Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery The University of Chicago Department of Surgery

In this episode of Deep Cuts, Dr. Selwyn O. Rogers on how to understand and begin to tackle gun violence in the United States. We’ll discuss the factors that perpetuate gun violence, which individuals are at highest risk, and what interventions might look like to curb gun violence. We’ll also discuss the ways Dr. Rogers finds meaning amidst this challenging work.

Dr. Selwyn O. Rogers Jr.is a widely respected surgeon and public health expert. He is the founding director of the University of Chicago Medicine Trauma Center, and has built an interdisciplinary team of specialists to treat patients who suffer injury from life-threatening events, such as car crashes, serious falls and gun violence. His team works with leaders in the city's trauma network to expand trauma care on the South Side of Chicago.

Dr. Rogers has also served in leadership capacities at health centers across the country, including most recently as vice president and chief medical officer for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, as the chair of surgery at Temple University School of Medicine, and as the division chief of trauma, burns and surgical critical care at Harvard Medical School.

If you have questions or topics you’d like to hear us discuss, please reach out to us via Instagram or X @deepcutssurgery. You can also learn more about our podcast and team at our website, deepcuts.surgery.uchicago.edu.

“Deep Cuts” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago which is located on Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi land.

Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our host is Dr. Anthony Douglas. Our producers are Alia Abiad, Caroline Montag, and Chuka Onuh. Our editor and production coordinator is Nihar Rama. The intro song you hear at the beginning of our show is “Love, Money Part 2” from Chicago’s own Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records.

Special thanks this week to all of our listeners for supporting the show. Let us know -- what have you most enjoyed about our podcast? Where do you see room for improvement? You can reach out to us on Instagram or X at @deepcutssurgery.

In this episode of “Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery”, Dr. Jana Richards and Dr. Lateia Taylor discuss racial disparities in maternal mortality and the different ways we can change this picture. We’ll get into the reasons why disparities exist when it comes to race and matters of maternal life or death. We’ll also talk about how medical schools can help and what work is being done at the University of Chicago to improve outcomes. Dr. Richards and Dr. Taylor also discuss what these disparities mean to them personally.

Dr. Jana Richards is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago with over 15 years of obstetrics and gynecology experience. She delivers comprehensive women’s care that includes annual exams, preventive care, pregnancy and childbirth medicine, and more. She also works with her patients to create personalized treatment plans that meet each patient’s individual healthcare goals.

Dr. Lateia Taylor is a 4th year Obstretrics & Gynecology resident at the University of Chicago. She is originally from Jackson, Mississippi and completed medical school at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. Her research explores how we can fill gaps in medical provider knowledge about infertility among Black women.

If you have questions or topics you’d like to hear us discuss, reach us at zoom-colo-gen@bsd.uchicago.edu.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago, which is located on Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi land.

Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our producers are Alia Abiad, Caroline Montag, and Chuka Onuh. Our editor and production coordinator is Nihar Rama. The intro song you hear at the beginning of our show is “Love, Money Part 2” from Chicago’s own Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records. His new album is Diagnosis.

A special thanks this week to Dr. Mathews, Dr. Posner, Shane Semmens, and Beth Gabryszak for supporting us in the work we do.

You can find more about our podcast at our website https://deepcuts.surgery.uchicago.edu/ or or on Instagram and X @deepcutssurgery.

Note: During the podcast, Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric otolaryngologist, was accidentally referred to as a pediatrician. We apologize for the error.

In today’s episode, Dr. Valluvan Jeevanandam, Deanna Bassette, Maureen Wilson, and Dr. Chase Corvin discuss the Bloodless Heart Surgery Program at the University of Chicago Medicine. We hear about the individualized, comprehensive cardiac surgical care they provide to Jehovah’s Witnesses and other patients who cannot or choose not to receive blood products. The Bloodless Heart Surgery team also shares what they’ve learned about caring for Jehovah’s Witnesses, combining respect for people’s religious beliefs with surgical expertise.

Dr. Valluvan Jeevanandam specializes in the surgical management of heart failure, and is an expert in high-risk cardiac surgery. He  has received national attention for his skill in performing bloodless cardiac surgery, which requires the use of precise surgical techniques to minimize blood loss during the procedure — sparing the need for a blood transfusion.

