Getting Health Care Right

Never miss an episode of Getting Health Care Right. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Improving behavioral health in the Cincinnati community is not a task to be undertaken lightly, according to Jill Miller, president and CEO of Bethesda Inc. and bi3, in the latest episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.“This is not an issue we can solve in a year or three years. This is going to take decades-long commitment and work,” says Miller. Miller discusses barriers to and access of behavioral health care with Dr. Dallas Auvil, TriHealth’s chief of behavioral health services, and Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to learn more about: Concerns around lack of funding and reimbursement for behavioral health services. (3:45Whether Auvil sees improvement from pandemic-related mental health stressors. (5:50)Strategies for helping children with behavioral and mental health issues. (6:55)TriHealth’s programs to help patients find the services they need. (12:06)Learn more about TriHealth’s behavioral health services. 

Never miss an episode of Getting Health Care Right. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.TriHealth patient Drew Abbott felt his blood pressure rising when he was closing a high-stress business deal. When he put on the blood pressure cuff at home that evening, he knew he had a serious issue: his blood pressure measured over 200. “My PCP made some changes to my medication, but this did not seem to fix the problem,” Abbott says in the latest episode of Getting Health Care Right podcast. Abbott continued to experience blood pressure fluctuations and undesirable side effects from the medication, including syncope (fainting). “I could tell it was coming, but I couldn’t prevent it, and I just passed out,” Abbott says. An eventual referral to Dr. Stephen Lewis, a TriHealth interventional cardiologist and specialist in difficult blood pressure issues, helped Abbott finally get his hypertension numbers under control. “I became concerned about hypertension pretty early in my career, as I witnessed a lot of patients suffering from very difficult-to-control hypertension,” says Lewis. “This resulted in further interest in finding out more root causes.” Listen to this special Heart Month episode of Getting Health Care right to hear more about: Abbott’s biggest challenges when it came to treating his high blood pressure. A dramatic incident in the Good Samaritan Hospital dining room.Incidence of high blood pressure in U.S. adults — and its potential consequences.TriHealth’s new hypertension clinic. Dr. Lewis’ advice for people concerned about their heart health. TriHealth’s Heart and Vascular Institute focuses on personalized care. Learn more. 

 Never miss an episode of Getting Health Care Right. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Pulmonary embolism kills more patients than HIV, breast cancer and motor vehicle accidents combined, according TriHealth’s Dr. Chris Hayner, a specialist in critical care and pulmonology,  in the latest episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.  “It’s a fairly prominent problem, and for probably 40 years, we really only had two forms of treatment — either to give patients blood thinners or to occasionally use clot busters,” Hayner says. “But within the last 10 years, there’s been a real development of alternative methods and treatment options.”  Hayner talks with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, and Dr. Douglas Adams, cardiothoracic surgeon with TriHealth, about major advancements in medical treatments and approaches for pulmonary emboli, lung cancer and other conditions.  Listen to the episode to hear more about: ·      Results seen by patients who work with TriHealth’s pulmonary embolism response team. ·      Using low-dose CT scans to detect early-stage lung cancer.·      What Hayner and Adams see as the benefits of folding AI technology into their health care practice. ·      Managing health care AI to maximize patient benefit and minimize misuse. ·      Lessons learned from the implementation of electronic medical records in health care practice. ·      Integrating AI in TriHealth’s population health model.  A healthy life begins with truly human care. Learn more at TriHealth.com. 

Never miss an episode of Getting Health Care Right. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. The uptick in celebrations around the holiday season can also mean an uptick in stressors for many — and a resulting uptick in employee assistance program (EAP) use, according to Diane Pipes, LISW-S, manager of well-being services for TriHealth, on this episode of Getting Health Care Right.  Pipes says it’s a good idea to help employees pre-plan for high-stress incidents. “How can I plan for the holiday function where I don’t want to see a particular family member?” she asks. “How can I plan for those occasions where there’s lots of alcohol and food, and I don’t want to overconsume?”  Listen as Pipes discusses the history and value of EAPs with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, and learn more about: ·      Advice for employees who may be hesitant about using an EAP. ·      Resources beyond EAPs for employees whose workplace doesn’t offer them. ·      ROI estimates for employers considering an EAP as part of benefit offerings. ·      Reductions in stigma around mental health services today. ·      The role of behavioral health in TriHealth’s population health initiative.  TriHealth Corporate Health has helped companies across the region lower costs and improve their workforce health. Learn more. 

