Decoded

Back pain and its related symptoms are among the most frequent medical complaints in our country today. In fact, about 80% of Americans will have back pain at some point in their lives. We discuss this common condition with Christine Keating, MD, and Nathan Harrison, MD, to explore back pain causes, treatments and pain relief programs available to patients today.

This episode takes a closer look at the latest research on COVID-19,  the Delta variant and other variants, vaccines, boosters and the future of the pandemic. Podcast guest Leonardo Seoane, MD, is senior vice president and chief academic officer for Ochsner Health, where he leads groundbreaking research into COVID-19 and vaccines.

Living in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the morality of having to make life-and-death decisions in a healthcare setting has taken center stage. Who decides which patients can receive lifesaving treatment if it’s in short supply? Who decides when it’s right for a dying patient to no longer prolong life? What if patients and family disagree?

In this episode of “Innovation Health,” we talk with the Dr. Susan Nelson, chair of Ochsner Health’s bioethics committee, to take a more nuanced look at how healthcare providers deal with ethical dilemmas, and how life-and-death decisions are made.

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, many women are concerned about the effects the vaccine may have on their health. Does the vaccine have any effect on fertility or pregnancy? What about nursing and their baby’s health?

On this episode of Innovation Health, host Alex Gaudin discusses these issues with Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, a senior OB/GYN at Ochsner Health.

According to the Pew Research Center, only 42% of the Black population in the United States say they are willing to get the current COVID-19 vaccine. In this episode, we try to learn more about  the hesitancy among the Black community to take the vaccine, and then take a deeper dive into understanding the vaccine itself. Is it safe? Why should people consider getting it? Alex Gaudin, host of Innovation Health, talks with one of Ochsner Health’s senior Black physicians, Dr. Obinna Nnedu, who specializes in infectious Disease, in order to gain a better understanding of this issue.

Almost a year into the pandemic, the United States has surpassed a staggering four hundred thousand deaths as a result of COVID-19. As the new vaccines are rolled out, there will be light at the end of the tunnel, but many cases will still occur before the country is able to get a hold of the virus. How has medical care changed since the start of the pandemic? Are we treating patients differently? What about all the home treatments that we read about online?

On today’s episode of Innovation Health, we talk with Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, a Sr Physician and Medical Director of Infectious Disease at Ochsner Health. We’ll discuss how treatments have changed for those entering the hospital, and look into the validity of other treatments for milder cases.

(Recorded on December 11th, 2020, right before the FDA emergency use authorization)

Almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA has given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, emergency use approval. As the rollout occurs all across the United States, including Louisiana, many have concerns and questions in regards to safety, efficacy, and the rollout timeline, to name a few.

On this episode of “Innovation Health,’’ host Alex Gaudin talks with Dr. Julia Garcia-Diaz, Director of Clinical and Infectious Disease Research, and Medical Subspecialties at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Julia Garcia-Diaz answers these questions and addresses concerns the general public may have regarding this new vaccine.

As the pandemic emerged in early 2020, it became known that people with certain pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, were more at risk to have a worse outcome if they contracted COVID-19. Cancer care had to adapt, as treating the disease had to continue without pause. 

In this episode of Innovation Health, we talk with Dr. Zoe Larned, Chair of Hematology and Oncology at Ochsner Health to see what changes have been made in cancer care since the pandemic began. What special health considerations do cancer patients need to be aware of during this time? Should people still get screened for cancer? And we’ll also discuss Ochsner’s latest state of the art treatment facility, the new Benson Cancer Center.