Beyond the Needle - A Physician's Guide to Increasing COVID-19 Vaccination Rates
Welcome to Beyond the Needle, a podcast for and by physicians. Sit down with our weekly guest primary care clinicians as we tackle the real-world barriers to COVID-19 vaccination uptake and share our experiences with implementation. Together, we’ll uncover practical solutions to help you and your team incorporate the COVID-19 vaccine into your practice and increase vaccination rates amongst your patients. Working to honor the struggles and traumas of the pandemic, we will empower the primary care clinician to feel confident in implementing COVID-19 vaccinations so that their patients can receive the vaccine within their usual site of care. Join I-VAC Faculty and primary care clinicians from across the state as they share the highs and lows of their experiences and lessons learned throughout the pandemic.
Funding for this project was provided by the Office of Disease Control, through the Illinois Department of Public Health
Episodes
23 episodes
The Changing Landscape of COVID-19
Today, we delve into the changing landscape of COVID-19. Corinne Kohler, MD, FAAFP and Santina Wheat, MD, MPH, FAAFP provide valuable insights into this complex scenario.COVID-19's shift from a designated public health emergency is...
Trust Erosion & Vaccine Skepticism in the Post-COVID World
We are witnessing alarming levels of trust erosion and vaccine skepticism that have emerged in the post-COVID world. Join us as we take a deeper look into this critical issue with Christina Wells, MD, MPH, DipABLM, FAAFP and Mar...
The Continued Importance of Offering & Encouraging COVID-19 Vaccinations
Do you know the true impact of COVID-19 vaccinations in preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death? Join us for a vital conversation with our faculty experts. Together, we uncover the latest research on the vaccines' role in p...
Mainstreaming COVID-19 Vaccinations & Maintaining Protections
The new normal. As clinicians, it is important to have new plans for how we're going to enjoy our lives, enjoy each other, and continue to care for our patients the best way we can. Our patients count on us to be their trusted careg...
Long COVID - Part 2 of 2, A Pulmonologist’s Long COVID Journey
In part two of this series, Dr. Stephanie LaBedz, a pulmonary and critical care physician at the University of Illinois at Chicago, joins Dr. Christina Wells, a family physician, also with UIC, to discuss her experience with long ...
Long COVID – Part 1 of 2, What We Know, What We are Learning
Dr. Heather Prendergast, an emergency medicine physician, Dr. Stephanie LaBedz, a pulmonary and critical care physician, and Dr. Christina Wells, a family medicine physician, all from the University of Illinois at Chicago, ...
Physicians’ Reflections & Moving Forward After the Pandemic – Part 2 of 2
The conversation continues. Dr. Corinne Kohler, Dr. Marian Sassetti, and Dr. Christina Wells reflect on the evolution of the pandemic in the past year. They share their experiences and engage in a discussion about how ...
Physicians’ Reflections & Moving Forward After the Pandemic – Part 1 of 2
Trauma, collaboration, community, crisis, grief, perseverance, fear, uncertainty, mistrust, resilience… What words summarize the pandemic for you? Have they changed over time?Dr. Corinne Kohler, Dr. Marian S...
15. The Importance of COVID-19 Vaccination in Adult Populations
With so much attention in the news about bivalent boosters and trying to keep up with changes in vaccination schedule guidelines, some of the focus has shifted away from having conversations with adults who remain unvaccinated. Corinne...
14. How to Compromise with Immunocompromised Patients about COVID-19
No one is immune to COVID affecting their lives. This is especially true for people with compromised immune systems and people they interact with. Christopher Smyre, MD, Timothy Ott, DO, FAAFP, IAFP President, and Carl Lam...
13. Overcoming COVID-19 Challenges in Different Practice Settings
With multiple types of practices in various locations that serve patients with a broad range of access to medical care facilities and health insurance, there is not a “one size fits all” answer for implementing COVID-19 vaccines within a ...
12. Reducing Disparities & Preventive Medicine’s Impact on COVID-19 - Part 2 of 2
Carl Earl Lambert, Jr., MD, FAAFP, Christina Wells, MD, MPH, FAAFP, and Marian Sassetti, MD, FAAFP continue their discussion in part 2 of this podcast series addressing disparities in healthcare and the importance of preventative ...
11. Reducing Disparities & Preventive Medicine’s Impact on COVID-19 - Part 1 of 2
Carl Earl Lambert, Jr., MD, FAAFP, Christina Wells, MD, MPH, FAAFP, and Marian Sassetti, MD, FAAFP host this 2-part podcast series addressing disparities in healthcare and the importance of preventative medicine in reducing them.&...
10. Understanding the COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Under 5 Years to 6 Months Old & Addressing Vaccination Concerns for Parents
Daniel Johnson, MD and Christina Wells, MD, MPH, FAAFP host this expanded episode to discuss, in detail, the COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 years to 6 months old . They acknowledge that many physicians may be hesitant to r...
9. Addressing COVID-19 Vaccination Concerns for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers
Santina Wheat MD, MPH, FAAFP and Corinne Kohler, MD, FAAFP talk about some of the different aspects of their experiences with patients pre-conception, during pregnancy, and while nursing. They will share conversations, addit...
8. Overcoming Hurdles to Become a COVID-19 Vaccinator – Problem Solving & Clinic Implementation
Christina Wells, MD, MPH, and Corrine Kohler, MD discuss the phases they went through to implement vaccine clinics and how they have evolved at two Federally Qualified Health Centers. Candice Oberlies, DMS, PA-C and C...
7. Discussions about COVID-19 Vaccines with Parents of 5–11-Year-Olds
Christina Wells, MD, MPH, FAAFP and Santina Wheat MD, MPH, FAAFP discuss challenges and opportunities when vaccinating pediatric patients in the ages five to eleven and why we really do need to focus on this younger population. Th...
6. Discussions about COVID-19 Vaccines with Teens & Their Parents
Christina Wells, MD, MPH and Santina Wheat MD, MPH discuss challenges and opportunities for vaccinating adolescent patients ages twelve to seventeen. They share some of the most common conversations they are having with pati...
5. Outpatient COVID-19 Therapeutics
There were not many COVID-19 treatment options available in 2020 & 2021. Now there are at least four that can be used for non-hospitalized patients. The frequent changes may have been difficult to keep up with. difficult to keep...
4. Motivational Interviewing Part 2 - Understanding & Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy
In part 2 of this two-part podcast, Mustafa Alavi, MD and Christina Wells, MD, MPH, FAAFP continue their discussion with Rachel Caskey, MD, MA and Amy Christison, MD. They explain major factors that influence vaccine hesitancy and ways to apply...
3. Motivational Interviewing During the Uncertain times of COVID-19 - Part 1 of 2
Vaccine recommendation fatigue is very real. We’ve all been experiencing it. But don’t beat yourself up over it! Join Mustafa Alavi, MD and Christina Wells, MD, MPH, FAAFP as they host Rachel Caskey, MD, MA and Amy...
2. COVID - What Now?? Overcoming Barriers and Frustrations During COVID-19
Join Dr. Timothy Ott, an academic doctor with 30 years of experience and is currently teaching the family medicine residency at Southern Illinois University, as he hosts a round table with Dr. Kristin Davis, Dr. Santina Wheat, and Dr. Chris Smy...
1. Welcome to Beyond the Needle – A Physician’s Guide to Increasing COVID-19 Vaccination Rates
Join Dr. Mustafa Alavi, a family physician at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Erie Family Health Centers and co-site medical director and Dr. Marian Sassetti, a partner at Lake Steet Family Practice in Oak Park with over 30 years of...
