The Healthcare Podcast

What are 5 things you need to know before you get surgery? We sit down with Dr. Jesse Chlebeck, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon at Saltzer Health and have him answer the questions below and give insight that is helpful to current and future patients.

1) Do I need Surgery?

- What is arthritis?

- What things put people at risk for getting arthritis?

- What are the treatment options for arthritis? (alternatives to surgery)

- Can I prevent or slow down arthritis?

- How common is it?

2) What is involved in a joint replacement procedure?

- What is a knee replacement? /hip replacement?

- How painful is the surgery? (how to improve pain control?)

- In patient versus outpatient

- I’ve heard there is such a thing as outpatient knee replacement, does that mean I go home the same day?

- What are the components of the knee replacement?

- How is plastic/metal connected to bone? (cemented versus un-cemented)

- Cemented/grout that connects metal to bone

- Some uncemented – porous coating on metal that allows bony ingrowth. Bone grows into prosthesis (similar to dental implants in jawbone)

- Is there one that has a better outcome?

- What is the likelihood it will work?

3) What are the risks of joint replacement surgery?

- What bad things can happen? (infection, blood clots, loosening of components where they attach into bone)

- When do complications/ blood clots occur? (usually 3-10 days post recovery)

- What happens if the plastic wears out?

- What happens if I get an infection? (ever amputation?)

- Are there certain things that make me at higher risk for those complications?

- Does it put off medical detectors at airports?

- How common is it for risks/complications to happen?

4) What will recovery look like?

- How long do people stay in the hospital?

- What are the aftercare instructions? (braces, crutches, walker)

- Do you have to go to a rehab facility after?

- What level of activity can you get to afterwards?

- Hip and knee recovery

- Are there certain surgical approaches that are easier to recover from?

- Muscle sparing total knee (don’t cut thru any muscle, how does it affect recovery?)

5) How long do joint replacements last?

- Is a revision surgery more involved or is it easier?

- Is it important to delay replacement if you are a young person?

- Usually harder because it’s not just changing the plastic (metal gets loose from bone)

- What can people do activity wise on joint replacements?

- What are the benefits of joint replacement surgery?

Other

- What are some of the myths about joint replacement surgery?

Dr. Jesse Chlebeck is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon who joined Saltzer Health in January 2020. He is seeing patients for appointments at the Saltzer Health South Nampa Clinic, 215 E. Hawaii Ave.

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https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

What really happens when we are under anesthesia? Are our bodies just asleep? And how does our body know its time to wake up?

For surgery, what are the types of anesthesia patients need to know about? What is sedation versus general versus regional? What questions should patients be asking about anesthesia? Is there such a thing as pain free surgery?

What are some of the most common myths out there about anesthesia during surgery? Will I wake up during surgery? 

All of these and many more questions answered about Anesthesiology in this podcast episode with Dr. Nate Poulson, MD. 

Stats & Sources: 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/anesthesia/about/pac-20384568

Anesthesia Awareness: Estimates vary, but about 1 or 2 people in every 1,000 may be partially

awake during general anesthesia and experience what is called unintended intraoperative

awareness. It is even rarer to experience pain, but this can occur as well.

https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-

Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/NationalHealthAccountsHistorical

The National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA) are the official estimates of total health care

spending in the United States. Dating back to 1960, the NHEA measures annual U.S.

expenditures for health care goods and services, public health activities, government

administration, the net cost of health insurance, and investment related to health care. The

data are presented by type of service, sources of funding, and type of sponsor.U.S. health care

spending grew 4.6 percent in 2018, reaching $3.6 trillion or $11,172 per person.  As a share of

the nation's Gross Domestic Product, health spending accounted for 17.7 percent.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-spending/u-s-health-spending-twice-other-

countries-with-worse-results-idUSKCN1GP2YN

In 2016, the U.S. spent 17.8 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP)

on healthcare. Other countries' spending ranged from a low of 9.6 percent of GDP in

Australia to a high of 12.4 percent of GDP in Switzerland

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https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Saltzer Health’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer says there are a number of things athletes can do to help prevent concussions. Matt Kaiserman is also a former Boise State Bronco that played from 2007-2011. 

