Expert Commentary
Why Back Surgery Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Ronald Childs, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at Inova Health System. He serves as the Section Chief for the Inova Spine Program, across all Inova locations. It’s easy to think of back surgery as a single procedure to treat a single problem: back pain. After all, the spine is a long, interconnected set…
Read MoreWhat’s it Like to Live with Bipolar Disorder? Dayna J. Shares Her Perspective
Note: March 30th is World Bipolar Day, where the world comes together to raise awareness of a mental health disorder that affects nearly 6 million Americans, each in a distinctive way. We aim to help raise awareness with this inspiring patient interview. By Dayna J., author of Shine Bright: Seeking Daylight in the Darkness. Dayna…
Read MoreMultiple Arterial Grafts for CABG Surgery Offer Significant Benefits
Kathleen Petro, MD is a board certified Thoracic and Cardiac Surgeon with Inova Heart and Vascular Institute. Over the last several years, Inova’s cardiac surgery team has focused its efforts on improving outcomes for patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery through the use of multiple arterial grafts. Currently, more than 60% of our…
Read MoreInterested in a Career with Oncology Clinical Research?
Stephanie Van Bebber is a certified clinical research professional. She serves as the Senior Director of the Clinical Trials Office for Inova Schar Cancer Institute. We don’t need to scroll very far to see that healthcare is facing major challenges, especially in our human resources. We need more people to train and commit to careers…
Read MoreHow Taking a Back Pain Health Risk Assessment Can Help You
Kevin Fitzpatrick, MD is a board-certified physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation physician) with Inova Spine Program. Back pain is one of the most common conditions that bring people into the doctor’s office. According to Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, 65 million Americans reported having had back pain recently. And for 16 million Americans, back pain…
Read MoreWhat to Know About Depression in Older Adults
Ahmed Sherif Abdel Meguid, MD, FRCPC, (pronouns: he/him) is a board-certified consultation-liaison psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist at Inova Behavioral Health Services. Note: Depression is not a normal part of aging. It is a treatable medical condition, and older adults are at increased risk of developing symptoms of depression (also called major depressive disorder, or MDD). If…
Read MoreSome Patients Fear Lung Cancer Screenings. Here’s Why They Shouldn’t.
Priya Patel, MD is an interventional pulmonologist who is board certified in interventional pulmonology, pulmonary disease, critical care and internal medicine at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. She has a special interest in the management of complex airways and pleural diseases, lung cancer, procedural education and procedure related quality improvement initiatives. Working as part of a…
Read MoreA Clinical Trial That Could Lead to the Future of Cancer Screening
Megan Slocum, PA is a specialty care physician assistant at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. The math is not complex. Today, there are only five types of cancer that medical professionals routinely screen for: breast, cervical, prostate, lung and colon cancer. However, there are more than 100 types of cancer. We know that cancer screening –…
Read MoreInova’s Multidisciplinary AFib Center Improves Patient Outcomes and Satisfaction
Brett Atwater, MD, D’Aniello Chair, Atrial Fibrillation, Section Chief, Electrophysiology, Inova Schar Heart and Vascular is a specialty care physician board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine and clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 12.1 million people in…
Read MoreBreast Cancer Screening and Detection: 5 Frequently Asked Questions
Kathleen Harden, MD is a breast oncology physician, board-certified in medical oncology and internal medicine at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. She has a special interest and conducts research in the management of breast cancer. Her research is focused on early phase clinical trials in breast cancer, breast cancer genomics and individualized treatment for patients based…
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