Never miss an episode of Getting Health Care Right. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Humans are hardwired to want to belong to groups. Many organizations have widened their inclusivity efforts to prioritize a sense of belonging for employees at every level. At TriHealth, this work may be using a newer name (“belonging”), but it is tied to the health system’s value system and has been part of its leaders’ commitment to the community since the mid-1990s, according to Mark Clement, president and CEO of TriHealth, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “(Belonging) is the product of fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization,” Clement says. “That product is where our team members, our providers and ultimately the patients we serve, feel a sense of belonging and feel welcome in our organization.” Dr. Thomas Shockley, who joins Clement and Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith on the episode, adds to the conversation by sharing more about his role as TriHealth’s chief health equity officer and his goals with the soon-to-launch Health Equity Center. “One of the things that I and the Health Equity Center will do will be pulling leaders together, pulling team members together, bringing people out of silos to live that mission for all the people we serve,” Shockley says. Listen to the episode to hear more about: Helping patients understand health equity. Specific challenges that come with addressing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the health care space. Differences in life expectancy data from one ZIP code to another. Ways health equity fits into the population health model. Learn more about TriHealth’s mission to serve the larger community by mirroring the rich diversity of Greater Cincinnati in its leadership, employed physician population and supplier relationships. 

Never miss an episode of Getting Health Care Right. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.On-site health care services can offer many benefits to Cincinnati-area employers, including convenience, cost savings and enhanced employee benefit offerings. “It’s a win-win for an employee to be able to seek care in real time during work hours in a convenient location,” says Dr. Malia Harper, medical director for TriHealth, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. That sentiment is shared by Mark Brown, vice president of human resources at one of the oldest employers in the city of Cincinnati — Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. “Providing great (health care) options and benefits that are both cost-effective and convenient for your employees is a great way to broadcast for potential future hires,” Brown says.  Listen to Harper and Brown’s conversation with host Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to hear more about: ·      Who staffs TriHealth’s on-site clinics and the kinds of services they provide.·      Spring Grove’s decision to open an on-site clinic for employees and the factors that went into that decision. ·      Employees’ response to the clinic program. ·      More ways the on-site clinic benefits employers — as well as employees — and how the model fits into a larger goal of population health.   Leverage a multidisciplinary team of experts and help your organization change for the better with TriHealth Corporate Health. 

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Cooler temperatures mean the respiratory virus season is not far behind. But the incidence of COVID-19  may not be as dramatic as years past, according to Dr. Stephen Blatt, TriHealth medical director for infectious diseases, on the first episode in Getting Health Care Right’s second season.  “We’re evolving into an endemic period so that over 95% of the people in the country are at least partially immune to COVID now either through vaccination or having had the disease once or twice,” Blatt says.  Blatt warns host listeners that COVID is still a serious illness, however.  Listen to his conversation with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to learn more about: ·      The CDC’s predictions for 2023’s flu season. ·      Who is most at risk for severe illness. ·      Flu vaccine protections and effectiveness. ·      Risks and advantages of the latest COVID vaccine. ·      Dangers of RSV infection and how to prevent it.  TriHealth’s Infectious Disease group provides a full array of treatment and consultation to Greater Cincinnati. Learn more. 

Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has partnered with TriHealth for decades, but last year, the organizations came together as part of a “conversation that was a long time coming,” according to Andy Blankemeyer, CEO at Beacon, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. “We are now co-invested in surgery centers across Cincinnati. Our existing surgery centers as well as TriHealth’s existing Evendale Hospital are now all part of a joint venture, and we have combined our physician groups as well,” says Blankemeyer. “The partnership brings together two unique organizations: (Beacon), the regional leader in orthopedic care, and TriHealth, the region’s largest integrated delivery system,” says Mark Clement, president and CEO of TriHealth. “We recognized the commonality of our visions half a decade ago and went to work on figuring out how we could come together to deliver a higher level of orthopedic care across the full continuum, not just in the ambulatory setting.” Blankemeyer and Clement share more about the landmark deal with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to the episode to hear more about: Why an integrated approach to patient care is better than the “push-pull” of independent groups and hospital systems. Ways outpatient orthopedic care can keep health costs down and save employers money.Other partnerships that support TriHealth’s goal of optimizing population health. Reactions among area health care payers to the Beacon-TriHealth partnership announcement. Patients now have broader access to superior orthopedic care. Learn more. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Getting Health Care Right on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

