20-Minute Health Talk

In recent months, more states have debated and even passed legislation that limits how health care is delivered to transgender individuals. In the last year alone, more than 20 such bills have been enacted nationwide. In Part 1 of this two-part episode (recorded May 16, 2022), we take a closer look at the impact these laws are having on transgender care with a panel of experts at the local, state...

The overuse of opioids in health care over the last two decades has had devastating effects. The development of the ultrasound-guided nerve block has revolutionized the field of anesthesia and is part of an important and necessary shift in the conversation about how we manage pain. Not only championing its use in the surgical setting, Joseph Marino, MD , Northwell’s senior vice president for anest...

On this episode of the podcast, we speak with two Northwell leaders who have led the effort to create and deploy a 24/7 consultation and support service to Ukraine. This real-time, doctor-to-doctor platform is now offering health care workers a vital resource, particularly for those displaced by the ongoing hostilities in the country. Eric Cioe-Pena, MD , director of Northwell's Center for Global...

For the millions of US patients who go to an ER or medical office with chest pain every year, doctors have several options for screening. New national guidelines recommend a quick and non-invasive heart scan known as CCTA for stable chest pain. Our guests today are leading experts in the field of advanced cardiac imaging and discuss the history and many applications of this technology, which produ...

Jaw-in-a-Day accomplishes in one surgery and one day what used to take three surgeries or more. Prior to this revolutionary procedure, the process to get dental implants could take months, or even years, forcing patients to live without teeth. Using virtual surgical planning, a team of doctors can not only pre-fabricate teeth to implant on the day of surgery, they can improve the accuracy and effi...

Diagnosing a disease usually requires a test or blood sample. But for women with endometriosis, diagnosis requires an invasive surgery. For April Summerford, a 36-year-old from Fresno California, that surgery actually worsened her disease. Wanting to do her part, she joined the ROSE study, which stands for Research OutSmarts Endometriosis. Led by Christine Metz, PhD , and Peter Gregersen, MD , the...

There are only 73 lung transplant centers in the United States and, until recently, none on Long Island. As a result, many have fought an uphill battle waiting for transplant, including Lindsay Salguero-Lopez, 40. In late January, end-stage heart and lung failure left her near death, with transplant as the only treatment that could save her life. Fortunately, Northwell had just launched its progra...

Millions of Americans live 30 miles or more from the nearest hospital. Not just an inconvenience, this access issue known as “ care deserts ” affects a shocking 80 percent of counties in the United States and can exist in both rural and urban areas. A scarcity of medical resources, however, does not have to doom the health of entire communities, says Onisis Stefas, PharmD , Northwell’s chief pharm...

Researchers have identified more than 200 symptoms associated with the long-term effects of Covid-19, but much remains unknown. Peter Silver, MD and Sonali Narain, MD shed light on some of the mysteries that surround long Covid , also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). They offer context to the current state of the disease and actions being taken by the medical and research communi...

A group of medical professionals arrived in Guyana this week to deliver care, exchange knowledge and develop a plan to support the more remote areas of the South American country. This work is part of a  five-year medical partnership  between the Ministry of Health of Guyana and Northwell Health, through its Center for Global Health (CGH). Daniel Leon is among those who traveled 2,500-plus miles f...

With the goal of cutting cancer deaths in half by 2047, the White House's Cancer Moonshot initiative is pumping $1.8 billion into cancer research over the next seven years. Achieving this goal, however, will require clearing research hurdles — including the lack of diversity in clinical trials, say Richard Barakat, MD , and David Tuveson, MD, PhD . They discuss the exciting research being funded b...

This Valentine’s Day we're celebrating a love for science and a special bond between two scientists. Kim Simpfendorfer, PhD, and Michael Ryan built a relationship while pursuing a career at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. They also discuss their experience of going through in-vitro fertilization , pregnancy, and the crucial role the Covid vaccine played in building their family. Sar...

