ArMA Member Spotlight: Denise Millstine, MD

September 1, 2023
Portrait of Leah Sanford in glasses, smiling against a gray background with a purple frame and award badge.

We are honored to introduce this month’s ArMA Member Spotlight, Denise Millstine, MD! Dr. Millstine is a consultant in Women's Health Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She is also an assistant professor of medicine and a fellow of the American College of Physicians.


In her interview for our Member Spotlight, Dr. Millstine describes the way she uses books to share her medical insight with patients. She directs the Women’s Health Blog for Mayo Clinic Press and is the creator and host of Read.Talk.Grow., a podcast where she talks about books and health with authors and experts. 


Learn all about Dr. Millstine’s journey with medicine below!

What's a project you're working on right now? Why is it meaningful to you?


I think writing for the public and patient education is an undervalued aspect of how we can provide quality medical information efficiently, at low cost, and openly.



For this reason, I became the medical editor for the Mayo Clinic Press Women’s Health Blog. We have colleagues and medical writers present information with a casual voice that is high quality and free to access. For example, I wrote a post on calcifications on mammograms. In 2022, over 29,000 people read this post. It occurs to me that this was a very good use of the 2 hours I spent writing, editing, reviewing with a radiologist, and finalizing. I won’t see 29,000 patients with breast calcifications in my whole career – never mind in 2 hours.


Writing the blog allowed me to collaborate with writers and editors in publishing. I shared my dream of working with books to provide health understanding, and they were game! Through those conversations, we created the Read.Talk.Grow. blog. In each episode, I interview an  author of a book meant to be read cover-to-cover – mainly fiction, memoir, or narrative nonfiction – along with a topic expert. We talk about issues through the lens of the book, often through a character or described experience, in the hope of enlightening our listeners to consider story and reading as a way to better understand and empathize with health conditions. Some of the topics covered include miscarriage (novel Brood by Jackie Polzin), menopause (thriller The Change by Kirsten Miller), hospice (novel inspired by personal experience We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman), and racism in medicine (nonfiction Under the Skin by Linda Villarosa).


This project is a true overlap of my passions: books & reading + patient care & support.

How has a book changed your perspective on life?


Years ago, I read the book This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel. In the novel, she portrays a family whose youngest child is transgender from a very young age. Her depiction of the family navigating the challenges that arise in supporting their child is authentic and, to me, enlightening. I’ve shared this book with many women who love and want to support a young person navigating gender transition and exploration. This book was important to me because it was a family story, not an issues book. For this reason, I believe it to be more broadly accessible and it became one of the early inspirations for what was eventually our Read.Talk.Grow. podcast.


What is one message you would give to your 18-year-old self?


It’s important to know what’s important to you and to remember that your voice should be heard. If you think books and reading are entertainment and relaxation, think again. You can overlap the activities you love to do with the work you are called to.


What do you like best about living in Arizona?


The people, the sunshine, the natural beauty, and the bookstores.


What would people be surprised to learn about you?


I’m an introvert. I love connecting with other people, but I’m just as happy to be home with my dog, my kids, and a good book.

What does a typical day in your life look like?


I’m up early to exercise which I find helps me approach my day more calmly. I shuffle the kids to school and then work on projects or see patients. Evenings are filled with family dinner, book clubs/events, time with friends, and finally walking my basset hound Lulu with my husband.


How would you describe your approach to patient care?


I believe people are their stories and try to make space for those to be shared. I like to know my patients so I can view their health concerns or prevention in the context of the way they live their lives.


Why is ArMA important to you and your colleagues?


Connection is important and ArMA provides a platform for healthcare professionals to know what is going on in many different corners of Arizona. I also appreciate the unified voice of ArMA, especially recently with challenging healthcare events and policy changes. 

ADHS Issues Standing Orders for Flu, COVID-19 Vaccine Access

By Admin User • September 18, 2026
Statewide orders keep pharmacists and physicians authorized to vaccinate Arizonans amid uncertainty over the next ACIP meeting. Statewide Orders Cover the 2026-27 Flu & COVID Season The Arizona Department of Health Services has issued statewide standing orders supporting access to the 2026-27 influenza and COVID-19 vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Arizonans seeking a flu or COVID-19 vaccine should contact their physician or pharmacy to confirm availability. Why the Orders Were Issued Arizona pharmacists may administer vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for international travel, or vaccines authorized under a prescription, including a physician-issued public health standing order. With the timing of the next ACIP meeting uncertain, ADHS worked with the Arizona Board of Pharmacy to issue statewide standing orders for the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, which function as a prescription allowing pharmacists and physicians across Arizona to administer them to anyone who wants one. ADHS Medical Advisor Weighs In "Vaccines are one of the most important tools we have to protect our communities. The Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Vaccines help us limit the spread of disease, reduce pressure on our healthcare system and reduce costs," said Dr. Richard Carmona, ADHS public health medical advisor and the 17th U.S. Surgeon General. "We have issued these standing orders to ensure safe and timely access to the vaccines in alignment with scientific and evidence-based guidance." What Arizonans Should Know The standing orders do not require every pharmacy to offer vaccinations, and they do not guarantee insurance coverage for administration. Coverage and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan, so Arizonans should check with their insurance provider before scheduling an appointment. 

Arizona Asks Supreme Court to Halt Prison Health Care Takeover

By Admin User • September 18, 2026
State attorneys seek an emergency stay after lower courts reject bids to delay receivership of the prison health care system. State Makes a Last-Ditch Appeal Attorneys for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry asked the U.S. Supreme Court this week to delay a court-ordered receivership of the state's prison health care system. The request comes after both a federal district court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to pause the takeover. In the recent application, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, a representative of the department, argued that the state deserves more time to make its case before surrendering control of its operations, including oversight of its employees and health care budget. Roots of the Case The dispute began in 2012 when inmates sued the department, alleging the prison system's inadequate medical, mental health, and dental care amounted to cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. The case went through years of litigation and a failed settlement agreement. In 2023, U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver ruled that the health care system was "grossly inadequate." The court ordered the prison healthcare system to comply with more than 150 "quality indicators," but according to court-appointed monitors, the department failed to comply with 131 of the measures. In light of this finding, Silver named Annette Chambers-Smith, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, to take over as receiver effective Oct. 19. Arguments on Both Sides Clement argues receivership should be the last resort and that Silver moved to it too quickly. He asserts that the department has made measurable progress, including growing its health care staffing by more than 50%, expanding substance-use treatment access, and adopting a new care model. Corene Kendrick, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project, which represents the roughly 25,000 people incarcerated in Arizona prisons, called the department's request a "Hail Mary" and said Silver had given the department years of opportunities to comply before ordering receivership. What Happens Next The Supreme Court has not yet set a deadline for the plaintiffs to respond to the stay request. Separately, the 9th Circuit is now reviewing the merits of the receivership order itself. The department filed its opening brief on Sept. 15, and the plaintiffs' response is due Oct. 15. Information in this article was sourced from the Arizona Mirror .