Changing Minds

Episode 27: "Breaking the Silence: Sexual Health in the South"

What does it take to change the conversation around sexual health in the South? We explore breaking through stigma and building clinician confidence around HIV, PrEP, hepatitis C, and STI prevention. Learn how South Carolina’s clinician education program uses personalization, relationship-building, and community-centered care to support clinicians and expand access to sexual health services. We discuss rural health challenges, clinician engagement, and the power of changing the conversation around sexual health—one clinician at a time. Guest: Tina Skinner, RN, MBA, CIC, APM, HIV/Viral Hepatitis Counseling, Linkage, and Testing, South Carolina Department of Public Health Pre-Visit Resource: Clinician Survey [http://weebly-file/5/7/9/5/57955981/stihivvhacademicdetailingsurvey.pdf]

Episode 26: "Teaching Tomorrow's Healthcare Leaders: Early Conversations, Big Impact"

What if the conversations we have with students today could shape the care patients receive tomorrow? In this episode, we explore a creative adaptation of clinician outreach education—bringing the academic detailing model into the classroom to reach future clinicians before they enter practice. Through open, real-world conversations about overdose prevention, stigma, and patient-centered care, students begin building skills and perspectives they’ll carry into the field. Tune in to unpack the opportunities and challenges of this approach, including measuring long-term impact, maintaining connections over time, and tailoring content across disciplines to meet the needs of medical, nursing, and pharmacy students. Guest: Susan Fithen, MSW, LSW, OCPSA, Senior Community Outreach Coordinator, Hamilton County Public Health If you would like to connect with Susan about her work, feel free to reach out to her at susan.fithen@hamiltoncountyohio.gov [susan.fithen@hamiltoncountyohio.gov].

Episode 25: "Rewriting the Hepatitis C Story: From Barriers to Breakthroughs"

What if curing a chronic disease was simpler than we thought? Come chat with us as we explore how Louisiana’s bold approach to hepatitis C helped shift clinician perspectives, reduce stigma, and expand access to life-saving treatment. From powerful patient stories to practical tools that made care feel doable, this discussion highlights how leading with hope, simplicity, and connection can drive meaningful change. Tune in to hear how one initiative helped cure nearly 20,000 people—and what others can learn from it. Guest: Brandon Mizroch, MD, MBBS, BrandaCorp Public Health Consulting If you would like to connect with Brandon about his hepatitis C work or public health detailing more broadly, feel free to reach out to him at mizrochb@gmail.com [mizrochb@gmail.com].

Episode 24: "Destigmatizing Treatment: Systems in Sync for Patient-Centered Care"

How do we align and connect community efforts to support patients who use substances? Join us as we discuss critical public health education to connect diverse stakeholders across complex systems, with the ultimate goal of caring for community members with substance use disorder. Whether these patients are residents, incarcerated, or reintegrating into the community, our guest speakers discuss successful, evidence-based programming to ensure the community is aligned in empowering patients to live healthier lives. Guests: La-Tricia Gordon, RN, CARN & Clement Chen, PharmD, Rutgers Northern New Jersey MAT Center of Excellence A note from our guests: This quote is one they return to often, and it speaks to the importance of trust, relationships, and community woven throughout today’s conversation: “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection.” — Johann Hari, Author & Journalist

Episode 23: “Five Minutes That Matter: Mini Visits for Community Pharmacists”

Can a five-minute conversation really change health outcomes? In this episode, Monica Roberts, PharmD, shares insights and successes from a public health education and outreach initiative focused on relationship-centered “mini visits” with community pharmacists, designed to reduce stigma and expand access to care for patients with opioid use disorder. Tune in and learn more about how small, well-timed conversations can strengthen pharmacist-patient interactions and translate evidence into action at the pharmacy counter. Want to reach out to Monica? Contact her @ monica.roberts@uky.edu [monica.roberts@uky.edu]