Patients Come First

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. William Cooper, a nationally recognized cardiothoracic surgeon, a decorated U.S. Army veteran, and a healthcare entrepreneur. He joins us for a conversation about his new role as medical director of cardiovascular surgery at HCA Virginia’s Reston Hospital Center. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@v...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Martin O'Grady, Medical Director of the Trauma Center at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, for a conversation about the hospital recently earning a Provisional Level III Trauma Center Designation from the state, the work that went into that, and what that means for patient care. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestio...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Eric Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Phlow Corp., a pioneering public benefit pharmaceutical company. Dr Edwards is a keynote speaker at the upcoming Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Leaders Summit scheduled for Nov. 5-7, 2025 in Hot Springs, VA. The conversation with Dr. Edwards covers his work as a clinician and entrepreneur, ef...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Kevin Johnson, a retired teacher and cancer survivor who is active in expanding Man Up To Cancer support groups in Virginia. He joins us for a conversation about his post-retirement medical challenges, collaboration with the Sentara Health Brock Cancer Center, and the work to grow Man Up To Cancer chapters to support men facing cancer dia...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features a return guest, Dr. Deepak Talreja, who is a cardiologist with Sentara Health and a real-life Good Samaritan. He’s here to talk about his life and career, plus a recent situation where he selflessly intervened to help a stranger in serious trouble. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Kyle Dodd, a VCU Health heart transplant patient and U.S. Army Veteran who recently represented Team USA at the 2025 World Transplant Games in Germany. He joins us for a conversation about his military service, heart transplant procedure, participation in the World Transplant games, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest s...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Sarah Hale, a Hospice Volunteer and Bereavement Coordinator with Ballad Health, for a conversation about her work and what inspires it, Ballad Health’s Camp Firefly initiative that helps children navigate grief and loss, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact on X (Twitter) or...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Daniel Cohen, Chief of Neurology for Sentara Medical Group, for a conversation about his work, depression and mental health awareness, the importance of self care in mental wellness, which for Dr. Cohen includes DJing as a hobby, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact on X...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast is part of a limited series profiling the 2025 major political party nominees for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This episode features Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee for Governor, for a conversation about her professional path to public service, her message to voters, her tho...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast is part of a limited series profiling the 2025 major political party nominees for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This episode features former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for Governor, for a conversation about her professional path to public service, her message to voters, her thoughts on...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast is part of a limited series profiling the 2025 major political party nominees for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This episode features businessman and broadcaster John Reid, the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor, for a conversation about his professional path to public service, his message to voters, his tho...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast is part of a limited series profiling the 2025 major political party nominees for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This episode features Virginia state Senator Ghazala Hashmi, the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, for a conversation about her professional path to public service, her message to voters, her tho...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast is part of a limited series profiling the 2025 major political party nominees for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This episode features Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, the Republican nominee for Attorney General, for a conversation about his professional path to public service, his message to voters, his thou...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast is part of a limited series profiling the 2025 major political party nominees for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. This episode features former Virginia Delegate Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General, for a conversation about his professional path to public service, his message to voters, his thoughts...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Tom Farley, an author, speaker, and advocate for mental health and addiction treatment who will deliver keynote remarks at the 2025 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit scheduled for September 25 in Richmond. Our conversation covers the story of Tom Farley’s recovery and advocacy, his work to share the lessons and legacy of his departed brot...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Luis Dominguez, a board-certified internist from VHC Health in Arlington. Dr. Dominguez specializes in chronic disease management, organ compromise and failure, medical complexity, mental health, and migraines. He joins us for a conversation about his work, as well as recent advancements in early detection and treatment of lung cancer...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Kimberly Green, Director of Acute Care Services at Chesapeake Regional Healthcare. Earlier this year, she joined the podcast to discuss Chesapeake Regional’s innovative Nurse Draft Day workforce recruitment program. On this episode, we highlight an upcoming workforce event at Chesapeake for neurology nurses called Brunch and Brainwaves. S...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Amanda Feaster, a nurse with Valley Health’s Shenandoah Memorial Hospital who is a former paramedic with Valley Medical Transport. She joins us for a conversation about her work, her career journey from EMS to bedside care, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact on X (Twitter)...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Kris Robey, Violence Intervention Specialist at Carilion Clinic, who joins us for a conversation about how her personal journey has impacted her work, the work of hospital-based violence intervention programs in supporting survivors, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact on X...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Kris Robey, Violence Intervention Specialist at Carilion Clinic, who joins us for a conversation about how her personal journey has impacted her work, the work of hospital-based violence intervention programs in supporting survivors, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact on X...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Michael Lewis, Vice President of Policy for the American Association of People with Disabilities, for a conversation about his work and personal experience with cerebral palsy, the history of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Disability Pride Month, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.c...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Muhammad “Irfan” Saeed, Kidney Transplant Surgical Director at the VCU Health Hume-Lee Transplant Center, for a conversation about his work, National Minority Donor Awareness Month, the critical need for more living kidney donors, and more. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact on X...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Arun Sanyal, Director of the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health at VCU Health. Dr. Sanyal is a return guest who joins us to share insight about an exciting new clinical study showing that a medicine approved for use in treating diabetes and obesity has benefits for patients with a particular type of liver...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Jay Mitchell, a Norfolk man and Sentara Health patient who suffered a heart attack that resulted in quadruple bypass surgery. He joins us to share his story of diagnosis, surgery, and recovery and to discuss the importance of listening to your body. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact...

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. Saul Karpen, Chief Scientific Officer of the Virginia Commonwealth University Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health and President-Elect of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease. He joins us for a conversation about his work, new pediatric guidelines developed to detect a life-threatening li...