In this encore presentation of Well Beyond Medicine, we explore the topic of period equity with Nemours Children’s Health adolescent medicine specialist, Robyn Miller, MD. 

Menstruation is something half of the world's population experiences. Yet having the right resources — access to period products and health information about menses — can prove elusive for some due to financial concerns or lack of communication and openness on the topic due to stigma, or cultural and religious considerations.

Nemours Period Pantry Amazon Wish List

Guest:
Dr. Robyn Miller, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Nemours Children's Health

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

Smartphones have become a collective distraction in the classroom. One 2024 Pew Research survey of public-school teachers says 33% of middle school teachers and a whopping 72% of high school teachers see cell phone use in the classroom as a major problem: a disruptor to the educational process. 

Here to discuss the benefits of public school cell phone bans are Jay Bastianelli, Principal of HB du Pont Middle School in Hockessin, Delaware, part of the Red Clay Consolidated School District, and Nemours pediatric psychologist Dr. Meghan Walls. Dr. Walls provides insights on the topic from a professional and personal perspective. 

GUESTS:
Jay Bastianelli, Principal, HB du Pont Middle School. Hockessin, DE
Meghan Walls, PhD, Pediatric Psychologist and Director of External Affairs, Nemours Children's Health

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

In part 2 of The KIDS Health Act series, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Dan Sullivan discuss ways in which the bill aims to integrate mental and physical health services for children eligible for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Senator Carper (D-DE) highlights his focus on early childhood development and access to healthcare in Delaware, while Senator Sullivan (R-AK) addresses Alaska's unique healthcare challenges and emphasizes the need for innovative, localized solutions.

Both senators stress the importance of breaking down bureaucratic barriers and increasing funding to improve children's health outcomes. Part 2 of the series underscores the bipartisan effort to address youth mental health and the holistic approach proposed by the KIDS Health Act.

Listen to Part 1 and learn more about the KIDS Health Act.

Guests:
Tom Carper, U.S. Senator, D-Delaware, co-sponsor of the KIDS Health Act
Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senator, R-Alaska, co-sponsor of the KIDS Health Act

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

Nemours Children's Health Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Enterprise Chief Communications Officer Gina Altieri shares her insights regarding the philosophy behind the enterprise tagline, Well Beyond Medicine, and how these three words represent Nemours Children's vision and strategy ingeniously. 

Carol Vassar, producer

Guest: Gina Altieri, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Enterprise Chief Communications Officer, Nemours Children's Health

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.

The Kickstarting Innovative Demonstrations Supporting (KIDS) Health Act is a bipartisan and bicameral effort now before the U.S. Congress that would establish a holistic approach to children’s healthcare by integrating mental and physical health services for children and youth who are eligible for both Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This legislation would allow the states to design financially sustainable models to enhance training for their healthcare workforce and improve health information technology systems to better facilitate data sharing, early intervention, and care coordination across sectors that serve children.  

Learn more about the KIDS Health Act and listen to Part 2.

Guests:
Lisa Blunt Rochester, U.S. Congresswoman, D-Delaware, co-sponsor of the KIDS Health Act
Michael C. Burgess, MD, U.S. Congressman, R-Texas, co-sponsor of the KIDS Health Act
Cristian Lemus Zavala, MSW, Care Coordinator, Nemours Children's Health, Saint Francis, Delaware

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

Social determinants of health (SDoH) are non-medical factors that affect health outcomes and quality of life. Much attention and work is focused on examining SDoH and creating pathways to improve them, with the ultimate goal of optimizing wellness for everyone. In this episode, we’ll take a look at two such pathways. 

SEGMENT 1: A paper published in the Journal of Pediatrics examined disparities in vision screening in primary care for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Drs. Kimberly Hoover, Brittany Perry and Matthew DiGuglielmo from Nemours Children’s Health co-wrote the paper, and Drs. Hoover and Perry are here to discuss their findings — and what comes next.

Guests:
Brittany Perry, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Primary Care Pediatrician, Nemours Children's Health, Delaware
Kimberly Hoover, MD, General Medicine Resident, Nemours Children's Health, Delaware

SEGMENT 2: Advocacy Rounding is a new concept being piloted in the pediatric residency program at Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware. It’s being done in response to a goal set by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (or ACGME) that encourages residents and fellows to become better acquainted with patient advocacy and SDoH during their training — and it's proving fruitful so far.

Guests:
Kanika Gupta, MD, Inpatient Pediatrics, Associate Program Director, Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware
Sarah J. Calardo, DO, M.Ed, Hospital Medicine Resident, Nemours Children's Health, Delaware

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

The Well Beyond Medicine Podcast celebrates a milestone: its first "podiversary." It’s been a year complete with influential guests, great conversations, and loyal listeners whose interest in whole child health is piqued by discussions on the podcast. Join us as we look back at some of our achievements from this year, hear from some of those guests, and learn what the future holds for the coming year — and beyond!

Guests:
Drew Landmeier, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Nemours Children's Health
Cheryl Munn, Director of Enterprise Communications, Nemours Children's Health
Che Parker, Public Relations Manager, Nemours Children's Health

Producer/Host: Carol Vassar

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.

Health informatics stands at the intersection of healthcare and information technology. It’s a science that uses healthcare data to uncover insights, advance innovation, inform research, and help clinicians make the best patient decisions and recommendations.

