Upstate Health

07/29/2026

Pediatrician Steven Blatt, MD, explains why vitamin K is essential for newborns. Without it, they are vulnerable to spontaneous bleeding, which can be deadly. https://www.facebook.com/groups/702677486482897/?notif_id=1785343033000000¬if_t=group_recommendation&ref=notif

Blatt is a professor of pediatrics and director of the general pediatrics division at Upstate.

07/27/2026

Urgent care kits generally have more items than a standard first aid kit. Upstate emergency physician Kaitlyn Lavarnway, DO, explains what's important to include, such as sterile gauze, medical tape, tweezers, small scissors, thermometer, instant cold packs, acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen, and an over-the-counter allergy med. https://www.upstate.edu/in.formed/2026/071326-lavarnway-podcast.php

07/24/2026

Upstate Medical University is partnering with the SUNY College of Optometry in New York City to offer the Doctor of Optometry degree in Syracuse. This will help provide new optometrists to replace those who will be retiring in the coming years.

Sarah Gleason, OD, the program director, discusses the profession of optometry and provides details of the program at Upstate, which will begin in fall 2027 with 16 students. https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/071726-gleason-podcast.php

"One of the reasons SUNY College of Optometry decided to partner with Upstate Medical to offer our degree in this region is because there are significant workforce shortages in this region," Gleason says.

"So there is a need, and we're hoping through this partnership to be able to provide an alternate training pathway for students who want to remain in Upstate New York for the majority of their training and hopefully practice here to be able to manage this increased demand and the current demand that already exists."

07/24/2026

Ways to diminish dementia risk, author talks about his book on delayed manhood, and how to recognize when someone is suicidal — all on the next “HealthLink on Air,” Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO and online at https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/072626-radioshow.php.

What can you do to lower your risk of dementia as you age? Exercise and a healthy diet can make a difference, says Upstate chief of geriatrics Sharon Brangman, MD. She discusses several factors that play a role in the development of dementia, many of which are modifiable.

Also on the show, Francis DiClemente shares his story of dealing with hypopituitarism in his memoir, “Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood." DiClemente is a poet and Emmy-winning filmmaker who works at Syracuse University. As a high schooler in 1984, he underwent his first brain surgery at Upstate University Hospital. He describes what it was like to be surrounded by friends maturing into young adults while his body remains underdeveloped.

And psychiatrist Robert Gregory, MD, shares how to recognize when someone is suicidal.

07/23/2026

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints. It's a systemic disease that can be treated. Upstate rheumatologist Christian Geier, MD, explains how it's diagnosed, how the condition may impact someone's life, and why treatment is important. https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/061626-geier-podcast.php

07/23/2026

07/22/2026

Research by Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University has found memory screenings in local aging offices boost early detection of cognitive impairment in older adults. https://www.upstate.edu/news/articles/2026/2026-07-22-ofa.php

The findings of the two-year SU/Upstate initiative show that bringing memory screenings directly into local Offices for the Aging (OFAs) can help identify older adults with early signs of cognitive impairment but also confirmed that transportation barriers persist. Plus, fear and stigma keep many rural residents from getting a full diagnosis and follow-up care.

The project was led by SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Sharon Brangman, MD, director of the Upstate Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease (pictured here), and Maria Brown, PhD, associate research professor in Syracuse University’s School of Education.

07/22/2026

Upcoming HealthLink sessions with Upstate experts, held online and free!
Visit our page ( ) to register for any (or all!): https://www.upstate.edu/hospital/health/healthlink/healthlink-calendar.php

07/20/2026

Do you know all of the steps you can take to avoid infectious diseases like c.diff?

Join this online session to gain a better understanding of conditions such as c.diff, including prevention, overall health awareness for how these diseases spread and current research. During the session, you will have time to ask questions to a licensed healthcare provider from Upstate Global Health Institute and receive reliable, evidence-based information.

Register here for your Zoom link: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/QTUvLkDwTkuRD1heZuCKOA

The online session is on Thursday, August 20th at 6 PM.

07/20/2026

Nurse practitioner Linda Dinu from Upstate Cancer Center explains autologous stem cell transplants -- a process in which healthy stem cells are collected from a patient, frozen and later returned to the patient after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation. https://www.upstate.edu/informed/2026/062326-dinu-podcast.php