Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast

How can payment models transform pediatric care? In part two of this provider case study series, leaders from Nemours Children’s Health and Cincinnati Children’s explore how value-based care, accountable care organizations and innovative financing are shifting the focus from paying for visits to paying for health. The conversation highlights how sustainable funding models strengthen prevention eff...

What does whole child health look like in action? In part one of this two-part series, leaders from Nemours Children’s Health and Children’s Wisconsin explore how pediatric systems are redesigning care to improve lifelong outcomes for kids. From integrated mental health, dental and nutrition services to community partnerships, prevention strategies and innovative policy approaches, we highlight re...

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Nike, shares how the company is helping make youth sports more accessible in communities everywhere. We explore why sport, play and movement are essential building blocks for lifelong physical health, mental well-being, confidence and connection – and how Nike is equipping parents, coaches and mentors with free, evidence-based tools...

What if one of the most powerful tools for preventing disease is already in your kitchen? Dr. Nathan Wood is a physician, trained chef and director of culinary medicine at Yale School of Medicine. He discusses how teaching kitchens translate nutrition science into practical, hands-on training for medical students, patients and families. Dr. Wood also explains why home cooking is one of the most ac...

Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA, Dipl. ABOM, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Knownwell Health, is a leading expert in pediatric and adult obesity medicine. She joined us at HLTH in Las Vegas to discuss obesity as a complex disease and why children with this diagnosis need supportive, stigma-free care. Dr. Fitch covers the growing use of GLP-1 medications in adolescents, what is known about thei...

What happens when a journalist turns the lens on herself — and uses what she learns to change how communities face cancer? Ysabel Duron, Founder, President, and Executive Director of the Latino Cancer Institute, reflects on how her stage II Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis in 1999 became a personal and professional turning point — one that inspired her to help children, families and communities confro...

Leana Wen, MD, MSc, FAAEM, health columnist, The Washington Post, is one of today’s most trusted voices in public health. She shares her perspective on whether AI can meaningfully address health care’s biggest challenges and discusses her concerns about bias, privacy and the potential for a two-tiered system. She also reflects on how parenthood reshaped her views on medicine, paid leave, childcare...

At the 2025 Ginsburg Institute Symposium in Orlando, themed Healing Through the Arts , the fireside chat brought together two self-described “theater kids” and leaders in children’s health: Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH, CMHC, CEO, Unified Youth, and Myron Rolle, MD, MS, former NFL player and current pediatric neurosurgeon, Nemours Children’s Health. Together, they explore how creativity and play are es...

AI in health care isn’t a distant future — it's happening right now. Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP, Chief Artificial Intelligence Implementation Officer, Mayo Clinic, joined us at HLTH 2025 to share what this transformation looks like on the ground: dozens of AI tools already in daily use, breakthrough models detecting disease earlier than ever, and emerging foundations for precision medicine and...

How do we close the gaps in care for children’s mental health right now — not months from now? In part two, we highlight two evidence-based models delivering rapid, meaningful support: HealthySteps , which strengthens early relational health in primary care; and PATH , a telemental-health program offering fast, targeted access for kids and teens. Rahil Briggs, PsyD, National Director, HealthySteps...

Schools are more than places to learn - they’re also powerful front doors for kids to access mental health care. This episode explores how school-based health centers are expanding access to behavioral health services for children served by Nationwide Children's and Nemours Children's Health, drawing on promising models featured in a new issue brief from the Nemours National Office of Po...

What children eat today is heavily influenced by powerful forces — from ultra-processed “kids’ foods” to marketing strategies designed to keep them hooked. World-renowned nutrition expert Dr. Marion Nestle explains how we got here, why parents are facing an uphill battle and what real solutions look like. We discuss school meals, the “pester factor,” the connection between food insecurity and obes...

Child trafficking isn’t a distant issue — it happens in our own communities, often hiding in plain sight. Erin Williamson, LCSW, Chief Programs & Strategy Officer, Love146 , a nationally recognized expert on child exploitation and trauma-informed care, shares insight into the realities of child trafficking. She discusses how health care providers, educators and community members can recognize...

Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast is exploring all the ways we can create the healthiest generations of children ever.  Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Chief Executive Officer Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH, CMHC, joins the podcast to discuss how Unified Youth is reshaping mental well-being for young people through creativity. Drawing on her experience working with veterans and military families, Dr. Powell shares how the same principles of healing in community — what she calls “speaking to the wounds” — can help today’s youth remember who they are and...

Retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, PhD, connects space exploration to children's health and reveals what it really takes to thrive on long-duration missions — including playing the flute in orbit. She makes the case for the "A" in STEAM and shares advice for kids daring to dream big. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Cady Coleman, PhD, retired NASA astronaut, public speaker...

In the second part of our series on congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), we speak with two Nemours associates and mothers of children diagnosed with CMV at different stages of their journeys. They share personal stories of diagnosis, advocacy, resilience, and the everyday realities of parenting children affected by CMV. Nemours Children’s Health policy experts also join the conversation to discuss cu...

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common viruses, yet many people have never heard of it. CMV is a leading cause of non-genetic hearing loss in children. In part one of this two-part series, we take a medical look at CMV — what it is, how it affects developing babies and the latest advances in early screening, diagnosis and treatment. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Cedric Von Prit...

Why are children across the U.S. falling behind on key health measures – and what can we do about it? Joseph R. Betancourt, MD, President, The Commonwealth Fund, joins us to explore solutions. We discuss the Fund’s long-standing work in child and maternal health, recent state health findings, and key factors affecting pediatric care, from policy and primary care investment to trust, data and urgen...

Clinical psychologist, parenting expert and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Lisa Damour joins us to explore the emotional lives of teenagers – what’s typical, when to worry and how adults and systems can better support adolescents today. Listen to Dr. Damour’s Ask Lisa podcast for more insights. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Lisa Damour, PhD , clinical psychologist, parenting exp...

How can we guide boys through health, emotions and relationships in a culture that often tells them to “toughen up”? Christopher Pepper and Joanna Schroeder, co-authors of Talk to Your Boys : 16 Conversations to Help Teens and Tweens Grow into Confident, Compassionate Men , share practical, real-world advice. We cover everything from navigating social media and digital culture to building friendsh...

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we speak with Adela Casas-Melley, MD, Chair of Surgery, Nemours Children's Health. She shares her journey from a young Cuban immigrant in Miami to a leader in pediatric surgery, how her family’s belief in education guided her, the challenges she faced, and the legacy she’s creating through mentorship and advocacy. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featur...

When technology promises to lighten the load but instead adds to it, what’s really going on? Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FAONL, Senior Vice President for Equity and Engagement, American Nurses Association,  joins us to share her journey from aspiring accountant to national nursing leader — and explores how AI, virtual care and innovation can actually empower nurses instead of...

Nemours Children’s Health is proud to be the official Children’s Hospital of the Philadelphia Phillies. For the third year in a row, the Phillies welcomed our podcast team to share powerful stories from Childhood Cancer Awareness Night on September 13, 2025. In our first segment, we talk with Douglas J. Harrison, MD, MS, Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology/Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Inaugu...

Charles Johnson walked into a California hospital expecting joy – hours later, his wife, Kira, was gone after preventable delays and inaction. Charles shares how that devastating loss sparked the creation of 4Kira4Moms , a nonprofit dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes, advancing policy reform and supporting families impacted by maternal mortality. The U.S. is facing a maternal health c...