Dr. Stacey Stokes is the Medical Director of Informatics with Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. At the 2024 Pediatric Academics Society annual meeting in Toronto, she facilitated a series of presentations by colleagues from across the nation and experts from the Academic Pediatric Association Special Interest Groups (SIGs). They seek methods and examine best practices to leverage health informatics to move the needle on serving the underserved and addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH).

Guest:
Stacey Stokes, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Informatics, Children’s National Hospital

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative's "The Whole Pie 2023" report, more than 47,000 children under 18 years of age are incarcerated, with 1 in 16 in an adult prison or jail.

This statistic underpins the American Pediatric Society’s Issue of the Year: increasing access to quality health care for children who are incarcerated. It’s an effort spearheaded by the APS president, Vanderbilt University sickle cell physician-scientist-researcher Dr. Michael DeBaun, and Dr. Elizabeth Barnert, associate professor of pediatrics at UCLA, who does clinical work in youth detention facilities. They stopped by our mobile set-up at the 2024 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting in Toronto recently to discuss the year's issue, starting with how they partnered to raise awareness of the issue and work toward improving health standards for this often overlooked population of children.

Guests:
Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH, Director, Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease
Elizabeth Barnert, MD, MPH, MS, Associate Professor-in-Residence, Pediatrics, UCLA

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

In this mini-episode, we catch up with Dr. Tamarah Westmoreland, associate professor of surgery, and research scientist Dr. Joseph Mazar, both from Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida. Previously featured on episode 49, Drs. Westmoreland and Mazar discussed their groundbreaking paper published in Cancer Research Communications by the American Association for Cancer Research, exploring the use of the Zika virus to combat cancer.

On today’s mini-episode, they provide an exciting update on their ongoing research.

Guests:
Tamarah Westmoreland, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida
Joseph Mazar, PhD, Research Scientist, Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida

EXCITING UPDATE - AUG. 20, 2024: Nemours Children's received its largest donation to a single research project thanks to the Pass It On to Kids Foundation. Its $7 million donation will advance the groundbreaking research harnessing the Zika virus to target and eradicate neuroblastoma and ovarian cancers.

Hear more about this exciting research from Dr. Westmoreland and Dr. Mazar on episode 49 of the Well Beyond Medicine podcast.

Host/producer: Carol Vassar

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.

The American Medical Association (AMA) defines physician burnout as a long‑term stress reaction that can include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a feeling of decreased personal achievement. It's a condition that affects all specialties and practice settings – and the AMA has declared physician burnout a crisis. A 2023 AMA survey of physicians and non-physicians in 30 states specific to burnout indicated that half of practicing physicians reported experiencing burnout in 2023. While this is lower than the all-time high in 2021 (during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic), burnout among physicians persists. So what can be done?

On this episode, we talk about the crisis and possible solutions with Alfred Atanda, MD, a pediatric orthopedic specialist and Director of Clinician Well-being for Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley.

Guest:
Alfred Atanda, MD, orthopedic specialist, Director of Clinician Well-being, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

Dr. Weigle joined us live from the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Annual Meeting  to discuss the impact of excessive screen time on adolescents and how parents can support healthy limits.

Recorded live at PAS 2024 in Toronto, Canada, on May 4, 2024.

Watch on YouTube. 

Guests:
Paul Weigle, MD, Associate Medical Director, Natchaug Hospital of Hartford Healthcare, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UConn School of Medicine

Host: Carol Vassar
Producers: Carol Vassar, Joe Gillespie and Sebastian Riella

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.

The overall prevalence of hypertension in childhood is 2% to 5%, and it can be worse (or, worse yet, go undetected) in high-deprivation neighborhoods in the United States. Learn more about the research done in this area by Dr. Carissa Baker-Smith, Director of Pediatric Preventive Cardiology at Nemours Children’s Health. She also shares her insights on outcomes for undetected pediatric high blood pressure, and mitigation strategies to better detect and treat it. 

This episode was recorded live at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada on Saturday, May 4.

Watch on YouTube. 

Guests:
Carissa Baker-Smith, MD, MPH, MS, Director of Preventive Cardiology, Nemours Children’s Cardiac Center, Delaware Valley

Host: Carol Vassar
Producers: Carol Vassar, Joe Gillespie and Sebastian Riella

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.

When discussing methods of paying for health care in the U.S., you'll often hear the terms fee-for-service and value-based care. What do they mean? And what value can value-based care models bring to pediatric patients and their families? 

We discuss these questions and more with Alex Koster, Associate Vice President of Value Transformation for Nemours Children's Health. 

Guests:
Alexander Koster, MA, CHCIO, CHD-E, AVP, Value Transformation, Nemours Children’s Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

As Executive Vice President, Enterprise Physician-in-Chief, and Chief Scientific Officer for Nemours Children’s Health, Dr. Matthew Davis oversees all clinical and research activities across Nemours and works to ensure that education, training, and community engagement are fully integrated into clinical and research efforts. It's a position of great import and impact, but one where he plans to rally teams within Nemours and community relationships outside the enterprise to move toward wellness for children across the nation and the world.

This episode was ecorded live at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting 2024 in Toronto, Canada on May 3, 2024. 

