Baptist Health’s Post

Just last weekend, a clinician friend of mine from the mid-West texted me to get advice for consultation to an expert in the Philadelphia region on traumatic brain injury, sadly for a family friend. Having worked at both Penn and Jefferson, I provided names and contact details of national leaders with expertise in the clinical area, within seconds. This kind of call comes in to me at least weekly, and sometimes more often. As many physicians know, the request from family, friends and colleagues to recommend an expert, be it for GI surgery, stroke care, or a spine procedure, is likely the most powerful connection to decide upon where and who to go to, for clinical care. It is ‘phone a friend’ at its most impactful. Ultimately, we know that all clinical outcomes are not at the highest levels of quality across the US. There is variation, not just based upon patient and disease factors, but on clinician, team and setting too. This is supported by extensive published data from the past three decades to demonstrate differences based upon procedural volume, past expertise, focused versus broad practices, and uptake of new technologies. So… why do only those folks who can call a well connected, renowned and knowledgeable clinician, get access to this information… at an often crucial moment in their lives, where time is often of the essence? Why do we not have this information available to the general public, in the days of big data, advanced analytics, and technology platforms, at everyone’s finger tips. Is this an issue of protectionism, self-regulation, or simply that it is a work in progress. We can and should do better for our communities, to impact health th inequities. Back to the patient… the injuries were sadly too severe to survive, and our thoughts are with the family. On the positive, the patient was able to donate a total of eight organs for transplant, impacting so many more lives. Thank you.

Congratulations to Brice Kessler, MD, Functional Neurosurgeon and Nancy Diaz-Pechar, MD, Movement Disorders Neurologist, for the first, new patient implant of Percept RC at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, PA. Percept™ RC is the thinnest dual channel neurostimulator available for DBS. It is equipped with BrainSense™ technology that captures and records brain signals to provide insights that enable a healthcare provider to adapt and personalize therapy to a patient's evolving needs. Unlike other rechargeable devices, the Percept™ RC battery offers at least 15 years of service life with consistent and fast recharge performance (from 10% to 90% full) in less than an hour. The Percept family of IPG models offers 3T and 1.5T full-body scans. Small, Smart, Adaptive.

New #DontMissABeat! Taher Modarressi, MD, sits down with hosts Muthu Vaduganathan, MD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Steve Greene, MD, of Duke Clinical Research Institute, to share tips and practical nuggets of wisdom for cardiometabolic health specialists to optimize prescription and adherence to newer therapies. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/eSk-JtCt #HeartFailure #Cardiology #Obesity

Are you up to date on the latest strategies managing anticoagulated patients with #ICH? Join our upcoming live event where a panel of esteemed experts will share the latest care methods and evidence-based practices for anticoagulated patients with ICH. This comprehensive session will cover everything from the newest clinical trial outcomes to implementing ESO guidelines effectively. Don't miss these exclusive insights. Reserve your spot now: https://ow.ly/1z6A50RAzgX #LiveEvent #Anticoagulation #Neurology #EmergencyMedicine #Cardiology #Radiology #Hospitals

Boosting your online reputation aside, could your healthcare staff use a morale boost? After chatting with a practice administrator last week, something she said stood out to me. "Our physicians could really use some positive feedback." She proceeded to tell me how burnt out some of their physicians were as well as the support staff. One of the things she thought would be most valuable for her team with implementing rater8 was to see all the positive experiences that patients were having at their practice. Although she tried hard to give her staff positive feedback herself, seeing is believing and she couldn't wait to share all the positive patient reviews with her staff! If you want to shower your staff with positive feedback and boost their morale, DM me and let's find a time to chat! #moraleboost #positivevibes #rater8

With 50% of cavernoma patients having epilepsy, we’re pleased to announce a new treatment called Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT). 🙌👏 LITT is available at King’s College Hospital and The Walton Centre for patients with Cavernoma Related Epilepsy (CRE) that is resistant to medication. LITT works by inserting a fiber optic laser into the skull to heat and coagulate the epilepsy-causing brain tissue at 50–90°C (122-194°F). Clinicians navigate through the brain using an MRI scanner to avoid nearby structures that need to be protected. If you have intractable CRE and would like to be considered for this treatment, speak to your neurologist or neurosurgeon. If they think you might be eligible and after discussing the risks you feel comfortable to proceed, then your clinician can refer you. Self-referral is not possible. For more information about LITT use the following link: 👇 https://lnkd.in/eKmp9F93 #litt #laserinterstitialthermaltherapy #cavernomarelatedepilepsy #intractableepilepsy

