The United States is currently experiencing an early uptick in flu and respiratory syncytial virus infections, straining a health-care system trying to recover from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, healthcare facilities continue to try an keep up with evolving guidelines from the CDC, CMS, and OSHA. In this episode, we are joined by Mary Pierce and Erin Patnode from Cheshire Medical Center discuss the latest in COVID-19 infection prevention strategies. Dr. Phil Adamo, Section Chief and Medical Director of Occupational and Environmental Health and Wellbeing, also joins the conversation to discuss the evolution of occupational health with regards to COVID-19. Dr. Michael Calderwood, Infectious Diseases physician and Chief Quality Officer for Dartmouth Medical Center, offer some insights around vaccination and the future of the COVID-19 management.

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice.

There's ongoing debate as to whether some preventative screenings are helpful in the general population because of risk associated with doing procedures and unnecessary treatment leading to higher healthcare costs. A recent study from Poland, Norway, and Sweden showing a relatively similar risk of death from colorectal cancer between screened and unscreened populations highlights this dilemma. 

We are joined by Dr. Audrey Calderwood, a gastroenterologist at Dartmouth in Lebanon. She is the director of the Comprehensive Gastroenterology Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Institute for Health and Policy and Clinical Practice. Her passions from both a clinical and research perspective is colorectal cancer prevention. She will walk us through some of the higlights of the study which we hope will help our listeners make an informed decision. 

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice. 

In this episode, host Jessica Swain talks to Margaret Worth, infection preventionist and quality specialists at Mount Ascutney Hospital and Health Center, and Morgan Kuhnly, infection preventionist at Dartmouth Health, to give updated information on Monkeypox. The team is also joined by Dr. Aalok Khole who is an  infectious diseases physician at Cheshire Medical Center and physician lead for the hospital epidemiology and anti-microbial stewardship program to help anwer common clinical questions around Monkeypox. 

Monkeypox cases are declining nationally which has led to government officials being cautiously optimistic that we can works towards elimination of the virus in the United States. In the meantime, we need to remain vigilant and continue to isolate and vaccinate close contacts of infected individuals which should help end the current outbreak of the disease.  

Looking at health through the lens of political determinants means analysing how different ideological positions, institutions, processes, and interests, affect health within different political systems and cultures and at different levels of governance. 

In this episode, we talk to Matthew Houde, System Vice President of Government Relations at Dartmouth Health, and Courtney Tanner, Director of Government Relations at Dartmouth Health. Matthew and Courtney walks us through political determinants of health, the 2022 executive and legislative activity, and how healthcare staff can engage in this advocacy space 

COVID-19 infection control guidelines continue to evolve as we deal with the increased transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. In this episode, host Jessica Swain talks to Angelica Sindelar, infection preventionist at Dartmouth Health Medical Center, to talk about updates on the infection control guidance from the CDC. These updates helps to enhance protection for healthcare personnel, patients, and visitors and to address concerns about potential impacts on the healthcare system. 

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice

Chest pain is a frequent cause for Emergency Department visits in the United States. In this episode, host Dr. Rima Mercado talks to Dr. Bruce Andrus who is the director of clinical cardiology at Dartmouth Health Medical Center about this common symptom. Dr. Andrus walks us through the most recent guidelines from professional societies like tha American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association and gives his perspective on how we should risk stratify patients presenting with chest pain, weigh cost vs benefits considerartions in diagnostic testing, and approach shared decision making. 

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice 

According to the CDC scientists are curently tracking multiple cases of monkeypox that have been reported in several counties that don't normally report the disease, including the United States. In this episode host Jessica Swain talks to Dr. Elizabeth Talbot, infectious diseases physician at Dartmouth Health and professor of medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine, with hopes to increase awareness and provide knowledge for healthcare providers and patients who experience rash illnesses suspicious for monkeypox. 

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice. 

Just when you think this pandemic is over, it rears it's ugly head again. Host Jessica Swain, System Director of Infection Prevention for Dartmouth Health, talks to Dr. Michael Calderwood about where we are now with COVID-19. Dr. Calderwood is the Chief Quality Officer and an Infectious Diseases physician at Dartmouth Health and he shares his insights on studies shared at the recently concluded Society of Healthcare Epidemiology annual conference. 

We are all experiencing pandemic fatigue but it is important for us to think about what we can do and to understand how it will take each one of us to get through this. Like always, the information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice 

As we transition into our new normal of living with COVID-19. We envision a state where diagnostic tests and oral medications are readily available for the community with an overall goal of increasing access to life-saving treatments that need to be given quickly to be effective. 

Dr. Rebecca Wang, infectious diseases physician and medical co-director of the comprehensive antimicrobial program, and Craig Worby, infectious disease clinical pharmacist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and co-director of the comprehensive antimicrobic program, walks us through currently available outpatient COVID-19 therapies.

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice. 

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to increase, driven by the Omicron variant making it more important for individuals to keep up-to-date with the most recent public health recommendations. However, keeping up with the ever changing guidelines is not only challenging for some but also confusing and frustrating given the many nuances that come with the changes. 

In this episode, host Jessica Swain, senior infection preventionist at Dartmouth Hitchcock, talks to Dr. Aalok Khole, infectious disease physician at Cheshire Medical Center, to help us navigate through the CDC's updated mask recommendations, & isolation and quarantine guidelines. Dr. Khole also walks us through how to interpret home antigen test results and shares highlights about new therapy against COVID-19 infection. 

The information shared in this episode is meant for medical education and should not be considered as medical advice.