Welcome to the first episode of On Call with April and Alicia! We're kicking it off with the hot topic of healthcare staffing. What does this crisis look like in hospitals? What does it mean for clinicians and patients alike? What IS April's phone number? Tune in and find out!

Staffing SOS: The Struggle in Healthcare

In this special edition of On Call, April and Alicia are in the hot seat to answer some burning questions. Get to know your fabulous hosts a little better as they discuss their healthcare backgrounds, how they became friends, and the trials and tribulations of both having names that begin with the letter ‘A.’

Get to know us: My name is not April

We hear it all the time: Work-life balance is SO important. But what does that mean to healthcare workers trying to juggle the important things in life? Between work, chores, family responsibilities, and personal well-being, it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day. In this episode, April and Alicia dive in and share their experience of trying to “have it all” without burning out.

Work-life integration: How to do “laundry”

Happy Women’s History Month! Here On Call, we are celebrating this month with HERstory Unveiled, a four-part interview series. Each week in March, meet a new guest who embodies the determined, odds-defying, trailblazing spirit this month honors.  

To kick things off, April and Alicia sat down with Annie Fowler, Chief People Officer for Sound Physicians, to learn more about her background in leadership, DEI efforts, and – of course – favorite flavor of ice cream.

HERstory Unveiled: Annie Fowler

Happy Women’s History Month! We are celebrating this month with HERstory Unveiled, a four-part interview series. Each week in March, meet a new guest who embodies the determined, odds-defying, trailblazing spirit this month honors.  

This week, April and Alicia sit down with Tiffany Coyle, Regional President of Operations for Sound Physicians. Together, they get down to the nitty-gritty of managing different leadership styles, battling imposter syndrome, and maintaining essential work relationships.

HERstory Unveiled: Tiffany Coyle

Happy Women’s History Month! We are celebrating this month with HERstory Unveiled, a four-part interview series. Each week in March, meet a new guest who embodies the determined, odds-defying, trailblazing spirit this month honors. 

Artificial intelligence—is it helpful, harmful, or somewhere in between? April and Alicia dig into this juicy topic with Dr. Chia-Shing Yang, Regional Chief Medical Officer for Sound Physicians. Dr. Yang describes her experience with AI and shares her take on its growing impact on life and healthcare. Don’t worry, it’s (mostly) good news.

HERstory Unveiled: Chia-Shing Yang, MD, FACP, FHM

Happy Women’s History Month! We are celebrating this month with HERstory Unveiled, a four-part interview series. Each week in March, meet a new guest who embodies the determined, odds-defying, trailblazing spirit this month honors.  

In the last installment of this series, April and Alicia are joined by Catherine Abshire, MBA, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer for Sound Physicians. Catherine reflects on her career and passion for improving patient care. She also shares how the technology and data implementation she leads at Sound impacts patient experience, limits hospital readmissions, and reduces bias.

HERstory Unveiled: Catherine Abshire, RN

Having hard conversations is an uncomfortable part of working in healthcare—and living life! Inspired by an article April wrote for the Sound Op-Med blog, she and Alicia dive into the realities of navigating tough talks and dissect what they’ve learned from having them with patients, families, and even their own children. 

Read April’s blog here: https://soundphysicians.com/blog/getting-comfortable-with-the-uncomfortable/

Confronting the uncomfortable

Continuing last episode's conversation, April and Alicia reflect on some of the hardest moments of their careers. Together, they discuss the harsh reality of losing a patient, grappling with guilt, and building the coping tools to fall back on when things don't go as planned.

Listen to last week's episode: https://soundphysicians.com/podcast-episode/?podcast_id=9008&track_id=1797955252

Beyond the forecast: Managing the unpredictable “storms”

Recognizing how your mental health impacts you is one thing--preserving it is a whole different story. In this episode, April and Alicia continue their Mental Health Awareness Month discussion by diving into how they balance their mental health and busy lives. From emotional regulation to creating healthy environments at work and home, these tips help keep our hosts sane.

The struggle is real: Tips for preserving your mental health

Listen on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Cd9ozHQGYV4Xmoqro0vvE?go=1&sp_cid=4c89b033-6608-43a7-aeef-76c84c6b6ea6&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=e2ed5c69694c4104
Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-call-with-april-and-alicia/id1728119676?i=1000657895319

In honor of Men’s Health Month, April and Alicia are joined by Dr. Tony Briningstool, CEO for Emergency Medicine at Sound. This month prompts our hosts’ discussion with Dr. Briningstool as he highlights the key focus of identifying preventative health problems early for men and boys alike. Dr. Briningstool also describes his life’s journey, detailing experiences as a former athlete, working EM physician, and doting family man.

Preventative health: Man’s best friend | Ft. Tony Briningstool, MD

When used correctly, social media is a powerful tool that can help healthcare professionals build a thriving network of followers, peers, and thought leadership. But where on Earth do you start?! April and Alicia bring on Austan Lundeen, Digital Marketing Manager for Sound Physicians, to answer just that. Austan dives into his extensive marketing background and shares accessible advice on getting the most out of your social media profiles.

Social media strategy for the modern healthcare worker | Feat. Austan Lundeen

It's hard to believe that schools are about to start again for students nationwide! Back-to-school season is one of the busiest times of the year for our two favorite APP moms, but that couldn't keep them from diving into some school-themed questions. How heavy is too heavy for a backpack? Is the school nurse-to-student ratio really 700:1? Tune in and find out!

Back to school basics

Medicine is as much an art as it is a science, and throughout history, many incredible medical breakthroughs have come about via trial and error. In this episode, April and Alicia quiz one another on some interesting wonders and blunders to have made a mark on healthcare history. Play along, test your knowledge, and (hopefully) learn something new! (Trigger warning: discussions of blood and use of insects in medical treatment)

Medical wonders and blunders: What worked and what didn't

Prilosec. Skyrizi. Monjaro. These aren't Harry Potter spells - they're prescription drugs. In this episode, April and Alicia dive into the interesting world of prescription drug names and quiz each other on how well they can tell widely used medications from made-up imposters. For those who still have the song from the Ozempic commercial stuck in your head, this one is for you!

Prescription or fiction?

We are counting down the days to our favorite holiday here at On Call: National APP Week! Sept. 22 through 28 celebrates all the nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and more working tirelessly in hospitals worldwide. April and Alicia could think of no one better to kick off the APP festivities with than Sound's executive assistant extraordinaire Julie Holley! After sharing a bit about herself and her background, Julie puts our hosts in the hot seat to shed some light on all things APP. To all the APPs out there, we see you and appreciate all you do for your patients and teams!

Celebrating APP Week | feat. Julie Holley

In honor of Latin AIDS Awareness Day on Oct. 15, April and Alicia bring in an expert to discuss mass infectious disease and the brave researchers who cure it. Meet Dr. Roberta Luskin-Hawk, a Chicago-based Sound Physicians clinical leader and infectious disease specialist whose fascination with curing patients placed her at the center of the 1980s American AIDS/HIV epidemic. Hear about her journey to the top of her field and the stigmas she broke along the way.

For the love of the cure | feat. Dr. Roberta Luskin-Hawk

In this special episode of On Call, hear the powerful testimony of a breast cancer survivor. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to spread awareness about and rally behind those struggling with one of the most common forms of cancer for women. April and Alicia welcome Lauren, a nurse practitioner, mother, and friend of the show, to share the journey she's embarked on since her diagnosis last year. Lauren describes the physical and emotional challenges she's faced, the importance of early detection, and the ways her diagnosis and treatment have reshaped her perspective on life, both past and present. Tune in for a meaningful story about resilience, hope, and the strength found in community support.

Her story is not my story

Starting to feel a chill in the air? For a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient, winter weather can spark a myriad of challenges. It's COPD Awareness Month, and April and Alicia are joined by none other than Dr. Sergio Zanotti, Chief Medical Officer for Sound Critical Care and host of the Critical Matters podcast. Together, they discuss the intricacies of this dangerous respiratory illness. A pillar of the intensivist community, Dr. Zanotti brings his decades of pulmonary expertise and clinical ICU work to this insightful conversation.

Breathing easier: Expert insights for COPD Awareness Month | feat. Dr. Sergio Zanotti

February is the month of hearts! Heart boxes full of chocolate, heart-shaped cards, chalky conversations hearts; but what about the most important heart - the one beating in your chest and keeping you alive? We at On Call have you covered because we're celebrating Heart Month, the time of year dedicated to learning and raising awareness about heart disease's leading cause of death in the U.S. April and Alicia put their heart health knowledge to the test, swapping cardiovascular facts and essential tips to keeping your ticker in top shape. Tune in for a heart-racing competition!

Matters of the Heart

When facing the unthinkable, one's mental battle is just as important as their physical battle. It's Women's History Month, and April and Alicia are joined by Adriana Santos, a dear friend, former colleague, and cancer survivor. After a tumor was discovered on her pancreas, Adriana's life was turned upside-down with intense treatments and surgeries. In this episode, she shares her patient journey, detailing how her attitude - and gratitude - carried her through some of the most difficult times in her life.  

