Better Edge : A Northwestern Medicine podcast for physicians

In this episode of Better Edge, Channa A. Amarasekera, MD, dives into the creation of the Gay and Bisexual Men’s Urology Program at Northwestern Medicine – the first clinic of its kind. Dr. Amarasekera walks through identifying care gaps with gay and bisexual men, overcoming systematic barriers in LGBTQ+ focused clinics and the future of the Gay and Bisexual Men’s Urology Program at Northwestern M...

In this Better Edge episode, Mohamed Al-Kazaz, MD, and Paul C. Cremer, MD, share insights on how the Northwestern Medicine Pericardial Disease Program at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute offers comprehensive evaluations. This key offering helps uncover alternative treatment options for high-risk patients past the first-line treatments for acute and recurrent pericarditis. In addition, Dr. Al-Kazaz a...

In this episode of BetterEdge, geriatrician Alexandra Petrakos, MD, shares information about the Northwestern Medicine Geriatrics Home Care program.

This episode of Better Edge delves into the critical process of transitioning pediatric patients with complex needs to adult specialists. From continuity of care to setting expectations, a panel of experts shares valuable insights on this pivotal milestone. This episode’s guests are three physicians from Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital: • Anton Dietzen, MD, Pediatric Physia...

Sanjiv J. Shah, MD, and Robert F. Kushner, MD, join a thought-leader panel to share their insights on the connection between diabetes and heart disease, as well as using semaglutide medication for prevention. They discuss the outcomes of their recent clinical trial studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SELECT and STEP-HFpEF. These studies aimed to measure the effects of semaglu...

Patricia Vassallo, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Northwestern Medicine, highlights her research investigating the impact of socioeconomic status on readmission rates in patients undergoing acute type A aortic dissection repair. Dr. Vassallo, medical director of Code Aorta, discusses this program, which aims to provide expedited surgical care to patients with life-threatening aortic emer...

In this episode of Better Edge, Borna Bonakdarpour, MD, associate professor of Neurology at Northwestern Medicine, discusses the highlights from the 2024 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting. Several sessions stood out during the meeting, providing valuable insights and spotlighting advances in the field of neurology. Dr. Bonakdarpour discusses leveraging the learnings from the meeti...

In this episode of Better Edge, neurologist Danny Bega, MD, and hepatologist Amanda Cheung, MD, from Northwestern Medicine, explore the multifaceted aspects of Wilson disease. They discuss diagnostic challenges and innovative approaches to management. They also highlight the collaborative efforts at the Northwestern Medicine Wilson Disease Clinic and the latest research that is shaping the future...

In this episode of  Better Edge ,  Cody L. Nathan, MD , and  Stephen A. VanHaerents, MD , of the Northwestern Medicine First Seizure Clinic, delve into the complexities of first-time seizure management. They share their   cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment approaches ,   success stories , and   visionary strategies  for advancing the field.  

In this episode of Parts and Labor , join Angela Chaudhari, MD, chief of Gynecology and Gynecologic Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, and a panel of maternal-fetal medicine physicians from Northwestern Medicine. From referral criteria to effective collaboration with other disciplines, Dr. Chaudhari and her guests dive deep into the world of maternal-fetal medicine and the complexities of high-risk...

David A. Ramirez, MD, assistant professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Northwestern Medicine, shares his personal journey as an LGBTQ+ physician in this Better Edge episode, highlighting the need for mentorship and support. He discusses the challenges he faced during his medical training and the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in the field of ophthalmology. Dr. Ramirez also delves into the sp...

(Yu) Jenny Zhang, MD, assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern Medicine, discusses the Northwestern Medicine Recovery from Early Psychosis Program (REPP), an initiative for patients 18 to 26 years old who have symptoms of psychosis that significantly impede their ability to lead fulfilling lives. Led by a collaborative team and centered around a ‘whole person’ appr...

Sarah E. Chuzi, MD, of Northwestern Medicine Cardiology, highlights the intersection between burnout, end-of-life issues and team engagement in cardiac care units. Dr. Chuzi offers suggestions on how to mitigate these issues and enhance team cohesion to create meaningful connections within the workspace that foster an environment of resilience for both patients and physicians.

