Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions

About Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions

Breath work A Respiratory Medicine podcast for busy respiratory nerds who want to keep up-to-date with the constantly evolving world of the lung. Every month we speak with respiratory experts on their areas of special interest. Our goal is to provide YOU with interactive and easy to listen to clinical updates. We will cover presentation, clinical reasoning, diagnostics and treatments but also new and exciting changes coming down the line. Delivered at a time convenient to you in 20-30 minute episodes. Inspire Meet your Respiratory Medicine heroes and hear how they got to where they are today. There are now more people than ever working in the respiratory medicine sphere. In this podcast we speak to Physicians, scientists, nurses, physiologists and more. We learn about their career paths to date, how they have achieved such success and advice for others hoping to follow suit. Some of these discussions are profession specific, but much of the advice is applicable to anyone trying to progress in their career. Social Media Website: https://irishthoracicsociety.com/ X/Twitter: irishthoracicS LinkedIn: Irish Thoracic Society Instagram: Irishthoracicsociety

Publisher

The Podcast Studios

Category

health & fitness · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Aug 2024

Latest episode

22 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

46 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Scalable models of care—comparing home and hospital-based approaches to diagnosis and management with Professor Eddie Maloney

   This episode looks at obstructive sleep apnea and why diagnosis and management need scalable models of care. Professor Eddie Maloney speaks about how home sleep studies, hospital-based polysomnography, smartwatches, and remote pathways fit together in real clinical practice. The discussion includes when home testing is enough, when a full sleep lab study is still needed, and how treatment is evolving beyond CPAP to include positional devices, mandibular advancement devices, weight loss therapies, and future oral agents. In This Episode - The clinical definition of obstructive sleep apnea and why its true prevalence is likely substantially underrecognised - The key symptom profile and collateral history that should raise pre-test probability, including snoring, witnessed apneas, daytime sleepiness, nocturnal choking, and drowsy driving - Where home sleep testing is appropriate, and why a negative result does not always exclude OSA when clinical suspicion remains high - The limitations of home studies versus in-laboratory polysomnography for assessing sleep architecture, complex comorbidity, central sleep apnea, and non-respiratory sleep disorders - The evolving treatment landscape, including CPAP, positional therapy, mandibular advancement devices, hypoglossal nerve stimulation, and emerging obesity-targeted therapies - The move toward scalable, remote, and AI-supported sleep care pathways, with ongoing emphasis on adherence monitoring and individualized follow-up Guest: Professor Eddie Moloney is a Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician at Tallaght University Hospital and Beacon Hospital, with over 20 years’ experience in respiratory, sleep and general internal medicine. He has held senior clinical and leadership roles in Ireland and the UK, including as current president of the Irish Thoracic Society and has made significant contributions to respiratory and sleep medicine through research, education and professional leadership. Outside of medicine, Eddie is a passionate tennis player and advocate for an active lifestyle. Hosts: Dr Margaret Higgins is a third year respiratory trainee at the Mater Hospital. A graduate of University College Dublin, she is currently completing a Masters at University College Cork. She is the current ITS education co-officer with a keen interest in Medical Education. Her research interests include Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease. Dr Sandra Green is an Irish-trained respiratory fellow with a strong track record in climate advocacy and multidisciplinary sustainable initiatives, as co-founder of Irish Doctors for the Environment. She has an MSc in Leadership and Innovation in Healthcare at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (2023–2025). With Marisssa, she co-founded the Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions, launching the platform in 2024 to share knowledge, insights, and innovations in respiratory care. LinkdIn - linkedin.com/in/dr-sandra-green-2a9536199 Email - edofficer@irishthoracicsociety.com Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to Breathwork and why respiratory updates matter 00:34 - Introducing Professor Eddie Maloney and the focus on scalable OSA care 01:03 - Rapid-fire round 02:57 – The definition of obstructive sleep apnea 03:22 - How common OSA is globally and in Ireland 03:51 - Typical symptoms and how patients get referred 05:19 - Why so many cases remain undiagnosed 06:55 - What smartwatches can and cannot do yet 08:51 - Why a negative home study does not always rule out OSA 09:45 - Key history points, including bed partner collateral 10:40 - Home testing versus hospital sleep lab investigations 12:05 - When to bring patients in for full polysomnography 13:02 - What patients wear during in-lab sleep studies 14:01 - Peripheral arterial tonometry and WatchPAT-style testing 15:21 - How sleep data are interpreted in the home setting 16:16 - The problem of making lifelong decisions from a one-night study 17:39 - Remote referral, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up pathways 18:36 - TALA pathway setup and questionnaire-based triage 19:28 - CPAP as the main treatment and virtual follow-up 20:26 - AI and the future of sleep study interpretation 20:55 - Treatment options beyond CPAP 22:20 - GLP-1 and GIP therapies and the SURMOUNT trial results 23:43 - When to repeat a study after significant weight loss 25:10 - How mandibular advancement devices work 26:14 - What personalised treatment means in sleep apnea 27:06 - Explaining the diagnosis with patient-friendly resources 27:47 - Improving CPAP adherence in practice 28:43 - Traffic-light monitoring for CPAP compliance 29:38 - How pressure settings and mask choice affect tolerance 30:56 - Device lifespan and replacing masks and tubing 31:26 - Follow-up schedules for stable patients 32:20 - Sustainability and recycling of CPAP devices 33:18 - Final take-home message and society meeting reminder Resources & Links: https://irishthoracicsociety.com/asm-2026/ Irish Thoracic Society ASM 19 th & 20 th November: Abstract Deadline 1 st September 2026, Case study forum deadline 18th September 2026 Irish Sleep Society https://irishsleepsociety.ie/ American Academy of Sleep https://aasm.org/clinical-resources/patient-info/ References: - Malhotra A, Grunstein RR, Fietze I, et al.; SURMOUNT-OSA Investigators. Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2024;391(13):1193–1205. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2404881. PMID: 38912654. - Ryan S, Keane S, Nolan G, Purcell E, Cormican L, Irish Sleep Society Committee. Practice Guidelines for Standards of Adult Sleep Medicine Services. Irish Medical Journal. 2018;111(3):721.

2. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Inspire: Professor Eddie Maloney on building a respiratory career, leading the Irish Thoracic Society, and staying active

   In this episode Professor Eddie Maloney, consultant respiratory and sleep physician and President of the Irish Thoracic Society speaks about the career path that led him into respiratory medicine. They discuss fellowships, intensive care exposure, society leadership, advocacy priorities, and why tennis and regular exercise have been a constant throughout his working life. In This Episode - A career path through respiratory and sleep medicine, with training and leadership experience across Ireland and the UK. - The appeal of respiratory medicine as a specialty that combines acute care, chronic disease management, procedures, physiology, and imaging. - The value of fellowships and international experience in strengthening clinical judgement, adaptability, and problem-solving. - The role of the Irish Thoracic Society in supporting professional development, membership growth, and annual scientific meetings. - Current advocacy priorities in respiratory health, including air quality, climate- related impacts, vaping, and World Lung Day. - Practical advice for trainees on publications, case reports, and building an academic profile alongside clinical work. Guest Professor Eddie Moloney is a Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician at Tallaght University Hospital and Beacon Hospital, with over 20 years’ experience in respiratory, sleep and general internal medicine. He has held senior clinical and leadership roles in Ireland and the UK, including as current president of the Irish Thoracic Society and has made significant contributions to respiratory and sleep medicine through research, education and professional leadership. Outside of medicine, Eddie is a passionate tennis player and advocate for an active lifestyle. Hosts: Dr Margaret Higgins is a third year respiratory trainee at the Mater Hospital. A graduate of University College Dublin, she is currently completing a Master's at University College Cork. She is the current ITS education co-officer with a keen interest in Medical Education. Her research interests include Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease. Dr Sandra Green is an Irish-trained respiratory fellow with a strong track record in climate advocacy and multidisciplinary sustainable initiatives, as co-founder of Irish Doctors for the Environment. She has an MSc in Leadership and Innovation in Healthcare at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (2023–2025). With Marisssa, she co-founded the Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions, launching the platform in 2024 to share knowledge, insights, and innovations in respiratory care. Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dr-sandra-green-2a9536199 Email: edofficer@irishthoracicsociety.com Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to Inspire and what the podcast aims to cover 00:57 - Professor Eddie Maloney’s clinical background and leadership roles 02:23 - How respiratory medicine became the right fit 03:49 - Intensive care exposure and the Brompton fellowship 05:35 - Why a fellowship abroad can change the way you think 06:34 - Whether fellowships still matter for trainees today 07:27 - Why he joined the Irish Thoracic Society 08:48 - How the society’s committee pathway works 09:35 - Growing membership across the respiratory MDT 10:29 - Respiratory Health of the Nation and the annual scientific meeting 12:20 - Current advocacy priorities: air quality, vaping, and World Lung Day 14:09 - Tennis, fitness, and staying active through a busy career 15:33 - Fitting exercise into early starts and full clinical days 16:26 - Publication advice for trainees and early career doctors 18:21 - Why finishing papers and handling review matters 19:14 - Case reports as a practical starting point for research 20:02 - Closing remarks and the next episode topic Resources and Links: - Irish Thoracic Society https://irishthoracicsociety.com/ - Respiratory Health of the Nation report 2018 https://irishthoracicsociety.com/respiratory-health-of-the-nation-2018/

