Every minute that a brain is not getting blood flow during a stroke millions of neurons are dying. So, every minute, every second counts when treating a stroke patient.
That is why ChristianaCare’s stroke team has been on a multi-year journey of exploring every element, every step of the initial treatment process and the amount of time it takes to get a patient from coming in the door to getting IV blood thinners – known as Door To Needle (DTN) time.
We take a deep dive into how expert stroke teams bring clarity to chaos in a race against a ticking clock with Dr. Kim Gannon, medical director of ChristianaCare’s Comprehensive Stroke Program. We explore where opportunities to reduce DTN have been found and where they are still available in the high-stakes decisions and protocols that swing the pendulum between recovery and lasting impact. And we understand the impact of the first rule of medicine – do no harm.
Learn how a drive to be exceptional today and even better tomorrow is leading to drastically better outcomes for patients who come to one of the nation’s highest volume stroke programs.
Dr. Kim Gannon, an active vascular neurologist, oversees ChristianaCare's stroke program, one of the busiest stroke programs nationwide. She combines the expertise of a clinician with doctorate research to improve both patient and population health in neurological care. Dr. Gannon oversees ChristianaCare’s inpatient neurology consultative service, neurocritical care, and neurointerventional surgical services.
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Health care providers have a lot of information on their patients – medical histories, demographics, identity and financial data. That means those providers have a responsibility to appropriately use and protect patient data.
In the second installment of our year-long series, “The Toughest Questions in Health Care,” Dr. Ed Ewen, Director of Clinical Data and Analytics for ChristianaCare, and ChristianaCare’s Chief Information Security Officer Anahi Santiago help answer the question, “How do we use and protect patient data?”
We journey through the evolution of collecting patient data and examine how health systems use data to improve individual and community care. And we consider the complexity and scope of the challenge of thwarting cybercriminals, especially as more care moves outside the digital safety of the hospital or doctor’s office.
Dr. Edward Ewen is Director of Clinical Data and Analytics for ChristianaCare. He leads the organization’s enterprise information management program and is responsible for coordinating and setting strategy for its data warehousing, data governance, and business analytics activities. He has over 25 years’ experience in health care data warehousing and analytics.
Anahi Santiago is Chief Information Security Officer at ChristianaCare and one of the nation's foremost cybersecurity experts. She has overall responsibility for the organization’s information security program and strategic direction. Winner of the prestigious Routhy Award, Santiago has extensive experience in areas of cybersecurity, privacy, regulatory compliance, program management and infrastructure services.
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According to the World Health Organization, worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. Obesity is a serious and chronic health condition. Weight management can be complicated. It’s not always just about willpower and poor food choices.
This week Drs. Caitlin Halbert and Lisa Breslow join us for a frank and enlightening discussion of obesity and the immense but important journey toward better health. We explore the bariatric surgery process – from determining if surgery is right for a patient to the operating room to the incredible results that are possible in the following days, weeks and months. Learn how ChristianaCare’s comprehensive approach to weight loss surgery sets it apart from similar programs in treating the whole patient every step along the way.
And dive into the space where pop culture and medicine collide. Hear how shows like My 600-lb Life and 1,000-lb Sisters compare to the reality of bariatric surgeries. And get the low down on the true usefulness and safety of medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, that have gotten so much attention recently.
Caitlin Halbert, D.O., MS, is a board-certified general surgeon with a focus in Bariatric and Foregut surgery. She practices at ChristianaCare and is the Assistant Program Director for the General Surgery Residency Program. She is the Medical Director of the ChristianaCare Bariatric Surgery Program.
Dr. Lisa Breslow, D.O., is a family medicine physician with over 15 years of experience and is dual board certified as an obesity medicine specialist. Her appointments are exclusively for patients with health and wellness goals related to weight loss. She believes in encouraging patient self-education while partnering with each patient to create a comprehensive health and wellness plan structured to meet their needs. She is committed to providing evidence-based education and treatment for obesity.
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Health care in the US is nothing if not complex – for patients, providers and health system leaders. Over the course of 2024 For the Love of Health is going to have a series of monthly conversations with some of the top minds in health care about a variety of difficult questions and challenges facing the industry.
In the first episode of “The Toughest Questions in Health Care,” we tackle the question – What is the future of health care? – with Dr. Janice Nevin, president and CEO of ChristianaCare.
