Health Dame With Robin Strongin

Jarrett Brown, diagnosed with vitiligo at 3 years old, shares his experiences — the raw truths — about living with a visible skin condition. Over the years, Jarrett has found his voice and shares his reflections, advice, and advocacy with Health Dame's Robin Strongin.

Health Dame's Robin Strongin interviews Samuel A. Simon, former Nader's Raiders and now a playwright, sharing his personal experience having been diagnosed, and living with, Alzheimer's. Dementia Man, An Existential Journey, is Sam's award-winning autobiographical story.

Health Dame’s Robin Strongin delves into the complexities of menopause, exploring its stages, the importance of patient advocacy, and the cultural perceptions surrounding it. Sarah Berg, MD FACOG MSCP emphasizes the need for women to educate themselves about their health, particularly during menopause, and to advocate for their needs in medical settings. The discussion also highlights the evolving understanding of hormone replacement therapy and the significance of building strong patient-doctor relationships. Ultimately, the conversation aims to empower women to embrace this phase of life with confidence and knowledge.

Entrepreneur, investor, professor, and early Disruptive Woman in Health Care Halle Tecco has a new book, Massively Better Healthcare. Health Dame's Robin Strongin speaks with Halle about her inspiration for the book, who it's for, lessons learned that she shares with readers. One of the book's case studies focuses on Maven Clinic, the first unicorn in women's and family health. Maven's founder and CEO, Kate Ryder, and Maven's chief medical officer, Dr. Neel Shah, along with health economist Jane Sarasohn-Kahn (another Disruptive Woman in Health Care), rounded out the Health Dame panel. Lots of good discussion around innovation, the role of technology, empowering consumers, trust, and lack thereof, in healthcare, and how we know when healthcare is massively better.

In this conversation, Diane Murdock and Health Dame's Robin Strongin discuss the role of death doulas, their importance in modern healthcare, and the need for open conversations about death and dying. The discussion highlights the evolution of the death doula profession, the societal taboos surrounding death, and the personal reflections of both speakers on their experiences with dying. They emphasize the significance of dialogue, humor, and music in the dying process, and the importance of personalizing one's end-of-life wishes.

In this episode, Robin Strongin talks with nurse leader Dr. Diana Mason about the future of nursing and the urgent need to invest in the healthcare workforce. They discuss the impact of COVID-19, the strain of burnout, and the growing corporatization of care. Dr. Mason shares insights from the Future of Nursing reports on advancing health equity, rebuilding trust, and supporting nurses through better work environments and education. She also highlights nurse innovators tackling gaps in care — from rural health to trauma recovery — and calls for renewed respect and investment in those who keep our communities healthy.

In this Health Dame conversation, Robin Strongin speaks with Leah Binder, President & CEO of LeapFrog Group, an employer-driven nonprofit rating hospitals & health care on safety and quality. They cover the importance of transparency, the role of hospital safety grades, and the impact of data on improving patient outcomes. The discussion also covers challenges in maternity care, medication errors, and the potential of AI in healthcare. The importance of informed decision-making for patients and the need for continuous improvement in health care practices are also highlighted.

Figuring out a way forward after receiving a terrifying diagnosis is hard enough. The Gardners graciously share their personal experiences: Chris, who had the surgery and Nicole, his wife and caregiver bring us inside their experiences with the highs and lows they endured. Throughout it all, they had support from friends, family, and colleagues — all of whom wanted to help. It isn't easy asking for help, knowing what help is needed, and for those offering to help, it can be tricky as well. Together, they held on tight and continue to share their wisdom from the experience. Their book, "What to Expect When You Are Expecting Brain Surgery," (working title) is forthcoming.

As healthcare rapidly embraces AI & digital transformation, the privacy landscape is shifting in real time. Health Dame's Robin Strongin speaks with Tina Grande, the Healthcare Trust Institute's President & CEO, Citizen Health's Deven McGraw, and Omada Health's Lucia Savage. All three are privacy experts and will be speaking at the Healthcare Trust Institute's Nov 10-12 ADAPT (Advancing Data, Access, privacy, & Trust) Conference where attendees will help shape a 3-5 year forecast highlighting how evolving privacy rules, risks, and technologies will impact trust, regulation, and innovation in healthcare.

Ali Schroer, corporate mental health advisor and educator, Libby Burstein, lawyer and policy advocate, and Health Dame's Robin Strongin discuss the rise in corporate spending on wellness, juxtaposed with the alarming decline in mental health and wellbeing among employees. They explore the need for effective mental health initiatives in the workplace, the importance of integrating mental health into corporate culture, and the challenges of measuring success in these initiatives. The discussion also addresses the stigma surrounding mental health, the significance of personal connections in fostering a supportive environment, and future directions for corporate mental health strategies.

In this episode, Nora Super shares what it is like to live with recurring depression. Dr. Len Nichols, Nora's husband and caregiver, share his perspectives. Through policy analyses and lived experiences, Nora and Len, talk with Robin Strongin about the challenges of post discharge care from psychiatric hospitals, the stigma and lack of understanding about the use of ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), insurance barriers, and the challenges of employment discrimination around mental health. Both Nora and Len stress there is HOPE, there are models of care that work, and their message that people are not alone. Together, they are writing a book that encapsulates all that they, and their family, and friends have been through. All with the goal of helping others.

CHECK OUT MY RACK: Learn about breast cancer, dense breasts, breast health, early detection and how the Brem Foundation obliterates barriers to care by teaming with Lyft to offer transportation to those who need it and offering information and resources, including the Check Out My Rack initiative. And, meet a member of the Brem Foundation's Young Professional Advisory Council.

In our effort to spotlight great ideas for making life better across the generations, Health Dame is particularly pleased to talk with Rebecca Wellner. Though decades younger than most diagnosed with dementias, Rebecca is a dementia advocate with a love of baking. She turned both passions into a cool initiative that promotes connection between individuals living with dementia, the people who love them, and the broader community. Sweet success is around the corner.

Dr. Jeremy Nobel, physician, poet, and founder of the Foundation for Art and Healing shares how art activities ease trauma and loneliness.

Health Dame speaks to Missy Krasner, Dr. Rebecca Mitchell, and Lisa Suennen about a host of issues related to digital health, investing in health, women's health, and the role of health professionals in innovation and investment. Lots of rich policy insights.

What if music could help the brain heal?In this episode of Health Dame, Robin Strongin speaks with Dr. Concetta Tomaino, executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. A pioneer in music therapy research, Tomaino has spent decades studying how music affects the brain and how it can help people living with neurologic conditions.Their conversation looks at how music therapy supports people with Parkinson’s disease, memory loss and other neurologic challenges. Tomaino explains how rhythm, singing and sound can help improve speech, movement and mood, while also strengthening the connection between mind and body.Robin also shares a personal story about her father’s Parkinson’s disease and how music helped him find his voice again.It is a thoughtful discussion about science, care and the power of music to improve quality of life.