Catholic Health Usa Podcast

Health Calls Season 6, Episode 2 continues the United for Change theme with a focus on youth mental health in Chicago. Host Brian Reardon and executive producer Josh Matejka speak with Dr. Anoop Takher, Interim Chair of Behavioral Health at Saint Anthony Hospital, about the hospital's SPARK Program. Designed to eliminate long wait times for psychiatric evaluations, SPARK offers integrated care—including speech and occupational therapy—under one roof. Dr. Takher shares how collaboration with partners like the Carol Robertson Center and local schools has expanded access and improved outcomes for children and families. SPARK’s model offers a blueprint for other systems seeking to meet behavioral health needs with compassion, efficiency, and equity.ResourcesLearn more about Saint Anthony Hospital's SPARK programWatch CHA's This is Catholic Health Care video on the SPARK program Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeLearn more about The Catholic Health A

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. Sister Norma shares moving stories of families fleeing violence and hardship, emphasizing the importance of restoring human dignity through compassion and encounter. The episode explores how Catholic health care and faith communities can collaborate to support vulnerable populations, regardless of legal status. Sister Norma encourages listeners to act with love, guided by faith, and to welcome immigrants into their communities. Her message is clear: healing begins with presence, understanding, and the courage to care. ResourcesLearn more about Sr. Norma's work at Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande ValleyAccess CHA's resources regarding immigration enforcement  Health Calls is available on the following podcast streaming platforms:Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeLearn more about The Cath

As the national conversation around HR1, Medicaid and health care access continues, Catholic health care continues to affirm its belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable care. As this episode's guest highlights, that includes those 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.  

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?Michael Sellers, Vice President of Facilities Management for Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago, joins the show to discuss the facilities and operations perspective on changing health care technology. Sellers discusses Saint Anthony's recent innovations, their community-based strategy for making needed upgrades, and the importance of operations as a voice at the decision-making table.

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?Dr. Heather Schmidt, System Medical Director, Healthy Work and Wellness at SSM Health, and Dr. Ann Cappellari, Chief Medical Information Officer and System Vice President at SSM Health, join the show to discuss their findings on how artificial intelligence can assist caregivers in their well-being. They discuss how technology has often added to the administrative burden caregivers face, offer insight into tools that  help caregivers connect with their patients, and share how AI can help with the workforce shortages that American health care faces.  

When we hear the word technology, we tend to think about computers, software, artificial intelligence, etc. But one form of technology that we tend to overlook has been a part of our lives for centuries: pharmacy.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.

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.In a Health Calls special, CHA's Senior Director of Government Relations Paulo Pontemayor and Barbara DiPietro, PhD, Senior Director of Policy at the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, join the show to discuss the importance of Medicaid. They discuss how potential changes to the Medicaid program would impact American families, employment and community health. They also share how listeners can advocate for the program and the families that depend on it for vital health care coverage.ResourcesVisit CHA's "Medicaid Makes It Possible" page to learn how you can take action for MedicaidWatch and share CHA's new informational Medicaid videoAdvocate for Medicaid coverage to your elected representatives by calling the House switchboard at (202) 224-3121 

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?Justin Martin, Director of Spiritual Care Innovation and Transformation at Mercy in St. Louis, Mo., returns to Health Calls to talk about his teams' latest efforts in the virtual spiritual care space. He discusses Mercy's transition from the COVID Care @ Home program, how the system pivoted to in-house technological solutions, and how to maintain trust with patients who may mistrust technological advances.ResourcesLearn about Mercy's COVID Care @ Home program, which won CHA's 2023 Achievement Citation award 

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?Joe Kelly, Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at Mercy, joins the show for a two-part episode. In part one, Kelly discusses his journey to the current role he occupies, how Mercy’s mission colleagues play a role in the organization’s perspective on data, and a Biblical parable that has proved to be a rich, theological foundation for their team to build on.

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.To listen to the first part of this discussion, click here.

This is an updated version from our previous podcast posting with corrected audio - we apologize for the inconvenienceWhen 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?Jaime Dircksen, Vice President of Community Health and Well-Being at Trinity Health, joins the show to discuss how she and her team utilize data to best serve Trinity Health's patient populations. She discusses key indicators they look for, how different customizable tools can help or harm the process and how generative AI and emerging technologies offer hope and caution to caregivers looking to better connect with their patients.ResourcesRead Dircksen's recent article in Health Progress, "New Ways to Measure Impact in Communities"Purchase or download CHA's A Guide for Planning and Reporting Community BenefitPlan to attend Community Benefit 101, CHA's vital annual program which pro

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?Jaime Dircksen, Vice President of Community Health and Well-Being at Trinity Health, joins the show to discuss how she and her team utilize data to best serve Trinity Health’s patient populations. She discusses key indicators they look for, how different customizable tools can help or harm the process and how generative AI and emerging technologies offer hope and caution to caregivers looking to better connect with their patients.ResourcesRead Dircksen’s recent article in Health Progress, “New Ways to Measure Impact in Communities”Purchase or download CHA’s A Guide for Planning and Reporting Community BenefitPlan to attend Community Benefit 101, CHA’s vital annual program which provides the basics of community benefit programming

