Catch this in-depth interview with Dr. Michael Grossman, Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Southcoast Health, where he sheds light on various facets of trauma surgery. Dr. Grossman elaborates on the definition of trauma, the spectrum of injuries treated including both traditional and modern cases, the distinctions between trauma surgery and elective surgery, and the critical role of patient outcomes in determining surgical approaches. Additionally, he discusses the evolving landscape of technology in advancing trauma surgery, focusing on areas like blood replacement techniques and the utilization of robotic-assisted surgery. Dr. Grossman reflects on the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance in the high-stress field of trauma surgery and emphasizes the importance of community trauma centers in providing timely and effective care to patients in unexpected emergencies.  Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Keeping your staff healthy and productive is the objective of most companies. However, in the event there is an accident, Dr. Jon Mazur, Medical Director of Occupational Health, is there for treatment and recovery. Dr. Mazur explained how the federal organizations OSHA and NIOSH have standards in place since 1970. Dr. Mazur and his staff abide by these standards when conducting routine assessments, like DOT physicals, and treating injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common injury Dr. Mazur and his team see. Southcoast is his primary patient base but they do see patients from large companies too. Would it surprise you to learn they also see patients for injury due to repetitive motion at work (like back pain), mismanagement of diabetes, rashes, exposure, chronic cough, bites, and head injuries. And of course they treat patients for the obvious reasons of slips, tips, and falls. Occupational health can treat these injuries as well as create therapeutic exercise programs for treatment. If you are injured at work you will likely see a Dr. in occupational health for treatment. Dr. Mazur explained how his parents taught him that a disability doesn’t have to be a handicap. He uses that compassion and positivity on a daily basis. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Dr. Sush Prusty’s passion for medical care was ignited by his father in India. He watched his father’s patient’s reactions to his father. The reactions were that of sheer gratitude. Dr. Sush Prusty has over 20 years of experience in Urgent Care Services. As the medical director of Southcoast’s Urgent Cares he shared his passion for growing strong teams in safe facilities accredited by Urgent Care Association of America. Dr. Prusty explained that while staff is trained in basic and advanced life support skills, their facilities are low complexity. They see patients with a wide variety of access to medical care due to the point of care they offer. At Southcoast Urgent Cares, they can see patients in need of respiratory illnesses, GI concerns, infectious diseases, orthopedic care, laceration and repair, and EKG or labs. They offer a plethora of services whether or not you have a primary care physician with Southcoast Health. And with “Book It” on the Southcoast App you can save a spot to see a physician. They have great working relationships with the ER and EMS for best patient care in the event the patient needs more advanced medical attention. Catch the full episode to get a better understanding of all the medical concerns and conditions Urgent Care can treat as well as what Southcoast does to ensure the best patient experience. Learn More at Southcoast.org.  

In this episode of Healthy Aging Podcast, learn how technological advances have provided neurosurgeons with the ability to be aided by a computer via stereo tactical navigation, allowing physicians to perform surgery more accurately. Dr. Steven Cobery, a neurosurgeon at Southcoast Health who was born and raised in Fall River, explains the benefits of using a computer to aid in surgery such as patient recovery time being expedited due to smaller incisions made possible by the computer system. He appreciates how the images on the computer provide a realistic view of the anatomy that he is operating on, especially when operating in such narrow spaces and cavities like the spine. This episode was eye-opening in what is going on in the world of Neurosurgery!   Dr. Cobery envisioned working in pediatrics, but his engineering brain and hands steered him towards neurosurgery. After serving our country in the United States Navy, he came home and now gives back to the community that gave him so much! At the end of the day, it is very important to him that he has done his job to translate all the information effectively and to gain the confidence of his patient. He has a “never give up” attitude that he learned in first grade; years later he applied that same attitude allowing him to save the life of the teacher who taught him that value. Learn More at Southcoast.org.  