Watch on YouTube.

Guest:
Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Physician-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer, Nemours Children's Health

Host: Carol Vassar
Producers: Carol Vassar, Joe Gillespie and Sebastian Riella

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.

What do a compass, a mirror, and a Swiss Army knife have to do with pediatric leadership? Dr. Kanekal Gautham,  Pediatrician-in-Chief at Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida, makes the connections and provides key principles of leadership in pediatrics. Recorded live at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting (PAS) in Toronto, Canada on May 3, 2024.

Watch on YouTube.

Guests:
Kanekal Suresh Gautham, MD, Chair of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

The promise of digital integration in healthcare has come a long way but remains a work in progress. Currently, digital tools give providers and patients secure access to health information, help improve communication, provide personalized care and education, and allow for remote monitoring by providers and self-management by patients. To have all of this in one place, well, that's the future state. But the future may be here sooner than we think.

In this episode, we examine two digital health platforms — Xealth and Unite Us — whose goals are similar: to use AI and big data to bring together digitally, behind the scenes, information allowing providers to not only monitor your vitals and medications but also "prescribe" information, disseminate education, and even refer you to social services directly from an electronic health record platform. 

Guests:
Mike McSherry, President & CEO, Xealth
Dan Brillman, Co-founder & CEO, Unite Us

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.

According to a study commissioned by The Elizabeth Dole Foundation, there are 2.5 million children, teens, and young adults in the U.S. taking on significant responsibilities for wounded, ill, or aging veterans within their own families. These "hidden helpers" are supporting their wounded parent, grandparent, sibling or other family member with activities of daily living (dressing, bathing, toileting, etc.), administering medications, assisting with physical therapy, caring for siblings, managing finances, and even navigating the healthcare system. They grow up fast by necessity, often facing unique challenges to their own health and wellness journeys as they help their wounded warrior. 

In this episode, we share stories of two wounded warriors, and how they shaped a curriculum developed by Nemours Children’s Health. These free, publicly available online courses are helping educate healthcare providers, and the wider public, about the unique health issues these children face.

Guests:
Kylie Briest, NICU Nurse and Hidden Helper
Megan Powell, Military Spouse, and parent of a Hidden Helper
Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, MS, Vice President, Chief Policy and Prevention Officer, Nemours Children's Health

Take the FREE online course "Caring for Children and Teens in Military Families."

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

When it comes to supporting our nation's military caregivers – the family members and friends caring for a wounded, ill, or injured veteran each day in their homes – the Elizabeth Dole Foundation is a true leader. The foundation aims to raise awareness, conduct research, and support military family caregivers. Among that group, you will find children, teens, and young adults impacted by or directly involved in the mental, emotional, or physical care of a wounded, ill, or aging service member or veteran. They are known as Hidden Helpers. 

In the first of two episodes, Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and Larry Moss, MD, President and CEO, Nemours Children's Health, discuss Hidden Helpers: who they are, who they help, and the commitment to educating physicians across the nation about these hidden heroes’ unique medical and psychological needs.

Take the FREE online course "Caring for Children and Teens in Military Families." 

Guests:
Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
R. Lawrence “Larry” Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President and CEO, Nemours Children’s Health

Producer/Host: Carol Vassar

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.

When it comes to healthcare, children are not miniature adults. As growing, maturing human beings, they require regular well-child attention, care, and treatment that considers their size and their ongoing and seemingly ever-changing developmental needs as they make the trek into adulthood. Children's hospitals, in particular, play a unique role in ensuring and elevating the health of our nation's kids by providing opportunities for quality care and treatment and by addressing the non-medical factors that affect child health outcomes - the social determinants of health.

As CEO of the Children's Hospital Association (CHA), Matthew Cook joins us to explain how CHA advocates for the advancement of child health in the areas of federal and state policy, research, quality care delivery, and workforce development.

Guest: 
Matthew Cook, CEO, Children's Hospital Association

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

All across Nemours Children's Health,  from Wilmington to Pensacola to Orlando to Jacksonville, and points in between - the ethos of Well Beyond Medicine is becoming well established. That includes the Nemours Estate in Wilmington, the only public park in the nation with a hospital on its grounds. Guests Gina Altieri, Jean Hershner, Ken Darsney, and Annie Thomas-Bubel join us in this bonus episode to demonstrate how the Nemours Estate incorporates Well Beyond Medicine into what it does.

Guests:
Gina Altieri, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Enterprise Chief Communications Officer, Nemours Children’s Health
Jean Hershner, Vice President, Nemours Estate
Ken Darsney, Gardens and Grounds Manager, Nemours Estate
Annie Thomas-Bubel, Learning and Programs Coordinator, Nemours Estate

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

"Even in the worst conditions you can be grateful in something and not have to be grateful for it," according to Lee Brower, entrepreneur coach and founder of Empowered Wealth. He joins this week's episode as we explore the power of gratitude.

We're also joined by Nemours Children's Health's Dr. Alfred Atanda who shares the clinical perspective of gratitude — and how it benefits patients, families and staff.

