AMA Update

How is AI used in the medical field? Who regulates AI in healthcare? In this episode: how AI is disrupting healthcare and patient data privacy. Our guest is Stephen Parodi, MD, executive vice president of external affairs, communications and brand at The Permanente Federation and associate executive director for The Permanente Medical Group. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. ⚖️ Le...

Why are syphilis cases on the rise? In this episode: what doctors need to know about syphilis transmission, how to treat syphilis, plus congenital syphilis. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, also shares the latest cancer statistics, why cancer cases are on the rise and tips to reduce the harmful effects of sitting. American Medical Association CXO...

How can AI improve health care? In this episode: successful implementation of telehealth, improving medical office workflow and the future of healthcare technology. Our guest is the AMA's new vice president of Digital Health Innovations, Margaret Lozovatsky, MD, who also discusses why physicians must be involved in the development of the tools they use and how the AMA is working to make technology...

Where do PFAS come from? Can you get rid of PFAS in your body? In this episode, the CDC covers PFAS products, forever chemicals in food, how to avoid PFAS and what physicians need to know about PFAS symptoms. Our guest is Aaron Bernstein, MD, MPH, the director for the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Dr. Bernstein also shares...

How is measles spread? In this episode: MMR vaccine age, signs of measles, new studies on maternal COVID vaccination, who should get Paxlovid, and chronic COVID-19. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, shares what doctors need to know about why measles cases are on the rise both here and abroad. Also a look at COVID vaccination during pregnancy and i...

What is value-based care? Interest in value-based care is at an all-time high. This episode gives an overview of this payment model and explores what's driving this growing interest in it and where the conversation about value-based care is headed in 2024. Our guest is Maria Ansari, MD, CEO and executive director at The Permanente Medical Group. Dr. Ansari also provides insights into barriers to a...

AMA advocacy scores a big win for prior authorization reform with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Final Prior Authorization and Interoperability Rule (CMS-0057-F). AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, joins to break down the three reasons why this final rule is so important for patients and physicians and how it is expected to save practices $15 billion over the next decade. Plu...

A check-in on COVID, flu and RSV cases, and an overview of new COVID and Long Covid studies. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, reports that the tripledemic wave is declining, but vaccination levels for COVID, flu and RSV among adults are still low. Plus, continued supply issues for the RSV vaccine for children, administration errors for the RSV va...

JAMA Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, joins to discuss what’s ahead for the publication and medicine as a whole in 2024. Dr. Bibbins-Domingo shares goals and key initiatives for JAMA in the new year and discusses what the biggest trends in medicine will be in 2024. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🎙Listen to the latest JAMA podcasts: https://www.ama-assn.org/abou...

The real-world consequences of declining Medicare physician payment. From, 2001 to 2023, Medicare payment has declined 26% when adjusted for inflation. Alice Coombs, an anesthesiologist and internist at Virginia Commonwealth University Health joins to discuss the ways this underpayment impacts physicians and patient care, including longer wait times and less access to care. Dr. Coombs also shares...

An update on the surge of COVID and other respiratory diseases in the US and across the world. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the JN.1 variant that’s driving this surge and explains how it compares to the Omicron surge. Plus, the latest prescription trends in weight-less drugs like Ozempic and whether or not Ozempic and Wegovy have a...

Breaking down the new schedule of adult vaccines from the CDC and the recommendations for the COVID, RSV, Mpox vaccines and more. AMA ACIP liaison and AMA’s immediate past board chair, Sandra Fryhofer, MD, joins to discuss what has changed and what physicians and patients need to know. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🆕 For new recommended vaccines for adults, access the 2024 Ad...

Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, joins us for the first episode in our new “What Keeps Me Up” series, where we talk with health care leaders about the one thing that’s keeping them up and what they’re doing about it. Bill shares his concerns about the challenges facing the health care workforce and talks about the investments and innovations Sanford Health is making to address tho...

A look at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s unique partnership with The Cherokee Nation. Natasha Bray, DO, dean of OSUCOM at the Cherokee Nation, joins to share how this innovative partnership came to life and the impact it’s expected to have in the local community. Dr. Bray details the unique clinical training students receive and why it’s important for physicians to tru...

Chair-Elect to the AMA Board of Trustees Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA, joins to discuss the AMA’s position on scope of practice in 2024. Dr. Suk breaks down the difference in training between physicians and other members of the care team and the role each play. Plus, why physicians should lead the care team and barriers to physician-led care. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🥼...

The very real—and potentially deadly—consequences of prior authorization on patients. Fumiko Chino, MD, a radiation oncologist, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, joins to break down the impact of prior authorization on cancer care patients. Dr. Chino shares harrowing stories of her own and the findings of her new study in JAMA, “The Patient Experience of Prior Authorization for Cancer Car...

In the final AMA Update episode of 2023, American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger reflects on this year of rebuilding and the key accomplishments of the AMA Recovery Plan for America's Physicians. 🥼 Learn more about the AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians: https://bit.ly/AMA_RecoveryPlan 🩺 The AMA is your powerful ally in patient care. Join now: https://bit.ly/AMAJoinRenew

Tips to stay safe this holiday season from COVID, flu and RSV, plus a look at some of the biggest stories over the last week and throughout year. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the new bill that would cancel the 2024 Medicare payment cuts for physicians, the FDA-approved sickle cell disease treatments, the CDC health alert about Rock...

AMA president, Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, joins to discuss the AMA’s key accomplishments in 2023 and the organization’s priorities for 2024. Dr. Ehrenfeld breaks down the key wins this year on reforming Medicare payment, reducing burnout and fixing prior-authorization, and why these priorities are only more urgent in 2024. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. ⚖️ Take action now! Conta...

Following National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, the CDC shares what physicians and patients need to know about the disease. Lisa McGuire, PhD, lead epidemiologist at the CDC, discusses the importance of catching Alzheimer’s early, its risk factors and barriers to make Alzheimer’s screening more pervasive in primary care. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 💻 Learn more abou...

The most common questions medical students have about preference signaling in residency applications—answered. Kathleen Kashima, PhD, senior associate dean of students, at University of Illinois College of Medicine provides an overview of residency program signaling and how students can best use it to stand out. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🏫 Residency Programs Participating...

The latest developments on respiratory virus season, including COVID and the flu. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the latest case counts, tips to protect yourself, why the COVID vaccination rate is so low, and a new government program that provides free COVID testing and treatment. Plus, an overview of everything we know about the rise...

A new bill at the federal level, called the GOLD Card Act of 2023, has the potential to fix prior authorization. One of the co-sponsors of the bill, Michael Burgess, MD, Congressman (R-Texas), joins to discuss the GOLD Card Act and what the bill means for physicians and their patients. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts. 🗣 Get involved! Patients and physicians can share prior author...

Away rotations play an important role in the clinical education of medical students. Mark Meyer, MD, senior associate dean for Student Affairs, at University of Kansas School of Medicine, joins to provide an overview of away rotations and discuss their benefits and the impact they can have on residency applications, matching and students' free time and finances. American Medical Association CXO To...