A heart failure diagnosis can be frightening for many patients. But TriHealth’s Advanced Heart Failure program is in the business of offering hope for that diagnosis, according to Dr. Sateesh Kesari, advanced heart failure transplant cardiologist with TriHealth, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.“The reality is, there’s a 50%, five-year mortality associated with that (diagnosis), similar to what we see with cancer,” says Kesari. “But there are a lot of great therapies that can help you live many, many years and feel a lot better.”TriHealth patient Brian Smith can attest to that, as he shares in this episode. He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy several years ago and has come a long way in his treatment journey.Listen to the episode to hear about:Programs that have been successful in helping TriHealth patients recover their heart function.Risk factors that can lead to cardiomyopathy.How a multidisciplinary TriHealth team helps heart patients develop a care plan.The hard choice Smith had to make to prolong his life — and what his prognosis looks like now.Lifestyle modifications and medications that benefit heart failure patients alongside medical therapies.How people can tell whether they’re at risk for potential cardiac issues.TriHealth’s Advanced Heart Failure program, located in the Harold and Eugenia Thomas Comprehensive Care Center on the campus of Bethesda North Hospital, is a recognized a leader in quality and outcomes. Learn more.Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Getting Health Care Right on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

When Ohio House Bill 371 passed last year, insurance companies had to start paying for additional screenings beyond the traditional mammogram for patients with a higher risk of breast cancer. TriHealth patient Jenny Dermody called the additional imaging coverage “a huge blessing” in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. She took advantage and got a 3D mammogram after her regular one last fall — and the team found lobular carcinoma. Dermody shares her story in this episode alongside Dr. Kathleen Raque, a surgical oncologist with TriHealth. Listen to their conversation with Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to hear more about: •Why patients with dense breast tissue may need additional imaging in their annual cancer screenings.•Dermody’s treatment plan and takeaways from her cancer journey.•The percentage of cancers Raque diagnoses that are “more aggressive.”•TriHealth’s mobile mammography unit. Schedule the TriHealth Mobile Mammography Van at your business or event. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Getting Health Care Right on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

In the U.S., chronic pain is the most common symptom leading patients to their physicians, according to Dr. Sara Nashi, a TriHealth physician who specializes in pain management, in this podcast episode of Getting Health Care Right. “Actually, 25% of the population will have back pain in a given year, and up to 80% of the population will have low back pain during their lifetime,” Nashi says. In the episode, Nashi’s patient, Brenda White, shares her challenges with back pain in recent years and how she was able to overcome those challenges with Nashi’s help — and with a new therapy called a basivertebral nerve ablation. Listen to their discussion with Jamie Smith, publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to learn about: Various treatments White tested to address her pain. When a patient is a candidate for basivertebral nerve ablation — and how it differs from other pain treatment procedures.White’s life now that she is living without pain and without opioid medication. Advice for people who are suffering from back issues. Learn more about pain management at TriHealth. 

There’s a connection between issues like race and ethnicity and how well chronic conditions are managed, according to Terri Hanlon-Bremer, COO of TriHealth, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. “When you look at typical chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and COPD, where people of color are not having the same outcomes as Caucasian (patients), we can actually pinpoint where we have those variances in our own organization,” Hanlon-Bremer says. “What that allows us to do is work directly with that provider and team member so we can understand (whether) there is an education issue going on. Is there an access issue going on? Is there something else we need to adjust?”  Hanlon-Bremer talks candidly with Tashawna Otabil, chief diversity officer with TriHealth, about the hospital system’s goal of ensuring a sense of belonging among team members, patients and physicians. Their conversation is hosted by Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to hear about: ·      How TriHealth works to do its part as a community leader in equity and inclusivity. ·      Why health care organizations should be concerned about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. ·      Recruitment for diverse candidates, especially among leadership roles. ·      The intention behind TriHealth’s BOLD program and the success of its inaugural graduates. ·      Ways TriHealth promotes healthier behaviors in the community, including partnering with Local 12 News and area churches to offer education and screenings. ·      How TriHealth leaders are “checking their bias” to ask whether things should be done differently in their policies and procedures.  Learn more about diversity and inclusion at TriHealth. 