In this episode of Better Edge, Kevin C. Welch, MD, professor of Otolaryngology -Head and Neck Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, delves into cutting-edge research and clinical developments within the field of rhinology for symptoms of chronic sinusitis. Dr. Welch provides a scholarly approach while bridging basic science with practical applications in patient care to discuss topics ranging from di...

A recent study from the Bass Lab has revealed how transcription factors within individual cells influence the identity and function of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, according to findings published in Cell Metabolism.

In this episode of Better Edge, Amy E. Krambeck, MD, chief of Endourology and Stone Disease and a professor of Urology at Northwestern Medicine, discusses her experience performing holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) procedures and the evolution of the procedure, including the influence of scope size. Dr. Krambeck explains the results of a study she conducted to assess whether scope...

In this episode of Better Edge , a Northwestern Medicine podcast for physicians, we are joined by Nirmala Gonsalves, MD, professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Northwestern Medicine. She delves into the world of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, discussing crucial aspects of diagnosis, treatment and patient care. Dr. Gonsalves shares her extensive experience and research in the fie...

In this episode of the Better Edge podcast, Douglas R. Johnston, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery, and Jane E. Wilcox, MD, MSc, associate chief of Cardiology at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, discuss recent developments and innovations within cardiology and cardiac surgery. They go into detail about the latest technology, minimally invasive operations and services offered at Nor...

In this episode, Better Edge hosts a thought-provoking panel discussion with distinguished Lurie Cancer Center oncologists John Hayes, MD, Sheetal Kircher, MD , and renowned colorectal surgeon, Vitaliy Poylin, MD , on organ preservation approaches for rectal cancer. The conversation between these Northwestern Medicine experts delves into the evolution of treatment modalities, highlighting the shif...

In this Better Edge podcast, Harris Perlman, PhD, and Arthur Mandelin, MD, PhD, of Northwestern Medicine Rheumatology, discuss their participation and findings from a study that used multi-modal single-cell RNA-sequencing coupled with histology of synovial tissue from 79 donors to build single-cell atlas of rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue. Dr. Perlman and Dr. Mandelin discuss using the findin...

In this Better Edge episode, David J. Palmer, MD, clinical associate professor of Ophthalmology at Northwestern Medicine, and Jeff Good, chief sustainability executive at Northwestern Medicine, discuss the current and future sustainability efforts at Northwestern Medicine, and how the Ophthalmology department has integrated them into daily operations. Dr. Palmer speaks on the medical industry’s im...

In this episode of the Better Edge podcast, Sadiya S. Khan, MD, MSc, the Magerstadt Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and associate professor of Cardiology and of Epidemiology at Northwestern Medicine, discusses PREVENT, the American Heart Association’s new cardiovascular disease risk calculator. Dr. Khan goes into detail about her involvement in the study on the PREVENT risk calculator, in...

In this Better Edge podcast episode, Edward M. Schaeffer, MD, PhD, chair and the Edmund Andrews Professor of Urology at Northwestern Medicine, discusses the PREVENT Randomized Trial (PReclude infection EVEnts with No prophylaxis Transperineal), a study in which he was co-primary investigator. The trial, funded by the National Cancer Institute, compared the outcomes of transperineal biopsy without...

In this Better Edge podcase episode, Joshua Meeks, MD, PhD, the Edward M. Schaeffer, MD, PhD, Professor of Urology, sits down with Song Jiang, MD, PhD, a new member of Urologic Oncology at Northwestern Medicine’s Central DuPage Hospital. Dr. Meeks and Dr. Jiang discuss advanced therapies in the management of bladder cancer, and how Northwestern Medicine’s integration efforts are extending leading-...

In this episode of Better Edge, Darren M. Brenner, MD, a gastroenterologist at Northwestern Medicine, discusses chronic constipation, its prevalence, risk factors, subtypes, and treatment options. He uses specific symptom-based criteria to define constipation, such as frequency, texture, straining, sensations of incomplete evacuation, a sensation of mechanical obstruction and the performance of ma...