In Vital Visions' second cardiology episode, the Vedalas speak to Norman Regional’s Archana Gautam, MD. As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Gautam’s years of experience and accomplishments are evident in this episode. Dr. Gautam is a wealth of knowledge and talks to the brothers about Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) in The Caridology Connection, Part 2. Dr.

Guest Bio:
Archana Gautam, MD, is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Internal Medicine, Echocardiography, and Nuclear Cardiology. She is an interventional cardiologist who completed her residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and her fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Gautam was also an assistant cardiology professor in academic medicine at OUHSC. She has conducted numerous research studies and been published multiple times.
Dr. Gautam's special interests include coronary artery stent, peripheral artery angioplasty and stent, carotid angioplasty and stent, atrial septal defect repair, patent foramen ovale closure and varicose vein treatment.

Links:
Archana Gautam, MD
Heart Care at Norman Regional
Heart Plaza location page
Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Heart Plaza
Norman Heart & Vascular Associates, Heart Plaza (Cardiovascular Surgery)
Blog - Patient Living With Less Worry, Medication After WATCHMAN Procedure

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

Vital Visions is BACK for Season 3, with special guest, Brian Whitson, MD. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, so what better way to wrap up the month than having Norman Regional's newest Pulmonologist join the pod?

The Vedalas ask Dr. Whitson about restrictive and obstructive diseases, asthma and COPD treatment, smoking, life saving lung cancer screenings, Norman Regional's revolutionary ION system and more.

Dr. Whitson's pulmonary expertise really shows in the Season 3 opener of Vital Visions!

Guest bio:
Brian Whitson, MD, FCCP, attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine, followed by an Internal Medicine residency at Baylor University Medical Center.

His education culminated in a fellowship with Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Whitson’s career has followed his enthusiasm towards pulmonary physiology and pathology as well as working with patients to restore their health.

Dr. Whitson’s most recent work in Enid included a focus on pulmonary rehab as a means of improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Whitson sees patients 12 years old and older with asthma or similar conditions.

Links:
Brian Whitson, MD, FCCP

Norman Regional Pulmonary Clinic

BOOK: $125 Heart and Lung Scans at Norman Regional

BLOG: Norman Regional Ramps Up Lung Cancer Screenings for Lung Cancer Awareness Month

BLOG: Raising Awareness for Lung Cancer and COPD in Oklahoma: Screenings, Prevention and Key Stats

WATCH: Norman Regional Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy for Lung Cancer Screenings

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

They call themselves the "Dot Connectors." Norman Regional's Business Development team joins the Vedalas for a behind the scenes look at their day-to-day. Suzanne, Heather and Cacie explain what they do for physicians and clinics, how they problem solve, and why it's so important for them to make connections for the benefit of Norman Regional. This episode of Vital Visions looks at a different side of healthcare, taking a dive into one of the many departments that keep things running smoothly at Norman Regional.

Links:
NormanRegional.com
Find a Norman Regional Provider
Find a Norman Regional Location
Norman Regional Walk-in Clinics

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

May is Stroke Awareness Month. Knowing the signs of a stroke are vital in saving brain function when a stroke occurs. In this special two-segment episode, the Vedalas talk to Jennie Melendez, a Healer at Norman Regional who is also a stroke survivor. The brothers get a first-hand account from Jennie as she shares her story. The doctors then bring in Holly Costner, DO and Lane Tinsley, MD to give their professional advice on stroke and describe the lifesaving care they perform on stroke patients coming into the emergency department who then come into our in-patient care.

Guest bios:
Jennie Melendez, MBA is a communications professional with experience in news, print, higher education and state level agency. In her latest role, Jennie is a marketing and communications specialist for Norman Regional Health System. Jennie received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/Broadcasting from Oklahoma State University and received her MBA in Integrated Marketing Communications from Oklahoma City University.
Jennie is a hemorrhagic stroke survivor, with her stroke happening on April 22, 2022 during a normal day at work. She tells us her story and what she has had to overcome in her recovery.

Holly Costner, DO is an Emergency Medicine Physician at Norman Regional Health System. Dr. Costner is also the co-medical director of Norman Regional’s Stroke Committee with Dr. Tinsley.

Lane Tinsley, MD, is Norman Regional Health System’s first Neuro-Hospitalist, treating acute neurological issues for actively admitted patients in the hospital. Dr. Tinsley has 7 years of experience managing adult patients with strokes, seizures/epilepsy, headache disorders and dementia. She is the co-medical director of Norman Regional’s Stroke Committee, along with Dr. Costner.

Links:
Holly Costner, DO
Lane Tinsley, MD
Norman Regional Stroke Center of Excellence
Norman Regional Stroke Support Group

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

The Vedalas sit down with their wives for this special episode of Vital Visions! Namrata Vedala and Sriya Vedala give us an inside look into the lives of the Vedala Brothers and their family. The couples discuss life with a partner in medicine, taking care of burn out and your mental health in a marriage and so much more. In this episode, we get to learn about a small piece of the Vedalas' personal lives and the strong, supportive women who get to be next to them through it all.

Guest bios:
Naga Namrata Vedala is married to Dr. Krishna Vedala. She has a master's in Computer Science from NYIT and a master's in IT Management from Campbellsville University. Her hobbies include reading books and gardening. Namrata also enjoys spending time at the zoo and spending quality time with family.

