Health Calls

Patients with chronic illnesses want what any patient seeking health care wants: to improve their health without exhaustive treatment. Unlike the majority, however, these patients face specific barriers to achieving that care. Betsy Taylor, editor of Health Progress, and Tricia Steele, author of the Sick Person Guide e-book series, join Health Calls to discuss Steele’s recent article for Health Pr...

Studies suggest that whole-person health care isn't limited to physical health but also includes mental and spiritual well-being. So why is spiritual care more difficult to find coverage for? Lisa Eisenhauer, Editor of Catholic Health World , joins the show to discuss an article she wrote for the paper featuring Dennis Heaphy, Health Justice Advocate and Researcher at the Massachusetts Disability...

The Ethical and Religious Directives have been a popular topic of conversation in health care circles for the past year. But what if we stopped viewing them simply as a list of do's and dont's, but as a living document articulating the mission and identity of Catholic health care? Betsy Taylor, editor of Health Progress , and Fr. Myles Sheehan, SJ, MD, director of the Edmund D. Pellegrino Center f...

The road to health equity is long, and many hospitals and healthcare facilities are on different parts of the journey. How do we gauge best practices and strategies for different parties? Several guests join this episode of Health Calls to discuss ongoing efforts to help hospitals across the United States: Kathy Curran, Senior Director of Public Policy for the Catholic Health Association; Joy Lewi...

Much of the health care process happens virtually these days. In the Catholic health ministry, how does spiritual care play into this equation? In the first episode of Health Calls season four, Jill Fisk, CHA's Director of Mission Services, and Justin Martin, a board-certified chaplain at Mercy St. Louis, join the show to discuss spiritual care in a virtual age. They discuss Mercy COVID Care @ Hom...

Season Four of Health Calls, the podcast of the Catholic Health Association, kicks off on June 27! Subscribe now! Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Learn more about The Catholic Health Association of the United States at www.chausa.org.

When we think of “long term care,” we may bring assumptions to the table about how patients are cared for or act. What happens when the care we provide challenges those assumptions? Julie Minda, Associate Editor of Catholic Health World , joins the show to discuss her recent article regarding Montessori principles used in memory care. Michelle Feller, Assistant Administrator at Ferncliff Nursing H...

As the war in Ukraine continues well over a year after Russia's invasion, humanitarian efforts continue in an effort to meet the growing needs of the Ukrainian people. Bruce Compton, CHA's Senior Director of Global Health, joins the show after his recent visit to Ukraine with partners from the International Catholic Migration Commission. In the conversation, Bruce shares the impact the trip had on...

The work of equity in health care is never finished. After the initial buy-in and foundational changes, how do health systems continue to work toward equity for communities, patients and colleagues? Kathy Curran, CHA Sr. Director of Public Policy, and Ralph McCloud, Director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development, join the show to discuss Catholic healt...

It can be difficult to understand what's happening in Congress, especially in the lawmaking process – what policies are passing, what buzzwords actually mean and how does it affect the American people? Lisa Smith, CHA's Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, and Paulo Pontemayor, CHA's Sr. Director of Government Relations, review the past year of health care advocacy and discuss some of the...

With the 2022 midterm elections behind us, a reshaped Congress represents a new landscape and new challenges for health care advocacy. Lisa Smith, CHA's Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, and Lucas Swanepoel, CHA's Sr. Director of Government Relations, join the show to discuss the new Congress and how the next two years could be challenging when passing policies. They also address CHA’s...

Increased mindfulness is vital to our well-being, but it requires a significant time commitment. For those with full schedules, how do we begin to build these practices into our busy lives? In a Health Calls special, Diarmuid Rooney, CHA's Interim Vice President of Sponsorship and Mission Services, and Jill Fisk, CHA's Director of Mission Services, discuss the benefits and importance of incorporat...

Maintaining our own well-being can be a challenge in a world where we’re constantly bombarded with new ideas, challenges, and tasks. When everything feels so urgent, how do we re-orient our minds and take the time to slow down? In a Health Calls special, Diarmuid Rooney, CHA’s Interim Vice President of Sponsorship and Mission Services, and Jill Fisk, CHA’s Director of Mission Services, host an int...

In 2022, the Catholic Health Association’s Board of Directors called for a new vision statement for the organization and Catholic health care as a whole, a significant step in the organization’s 108-year history. Sr. Mary Haddad, President and CEO of CHA, and Laura Kaiser, FACHE, President and CEO of SSM Health and Chairperson of the CHA Board, join the show to discuss the motivation behind the vi...

As 2023 begins, organizations around the world are taking stock of what drives them: their mission, vision and values. In Catholic Health Care, a commitment to the ministry is paramount and should be part of such evaluations. Dennis Gonzales, Ph. D., CHA's Sr. Director of Mission Innovation and Integration, and Paul Wojda, Ph. D., Associate Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas, jo...

Restoring the health of an entire community can feel like an impossible task. But what if the answer is in first “revillagizing” the neighborhoods of that community? Editor of Health Progress Betsy Taylor joins the show to discuss a recent article authored by Nadine Nadal, Director of Community Health Development at CHRISTUS Health. Nadal and Mack McCarter, Founder and Coordinator of Community Ren...

Equity in the work force is a goal many institutions strive to accomplish, but is it possible without also addressing equity at the decision-making level? How does prioritizing board-level equity change the trajectory of an organization? Julie Trocchio, CHA’s Senior Director of Community Benefit and Continuing Care, and Dora Barilla, Director and Co-Founder of HC2 Strategies, join the show to disc...

The COVID-19 pandemic cast a spotlight on labor practices in the United States, leading to a “great reckoning” in 2022. How does Catholic health care fit into the larger conversation about labor? Editor of Health Progress Betsy Taylor joins the show to discuss a recent article co-authored by Daniel Graff, director of the Higgins Labor Program at the University of Notre Dame, and Kelli Reagan, a co...

In times of financial hardship, it can be challenging to prioritize investments in projects make sweeping commitments to that address matters such as the climate crisis. But with health impacts related to environmental degradation becoming an increasing part of our daily lives, such investments have never been more important.  Indu Spugnardi, CHA Director of Advocacy and Resource Development, and...

One of the first steps of engaging in meaningful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work involves examining our own history of racial inequity. How have our organizations contributed to structural racism, and how can we work to be more accountable for the past? Professors M. Therese Lysaught and Sheri Bartlett Browne join Brian Reardon and CHA’s Editor of Health Progress Betsy Taylor to discuss their...

Communion with the saints is a specific theological doctrine that can feel strange to non-Catholics working in Catholic health care. But is there more to this doctrine than simply praying to spiritual heroes? Can we view the saints as people from whom we can look to for inspiration and reflection? CHA’s Mission Project Coordinator Karla Keppel and Fr. John Fontana, OSM, discuss communion with the...

Artificial Intelligence is changing the world with every passing day, especially in the health care industry. But are we correct to trust that machine learning can effectively do the work needed and will A.I. prevent harm or perpetuate it? CHA Senior Director of Public Policy Kathy Curran and Michael Miller, System Vice President of Mission and Ethics at SSM Health, discuss ethical concerns that a...

For more than 4 out of 10 new moms in the United States, postpartum care is covered by Medicaid. But when coverage ends after 60 days, these mothers are left vulnerable to some of the most dangerous complications of childbirth. CHA Director of Government Relations Paulo Pontemayor and Kinda Serafi, J.D., Partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, discuss tax-payer benefits to closing the gap, advo...

Medicaid is an integral part of our health care system, covering millions of men, women and children who would otherwise be uninsured. Yet millions of these people may soon be in danger of losing their coverage. CHA Director of Government Relations Paulo Pontemayor and Corey Surber, St. Alphonsus’ Director of State Advocacy, relay why Medicaid coverage is essential to Catholic values, define “Medi...

Following their conversation with Msgr. Robert Vitillo of the International Catholic Migration Commission, Brian and CHA’s Sr. Director of Global Health Bruce Compton continue their conversation about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Christian Kostko, a consultant with the Catholic Response for Ukraine, joins the program from Ukraine and updates us on the morale of the Ukrainian people. Kostko als...