Dr. Byron Knowles MD is a Pediatric doctor with a focus on Adolescent Sports Medicine.

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https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

What Questions Should Parents Ask about Vaping?

Why do teens vape?

How prevalent is vaping among teenagers?

At what age should we talk to kids about vaping?

What do you say to parents who think their kids would never vape?

All these questions and many more are answered in this podcast episode. The guests for this week are Beth Markely - a Parent & Blogger, and also Theresa Brown - a Middleton School District Social Worker. 

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https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

What is Vaping? How much do you think you know about vaping? How bad is vaping for us really? Can you pick out vape devices that people use? Do you know the difference between PG versus VG Vape Juice?  All of these questions and more answered in a 30 minute breakdown of a Doctor’s Perspective on Teen Vaping. 

Whether you think your kids have or have not vaped, this episode is still very important for you to listen to. The rates of increase in vaping that we have observed in teenagers actually surpasses anything that we have seen in the past, which is basically highlighting that vaping has basically been embraced very, very promptly by teenagers. This means there is a good chance that your kids have been exposed to vaping, potentially offered a vape before and maybe have even tried it once before. 

Our guest is Dr. Benjamin M. Tippets, DO is a Pediatric Pulmonologist in the Boise, Idaho area. 

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

https://saltzerhealth.com

https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

“Health care is a journey of a thousand miles, but it starts with very simple steps. If people can remember that on a day-to-day basis that's where we start.”

Dr. Bayo Crownson, MD, is a family practice physician who has practiced in Canyon County for 17 years, has joined Saltzer Health.

If you are age 40 or older, do you know what preventive steps you can take to improve your health?

In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Dr. Bayo Crownson provides valuable advice about the importance of health screenings for men and women, regular checkups, eating a balanced diet, getting exercise and the importance of learning about your family history and genetic predisposition to diseases.

After 17 years of practicing medicine in Canyon County, the Saltzer Health family medicine provider understands his patients and the need for preventive health. He has devoted his career to helping his patients who suffer from heart disease, diabetes, COPD and other chronic illnesses.

Dr. Crownson was inspired to pursue medicine as a child growing up in West Africa. Later, he earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Rutgers University and worked as a nurse at the Robert Wood Johnson University hospital.

He completed medical school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and his residency at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland before serving as a flight surgeon for the 391st Fighter Squadron in Mountain Home.

He later worked in Nampa for Mercy Medical Center, Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke’s.

Most recently, Dr. Crownson has seen an alarming rise in obesity and diabetes. “It’s a major epidemic,” he said. Health risks include heart disease and stroke, heart attacks, cancer and kidney disease. Complications from diabetes can lead to eye damage, foot damage and amputations.

“Diet and exercise are the cornerstone of preventing obesity,” he said, sharing recommendations about food intake, protein, fiber and carbohydrates. He helps some of his patients by providing a “written prescription for exercise. “Exercise is like a medicine,” he said.

From age 40, Dr. Crownson recommends more regular doctor visits and communication about family history.

Women should talk with their provider about mammograms and colorectal and cervical cancer.

Any adult who has been a heavy smoker should be screened for lung cancer. “It Is really important because it helps us catch lung cancer at its earliest stage. And then treatment can become more successful.”

White men over the age 50 face increased risks for skin cancer. “If you've had a lot of sunburn and if you have been exposed to a lot of sun your life then it is really important after age 50 to start seeing a dermatologist or your family doctor about every one or two years to screen for skin cancer,” he said.

Dr. Crownson’s wish list for the future includes more preventive care for his patients. “If we can prevent diseases it decreases the burden of healthcare costs and it makes people generally healthier,” he said.

