Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Dr. Matt Birnholz sits down with Dr. Carl Schultz, Research Director at the Center for Disaster Medical Sciences at University of California, Irvine. Dr. Schultz is a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the UC Irvine and recipient of the Disaster Medical Science Award at ACEP. He talks about the challenges of securing funding for disaster relief in the field and the integration of citizen volunteers in a disaster incident.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Meningitis is one of the most feared manifestations of infectious disease for the medical community. Yet in spite of this fact, there are very few educational or advocacy-based resources dedicated to increasing public and professional awareness for meningococcal disease and updated prevention methods. Dr. Matt Birnholz talks with Lynn Bozof, cofounder and President of the National Meningitis Association, an organization fully dedicated to meningitis education and prevention. They discuss her family’s tragic experience with the deadly disease, the preventive mission that originated from this loss, and ongoing efforts to educate clinicians and patients on the need for vaccinations and boosters.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Cannabis is gaining increased acceptance within the medical community for pain relief and other supportive care applications. But for oncology specialties, the use of cannabis may additionally extend into therapeutic purposes for patients. From the floors of the A4M Conference in Las Vegas, Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Constance Finley, Founder and CEO of Constance Therapeutics, a California-based cannabis collective. The two discuss cannabis and cannabis oil applications for cancer patients, and their potential therapeutic effects.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD In the ongoing global campaign to prevent, treat, and cure HIV and AIDS, there have been countless therapeutic approaches targeting the HIV virus and everything it interacts with on the path to infection. But after decades of relentless infectivity claiming over 25 million lives, what if we could one day simply edit and delete the HIV virus right out of existence? Joining Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss a novel research effort to leverage gene editing technology in the fight against HIV is Dr. Kamel Khalili, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, Director of the Center for Neuro-virology, and Director of the Comprehensive Neuro-AIDS Center at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD There is a curious American sentiment toward exercise that celebrates the mantra of "no pain, no gain." When exercise isn't followed by soreness, or when a sufficient amount of sweat hasn't been produced, participants are often led to believe that their efforts have been wasted. But is this notion actually valid, and do clinicians benefit their patients in advocating for standard exercise programs by extension? Furthermore, are there any lessons to be learned from physical therapy as a baseline for exercise programming? From the floors of Omnia Education's Women's Health Annual Visit in New York, Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Anne Koller, certified fitness professional and staff member of Aqua Studio, NY. Aqua is the first boutique studio specializing in the unique fitness pursuit of "aquacycling," a high intensity underwater cycling program. The two discuss trends in American exercise preferences at various ages, and how alternative experiences with fitness activities can help r

Host: Patrice L Basanta-Henry, MD, MHSc, FACOG Guest: LaToya Stephens, MD Vaginal atrophy is a painful and emotionally distressing condition affecting many women, yet many suffer in silence. For those who find traditional treatment options to be ineffective, a vaginoplasty procedure already in use for cosmetic applications has been demonstrated to help counter the most severe symptoms. Join host Dr. Patrice Basanta Henry and Dr. Benita Stephens, Board Certified Ob-Gyn and founder of Ciao Bella Medical Center & Spa in Atlanta, GA, as they discuss the benefits and risks of "vaginal rejuvenation" procedures for symptomatic vaginal atrophy.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development and persistence of many chronic diseases, but only recently has the human microbiome been linked as something more central to inflammatory processes than a passive reservoir. What roles do the gut, microbiome, and gut-brain axis play in chronic disease development, as well as prevention? From the floors of the A4M Conference in Las Vegas, Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with James LaValle, founder and CEO of Metabolic Code Enterprises, Inc and a nationally recognized clinical pharmacist, author, and board certified clinical nutritionist. The two discuss expanded understandings of the microbiome's influence on human health and disease, both in the U.S. and worldwide.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG From the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. A woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 75. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 100. Host Dr. Renee Allen is joined by Dr. Evelyn Reynolds to discuss critical updates in ovarian cancer, specifically dispelling the myth about ovarian cancer being a "silent killer." Dr. Reynolds an Associate Professor and Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Morehouse School of Medicine. She is board-certified in General Obstetrics and Gynecology and also Gynecologic Oncology.

Host: Thomas C. Wright, Jr., MD How should clinicians educate patients on recommended timing intervals for receiving pap smears based on updated guidelines? And for those patients who receive a positive HPV test, what counseling strategies and treatment pathways would be most helpful? Joining Dr. Thomas Wright from Omnia Education's Women's Health Annual Visit in Boston, MA is Dr. Dana Gossett, Division Chief of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation and Associate Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG Recent guidelines have been released on the recommended frequency of conducting pap smears, which has caused considerable debate between health care providers. How should non-gynecologists interpret these guidelines, as well as opposing views from specialists, for best performance of pap smears? And why in the age of DNA testing is this still an important exam? ReachMD host Dr. Renee Allen welcomes Dr. Jocelyn Slaughter-Moore, practicing obstetrician & gynecologist in private practice at Heras Healthcare for Women, to address these and other questions. Dr. Slaughter-Moore is an attending physician at Clearview Regional Medical Center and Eastside Medical Center in Georgia.

