Season 2, Episode 40 – Telehealth at Home

Virtual care is here to stay.  But what exactly is it?  In this episode, Sandy Dieleman, CEO of Avera@Home and Dr. Carter Fenton, medical director of Mercy’s vAcute, discuss how the pandemic helped hardwire telehealth as a viable and important element in delivering health care into the homes of patients and the important role it plays in helping care for those suffering from chronic conditions.  

Related Health Progress article

Your Care Provider Can See You Now:  Pandemic Prompts New Approaches in Telehealth

Season 2, Episode 39 – The Future of Global Health

The importance of a strong global health network has become abundantly clear during COVID-19.  As Catholic health care in the United States continues to support global health initiatives during pandemics, wars and natural disasters, how relief efforts are organized and implemented requires intentional planning and coordination.  Mary Beth Powers, President and CEO of CMMB joins Bruce Compton, CHA’s senior director, Global Health, to discuss how U.S. Catholic health care can help advance the delivery of health care internationally.

Season 2, Episode 38 – Long-Term Care Workforce Shortages

COVID-19 has created major challenges for the long-term care workforce in the U.S. But even before the pandemic, there were issues around retaining and recruiting these essential caregivers. Two experts from Leading Age, which represents more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers, provide their insights on this critically important topic.

Addressing the Shortage of Workers in Long-Term Car (HP Article)

Season 2, Episode 37 – Understanding Palliative Care
For many, including some health care professionals, palliative care is often equated with hospice care despite differences in how they apply to patients. In this episode Dr. Glen Komatsu, regional chief medical officer of Hospice & Palliative Care for Providence St. Joseph Health, Southern California, and Denise Hess, CHA’s director of Supportive Care, explain the benefits of palliative care and discuss how patients and their loved ones can talk to their physicians and caregivers about receiving care that’s designed to support the treatment of symptoms and side effects of serious disease and improve overall quality of life.
CHA Palliative Care resource page

Season 2, Episode 36 – Environmental Justice
This episode looks at the importance of environmental justice from both a domestic and global perspective. Guests Laura Anderko of Villanova University, and Susan Barnett of Faiths for Safe Water, provide fresh insights into the articles they each wrote for the 2021 Fall Issue of Health Progress. The topic of environmental justice also connects to CHA’s Confronting Racism by Achieving Health Equity Initiative.

Related Health Progress Articles:

• Understanding and Addressing Environmental Injustice and Health
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Vatican, Catholic Health Care Take Leadership Roles in 'WASH' Work

Season 2, Episode 35 – Living in 63106
CHA is participating in a racial equity storytelling project that focuses on families dealing with the pandemic who live in the 63106 zip code of St. Louis. Dick Weiss, the project’s co-founder, joins resident Kim Daniel who discusses the challenges she and her neighbors face in their community. Kim also provides her personal perspective on why she is hesitant to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Related Health Progress articles: 

• Two Zip Codes, A World Apart
• The COVID Conundrum

Before Ferguson Beyond Ferguson

Season 2, Episode 34 – Children's Health Insurance
The number of uninsured children in the U.S. has risen significantly in the past few years. In this episode, Professor Joan Alker from Georgetown University and Dr. Heidi Sallee from SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital discuss the reasons for this trend, the policy implications, and what Catholic health care can do to help increase coverage for kids.

» Related Catholic Health World article: Catholic health care works to reverse worrisome dip in children's health insurance coverage
» Read the podcast transcript
» Medicaid Makes It Possible

Season 2, Episode 33 – Catholic Social Teaching and the Business of Health Care
Catholic Social Teaching is at the very core of Catholic health care. But how is it applied to the the business side of the ministry, especially when tough decisions are being made? Fr. Michael Rozier, PhD, an assistant professor of health management and policy at St. Louis University, and Fr. Joseph Driscoll, DMin, director of ministry formation and organizational spirituality at Redeemer Health, reflect on this question and offer examples how these principles are put into practice among Catholic health leaders.

Related Health Progress articles:

• The Pandemic's Hidden Heroes
• A Modern-Day Parable for the Pandemic

Season 2, Episode 32 – Catholic Health's Role in Protecting the Environment
Whether it's wildfires, floods, hurricanes or a global pandemic, we are constantly reminded about the reality of climate change and the challenges we face to protect the environment. What role does Catholic health care play in shaping policy, promoting positive change and mitigating harm to God’s creation? Lois Sechrist, environmental stewardship manager at Ascension, and Rachelle Reyes Wenger, system VP of public policy and advocacy engagement for CommonSpirit, discuss what Catholic care is doing, and what more needs to be done, in caring for creation.

Read the podcast transcript