Explore the Pomegranate Health Podcast library
Browse all episodes below, starting with the most recent releases.
Latest episodes
Ep59: Essential Ethics in Paediatrics
When can a child be said to have cognitive capacity and bodily autonomy? For those who don’t, where does the guardianship of the parent to give way to that of the medical professionals? These questions and more are discussed in two case studies from the Essential Ethics podcast, produced within the Children's Bioethics Centre in Melbourne.
Ep57: The Art of Telehealth
COVID-19 has disrupted delivery of routine healthcare in many ways. Consulting patients by video or phone can be a way to keep patients safe, but many doctors are nervous as they adopt it for the first time. In this podcast we go over some of the bureaucratic and tech support questions that clinicians have been asking during the current crisis. We also discuss the art of building trust with new patients, and conducting a physical examination through telehealth.
Ep45: Medical Fitness to Drive
Clinicians are drawn into the question of driving fitness in two main ways. The more clearcut is when a patient presents with a medical assessment form. The other is when they detect a new or worsening condition in a patient who is already licenced. Clinicians are expected to warn their patients off driving, and to potentially report them to the DLA if this advice isn’t being heeded. In this podcast we hear about some of the diagnoses that should raise red flags, and how to discuss cessation from driving with patients.
Ep43: What’s in a Name? - Disruption Part 2
This is the second of two podcasts about “digital disruption” in healthcare. We discuss autonomy in decision-making, and how access to health data is important to individuals. We’ll also hear about the cultural baggage attached to words like patient and consumer.
Ep42: The Value Proposition - Disruption Part 1
“Digital disruption” is what happened to the taxi industry at the hands of Google Maps and Uber or to the music industry with the onslaught mp3 files and digital sharing platforms. Democratizing technology is changing delivery of healthcare too and the expectations of consumers. What is the role of physicians in this brave new world?
Ep38: Making a Connection
An empathic connection and good communication between physician and patient can promote better outcomes. In this episode of Pomegranate Health, you’ll hear where major breakdowns in communication occur, and some remedies to improve this. We also discuss why some media report a ‘crisis of compassion’ in healthcare, and how empathic reflection can help both doctors and their patients.
Ep26: Dealing with Uncertainty – Part 2
Uncertainty is a frightening but unavoidable fact in every speciality. In the second of a two-part series, we look at the stigma and disorientation experienced by patients with medically unexplained syndromes, and some behavioural interventions for functional disorders. Since treatment outcomes are never guaranteed, we also discuss how a patient’s expectations must be managed from the beginning of a consultation, and the importance of long-term coping strategies.
Ep25: Dealing with Uncertainty – Part 1
Uncertainty is a frightening but unavoidable fact in every speciality. In the first of a two-part series, we examine the culture within the profession and general public that expects nothing less that perfection in medicine. We also ask whether hospital training might shelter younger doctors from the experience of complex, chronic conditions, and how much the simplicity of protocol can be relied upon.
Ep23: Managing Autism in the ED
People with autism spectrum disorder can become very agitated when experiencing pain, as they often have trouble making sense of their own emotional and physical states. Many also have difficulty communicating, and are thus difficult to assess in the emergency department. This episode covers techniques to calm distressed patients with autism and make medical assessments.
Ep21: Genomics for the Generalist – Part 2
This is a two-part series looking at how modern genomics is changing clinical practice. In our second episode, we consider genetic risk, the ethics of consenting patients, and gene-targeted treatments in cancer research.