♪ >> Doctor Mona Lisa Taylor is both the youngest and the first female president of color and the history of the Kentucky Medical Association.

Doctor Taylor's term is famed rejuvenating medicine.

So what does that mean and how our physicians dealing with the after effects of COVID answers to those questions and many more now on connections.

♪ ♪ Thank you for joining us for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw.

When Doctor Mona Lisa Taylor became the 170nd president of the Kentucky Medical Association.

She KET she lamented the challenges COVID wrought on the health care industry and the mistrust and misinformation that came after it.

She talks of rejuvenating healthcare to serve patients and improve health outcomes for Kentuckians.

So how is she going to go about that?

And what about the persistent disparities that exist and maybe even widened after the COVID pandemic?

Doctor Mona Lisa Taylor is here to discuss this and more today on are glad she's here.

Good to see you.

Good to see you.

Thank you so much for having me.

And people will get a double dose of few weeks from now.

You'll also be on Doctor Wayne toxins, Kentucky health.

>> Program.

So we're glad to have you on multi platform is Haha, thanks again and congratulations and belatedly on been guy Kma president making history on a couple of different fronts.

How does that strike you?

Very surreal.

Yeah.

I didn't think I would be here and it's been so wonderful to meet people across the state and especially the medical students who are just so excited to see someone who is younger, someone who looks like them in a role like this.

So in that sense, it's been really rewarding.

So how does one become kma president?

Well, you end up being a member for about 16 years.

And here we but actually have been involved.

>> With the Kentucky Medical Association since I started medical school in 2006.

So here we are.

Yeah.

And just continue to stay involved and come up the ranks and be involved in leadership.

And as the opportunities came, I continue to say is interested.

>> And it's helped our work.

And Frankfort killer Lee with these legislative sessions to get.

Bills passed.

That will be good for our patients and good for our physicians.

So I'm glad you brought that up because people may wonder what does the kma do we hear about the Journal of the American Medical Association are also reports that come so we a lobbying force for sure.

But you also do physician education and other things and tell us about that.

Yes, there's a lot of physician education that happens as physicians.

We have to do continuing medical education credits or CME.

And we have to have a certain number within a year.

And so the cam a tense to provide a lot of CME that we can join onto, especially thanks to the pandemic.

It's become virtual, right?

Yeah.

And we also do a lot of public health campaigns.

There's been a get your guard up campaign.

We had our breathe a better Kentucky campaign last year, which was a partnership with K T to encourage people to get screened for lung cancer.

Since we do have some of the highest rates of lung cancer and smoking in our state.

Unfortunately.

So as a public health venue, it's become a great way to connect with patients and get the word out.

And particularly right now about vaccines.

Let's get vaccinated.

Let's protect our bodies from these infectious diseases that are all around us and >> they're getting smarter to do.

We really need it.

And now we've got the trip with the Tri Demick.

but when COVID are, maybe it's called something else.

Triple they combined with outside.

Yeah.

That's where a bad about doing you know with but then COVID and RSV disease up or or respiratory infections section seemed to be just different forms and more purrs for paper of a sieve.

I mean, what's going on here?

So it's fascinating for the last 2 and a half years we haven't seen as many cases of the flu.

Granted, we've all been taking really great precautions, wearing masks, socially distancing, maintaining smaller groups.

And that's been true for 2021.

2020 2021.

And then with 2022, everyone was kind of like, you know what?

I'm just going to start doing everything.

And I know I've had patients tell me, you know, the pandemic still going on for you, but it's over for And unfortunately, I understand where that's coming from.

I think the whole world is in that space right now.

But as a result now we have COVID.

We've had flu.

This was the earliest peak in flu cases in many years.

I think at least the last 6 years we don't usually see it this early in November.

And that's what happened typically at peace about this time in And so this could still get worse.

So, I'm sorry.

I'm a party hall looking at the data from South Africa, which has its winter while we're going through our summer, they actually had a similar spike in cases.