Dr. Nevin shares her wisdom, optimism and profound insights on the metamorphosis of health care in recent years and in years to come. In the wake of a years-long, global pandemic, she talks about some of the industry’s most pressing issues, including workforce shortages, deep-seated inequities and financial struggles. Dr. Nevin explores the bold strides being made towards more accessible, affordable health care and a more technologically supported workforce.
Join us for an episode about more than forecasting; it's about action.
Dr. Janice Nevin is a visionary, collaborative leader and one of Modern Healthcare's Most Influential People in Healthcare, Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, has served as president and CEO of ChristianaCare since 2014, leading a transformation from a health care system to a system that truly impacts health. She is nationally recognized as a pioneer and thought leader in value-based care and population health, and for her assertion that truly great health care is built on the values of love and excellence.
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Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in America – accounting for 1 in 3 new cancer diagnoses each year. And while there isn’t a big difference across races in terms of rates of getting breast cancer – there are huge gaps in what happens after diagnosis.
In this episode we sit down with Scott Siegel, Ph.D., director of cancer control and population sciences at ChristianaCare, and Dr. Dawn Leonard, chief of ChristianaCare’s division of breast surgery, to discuss that alarming disparity.
They shed light on the urgent issues at play, including higher rates of advanced breast cancer and the aggressive triple negative breast cancer prevalent in Delaware. They explain how a victory in eliminating a racial disparity for a completely different form of cancer is spurring the call to action to address breast cancer. And we discuss how success in Delaware could apply nationwide.
Scott Siegel, Ph.D., is a psychologist and director of Population Health Research at ChristianaCare. In this role Siegel works collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams in the health system and with governments, universities, and community-based organizations to improve population health.
Dawn Leonard, MD, FACS, specializes in breast surgery at ChristianaCare. Dr. Leonard joined ChristianaCare with more than 17 years of practice and leadership experience, most recently at Georgetown University Hospital and as the site director at a community hospital with a Regional Breast Health Program. Dr. Leonard has earned multiple recognitions as a “Top Doc” in Breast Surgery and awards for excellence in healthcare, service and scholarship.
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- Researchers Find Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening in Delaware Linked to Race and Geography
- ‘Getting the Village Back Together’: ChristianaCare’s Plan for Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities in Delaware
- Searching for the Roots of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Where Women Live
- Basic Information About Breast Cancer (CDC)
This past week the FDA for the first time approved use of a gene editing-based therapy. The new treatment is for people with Sickle Cell Disease. Gene editing has the potential to transform so many areas of medicine. ChristianaCare's Gene Editing Institute is the only institute of its kind in the nation at a community-based health system, which has led GEI to take a unique approach to gene editing research.
On this week's episode, we talk with Eric Kmiec, Ph.D., Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer at ChristianaCare's Gene Editing Institute, about the patient-centered approach his researchers take. We find out what factors the team considers first when determining what to study and learn what that means for the development of new medicines to treat cancer and inherited diseases.
Join us for a great conversation on the past, present and future of gene editing - what is working, what is not, what opportunities there are beyond medicine and so much more.
Eric Kmiec, Ph.D., is executive director and chief scientific officer at ChristianaCare's Gene Editing Institute. He is also co-founder and chief scientific officer of CorriXR Therapeutics. Widely recognized for his pioneering work in the fields of molecular medicine and gene editing, Dr. Kmiec has developed CRISPR based genetic therapies for Sickle Cell Disease and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Gene and Genome Editing.
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“Reach out and touch someone” is more than a vintage AT&T jingle, it can also be the secret to addressing pain, anxiety, stress, nausea and more.
Healing Touch is a heavily researched form of energy therapy that can bring relief and comfort to patients and caregivers alike. Stacy Noel, Nursing Integrative Care Nurse Manager, joins us for this episode to share the benefits and opportunities around this ancient healing art.
Learn how Healing Touch works and what it looks like at the patient bedside at ChristianaCare. Get suggestions on centering, grounding, intentions and affirmations that you can use at this stressful time of year.
The insights you'll gain from this episode about holistic healing methods will surely be an eye-opener.
Stacy Noel is the Nursing Integrative Care nurse manager at ChristianaCare. In this role, she implements holistic programs, such as Healing Touch, aromatherapy, mindfulness practices, meditations, to both caregivers and patients throughout ChristianaCare.
