NYC Health + Hospitals Releases New Episode of The Remedy, a Podcast from the Largest Safety Net Health System in the United States
Episode 2: Food is Medicine recognizes that plant-based eating is powerful medicine – it can lower high blood pressure and bring type 2 diabetes into remission – and it considers how hospitals can help their patients pursue a plant-based diet The Remedy is available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and other platforms
Jan 23, 2024
New York, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals today released the second episode of its new podcast, The Remedy, featuring leaders and health care providers from the nation’s largest municipal health care system. Episode 2: Food is Medicine recognizes that plant-based eating is powerful medicine – it can lower high blood pressure and bring type 2 diabetes into remission – and considers how hospitals can help their patients pursue a plant-based diet. Host Dr. Michael Shen is joined by Dr. Michelle McMacken, Executive Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals and the health system’s Executive Chef Phil DeMaiolo. Together, they discuss the popular Lifestyle Medicine Program, a six-month program to support patients as they learn to cook healthier meals, read nutrition labels, exercise, and more. Chef Phil explains the recent overhaul of the hospital menu to offer creative, plant-based dishes that reflect the diverse cultures of New York City and the logistics involved in an operation that serves over 15,000 hospital meals a day. Episode 2: Food is Medicine is available now at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and other podcast platforms.
“I am so excited to see lifestyle medicine highlighted in the newest episode of The Remedy,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “Food is medicine. The continued expansion of lifestyle medicine acknowledges the role that our diets play in managing chronic conditions. As we build upon the promise of Healthy NYC and its commitment to a 5% reduction in deaths from heart and diet-related diseases by 2030, we need to continue to center the role diets play in managing health.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals’ new podcast The Remedy is a way to connect to our patients, our staff, and other healthcare providers,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are proud to serve all patients regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay, and these conversations with some of our leaders across the health system shine a light on how we get it done.”
“What I’ve learned is that there’s so much thought that goes into running a big health system like ours. I hope the podcast is able to share some of that with our audience,” said The Remedy Host Michael S. Shen, MD.
The health system’s role as a city agency and the major safety net health system for New York City offers a singular voice that no other podcast can. The mission of NYC Health + Hospitals encompasses the ability to provide care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay; offer new and exciting programs to its patients, including lifestyle medicine and telehealth abortion care; and respond to the challenges that face New York City, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the homelessness crisis, and the current migrant crisis. The host and guests are all health system employees with a special perspective on the work they do for patients. The podcast will include seven episodes, with a new episode released every two weeks.
About the Host
Michael S. Shen, MD is a primary care doctor at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull and the Clinical Director of Woodhull’s Primary Care Safety Net Clinic for people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Shen was recently selected to be a Health Affairs Podcast Fellow where he created a 3-episode series about safety net hospitals. He is also an artist who works in watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, and digital media. His illustrative work has been published by National Geographic Books, the American Medical Association’s Journal of Ethics, and the Annals of Internal Medicine. Find him on Twitter @MikeShenMD.
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MEDIA CONTACT: 212-788-3339; PressOffice@nychhc.org
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.