Podcast delivers conversation, credit for med professionals

Provided by Medavera

The podcast is hosted by pharmacist Jill Sellers.

"On Medical Grounds,” a new podcast geared for medical professionals, is being produced in Springfield by Medavera, a medical education management company. The first episode was posted on May 18, but promotion did not begin until June 30.

The podcast, which is hosted by pharmacist Jill Sellers, is meant to fill a void in the medical podcast space by serving up timely topics through conversations with medical experts and industry professionals. Some of the episodes offer free continuing medical education credits, and these episodes are sponsored by the CME provider.

Three episodes have been produced so far. One of these, “How a Hospital CEO Prepared for a Pandemic,” features an interview with Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth, on his experiences in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, including how he leveraged lessons from the past, social media and international connections to address the crisis.

Edwards’ first-person account of navigating the pandemic is just one example of what producer Michelle West wants to do with the podcast.

“We’re trying to make something that’s not so sterile, no pun intended,” she said. “Medical podcasts are mostly very sterile, but we’re trying to be both engaging and informative.”

Host Sellers said the audience is beginning to build. Though Edwards is a local source, his perspective on COVID-19 is one of national relevance, and other interview subjects have included experts from throughout the country.

“I’m hoping we’ll get some following, but the reviews have been really good,” she said.

Sellers added the content is at a level that is relevant and useful to medical professionals but interesting to general listeners, too.

“The content is not at a level that it’s so far up there you can’t relate,” she said. “We want to bring awareness and education to people in an accessible format.”

The two other episodes that already have been produced offer free continuing medical education credit. Episode 1, “An Orthopedic Surgeon, a Bike Wreck, and Stopping the Cycle of Opioid Abuse,” features an interview with Dr. Stephen Southworth of the Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi on how he developed a protocol to improve pain management while reducing opioids. Episode 2, “Seven Things to Know About Treating Hyponatremia,” interviews a kidney doctor and mountain climber, Dr. Biff Palmer, about why hyponatremia, or low blood sodium, must be addressed and treated.

According to Sellers, every episode is slightly different in its approach, and she said videos and a YouTube channel may be added.

“On Medical Grounds” is a production of medical education program provider Medavera, which creates targeted learning opportunities for medical professionals. It can be found at OnMedicalGrounds.com or through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.