic viral infections can manifest in two different ways: one group, such as Epstein-Barr virus, are immunologically contained after the acute infection. The other group, including HIV, lead to persistent viremia and progressive clinical disease. Are there patients who are able to escape the latter without antiviral medications? The director of the Center for AIDS Research at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Bruce Walker, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss these so-called "elite controllers."

It is reported that up to a fifth of bipolar disorder patients will commit suicide, yet there are few studies looking at clinical risk factors in this population. What is the latest research? Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes Dr. Roger McIntyre, associate professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto School of Medicine, to discuss his latest research investigating childhood abuse with adult bipolar suicide rates.