Primary Care Today

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Guest: Lorina Marshall-Blake, MGA, FAAN

Complicating the already-complex issue of the opioid epidemic is the stigma that it often comes with, which defers those who so desperately need help from seeking it. Fortunately, there are organizations like the Independence Blue Cross who are doing their part in humanizing opioid addiction and encouraging those affected to find help through its awareness campaign “Someone You Know.”

To dive deeper into this campaign, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation's President Lorina Marshall-Blake.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Guest: Joy Stephenson-Laws

According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, approximately two million workers fall subject to workplace violence every year. With that number continuing to increase, creating a healthy work environment is becoming the central focus of many employers. But how exactly can you go about doing that?

Join Dr. Brian McDonough as he speaks with Joy Stephenson-Laws, founder of Proactive Health Labs and author of Minerals-The Forgotten Nutrient: Your Secret Weapon for Getting Healthy and Staying Healthy, who reveals simplistic approaches to obtain happier employees, less stress, and positive productivity.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Have we been fed misinformation about how our food choices affect our bodies? Listen in as Dr. Brian McDonough speaks with mythbuster and co-founder of the Florida Wellness Center Dr. Julie Gatza, who proposes a new spin on the most common misconception surrounding healthy eating.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Guest: Tanya Altmann, MD

To investigate the concerning rise in both asthma and allergies in children, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Tanya Altmann, pediatrician and Editor in Chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics parenting books, to discuss why a missing component of the gut microbiome may be the potential cause and how nutrition and probiotics play a vital role in a child's growth and development.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Guest: Tanya Altmann

To investigate the concerning rise in both asthma and allergies in children, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Tanya Altmann, Pediatrician and Editor in Chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics parenting books, to discuss why a missing gut microbiome may be the potential cause and how nutrition and probiotics play a vital role in a child's growth and development.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Mark Zucker, Director of the Cardiothoracic Transplantation Program at RWJBH/Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, and his HCM patient and founder of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, Lisa Salberg, to discuss her inspiring story and the importance of early diagnosis.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

With a wide spectrum of symptoms, treating depression often becomes frustrating—not only for the patient, but for the primary care physician as well. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough is Dr. Paul Gross, founder of the TMS Center of Lehigh Valley, to address the difficulties of properly identifying depression. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Green also exposes the impactful therapy Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which has been linked to improving other diseases beyond depression.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Is it possible that our emotional baggage is undermining our physical health? Dr. Bradley Nelson, holistic doctor and author of The Emotion Code, joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the various impacts that negative emotions can make toward health maintenance and disease prevention.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Tobacco use accounts for nearly half a million deaths in the U.S. each year and is the leading cause of lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association.

However, the economic and societal costs of smoking are also staggering. Every year, Americans spend more than $300 billion, which includes both medical care and lost productivity. Unfortunately, some people will have to pay more depending on the state in which they live.

Host Dr. Brian McDonough chats with analyst Jill Gonzales from Wallethub, a financial website that calculated the true per-person cost of smoking in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Guest: Robert A. Baldor, MD

Guest: Chadwick R. Johr, MD

This innovative, 30-minute, online activity features a Video Expert Dialogue with two prominent faculty covering important, timely issues and data related to the detection of autoimmune (AI) disorders. The emphasis is on the unique role primary care providers play in diagnosing and managing AI and maximizing patient care. Topics include: Overview of connective tissue diseases and ANA testing ANA IFA and ELISA New tests Subserologies with IFA Choosing wisely about ANA testing Diagnosis of RA, Sjögren’s, Lupus, and Systemic Sclerosis Titer Information Negative ANA testing When to refer We’ll be discussing autoantibody testing for autoimmune diseases, or more precisely, connective tissue diseases. Our purpose here is to discuss how autoantibody testing, such as the ANA, may be used in the primary care setting to diagnose these disorders. Using the ANA test combined with a good medical exam and a good history, along with signs and symptoms of connective tissue diseases, will help to achieve greater benefits in diagnosing and treating patients.