Health Calls Season 6, Episode 6 focuses on addressing food insecurity in rural communities. Host Brian Reardon and Executive Producer Josh Matejka welcome Lindsey Meyers, MBA, Vice President of Communications, PR, and Community Engagement at Avera Health. 

Lindsey shares how Avera’s community health needs assessments revealed rising food insecurity across its largely rural footprint, prompting the creation of wellness pantries within clinics. These pantries provide emergency food supplies and connect patients to sustainable resources, complementing mobile food pantries and partnerships with Feeding South Dakota. Lindsey explains why food access is essential to whole-person care and how collaboration among clinicians, volunteers, and community partners drives success. The conversation highlights the program’s rapid growth, its impact on patients, and underscores Catholic health care’s commitment to meeting social determinants of health and evolving to serve community needs.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Health Calls Season 6, Episode 5 explores the power of storytelling and social media in sharing the mission of Catholic health care. Host Brian Reardon and Executive Producer Josh Matejka welcome Stephanie Hampton, a St. Louis-based content creator known for her Instagram account @explorestlparks. Stephanie shares her family's experience with Mercy Hospital’s NICU and how that inspired her to highlight the healing presence of Catholic health care online. Stephanie’s reflections on vulnerability, faith, and positivity offer a compelling reminder of the impact Catholic health care has on families—and how sharing those stories can inspire and connect communities.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Health Calls Season 6, Episode 4 explores the transformative power of Whole Person Care in the context of palliative care, with guest Lori Dangberg, Executive Vice President of the Alliance of Catholic Health Care in California. 

Lori shares the origins and impact of a statewide initiative that brings together dioceses, parishes, and health systems to support patients and families through serious illness and end-of-life care. The episode highlights how collaborative education—through a five-module curriculum—empowers parish leaders and clinicians to engage in meaningful conversations around palliative care, Catholic moral teaching, and advanced care planning. With resources available in multiple languages and formats, the initiative fosters dignity, compassion, and informed decision-making. Hosts Brian Reardon and Josh Matejka reflect on the importance of this work as the population ages and the need for holistic care grows.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Health Calls Season 6, Episode 3 features a conversation with author, speaker, and former chaplain John O’Leary, whose life story inspired the new film Soul on Fire. 

Host Brian Reardon and Executive Producer Josh Matejka speak with John about his journey from surviving a devastating childhood burn injury to becoming a voice for hope and healing. The episode highlights the unsung heroes of Catholic health care—nurses, CNAs, environmental services staff—whose compassion and presence helped John recover and thrive. Through reflections on faith, mission, and the dignity of every role in health care, John reminds listeners that true caregiving is rooted in love and purpose. His message is clear: every life is a precious gift, and every person has the power to make a difference.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Health Calls Season 6, Episode 2 continues the United for Change theme with a focus on youth mental health in Chicago. Host Brian Reardon and executive producer Josh Matejka speak with Dr. Anoop Takher, Interim Chair of Behavioral Health at Saint Anthony Hospital, about the hospital's SPARK Program. Designed to eliminate long wait times for psychiatric evaluations, SPARK offers integrated care—including speech and occupational therapy—under one roof. Dr. Takher shares how collaboration with partners like the Carol Robertson Center and local schools has expanded access and improved outcomes for children and families. SPARK’s model offers a blueprint for other systems seeking to meet behavioral health needs with compassion, efficiency, and equity.

Resources

Learn more about Saint Anthony Hospital's SPARK program

Watch CHA's This is Catholic Health Care video on the SPARK program

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Host Brian Reardon and executive producer Josh Matejka welcome Sister Norma Pimentel, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, to discuss her work serving immigrant communities at the U.S.-Mexico border. Sister Norma shares moving stories of families fleeing violence and hardship, emphasizing the importance of restoring human dignity through compassion and encounter. The episode explores how Catholic health care and faith communities can collaborate to support vulnerable populations, regardless of legal status. Sister Norma encourages listeners to act with love, guided by faith, and to welcome immigrants into their communities. Her message is clear: healing begins with presence, understanding, and the courage to care. 

Resources

Learn more about Sr. Norma's work at Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley

Access CHA's resources regarding immigration enforcement

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

As the national conversation around HR1, Medicaid and health care access continues, Catholic health care continues to affirm its belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable care. As this episode's guest highlights, that includes those in rural communities.

Luis A. Rojas, MD, FACOG, Clinical Vice President of Oncology Service Line at Avera, joins the show to discuss the system's efforts at serving cancer patients in their most rural communities. Dr. Rojas highlights both Avera's procedures and investment in innovative technology, and their belief in the mission of Catholic health care as a way to serve everyone, no matter where they live.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Like all popular trends, it's easy to adopt the latest and "greatest" technology as soon as it's released into the world. But what responsibility do Catholic health systems have in evaluating what changes they need to make? What - and who - is top of mind when these decisions are made?

Michael Sellers, Vice President of Facilities Management for Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago, joins the show to discuss the facilities and operations perspective on changing health care technology. Sellers discusses Saint Anthony's recent innovations, their community-based strategy for making needed upgrades, and the importance of operations as a voice at the decision-making table.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

Technological advances are nothing new for caregivers, who have been saturated with new tools to "help" them for decades. But are those tools actually helping? And what can the latest innovations do to alleviate the burden caregivers face on a day-to-day basis?

Dr. Heather Schmidt, System Medical Director, Healthy Work and Wellness at SSM Health, and Dr. Ann Cappellari, Chief Medical Information Officer and System Vice President at SSM Health, join the show to discuss their findings on how artificial intelligence can assist caregivers in their well-being. They discuss how technology has often added to the administrative burden caregivers face, offer insight into tools that  help caregivers connect with their patients, and share how AI can help with the workforce shortages that American health care faces.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

When we hear the word technology, we tend to think about computers, software, artificial intelligence, etc. But one form of technology that we tend to overlook has been a part of our lives for centuries: pharmacy.

Jeffrey Bishop, MD, Ph.D, Tenet Endowed Chair of Bioethics and Professor of Philosophy, Health Care Ethics and Philosophy at St. Louis University, joins the show to discuss how we can think critically about pharmaceuticals as technology. He discusses the etymology of the word "pharmacy," shares how power dynamics play into the decisions we make and offers advice on how to make sound, informed decisions about the drugs we take.

Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.