Guests:
Lee Brower, Entrepreneur Coach and Founder, Empowered Wealth
Michael Rouse, President and Co-founder, ESF Camps and Experiences
Alfred Atanda, MD, Surgical Director, Center for Sports Medicine, Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

This year – 2024 – marked the 50th anniversary of THE PLAYERS Championship, a premier tour stop for PGA golfers from around the world! Held at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (just south of Jacksonville where Nemours Children's Health is headquartered), THE PLAYERS Championships attracts the best that professional golf has to offer for golfers, fans, and the community alike. 

The tournament, however, is more than just a one-week PGA stop. It’s a 52-week-a-year endeavor. Community investment, service and partnership are keys to the effort, which focuses on promoting youth services, education, character development, military support, and health and wellness. 

Joining us to discuss how THE PLAYERS Championship is a crucial player in improving health and wellness for the children of Northeast Florida and beyond are Nemours Children’s Health President and CEO Dr. Larry Moss, and Lee Smith, Vice President and Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship.

Guests:
R. Lawrence "Larry" Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President and CEO, Nemours Children's Health
Lee Smith, Vice President & Executive Director, THE PLAYERS Championship

Producer/Host:  Carol Vassar

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.

Achieving health equity is a complex and ongoing endeavor that involves addressing various social, economic, and systemic factors that contribute to disparities in health outcomes among different populations. 

If it sounds like challenging work, it is. But that hasn't stopped The California Endowment's Dr. Tony Iton from making it his life's work. We sat down with Dr. Iton to discuss his insights on the root causes of health disparities, the status of health equity efforts today in the U.S., and the $1 billion effort he leads with health equity in mind. 

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

In 2021, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation (EDF) released a study indicating that roughly 2.3 million children across the U.S. serve as primary or secondary caregivers to family members wounded, injured or ill due to their service in the U.S. military. They are our nation’s hidden helpers.

To better support these children, EDF partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and the White House's Joining Forces Initiative, led by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, to create the Hidden Helpers Coalition. The coalition comprises over 100 partner organizations, including government agencies, non-profits like Nemours Children’s Health, and private sector entities.

To highlight coalition efforts over the last three years and announce new commitments, Nemours Children’s, the Office of United States Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) and EDF held a forum at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, entitled “Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers.” This podcast is the second of a two-part episode series featuring event highlights. 

Featuring an introduction from Jill Biden, Ed.D., First Lady of the United States, and closing comments from R. Lawrence Moss, MD, CEO, Nemours Children's Health, and Steve Schwab, CEO, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

Guests:
Matthew Cook, MBA, CEO, Children's Hospital Association
Daniel Podberesky, MD, FACR, SVP, Chief Medical Officer, Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida
Tara Gleason, MEd, Director of Programs, Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)
Laurie Sisk, School Liaison Program Manager, Dover (DE) Airforce Base
Denise Stouffer, MEd, Head of School, Providence Creek Academy
Jeanette Betancourt, EdD, Senior Vice President, U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop
Charo Bates, MBA, MS, MA, Program Manager for Hidden Helpers, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Tina Atherall, DSW, LMSW, CEO, PsychArmor Institute
Annie Pabon, Hidden Helper

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

In 2022, a $25 million donation from the Ginsburg Family Foundation established the Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children’s Health. One major initiative of the Institute is the Ginsburg Health Equity Scholars Program. The scholars program seeks to prepare rising members of the healthcare, public health, and scientific workforce to conduct research into children’s health equity and deploy evidence-based programs and resources into underserved communities. Nancy Molello, Executive Director for the Ginsburg Institute, joined us to share details of the Ginsburg Health Equity Scholars Program alongside one of its inaugural scholars Brianna Karim.

Apply to be a Ginsburg Scholar. The deadline is March 15, 2024.

Guests:
Nancy Molello, MSB, Executive Director, Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children’s Health
Brianna Karim, Health Equity Program Coordinator and Ginsburg Scholar, Nemours Children’s Health

Producer/Host: Carol Vassar

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.

In 2022 a $25 million donation from the Ginsburg Family Foundation established the Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children’s Health. The Institute represents a first-of-its-kind initiative to advance health equity for children in medically underserved areas by partnering with communities and codifying evidenced-based approaches that are effective, scalable and transferable. This week's guests Nancy Molello and Marc McMurrin highlight the work they have accomplished in this area as well as the Institute’s future.

Learn more about the Ginsburg Institute.

Guests:
Nancy Molello, MSB, Executive Director, Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children’s Health
Marc McMurrin, President & CEO, Ginsburg Family Foundation

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

From the time a pediatrician or parent suspects a child could be affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) until an actual diagnosis takes over two years! On today’s episode, we learn about two strategies that are currently in use to reduce that time to just weeks — or even days.

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.

In part two of our series, we dig deeper into conversations with our Black physician leaders, guided by our Black, African and Caribbean Associate Resource Group. Joining the table in today’s episode is Latonya Quann, Clinical Operations Supervisor for Nemours Children’s Health, Orlando, and Jane deHeers, Director of Operations, Therapeutic and Rehabilitation Services, Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware. Latonya asks our physicians what helped them get to where they are today and to share any advice they can give to the next generation of Black leaders. Jane concludes our five-question discussion with what our physicians envision for the future of Black leaders.

Answers revolving around these questions of Black leadership growth and sustainability include the magnification of imposter syndrome in the Black community, leaning on champions in your corner, the importance of sharing experiences across race and hierarchy, and the power of perseverance. 

