Health Wav

When Paige Noles—a wife and a mother—found out she had cancer, the prognosis was grim. She had metastatic, Stage IV melanoma, and one of its tumors had burrowed through her ribs. She sought help from St. Bernards Cancer Center, and today, she tells her story of surviving and thriving through cancer. https://www.stbernards.info/services/cancer/

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) can affect all of us, but it poses the greatest threat to young children, particularly infants. According to CDC data, as many as 80,000 U.S. children younger than 5 years are hospitalized each year due to RSV infections. Thankfully, new preventions and treatments are helping push that number lower. In this Health Wav podcast, we speak with Neonatologist Enrique Gomez, M.D. on the latest tools that doctors and hospitals employ to fight this virus.

Sleep apnea affects more than others around you trying to sleep. It can impact your energy, brain function, weight, breathing and heart. Thankfully, modern treatment options can help you rest better throughout the night. Dr. Michael Bone, otolaryngologist with OFSC in Jonesboro, Arkansas, shares exciting news for sleepless sufferers.

While women make up more than half of all medical school applicants, students and graduates¹, they're not entering Cardiology. Currently, women only comprise about 10% of all Cardiologists². With these troubling statistics in mind, we talk with ⁠Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Sabeeda Kadavath⁠ to hear how she became a heart doctor, overcoming numerous challenges to reach her goal. She also discusses how we can encourage other women to enter Cardiology and why having women in this field is important for all women and men.

¹ - ⁠Women in medical schools: Dig into latest record-breaking numbers⁠

² - ⁠American College of Cardiology⁠

Many of us only go to the doctor if we feel sick, if that. Having an established relationship and regular check-ups with a primary care physician, however, plays a major role in preventing future health problems. In the latest Health Wav podcast, Mitchell Nail talks with Family Medicine Specialist Dr. Dylan Barnett about the importance of establishing with a primary care provider as well as the unique challenges he sees for patients in rural areas.

Virtual care. Telemedicine. Telehealth. We have many names to describe how healthcare professionals of all levels are reaching patients remotely. And the service is only growing, fueled by increasing demand and a drive for access. What does the future look like, and what can patients expect going forward? Vincent Turner, FACHE, and Dr. John Thompson, Pulmonologist, both with St. Bernards Healthcare, discuss how their healthcare system is tackling these issues throughout their rural service area in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri.

We count on our bodies for everyday movement. When something doesn't go right, we need someone to help us get moving again, and that's where physical therapists, or "movement experts," come in. In this edition of Health Wav, we discuss why someone facing an injury or surgery should strongly consider physical therapy as part of the recovery process. Our thanks to Andy Shatly, PT, and Carly Swain, PT, with St. Bernards Sports Medicine for their expertise!

Urologist Dr. Rudolph Bowens with St. Bernards Urology joins Health Wav discussing the importance for eligible men to receive regular prostate screenings. Because prostate cancer typically presents as a slow-growing disease, these screenings are saving mens' lives and their quality of life.

Each year, lung cancer kills more Americans than any other cancer. But hope is on the horizon. Advanced, low-dose CT screenings are saving lives by detecting those cancers early while they're still treatable. Dr. Sharp Malak, Radiologist with St. Bernards Imaging Center, explains how the screenings work and who might benefit from them.

Dr. Matt Hendrich, Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon with St. Bernards, explains what patients need to know about aneurysms — What are they? Who is at risk? What are the symptoms? Does family history matter? How are they fixed?

Different stages of life require different types of care. When that care involves the smallest patients—those often born prematurely—hospitals rely upon specialized intensive care settings found within a NICU, or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Douglas Seglem, D.O., Neonatologist with St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark., helped start the only NICU within the eastern half of Arkansas. He explains how the presence of NICU completely changes a hospital's birthing capabilities.

You need both good mental and physical health. Sometimes though, navigating those services can be a daunting task, especially if you're struggling. Kevin Byron, Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at St. Bernards, breaks down the layers of mental health assistance offered within the St. Bernards Healthcare system and how potential patients or their loved ones get the help they need.

Dr. Colton Nielson, Dermatologist and Mohs Micrograhic Surgeon with St. Bernards Dermatology, explains the significance of the Mohs procedure to treat skin cancers while offering tips on how we can have our healthiest skin.