And then a couple weeks later, they had actually had a spike in Flu B.

So tell us the difference between freeway and B, it's more of a microscopic difference in terms a particular entity on the virus.

So they're still both flu, but they are there different symptoms?

No, not It's just as if we looked at it under a microscope, they would have certain features that identified them as either flu, a flu B understood.

So we may have another spike in Flu B, I know I'm sorry and we're indoors where indoors.

It's cold.

It's cold outside.

We want to spend time and doors and we're spending time with others.

And that also increases our risk right?

And we're not doing the other mitigation on the other thing.

So we've got our city as well, which impacts younger children, babies also older adults.

They are impacted by this as well causes a lot of wheezing, shortness of breath, symptoms.

And that's something that you just providing a lot of supportive And to top that off, we've got 7 other viruses floating around.

So yeah, but a pen right there.

I know 7 others, 7 other cold viruses.

So the ones that we wouldn't be thinking about, we don't have a great way to test be going to your primary care.

Doctors all 7 of these other viruses are floating out there as well.

So that explains why people say I don't know what I have, but I I tend to negative.

Yeah, I got the dog.

I tested negative.

I don't know what it is.

Well, as one of the 7 others that are out there right now, too, can they be treated the same way you treat what you know Yeah, it's just a mild.

They're usually mild.

Unfortunately, we don't have like the oral therapies like the paxlovid, the molnupiravir that we have for COVID.

Then we have Tamiflu for influenza.

Yeah.

You don't have anything for this.

Human met a virus, apparent fluids, a virus and no virus like we can't even pronounce those things.

Exactly.

Yeah.

So please stay safe.

Is words of wisdom for my patients and encouraging them to still get a flu vaccine.

Please get your COVID bivalent booster just to give yourself a layer of the community as we're going into the rest of 2023.

And as we were talking right before we started to roll tape, we know that the COVID immunization rates are going down that people aren't following through with the boosters.

What would you say to folks?

>> Well, >> first off, it's available.

I think that's been one big question.

So if you have not had a new COVID vaccine since September 2022, please go get one.

This is a more specific version of the vaccine.

So as we're looking at COVID, we had the alpha version, the Delta version and then we had Omicron Omicron has been the version of COVID that has lasted all throughout 2022. and it's off to a good start here at 2023.

This latest version of the COVID Bivalent booster covers against the Omicron variant.

That's going to give you up that layer of protection for this year.

So that's my question because I got the bivalent in September.

You know, you are up to up today, but for how long?

So the FDA is actually debating this as we speak.

They had a meeting earlier this week where they spent 8 hours trying to decide what are we going to tell and they're thinking already that it's going to be a yearly vaccine, which I'm honestly quite surprised by.

I figured it was going to be twice a year just to say what I thought, too.

So not only have the medical expertise, that's how it's been going.

So that's how it's been going so far.

So they didn't really come to a lot of conclusions.

But for right now, it's looks like our current bivalent booster is going to be the most up-to-date vaccines get so far.

So from matter, full disclosure, I've had 4 shots.

to boosters.

Yes, 2 months afterward had the first case of COVID that I have and many people said to me, well, that goes to show the shots didn't work.

But you also had a mild case, Tanya, fairly mild.

I mean, you know, when you don't usually get sick and you get that, you think that in the world.

But right, yes, but, you know, a little on and off fever.

I was out for a few days to some things.

Virtually.

>> But but people should misinterpret that right?

Because the alternative could have been what had I not been vaccinated?

You would possibly end up in the hospital.

You might need support of oxygen.

You might also have prolonged symptoms following your infection.

Have a lot of patients that are currently.

>> Fighting shortness of breath and I had to start them on inhalers to help with their breathing, folks who still have no recovery of their sense of smell or taste folks who are suffering from migraines and brain fog because of their infection.

And you thankfully did not have any of that.

You didn't end up in the hospital and it sounds like you didn't even have to take the paxlovid or the mall.

New peer a veer not that wasn't even recommended.