He also hopes that advances in remote monitoring and technology will be more accessible. “We need to use that to our advantage,” he said.  “I've always felt a significant portion of health care happens outside of the walls of hospitals and clinics.”

Dr. Crownson is encouraged when his patients follow basic guidelines: commit to recommended health screenings, regular doctor visits and healthy eating and exercise.

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

https://saltzerhealth.com

https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Do you have abdominal pain or discomfort? Difficulty swallowing? You may need to see Dr. Lans - a gastroenterologist! 

A gastroenterologist is a physician who specializes in diseases of the digestive system, also called the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroenterologists have extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon), and biliary system (e.g., liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts). Gastroenterology is a subspecialty of internal medicine.

Gastroenterologists have a thorough understanding of how food moves through the digestive tract and the physical and chemical break down of food (digestion), including the absorption of nutrients and the removal of waste products. Gastroenterologists also focus on the digestive function of the liver.

This podcast episode we sit down with Dr. Joel I. Lans, MD. Dr. Lans is a board-certified gastroenterologist with nearly 30 years of experience serving patients in the Midwest. He joined Saltzer Health in August 2019. Dr. Lans specializes in gastroenterology, Gastroesophageal reflux disease, pancreas and liver diseases, and colon diseases, including colonoscopy with polypectomy.

Learn more here: www.saltzerhealth.com

Book an appointment with Dr. Lans here: https://saltzerhealth.com/provider/joel-i-lans/

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation. The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Listen Here: https://bit.ly/2lUQYcd

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltzerHealth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltzerhealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltzerHealth

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/saltzerhealth

It's Movember!! 

Alongside this month being about gratitude, the month of November is also dedicated to raising awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

By encouraging men to get involved, Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. Besides annual check-ups, the Movember Foundation encourages men to be aware of family history of cancer and to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Morris, MD - a Urologist that has special interests in all aspects of adult urology, including minimally invasive surgical techniques (laparoscopy, endoscopy, and robotic surgery), kidney stone disease, genitourinary cancer, BPH, female urology, prosthetic surgery, and infertility. Dr. Morris is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He completed his residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center and served in the Air Force as a urologist. His knowledge and understanding of Men's Health ads a very important perspective to this Movember. 

With many important topics covered in this segment - you are sure to learn something and become educated to either help yourself or someone you know and love. 

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation. The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Listen Here: https://bit.ly/2lUQYcd

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltzerHealth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltzerhealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltzerHealth

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/saltzerhealth

Certified Nurse Midwife Kathy Watkins is a passionate advocate for skin-to-skin bonding between a mom and baby in “the golden hour” after birth.

Skin-to-skin contact “enhances neonatal outcomes, lengthens breastfeeding, decreases postpartum depression, allows babies enhanced immunity, and engages dads and siblings in the family bonding experience,” she says. Watkins shares a story about a patient who had a “magnificent” skin-to-skin experience after the birth of her second child by Caesarean section. The baby was delivered by C-section and then handed to the mom for skin-to-skin contact. Rather than separate the family, the newborn remained in the Nampa hospital room. “The mom and dad were elated and sobbing, holding their baby and so grateful,” said Watkins. “We never imagined that it could be like this,” they

told her.

In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Watkins talks about the role of a Certified Nurse Midwife in a hospital setting, best practices for family-centered care, postpartum depression and how a team of compassionate providers work together to provide patient-centered care for

new moms and babies. As a certified nurse midwife based at the St. Luke’s Nampa hospital, Watkins relies on years of training and experience to help her patients develop personalized birth plans. She earned an undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Saskatchewan and a master’s degree in Nursing with a Midwifery Specialty, University of Utah. She completed fellowships at Duke University and St. Luke’s Health System and has worked at clinics and hospitals in Idaho and other states.

