Primary Care Today

A recent study in the British Medical Journal examined health recommendations from popular TV medical talk show hosts, discovering that approximately half of those recommendation have either no evidence or are contradicted by the best available evidence. Furthermore, potential conflicts of interest are rarely addressed. What ethical, legal, and clinical impacts do such health claims and recommendations have on patients and the medical community at large? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Dr. Joe Perrone, Chief Science Officer for The Center for Accountability in Science, an organization dedicated to uncovering the science behind news stories.

Mental illnesses are commonly encountered in primary care practice. Yet their sufferers are often relegated to mischaracterized roles of "problem patients" due to the impacts of their diseases on thoughts and behaviors. How can clinicians improve their approach to patients will mental health issues, and can this approach be duplicated at community-wide levels? Speaking on this important initiative is Dr. Marilyn B. Benoit, Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical and Professional Affairs at Devereux, one of the nation's premier nonprofit behavioral healthcare organizations. Dr. Benoit is a nationally-known and highly-respected child and adolescent psychiatrist with a wide-ranging career both as a practicing physician and a health care administrator in public, private and academic settings.

Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Mark Underwood, President of Quincy Bioscience, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel technologies to support cognitive function and other age-related health challenges such as memory.

Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Tanya Winders, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Allergy and Asthma Network, the leading patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending needless suffering and death due to asthma, allergies, and related conditions. They discuss ways of addressing healthcare access challenges for asthma and allergy patients, from socioeconomic support structures to education models to special risk situations like enterovirus outbreaks.

Dr. David Fisher, orthopedic surgeon and Director of the Total Joint Center at Indiana Orthopedic Hospital, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss historical to current methods and technologies in knee replacement procedures, and how primary care clinicians can assess patients for surgical vs non-surgical interventions in patients with chronic knee pain.

DNA testing can bring with it a level of risk that may be surprising to some; testing can bring about unexpected findings - either ucovering latent medical diseases and disorders or uncovering surprising family findings. Guest Dr. Doug Moeller speaks with Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss how the medical community can help prepare individuals for some of these findings. Dr. Moeller is the Medical Director at McKesson Health Solutions and is an expert on clinical coding with a growing focus on advanced diagnostics and episode of care management.

Herbal supplements have become increasingly popular in women's health circles, but there is a lot of misinformation about the relative benefits versus risks. How do clinicians wein their patients off harmful medications they are taking, and what health issues do women taking these medications encounter? Join Dr. McDonough and Pharmacist David Foreman to discuss the state of supplementation in and outside of health practices today.

Dr. Brian McDonough talks with Dusty Eber, creator and president of PatientSyle, an alternative hospital gown provider attempting to change the way patients see their medical experience. PatientStyle promotes its patient gown apparel as being high quality without compromising of medical service functions.

The notorious "Freshman 15" equates to weight gain commonly experienced by college-age students living away from home for the first time. How does this problem in weight management and healthy nutrition surface in primary care practice, and how can college students be counseled to avoid gaining extra weight during their first year? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to speak on this subject is Alice Holland, RNP, Director of Student Health Services at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.

Join Dr. Brian McDonough as he discusses the past versus present environments of medical practice with award winning journalist Steven Jacob. The two discuss a myriad of important topics encircling primary care, from the rise of concierge physicians and micropractices to accountable care organizations and healthcare costs.