Curbside Consult from the MaineHealth ACO

Hypertension is one of the most common and consequential risk factors in cardiovascular care yet managing it in real-world practice is anything but simple. In this episode, Mike and Heather sit down with interventional cardiologist Dr. Christopher Tuohy to unpack how hypertension is defined, why treatment targets differ across guidelines, and how to make practical decisions in busy primary care settings. If you manage patients with hypertension, this episode offers a clear, clinically grounded guide to balancing guideline-driven care with individualized decision-making. 

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

Recent improvements in the self-reported wellbeing of MaineHealth physicians and APPs is welcome news. In this episode, Dr. Ranjiv Advani joins Dr. Heather Ward to discuss what’s going right with physician and APP wellness and what more can be done to foster human connection, improve organizational culture and spark positive systemic change. Dr. Advani is an emergency medicine physician at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital and director of provider wellbeing for MaineHealth’s Coastal and Mountain Regions. 

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with diabetes. Statins can go a long way to improving outcomes and reducing mortality in this population, says our guest Dr. Stephan Babirak.  

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

Together, Leah and Kristen lead the MaineHealth Medical Group’s Addiction Specialty Council. They join us to discuss the role primary care can play in treating substance use disorder (SUD) and to introduce the Stop SUD Stigma campaign, an effort to reduce the stigma that patients with substance use disorder can feel in healthcare settings.  

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

In our March episode, Dr. Katie Sharp discusses the advantages that both lifestyle medicine and group visits hold for patients with chronic disease. Lifestyle medicine incorporates nutrition, physical activity, and behavior change to improve patient outcomes. Group visits foster social connections and support among patients, enhancing their engagement and motivation. Dr. Sharp shares insights on how primary care providers can implement both in their practices. The conversation highlights the rewarding nature of these approaches for both patients and providers, ultimately aiming for better health outcomes and satisfaction. 

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

MaineHealth Behavioral Health child psychiatrist Dr. Melissa Bowker-Kinley joins Heather and Mike with tips on supporting pediatric patients with common conditions including anxiety and ADHD. They also discuss current therapeutic approaches, navigating behavioral health referrals and the importance of family involvement in treatment. 

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

In the January episode, Dr. Katie Manning focuses on heart failure management and the collaboration between primary care and cardiology. The conversation covers the early signs of heart failure, the importance of primary care in managing these patients, and the challenges of medication access. Dr. Manning emphasizes the need for effective communication and collaboration between healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes, as well as the significance of incorporating goals of care conversations into treatment plans. 

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult on your favorite podcast app, on the MaineHealth intranet home page or at the Curbside Consult website. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

Lizzy Mulcahy, FNP, vice president for Telehealth and Virtual Care at MaineHealth, discusses how virtual care continues to transform access, especially for rural communities across Maine. The conversation also explores new models for bringing specialty care closer to home and the role AI may play in improving the patient experience.  

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here, on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn.