Advertise on podcast: Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast

What if a single strand of hair could help detect autism earlier? We sit down with David Elkin, PhD, VP, Clinical Liaison and Advocacy, LinusBio, to explore a breakthrough approach to autism detection using hair-based biomarkers. This emerging technology aims to close the gap between early signs and formal diagnosis, helping children access intervention sooner. It’s a conversation about science, timing and what earlier answers could mean for families navigating autism risk. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  David Elkin, PhD, VP, Clinical Liaison and Advocacy, LinusBio Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

New federal dietary guidelines arrived earlier this year, introducing a redesigned food model and updated recommendations for children and families. From whole foods and age-specific guidance to ultra-processed foods, school meals, food anxiety, and obesity prevention, this episode translates national policy into practical, everyday strategies. Jaclyn Albin, MD, CCMS, DipABLM, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Pediatric and Public Health, and Director, Culinary Medicine Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Marlene Rafferty, RD, Senior Clinical Dietitian, Nemours Children's Health, break down what the 2025 -2030 Dietary Guidelines mean for kids.  Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Jaclyn Albin, MD, CCMS, DipABLM, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Pediatric and Public Health, and Director, Culinary Medicine Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Marlene Rafferty, RD, Senior Clinical Dietitian, Nemours Children's Health Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Hospitals can be intimidating for children, especially when they don’t understand what’s happening. Nancy Tinsley, RN, MBA, FACHE, Chairman, Xploro Inc., joins us to discuss Xploro’s gamified platform that uses interactive stories, avatars and games to help kids and families understand medical care. The goal: reduce fear and anxiety while empowering children to take an active role in their healthcare journey. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Nancy Tinsley, RN, MBA, FACHE, Chairman, Xploro Inc. Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

As health care advances in the digital era, how do we ensure we don’t lose the human touch? Jennifer Goldsack, MChem, MA, MBA, OLY, founder and CEO, Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), and a former Olympian, discusses the promise of digital medicine, the ethics and trust surrounding health data and why keeping humanity at the center of health care innovation is essential. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Jennifer Goldsack, MChem, MA, MBA, OLY, founder and CEO, Digital Medicine Society Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What if hospital-level pediatric care didn’t require staying in the hospital? Jane Mericle, DNP, MHS-CL, BSN, RN, CENP, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Patient Operations Officer, Nemours Children's Health, and Christopher Beaty, MSN, NE-BC, Vice President, Operational Innovation, Nemours Children's Health, discuss Nemours Children’s Advanced Care at Home program, a 24/7, virtually supported model that helps medically stable children recover at home sooner. They share how this technology-enabled approach reduces emergency visits and readmissions, supports families and redefines pediatric hospitalization by delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Jane Mericle, DNP, MHS-CL, BSN, RN, CENP, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Patient Operations Officer, Nemours Children's Health Christopher Beaty, MSN, NE-BC, Vice President, Operational Innovation, Nemours Children's Health Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD, Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Beyond Clinical Walls, and Founder, Clinicians Who Care, joins us to discuss how she’s transforming care for children and families. She shares how bridging access gaps, addressing social determinants of health and building trust through community-centered care are essential to advancing whole child health beyond the clinic. We also highlight her new initiative, Clinicians Who Care, which connects patients with trusted clinicians who prioritize empathy, trust and patient-centered care. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD, Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Beyond Clinical Walls, and Founder, Clinicians Who Care Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ashley Lerman, DDS, Founder and CEO, Firstgrin, joins us to talk about the role of oral health in whole child health. From fluoride safety and X-rays to bottle habits and access to care, this conversation explores how prevention, education, and early intervention can reduce the most common chronic disease in children -cavities - and build a healthier future from the very first grin. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Ashley Lerman, DDS, Founder and CEO, Firstgrin Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Richard Coffin, Chief of Research and Advocacy at USAFacts, shares how nonpartisan government data helps families, educators, and health care leaders make more informed decisions for the children and communities they serve. From local public health trends to population-level insights, this conversation highlights why transparent, accessible facts are critical to building trust — and advancing whole child health. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Richard Coffin, Chief of Research and Advocacy, USAFacts  Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

GE HealthCare has launched Care Intellect for Perinatal, a cloud-first digital solution designed to improve safety and outcomes for mothers and babies during labor and delivery. Jeff Caron, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Patient Care Solutions, GE HealthCare, shares how the platform unifies multiple, previously disconnected data sources into a single, real-time patient view that all clinicians can access — a true “single pane of glass.” By reducing data overload and streamlining workflows, it enables care teams to spot emerging risks sooner and respond more quickly and effectively. The conversation also examines how standardized, data-driven perinatal care can support clinicians without adding to their workload, help address persistent gaps in maternal health outcomes, and create greater consistency across care teams. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Jeff Caron, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Patient Care Solutions, GE HealthCare Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