In our final segment of our ongoing Heart Series, Barry Tedder, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist with St. Bernards Heart & Vascular in Jonesboro, Ark., explains how the health of our hearts and vascular systems impacts both our physical and mental health.

Dr. Kasey Holder, Vice President of Medical Affairs for St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark., has spent the better part of the COVID-19 pandemic immersed in treatments, therapies and preventions of the virus and its subsequent variants. She joins us to discuss everything we should know, now 19 months in and counting.

In Part 3 of 4 of our ongoing Heart Series, Matthew Hendrich, M.D., Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon with St. Bernards Heart & Vascular in Jonesboro, Ark., explains why a healthy heart needs a healthy vehicle for proper blood delivery: the vascular system.

In Part 2 of 4 of our ongoing Heart Series, Ahmed Ahmed, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist with St. Bernards Heart & Vascular in Jonesboro, Ark., talks about practicing heart care within a collaborative, coordinated team and what drives his desire to help patients with heart problems.

Devi Nair, M.D., Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at St. Bernards Heart Care in Jonesboro, Ark., discusses one of the most rapidly-advancing fields in healthcare, what sets her team apart and what drives her to pursue cutting-edge care options for her rural patients.

Sarah Sumpter, Clinical Director for St. Bernards Behavioral Health in Jonesboro, Ark., offers practical advice for mental health in action and why we should all discuss this important topic openly.

Leslie Wester, a nationally-certified health and wellness coach with St. Bernards Health & Wellness in Jonesboro, Ark., discusses how the global program Rock Steady Boxing is changing the lives of both men and women with Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Matt Garner with St. Bernards Gastroenterology answers everything you need to know about colorectal cancers and why early screenings are still our best tool to fight them.

Eric Akin, M.D. and Alice Cherqui, M.D. with St. Bernards Neurosurgery in Jonesboro, Arkansas join us on the latest edition of Health Wav to discuss the field of neurosurgery — what it is, what the latest advancements are and how neurosurgery can improve someone's quality of life.

Dr. Lance Tuetken, a primary care physician with St. Bernards First Care in Jonesboro, Arkansas, breaks down everything you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine and why you should get it as soon as possible.

* Dr. Tuetken references several reputable sources during our conversation. Here are some of those links:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/covid-19-vaccine-faq

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

** To learn more about Dr. Tuetken, check out his physician spotlight at https://www.stbernards.info/news/physician-spotlight-dr-lance-tuetken.

St. Bernards Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Director Dr. Serena Vance and St. Bernards Nursing Director for Women's and Children's Services Dana Lands have dedicated much of their work this year helping new moms navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode of Health Wav, they share some of what they've learned during 2020 and how pregnant moms can have safe and joyous pregnancies.

What should you know right now about COVID-19? Hear about virus fatigue and anxiety, masks, long-term symptoms, vaccines and more from Dr. Shane Speights, dean of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Speights offers listeners a realistic—yet hopeful—outlook on our current state and how we can stop the spread of COVID-19 together.

Dr. Cassandra Nosser, a pediatric hospitalist with St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark., discusses how different viral infections may present themselves among children, how parents can keep their families well and when parents should seek medical care for their children.

Dr. Sharp Malak with Associated Radiologists, Ltd. and St. Bernards Healthcare in Jonesboro, Arkansas discusses in detail why breast health services and screenings are more important than ever for women and men alike.

Dr. Mazin Khalil, a medical oncologist/hematologist with St. Bernards Cancer Center in Jonesboro, Ark., discusses recent work evaluating a clinical trial designed to lower recurrence risks for breast cancer patients.

Otalaryngologist Dr. Shane Smith with Otolaryngology and Facial Surgery Centre (OFSC) in Jonesboro, AR discusses some of the underlying causes of ear pain, and when someone should get medical assistance—especially if that pain is long-term. 

Dr. Brian Dickson with Jonesboro Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine (JOSM) joins Health Wav to discuss how robotics are changing the landscape of knee replacement surgeries, including the ROSA® Knee System, which he currently uses.

Dr. Mark Wiggins, a primary care physician with St. Bernards First Care in Jonesboro, Ark., offers his thoughts on COVID-19, relating his experiences serving overseas in the United States Air Force and his time as a physician in the middle of a global pandemic.