Dr. Robyn Miller shares her take on the importance of DEI: “I want people to be able to show up as their authentic selves and be accepted for their authentic selves and be able to learn as their authentic selves because that's who goes in the room with patients, and patients need to see those authentic selves.” 

To hear a more detailed account of our physicians’ experiences, be sure to tune in and listen! 

• Kara Odom-Walker, MD, MPH, MSHS, Executive Vice President, Chief Population Health Officer, Nemours Children's Health
• Alfred Atanda, MD, pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Surgical Director, Nemours Children's Center for Sports Medicine
• Lonna Gordon, MD, PharmD, Division Chief of Adolescent Medicine, Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida
• Cedric Von Pritchett, MD, pediatric otolaryngologist, Co-Director of Nemours Children's Ear, Hearing and Communication Center
• Robyn R. Miller, MD, Interim Division Chief of Adolescent Medicine and Pediatric Gynecology, Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware

Featured members of the Nemours Children's Health Black, African, and Caribbean Heritage ARG:

• TeNeasha Billingsley, MSN, CPNP-AC
• Taynika Jones, BS
• Jane deHeer, PT, DPT, MBA, CLT
• Latonya Quann

Host/Producer, Carol Vassar

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.

February is Black History Month and, to celebrate, the Well Beyond Medicine podcast welcomed colleagues from the Nemours Children's Health Black, African and Caribbean Heritage Associate Resource Group (ARG). They posed questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion to Black physician leaders across the Nemours Children's enterprise, including:

• Kara Odom-Walker, MD, MPH, MSHS, Executive Vice President, Chief Population Health Officer, Nemours Children's Health
• Alfred Atanda, MD, pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Surgical Director, Nemours Children's Center for Sports Medicine
• Lonna Gordon, MD, PharmD, Division Chief of Adolescent Medicine, Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida
• Cedric Von Pritchett, MD, pediatric otolaryngologist, Co-Director of Nemours Children's Ear, Hearing and Communication Center
• Robyn R. Miller, MD, Interim Division Chief of Adolescent Medicine and Pediatric Gynecology, Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware

Featured members of the Nemours Children's Health Black, African, and Caribbean Heritage ARG:

• Danielle Davis-Evans, BSN, RN
• TeNeasha Billingsley, MSN, CPNP-AC
• Taynika Jones, BS
• Jane deHeer, PT, DPT, MBA, CLT
• Latonya Quann

Host/Producer, Carol Vassar

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.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy. According to Nemours KidsHealth.org, it affects boys more often than girls. According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, heart and respiratory muscle problems emerge in the teen years and can lead to serious complications. In terms of the heart, the issue at hand is cardiomyopathy.

Dr. Takeshi Tsuda is a pediatric cardiologist at Nemours Children’s Health who studies cardiomyopathy in boys with Duchenne. He joins this episode to talk about the unique qualities of cardiomyopathy in young teenagers with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which have not previously been well characterized.

Guest:
Takeshi Tsuda, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that makes the muscles of the bodies of those affected get weaker over time. There's no known cure, but there are treatments, and researchers continue to learn more about how to prevent and treat it.

In this episode, we discuss one specific type of genetic disorder: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and learn about a new FDA-approved gene therapy that is bringing hope to families.

Learn More 

Guests:
Omer Abdul Hamid, MD, Neuromuscular Neurologist, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida
Rulla Starr, Neuromuscular Program Coordinator, Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

When it comes to providing health services, the most precious resource of any healthcare system, hospital or provider's office is its people: those who make up the healthcare workforce. Yet the nation's expanding healthcare needs are outstripping the workforce size, creating a severe shortage of employees at all levels.

While there is no single solution to the healthcare workforce crisis, a unique partnership pairs Nemours Children's Health with the state's vocational-technical high schools to train high schoolers for healthcare careers. 

Guests:
Yvette Santiago, Director, Community Engagement, Nemours Children's Health, Delaware Valley
Margaret LaFashia, DNP, Director of Workforce Partnership Development, Nemours Children's Health, Delaware Valley
Kyle Hill, EdD, Principal, Howard High School of Technology of the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District, Wilmington, Delaware
Deanna Lee, Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware, and student, Howard High School of Technology

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

The non-profit, non-denominational St. Patrick's Center in Wilmington, Delaware, has served that community for over half a century. They provide emergency food, meals, respite for the homeless, clothing, transportation, and recreational activities for people in need on the city's east side. Our guest host, Che Parker, met up with Joe Yacyshyn, St. Patrick's Center's Board Chair, as Nemours Children’s associates were conducting a clothing drive to benefit the organization's clients. They talked about the work of the St. Patrick's Center and the strong bond between this non-profit and Nemours Children's Health.

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

SEGMENT 1: Menstruation: it's something half of the world's population experiences. Yet having the right resources - access to period products and health information about menses can prove elusive for some due to financial concerns, lack of communication and openness on the topic due to stigma, or cultural and religious considerations.

Our topic with Nemours Children's Health adolescent medicine specialist Dr. Robin Miller is period equity- and how to achieve it.