In neonatal intensive care units across the country, critically ill newborns are in a race against time, while families often wait weeks — or even months — for answers. New research from Tufts Medical Center shows there’s a better way. We explore how rapid whole genome sequencing nearly doubles diagnostic rates in critically ill infants compared to standard testing — and can save the health care system hundreds of thousands of dollars per baby when used early. It’s a powerful example of whole child health in action: faster answers reduce suffering, guide care, shorten NICU stays, and challenge how we think about value in pediatric medicine. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Tara Lavelle, PhD, Investigator, Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, Tufts Medical Center Jonathan Davis, MD, Vice Chair, Pediatrics, Tufts Medical Center Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Access this study Read the Associated Press story Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What happens when medical trainees step into a world where adolescent health challenges are amplified by resource constraints and discover that teens everywhere face strikingly similar struggles?  In part 2 of this series, the focus turns to mentorship, medicine and global partnership, examining the impact of the Nemours Ginsburg Institute Scholars' work in Uganda through the eyes of clinicians and educators on the ground. The discussion centers on the realities of adolescent health in a resource-limited setting, the power of global research collaboration and the universal nature of young people's experiences across continents. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Sabrina Kitaka, MD, PhD, Pediatric Infectious Disease and Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Makerere University, College of Health Sciences Lonna Gordon, MD, Chief of Adolescent Medicine, Nemours Children's Health Viola Mrruku, former Ginsburg Scholar Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What can global public health teach us about caring for children everywhere? Recorded at the Ginsburg Symposium in Orlando, we explore the launch and early impact of the Ginsburg Institute’s Global Health Experience Program – an immersive initiative preparing future physicians to practice whole child health in an increasingly interconnected world. Rooted in the mission of Nemours Children's Health and the Ginsburg Institute, the conversation examines how most health outcomes are shaped far beyond hospital walls — and why hands-on, experiential learning is essential to developing compassionate, effective physician leaders. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Nancy Molello, MSB, Executive Director, Ginsburg Institute, Nemours Children's Health  Aribah Ali, Ginsburg Scholar, Nemours Children's Health Treasure Ray, Ginsburg Scholar; and Coordinator, upliftED, Heart of Florida United Way Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Loneliness is more than a feeling — it’s a growing public health issue with real physical and emotional consequences. Lucy Rose, Founder and President of The Cost of Loneliness Project, joins us in a timely conversation about chronic loneliness, connection and health. We explore why children and young adults report some of the highest rates of loneliness, how loneliness can become intergenerational, and the critical differences between digital communication and real human connection. Lucy also examines the role — and limits — of AI and technology, and shares what parents, clinicians, schools and communities can do to help build a culture of connection. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Lucy Rose, Founder & President, The Cost of Loneliness Project Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Learn more about The Cost of Loneliness Project Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

How can payment models transform pediatric care? In part two of this provider case study series, leaders from Nemours Children’s Health and Cincinnati Children’s explore how value-based care, accountable care organizations and innovative financing are shifting the focus from paying for visits to paying for health. The conversation highlights how sustainable funding models strengthen prevention efforts and drive better long-term outcomes for children and families. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  David Cruz, MHSA, CPHQ, LSSGB, Executive Director, Kidwell Network, Nemours Children's Health Andrew Beck, MD, MPH, Attending Physician, Division of General & Community Pediatrics; Attending Physician, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Director, Population Health/Health Equity Research and Innovation; Professor, University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics Jeff Steller, MSc, Former Population Health Consultant, Cincinnati Children’s Office of Population Health, Cincinnati Children’s Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Get the policy brief: Advancing the Key Elements of Whole Child Health: Provider Case Study - Cincinnati Children’s Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What does whole child health look like in action? In part one of this two-part series, leaders from Nemours Children’s Health and Children’s Wisconsin explore how pediatric systems are redesigning care to improve lifelong outcomes for kids. From integrated mental health, dental and nutrition services to community partnerships, prevention strategies and innovative policy approaches, we highlight real-world models advancing children’s health beyond the doctor’s office and setting the stage for smarter, more sustainable care. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring:  Daniella Gratale, MA, Associate Vice President, Federal Affairs, Nemours Children's Health Hannah Wagner, MPP, Senior Advisor, Policy Development and Partnership, Nemours Children’s Health Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, MS, Vice President, Chief Policy and Prevention Officer, Nemours Children’s Health Jenny Crouse, MS, RD, CD, Director of Clinical Nutrition, Children’s Wisconsin  Chris Schwake, MD, FAAP, Director of Quality and Patient Safety for Children’s Medical Group, Children’s Wisconsin  Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Get the policy brief: Advancing the Key Elements of Whole Child Health: Provider Case Study - Children's Wisconsin Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.  Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.