Why Value-Based Direct Primary Care Benefits Patients, Providers and Employers Alike

Dr. Tobias Barker, Chief Medical Officer at Everside Health, takes a deep dive into value-based and direct primary care (also known as direct to employer), how it compares to fee-for-service clinical environments, and – most significantly – how it benefits patients, providers and employers alike. Dr. Barker explains how this type of advanced primary care can potentially address and mitigate many of the problems in the U.S. healthcare system – from skyrocketing rates of physician burnout to more than 90 million Americans having limited to no healthcare access – and lead to higher quality care and reduced costs. 

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Sensorium Therapeutics – Modern Neuroscience Technology Meets Ethnobotanical History for the Development of Mental Health Therapeutics

Dick Simon is co-founder and CEO of Sensorium Therapeutics, a drug discovery platform translating insights from nature and modern neuroscience to develop novel mental health therapeutics. The search for natural compounds with medicinal value is an underexplored area in the advancement of clinical-grade medicines. Dick talks about Sensorium’s proprietary drug discovery platform, which has created better tools to address these unique technical challenges with machine learning and through a significant library of psychoactive plants to pinpoint realistic drug candidates targeting mental health. 

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Adial Pharma – Phase 3 Drug Candidate for Alcohol Abuse Disorder (AUD)

Bill Stilley, is CEO and President of Adial Pharma, a company focused on developing therapies for the treatment of addiction and related diseases, specifically Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). He discusses the company’s lead product AD04, a genetically targeted therapeutic for the treatment of AUD and the promising results from the phase 2b clinical trial in reducing frequency and quantity of drinking. AD04 is now in Phase 3 and has the potential to be an effective and safe treatment option for AUD that does not require abstinence as part of the treatment and does not have the negative side effects of the current drugs on the market. 

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Innovation in Healthcare

Anastasia Daifotis, Chief Scientific Officer, Janssen North America Pharmaceuticals discusses disparities in health care, ways to improve the system, and why innovation matters. She also talks about what we can expect to see in our healthcare system in the next 5 – 10 years. 

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Summus – Virtual Specialty Care

Dr. Mary Mulcare, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Summus, the world’s leader in virtual specialty care, discusses their mission to restore human connection in healthcare. Using proprietary technology, Summus creates a new healthcare model, where members quickly connect with leading doctors to provide personalized, condition-specific support across the continuum of care. For patients, this is providing an elevated virtual specialty care experience that includes the ability to access high-quality specialist doctors across any health question, from anywhere in the world. For physicians, this is working to re-engage their professional satisfaction. She also talks about the launch of Summus Wellbeing, a new program grounded in Lifestyle Medicine. 

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What Is NAD and Why Is It Important?

NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a vital molecule that functions in the body’s metabolism and energy production. But what exactly is NAD and why is it so important? Keep reading to find out.

What is NAD?

NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an important coenzyme found in every cell of the body. It plays a crucial role in cellular energy production and metabolism, making it essential for maintaining good health. While NAD levels naturally decline with age, taking NAD supplements can help to restore depleted stores and promote better overall health. NAD is a critical coenzyme found in all living organisms. It plays an essential role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats for energy production. In addition to its vital metabolic function, NAD also acts as an electron carrier that helps transfer electrons from one molecule to another during redox reactions.

Redox reactions are important for many cellular processes including DNA repair and gene expression control. As such, NAD is involved in many biochemical pathways that maintain healthy cells and tissues throughout the body. Without adequate levels of NAD within cells, these processes can be impaired leading to various health issues such as premature aging, decreased energy production, and even neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

What is the role of NAD?

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The main role of NAD in cellular signaling is its involvement in the creation of energy through glycolysis and other pathways within the cell’s mitochondria. During these processes, NAD accepts electrons from various molecules such as glucose and fatty acids before transferring them into ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This ATP then provides energy for all kinds of cellular activities including muscle contractions, nerve impulses, transport across membranes, etc. All these activities rely on having enough ATP available so without sufficient amounts of NAD they would not be able to take place efficiently or at all.