Nemours Period Pantry Amazon Wish List

SEGMENT 2: A partner profile of Duffy's Hope, serving at-risk teens in Wilmington, Delaware, by providing them with one-on-one mentoring, tutoring, financial literacy, educational and enrichment trips, etiquette training, school and home visits, inspirational guest speakers, and group discussions.

Learn more about Duffy's Hope.

Carol Vassar, producer

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.

In 2021, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, or EDF, released a study indicating that roughly 2.3 million children across the U.S. serve as primary or secondary caregivers to family members wounded, injured, or ill due to their service in the U.S. Military. They are our nation’s hidden helpers. 

To better support these children, EDF partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and the White House Joining Forces Initiative, led by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, to create the Hidden Helpers Coalition. The coalition comprises over 100 partner organizations, including government agencies, non-profits like Nemours Children’s Health, and private sector entities. 
 
To highlight coalition efforts over the last three years and announce new commitments, Nemours, the Office of United States Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), and EDF held a forum at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, entitled “Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers.”  This podcast is the first of a two-part episode featuring event highlights.

GUESTS:
R. Lawrence Moss, MD, President and CEO, Nemours Children’s Health
Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Tom Carper, U.S. Senator, D-Delaware
Silvia Lopez, Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow and military wife
Major General Michael R. Berry, Adjutant General, Delaware National Guard
Josette Manning, Cabinet Secretary, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services and Veteran wife
Steve E. Yeatman, Cabinet Secretary, Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families and Veteran
Amanda Brady, BSN, RN, MBA, CPN, CRCR, ACM-RN, Nemours Children’s Health and Military Family
Thomas Brady, Hidden Helper

Carol Vassar, producer/host

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.

SEGMENT 1:  As children with congenital heart disease (CHD) become adults with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), they continue to require specialized care and will need that care and monitoring for life. Find out why this is an important — and growing — area of specialty care.

SEGMENT 2:  It takes hours of preparation, planning and education by a multidisciplinary team before a high-risk pediatric cardiology patient can leave the walls of a hospital and head for home. Identifying risk factors and mitigating them at the point of discharge is key! Since 2019, the Supervised Family Care Program at the Nemours Children's Cardiac Center has been utilized to ensure the safe discharge of high-risk cardiac patients.

Guests:
Devyani Chowdhury, MD, MHA, Cardiologist, Medical Director, Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, Nemours Children’s Cardiac Center, Delaware

Deepika Thacker, MD, Pediatric Cardiologist, Medical Director, Cardiac Inpatient Unit, Nemours Children’s Cardiac Center, Delaware

Dana Zingo, RN, Specialty Nurse, Nemours Children’s Cardiac Center, Delaware

 
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

In the final episode of our four-part series “Hot Topics in Neonatology” we explore neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a byproduct of prenatal drug exposure — one of the fastest growing public health problems in the world.

In the U.S., the most recent data from the CDC indicate that the number of pregnant people with opioid-related diagnoses documented at delivery increased by 131% from 2010 to 2017. The implications for their babies include preterm birth, still birth, birth defects and neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS.

SEGMENT 1: We talk with Dr. Ju-Lee Oei from the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney, Australia, who provides an overview NAS — what it is, how it's diagnosed and how it's treated.

SEGMENT 2: Andre Sukta, a research and development projects manager at the United States Drug Testing Laboratories in Chicago, joins us to talk about the recent history of newborn toxicology screening.

Carol Vassar, producer/host

Explore the Full Series:
Part 1, Episode 50
The NICU View: Mom & Baby

Part 2, Episode 51
 Fluid Dynamics: What's New in Treating EPRA

Part 3, Episode 52
Fragile Beginnings: Exploring NEC in Newborns 

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.

In the third of our four-part series “Hot Topics in Neonatology” we talk with health care providers who are on the frontlines working to prevent adverse outcomes and improve the quality of care for the most vulnerable babies.

SEGMENT 1: Necrotizing enterocolitis  (NEC) is the most common and serious intestinal disease among premature babies. It’s so dire that preventing it has become the life’s work of many who treat pre-term babies, including Dr. Sheila Gephart with the University of Arizona College of Nursing in Tucson. Dr. Gephart and her team have created an NEC prevention protocol bundle that is showing promising outcomes, and she’s using a telementoring tool called Project ECHO to  “force multiply”  implementation and training around the protocol bundle to make large-scale change easier to accomplish at NICU level.

SEGMENT 2: Continued quality improvement (QI) is a high priority for every health care system at every level of care — and our nation’s NICUs are no exception. When working with the smallest of babies in the most precarious of medical situations, the principles of high reliability, the reliance upon evidenced-based protocols and practices, the ability to sustain success and to learn from failures are absolute necessities.

Neonatologist Dr. Hannah Fischer is Director of Quality Improvement and Safety for the Division of Neonatal Medicine at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky sits down with us to discuss her philosophy of NICU QI, bringing QI to NICUs across her state, and the quality measures that are critical in the first 60 minutes of the life of of a premature newborn — the so-called "Golden Hour".

Guests:
Sheila Gephart, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Interim Chair, Division of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Arizona, College of Nursing 
Hannah Fischer, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Neonatology at the University of Louisville 

Producer/Host: Carol Vassar

Full Series:
Part 1, Episode 50
The NICU View: Mom & Baby

Part 2, Episode 51
Fluid Dynamics: What's New in Treating EPRA
 
Part 4, Episode 53
Babies in Crisis: Understanding Neonatal Abstinence 

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.