Sriya Vedala, BS, MMSc, is married to Dr. Veer Vedala. She has a master's in Immunology from Harvard Medical School and a bachelor's of science in Biomedical Engineering from UT Austin. In her free time, Sriya is a fashion designer and the founder of her label, Sithara by Sriya, where she creates South Asian inspired designs rooted in elegance, simplicity and versatility.

Poem:
The Selfless by Camille Marie

Links:
Sithara by Sriya

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

Kyle Hurley, Director of EMSSTAT at Norman Regional Health System sits down with the Vedalas to talk all things EMSSTAT, which is Norman Regional Health System's emergency medical service. EMSSTAT is a hospital-based EMS in both the public safety and healthcare sectors, making it a unique service for the communities it serves. Kyle talks to the doctors about his career journey, working in the emergency department through the COVID pandemic, the Fentanyl epidemic, the different positions a part of EMSSTAT and more. Learn about Norman Regional's emergency medical service, EMSSTAT, in this exciting episode of Vital Visions!

Guest bio:
Kyle Hurley, MBA-HC, NRP, is the current director of EMSSTAT at Norman Regional Health System. Kyle has 24 years of experience in healthcare, holding various roles at Norman Regional such as an ER technician, a paramedic and paramedic supervisor, a business planning specialist, a system manager of the emergency departments, and is now in his latest role as director of EMSSTAT. While simultaneously working at Norman Regional, Kyle has also previously been an associate professor at Southern Nazarene University, teaching Healthcare Ethics to graduate students.

Kyle is a proud member of the Norman and Oklahoma communities, where his passion and involvement truly shine through his organizational affiliation. He is on the board of directors for Sooner Healthcare Executives, is involved with and was previously the president of the Norman Rotary Club, and is a board member of the Norman YMCA. Kyle's strong ties and relationships help him collaborate with other healthcare and non-healthcare professionals in the community, which allows him to have a hand in the betterment of patient care.

Kyle was born and raised in Norman Oklahoma, and is proud to be working at the health system in his home town. Kyle is married and they have a dog named Jack. Together, he and his wife enjoy traveling to different places and going on wine tours while on vacation. Kyle also enjoys watching movies and is a self-proclaimed movie addict.

Links:
EMSSTAT Services
EMSSTAT Careers
Blog: "Program Trains, Incentivizes Next Generation of Paramedics with Norman Regional EMSSTAT"
Blog: "Norman Regional Rescues People from Tornado Damage"
Blog: "Norman Regional EMSSTAT recognized for KROR, Quail Creek Bank"

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

The Vedalas bring in special guests for this episode of Vitals Visions to speak about Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) Awareness. Lacey Heidel, BSN, RNC-OB of Norman Regional's OBED and Labor and Delivery units and Lea Ann Stephens, RN of Norman Regional's Infection Prevention department talk to the Vedalas about AFE symptoms, treatment during labor and more. The two also tell the story of their own personal tie to an AFE with their patient and daughter, Jacie's, AFE. Lacey was Jacie's Labor and Delivery nurse. Lea Ann is Jacie's mother.

According to afesupport.org, "AFE is an unexpected life-threatening complication. It can affect both mother and baby. It is thought to result from an allergic-like reaction to the [amniotic] fluid that enters the mother's bloodstream. It can occur during labor or soon after delivery." To learn more about AFE, what you can do to help or for support resources, visit afesupport.org.

March 27 is designated as AFE Awareness Day.
This episode is in loving memory of Jacie Stephens Cochran and Andrea Neill.

Links:
AFE Foundation
For Clinicians: AmnioticFluidEmbolism.org - Research and Education
Blog: Amniotic Fluid Embolism, Labor and Delivery Nurses and How your Blood Donations Help
Blog: Norman Regional Earns First-in-National OBED Accreditation
Blog: PTSD, Healthcare Workers: What You Need to Know, How to Get Help

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/

Azure Adkins, MD, bariatric surgeon with Norman Regional's Journey Clinic joins the Vedalas for an in depth look at the process of bariatric weight loss. Dr. Adkins describes the types of bariatric surgeries they offer, the pros and cons of each surgery type, the types of services patients have access to and eliminating the stigma surrounding obesity. This episode has extremely valuable information for anyone looking into bariatric weight loss solutions!

Guest Bio:
Azure Adkins, MD, is a fellowship trained bariatric and minimally invasive GI surgeon who is board certified in general surgery at Norman Regional's Journey Clinic.

Her special interests include:

• Bariatric surgery
• Endoscopy
• Nutrition and lifestyle counseling
• Robotic surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery

Dr. Adkins finished medical school in 2013 at The University of Texas Houston Medical School and completed her general surgery residency at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. She then completed her Advanced GI (gastrointestinal), MIS (minimally invasive surgery) and Bariatric Surgery fellowship at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Oakland, California. Dr. Adkins chose to pursue a career in bariatric surgery because she enjoys working with her hands and having an immediate positive impact on the lives of her patients. She said she wants her patients to know that she will treat them as if they are her own family and provide individualized care with compassion and empathy every step of the way.

Links:
Azure Adkins, MD
Journey Clinic Website
Blog - Spatz Success Stories
Blog - Bariatric Surgery: It's Not Just for Weight Loss
Journey Clinic Blog

This podcast is for educational purposes only. The information in this show is not to be used as medical advice. If you are needing medical care, please consult with your physician.

Norman Regional is hiring! See all our open opportunities here: https://careers.normanregional.com/careers-home/