Watkins enjoys working with a team of Saltzer Health OB-GYNs and clinicians in a hospital setting. The St. Luke’s Nampa hospital is uniquely designed to provide a positive family- centered experience with large rooms incorporating tubs, showers, laboring beds, equipment, and needed support for moms and newborns. All of the neonatal care can occur in a single room, which keeps the mom and baby together and improves outcomes, she says. Continuity and bonding are heightened in this environment, says Watkins.

An ardent supporter of breastfeeding, she works closely with the hospital lactation team to help both moms and babies. “Not every baby knows how to breastfeed,” she said. “It’s very normal that babies need support, assistance and guidance from professionals.” Watkins believes that teamwork and communication are fundamental to the care provided by Saltzer Health providers for new moms, babies and families. She is proud to collaborate with OB-GYNs, midwives, doulas and other birth workers.

“I love what I do,” she says. “Our team loves to work together.”

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation. The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Listen Here: https://bit.ly/2lUQYcd

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltzerHealth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltzerhealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltzerHealth

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/saltzerhealth

Home health services have helped Jason Peterson and Vickie Garcia overcome difficult situations with their families.

Peterson is a registered nurse and the director of clinical operations at Sunterra Springs, a

nationwide group of skilled nursing facilities. After long stints in the hospital and a

rehabilitation center, Peterson’s grandmother returned home. With diminished capabilities, she

struggles to recover. A home health provider visits and manages her complex medical needs.

Home health nurses and therapists are helping his aging grandmother “live her life her own

way,” says Peterson.

Garcia is the executive director of Saltzer Home Health. Her son was born with severe heart

problems and developmental disabilities. For months, a visiting nurse provided assistance. But

eventually, Garcia faced an agonizing choice – send her son to the state school or learn to care

for him at home. She subsequently received training in-home health and personal care services

and ultimately earned a master’s degree in social work.

In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Garcia and Peterson discuss misperceptions about

home health, how it fits in the continuum of care and changing dynamics in the industry.

Garcia explains that home health services include occupational therapy, physical therapy,

nursing and speech therapy to help patients who are discharged from hospitals or rehab

facilities after hip or knee replacement, heart surgery, pneumonia or other ailments.

Home health experts seek to bridge a healthcare gap by meeting with patients in their homes

to assess all aspects of their health, resources and psychosocial needs. In some cases, the

evaluation can include access to the home itself, preventing falls, diabetes education,

medication management and a myriad of other needs.

Garcia says that the goal is to improved flow of communication with physicians while keeping

patients in their homes and preventing costly trips to the hospital.

During the podcast, Garcia and Peterson discuss the growing need for home health services.

Patients are discharged from hospitals much earlier than 10 or 15 years ago. Procedures that

once required weeks in the hospital have been shortened to days.

To learn more, see Saltzerhomehealth.com

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation. The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Listen Here: https://bit.ly/2lUQYcd 

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS 

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltzerHealth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltzerhealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltzerHealth

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/saltzerhealth

Licensed professional counselor Caley Featherstone worries that society’s obsession with quick-fix weight loss solutions and social media are taking a toll on our youth. “We live in a culture that is very diet oriented,” she says of the multi-billion-dollar diet industry.

In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Featherstone shares her personal experience with an eating disorder, how to recognize symptoms, and what parents can do to help with their children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Featherstone’s interest in a counseling career began in childhood. As a young athlete, she excelled in cross country and track. At age 11, she came in 10th at a national track meet. Disappointed with the results, her physical and mental health declined as she combatted anorexia nervosa.

Now, Featherstone focuses on helping kids and families deal with the secrecy and stereotyping associated with eating disorders. In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Featherstone shares her experiences working with children and teens and her research at Boise State. Featherstone believes that genetics play a role in eating disorders along with temperament and emotional stress.

People with eating disorders experience significant impairment – it is completely controlling their life, she said. As a counselor, Featherstone is looking for signs of distress.

