The Scope Radio

Is the President’s Precision Medicine Initiative going revolutionize health care? Is it a good investment? What is it, exactly? Dr. Will Dere, director for the Program for Personalized Health at the University of Utah, gives his perspective on the initiative and what we need to know about this new frontier in medicine. You can also learn more about precision medicine in this podcast on personalized medicine.

Dr. Vivian Lee interviews Dr. John Bulger, chief quality officer for the Geisinger Health System, about the start of the ProvenCare initiative, which began with the idea that if incentives for physicians, hospitals and payers are aligned, patients can receive better quality care at a lower cost. Dr. Bulger and his team started with “warrantied” heart surgery as a case study to the concept. In this interview, he discusses what his team learned from the results of the experiment and how they changed procedures and philosophies to achieve better care for patients.

Everyone has body odors, but every person’s is a little bit different. Odors even vary between areas of our bodies. But did you know using certain soaps and deodorants could alter your body’s natural smell, sometimes in a negative way? Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks about the smells of the human body: why we like some odors and dislike others, what smells can tell us about a person, and how the body uses smells to communicate to others.

Is a sugar-free diet the healthy way to go? Not necessarily. Health educator Ashley Quadros says humans need sugar for energy and discusses why it has such a bad reputation. She offers suggestions for how to get the right amount of sugar in a healthy way and what to watch out for if you’re looking to limit your sugar intake.

Recent headlines have put domestic violence in the spotlight. Wendy James, a social worker, says having these issues brought to the public’s attention is one of the best ways to change them. She talks about how to take action in your community to help eradicate this devastating problem. There are also several things you can do personally to help a friend or family member that is a victim of domestic violence.

Growing up often comes with growing pains. Dr. Cindy Gellner discusses why children of certain ages get body aches and what to expect when growing pains set in. She discusses how to help your child through these uncomfortable times and when to see a doctor if you suspect the pain isn’t normal.

In the winter, some people notice more body stiffness and soreness. Is it normal to feel aches and pains around this time of the year or is this a legitimate health concern? Physical therapist Linda Scholl talks about what the cold weather does to your muscles and joints, and tells you how to prevent aches and pains this winter season.

As more children enter adulthood with chronic illnesses, should there be an adjustment for the primary care of these young adults? Howard Bauchner, editor in chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association, comments on changing pediatric care. Many young adults continue to see their pediatricians into their twenties before switching to a primary care provider. He discusses why this is and how it can affect patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

Chronic sleep deprivation can adversely affect work and family, and should be taken seriously. Focusing on insomnia in women, neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Chris Jones talks about the dangers of learning to be an insomniac. Dr. Kirtly Jones questions him about sleep aids and therapies, managing stress and letting go of compulsions.

Our bodies are home to thousands of species of good bacteria that keep us healthy by aiding with digestion, defending against harmful bacteria, even possibly promoting mental health. A study published on Jan. 22, 2015, in Cell Host and Microbe shows how our body has adapted to help these microbes flourish. And what happens when things go wrong. An interview with three of the study’s authors including June Round, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, explores how the research was done and the implications of their findings for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

When you feel a cold coming on, will loading up on vitamin C help you out? Are you really going to get sick if you go outside with wet hair? Dr. Russell Vinik talks common winter health myths. The truth behind these myths might surprise you!

Physicians and insurance companies historically have made most of the decisions about health care. But they now realize how important it is to involve patients and put them first. Family physician Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones is dedicated to putting patients first. He talks about this new campaign to make the voices of patients heard while improving care and cutting costs.

Experiment.com and petridish.org are websites that host crowdfunding campaigns designed to raise money for scientific research from large numbers of people. It sounds like a great idea, but does it work? Shelley Minteer, Ph.D., professor of chemistry at the University of Utah talks about her crowdfunding experience and explains what types of projects she thinks are best suited for this style of fundraising.

We’re in the midst of flu season, and with a mutated virus, the flu is hitting very hard this year. If your child comes down with the flu, there isn’t much you can do except make them comfortable and wait for the virus to run its course. Dr. Cindy Gellner shares plenty of advice for making the flu as bearable as possible for your little ones. She discusses the food flu victims should eat, how much water they should drink, medications, and when to go back to school.

Hypothermia is when your body temperature gets too low. But you might be surprised to find out it doesn’t really need to be all that cold to get hypothermia. Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the conditions required for hypothermia to happen, discuses the signs and symptoms, when it becomes life threatening and what you can do to help someone with hypothermia.