That wasn't even recommended.

Wasn't even recommended because I asked and I said, I think they think will think you'd be fine.

Take some Tylenol.

>> He'll be OK, and you'll be OK, just to control the fever.

And those medicines have so many interactions and they taste I KET getting told by Haitian.

All right.

So thank you for getting vaccinated.

It help your body be smarter.

So that way you could fight off the virus.

I do want to ask you about long COVID cause.

The conversations that we hear and I hear from people who had much more severe cases that and maybe they did have some vaccination or they think that may be connected to the vaccination, right?

What do we know about long COVID or long haulers or whatever the lexicon is?

>> So I think we're continuing to learn about it.

I know that's the frustrating part high.

Is that the answer?

This is still very new.

This it was present in 2020.

So can tell you from seeing my patients.

Hoof first got COVID starting in March of 2020.

They have been dealing with that.

He did.

>> They've been dealing with the shortness of breath that I mentioned of had to start a few of them on inhalers just to help their breathing.

Thankfully, some of them have been able to stop them now, but they have needed those inhalers for the last 2 years.

I know one patient he became he had to.

Have some extra support whenever he got a different infection, like even a urinary tract infection or another upper respiratory infection.

And was like it was hitting him harder, And he would have these terrible fevers and chills.

He's.

He's been doing better.

But it took a while to get in a reasonable order before.

>> I had some chronic medical conditions, but it definitely impacted his mobility and as functionality and, you know, one lady in particular who stands out to me got the infection in 2021.

She was very healthy prior to >> her infection.

And she spent 4 weeks in the hospital.

She came home with 4 liters of oxygen and a walker.

It took 6 months for her to wean off the oxygen.

She's still having trouble.

Just, you know, doing things well and involving long distances where she has to, you know, get her heart rate up and get her breathing going.

So.

>> Those are the things that are hard to describe.

And these are the markers that we have to look for.

4.

>> Our patients, but there's not really like one good research study that I can say, hey, here's what COVID is doing to put folks and not to mention blood clots coming from the infection itself that had multiple patients suffering from blood clots in their lungs following the infection.

Yeah, I mean, we've heard some horrible cases where they that's had a fatal terminal >> Well, I this I cited our conversation.

Yeah, I mean, that's the thing is we need to because one of the things you talk about on your platform is taking head on.

>> The mistrust and the despair, misinformation that surrounds the medical field and health care, whether it's the origins of COVID that somehow have infiltrated in the conversation about whether or not vaccines are safe and before we've kind of end off that I do want to go to a general conversation about vaccinations.

>> Are you saying more resistance to that because of the experience with COVID.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'll have mention the flu mentioned the pneumonia vaccine.

No, I don't want to do it.

I'm tired of that kind of stuff.

And so.

>> It does put people at risk of other infections, particularly for my pediatric colleagues in life, friends who have children that puts their kids at risk and we don't see measles.

We don't see months.

We don't see polio because we see the measles now.

Yeah, I know there was one case in the state in Ohio's had quite a few as well.

Is that concerning this concerning?

>> Because for a good period of time, we haven't seen any cases.

And that was thanks to a vaccine that's was know about.

That's when we know about.

And, you know, 60 years ago, if we had been seeing folks suffering from polio and have having to be put into those iron lungs and needing assisted devices to lock.

I think we feel a lot different about these vaccines now.

Yeah, yeah.

And that hesitancy that comes from that.

I mean, we know that there are some risk factors that a a vaccine.

I mean, when Burrow a current, we've heard a lot about connected to the shingles vaccine.

And maybe it's not just the shingles vaccine.

Maybe that's a.

>> Something that could occur and any vaccination.

I mean, so it's a risk benefit.

Analysis is right then if it is so how so to an individual who has questions about, well, maybe I have a family member who had a really terrible side effect from flu or shingles vaccine.

Would you advise that particular person to get that same vaccine?

>> I think it would be a case-by-case And I know I have some patients that I can think of off the top.

