CHRISTUS Calling

In this episode, Ernie Peters shares his personal story about how bariatric surgery, lifestyle and nutritional guidance from the team at the CHRISTUS Health Southeast Texas Bariatric Center changed his life. 

Also in this episode, we'll hear from Ernie's surgeon, Dr. Jerome Schrapps, about what makes someone a candidate for bariatric surgery and what one can expect from pre-surgery through post-op. Dr. Scrapps also answers some common questions related to bariatric surgery.

Jennifer Peters, a Registered Dietician on the team, talks about how her role also helps patients on their personal journeys through bariatric surgery and beyond. 

On this episode of CHRISTUS Calling, we're talking about the importance of Martin Luther King Junior's vision and how CHRISTUS Health is continuing his legacy in how we reach, help and love people in the communities we serve. 

You'll hear from Jamey Brogan, the Vice President of Mission Integration at CHRISTUS Health and Dr. Tiffany Egbe, the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at CHIRSTUS Good Shepherd in Longview, Texas.

November is National Diabetes Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million Americans are living with diabetes. 

In this episode of CHRISTUS Calling, you'll hear the story of 59-year-old Alfredo Castillo. When he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes earlier this year, he thought life as he knew it was over. But after attending a class through the Diabetes Education Program at CHRISTUS Health, Alfredo is now confidently managing his condition and still doing all of the things he loves in life. 

Host Jillian Fertig also digs into the potential warning signs and symptoms of diabetes, the difference between Type 1 and Type diabetes, first steps after a diagnosis and how the CHRISTUS Health Education team is here to guide patients, their families and caregivers every step of the way.  

To learn more about the CHRISTUS Health Education programs, visit www.christushealth.org 

In this episode of CHRISTUS Calling, we're learning about a partnership between CHRISTUS Health and the U.S. Department of Defense called the DOD SkillBridge program that helps members of the Armed Forces transition out of the military and back into civilian life.

SkillBridge is an opportunity for service members to learn and train at CHRISTUS Health's facilities to gain valuable civilian work experience through speicifc industry training or internships.

Jillian Fertig talks with two former service members who were hired on at CHRISTUS Health after completing SkillBridge.

More DoD SkillBridge Information: https://skillbridge.osd.mil/program-overview.htm

Candidate Link to Apply: https://careers.christushealth.org/skillbridge

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but the stories you'll hear in this episode of CHRISTUS Calling will inspire you beyond just one month of the year. Jillian Fertig talks with 5 brave women who are breast cancer survivors. Some have beat their cancer and others are in the middle of their fight. But they all share one thing in common: they're not alone. 

We'll also hear from Denise Tindall, the Breast Patient Navigator with the CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System. She shares how her own breast cancer diagnosis 17 years ago continues to inspire her to help others after surviving her own battle. Denise addresses common questions about breast cancer, early detection, the ins-and-outs of mammograms and more. 

In this episode of CHRISTUS Calling, Jillian Fertig travels to Longview, Texas, where the Institute of Healthy Living Fitness and Aquatics Center is transforming lives through fitness, health and wellness. 

We take you inside the facility, which just transitioned into a 24-hour fitness hub for the community. You'll hear the story of Julia Powers and how the IHL Fitness and Aquatics Center changed her life for the better. We'll also talked with certified personal trainer, Jesse Alejandro, about how to get into a fitness routine ahead of the holidays and how to live a more balanced life. 

In this episode of CHRISTUS Calling, Jillian Fertig travels to Tyler, Texas, home of the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Print Shop. We take you inside the 14,000 square foot warehouse, where all the signs and brochures in your CHRISTUS facility are made. 

But the team here makes way more than just signs, brochures and other print materials. They're extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ beyond the walls of CHRISTUS Health facilities and into the surrounding communities in a very unique way. We'll learn how this state-of-the-art facility is transforming the world of health care. 

As we head into flu season, Jillian Fertig sits down with System Director for Infection Control and Prevention at CHRISTUS Health to answer some of your most asked questions. 

Should I get a flu shot? If so, when? Can I get it at the same time as my COVID booster shot? Will this be a bad flu season? These are just some of the many topics we'll tackle in this episode of CHRISTUS Calling. 

Access to health care in smaller, outlying communities has always been a challenge, but is important now more than ever. In this episode, you'll hear the incredible story of Kamron Slaydon, a young man who credits the CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System for being alive today, following a 2019 hunting accident in rural Jasper County.

You'll also hear from physicians about how CHRISTUS Health is rising to the challenge of decreasing disparities when it comes to accessing health care in smaller, more outlying areas. 

Additionally, we'll spend some time in a small Texas town that has been without a hospital since a facility closure in 2017 and learn how CHRISTUS Health is stepping up to fill that void. CHRISTUS continues its mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ in communities and neighboring cities where, historically, access to both day-to-day health care services, as well as life-saving care was scarce. 

