From Survival to Quality of Life:
PodcastDX
FROM SURVIVAL TO QUALITY OF LIFE: WHY OUTCOMES ARE BEING REDEFINED THE FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN MEDICINE For decades, medicine measured success through a singular lens: survival. Did the patient live? Did the procedure work? While these metrics remain important, healthcare is undergoing a profound transformation that redefines what "winning" actually means[1]. The new standard is no longer just extending life—it's enabling patients to live purposefully, functionally, and with dignity[2]. This shift reflects a critical insight: surviving is not the same as living well. WHY OUTCOMES ARE BEING...
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Ai in Medicine Tool Partner or Problem
PodcastDX
AI in medicine is best understood as a powerful tool and a conditional partner that can enhance care when tightly supervised by clinicians, but it becomes a problem when used as a replacement, deployed without oversight, or embedded in biased and opaque systems. Whether it functions more as a partner or a problem depends on how health systems design, regulate, and integrate it into real clinical workflows. Where AI Works Well Decision support and diagnosis: AI can read imaging, ECGs, and lab patterns with very high accuracy, helping detect cancers, heart...
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Medicine in Transition:
PodcastDX
Medicine has transitioned due to massive tech adoption (Electronic Health Records EHRs, Artificial Intelligence AI, Telehealth), shifting patient expectations (consumerism, convenience), the rise of value-based care, new treatments (precision medicine), and increased focus on population health and prevention, all while grappling with rising costs, data security, and persistent access/equity gaps, making healthcare more data-driven, personalized, and digitally integrated but also more complex and fragmented. We try to break it down to try and understand the changes and how they might...
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A Primer on Stem Cells
PodcastDX
This week we discuss stem cells. Having great therapeutic and biotechnological potential, stem cells are extending the frontier in medicine. Not only replace dysfunctional or damaged cells, the so-called regenerative medicine, stem cells may also offer us new perspectives regarding the nature of aging and cancer. This review will cover some basics of stem cells, their current development, and possible applications in medicine. Meanwhile, important remaining challenges of stem cell research are discussed as well. Stem cells are unique, unspecialized cells that can divide to create...
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Functional Fitness
PodcastDX
This week we will discuss the topic of "functional fitness" With the new year upon us many people want to add fitness or getting healthy as goals and we are here to help! Functional fitness is a simple, effective way to keep your body moving and reduce restlessness. It focuses on exercises that help you perform everyday activities more easily and safely—like getting up off the floor, carrying groceries, or reaching for items on a shelf. By training your muscles to work the way you actually use them in daily life, functional fitness reduces injury risk and improves overall quality of...
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Why New Year Resolutions Often Fail
PodcastDX
By the end of the first week of the new year, nearly 77% of New Year’s resolutions have already failed (Norcross, 1988). That’s discouraging—but it doesn’t mean you should stop trying. It means most of us are setting resolutions in ways that don’t work. You aren’t weak or lazy. More often, the problem is a misaligned system—one that relies too heavily on willpower and short-lived motivation. Motivation naturally fades over time, even when our intentions are good. Think about how often you enthusiastically agree to plans weeks in advance, only to feel tired or unmotivated when...
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The Lymphatic System
PodcastDX
The lymphatic system, or lymphoid system, is one of the components of the circulatory system, and it serves a critical role in both immune function and surplus extracellular fluid drainage. Components of the lymphatic system include lymph, lymphatic vessels and plexuses, lymph nodes, lymphatic cells, and a variety of lymphoid organs. The pattern and form of lymphatic channels are more variable and complex but generally parallel those of the peripheral vascular system. The lymphatic system partly functions to convey lymphatic fluid, or lymph, through a network of lymphatic channels,...
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Pancreatic Cancer
PodcastDX
This week we are talking about Pancreatic cancer. This is a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the pancreas. The pancreas lies behind the lower part of the stomach. It makes enzymes that help digest food and hormones that help manage blood sugar. The most common type of pancreatic cancer is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This type begins in the cells that line the ducts that carry digestive enzymes out of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer rarely is found at its early stages when the chance of curing it is greatest. This is because it often doesn't cause symptoms until...
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Diabetes Type 1 & 2
PodcastDX
This week we discuss diabetes mellitus, a group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is an important source of energy for the cells that make up the muscles and tissues. It's also the brain's main source of fuel. The main cause of diabetes varies by type. But no matter what type of diabetes you have, it can lead to excess sugar in the blood. Too much sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes and gestational...
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Mast Cell Activation Syndrome MCAS
PodcastDX
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is when you have unexplained episodes of severe symptoms like swelling, diarrhea, vomiting, flushing and itching. Unlike that happen with a specific exposure, MCAS episodes happen without a clear trigger. In some cases, mast cell activation can cause , a severe allergic condition that can be life-threatening. It can cause you to have trouble breathing and drop your to dangerously low levels. Call 911 (or your local emergency service number) or go to the nearest emergency room if you’re experiencing severe anaphylaxis. are a type of immune cell...
info_outlineDid you know that about half of all eye injuries happen right at home?
Home activities that can injure your eyes include:
- Cleaning. Chemicals like bleach in household cleaning products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year.
- Home Improvement. Screws, nails and hand tools can launch into the air—and into your eyes.
- Power tools can also send wood chips or other substances flying into the air.
- Yard Work. Lawn mowers, trimmers and even shovels can throw dirt and debris into the air. Branches, twigs and thorns can also be dangerous.
Unfortunately, only about three out of 10 people wear protective eyewear during home projects that could hurt their eyes. The good news? Simply wearing protective eyewear can reduce your risk for eye injury by 90 percent!
The American Academy of Ophthalmology urges every household to have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear. (“ANSI-approved” means the protective eyewear is made to meet safety standards of the American National Standards Institute.)
- In the house
- Using dangerous chemicals such as oven cleaner and bleach (accidents involving common household products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year). Read the labels of chemicals and cleaners carefully, and don’t mix products.
- Cooking foods can that can splatter hot grease or oil. Use grease shields on frying pans to protect yourself from splattering.
- Opening champagne bottles during a celebration. Wrap a towel or cloth around the top of the bottle while unscrewing it to “catch” the cork. Never point a champagne bottle towards another person or yourself when opening it.
- Drilling or hammering screws or nails into walls or hard surfaces like brick or cement. The screws or nails can fly into the air, or fragments can come off the surface.
- Using hot objects such as curling irons around your face. Contact with your eyes can cause serious injury.
- Loose rugs and railings or other hazards that could cause falls or slips. Secure rugs with a non-slip pad underneath. Check to make sure railings are secure and not loose.
- Put padding on sharp corners and edges if you have children or the elderly in your house.
- In the yard
- Mowing the lawn. Check the lawn or the outdoor area first for sticks, rocks or other items that can fly out from under the mower.
- Using a power trimmer or edger.
- Clipping hedges and bushes.
- Playing sports.
- In the garage or workshop
- Using power or hand tools. Keep your tools in good condition; damaged tools should be repaired or replaced.
- Working with solvents or other chemicals. Make sure that all spray nozzles are directed away from you.
- Doing anything that can cause fragments or dust particles to fly around in the air.
- Tying down equipment or loads with bungee cords. Bungee cords are a serious danger to eyes when they snap back.
For all of these activities, remember that people nearby also face serious risk. Bystanders should wear eye protection too or leave the area where the chore is being done. This is particularly important for children who watch their parents do chores in and around the home. (CREDITS: American Academy of Ophthalmology)