3. 

   22 Jun 2026

   Inspire (Part 4) Mastering Medical Meetings: Strategies for Effective Communication and Leadership with Sarah Geraghty

   This episode features insights from healthcare communication expert Sarah Geraghty, who shares proven frameworks and practical tips on crafting clear agendas, managing time effectively, and delivering purposeful meetings. Her insights help professionals across sectors elevate their meetings to be most effective. If you’re committed to making your meetings matter—or simply want to reclaim time, reduce stress, and foster a culture of clarity—this episode is essential listening. In this episode: The crucial role of purpose and clear objectives for every gathering How to craft and circulate agendas in advance to prep participants effectively Strategies for keeping meetings on track—even when personalities and time pressures threaten to derail progress Techniques to empower less confident voices and build inclusive, psychologically safe environments The importance of ending with clear actions, owners, and timelines—so nothing slips through the cracks Guest Sarah Geraghty is Head of Careers at the Communications Clinics, specialising in preparing for high-stakes interviews and career transitions. A seasoned communication trainer and coach, she combines practical storytelling and leadership development to help candidates articulate their value. With a rich background in journalism and editorial work—including contributions to the Irish Times and The Journal, and experience as Assistant Editor of Gloss Magazine—she brings real-world insight into how healthcare professionals can perform under pressure. Hosts Marissa O’Callaghan is an Irish trained Respiratory fellow currently undertaking a post-doc fellow working in Erasmus MC Rotterdam in the Netherlands. She finished her Irish respiratory and Internal medicine training and Phd in 2025. Her areas of interest are interstitial and rare lung diseases. She enjoys clinical research, Med Ed, and dreaming up new medical innovations. Together with cohost Sandra Green, she founded the ITS podcast series in June 2024. Sandra Green is an Irish-trained respiratory doctor with a strong track record in climate advocacy and multidisciplinary sustainable initiatives, as co-founder of Irish Doctors for the Environment. She has an MSc in Leadership and Innovation in Healthcare at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (2023–2025. With Marisssa, she co-founded the Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions, launching a platform in 2024 to share knowledge, insights, and innovations in respiratory care. Chapters 0:04 Introduction to Breathwork 0:37 Importance of Meetings in Healthcare 1:06 Effective Meeting Communication 1:28 Rapid Fire Tips for Meetings 1:56 Listening vs. Speaking in Meetings 2:25 Purpose and Objectives of Meetings 3:41 Structured vs. Informal Meetings 5:32 Role of the Chair in Meetings 7:28 Time Management in Meetings 9:48 Encouraging Participation 11:43 Setting the Meeting Culture 13:29 Challenges of Meeting Overruns 15:24 Engaging Junior Members 17:41 Psychological Safety in Meetings 19:37 Final Tips for Effective Meetings 26:37 Closing and Future Plans 27:26 Credits and Contact Information Resources & Links: Sarah Geraghty - LinkedIn https://ie.linkedin.com/in/sarah-geraghty-comms The Communication Clinic https://www.communicationsclinic.ie/

Who has been a guest on Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Sean Gaine
• Professor Sean Gaine
• Stephen Shelly
• Dr Deirdre Fitzgerald

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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

16 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

64

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.