Demand for mental health services for children has once again accelerated as the latest Covid-19 surge impacts daily life. Lack of resources in the community have resulted in delays in care for children experiencing anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. Vera Feuer, MD, talks about the challenge of expanding mental health care access, and how health systems can partner with school districts to...

Kicking off Heart Health Month in February, we sat down with Stacey Rosen, MD , and Jennifer Mieres, MD , two leading experts and patient advocates in the field of cardiovascular disease in women. They highlight the importance of partnering with your doctor — as well as family, friends and colleagues — to identify and maintain heart healthy habits. They discuss the impact of access issues in healt...

In addition to Covid case counts, the need for testing has skyrocketed since the arrival of the omicron variant. With demand outpacing supply throughout most of December and January, labs nation wide have struggled to keep up. Dwayne Breining, MD , executive director of Northwell Health Labs, shares how his team was able to double their testing capacity using a new technology called LabGold . He e...

Charles Schleien, MD , describes the effect the omicron variant has had on children amid the recent surge of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. In addition, Dwayne Breining, MD , joins the podcast to answer common questions about Covid-19 testing. Meet the experts: Dr. Schleien is senior vice president and chair of pediatric services at Northwell Health and chair of pediatrics at the Barbara & D...

More than 1 in 5 Americans provide unpaid care to an adult family member or friend. Whether an act of love or sense of duty, carrying out this critical role takes a toll. On this episode, three experts in caregiving share practical tips, advice and resources to help guide listeners through this difficult and demanding time. They discuss caregiver support groups, planning for retirement, how hospit...

The advent of the Covid-19 vaccines propelled us into 2021 and put a spotlight on the critical role of research and clinical trials. In this episode we spotlight five innovations coming out of the last year from researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. The innovations aim to improve life for patients living with paralysis, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, Covid-19, brain...

The new covid variant omicron has quickly overtaken delta as the dominant strain of Covid-19 in multiple countries, which now includes the US. New data released Dec. 20 shows omicron is responsible for 73 percent of new Covid-19 infections nationally during the week end Dec. 18; up from just 12.6 percent for the week prior.  Bruce Farber, MD , chief of public health and epidemiology, and  John D'A...

Today marks one year since Sandra Lindsay became the first American to receive the Covid-19 vaccine outside of clinical trial; catapulting the critical care nurse at LIJ Medical Center into the public eye. She reflects on the lead up to that day and challenges she's faced since. She is joined by Yves Duroseau, MD , chief of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, who received his first dose min...

A .38-caliber bullet nearly killed Joseph Sakran, MD, when he was 17 years old. Now a trauma surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. Sakran has dedicated much of his "second chance" at life to advocating for gun violence prevention. In 2018 he sparked a movement that became known as "This is our Lane." On Dec. 15 he will speak at Northwell Health's Gun Violence Prevention Forum on a pa...

Pancreatic cancer survival rates have doubled in the last few years from 5 to 10 percent. This is thanks largely to clinical trials that have led to better treatments and a better understanding of how to tailor them to the individual. Despite the advancements, pancreatic cancer remains difficult to treat and long-term survival remains low. But, experts are hopeful that cutting-edge technology such...

Expectant moms dealing with high-risk pregnancies desperately need someone who can guide them through the medical system to ensure they get the right care from qualified specialists. That’s the exact job description for patient navigators, such as Jeanne Woods Ludwig, RNC, and Bernadette Smith, RNC, who work in Northwell Health's new Maternal Fetal Medicine Center. In this unique role, they improv...

Common COVID-19 symptoms include fever, chills, cough and shortness of breath. But research has revealed that a surprising number of older adults experience some atypical signs of the virus. This is according to a study published in the Journal of Gerontology. The principal investigator of that paper, Allison Marziliano, PhD , discusses her findings and their implications for older adults and clin...

In the new National Geographic documentary,  The First Wave , Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and director Matthew Heineman captures what the COVID-19 pandemic really looked like inside the walls of one of New York City’s hardest-hit hospitals. In this 20-Minute Health Talk, Matthew reflects on what it was like to document patients fighting for their lives, as well as the frontline heroes responding...