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- The Healing Power of Healing Touch (video)
- What Is Healing Touch Therapy?
- The Effects of Healing Touch on Pain, Nausea, and Anxiety Following Bariatric Surgery: A Pilot Study
- Effects of Healing Touch and Relaxation Therapy on Adult Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
Especially due to the pandemic, most of us have had at least one telemedicine interaction – maybe sitting at home talking to a clinician via smartphone app when you have a fever or sore throat.
But virtual interactions can now also be part of your care when you’re actually in the hospital.
In this episode discover how virtual nursing is making acute care more efficient and effective. Michelle Collins, ChristianaCare vice president for nursing professional excellence, and Melanie Ries, a nurse providing virtual acute care at ChristianaCare, are with us to share the positive impact this innovation is having on patient experience, shrinking lengths of stay and enhancing overall outcomes.
Listen as we explore not only what virtual acute care nursing looks like today but how the success ChristianaCare and other health systems are seeing with this work could have future benefits far beyond nursing in the hospital.
Michelle L. Collins leads ChristianaCare's systemwide efforts to support nursing practice innovation and problem-solving. She also has led ChristianaCare to achieve its third Magnet designation, a preeminent excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Only 9 percent of the nation’s hospitals hold the prestigious Magnet designation. ChristianaCare has earned Magnet designation for Christiana Hospital, Wilmington Hospital, Ambulatory Services, and ChristianaCare HomeHealth.
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Lung cancer kills more people in the United States each year than any other kind of cancer – as many as colon and rectal cancers, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Part of the reason for that, the cancer is caught too late, because so few people get screened for lung cancer.
In this episode we learn how primary care can be the key to more screenings and fewer deaths with Dr. Heather Bittner Fagan, a primary care physician at ChristianaCare. She is a leading researcher in this area, studying ways to improve screening rates and strengthen conversations between physicians and patients.
Dr. Bittner Fagan discusses her research specifically while also broadly explaining who is most at-risk for lung cancer and the significant benefits/minor risks of screening for those patients. She provides clarity into the prognosis for lung cancer and debunks the myth that it is a death sentence.
Dr. Heather Bittner Fagan is a practicing physician, faculty member, and researcher in Family & Community Medicine at ChristianaCare. Dr. Fagan has a strong presence in cancer screening, particularly in primary care and underserved populations, and has received national funding for lung cancer screening. Dr. Fagan has been recognized for her work in cancer control and prevention and has published in various journals.
Dr. Bittner Fagan acknowledges Ronald E. Myers, PhD DSW at Thomas Jefferson University who is the principal investigator for the LCS-MAPPS study mentioned in the podcast.
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- ChristianaCare Lung Health and Screening Program
- Telephone-Based Shared Decision-making for Lung Cancer Screening in Primary Care (Dr. Fagan's research)
- Outreach to primary care patients in lung cancer screening: A randomized controlled trial
- American Lung Association - Saved by the Scan
- Who Should Be Screened for Lung Cancer? (CDC)
Prepare to challenge your understanding of gender-affirming care.
In this episode Dr. Anna Filip, a primary care physician with ChristianaCare, and Brett Herb, DSW, program manager for the ChristianaCare Gender Wellness Program, deliver critical insights into the complexities of sex and gender, gender dysphoria and gender-affirming hormone therapy, while discussing ChristianaCare’s leading-edge approach to providing care to transgender people.
Then we tackle a number of common myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings– from the realities of de-transitioning to how children understand their gender identities.
Join us for a conversation that not only educates but also encourages empathy. You’ll come away with a new appreciation for the importance of fostering inclusivity in health care.
Dr. Anna Filip is a primary care physician and director of ChristianaCare’s Family Medicine Residency program. Filip has been with ChristianaCare since 2016. She has led work around global health in the academic settings, developed innovative and comprehensive models of gender-affirming care, and is staunchly committed to improving the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the health system.
Brett Herb, DSW, is the Program Manager for the Gender Wellness Program at ChristianaCare. Herb has been in clinical practice for over 25 years as a psychotherapist and a clinical and administrative manager for various behavioral health programs. He joined ChristianaCare in 2006. Herb oversees the Gender Wellness Program, which provides gender-affirming diagnostic services and psychotherapy to the transgender and gender diverse population.
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