As the fitness supervisor at TriHealth's Fitness and Health Pavilion, Amy Hilderbran knows not everyone looks forward to exercise — but she says she hasn't met someone yet who claims they don't feel better after working out. “You might be a little bit sore. But emotionally and mentally, you feel better. The endorphins are firing, you’re able to move more fluidly. And that’s why we keep doing it. That’s why people keep coming back,” she says in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. Hilderbran and host Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, dive deep into the topics of health, fitness and population health. Listen to the episode to learn more about: Hilderbran’s varied fitness career journey and formidable credentials. Two ways the Pavilion works with patients and community members to achieve their health and fitness goals. Why homeostasis is the body’s “happy place.” Improved blood pressure, improved circulation and the many vital benefits of regular exercise. How to start exercising when it feels too daunting — and how to develop a fitness regimen that will motivate you to stick to it. Why Hilderbran recommends focusing on how you feel and ignoring comparisons. Learn more about the TriHealth Fitness and Health Pavilion. 

A diabetes diagnosis puts a patient at a critical juncture in their lives. It simply cannot be ignored. In the short term, uncontrolled diabetes can negatively impact mood, energy level and sleep quality, according to Dawn LaRochelle, certified diabetes care and education specialist and registered dietitian at TriHealth, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. Longer term, the effects can be even worse, she says: uncontrolled diabetes can increase risk of heart disease, kidney disease, vision problems and overall quality of life. “I had all of that,” says Rolanda Furr, a Cincinnati resident and TriHealth patient, in response to LaRochelle’s list of negative health effects from uncontrolled diabetes. “I did not sleep well. I would wake up exhausted. I literally would not be able to walk from my bedroom, to the living room, to the kitchen.” In this podcast episode, LaRochelle and Furr talk about diabetes management and prevention with Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to the episode to learn more about: ·      Furr’s diabetes diagnosis and journey to improve her overall well-being. ·      Ways LaRochelle works with patients like Furr to develop individualized diabetes management plans. ·      The age at which patients should seek out screenings for diabetes. ·      Furr’s advice to someone who has been newly diagnosed with pre-diabetes. ·      Goals of diabetes education in a population health model.  Learn more at TriHealth.com. 

