health

Mary Ashley Barbot of Charleston was supposed to be in Los Angeles, California this week; not for vacation but for a potentially lifesaving treatment.  The coronavirus pandemic put the brakes on her plans and accelerated the concerns of her already worried parents.

The 16 year-old was born with congenital nephrotic syndrome which required she undergo a kidney transplant at just 20 months old.  The condition also caused development delays and hearing loss.  Mary Ashley's body later rejected the kidney.  She's been on a transplant waiting list for seven years.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Elisha Brownfield about new approaches to monitoring and managing chronic health conditions remotely during the coronavirus crisis. Dr. Brownfield is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at MUSC.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Emily Warr about an online patient program (and secure website) that allows health care providers to monitor and communicate with covid-19 positive patients throughout their illness.   Emily Warr is a Registered Nurse and Director of Operations at the Center for Telehealth at MUSC. 

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Scott Sullivan about new approaches to prenatal care and prenatal monitoring and also the latest info about pregnancy and the Covid-19 pandemic.  Dr. Scott Sullivan is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at MUSC.

As clinics and hospitals ask patients to stay home to limit exposure to the coronavirus, more mental health providers are turning to telehealth to close gaps between providers and their patients.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Alyssa Rheingold about the importance of connecting with friends and family (through phone and video conferencing) during the covid-19 crisis, to avoid feelings of isolation and to make daily life happier.   Dr. Rheingold is a Professor and Clinical Psychologist within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at MUSC.  

If you're feeling anxious about the coronavirus pandemic, you're not alone.  More than one third of Americans think it is affecting their mental health, according to a recent study by the American Psychiatric Associaton.

Social distancing to stop the spread has shut down cities and left million without jobs.  Many who are working, are working from home, tackling technology, homeschooling kids and cooking all the family meals.

Daily life is different and stressful.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Elizabeth Mack about helping kids stay active and maintaining healthy routines during the covid-19 crisis.  Dr. Mack is the Division Chief for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at MUSC Children’s Health, and she’s a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Lacey MenkinSmith has made a career of global, infectious disease medicine and has long felt a worldwide pandemic was inevitable.  Yet, even she is having a hard time coming to terms with COVID-19.

"It's real, but sometimes I can't wrap my head around it," Dr. MenkinSmith says.  She's the Director of High-Risk Infectious Disease for the Emergency Department at the Medical University of South Carolina.

"I certainly never imagined that I would have to use the same sort of thought process that I do in my work overseas actually working in the United States."

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Michael Schmidt about the science of handwashing and social distancing to help prevent covid-19.  Dr. Schmidt is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at MUSC and he is the Chair of the Council of Microbial Sciences at the American Society for Microbiology.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, much has been made of the expected shortage of ventilators for COVID-19 patients.  To maximize the patient treatment potential of ventilators in America's hospitals, a team of South Carolina doctors, engineers and other health care professionals has developed a way to double (at least) the capacity of the nation's ventilators while more are being made.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Rochelle Hanson about the important things adults living alone can do to protect their mental health, create positive routines and prevent isolation during the covid-19 crisis. Dr. Hanson is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in the treatment of trauma, and she’s a Professor of Psychiatry at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at MUSC.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Michael Schmidt about his participation in the March 23rd (virtual) global Covid-19 summit for researchers in microbiology, virology, immunology and epidemiology. Dr. Schmidt is a professor of microbiology and immunology at MUSC and he is the Chair of the Council of Microbial Sciences at the American Society for Microbiology.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Rochelle Hanson about the things families can do to help children and parents get through their everyday routines during the coronavirus pandemic.   Dr. Hanson is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in the treatment of trauma, and she’s a Professor of Psychiatry at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at MUSC.