if you have any feedback, please send us a text! Thank you!

Today’s episode features a truly special conversation with Dr. Diana Ramos, California Surgeon General, and Dr. Calvin Johnson, Professor of Anesthesiology—both dedicated advocates for improving maternal health.

Dr. Ramos is a distinguished public health leader who earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at USC and completed her OB-GYN training at the LA County–USC Medical Center. She also holds a Master of Public Health from UCLA and an MBA from the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business. Dr. Ramos has received numerous honors, including the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Public Service (2024) and the Public Health Leadership Award (2025) from All Children Thrive. She is deeply passionate about reducing maternal morbidity and mortality in California and across the nation, as well as improving health outcomes for children.

Dr. Johnson is a Professor of Anesthesiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical School in Los Angeles. He is triple board-certified in Anesthesiology, Pediatric Anesthesiology, and Pain Medicine. He is an active member of the California Society of Anesthesiologists and serves on the California Pregnancy-Associated Review Committee.

Maternal mortality remains a critical issue, with an incidence of 33 per 100,000 births in the United States and 15 per 100,000 in California. What are the most common causes of maternal mortality? How many of these deaths are preventable? What factors increase the risk of morbidity and mortality, and how have anesthesiologists played a role in reducing these risks?

In this episode, Drs. Ramos and Johnson discuss why maternal mortality persists, current incidence rates, and what can be done to address this urgent issue. They also explore Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on children’s immediate and long-term health. Together, they emphasize the critical importance of collaboration across multiple specialties—including public health, nursing, community medicine, and preconception and prenatal care—to improve outcomes for mothers and children.

Selected Resources:

https://osg.ca.gov/

https://osg.ca.gov/aces-in-youth/

https://osg.ca.gov/prema/

if you have any feedback, please send us a text! Thank you!

Welcome to another episode of the CSA’s Podcast Vital Times

In September 2025, a landmark ruling by a California judge stated that nonphysicians could not use the term “Doctor” in a clinical setting. This was a ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by Three California-based nurse practitioners. They challenged California Business and Professions Code Section 2052, which makes it a misdemeanor for nonphysicians to use “Dr” in clinical settings or advertisements.

Judge Jesus G. Bernal wrote in the opinion that using the title “Dr.” by nonphysicians in clinical contexts is “inherently misleading” and amounts to regulated commercial speech. Because of that, it does not fall under free speech protections.

The court sided with the state, which argued that allowing nonphysicians to use “Dr.” could confuse patients about who is providing their care. Bernal cited an American Medical Association (AMA) survey showing: 39% of patients mistakenly believed that DNPs are physicians. He concluded that even when nurses disclose their credentials, the risk of confusion remains high in healthcare settings.

To help us understand the importance of both the law and the ruling - 3 amazing patient advocates ae joining the show today.

Dr. Rebekah Bernard is a family physician in Fort Myers, Florida. She's a founding member and past president of Physicians for Patient Protection, a grassroots advocacy group focused on ensuring physician-led care for all patients and truth and transparency among healthcare practitioners, and has authored two books on scope of practice.

Dr. Antonio Hernandez Conte -- Former Chair of CSA Legislative and Practice Affairs Division from 2019 to 2022. Hhen served as President from 2023-2024 and is now a Past-President. Dr. Hernandez Conte is also a Partner with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group and a Clinical Professor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.

Dr. Christina Menor is a board-certified anesthesiologist in private practice in Los Angeles. She specializes in ambulatory, pediatric and obstetric anesthesiology. Dr. Menor currently serves as the President for the California Society of Anesthesiologists. She coauthored an article describing California survey data about medical titles. She is a member of Physicians Protecting Patients and is an active advocate for physician led care and title transparency.

if you have any feedback, please send us a text! Thank you!

Dr. J.W. Beard, a UCSF-trained anesthesiologist and Chief Medical Officer of GE Healthcare’s Patient Care Solutions division, joins the Vital Times podcast to discuss his remarkable career journey. As a member of the Board of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, Dr. Beard shares how his background in anesthesiology uniquely prepared him for leadership in the medical technology industry, and offers insights into bridging clinical practice and innovation.