The repercussions of an eating disorder are far-reaching. Treatment options – hospitalization, residential rehab, counseling appointments and more – can last for months; recovery can take years. The health ramifications include abdominal discomfort, renal failure, and cardiac episodes. The relapse rate is 35-40%.

Featherstone is seeking to dispel myths and destigmatize the topic in order to help children and adults overcome the challenges. Education is a key strategy. She urges parents to recognize that their words and behavior can have a lasting impact, and to focus more on a child’s potential and less on body image.

Eating disorders can pose a lifetime challenge. As an adult, Featherstone struggles from injuries resulting from her eating disorder and being malnourished early in life. “To understand that level of obsession and fear around food is unfathomable.”

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation. The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Listen Here: https://bit.ly/2lUQYcd 

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS 

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltzerHealth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltzerhealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltzerHealth

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/saltzerhealth

We all try and commit to eating healthier food at points in our life... but sometimes it can be really hard!  

With little time to prepare healthy meals, sometimes it’s easier to make a

quick stop for a high-calorie snack than to shop for an apple or a banana. What can we do to

eat more fruits and vegetables? In this week’s episode, Pohley Richey, a longtime local

registered dietitian and Nampa farmer Janie Burns talk about the benefits of locally grown food,

farmer’s markets, the Idaho Preferred program and how to prepare healthy meals.

As a nutrition coach at PIVOT by KA and instructor at the Boise Urban Garden School, Richey

teaches kids and adults new ways to look at food. She helps families “demystify cooking” and

learn how to make zucchini roll-ups, striped beet chips and delicious crispy broccoli roasted in

olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Janie Burns is a member of the Treasure Valley Food Coalition and leader in the Boise Farmer’s

Market. She says that farmers are educators, too. They gladly offer advice about their seasonal

produce, how to cook locally grown meat and encourage kids to plant their own vegetables.

She also helps address barriers in neighborhoods where healthy food is just not accessible. To

meet the needs of these “food deserts,” Burns has advocated for mobile market programs that

deliver healthy food to people with transportation challenges.

Burns and Richey believe that healthcare providers can help their patients make healthy food

choices. Nationwide, more physicians are writing prescriptions for kids and adults to buy fruits

and vegetables.

Tune into the podcast to learn more about how to inspire people to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltzerHealth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltzerhealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltzerHealth

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/saltzer-health

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/saltzerhealth

What is the No. 1 reason people call the paramedics in Ada County and Canyon County? 

Falls or tumbles from ladders and roofs result in the most 911 calls in the valley. In this week’s episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Peder Humlen-Ahearn and Dan Bates talk about stats, best and worst days on the job, training requirements, the need for more funding sources and how innovative new technology can help save people suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. They also share updates on a Community Paramedics Program that can prevent needless visits to local emergency rooms and provide better care for patients in their homes. Since the founding of EMS in the 1960s, Humlen-Ahearn and Bates are proud that paramedics and EMTs have become a vital component in the delivery of healthcare in the Treasure Valley.

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

New Podcast episode! Life-changing research is being done right here in the Treasure Valley.

In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Dr. Aguilar and colleagues Melanie Buchanan and Stacy Gonzales talk about Saltzer Health Research projects. Dr. Richard Aguilar and Dr. Stanley Stringam are Co-Medical Directors for Saltzer Health Research. They, along with other dedicated colleagues, have completed more than 90 clinical trials since 2000 helping Saltzer Health develop a national reputation for excellence in research. A long time Saltzer Health Pediatrician, Dr. Aguilar has been a champion of clinical trials that have helped advance medical treatment of patients affected by Rotavirus, HPV, Phenumococcal Disease and many more. Currently, he is engaged in a new infant vaccine trials for RSV, Meningitis B and Pneumococcal Disease. Dr. Stringam, Internal Medicine Physician, is currently conducting and has completed many trials involving diabetes, kidney disease and high cholesterol. Other recruiting studies include insomnia, maternal RSV and influenza.

