By now, many of us have tinkered with artificial intelligence (AI) by chatting with a GPT. If you live in North Carolina and have renewed your vehicle registration online lately you interacted with an AI chat bot. At the very least you have heard about amazing things it is capable of or perhaps dark concerns surrounding its use and the potential for disruption.

In this 50^th anniversary special episode of the Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina podcast, we take a moment to connect with former colleagues, faculty, and partners to reflect on the many ways in which Northwest AHEC has impacted the quality of health and healthcare education in the 17-county region of Northwest North Carolina over the past 50 years.

How is conflict helpful with business operations and clinical care? What is this lagging indicator of quality care? How is AI impacting the practice of medicine? What are the key traits for leadership in health care system? What happens when you self diagnose your cancer with a 10-20% chance of survival?

Metin Gurcan, PhD, director of the director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and the Clinical Image Analysis Lab at Wake Forest University School of Medicine joins the Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina podcast to talk about his research in Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. 

What do sleep, homelessness, electroconvulsive therapy, and Alzheimer's have in common? They are all part of our Podcast CE learning series. Listen to a podcast, pass the post-test, and earn an hour of continuing education credits for your professional development, and there is no cost! Get the details here: https://go.northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/podcastce 

Why a Podcast Learning Series? 
Podcasts have emerged as a popular learning tool for adult learners, offering flexibility and accessibility. Recent research has explored the effectiveness of podcasts in educational settings, focusing on how they contribute to knowledge acquisition, engagement, and retention among adult learners.

Studies suggest that podcasts can be effective in enhancing knowledge acquisition and retention. Adult learners appreciate the convenience and ability to learn on the go, which fits well with their often busy schedules. Podcasts have been shown to improve understanding and retention, especially when paired with supplementary materials such as transcripts or quizzes.

Podcasts are highly engaging due to their conversational style, which often makes complex topics more accessible. Research shows that learners are more likely to stay engaged with the material when it is delivered in an audio format, especially if the content is structured in a narrative or storytelling format.

The ability to listen to podcasts at any time and place is particularly beneficial for adult learners who may struggle to find time for traditional learning methods. This flexibility can lead to higher levels of motivation and self-directed learning.

See our current podcast course offerings here: https://go.northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/podcastce 

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are a subject that makes many of us cringe. Yet they are on the rise, especially in the era of hookup apps and healthy aging.

For example, Syphilis cases are on the rise in North Carolina. Cases of syphilis among women jumped 133% between 2019 and 2022, with a 28% increase in congenital syphilis cases in 2023!

Syphilis can affect anyone but is currently rising in women, and in men who have sex with women. This has led to an alarming increase in cases of congenital syphilis.

Sleep is one of the foundational pillars of our overall health and wellness. Not getting enough can leave you sleep deprived and can result in downstream negative health consequences. Sleep hygiene, sleep strategies, sleep aids, and sleep medications can help get us back on the path to rest and recovery through sleeping well.

Making ends meet in America is a challenge for many who are just getting by month to month. When life throws a curveball, expenses can accelerate faster than income. This is a crisis for those without savings. The curveball can continue to cascade into the future, further increasing the gap between debt and income. Financial stress doesn’t discriminate, it can fall on anyone, and leaves many feeling hopeless and in need. That’s where Crisis Control Ministry comes in.

Pastor and founder of MedicareSchool.com joins us for a primer on Medicare. He demystifies Medicare, when and how it begins, what you can receive, and cost considerations. And he shares the decision making processes (and common mistakes) people make when choosing their coverage.

Want to earn an hour of CE Credit with a podcast? Listen to the latest episode and and earn continuing education  in the podcast learning series course. Pass the 3-question post-test after listening to the episode to claim your CE.

Register for CE Credit and listen here: Predrag Gligorovic, MD - Tele-psychiatry and Electroconvulsive Therapy  http://nwahec.org/73195

Listen on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nwahecwebmaster/hi-ep-93-predrag-gligorovic

Or listen in the embedded content below!

In the episode we discuss:

- the impact of the covid-19 response on psychiatric consultations in the Emergency Department.    
- Tele-psychiatry consultations trends in adults and pediatric patients between 2018 and 2022 in AHWFB.    
 - the use of electroconvulsive therapy for treatment of depression, OCD and other conditions.

Check out Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina Episode 93 - With Predrag Gligorovic, MD - Tele-psychiatry and Electroconvulsive Therapy