EMJ Podcast: Insights For Healthcare Professionals

Morag Griffin, Haematology Consultant, Leeds University Teaching Hospitals, UK, joins Jonathan to discuss rare haematological conditions, such as aplastic anaemia and paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, as well as their treatments. They also discuss how vaccination response is affected by these diseases.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode:

(00:00)-Introduction

(01:13)-What led Griffin into haematology

(02.00)-How Griffin’s Master’s degree in leadership helped her throughout her career

(03.10)-Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH)

(09.13)-Griffin’s research on biomarkers and laboratory assessments for monitoring the treatment of patients with PNH

(12:44)-Aplastic anaemia

(16:43)-Importance of international collaboration

(19:34)-How aplastic anaemia and PNH affect vaccination responses

(23:45)-Histiocytic disease

(26:23)-Future research in haematology

(29:02)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare

This week’s episode dives into racial disparities in healthcare and the field of urology, with a focus on prostate and bladder cancer. Jonathan and Samuel Washington, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), USA, discuss equality and equity in healthcare, uncovering how racial disparities affect the diagnosis and treatment of urological tumours, particularly in African American men. The pair also speak about which groups are more at risk of experiencing adverse outcomes, the changes needed to ensure better care is available to these patients, and how racial disparities affect medical education.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode:

(00:00)-Introduction

(01:58)-Inspiration which led Washington to work in urologic oncology

(02:42)-“Urologic personality” traits

(04:01)-Machine-learning algorithms in estimating occurrence of lymph node cancer

(06:26)-Dietary and lifestyle factors influencing patient outcomes

(08:06)-Healthcare disparities in treating genitourinary diseases

(09:45)-Changes needed to make outcomes equivalent for patients of different races

(12:52)-Societal and political factors interacting with healthcare

(15:04)-Socioeconomic factors impacting healthcare use after bladder removal

(16:59)-Equity and equality in healthcare: health literacy and shared decision-making

(18:42)-Tailoring patient communications in prostate cancer screening

(20:00)-Partner-supported treatment decisions

(21:03)-Racial and ethnic differences in medical student training

(22:23)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare

This episode explores how social media and cognitive psychology can be used to optimise patient–doctor relationships, and enhance teaching and diagnosis in dermatology and dermatopathology. Christine Ko, Professor of Dermatology and Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, joins Jonathan for a second podcast episode where they discuss Ko’s publications, dive deeper into cognitive bias and visual perception in clinical practice, and consider the challenges in humanising medicine in dermatology and dermatopathology.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode: 

(00:00)-Introduction

(00:30)-Using social media to learn about patient experience

(04:12)-The role of visual perception in dermatology and dermatopathology

(09:05)-Cognitive bias and its implications in dermatology

(13:15)-Discussing Ko’s book, ‘How to Improve Doctor-Patient Connection’, and the importance of building good relationships 

(19:37)-Challenges in humanising medicine in dermatology and dermatopathology

(26:03)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare

Christine Ko, Professor of Dermatology and Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, joins Jonathan to discuss her early career and the ever-increasing burden of skin cancer. Ko also introduces Jonathan to the field of transplant dermatology.  

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode: 

(00:00)-Introduction 

(02:15)-Ko’s journey into dermatology and dermatopathology 

(04:31)-Squamous cell carcinogenesis 

(08:45)-Why skin cancer is becoming more common 

(11:11)-Transplant dermatology 

(14.02)-Changes in education 

This podcast explores the burden of chronic inflammation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its negative impact on quality of life. The following experts in the field review diagnosis, discussing what stage COPD is typically diagnosed at and how it presents differently to asthma, alongside further insights into patient perspective including what can be improved at the outset of diagnosis. 

Guest Speakers:

• Claus Vogelmeier, Professor of Medicine and Head of the Department of Pneumology, University Hospital Marburg, Germany
• Nicola Hanania, Professor of Medicine and Section Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Ben Taub Hospital, Houston, Texas
• John Linnell, Patient Advocate

The publication of this podcast was funded by Sanofi and Regeneron.

