In the newest episode of the miniVHAN podcast, we sit down with Terrell Smith, MSN, RN, the recently retired senior director of Patient and Family Engagement at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. With over five decades of experience, Terrell shares heartfelt anecdotes and insights into the challenges caregivers face daily. We shine a spotlight on these unsung heroes, exploring the emotional and physical toll of caregiving and the vital importance of community support.

This episode addresses caregiving as a significant public health issue, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and examining how caregiving can be integrated into preventive health care practices. As we explore the evolving landscape of caregiving within value-based care models, Terrell shares valuable advice for caregivers on managing their roles and maintaining self-care. This episode is a call to action for health care providers to recognize caregivers' pivotal role and ensure they are equipped with necessary resources and support.

This episode of the miniVHAN spotlights the work of Interfaith Dental, a Middle Tennessee nonprofit that helps vulnerable populations achieve and sustain a healthy smile. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, DMD, the organization's visionary CEO, walks us through Interfaith Dental's modest beginnings in 1995 and evolution into a cornerstone community resource that has rapidly adapted to break down barriers in health care. Our conversation shows how the organization has expanded services to patients of all ages and addressed social determinants of health through innovative solutions like teledentistry, walk-in days and community dental health workers.

In this episode, we explore the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model with our guest, Liz Pierce, MD, pediatric regional medical director for the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network. With over 30 years of experience in pediatrics, Dr. Pierce shares her invaluable insights into how this physician-led, team-based care model can enhance patient outcomes.

The PCMH model, rooted in the principles of coordinated and comprehensive care, seeks to centralize the patient's medical journey and make health care more accessible and effective. Because implementing the model can be a challenge, Dr. Pierce discusses the pivotal role of PCMH champions within organizations and highlights state programs that offer financial aid and coaching to ease the transition.

For those eager to embark on the journey toward PCMH designation, Dr. Pierce walks us down the path of achieving and maintaining PCMH certification, a designation granted by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). We also invite listeners to use the resources from this episode to learn more.

We're hitting the road with Elizabeth Randolph, MD, from Green Hills Pediatric Associates, to explore the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and how it's making infections harder to treat. Discover why antibiotic stewardship is vital to decrease the risk
of disease spread and severe illness.

We'll tackle the challenges of managing patient and family expectations when it comes to antibiotic use and share strategies for reassuring parents about non-antibiotic treatments for common ailments. We'll also discuss many of the risks involved in overprescribing.

Learn how Green Hills Pediatrics is leading a cultural shift towards more thoughtful antibiotic use by educating patients and tracking prescription data. Join us for this episode aimed at building a strong foundation for pediatric health.

Join us as we welcome Paul Augustyniak, board chair for the Tennessee chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Paul highlights the organization's mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide through research, advocacy, education and healing initiatives.

With 1,200 Tennesseans lost to suicide last year and the state ranked 22nd in the nation for suicide rates, increasing awareness and encouraging open conversations are crucial for prevention. Our discussion also underscores the need to expand mental health resources, particularly in areas with limited health care access.

This episode also covers the expansion of outreach and volunteering opportunities within AFSP, with the goal of increasing community engagement through events like the AFSP walks and State Capitol Days. Tune in to hear how these community-building efforts create a beacon of hope for individuals in need.

If you or a loved one need support, you can call or text the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline 24/7/365. Conversations with lifeline counselors are free and confidential.

With close to 90% of health outcomes affected by patients' conditions outside of the clinic walls, the intersection of medical care and community health plays a vital role in meeting people where they are.

Joining the miniVHAN to share about the social determinants of health is Amy Richardson, Chief Community Health Officer at Siloam Health, a nonprofit organization that provides whole-person care to Middle Tennessee's underserved populations.

Richardson spotlights the benefits of like-minded organizations partnering to promote health equity, explaining how Siloam Health has built trust with local organizations such as the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and Nashville Noticias to effectively reach immigrant and refugee communities. She also shares how her organization has collaborated with the Tennessee Community Health Worker Program to remove barriers to care and improve the health and well-being of patients and families across the state. Learn more about how communities create human connections that enable healthier, fuller lives.

Join us in the miniVHAN as we welcome Cecelia Theobald, MD, Chief of Staff for Corporate Clinical Affairs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Theobald, an internist, is also the attending physician at the student-run Shade Tree Clinic, which provides free health care to uninsured individuals. She has witnessed patients taking a more active role in their care—and explains why that's such a positive development for providers and health care as a whole.

Dr. Theobald underscores the importance of trust and clear communication within patient care teams, highlighting how that strong foundation can lead patients toward more solid decision-making. Tune in to learn how you can best serve patients as they navigate complex medical information, build relationships with their health care providers and take charge of their own health. 

Can employers really transform health care quality and costs? Join us in the miniVHAN for an eye-opening conversation with Michael Kobernick, MD, Senior Medical Director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, as he unpacks the evolving roles of employers and brokers in the health care ecosystem. Dr. Kobernick draws upon his experience both in the practice of medicine and in critical health care leadership to imagine how employers can more successfully collaborate with provider organizations.

Tune in to understand how value-based care models can lead to healthier communities by removing patients' social and financial barriers. You'll also discover how businesses, regardless of size, can shift the focus from merely cutting expenses to genuinely enhancing their employees' health.