Getting the Right Diagnosis
Misdiagnosis means needless suffering for patients and their families and, in many cases, even lost lives. It also means that nearly one-third of the $2.7 trillion spent each year on health care in the U.S. are considered to be wasted dollars. Evan Falchuk, vice chair of BestDoctors.com, talks about ways to avoid misdiagnosis.
Mental Health: Evaluation, Detection, and Treatment
Dr. Jay Lombard, behavioral neurologist, speaks with Joyce about the need for better ways to evaluate a person’s mental state and stability, and to determine what drugs or nutritional elements might be helpful for this particular individual. Good nutrition is essential to brain health. Individuals may have subtle deficiencies of essential minerals. There are thousands of drugs – which one is most likely to benefit this person?
Clinical Trials for All
Billy Foster is in a clinical trial and has had a good response to the drug he is taking. It is not easy to design a trial. We want to learn all the information on safety and effectiveness that we will want to know once it goes on the market. At the same time we don’t want to over-complicate the clinical trial process and take too long to approve drugs that are doing well. Billy talks with Mike and Joyce about advocating for clinical trials that work for the participants, the physicians, the pharmaceuticals, and most of all for the people who will use these drugs once they are approved.
The Great Pain Jack – or, how pain can hijack the brain
Dr. John F. Petraglia, an anesthesiologyst and specialist in pain management, speaks with Mike and Joyce about his experience of more than 25 years of treating chronic and acute pain conditions. His book, The Great Pain Jack, explains how pain essentially hijacks the brain. It is a self-help mapping tool to assist people and their doctors achieve an accurate diagnosis and create an appropriate treatment plan to deal with chronic or acute pain.
Taking Care of the Community
Rabbis and school counselors are among the folks on the front lines helping individuals, families and indeed communities in times of crisis. Joyce and Mike speak with Bonnie, a school counselor from Newtown, Connecticut, and Rabbi Bill Hamilton who helped at Logan Airport on 9/11.
Listen