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Do you have kids going back to school? Have they been vaccinated? 

With a recent measles outbreak, the upcoming flu season and the importance of childhood immunizations - each of these topics are needed to be discussed. We sat down with Dr. Katie Copeland and Heather Gagliano in this podcast episode to talk about what the options are. 

Dr. Copeland is a Saltzer Health pediatrician and Gagliano is a former school nurse who serves on the Idaho Immunization Coalition. Dr. Copeland is emphatic about the benefits of immunizations and the need to protect the most vulnerable members of society, including pregnant women and infants.

Listen to this episode here: https://bit.ly/2YdJxKO

Learn More about the podcast here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

Every day, Dr. Erik Richardson treats patients suffering from diabetes and other illnesses resulting from obesity. A family practice physician, Dr. Richardson sees the obesity crisis firsthand. When asked about the Keto or the Genesis diets, but Dr. Richardson counsels his patients to “keep it simple.” Start by cutting out sweets and liquid calories, exercise, educate yourself and try a couple of new recipes a week. He also talks with parents and teaches them about foods to avoid and appropriate snacks. “If we don't stop that family tree of obesity is just going to continue.” In this episode, Dr. Richardson also talks about safe weight loss, bariatric surgery, impacts of fast food addictions, benefits of nutritional counseling, problems with insurance reimbursement rates, and other issues related to rising rates of obesity.

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

How do pregnant women choose their obstetrician? 

Expectant mothers are looking for a physician who will listen and build trust, says Saltzer Health OB/GYN Megan Kasper, MD. Kasper prides herself on working closely with her patients to develop a birth plan that is uniquely tailored to each new mother. She also takes the time in her clinic to talk with her patients about the health of their relationships and ensuring that babies come into a safe and nurturing environment. In this Podcast, Kasper shares her expertise on prenatal care, genetic testing, sedation, hospital delivery, vaccinations, Caesarean sections and other topics related to pregnancy and birth.

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The Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access and innovation.

The podcast is available through many platforms and clips of each podcast are shared and reshared across all social media platforms. Have an idea for a guest or want us to discuss a topic? Make sure to comment on social media and get your questions answered. Leave a review on whatever platform you decide to listen on and tell your friends!

Watch here: https://bit.ly/2KCP4rS

Learn More here: https://saltzerhealth.com/podcasts/

The opioid epidemic has touched every corner of America. There were 47,600 deaths involving opioids in 2017 according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In this episode of The Healthcare Podcast, Dr. Shane Maxwell and recovering addict Jason Coombs have a far-reaching, candid conversation about the risks, treatment, and challenges facing physicians and patients in our country.

Dr. Maxwell is board-certified in both neurology and pain management. He worked for Saltzer before joining Idaho Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Most people he sees treat their pain with over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and then advances
to muscle relaxants and medications for nerve pain. Some try acupuncture, massage therapists and other treatments. Dr. Maxwell says many of his patients come to him after receiving narcotics from other providers.

He would prefer, however, to see patients before they are already using narcotics so he can identify the risks of abuse and addiction and gather personal history medications and alcohol use, incarceration, family history, psychiatric history of depression and anxiety.

When patients show up in our clinic who have been using narcotics for years, it is difficult to “unwind,” Dr. Maxwell says. He can request records and review a history of patients’ medications but HIPAA restrictions prevent him from calling patients. Rarely do patients admit that they are addicted. Physicians can’t force patients to seek support services.

Jason Coombs has personal experience with the dangers of opioids. A car accident led him to narcotics and the discovery that opioids helped him feel euphoric.

An inspirational speaker and author, he owns the Brickhouse Recovery treatment center in Meridian. Coombs would like to educate families about chemical dependency and help strip away the stigma of addiction.

While resources have been scarce to treat addictions, Coombs and Dr. Maxwell agree that more dialogue has raised awareness. A next step is to develop policies that help people build trust, rapport, and knowledge.