June is National Men's Health Month. This month is all about encouraging boys, men and their families to take care of their bodies and mind by exercising, eating healthy and seeking help when needed. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, men in the United States die 5 years earlier than women and die at higher rates. The three leading causes of these deaths are heart disease, cancer and unintentional injuries. 

In this episode, you'll hear from a physician with one of our CHRISTUS Trinity Clinics about the importance of annual check-ups. We'll also have a candid conversation with one of our community partners that is helping address men's health needs outside the walls of our CHRISTUS facilities. 

In this episode, we're discussing the importance of security and how it is integral to the daily operations of our hospitals and medical facilities. We'll spend the day with a CHRISTUS Health State Certified Level 3 Commissioned Security Officer named Joseph Newcost to learn more about the role the security team plays when it comes to extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to patients, physicians, clinicians and associates. 

We also sit down with the Vice President of Security at CHRISTUS Health, Roy Alston, to talk about how CHRISTUS is addressing the rise in assaults on clinicians nationwide and what makes our security force unique. 

In this episode, we discuss mental health and how a long-standing stigma surrounding the topic has prevented some people from seeking the help they need. We talk with mental health experts about the importance of reaching out for help and the various resources available.

You'll hear a very unique and informative perspective on the topic of mental health from Vern Rennier, the Program Director of the Behavioral Health Unit at CHRISTUS St. Francis Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana. 

We also discuss other available resources and mental health initiatives CHRISTUS Health supports through the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund, which is the grant-making arm of our organization providing financial and technical support to various programs and organizations across our ministries that respond to the expressed needs of our communities. 

May is National Trauma Awareness Month. May 19 is National Stop the Bleed Day. The number one cause of preventable death after injury is bleeding. Stop the Bleed is an initiative that was launched by the White House in 2015 as a national public awareness campaign to encourage bystanders to get trained, equipped and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before medical professionals arrive. 

In this episode, you'll hear the story of 13-year-old Brett Baxter who was injured while playing football at school. But thanks to a campus police officer trained on how to Stop the Bleed, Brett is alive and recovering well. 

Our CHRISTUS Health Trauma Teams are proud to offer Stop the Bleed training to local school districts. For more information on training, you can visit www.stopthebleed.org. 

Augmented Reality is no longer a thing of the future and Facebook is no longer the only one entering the Metaverse. The CHRISTUS Center of Excellence and Innovation is leading the way in what was once science fiction. Awarded Use Case of the Year from Microsoft at the Worldwide Annual Hololens Industry Summit, Bedside XR has revolutionized the health care industry. Using Microsoft’s augmented reality lenses, the technology allows the surgeon and surgical team to wear hands-free devices and receive a full field of vision to several important health care data visualization.

Javier Bacho, System Director at CHRISTUS LATAM HUB Center of Excellence and Innovation and Dr. Abraham del Real Galindo, a specialist in Sports Medicine and Trauma at CHRISTUS Muguerza Hospital Conchita who performed one of the earliest procedures in Latin America using Bedside XR technology, sits down for a candid conversation on our latest episode.

This latest podcast and the stories told within will give you much more hope for the future of health care and the world as a whole.

April is Minority Health Month. It’s a time to raise awareness and educate about the disparities in health that continue to affect people from racial and ethnic minority groups. But it’s about more than just education and the topic goes far beyond one calendar month. Marcos Pesquera, CHRISTUS Health’s Vice President for Community Benefit Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion sat down for a candid conversation on our latest episode. 

The team also brought in Nadine Nidal, CHRISTUS Health’s Program Director for Community Development. She helped through in-depth interviews to illustrate the CHRISTUS Health impact in the communities CHRISTUS serves. Nadine talked to different non-profits who shared their experiences. These conversations offered great insight into the help that continues to be offered to others through the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund.

This latest podcast and the stories told within will give you much more hope for the future of the world.

Join our Host Nikela Pradier and Dr. Sam Bagchi, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at CHRISTUS Health as we look back at this past year with the COVID-19 pandemic, what our communities have been through, the challenges we've overcome, and the lessons learned. 

Nikela Pradier is joined by Pukar Ratti our System Director of Research & Academics at CHRISTUS Health to talk about the cutting-edge COVID-19 research CHRISTUS Health is involved in to deliver the best possible treatment to patients during this pandemic.

Join us in this important discussion as we dive deeper into topics of racial and social injustice and how they affect the healthcare industry in our country. Our host Nikela Pradier had a chance to talk with Mike Talley our Vice President of Clinical Improvement & Virtual Care

So many questions can come up when you are pregnant during a global pandemic. Listen to our host Nikela Pradier and Dr. Peter Nielsen -- Obstetrician/Gynecologist-in-Chief from The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio -- talk about how to care and prepare for your pregnancy during this time. 

With COVID-19 still in our midst, our host Nikela Pradier and guest behavior expert Rosie Niehbehr from CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System go in-depth into topics like mental health and anxiety.