Three-dimensional printing technology has been around for decades, but has seen a rapid expansion into commercial, manufacturing and industrial use over the past few years. As it makes its way into health care, what benefits could this relatively new technology offer?Dr. Kevin Chen, Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Cardinal Glennon and Surgical Director of the 3D Lab at SSM Health, joins the show to discuss the use of 3D printing in his everyday work. Dr. Chen discusses how it can be used as an educational tool, how it affects the patient-caregiver relationship and where the technology can go in the future.ResourceRead the Catholic Health World story from July 2024 covering Dr. Chen’s work at the SSM Health 3D Lab

Every day, new technologies are making their way into health care settings. Whether it's AI recorders and transcribers or robotic surgical tools, it's a reality that providers and systems must face.Cyril Philip, Vice President of Digital Ventures at Bon Secours Mercy Health and Digital Ventures Lead at Accrete Health Partners, joins Health Calls to discuss the logistical benefits that introducing these technologies can have for care providers. He offers insight into how workflow can be optimized, how patient interactions can be prioritized and how systems can wisely manage the influx of new data and tech.ResourcesRead Cyril's interview with MedCity News

This is an updated version from our previous podcast posting with the full episode - we apologize for the inconvenienceAs artificial intelligence is implemented into more and more aspects of health care, it can be difficult to keep up with the varying ethical considerations that arise. If Catholic health care is to thrive in this new era of technology, a robust theological perspective is necessary.Dan Daly, Executive Director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health, returns to Health Calls to discuss how Catholic health providers can find theological guidance and ethical clarity on technological questions. He discusses Pope Francis’s perspective on AI, why human empathy is crucial, and why efficiency and profit cannot be the ministry’s ultimate goals.ResourcesVisit the Center for Theology and Ethics in Health Care’s new websiteRevisit Dan Daly’s previous Health Calls episode on the Center’s mission and values

As artificial intelligence is implemented into more and more aspects of health care, it can be difficult to keep up with the varying ethical considerations that arise. If Catholic health care is to thrive in this new era of technology, a robust theological perspective is necessary.Dan Daly, Executive Director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health, returns to Health Calls to discuss how Catholic health providers can find theological guidance and ethical clarity on technological questions. He discusses Pope Francis’s perspective on AI, why human empathy is crucial, and why efficiency and profit cannot be the ministry’s ultimate goals.ResourcesVisit the Center for Theology and Ethics in Health Care’s new websiteRevisit Dan Daly’s previous Health Calls episode on the Center’s mission and values

Emerging technologies can help health care providers with a multitude of daily tasks from efficient data processing to helping doctors with bedside conversations. But can it be used in the realm of spiritual care and whole person care?Theresa Edmonson, Vice President of Spiritual Health for Providence St. Joseph Health, and Antonina Olszewski, Vice President of Spiritual Care for Mission Integration at Ascension, join the show to discuss the latest trends in technology and spiritual care. The two highlight the recent work of CHA’s Spiritual Care Advisory Council, explain why they feel hopeful about the future of AI in spiritual care settings, and reflect on how the foundresses and founders of Catholic health care can inspire us as we move boldly into the future.Resources Access the latest resources from CHA’s celebration of Spiritual/Pastoral Care WeekLearn more about CHA’s Spiritual Care Advisory Council here

As one of the country’s highest producers of carbon emissions, health care has a special responsibility in helping solve the ongoing climate crisis. What opportunities exist for health systems to make immediate improvements to their carbon footprint, and how can they set themselves up for a sustainable future?Dan Misleh, co-founder of the Catholic Climate Covenant, joins Health Calls to talk about the many partnerships his organization is rallying around. He highlights the non-profit’s Catholic Energies program, lists the financial benefits of making sustainable changes, and encourages Catholic health providers to think about how climate action can be a way to live out their mission.ResourcesRegister for CHA’s Feast of St. Francis Webinar, Catholic Healthcare Sows Hope and Action for CreationGet involved with the organizations mentioned in today’s episodeCatholic Climate CovenantCatholic EnergiesProject DrawdownDSIRE: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

When working with patients, it is essential for palliative care providers to have goal-oriented conversations. Without them, caregivers may not efficiently and collaboratively meet the patients' needs and goals for their own care. How can new technologies enhance these conversations, both from a productivity and a human relationship standpoint?Matthew Gonzales, MD, of the Institute for Human Caring at Providence, joins the conversation to discuss IHC, the center’s successes, and its use of generative artificial intelligence. Gonzales lays out how “EmpathyAI” can enhance caregiver-to-patient interactions and lead to better outcomes for patients in a goal-aligned care model.ResourcesVisit the IHC’s official website to learn more about its work

As the world of technology spins faster and faster, responses can vary to the rapid pace of change and innovation. Fear, excitement, caution – everyone has an idea of how to respond. What does Catholic tradition and faith have to say?Dr. Joseph Vukov, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University of Chicago and author of Staying Human in an Era of Artificial Intelligence, joins Health Calls to offer his thoughts on what Catholicism has to offer to this technological moment. Dr. Vukov and Brian discuss specific ways that technology can benefit and disrupt the mission of Catholic health care, all while keeping in mind the truth of what it means to be “human” in a digital age.ResourcesPurchase Dr. Vukov’s book, Staying Human in an Era of Artificial Intelligence