In regards to gene expression, NAD helps regulate transcription factors which are proteins responsible for turning genes on or off during different stages of development. It does this by sending signals directly into the nucleus where DNA resides. If there is too little NAD present, then certain genes may not become activated while others may remain active even when they should be switched off leading to abnormal gene expression patterns. This can result in many diseases including cancer since incorrect gene regulation can cause cells to grow out of control instead of dying like normal healthy ones would do under regular circumstances.

How long does it take to see results from taking NAD?

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The effects of taking NAD will vary from person to person depending on their individual physiological makeup and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise routine. Generally speaking, however, most people who take NAD supplements can expect to start seeing results within two to three weeks after beginning supplementation. This may include improved mental clarity, increased energy levels, stronger immune system function, or even enhanced physical performance due to improved ATP production within the cells.

For those looking for longer-term benefits from taking NAD supplements, studies have suggested that continued use for three to six months can lead to more significant changes in terms of overall well-being including reduced fatigue and improved cognitive function as well as healthier skin complexion due to increased collagen synthesis resulting from proper metabolic functioning enabled by regular intake of NAD.

Overall, NAD plays a critical role in metabolism by facilitating the transfer of electrons between metabolic pathways. It is an essential coenzyme that helps regulate energy production, making it an important component of cellular health. Altogether, NAD is a vital molecule that helps keep our bodies functioning properly.

Why Seeing a Specialist Is Crucial for Your Health

It’s crucial that when we need help with our health, we get the best care possible. This can make all the difference not just in recovery time but in getting the right diagnosis and receiving the correct treatment. Of course, many people’s first thought will be to see their general family doctor for assistance, and this can sometimes be the ideal thing to do. However, it might be that you actually need to see a specialist, and if that’s the case, it’s far better to take this path early than to wait. Read on to find out why seeing a specialist is crucial for your health. 

Specialised Knowledge 

The main advantage of seeing a specialist first is that you will be able to make use of their vast knowledge of whatever it is that’s wrong with you. You might need assistance from an ENT specialist doctor, for example, or perhaps a cardiologist. It could be any kind of help at all, but seeing a doctor who specialises in the area of the body that is causing you problems means you’re much more likely to get to the bottom of the issue quickly. 

The fact is that a specialist will have spent many years working on their particular area of expertise. They will have a deep knowledge of that area of the body, which means they will be able to treat you more quickly, ensuring your issue is caught as early as possible and doesn’t get worse. 

Accurate Diagnosis 

A general doctor will know a little about a lot of things, and although that is useful and we certainly need these doctors in the world, it can mean that your condition might be categorised as a variety of different potential illnesses. There will have to be a lot of investigative work to narrow down the problem until a final diagnosis is made. Even then, it might not be quite right. 

By going straight to a specialist, your diagnosis will come more quickly and is highly likely to be more accurate. This means your treatment plan will be the right one, and you can start working on that and your recovery sooner rather than later. So if you know which area of the body is causing you pain or isn’t working correctly, find a specialist in that area for speed and accuracy. If you don’t know what the issue is, a general doctor is the best first step. 

Access to the Latest Treatments 

When you visit a specialist doctor, you’ll have the benefit of the fact that they have access to all the most up-to-date treatments and technology. This is because they will be monitoring these advancements and keeping up to date with their chosen specialist field. They will read journals, attend conferences, and otherwise stay abreast of the most recent innovations. They can then use this knowledge and those tools to help create a treatment plan that works for you. 

Although a general doctor will also need to stay updated with medical advances, they won’t be able to gain as much knowledge as a specialist, simply because there would be too much to learn. 

Healthy Food Choices

Celebrity chef Doreen Colondres from Raleigh, NC discusses her Amazon bestseller cookbook “La Cocina No Muerde”. As a Novo Nordisk Ambassador, she’s created healthy recipes, including recipes for those that may be living with chronic conditions. 

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NeuroSense Therapeutics – Study of New Drug to Treat ALS

Alon Ben-Noon, CEO and co-founder of NeuroSense Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on treatments for neurodegenerative diseases discusses the recent FDA clearance to initiate a pharmacokinetic study of PrimeC, a novel extended-release formulation composed of unique doses of two FDA-approved drugs, which aims to synergistically target several key mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that contribute to motor neuron degeneration.   NeuroSense plans to initiate a Phase 2b clinical trial multicentered in Israel, the US, and Europe in the first half of 2022 to evaluate the final formulation of PrimeC.    

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