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Richard Cohen, Chief of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic London, UK, to dive into a plethora of gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, diverticulitis, and haemorrhoids, and covering prevention and diagnosis, as well as surgical treatments. The pair explore the role of minimally invasive and robotic surgery in the present and future, as well as the role of regenerative medicine. They further cover the importance of screening for colorectal cancer, and current available techniques.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode: 

(00:00)-Introduction  (01:50)-Cohen’s path to colorectal surgery (07:10)-Fixing anal fistulas (13:15)-Colon cancer screening and diagnosis (17:30)-Colonoscopy (18:30)-The polyp-cancer sequence (19:55)-Innovations in bowel surgery (24:20)-Irritable bowel syndrome (26:45)-Diet in bowel disease (28:40)-Diverticular disease (32:05)-Haemorrhoids (36:00)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare 

Arthur Burnett joins Jonathan Sackier on this episode of the EMJ podcast to discuss controversy in urology and individuals suffering in silence due to ‘embarrassing’ medical conditions.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode:

(00:00)-Introduction

(02:21)-The American Urological Association Diversity and Inclusion Task Force

(04:10)-Blueprint for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion

(05:12)-Erectile dysfunction: diagnosis, aetiology, and treatment

(08:00)-How sickle cell disease affects males from a urologic perspective

(11:31)-Radical prostatectomy in the treatment of prostate cancer

(14:39)-Prostate-specific antigen testing

(15:58)-Treating stress incontinence

(18:05)-Treatment of rectocele

(22:07)-The impact of HPV vaccination

(25:00)-Peyronie’s disease

(28:28)-Urethral fistulas

(31:55)-Burnett’s book ‘The Manhood Rx: Every Man’s Guide to Improving Sexual Health and Overall Wellness’

(33:15)-Three wishes for healthcare

Edwina Brown, Consultant Nephrologist at Imperial College Renal and Transplant Centre at Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK, and Honorary Professor of Renal Medicine at Imperial College London, UK, joins Jonathan to discuss how nephrologists can take a more person-centred approach to medical care and decision-making. Brown also details her goals as President of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD), and how she wants it to become more inclusive.

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode:

(00:00)-Introduction

(02:06)-A patient-centric approach in nephrology

(03:51)-Brown’s goals as President of the ISPD

(07:27)-A 30,000-foot view of peritoneal dialysis

(10:18)-Peritoneal dialysis from a global perspective

(18:02)-Kidney failure in an aging population

(23:07)-Controversies in nephrology and how they are being addressed

(27:04)-End-of-life renal care and bereavement support

(29:38)-The changing landscape of women in nephrology

(33:12)-Brown’s three wishes for the future of healthcare

This episode focuses on approaches toward the World Health Organization (WHO)’s goal for eliminating hepatitis worldwide by 2030, and the importance of reliable information when making informed healthcare decisions. Jonathan is joined by Raymond Chung, Director of the Hepatology and Liver Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA, and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The pair discuss technological advances and innovations in the field of hepatology, such as the use of living donors in liver transplantation. 

Use the following timestamps to navigate the topics discussed in this episode: 

(00:00)-Introduction 

(02:04)-What led Chung into medicine and specifically hepatology 

(04:28)-Chung’s Research into hepatitis B and C infection 

(08:35)-Hepatitis awareness, testing, and available treatments 

(16:38)-American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ achievements during Chung’s presidency 

(25:21)-Liver transplantation 

(32:03)-Cost of care in hepatology 

(33:58)-Chung’s research on COVID-19 

(37:25)-Research Chung is most proud of 

(41:03)-Chung’s three wishes for healthcare 

This week, Jonathan is joined by Laura Sycuro, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to explore the microbiome, providing insights into what it means and how it affects mother and child. The pair discuss the interaction between human microbiota and disease, microbial imbalances and how to correct them, and how microbial transmission from mothers impacts the lifelong health of their children. They further dive into the vaginal microbiome and chorioamniotic infection in pre-term labour.  

Use the following timestamps to navigate the content discussed in this episode: 

(00:00)-Introduction 

(02:16)-Research on bobtail squid at the University of Hawaii, USA 

(05:48)-Defining the microbiome 

(10:56)-Understanding the microbiome 

(11:46)-Research into the maternal microbiome, and when bacterial colonisation begins for the infant 

(16:42)-Microbiome and the gut–brain axis 

(20:00)-Key messages from Sycuro’s work investigating genetic and genomic approaches to understanding interaction between human microbiome and disease 

(22:58)-The vaginal microbiome in other species 

(25:09)-Chorioamniotic infection in pre-term labour 

(29:16)-Metagenomics: detecting and assembling genomes of uncultivated species and strains 

(32:45)-Emerging areas of research, and Sycuro’s personal focus in future 

(36:03)-Three wishes for the future of healthcare