Health Calls - CHA Podcast Archives

Health Calls | S6: EP1

Sharing Encounters and Caring for Immigrant Communities

Host Brian Reardon and executive producer Josh Matejka welcome Sister Norma Pimentel, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, to discuss her work serving immigrant communities at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Health Calls | S5: EP17

Advanced Cancer Care in Rural Communities

Luis A. Rojas, MD, FACOG, Clinical Vice President of Oncology Service Line at Avera, joins the show to discuss the system's efforts at serving cancer patients in their most rural communities. Dr. Rojas highlights both Avera's procedures and investment in innovative technology, and their belief in the mission of Catholic health care as a way to serve everyone, no matter where they live.

Health Calls | S5: EP16

Technology Adoption with Patients and Community in Mind

Like all popular trends, it's easy to adopt the latest and "greatest" technology as soon as it's released into the world. But what responsibility do Catholic health systems have in evaluating what changes they need to make? What – and who – is top of mind when these decisions are made?

Health Calls | S5: EP15

Using AI to Protect Caregiver Well-Being

Technological advances are nothing new for caregivers, who have been saturated with new tools to "help" them for decades. But are those tools actually helping? And what can the latest innovations do to alleviate the burden caregivers face on a day-to-day basis?

Health Calls | S5: EP14

The Ethics and Philosophy of Pharmaceutical Technology

Jeffrey Bishop, MD, Ph.D, Tenet Endowed Chair of Bioethics and Professor of Philosophy, Health Care Ethics and Philosophy at St. Louis University, joins the show to discuss how we can think critically about pharmaceuticals as technology. He discusses the etymology of the word "pharmacy," shares how power dynamics play into the decisions we make and offers advice on how to make sound, informed decisions about the drugs we take.

Health Calls | S5: EP13

Protecting Medicaid Coverage

Medicaid covers 1 in 5 American adults, nearly half of all children in America and 41 percent of births in America. But despite acting as a lifeline for many Americans, the program is under threat of significant cuts from the federal government.

Health Calls | S5: EP12

Expanding Virtual Spiritual Care

If Catholic health care providers want to treat the whole person, then spiritual care is a vital piece of that puzzle. So in an age when virtual health care is becoming more and more prevalent, how do we also expand the reach of virtual spiritual care?

Health Calls | S5: EP11

Building a Culture of Mission and Innovation Pt. 2

In this second part of the discussion, Joe Kelly discusses the steps Mercy has taken to protect patient privacy, highlights partnerships that have kept them on the cutting edge and explains how Mercy’s foundresses act as a guiding light for his team as they move forward.

Health Calls | S5: EP10

Building a Culture of Mission and Innovation Pt. 1

Catholic health care providers face a unique challenge – synthesizing the realities of their unique mission and the need to be technologically innovative. How do you faithfully follow the call to continue Jesus’s healing ministry and be as forward-thinking as possible?

Health Calls | S5: EP9

Data 101 for Community Benefit

When it comes to learning about and treating the communities we serve, data is the key. But with so much data out there, how do Catholic health providers begin to sort through it all and make sense of what they find?