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Integrating behavioral and primary care, and 50 years in infectious disease

Some health organizations and medical practices are integrating primary care and behavioral health care. Upstate psychologist Brian Rieger explains how this helps patients and medical providers in this week's episode of "HealthLink on Air." He’s director of the integrated behavioral health care program at Upstate and an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry.

Also this week, Dr. Donald Blair, a professor of medicine specializing in infectious disease, is celebrating 50 years at Upstate. He saw patients in Ethiopia with some of the world's last cases of smallpox at the start of his career, learned about the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS, in real-time, and has concerns about how deadly bird flu could be if it spreads to more humans. He reflects on how the specialty of infectious disease has changed over five decades.

And, geriatrics chief Dr. Sharon Brangman tells when it’s time for a person to consider seeing a geriatrician.

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