& so much more

Centra Health
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Mental Health
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A bi-monthly podcast where we share the stories of our Caregivers, patients and community. 

  1. 1d ago

    AI in Healthcare, a Clinical Perspective with Chris Thomson, MD, MS, MBA, FACEP

    AI in healthcare can feel like a black box, so we slow it down and talk about what’s actually changing at the bedside and what isn’t. I’m joined by Centra’s chief physician executive, Chris Thompson, to unpack how clinical teams think about artificial intelligence, safety, and trust when real people and real decisions are on the line. We get concrete about the tools that are already improving the patient experience, including ambient listening and AI scribe workflows that help clinicians spend less time facing the computer and more time focused on you. We also dig into the patient portal inbox problem: patients love being able to message their care team, but the volume can be overwhelming. Used responsibly, AI can support faster replies, refill workflows, and better context so clinicians can respond promptly without losing clinical judgment. Then we tackle the big question: does AI change medical decision making? Chris explains why the best clinical AI acts as decision support, not decision replacement, especially for early pattern detection like sepsis risk, subtle hospital deterioration, and complex rhythms. We also talk governance, cybersecurity, vendor vetting, and health equity, including why understanding how models are trained matters for community trust. The throughline is clear: a human stays in the loop, accountable for the final call. If you’re curious, skeptical, or somewhere in between, listen now, subscribe for more healthcare conversations, and share this with someone who worries about AI. After you listen, leave a review and drop a question or concern you want us to address next. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    AI in Healthcare, a Clinical Perspective with Chris Thomson, MD, MS, MBA, FACEP

  2. Oct 21

    Breast Cancer Survivor, Ann Riley

    A faint red streak. No obvious lump. Just a deep sense that something wasn’t right. Ann Riley followed that instinct, kept calling for an opening, and pushed for answers until imaging revealed a breast cancer diagnosis that was hiding behind her nipple. What follows is an honest, practical patient story that shows how self-advocacy and a clear care plan can change everything, especially when time feels like it’s moving too fast. We talk through Ann’s HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosis and what that label actually meant for treatment. She explains why her team wanted to “kill it” with chemotherapy first, what it’s like living with a port, how side effects can hit days later, and why isolation is one of the toughest parts of chemo. Along the way, she shares the small, real-world habits that helped her cope: hydration, food when appetite disappears, walking for sunlight and breaking the journey into manageable goals. From a December mastectomy to the surprise of having 14 lymph nodes removed, Ann also opens up about rehab, compression sleeves, prosthetics, and making personal decisions about breast reconstruction at her own pace. We end with what stayed with her most: the power of support, the skill of the care team, and the people who set the tone the moment you walk into the cancer center. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    Breast Cancer Survivor, Ann Riley

  3. Sep 23

    AI in Healthcare, a Business Perspective with Sanjeev Sah, Pt. 1

    AI in healthcare can help you find care faster, reduce friction at check-in, and give clinicians more time to actually talk with you. We’re joined by Sanjeev Sah, Centra Health’s Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer, who brings a grounded perspective shaped by his first 15 years in Nepal and years of work across different U.S. communities. That background keeps the conversation anchored in a simple goal: better access to care, especially where resources are stretched.  We talk about the real-world side of digital transformation at Centra Health, including patient-focused tools like online registration and self-scheduling, along with behind-the-scenes work that makes the experience smoother once you’re in a clinic or hospital. Sanjeev explains how technology and innovation can help people navigate a complex healthcare ecosystem and why the most meaningful wins are often the practical ones that remove confusion and delays. We also dig into clinician workflow and why solutions like an AI scribe matter when documentation pulls caregivers away from the bedside.  Then we address the question everyone should ask: what happens to personal health information when AI is involved? We discuss responsible AI, privacy, security, compliance and the testing and validation that should happen before any tool earns a place in patient care. We also share a mindset shift we think matters: IT teams are Caregivers too, partnering with clinical, operational and administrative leaders to make care safer and work simpler.  If you care about healthcare AI, patient experience, privacy and what modernization looks like in a community health system, listen now. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    AI in Healthcare, a Business Perspective with Sanjeev Sah, Pt. 1

  4. Sep 9

    Targeting the Source of Pain, A New Approach to Chronic Migraine Relief

    A migraine that keeps coming back after medication trials, specialist visits and years of disruption forces a brutal question; what’s left? We sit down with Dr. Rami Fakih, a Neuroendovascular Surgeon at Centra, to talk about an emerging, highly targeted option being explored for chronic refractory migraine and why it’s drawing serious attention in vascular neurology. We walk through what “chronic migraine” means clinically, how doctors define treatment-resistant or refractory migraine, and why accurate diagnosis matters before anyone considers a procedure. Dr. Fakih explains the basics of a catheter-based approach that navigates to the middle meningeal artery (MMA) and delivers lidocaine, a familiar medication used in many settings, with the goal of interrupting severe migraine patterns for a small group of carefully selected patients. We also talk about what early case reports and case series that suggest some patients feel improvement within hours, and others may experience symptom-free days, weeks, or even months. Because this is neuroendovascular surgery, we don’t gloss over the reality that “minimally invasive” still means invasive. We discuss risks, why repeat treatments aren’t automatic and why the best path forward is thoughtful referrals through headache specialists, stronger clinical evidence and randomized controlled trials that can clarify who benefits most and how long effects can last. If you’re a provider looking for options for refractory migraine, or a patient searching for credible hope without hype, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more practical clinical conversations, share this with someone navigating chronic migraine, and leave a review with your biggest question so we can cover what you want next. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    Targeting the Source of Pain, A New Approach to Chronic Migraine Relief

