May 8th, 2022
Podcast 290: USPSTF’s new take on aspirin and primary prevention of CVD
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently issued its sixth set of guidelines on using daily aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease. The guidelines appeared in JAMA — whose editors asked our guest, Dr. Allan Brett, to write an editorial evaluation. This edition carries Brett’s advice on using the new guidelines in daily clinical practice. Brett’s JAMA editorial USPSTF […]
February 13th, 2020
Podcast 252: We revisit our chat about chatting about guns
Back in November, Ali Raja and Joe Elia talked with Garen Wintemute about his Health Affairs paper regarding addressing the topic of guns with patients. Having encountered another of those weeks in which interviewees were either on vacation (richly deserved, we’re certain) or too busy to respond to Joe’s requests (get some sleep!), we’re going to […]
January 16th, 2020
Podcast 248: “Hotspotting” didn’t work in its home town — why?
The process of identifying super-users of healthcare and reducing the frequency of their hospitalizations — so-called “hotspotting” — was subjected to a randomized, controlled trial in Camden, NJ, the birthplace of the idea. It failed there. Those in the intervention group had a readmission rate within 6 months that was statistically identical to those getting usual care. […]
November 7th, 2019
Podcast 241: Talking about guns with patients
Running time: 18 minutes In California, Garen Wintemute and his group find evidence that people are willing to discuss gun safety with their clinicians, especially when there may be danger of harm present. That willingness extends across gun owners and non-owners. So why aren’t more clinicians doing it? The findings appear in Health Affairs. Links to the article […]
June 11th, 2019
Podcast 226: What we need to talk about when we talk about health
Length: 18 minutes Sandro Galea, dean of Boston University’s School of Public Health, has written a new book. It’s called “Well: What we need to talk about when we talk about health,” and it’s the centerpiece of our discussion. Dr. Galea, who trained as an emergency physician, believes that health is a public good and thus worthy […]
August 14th, 2018
Podcast 223: What are the implications of the BP guidelines?
If adopted, last December’s ACC/AHA guidelines on what pressure levels signal hypertension would label almost two thirds of the U.S. population between ages 45 and 75 as having the condition. The number of people who would be candidates for treatment would almost double — from 8 million to about 15 million. What are the implications of […]