New medical Q and A show on public radio

WJCT Public Media today announced its newest original program and local production, “What’s Health Got to Do with It?” The program will debut Saturday, September 18 at 4 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9 F.M.

This new weekly, hour-long program will be hosted by Dr. Joe Sirven, an engaging physician / journalist who currently serves as a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus. Each week, Dr. Sirven will explore how health care intersects with our daily lives — helping to guide listeners through an increasingly convoluted medical bureaucracy.

The interview-based show will cover topics such as accessing treatment, finding the right doctor, sustaining good health, getting insurance coverage and seeking a cure for both common and complex medical issues. Listeners will be able to engage with Dr. Sirven through calls, emails and social media, creating a new community around locally focused and solution-driven care.

“Health care is a deeply personal, yet universal, topic. Here in Northeast Florida, it’s also woven into our civic landscape, cultural identity and quality of life,” said David McGowan, President and CEO of WJCT Public Media. “We’re eager to start this new journey with Dr. Sirven, and look forward to engaging our neighbors in healthy dialogue through this show.”

In addition to his role with the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Sirven serves on the editorial board of Brain & Life and is editor-in-chief of Brain & Life en Espanol. . Earlier in his career, he was the editor-in-chief of Epilepsy.com and served as a medical contributor for NBC Latino and KJZZ radio (the NPR affiliate for Phoenix and Tucson). To learn more about Dr. Sirven, click here.

"This past year has reminded the entire world of the importance of health and health care. And it has convinced me there is a dire need for accurate, up-to-date medical and health information from trusted sources,” said Dr. Sirven. “That is why I am excited to help bring ’What's Health Got to Do with It?’ to WJCT Public Media’s audiences, so they can hear from practicing doctors and other members of the health care sphere. Our program is intended for the listener who has questions they want answered, as well as listener-generated topics.  Northeast Florida — this is your medical show."

“What’s Health Got to Do with It?” will air every Saturday at 4 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9 and re-air Sundays at 9 p.m. Episodes will also be available on-demand at news.wjct.org/programs/whats-health-got-do-it, through the WJCT app and as a podcast on wjct.org/podcasts, or any commonly available podcast platform.

“What’s Health Got to Do with It?” is sponsored in part by the American Brain Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation Florida and Neurelis. For more information, visit news.wjct.org/programs/whats-health-got-do-it, join the conversation at (904) 358-6362 (6DOC), email your questions and comments to health@wjct.org and join the conversation on social media at @jsirven on Twitter and WJCTJax on Facebook.

About WJCT Public Media: WJCT is the community-owned and operated public media organization serving Jacksonville and the First Coast since 1958, using television, radio, digital media, and live events to help community members learn, share, and grow. For more information on WJCT’s in-depth programming content, log on to WJCT Online at wjct.org. Like WJCT on Facebook (facebook.com/wjctjax) and follow WJCT on Twitter (@WJCTJax) and Instagram (@WJCTJax).