Choosing gratitude ft. Adriana Santos

As we continue celebrating Women's History Month, former guest and friend of the podcast Tiffany Coyle returns to catch up with April and Alicia - with a new job title, no less! As Sound Physician's Chief Operating Officer, Tiffany joins us On Call to get candid about how her leadership journey started and how its new heights have brought interesting challenges. Having navigated imposter syndrome, harsh assumptions, and all the highs and lows of leadership, Tiffany speaks to the power of embracing humanity in leadership, offering wisdom on authenticity, setting boundaries, and giving yourself grace.

Give yourself some grace ft. Tiffany Coyle

April and Alicia are back from Spring Break and ready to dive back into another On Call fact or fiction head-to-head! Changing seasons can impact your health in many ways. Allergies, bugs, and changing temperatures are just a few factors that could distract you from the Spring cleaning you've been putting off. What plants are the biggest Spring villains? Does this season make you more vulnerable to ticks? Do you actually need to fill a huge planter with dirt before putting flowers in it? Tune in to find out!

Spring fever

In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, April and Alicia put their knowledge to the test with a fun and informative quiz all about skin cancer. From surprising statistics to vital prevention tips, tune in as they challenge each other — and you — to spot the facts and stay sun safe. Can a multitude of melanin really replace SPF? Should you skip sun protection on a cloudy day? And that toasty tanning bed can't be that bad...right?

Spot the facts: Skin cancer awareness

In honor of Lyme Disease Awareness Month, this episode of On Call takes a turn to the personal as Alicia shares a recent family journey - her son's unexpected Lyme disease diagnosis. From early symptoms to the challenges of pinning down a correct diagnosis, she and April discuss this illness's science, risks, and reality. Tune in for a candid conversation that sheds light on this often-forgotten disease.

Tick talk

In honor of Men's Health Week, April and Alicia are joined by a special guest: Sound Hospital Medicine's Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mihir Patel. Dr. Patel brings personal insight and professional perspective to discussing the realities of men and their health. Why are so many men hesitant to schedule those regular checkups? What preventive screenings could save a man's life—especially one who feels perfectly fine? Tune in for a conversation that could inspire you (or the men in your life) to make that overdue appointment.

Food for thought: Discussing Men's Health with Dr. Mihir Patel

You know what they say: sun's out, bugs out! To celebrate the start of the season, April and Alicia test each other's summertime safety knowledge with a fact or fiction. What warm-weather critters could cause you harm? Are you really at risk of West Nile virus in the U.S.? And just what exactly should you put on a jellyfish sting? Tune in and play along - On Call summer school is in session.

Hot cicada summer

It’s Herbal Prescription Interaction Awareness Month—yes, that’s a thing! In this episode, April and Alicia discuss some of the most famous homeopathic remedies that may not be playing nice with the prescriptions in your medicine cabinet. From flu season fixes to natural mood boosters, our hosts dig into the pros, the cons, and the "wait, this does what?!" moments. Spoiler alert: just because it grows in your garden doesn't mean it's risk-free.

Mixing with caution

In this episode, April and Alicia have the pleasure of sitting down with friend, colleague, and adventurer extraordinaire Stephanie Byrne. As VP of Specialized Clinical Solutions at Sound, Stephanie knows a thing or two about problem solving, providing support, and conflict resolution - all things that make a great leader. Tune in to hear Stephanie's story!

The art of showing up feat. Stephanie Byrne

This month, we’re scrubbing in with a two-parter on the latest health headlines—literally. From the buzz about “skin cancer soap” to the ongoing debate around BMI, April and Alicia break down the breakthroughs, bust some myths, and ask the big (and sometimes weird) questions facing the future of healthcare. Tune in for your dose of news and nuance.

Healthcare headlines - Part 1

Ready for part two? April and Alicia are back with more health news headlines and hot takes! In this episode, they dive into the battle against C-section site infections and the innovations saving the lives of countless women. Also, April unpacks what a compact license means for physician assistants on the move. It's breaking news, and you won't want to miss it!

Healthcare headlines - Part 2

Welcome to On Call, the insightful and engaging podcast hosted by April Burke and Alicia Scheffer two seasoned Sound advanced practice providers with over 15 years of combined experience in healthcare. Join them as they delve into the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, exploring trending topics that shape the future of medicine, patient care, and the healthcare workforce.
On Call serves as an indispensable resource for healthcare practitioners, administrators, and anyone passionate about transforming the healthcare system for the better. Whether you're a medical professional looking to stay on top of industry trends or a patient seeking to understand the dynamics shaping your care, this podcast promises thought-provoking conversations and valuable takeaways.

On Call with April and Alicia

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