  5. Aug 12

    Cardiac PET CT Improves Heart Disease Care at Centra

    A clearer heart scan can change more than an image, it can change a decision. We talk with Jared Vest, who oversees nuclear cardiology and PET CT at Centra, about the arrival of cardiac PET CT and why it’s a major leap forward for diagnosing heart disease closer to home.  We walk through SPECT versus PET in plain language, then dig into what makes PET CT the new gold standard: higher-quality imaging and the CT mapping that helps correct for attenuation artifacts that can mask or mimic poor blood flow. That accuracy matters because it helps clinicians send the right patients to the right next step, including whether someone truly needs a heart cath or can avoid an unnecessary procedure. We also get into what’s especially exciting about cardiac PET CT: the ability to quantify blood flow and coronary flow reserve, not just “look” at perfusion. That opens the door to detecting smaller defects and microvascular disease earlier, and it points toward future options like viability imaging to see whether heart muscle can benefit from intervention. If you care about preventive cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging, or patient-centered heart disease care, hit play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    Cardiac PET CT Improves Heart Disease Care at Centra

  6. Feb 17

    From Pain To Possibility, Diane's Brain & Spine Story

    A stiff back and aching leg can look like a simple lower spine problem until the real culprit hides higher up. We share Diane’s journey from conservative care to targeted injections and, finally, two precisely timed surgeries that unlocked lasting relief. Along the way, our interventional pain specialist and neurosurgeon walk through how they think, starting with imaging and exam, testing hypotheses with blocks and epidurals and only then decide whether surgery is the safest, most effective move. You’ll hear how short-lived relief from medial branch blocks, rhizotomy, and epidural injections became a diagnostic signal, not a failure. The turning point came with a second MRI that revealed severe cervical stenosis compressing the spinal cord, an insight that explained leg symptoms and shifted priority to neck surgery first. We break down why the cervical spine often takes precedence, how operating where the danger is highest can also calm symptoms elsewhere and why “smallest effective surgery” often beats a bigger, hardware-heavy approach. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    From Pain To Possibility, Diane's Brain & Spine Story

  7. Feb 10

    Reimagining Virginia Baptist Hospital With Community Voice

    What should a 30-acre, 537,000-square-foot hospital become after a century of care? We sit down with Centra’s Denise Woernle, urban planner Suzanne Schulz, and Lynchburg’s economic development director, Marjette Upshur, to map a community-first path for reimagining Virginia Baptist Hospital. The conversation unpacks adaptive reuse in plain terms: listen first, decide later. Together, we walk through the process from January listening sessions to February goal-setting to a March community charrette designed to build trust, reduce surprise and turn lived experience into actionable plans. We connect the study to Centra’s modernization plan, including new facilities coming online and service transitions that open space at VBH. Rather than let the campus go dark, the team explores how partnerships, potential tax incentives and careful market analysis can spark a viable future. With strong architecture, a prime location between downtown and Liberty University and a deeply personal legacy for neighbors and staff, VBH stands out as a rare chance to blend preservation with progress. We address the stakes plainly: an empty site drains value, while an engaged process can create jobs, honor history and keep the neighborhood vibrant. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

    Reimagining Virginia Baptist Hospital With Community Voice

  8. Jan 14

    Why A Family Doctor Who Treats Mind, Body & Spirit Changes Outcomes

    A stronger primary care relationship can be the difference between constant crisis and steady health. That’s the throughline of our conversation with Dr. Detwiler, the incoming Director of Osteopathic Medicine at the CMG Lynchburg Family Medicine Residency. Dr. Detwiler brings rural roots, 25 years of family practice and a clear mission, to train physicians who treat mind, body and spirit while delivering measurable results for communities that need care the most. We dig into what actually sets osteopathic medicine apart. It’s not a split from modern medicine. DOs are fully trained in the same diagnostics, procedures and specialties as MDs. The distinction is a disciplined focus on human connection, structure and function and the body’s capacity to heal with proper support. That lens changes the clinic room. Conversations include stress, sleep, work, beliefs and budget, because those factors drive adherence and outcomes. We also clear up misconceptions about OMT. Osteopathic manipulative treatment is a practical, hands-on tool for musculoskeletal issues, designed to complement medications and therapy, not replace them. At LFMR, we’re building a curriculum that helps residents provide OMT efficiently within standard visits. There’s a bigger system story too. Healthcare is shifting toward value-based care, where metrics like blood pressure control, A1C levels, and vaccination rates matter. LFMR’s team-based model with residents, faculty, imaging, lab, OB care and social work under one roof makes it easier to close loops and lift those numbers. And the pipeline is real. By partnering with LUCOM and integrating trainees with local surgeons, hospitalists and specialists, we’re creating the relationships that encourage physicians to stay at Centra for their care. That means more access, shorter waits and care that feels personal and effective. We’re also launching an OMT clinic at LFMR for patients seeking targeted help with back and musculoskeletal pain from an osteopathic perspective. If you’ve struggled to find a primary care provider who listens and coordinates, we’d love to meet you. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a steady healthcare home, and leave a review to help more people discover whole-person primary care in Lynchburg. For more content from Centra Health check us out on the following channels. YouTube Facebook Instagram Twitter

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About

A bi-monthly podcast where we share the stories of our Caregivers, patients and community. 

Information

  • Creator
    Centra Health
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    133
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 & so much more
  • Show Website
    & so much more