We continue our four-part series “Hot Topics in Neonatology” with Part 2 that explores the latest in neonatology-related research and education with experts from across the United States.

SEGMENT 1: Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds a baby during pregnancy, and it plays a key role in the development of the fetus. According to the March of Dimes, in the early weeks of pregnancy, the amniotic fluid is mostly water that comes from mom. After about 20 weeks, the baby’s urine makes up most of the amniotic fluid. There are instances, however, when there is fetal kidney disease. That means no urine, and no amniotic fluid. That is known as Early Pregnancy Renal Anhydramnios (EPRA), which is almost universally fatal. However, there is a new trial taking place in the U.S. — the RAFT Trial — which provides amniotic fluid replacement. Here to talk about this promising new development is Dr. Jena Miller, who serves as an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy in Baltimore.

SEGMENT 2: According to the NIH, medical simulation allows the acquisition of clinical and non-clinical skills for use in a health care setting through deliberate practice. In simulation, trainees can make mistakes and learn from them without the fear of harming any patients. Dr. Rachel Umoren is a Neonatologist at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital where she is the Director of the Neonatal Education and Simulation-Based Training Program. Her research focuses on improving neonatal outcomes globally through simulation-based education, and our wide-ranging conversation includes her work using a Smart-phone-based virtual simulation app to bring training to underresourced areas here and abroad.

Guests:
Jena Miller, MD, Assistant Professor, John Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy
Rachel Umoren, MD, MS, Director, Neonatal Education and Simulation-Based Training Program, Seattle Children’s Hospital

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Full Series:
Part 1, Episode 50
The NICU View: Mom & Baby 

Part 3, Episode 52
Fragile Beginnings: Exploring NEC in Newborns

Part 4, Episode 53
Babies in Crisis: Understanding Neonatal Abstinence 

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.

We begin our four-part series “Hot Topics in Neonatology” with the story of author and preemie family advocate Deborah Discenza. Deb was 30 weeks pregnant when she gave birth to her daughter, Becky.  In this episode she shares their NICU story of persistence, resilience, and how she is paying it forward by helping and supporting other pregnant people and their pre-term babies.

Find resources and more info at PreemieWorld Foundation.

Guest: Deb Discenza, Founder & Executive Director, PreemieWorld Foundation Inc.

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Full Series:
Part 2, Episode 51
Fluid Dynamics: What's New in Treating EPRA

Part 3, Episode 52
Fragile Beginnings: Exploring NEC in Newborns

Part 4, Episode 53
Babies in Crisis: Understanding Neonatal Abstinence 

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.

New research indicates that injecting neuroblastoma tumors with Zika virus can shrink or eliminate those tumors in mice, suggesting that the virus could someday serve as an effective cancer therapy. This is newly published in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Research Communications, from the American Association for Cancer Research.

On this week's episode, we hear from the study's lead, Dr. Tamarah Westmoreland, and first author, Dr. Joseph Mazar, both with Nemours Children’s Health, about this incredibly exciting research.

For more information, read the recent press release about the study.

EXCITING UPDATE - AUG. 20, 2024: Nemours Children's received its largest donation to a single research project thanks to the Pass It On to Kids Foundation. Its $7 million donation will advance the groundbreaking research harnessing the Zika virus to target and eradicate neuroblastoma and ovarian cancers.

Guests:
Tamarah J. Westmoreland, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida
Joseph Mazar, PhD, Research Scientist, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida

Carol Vassar, host/producer
 

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.

SEGMENT 1:  Culinary medicine is an evidence-based medical practice that affirms the saying "You are what you eat." One part food, one part cooking, and one part medical science, culinary medicine aims to help folks make the right decisions about food to help prevent and treat disease. Pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Maria Mascarenhas with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia counts among her many specialties culinary medicine. On this episode, we talk about her passion for this relatively unknown but vitally important sliver of health care.

SEGMENT 2: Whenever a child leaves the hospital setting for home, it's a cause for celebration. But it's also the moment when the role of hospital-based child life providers — the specialists who help children cope with their medical experience — often ends. For children whose medical conditions continue to require treatment, even at home, their psychosocial needs don't end, and one Texas-based organization, Child Life On Call, is using technology to bring important child life services to kids outside the hospital setting, no matter where in the world they may live.

Carol Vassar, producer

Guests:
Maria Mascarenhas, MBBS, pediatric gastroenterologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Katie Taylor, CCLS, CEO & Founder, Child Life on Call

Jamie Gentille, MPH, CCLS, Advisory Board Member, Child Life on Call

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.

SEGMENT 1: We're exploring the world of pediatric anesthesiology and the pressures and stresses of being an anesthesiologist with Dr. Destiny Chau, Dr. Meera Gangadharan, and Dr. Meenakshi Atteri.

SEGMENT 2: It's a trip to Philadelphia Marathon Weekend to learn more about the mentorship work of Students Run Philly Style with its Executive Director Lauren Kobylarz .

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Guests:
Meera Gangadharan, MD, FAAP, FASA, Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston
Destiny Chau, MD, Pediatric Anesthesiologist, and Professor, Division of Pediatric Cardiovascular Anesthesia, University of Arkansas Medical System
Meenakshi Atteri, MD, Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Arkansas Children's Hospital
Lauren Kobylarz, Executive Director, Students Run Philly Style

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.