My head, who had a bad reaction to a COVID vaccine.

So it we kind of took that information in mind and thought, OK, maybe we try different brand.

Maybe we hold off right now.

Maybe wait a little bit.

Maybe we game plan on how we do take this vaccine may be were starting it off with some Tylenol and a little bit of Benadryl.

So help prevent that rash from coming on or reaction that they had.

You're trying to address it in that moment.

And it's a case-by-case basis.

And this is why that relationship with your health care providers so important because I know you and they're going to use that information to help make the best decision with you.

Why not?

Everyone has a health care provider like Doctor Mona Lisa Taylor Huff, right?

Thank We know that there's a lot of demands on physicians and a lot of patients.

And I know that when we did have that really spike in flu and COVID cases.

>> Around the holidays, it took a while to get in to see a physician.

Hi, Mike Goodman says just because of that clear, the matter of turn of seeing people, the doctor, patient interaction, time.

Is not all that long, correct?

Right?

So then how do you build trust when you have a 5 to 7 minute interaction and it's hard, It takes time because maybe those interactions are small.

And maybe they're longer just depends on your relationship with that provider.

And I think it's important to come with your concerns.

Make a short list.

Maybe it's 3 of your top concerns for that day.

So that way, it also helps your health care provider address those concerns.

But ahead of patient recently who just got a pacemaker placed due to a heart condition.

One of the questions that he asked me was is this Russ good question was like, wow, no one's ever asked me that, you know, it will run.

He'll have to change out the battery at some point.

But it won't But those are some of the concern is that me as a health care provider may not realize but might be on the patient's mind.

Yeah, that's a good question.

Ever would have thought to ask?

I write it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I was glad I was able to alleviate those concerns.

But make being your own patient advocate and remembering that your healthcare provider is on your team.

So even though we're seeing a lot of people in a day and I think the study show that a primary care provider needs 27 hours in their day to get all their work done.

I'll let you do the math.

Yeah.

Souls.

We're all on the same team.

So as much as you can be an advocate for yourself and remember that your health care providers, part of that team, whether they're a physician, a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, your pharmacist.

We're on the same team and we want to make sure you get better and get healthy.

Yeah, yeah.

Many people feel like they can maybe talk to their provider or they do feel like they have to over advocate for themselves because, you know, your body best.

When you talk about rejuvenating healthcare.

Exactly.

What do you mean there?

>> All I know.

>> COVID has been hard.

It's been hard for everyone.

We've never been through a collective trauma like this as a people.

And 4 folks like you, folks like my patients who are like, you know, that pandemics over for me.

Well, I'm glad you've been able to move on for health care providers that looks very different.

I think we also remember how scared we were in 2020.

This is something we've never seen.

We didn't know how to treat it.

We didn't know what these patients would look like.

We didn't know if we were going to take this virus home to our loved about Seth, the end of the day.

Got friends who worked in the ICU who may have spent moments with patients where they were taking their last breaths and you are sharing screens with the patients so they could say goodbye to their loved ones.

That's really hard to go through.

And there's not a lot of other people who have gone through that experience.

So I think particularly as health care providers, we've gone through a collective trauma.

I know I've talked to many of my friends who maintained a list of all the last.

Well, in this last 2 and a half years, he says something that's weighing on your mind.

I wanted to talk about rejuvenating medicine.

What brings us joy?

Why are we still here?

And how do we better collaborate to create a sense of community?

Because that experience that we all went through.

We went through it together.

In our own individual ways.

But we went through it together and there's some brotherhood.

Some collaboration and camaraderie that can happen if we can have conversations about that.

Yeah.

Are you as part of the small fraternity that you are?

Are you having these types of discussions openly in talking about the trauma, whether it's firsthand or secondary trauma?

>> Because even I can't imagine and we've we've done stories, but only we've done the story.

We haven't lived that right to see it.

I mean, how do you help yourself heal?

I think just getting to spend time having the opportunity to be social and see each other has been very beneficial.