Host: Patrice L Basanta-Henry, MD, MHSc, FACOG Guest: Kenan R. Omurtag, MD It is estimated that 3 to 5% of all couples desiring pregnancy will suffer recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). What are our current understandings of this unfortunate condition, and how can patients be treated to support successful future pregnancies? Host Dr. Patrice Basanta-Henry discusses the many facets of this clinical issue with Dr Kenan Omurtag, Assistant Professor of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG What is the role and importance of the Ob-Gyn Oncologist, especially for women diagnosed with pelvic cancers? What are some barriers patients face in seeing an Ob-Gyn Oncoloogist? And how can clinicians better partner with this group of specialists? In this episode, host Dr. Renee Allen explores answers to these questions with guest expert Dr. Evelyn Reynolds, board certified physician in both General Obstetrics & Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology. She is also an Associate Professor and Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Host: Stephen Cohen, MD Standards in cervical cancer detection methods have come a long way in the past 30 years, from cervical cytology to HPV co-testing and HPV primary screening. How did the OB/GYN community get here, and is the direction of current practice standards in sync with clinical preferences nationwide? Joining Dr. Stephen Cohen to discuss these and other questions at the Women's Health Annual Visit in Houston, TX is Dr. Thomas Cox, former Director of Gynecology and Colposcopy at the University of California-Santa Barbara Health Services Center and Past-President of the American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG When should you discuss the transition into menopause? How do you best counsel patients during this perimenopausual period? Dr. Renee Allen discusses these and other important clinical questions with guest Dr. Jocelyn Slaughter-Moore, practicing obstetrician & gynecologist in private practice at Heras Healthcare for Women. Dr. Slaughter-Moore is an attending physician at Clearview Regional Medical Center and Eastside Medical Center in Georgia.

Host: Patrice L Basanta-Henry, MD, MHSc, FACOG Host Dr. Patrice Basanta Henry welcomes Dr Nzinga Harrison, Addiction Medicine & Psychiatrist, Campaign Psychiatrist for Let's Get Mentally Fit!, and, the CMO of ANKA Behavioral Health Incorporated. Dr. Harrison will discuss the importance of non-pyschiatric clinicians in recoginizing mentail illness, those specific illnesses where there is a higher chance of comorbidity of psychiatric illness, and best practices & tools avaialble for health care providers.

Host: Patrice L Basanta-Henry, MD, MHSc, FACOG Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, can be a major relief for women who wish to preserve their fertility, allowing patients to wait for the “right time.” What are the latest advances in technology and protocol for this procedure, and who are the right patients? Host Dr. Patrice Basanta Henry welcomes guest expert Dr Kenan Omurtag to address these and other questions. Dr. Omurtag is Assistant Professor of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG Guest: Patrice L Basanta-Henry, MD, MHSc, FACOG Cesarean sections are among the most common surgical procedures performed in the U.S. Yet despite its commonality, patients undergoing cesarean deliveries are far more likely to have difficult and unsatisfatcory birth experiences, leading to higher incidence rates of postpartum depression, bonding difficulties, and unsuccessful breast feeding. A novel approach to address this issue is being called the Family-Centered cesarean delivery. How does it work, and what are the distinct differences from traditional protocols? Host Dr. Renee Allen welcomes Dr. Patrice Basanta Henry, practicing Ob-Gyn & MFM at Atlanta Maternal Fetal Medicine, an affiliate of Mednax National Medical Group. Dr. Basanta-Henry’s clinical interests include intrauterine growth restriction and endocrine disorders in pregnancy.

Host: Alicia A. Sutton From the floors of Omnia Education's Women's Health Annual Visit in Washington DC, host Alicia Sutton interviews Dr. Joel Weinthal, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Medical Director of the Stem Cell Transplant Laboratory at Medical City Dallas Hospital. The two discuss Dr. Weinthal's current work in regenerative medicine, the scope of clinical utilization and potential, ethical considerations, and anticipated directions for the field.

Host: Thomas C. Wright, Jr., MD Guest: David Gandell, MD For women entering menopause, increased pain during intercourse is a common but little discussed problem which dramatically affects quality of life. While there are several treatment options available, many clinicians aren't up to date. Joining host Dr. Tom Wright to discuss current therapies for painful intercourse in this patient population is Dr. David Gandell, Clinical Professor of OB/GYN at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG Dr. Latisha Rowe, founder of Click It Clinic, a pioneer for telemedicine providing patients with a new standard of care, discusses how this model of care can positively impact patients within the U.S. Dr. Rowe reviews the safety of telemedicine, and the beneifts to both patients and health care providers.