Commitment to content. After publishing 3 episodes on knee health, ACL tears, and emerging non-surgical options for full ACL repair: my co-host, sister and leading PT went out and tore her ACL. She has opted to go non-surgical and is documenting her progress on the 'Gram. Commitment to content. Our episodes: 1. What is the emerging "cross-brace" protocol for non-surgical ACL repair? 2. Over all knee health and the outdated practices from institutional providers. Something that affects all populations: weekend warriors, elite pros, and youth (especially adolescent females) 3. Global leader - out of Australia - in publishing research on the outcomes/trials of non-surgical vs. surgical repair in ACL tears, Dr. Stephanie Filbay. The consumer market is wising up. Asking for more options that don't automatically include going under the knife and being prescribed pain numbering drugs from big pharma. We discuss the OPTIONS consumers now have... in which, surgery is still very much on the table. Check them all out and subscribe to our channel below in comments.

https://lnkd.in/ezFBZXEc -Carl Regillo CD, Nijm LM, Diana Shechtman OD FAAO DL, Kaiser PK, Paul Karpecki PM, Ryan EH, Ip MS, Yeu E, Kim T, Mohammad Rafieetary , OD, FAAO, FORS, Dipl ABO, ABCMO MR, Donnenfeld Eric D MD ED. Considerations for the Identification and Management of Geographic Atrophy: Recommendations from an Expert Panel. Clin Ophthalmol. 2024 Feb 2;18:325-335. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S445755. PMID: 38332904; PMCID: PMC10850989. I hope you find this article useful and practical when managing patients suffering from geographic atrophy #GA #AMD #Optometry #Ophthalmology #prevent_blindness

💡 What does the current treatment landscape for lower back pain look like and what are the challenges? Is there a cure for chronic back pain on the horizon? Last week, lower back pain patients, researchers, and medical professionals came together and discussed these matters in light of the iPSpine project.   🌟 iPSpine researchers shared insights from a scientific perspective working on the iPSpine project, and many patients shared their personal experiences suffering from lower back pain. Prof. Marianna Tryfonidou: “Their stories fuel our motivation to further pursuing the first-in-class iPSpine therapy.”   Read all about the patient symposium on our website: ➡ https://lnkd.in/et_u2-E5 #iPSpine #lowerbackpain

Wish my dad was around to have used this technology ❤️ 🚀 Incredible Innovation in Stroke Recovery: Exoskeletons Helping Patients Walk Again! 🚀 At Tampa General Hospital, a groundbreaking robot-like device is making waves in patient rehabilitation. This advanced technology is helping stabilize patients, enabling them to walk again after strokes, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological conditions. 💡 Key Highlights: Ekso Bionics Exoskeleton: Customized to each patient’s needs, this innovative device adjusts for speed, step length, and height, facilitating faster recovery. Enhanced Rehabilitation: Patients like Patrick McCreery, who lost function on his right side due to a stroke in April, are making remarkable progress. Patrick has affectionately been nicknamed “RoboPop” by his grandchildren! Therapy Benefits: Rehabilitation experts at Tampa General Hospital report patients taking up to 1,000 steps per session with the exoskeleton, significantly more than traditional methods which average 40-50 steps. 🗣️ In Their Words: “You take for granted the ability to walk until you no longer have the ability,” McCreery said. “So it feels really good.” Dr. Rigoberto Nunez, Vice Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, emphasizes the impact: “We’re able to get patients up sooner, overcoming the significant weakness after a stroke.” The Ekso Bionics exoskeleton is a beacon of hope, accelerating recovery and transforming lives. It's truly inspiring to see how technology can restore independence and mobility. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gjScT8vr #HealthcareInnovation #StrokeRecovery #Rehabilitation #MedicalTechnology #TampaGeneralHospital