Deanna Bassette is the Bloodless Advanced Practice Nurse Coordinator for the University of Chicago Medical Center. Deanna started as a registered nurse on the Cardiothoracic Surgical Floor in 2016 and transitioned to her role as Bloodless APN Coordinator in 2021. In this role, she serves a provider whose patient population consists of patients who are unable to take blood transfusions, even in life-or-death situations.

Maureen Wilson has over 25 years in healthcare, starting off as a paramedic then nursing.  Her nursing experience includes working as an RN in multiple level one trauma centers as well as case management and currently as a Bloodless Coordinator at the university of Chicago hospital.

Dr. Chase Corvin is the chief resident of General Surgery at the University of Chicago. Next year, he will begin his training in heart and lung surgery. In addition to his medical training, Dr. Corvin has degrees in economics and business administration.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our host is Dr. Anthony Douglas. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our producers and editors include Alia Abiad, Caroline Montag, Nihar Rama, and Chuka Onuh. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records.

A special thanks this week to our guests, Dr. Valluvan Jeevanandam, Deanna Bassette, Maureen Wilson, and Dr. Chase Corvin. To send us questions or comments or find out more about our work, visit our website, deepcuts.surgery.uchicago.edu. You can also follow us on Instagram and X at @deepcutssurgery.

To learn more about the Bloodless Heart Surgery Program at the University of Chicago Medicine, visit their website: https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/conditions-services/heart-vascular/heart-surgery/bloodless-heart-surgery

Today, we discuss community health advocacy on the southside of Chicago, including what work is being done in and around UChicago Medicine to promote community health and how people can get involved. We also discuss some of the barriers to achieving the goals of more equitable care for all.

Our guest today is Doriane Miller, MD. Dr. Miller has been providing care to under-served minority populations for more than 20 years. In addition to her role as a primary care physician, she has a special interest in behavioral health. Under her leadership, physicians, educators and community members work to improve population health outcomes for residents on the South Side of Chicago through community-engaged research, demonstration and service models. Dr. Miller's research focuses on the intersection of health disparities and race. She has served as the project director for several studies designed to augment care by promoting collaboration among physicians, patients and families. Dr. Miller's work in the area of improving asthma outcomes through school and community interventions was noted by the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology with a 2006 Special Recognition Award.

Prior to joining the University of Chicago in January 2009, Dr. Miller served as national program director of New Health Partnerships, a demonstration project funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation on collaborative self-management support.

“Deep Cuts: Exploring Equity in Surgery” comes to you from the Department of Surgery at UChicago Medicine. Our hosts are Dr. Jen Vigneswaran and Dr. Anthony Douglas. Our senior producer is Tony Liu. Our producers and editors include Alia Abiad, Caroline Montag, Chuka Onuh, and Nihar Rama. Our podcast cover art comes to you from Pombie Silverman, episode art from Sam Higgins, and music from Sen Morimoto off of Sooper Records.

A special thanks this week to Dr. Doriane Miller. Find more about our work at deepcuts.surgery.uchicago.edu. You can also follow us on Instagram and X at @deepcutssurgery.

In this episode, we discuss obstetrics care — care for women giving birth — and abortion care at the University of Chicago Medicine. WIth Drs. Neha Bhardwaj and Hillary McLaren, we discuss the wide range of care they offer, how their practices have changed since the Supreme Court Dobbs decision, and how they see obstetrics care changing in the next 5 to 10 years. We also get into the disparities they’ve seen in obstetrics and abortion care, as well as efforts both within and outside the University of Chicago to decrease those disparities.

This episode, we are joined by Sharnae Phagan, Drs. Priya Prakash, Annie Polcari, Lea Hoefer, and William McKinley. We touch on what sort of scenarios the police might be involved in, and the challenges surgeons face when interacting with the police. We also discuss ways to best support our patients in high-intensity situations such as these. Alongside our discussion of police interactions in the hospital, our guests talk about the challenging impacts of gun violence on our community and how they can provide the best patient care in the face of such complex issues.