More info here: SaltzerHealth.com

Full Podcast here: https://bit.ly/2WIot3j

Raised on a dairy farm by immigrant parents, Dr. Wendy Siegersma developed an interest in medicine as a child during visits to an orthopedist for a club foot. Her mother, a former nurse, further nurtured her dream for a career in health care. “I just thought it was a wonderful way to interact with people and to help people,” says Dr. Siegersma, a 20-year family practice physician at Saltzer Health. Siegersma takes pride in building trust and relationships with her patients and she understands the importance of getting to know her their medical histories and treating mind and body. In this how to stay healthy – from childhood into your twilight years. She recommends staying active, eating healthy and visiting the doctor regularly for wellness checks and immunizations. Diet, exercise, medication management, and family history are all key pieces of the health puzzle. Dr. Siegersma is proud that Saltzer Health is integrating behavioral health into clinic visits, particularly for teens and young adults. Addressing mental health issues early can impact the health of her patients.

Make an appointment or learn more about Dr. Siegersma here: https://saltzerhealth.com/provider/wendy-siegersma-m-d/

Do you have trouble sleeping? 

After a fitful night’s sleep, you feel drowsy all day.  Dr. Mark Rasmus, a sleep specialist at Saltzer Health, treats children and adults at clinics in Nampa and Boise. In this podcast, Dr. Rasmus talks about the myths associated with sleep, how much we need as we age, insomnia, snoring, caffeine, melatonin and how to prevent jet lag. Dr. Rasmus warns about the dangers of obstructive sleep apnea, which can lead to sudden cardiac death and disorders like high blood pressure, diabetes heart disease and strokes. He says you can help yourself be a better sleeper. Listen to your biological clock, avoid blue wave light close to bedtime and get up out of bed when the alarm awakens you. For patients who need medical care to help them sleep, Dr. Rasmus studies brainwave abnormalities and breathing disorders. He believes that the future of treating sleep disorders is offering coordinated care or multidisciplinary sleep centers where providers evaluate and treat patients with help from nurse practitioners and other “mid-levels” who can provide follow-up care. An expert in his field, Dr. Rasmus will help you understand what you can to get a good night’s sleep.

A new Healthcare Podcast hosted by Dr. John Kaiser and health advocate Linsy Heiner aims to uncover the myths of modern healthcare, to help families discover cost transparency, improved access, and innovation.

In this introductory episode, we learn more about Dr. Kaiser and meet Ed Castledine, CEO of Saltzer Health, and learn about a new vision for Saltzer Health to bring innovation, choice and cost transparency to healthcare in the Treasure Valley.

Dr. Kaiser is a former IBM engineer who moved to Idaho 20 years ago after completing his medical training. He is a practicing OB/GYN and CEO of Saltzer Health Clinics. Ed is a former St. Luke’s leader whose passion for population health started on childhood trips with his mother, a nurse, to visit her home health care patients in Nampa.

While the cost of health care is very complex, Dr. Kaiser wants to focus on preventing illnesses and redirecting resources to care for people who are very sick. He sees opportunities to cut overhead costs and help patients understand what they can do to make it less costly. 

At Saltzer Health, primary care is the foundation for a patient’s health care. When people can’t get an appointment to see their doctor, their problems become more acute and it escalates the cost. Referrals for specialty care services are made when it is the most cost-effective and efficient for the patient. 

Ed Castledine said that Saltzer Health is developing a plan to prevent expensive hospital visits and do more surgery in outpatient centers. And because most Idahoans can’t afford their out-of-pocket health care expenses, Saltzer Health will be more transparent about the costs of procedures by making rates public,  using high-tech tools and working with insurance companies. Working together, these resources will enable Saltzer Health patients to compare costs and make educated fiscal decisions about their healthcare.

Dr. Kaiser and Ed believe this most integrated approach will enable physicians to build trust with patients. Not only will doctors provide quality care, but they will also help patients better understand the financial impacts of their healthcare decisions.