>> Even if we're still wearing our masks, it's still been very helpful.

We've mentioned it and talked about it.

And we've talked about, you know, mental health and how do you seek out counseling?

And I know one of the barriers that some of us also encounters that do you want to seek out counseling?

Is that something you're going to have to fill out on a form because he's going to jeopardize what you're doing and it's also the that reminder of, you know, seeking out mental health help and counseling is really important for all of us, right?

I think that the guys they decide there because I thought if these medical professionals who have saved lives can't openly say we need mental health services.

>> There's not a whole lot of hope for the rest of us.

Why?

Because you are the ones that can change.

You can shift the paradigm here right in that space.

And so I hope everyone is listening to that.

I hope so, because that's the frightening proposition that good God forbid you all go by the wayside right?

Can you speak to how many people through attrition?

You have to give me a hard number.

But people who said burnout, I can't do it.

There's a lot a lot.

There's a lot.

I mean, I've talked to friends who already have their game plan for what their next career is going to be.

And it has nothing to do with medicine.

>> I think I read an this week because we're seeing a lot of turnover in the pharmacy side as well with the pharmacist interest and 9 out of 10 pharmacist or burn out right now.

>> OK, so some people may say why are they so burn out?

Well, and I'm sure we've all experienced a delay in getting our medications, the pharmacies closed.

When you try to go there, they're short-staffed.

They're trying to get the vaccines are trying to test you.

They're trying to get your medications.

They don't have enough people in the pharmacy to handle all the people coming through.

And as a result, that's placing a big burden on the pharmacy and pharmacist and the pharmacy And so that's made their lives harder as a result, the patient is in the middle of all this.

They can get their medication.

They're sending me a message.

>> Doctor Taylor, I asked the pharmacy to fill this medicine 3 days ago and you haven't sent it in.

I look back.

I haven't received a communication.

I'm really Send it in right now.

But you start to see these different pieces.

So >> we're all bar that we lived through that, right?

Yeah, that's very interesting.

You know, when you talked about before we started going to take to about prior authorization, which is a big >> multi so backward.

And why is that needed and how is that contributing to maybe some of the burnout are just concerned and challenge.

>> So prior authorization is something that insurance companies put in place to make sure that certain medications, certain imaging certain surgeries, that might be a little bit more expensive in terms of the patient's care aren't done unless you've done X, Y and Z prior to getting to that piece as a prior authorization might mean that you're waiting for a medication to be filled.

You're waiting for that imaging study that you need to help.

Look at your back.

That has been hurting for 5 years.

It makes sense.

And Kerry as a cost-saving measure, but now with more outpatient treatment that's being done.

Ends up being more but their ear.

So, for example, a medication that I might have to fill out a prior authorization for might require couple of paper documents to be filled out.

An imaging study might require phone call to a doctor or some sort of review or to discuss the case in order to get it approved or maybe it requires a letter and a lot of times it's ended up being I'm writing an additional letter to get something like that approved for a patient which ends up delaying their care major barrier.

And that's why you need 27 hours a day to do what your job was.

Actually.

Yeah.

>> I want to want to ask you to the news about have you back to talk about, you know, the origins of your passion for medicine.

We'll get into that another time by Alamo.

Give you the last word and 30 seconds to say what you think would help people understand about trusting the medical community and the scientific community about how to take care of their health.

Just 37 just 30 less than that now.

Okay.

All right.

Well, Google can be your friends.

It can also be your enemy.

>> It is a good source of information.

If you need a definition or if you want to get an idea of what your medication side effects might be, if you have a general question about your health, please take that research that you've done and share with your healthcare provider.

Again, we're all on the same team.

We want to make sure you have good information and we want to make sure that we help you understand the information that you found off.

Doctor So please remember that your health care providers, part of that team approached them in that and that's going to help you ease your concerns and help you and get those questions answered.

Listen to Doctor Mona Lisa Taylor.

She's telling you the truth.

Thank you for watching connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Take good care of yourself and I will see you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