AMA Update

What is an ambient scribe? How does scribe AI work? Are AI scribes worth it? What are the medical issues with AI? Brian Hoberman, MD, executive vice president of information technology and chief information officer at The Permanente Federation and chief information officer at The Permanente Medical Group in Northern California. Dr. Hoberman discusses the implementation and impact of ambient scribe...

In the final AMA Update episode of 2024, American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger looks back on another year of stories about the work that physicians are doing across the country and how the AMA is fighting to support them. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what matters most — patients. We will meet this challenge together....

Is obesity decreasing in the US? Do women live longer than men? What are the US Dietary Guidelines 2025? Does America have a healthy diet? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses recent findings on obesity trends in the US, upcoming 2025 US Dietary Guidelines changes, the importance of a healthy diet and the need for health equity in dietary r...

What is direct-to-employer contracting in health care? What are value-based care examples? What are innovative care models? Jerry Finkel, MD, senior vice president and chief primary health officer at Henry Ford Health, discusses an innovative value-based care program between General Motors and Henry Ford Health that allows GM employees and their families to receive customized health care directly...

What is the future of AI in healthcare? What is the future of RPM? Is telehealth increasing or decreasing? How can AI reduce physician burnout? Our guest is Margaret Lozovatsky, MD, vice president of Digital Health Innovations at the American Medical Association. AMA CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what...

Is whooping cough going around? What is the best flu medicine? What is the latest strain of COVID? Is raw milk safe? Why drink raw milk? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses rising whooping cough cases, vaccines for whooping cough, and effectiveness of antiviral medicine for flu. Also covering milk safety around pasteurized milk vs raw milk...

After sharing the news last month that he’s been diagnosed with a brain tumor, AMA President-elect Bobby Mukkamala, MD, joins us to share an update on how he’s doing, his treatment and lessons learned from navigating medicine as a patient. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on what...

What is virtual primary care? Should you reply thank you to your doctor? What is a virtual care physician? How do doctors use EHR secure messaging? Our guest is Matthew Sakumoto, MD, virtual-first primary care physician and chief medical information officer, at Sutter West Bay Region. Dr. Sakumoto shares his best practices for EHR inbox messaging and how physicians can create a personal connection...

What are the statistics on vaccines? Are people getting vaccinated? What are common vaccines for children? Can kids get bird flu? Is it COVID season? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the latest trends in respiratory illnesses, what causes vaccine hesitancy and low seasonal vaccination rates for RSV, influenza and COVID-19. Also covering...

Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer Josh Lesko, MD, joins us to discuss the need for physicians to have a voice in the development of the technology they use. Dr. Lesko talks about the benefit of having a degree in computer science as a physician, how practices can involve clinicians in technology development and lessons learned from the rollout of the EHR. American Medical Association CXO...

What is a respiratory infection? Can you test too early for COVID? How much exercise do adults need per day? Can exercise lower your blood pressure? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, covers current trends of COVID, RSV, and flu and preventing illness this holiday season. She also discusses the obesity epidemic in the US and why adding five minutes...

Our guest is Reggie Lyell, MD, medical director of informatics at Baptist Health. Dr. Lyell discusses the near-death experience that caused him to retire and the opportunity that inspired him to return to work. He talks about his new role as a leader focused on improving clinical workflows and his current project to improve the in-basket experience. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger host...

Can you die from E coli? Does E coli die when cooked? What are the symptoms of bird flu? Which carrots are being recalled? Does McDonalds still have E coli? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses recent E. coli outbreaks linked to organic carrots, baby carrots and fast food. Also covering Mpox cases in the US, rising bird flu cases, as well a...

What is street medicine? Is street medicine effective? What are the barriers to care for homeless people? What extracurriculars for medical students stand out on residency applications? Richard Bryce, DO, medical director of Street Medicine Detroit and program director at Henry Ford Health System discusses the importance of meeting patients where they are, addressing unique challenges faced by unh...

What does health care leadership do? Is health care leadership a good career? What are the rural health priorities? What are the challenges in rural health care accessibility? Our guest is the interim CEO of Marshfield Clinic Health System, Brian Hoerneman, MD. Dr. Hoerneman talks about his path to leadership, the unique perspective he has as a leader who grew up in Marshfield, the challenges faci...

When should you get screened for cancer? Are cancer rates increasing or decreasing? Why is cancer increasing in young adults? Barbara McAneny, MD, CEO of New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants, and a past president of the AMA, joins us to discuss the rising rates of cancer in younger generations. Dr. McAneny also discusses our current approach to cancer screenings and shares ways that people c...

What is disaster preparedness in health care? How can hospitals plan for mass casualties? What are mass casualty incidents (MCIs)? John Armstrong, MD, vice speaker of the AMA House of Delegates and vice chair of surgery at the University of South Florida, discusses why emergency preparedness is important in health care, the recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, and the IV fluid shortage. Ame...

What are the new COVID vaccine guidelines? Is the RSV vaccine safe? When should you get the pneumococcal vaccine? Is there a vaccine for meningococcal disease? Our guest is Sandra  Fryhofer, MD, AMA’s liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and a member of ACIP’s COVID-19 Vaccine Workgroup. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful al...

AMPAC: What is a Political Action Committee? What political party does the American Medical Association support? Does the AMA lobby? How is AMPAC funded? Rob Jordan, vice president of political affairs at the American Medical Association, answers the most common questions about the AMA’s bipartisan political action committee, AMPAC contribution criteria and political education, as well as AMPAC's...

As a direct result of AMA advocacy, a new bi-partisan bill was introduced in the U.S. House this week that would give physicians a positive Medicare payment update for next year. The American Medical Association's director of congressional affairs, Jason Marino, joins to provide an overview of the "Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act," and why physicians must act now to help the...

Is it safe to eat McDonald's? Are expired COVID tests accurate? Where can I get a COVID test over the counter? Is there human to human bird flu transmission? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the E. coli outbreak at McDonald's and food safety issues, bird flu symptoms in humans, at-home COVID-19 test kits and when you should test for COV...

Bobby Mukkamala, MD, chair of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force, discusses the CDC’s provisional data that showed a decline in drug overdose deaths. Dr. Mukkamala breaks down the numbers and how physicians and the AMA can help to end the overdose epidemic. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to...

The CEO of Intealth, Eric Holmboe, MD, joins us to discuss the Match rate for IMGs and how to improve it, how international medical graduates can help residency programs fill critical care gaps and deliver culturally competent care, and more. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally, focused on addressing the issues important to you, so you can focus on w...

Where did Hurricane Helene hit? Why is there a shortage of intravenous fluids? What can I use instead of IV saline? Where are IV bags made? AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the impact of Hurricane Helene, how elective surgery can be delayed after the North Carolina hurricane damage, and addressing drug shortages in the US. American Medi...

Does California have a doctor shortage? Are residency spots increasing? Why are recruitment strategies important in healthcare? Can AI improve healthcare? The president and CEO of Sutter Health, Warner Thomas, discusses the importance of effective physician recruitment and doctor retention strategies, the future of AI in healthcare, and the need to add more medical residency spots for the next gen...