In December, TriHealth announced an affiliation with the top-ranked Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute with the goal of building on its regionally leading heart and vascular program and delivering the highest quality of care possible to patients. “TriHealth will continue to see its own patients, but we’ll be collaborating on optimizing patient care,” says Dr. Suma Thomas, vice chairman of strategic operations with the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.In this podcast, Thomas outlines the advantages of the affiliate program along with Dr. Kathryn O’Keefe, a cardiac surgeon at TriHealth, and Mark Witte, vice president of clinical service lines at TriHealth. Cincinnati Business Courier President and Publisher Jamie Smith hosts the conversation. Listen to learn more about: ·      Concrete ways the affiliation will benefit TriHeath patients and physicians.·      Why TriHealth chose to make the investment into the cardiovascular program now. ·      Elements of the relationship with the Cleveland Clinic that tie into TriHealth’s population health strategy. ·      Opportunities for Cincinnati patients to access high-level, complex procedures or second opinions from Cleveland Clinic providers. ·      Long-term implications of the affiliation.  Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Major insurers are increasingly tying health care reimbursement to patient outcomes, provider performance and overall patient satisfaction — an approach to financing that is foundational to population health.  “The beauty of population health is, you get paid for achieving health outcomes, so (patients) get good value for the care received, and everybody benefits,” says TriHealth’s COO Terri Hanlon-Bremer in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.  In this podcast, Hanlon-Bremer and Dr. Helen Koselka, TriHealth’s chief medical officer, break down population health financing for Cincinnati Business Courier President and Publisher Jamie Smith. Listen to learn more about: ·      How TriHealth’s managed care contracts are organized and developed.·      Physicians’ perception of this method of compensation and care delivery.·      How many of TriHealth’s patients are in a value-based contract arrangement.·      Innovative payer relationships that help providers “get off the fee-for-service hamster wheel.”·      Areas of the population health model that can give some physicians pause — and what Koselka and Hanlon-Bremer say is the key to strengthening leadership understanding.  Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Living independently can be challenging for individuals who have suffered a neurological injury, disease or disorder. Cincinnati-based InReturn has set a mission to enrich the lives of these individuals through job and learning opportunities. One particularly successful program stems from InReturn’s partnership with TriHealth Corporate Health and focuses on wellness education — the kind which goes beyond a recommendation to eat your vegetables. “Now there’s a focus on the whole person, including emotional and mental well-being,” says Kelsey Schaible, executive director of InReturn, on this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “These classes teach how and why. Why are these things important? And how to incorporate them into their lives.” On this podcast, Schaible shares more about InReturn’s programming and the value of its collaboration with TriHealth on wellness efforts with Jamie Smith, president and publisher of Cincinnati Business Courier, and Brad Clark, account executive for TriHealth Corporate Health. Listen to learn more about: Why wellness education is an important part of InReturn’s life skill training. How TriHealth Corporate Health supports InReturn and many other area employers. The most rewarding aspect of the collaboration on wellness efforts. What Schaible has seen in regard to outcomes from the program. InReturn’s beginnings and why Cincinnati sometimes feels like a small town. Ways listeners can get involved with InReturn’s mission. Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Business leaders know all too well the challenge of finding time to take care of themselves and stay healthy. When your day is scheduled down to the last minute and you’re juggling work meetings, travel and family responsibilities, it’s hard to focus on your personal well-being. That’s where executive health programs can be an advantage.  “The way our program is structured is all in one day,” says Dr. Malia Harper, an internist and medical director at TriHealth, on the health care system’s executive health screening program. “It’s all on site and provided within a couple of hours.”  It was this screening program that revealed quite a surprise to Brian Lawlor, president of local media at Scripps, a couple of years ago. In this episode of Getting Health Care Right, Cincinnati Business Courier President and Publisher Jamie Smith speaks with Lawlor and Harper about those unexpected results — and why executive health matters.  Listen to the episode to learn: ·      What Harper saw on Lawlor’s chest X-ray that gave her pause.·      The trajectory of Lawlor’s follow-up steps and treatments — and how he is impacted today from his diagnosis.·      The advantages of screening and annual physicals when it comes to executive health.  Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Don Maccarone had four negative baseline scans for lung cancer — and then came the fifth scan, which showed a suspicious mass.  “Lung cancer has a horrible reputation, justifiably so,” says Dr. Douglas Adams, a cardiothoracic surgeon with TriHealth and one of Maccarone’s physicians, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “But in this circumstance, it’s been detected at a point where there are a number of successful therapeutic options.”  Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith speaks with both Maccarone and Adams about the importance of early detection and diagnosis. Listen to learn more about: ·      Advanced technologies that can shorten the timeline from cancer detection through treatment. ·      The historical paradigm of lung cancer detection and treatment — and how Maccarone’s experience could have been very different years ago. ·      Cancer screening data and insurance considerations.·      How the population health approach to medicine helps Adams do his job as a surgeon better.  Learn more at TriHealth.com.

When it comes to population health initiatives, nurses and other non-physician frontline caregivers are helping lead the way. It’s these team members who often excel at engaging patients and implementing new treatment models or tools to drive better outcomes and experiences.   As care moves from episodic to proactive, new opportunities and roles arise for these team members to help improve patient throughput and access across an integrated health care system, according to Jennifer Skinner, MSN, BSN, RN, senior vice president and chief nurse executive for TriHealth, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. One such role is the care manager. “Typically, this role is filled by a registered nurse. They help patients navigate along the continuum of their care. That’s particularly helpful when a patient is seeing a number of providers, crossing different care settings, and if they have any socioeconomic or other barriers preventing them from their care journey or achieving health or wellness,” says Skinner.  Listen to the episode, hosted by Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith, to hear about:·      Staffing challenges in health systems today — and how TriHealth is able to retain its most valuable team members.·      How motivations for entering a nursing career have changed over the years. ·      Skinner’s experience with implementing the TriHealth Way, a journey she calls “one of the highlights of my career.” ·      The evolving role of nurses in the future of population health.