“When we got back from vacation my symptoms got more intense.” In April 2023, Mia Hardman explained that half of her body couldn’t regulate temperature. Hot felt cold and vice versa! She experienced numbness on the left side of her body, couldn’t lift her arm, and by the time she saw Dr. Joshua Stone, she was dragging her leg to walk. Dr. Stone explained that Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting the nervous system. It can affect your brain and spinal cord. He went on to explain that each MS attack can present differently for each patient.  While the attacks can be dramatic, he strongly recommended not dismissing anything that is going on that is out of the norm for your body. There is no cure for MS right now, but it is highly treatable. Mia was very vulnerable in this episode describing all the emotions she experienced, thinking life was over, and enduring some painful tests. But with the calm demeanor of Dr. Stone and his positivity, she knew she was in good hands. He was able to diagnose Mia and get her on the road to recovery! Mia shared that to help her body, she cut out sugar and is up to running 2-4 miles daily. “A body in motion stays in motion.” That’s Mia’s new motto. Listen to the episode to hear Mia’s full story and all the information Dr. Stone shared about Multiple Sclerosis. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Dr. Soares is in high demand due to her expertise in Menopause but was able to take a few minutes to discuss Menopause with us. She explained the clinical definition of menopause, the symptoms you may experience, and what causes those symptoms. She addressed the ups and downs of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) being prescribed over the years. This episode may just change your mind about HRT. Dr.s have really learned a lot over the years about HRT. Dr. Soares really took an interest in Menopause when she was not able to access HRT due to the discouragement of HRT when she was experiencing symptoms. She really wants to help women during this transition of their bodies. And she shared exciting news about a new non-hormonal drug, called Veozah, for all women but especially exciting for women who are not a candidate for HRT. You lose bone density during menopause too so she explained the importance of getting a Dexa scan. And of course, she offered advice on how to stay healthy during Menopause. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

From heartburn to GERD to colon cancer, Dr. Charles Shana’s the expert! His objective is to diagnose and then choose an appropriate course of treatment. He treats the full digestive tract and works hand in hand with the internists and primary care physicians. A primary care physician is the first stop in seeking treatment, and from there they can refer you to a gastroenterologist for more complex symptoms. For heartburn and GERD he can offer treatment by starting with weight loss by looking at a patient’s diet and their exercise routine. Dr. Shana offered some foods to avoid that are common culprits of acid. When those treatments don’t work, he may have to use surgical measures to provide the patient relief. He explained at what point those surgeries may be recommended. Dr. Shana can use a LINX surgery that is cutting edge and he described how that surgery is performed along with a couple other options. There is great reward to performing colonoscopies for Dr. Shana too. He can literally prevent a patient from getting colon cancer and he expressed how good that feels to report to the patient. And while colonoscopies are the gold standard for detecting colon cancer he did discuss other alternatives that have proven to be fairly effective in detection. Learn more at Gastroenterology | Southcoast Health.

Top three contributing factors to lung cancer? Smoking, Radon, and Asbestos! Screening is always key in detecting diseases and cancer. Dr. Tammy Gleeson, DO in Thoracics, joined us in this episode and it became very apparent how early detection is important to the success rate of surviving the disease AND life after. Dr. Gleeson really explained stages 1,2, and 3 of lung cancer. She also shared how those stages change your surgery, recovery, and life after lung cancer. Dr. Gleeson is no stranger to small-cell lung cancer. Unfortunately, she has lost many loved ones, including her father to this cancer. She originally thought she wanted to attend dental school but Thoracics pulled on her heartstrings due to family history. Dr. Gleeson can remember those experiences and extend grace to those patients, in a similar way, how she wanted to be treated. She talked a little bit about robotics and SBRT (stereotactic body radiation therapy). Dr. Gleeson also shared encouraging news about treatment in the future. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

After surgery, after injury…you can get back into action with a little physical therapy. Physical therapy focuses on movements of larger muscle groups and uses multiple modalities for recovery. Jeremy Ponte, physical therapist at Southcoast, has helped his patient Rick Kidder to recover multiple times after surgery. Rick joked that they must have psychology training too. He was referring the the support and encouragement he has received, when in pain, as he was being pushed to heal his body. Jeremy added that they, as trained professionals, know the pain limits to accomplish the goal of healing. Jeremy and his co-therapists have a comprehensive goal of recovery for their patients which lots of times includes homework to keep revisiting long after leaving the office. Jeremy and Rick agree the patient has to assume responsibility and motivation to recover but Jeremy and his team work cohesively to make that happen! Learn More at Southcoast.org.

