COVID-19: On The Frontlines

Host: Mario R. Nacinovich, Jr., MSc Guest: Jonathan Riess, MD, MS Due to the many challenges and complications that are now facing oncologists and their patients requiring lung cancer treatment, lung cancer care is changing in many ways to help minimize a patient’s risk of exposure, as Dr. Jonathan Riess from the UC Davis Medical Center explains. Published April 24, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Kathryn J. Ruddy, MD Guest: Joerg Herrmann, MD To give us a better sense for how some cardiology and oncology specialists have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Joerg Hermann and Dr. Kathryn Ruddy, who are two members of the cross-disciplinary Cardio-Oncology clinic at Mayo Clinic, discuss their perspectives on this pandemic and how they’ve been treating immuno...

Host: John Russell, MD The practice of quarantining ill patients goes back much further than you may realize. Tune in as Dr. John Russell walks us through the history of quarantines going all the way back to the year 1200. Published April 21, 2020

Host: John Russell, MD Throughout history, diseases have acquired names from geographical landmarks, the name of the organism, the anatomy impacted, and even the media. But some naming conventions have resulted in negative consequences, which is why the World Health Organization established best practices for naming novel diseases in 2015. Here to walk us through those guidelines and to give us a...

Host: John Russell, MD In the absence of FDA-approved therapies and vaccines to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals on the frontlines are turning to malarial medicines like chloroquine and hydroquinone to treat their patients—despite the fact that there’s no evidence to support their use. But this isn’t the first time that medicines have been used for a different purpose than wh...

Host: Paul Doghramji, MD Guest: Gary Lyman, MD, MPH Just two miles away from where the first case of COVID-19 was identified, the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research acted quickly to help protect patients. Here to walk us through the impacts, barriers faced, and strategies that have been implemented to help address those challenges is the oncology center’s Senior Lead of Health Care...

Guest: Michael Greenberg, MD Join dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg as he shares his unique view that blurs science and spirituality and how it’s helping him create stronger connections with patients. Published April 10, 2020

Host: John Russell, MD Guest: Diane E Custer, MD As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across our nation and the world, more and more patients are experiencing anxiety and depression. Joining Dr. John Russell to explain how we can console our patients—all while maintaining our own mental health along the way—is Dr. Diane Custer. Published April 8, 2020

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD To help both his patients and colleagues alike find support and comfort during the COVID-19 global pandemic, dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg shares his experiences, coping strategies, and outlets that are available. Published April 3, 2020

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD To help alleviate pressure from hospitals that are experiencing a high influx of patients due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dermatologist Dr. Michael Greenberg decided to keep his doors open and is now sharing what it’s like to see patients during this outbreak. Published April 3, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD After the American College of Surgeons and the Surgeon General's suspension of non-emergent surgeries and procedures, Dr. Matt Birnholz explains the new guidelines and their impact on patients. Published April 2, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD A small-town emergency room in Louisiana has now seen hundreds of COVID-19 patients. Here’s what’s been learned in an anonymous ER doctor’s own words, as narrated by Dr. Matt Birnholz. Published April 2, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD In the absence of a vaccine or antivirals against COVID-19, controlling its transmission through social distancing has been an essential strategy. And to prove it, a team from the University of Western Australia conducted research using a simulation city which implemented social distancing versus a city without it. Dr. Matt Birnholz summarizes this study's staggering findin...

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD The international supply chain of medical equipment and materials has been strained by Asian and European countries already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why healthcare gear in dire need is now being looked at from a different perspective by university research teams. Listen in as Dr. Matt Birnholz sheds light on innovative ways PPE is being manufactured by Ge...

Host: John Russell, MD Social distancing is surprisingly not a new concept in the United States. As our country geared up for World War I in 1918, social gatherings and parades to support the military were at an all-time high. But as feelings of patriotism spread at these events, so too did influenza. Join Dr. John Russell as he recounts The Tale of Two Cities: Philadelphia and St. Louis and how t...

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Healthcare workers face a new threat beyond the difficult prospects of overrun hospitals, PPE shortages, and incidental spread of the virus to their loved ones. As the pandemic escalates, shifting perceptions and moods from the public have put some clinicians in the crosshairs. Published March 27, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Emerging reports are painting a far more complex picture of clinical presentations for COVID-19 than previously thought, stemming to exceptionally high viral loads in nasal cavities. How will this affect the risk profile for otolaryngologists performing essential ENT procedures? Published March 27, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Strategies of self-isolation from caregivers treating patients with COVID-19 are taking an emotional toll, cutting them off from their support networks at a time when workplace stress is at an all-time high. But the alternative, to many, is unthinkable. Published March 27, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD COVID-19 has irreversibly altered the progression track for the next generation of physicians, with cancellations of Match Day events, Board exams, and clinical rotations in effect. Now an increasing number of entities are calling on medical students to join front-line efforts to combat the virus. Published March 23, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Reports from hospitals in multiple states speak to a rapidly diminishing supply of personal protective equipment, leading healthcare systems to adopt alternative solutions to the shortage. But will these approaches meet the rising demand, and will clinicians be adequately protected along the way? Published March 23, 2020

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Among the most touted candidates in the hunt for effective coronavirus treatments are the antimalarial drugs chloroquine and its derivative, hydroxychloroquine. Will these drugs become effective treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis agents? Published March 23, 2020