It is estimated that 32 million Americans suffer from food allergies, including 5.6 million kids under the age of 18, and there is a lot of misinformation out there about food allergies. In this episode, Leila shares some basic facts with you.

In 2009, the World Health Organization announced its Save Lives: Clean Your Hands Campaign. It aims to promote the goal of maintaining a global profile on the importance of hand hygiene and infection prevention and control in health care. A large proportion of avoidable infections acquired during daily interactions could be prevented with hand hygiene and infection prevention and control. This initiative is not only directed at us, as individuals, but also our healthcare providers. Therefore, in this 18th year of World Hand Hygiene Day, those providing and supporting health care are called on to be extra diligent in washing their hands before and after they touch a patient.

A major hearing took place in California where the CEO’s of the major social media platforms were questioned about the impact of social media on children and teens. There has been major concern about how social media affects the mental health of people of all ages, from the very young to the old. In this episode of Healthcare Update, host Leila Kramer focuses on the impact of social media on college students. A recent study found that college students are using social media about 4.5 hours per day, and psychologists feel that social media has its benefits to the college student and it also poses some dangers. This segment looks at the issue.

If you have visited your doctor for what you thought was an infection, you might have been surprised to see the doctor’s initial hesitation to prescribe an antibiotic. Once an important part of the doctor’s toolbox for helping patients feel better when the body was experiencing an infection, doctors are rethinking the use of antibiotics because of antibiotic resistance in many patients. Antibiotic resistance has been caused by the overuse of antibiotics in both outpatient and hospital care. While respiratory infections, sore throats, and sinus infections are caused by viruses, antibiotics have been prescribed unnecessarily. This allows bacteria to adapt and survive antibiotic treatment instead of the antibiotic killing them. In this episode of Healthcare Update, host Leila Kramer explores why this has become a major issue in public health.

Welcome to the first episode of Healthcare Update with Leila Kramer. This initial episode talks about the recent judgment against the recommendations made by the Advisory Committee put together by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., concerning vaccines for children.

According to the American Camping Association, there are more than 15,000 summer camps in the United States, catering to millions of children each year. Perhaps one of the most important professional staff members is the camp doctor, who oversees the camp’s infirmary. Dr. Marci Fornari is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey. She is also a camp doctor during the summer. She graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and received her medical degree from Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, where she was a proud member of the inaugural class. She completed her pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship and pediatric emergency ultrasound fellowship at Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC. She is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine.

There are approximately 5,500 memory care centers in the United States, with many more integrated within assisted living communities. Memory care centers are specialized residential facilities for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other cognitive impairments, and they are characterized by secure environments, 24/7 supervision, and tailored therapeutic activities to support residents' cognitive and emotional well-being. Naomi Goldman is a family nurse practitioner and certified assisted living administrator, and the owner and senior clinician at Havenwood Homes at Kresson Memory Care Center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, near Philadelphia. Naomi graduated from Seton Hall University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and then went on to their graduate program to become an FNP. Naomi has been recognized for her unique approach to memory care.

Dr. Wayne Bond Lau, Professor and Associate Dean, Office of Student Affairs at the Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine, part of Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Lau is also Director of the Jefferson China Center, and Associate Director of the Jefferson Japan Center. Dr. Lau attended Jefferson Medical College and was Chief Resident in Emergency Medicine at Jefferson University Hospital, and still practices as an emergency medicine physician. Executive Producer Leila Kramer talks to Dr. Lau about the current state of medical education and what the future holds for the next generation of physicians.

Faalik Zahra is an accomplished healthcare journalist, with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and journalism and a masters in biomedical sciences. She has contributed her talents to several of the books published by Patient Press and has also contributed to the Journal of Medical Sociology and Public Health, as well as Today’s Patient, the e-magazine that was published by the National Library of Patient Rights and Advocacy for over two years. Faalik has always been deeply passionate about helping kids foster a positive relationship with medicine, and she has just released her first children’s book published by Patient Press. It is called Bless You, Maya and in this interview, Leila Kramer learns all about the author and her new book