When you grow up watching your dad be a radiology oncologist, and then your big brother, of course, you want to be one too. That was not what Dr. Patrick Gagnon thought initially. But after first-hand exposure to in rotations, he fell in love with this field. Dr. Gagnon candidly shared how he loves the hope and quality of life he can offer his patients. Did you know radiation can alleviate pain due to cancer or remove obstructions? Radiation is not always to cure but rather to offer quality of life. He stressed the importance of early detection. Once terminal diseases, they are now very curable in their early stages. Get your annual screenings done! The most common cancers are breast, prostate, and colorectal. You can treat cancer with chemotherapy (internally), radiation (external intense radiation), or a combination. Dr. Gagnon uses Stereotactic Radiation to pinpoint treat cancer more effectively, than in his dad’s days of practice, and in less time. At Southcoast, they also practice image-guided radiation therapy. He was so good at explaining both treatment modalities. Cancer treatment has grown in leaps and bounds since then and is now in use at Southcoast Health. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Christine Cernak, RN, BBA, MPH She received her Diploma in Nursing from the Christ Hospital School of Nursing, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business and a Master of Public Health from the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health & Health Sciences in Amherst. Professionally Christine has practiced Medical-Surgical and Hematology-Oncology nursing in the Acute Care setting, home infusion therapy nursing and chronic disease self-management support and education. Christine enjoys leading complex health and social needs care management teams within Southcoast Provider Group, Hospital Group and Health Network. She also focuses on the integration of a variety of community organization services and supports for people receiving care within Southcoast Health System. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Dr. Iraklis Gerogiannis, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Southcoast Health, shares insightful information on cardiovascular surgery prevention, and the peace of mind you should have about Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and other procedures that have been around for many years. The longer a surgery or procedure has been around the longer the medical community has been able to modify, perfect, and reduce risks. Modern medicine can help those who have been dealt defective genes, who have a heart disease, or diabetes. But you have to ask for the help. You need to see your doctor regularly. You wouldn’t miss your mammogram so don’t miss your annual check-up with your primary doctor because they screen for risk factors and can see differences from year to year in your tests.   Hear from Terri Monteiro, a patient who was referred to Dr. G after having trouble breathing going uphill at a concert. It turned out she had blockages and Dr. G was just the surgeon to fix this issue. Terri is grateful for the way he and his staff treated Terri and supported her family through a scary time. Terri had ignored some of the warning signs thinking they were due to menopause. Dr. G confirmed in the past the medical community would do the same. They started to notice men get the classic “Hollywood” symptoms we see in the movies while women’s symptoms are more subtle. Women’s focus is on breast cancer and early detection when maybe it should be shifted to heart disease and the subtle symptoms women can expect. This is also the reason we lose more women to heart disease than men. Tune in to the full episode to learn More! Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Who is the appropriate patient to entertain Gastric Bypass or a sleeve Gastronomy? Dr. Huaco joined us to explain the appropriate patients that he would recommend this surgery to. One of the most obvious reasons is if you are obese. But Dr. Huaco broke down what obesity means and at what point could this be an option. He’s very careful to point out that this is not just because someone eats too much. there are many factors that play into how we gain weight like hormones, environmental factors, and genes. He does warn there’s work to be done after the surgery like Maintain Diet restrictions Protein, low sugar, low carbs Exercise Adequate hydration His patient Darlene Boutin shared her experience from 2019. She was transparent that it has been work but she’s so thankful to have had the surgery. She also helps bariatric patients pre and post-op! She loves the success stories and they both love supporting struggling patients because they know the impact the weight loss has on someone's life. Darlene takes advantage of all the support and encourages patients to… Go the the nurse education workshops Attend follow-up appointments Go to nutritional appointments Get labs done when needed And join the support groups And nowadays the surgery is done laparoscopically, led by Dr. Huaco’s knowledge. This makes post-op recovery quick without the large scars of the past. If you have considered this procedure in the past it may be time to listen in and get all the details of what to expect. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

It is so important we set examples for our children. In business, family life, self-care, sleep, hygiene, and of course diet and exercise. Dr. Stephen Finney specifically points out normalizing eating and exercising. Dr. Finney realizes some people don’t grow up with that example. He ensures each patient who enters his office feels comfortable enough to open up to him so that he can customize a care plan according to each patient's needs. He wants to treat his patients (young and aging) as a whole not just the primary reason for the visit. He wants to get to the root cause of the need for medication and possibly find an alternative such as meditation. Dr. Finney also shares his stance on vaccines and their place in medicine. His patient, Tim Hughes, feels very comfortable talking to Dr. Finney about anything. Honesty is so important in your care especially if you are currently on any medications. He trusts Dr. Finney and his advice on how to stay active and be aware of his diet. Resource for patients about healthy eating click here  Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Is there a cure? No, but Dr. Chung shares very encouraging insights that one day we can view this more as a disease than breast cancer. It's highly detectable and treatable these days. Doctors now have computers that assist and calculate and the field is looking into AI to help them more quickly detect and pinpoint treatment for breast cancer. Susan Nordest, a patient of Dr. Chungs, shares her experience. When Susan got the call back on her mammogram, she expected the best-case scenario. Susan was surprised to find out it was breast cancer. She was given her options and took action. Dr. Chung prides herself in communication and letting patients know what to expect beforehand, and Susan agrees that is the care she received. Hear how Susan is doing now and what’s ahead for Breast Cancer. Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Sports Medicine Doctors are not just for professional, college, and high school athletes. Did you know they even help people with arthritis and occupational injuries? A Sports Medicine Doctor is for ALL joints and all ages! As we age the actual collagen we produce changes. Sports Medicine Doctors can offer a nonsurgical approach to musculoskeletal conditions. Most commonly Dr. Ponti sees… Younger Athletes: Ankle injuries, ACL, and rotator cuff injuries Middle-Aged Population: Overuse injury from sports, repetitive motion at work, or caring for a a loved one Mature Population: Arthritis Dr. Ponti discusses anti-inflammatory medicine, foods, and injectable therapies. He also suggests staying away from processed foods boxed, bagged, or wrapped to reduce inflammation. Dr. Ponti explains a minimally invasive solution using needling by way of ultrasound to break up scar tissue. Dr. Ponti is careful to encourage his patients to train for current goals instead of what they used to be able to do. Learn More at Southcoast.org

A stroke, in its simplest explanation, is impaired blood flow to the brain. A heart attack is impaired blood flow to the heart. Did you know there are three types of strokes? In this episode, Dr. Sacchetti sat down and explained all aspects of stroke, the 5th most common cause of death in the U.S. and 2nd worldwide. Dr. Sacchetti explained modifiable aspects of our lives, that we control, to help us reduce the risk of stroke. He went on to share signs of a stroke, the biggest one being an "all the sudden" change be it slurred speech, impaired vision on one side of the field of vision, difficulty walking or balancing, or tingling sensations. Dr. Sacchetti stressed the importance of getting to the hospital in time to receive therapies available as they have limited windows in which they are effective. That being said there are encouraging studies coming out with neuroprotective agents that will lengthen those windows allowing care.  Learn More at Southcoast.org

Is a Urologist just for women? Once you hear this episode you will know why a woman, man, and even pediatric patients are under Dr. Didi Theva's care. A Urologist cares for all the pelvic floor space including the organs in that area of the body, including the urinary tract.  She explained the care she can provide and the frequent diagnoses that brings patients to her.   Southcoast uses the DaVinci robot allowing minimal invasion and precision. Times have changed and this procedure does not come with the pain and recovery it used to.  Noreen Obin was a patient referred to Dr. Theva after she told her primary Dr. that she had a prolapsed bladder.  You see Noreen is a hairdresser and spends long hours on her feet which heightens symptoms.  After her surgery she was relieved to realize thoughts of her bladder were no longer consuming her. She was hesitant to have the surgery but was relieved when she woke to no pain and basically immediate relief.  Dr. Theva explained that it's an adjustment of anatomy and that's why patients experience immediate relief.  Learn More at Southcoast.org

Everything you need to know about diabetes was covered in this episode with Dr. Eil and his patient, whom he's treated for 20+ years,  John McGlynn. Dr. Eli pointed out the difference between type I diabetes, being a deficiency in insulin, and type II where the body is still making insulin just not enough and not using it effectively. Dr. Eil & John discussed symptoms and the diagnosis options. While Dr. Eil pointed out there is no cure for Type I diabetes, there is research being done and he explained multiple options to manage diabetes.  He explained the different types of insulin and methods of getting it into the body. There is encouraging news with Type II in that diet and weight loss can really help even reverse Type II diabetes! The newest thing, he talked about was the bionic pancreas! It was so cool to hear how it works! Dr. Eil also explained the first three things he does with his patients to set up a management plan. While John admits he's not the perfect patient when it comes to diet, he enjoys being treated by Dr. Eil.  He has learned to go brown with rice and bread and to enjoy a sweet potato here and there. And when his prescription prices skyrocketed, Dr. Eil was able to offer a less expensive options.  If you or someone you know has diabetes then this is an episode you don't want to miss! Learn More at Southcoast.org  

When Sarah Dexter, heard a loud pop, she knew her water broke.  Her son, Prince, was on his way and fast.   When Sarah saw Christine Pereira, CNM at Southcoast Health, Sarah knew everything was going to be ok despite labor pain suggesting otherwise.  Christine Pereira and Sarah Dexter shared their journey as Christine provided prenatal care to Sarah. Sarah was educated on all the pre and post-natal services available to expecting mothers. She was never made to feel like just another patient.  Click on the link below to see baby Prince. What is the difference between the RN (registered nurse), CNM (certified nurse midwife), and the OBGYN? They all have vital roles in successfully adding a baby to the world. Being a CNM, Christine explained her role more specifically and what to expect from Southcoast Health before and after baby.  Picture of mother Sarah Dexter and her son Prince (5mo in this pic) Learn More at Southcoast.org