It's a pediatric health care innovation episode of Well Beyond Medicine covering two new tools applicable to improving the health and health care experience of the smallest of babies.

SEGMENT 1: It was a casual exchange between two colleagues that proved to be the point of conception for an infant positioning cradle, dubbed SmolTap, a simple medical device designed to safely, comfortably and easily hold an infant who is undergoing a spinal tap.

SEGMENT 2:  We'll talk about the smart baby bottle that is helping feed and measure outcomes for premature babies still in the NICU, where feeding issues are not uncommon.

Guests:
Robert "Bob" Cooper, CEO, SmolTap
Tom Hickey, Communications Advisor to SmolTap
Tommy Cunningham, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, nfant®

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

You've probably heard the news: an FDA-approved treatment for sickle cell disease applying the gene-editing tool CRISPR is now available in the U.S. It's a landmark moment in medical science on two fronts: the treatment - called Casgevey - is the first FDA-approved regimen to utilize CRISPR technology to treat any genetic disease. And it's a huge leap forward in the treatment of sickle cell, a genetic disease affecting about 100,000 people in the U.S. - mostly African Americans.

Today, we'll delve into what this means for patients, learn more about the process they must undergo to receive a genetic sickle cell treatment, the little-known side effect of that process that affects their fertility - and how their fertility can be preserved.

Guests:
Manisha Bansal, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Vrunda Patel, MD, Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware
Danielle Morley, BSN, RN, CPHON, Program Manager, Andrew McDonough B+ Fertility Preservation Program
Fredrianna Copeland Webster, advocate and sickle cell disease patient, Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville

Carol Vassar, host/producer

For more information on sickle cell disease and to hear more of Fredianna's story, be sure to check out Episode 34 of the Well Beyond Medicine podcast.

Click here to see Fredriana's billboard for Florida State College at Jacksonville. 

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.

George Gershwin says summer is when "the livin’ is easy." But there is something to be said for summer as an opportunity to maintain the learning, safety, and health of our nation’s children when they’re out of school. We dig into the importance of high-quality summer learning to our nation’s children in all its aspects: health, nutrition, safety, equity, workforce impact, and education.

Guests:
Aaron Dworkin, CEO, National Summer Learning Association
Rachel Thornton, MD, PhD, FAAP, Vice President, Chief Health Equity Officer, Nemours Children's Health
Nancy Molello, Executive Director, Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children's Health
Ashley Bernal, Patient Care Technician, Nemours Children's Health

Learn more about NSLA here.
Learn more about quality summer learning programs here.

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

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.

SEGMENT 1:  Orange County, California is home to nearly 3.2 million people. Its 42 miles of beachfront and major attractions such as Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Mission San Juan Capistrano, make it a major West Coast tourist destination. Orange County is also home to the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), where Dr. Sandip Godambe is the Chief Medical Officer. In a wide-ranging discussion, we talk with Dr. Godambe about the ways in which CHOC's approach is similar to Nemours Children's Health in going well beyond medicine. 

SEGMENT 2: Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States, putting children and adolescents at risk for poor health. The prevalence of obesity for children and adolescents aged 2-19 pre-pandemic was 19.7%, affecting about 14.7 million kids. We'll dive into this issue with Nemours Children's Health Dr. Kirk Reichard — a leading national expert on childhood obesity and its treatments.

Guests: 
Sandip Godambe, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Children’s Hospital of Orange County

Kirk W. Reichard, MD, Clinical Director, Division of General Surgery, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware 

Carol Vassar, producer/host

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.

SEGMENT 1: The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in 2022, one in every five children in the United States was unsure where, when, or even if they would get their next meal. Childhood food insecurity significantly impacts physical, social, cognitive, and behavioral development.

Blessings in a Backpack has become a national leader and model for fighting food insecurity in kids and working to put them on the path to a healthy start by providing hungry children with backpacks filled with nutritious food items - enough to last from when a child leaves school on Friday until they return the following Monday.

SEGMENT 2: Nemours Children's Health Assistant Vice President and Chief Patient Experience Officer Dr. Peggy Greco outlines what she sees as the three most important influences on a child's mental and emotional health.

Guests:
Beth Bush, Director of Athletic & Strategic Partnerships, Blessings in a Backpack
Peggy Parish, Community Engagement Director, Nemours Children's Health, Florida
Peggy Greco, PhD, Assistant Vice President, Chief Patient Experience Officer, Nemours Children’s Health

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

Healthcare has always been a hotbed of innovation, though it seems today to be moving forward at light speed, with a wide range of advancements to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, safety, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services at the bedside and behind the scenes.

We're talking healthcare innovation today with two national experts whom we met up with at HLTH 2023, including Nemours Children’s Chief Innovation Officer Eric Jackson, MD, MBA, and nurse futurist Bonnie Clipper, DNP. 

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Guests:
Bonnie Clipper, DNP, MA, MBA, RN, CENP, FACHE, FAAN, Founder & CEO, Innovation Advantage
Eric V. Jackson Jr., MD, MBA, Chief Innovation Officer, Nemours Children's Health

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.