Physicians & Celebrity Medicine

What happened to Michael Jackson's personal physician? He was with him at the time of death. Today news reports are that he is nowhere to be found as police search for him. You would think he would be talking with the coroner's office.

Celebrity medicine is a different medicine. Those physicians that we hear about from media reports provide personalized health care to their famous patients. By the time we hear about this sensitive, personal, private informaton something has gone wrong. Even when a personal physician is not involved, medical errors that lead to death are common.

Do these physicians lurk in the shadows waiting to pounce on the rich and famous? For money? For fame? How could someone trained to heal bring harm? It is surely puzzling to me. Even more puzzling is the fact that celebrities like many people fail to practice preventive medicine. Given the means to pay for health expenses and more (like home defibrillators or home clinic) there is a sense that this is not a priority. Then along comes a quack, or unexpected death.

No one is immune to bad medicine.

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family medicine physician, patient advocate, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/

Summer Skin Care

It's summertime! Remember to practice good skin care by keeping your skin safe from those damaging UVA and UVB rays that cause serious, irreparable sun damage. Follow these steps:

1. Limit sun exposure – avoid 10AM to 3PM, spend less than one hour in direct sun - less or none if fair complexion, burn easily, prone to skin cancer.
2. Wear protective clothing – wide brim hats, long sleeves, long pants, skirts and/ or clothes made with sun protection fabric.
3. Umbrella and shade.
4. Use sunscreen SPF 15 or greater. Put on every hour if sweating or swimming. Put on every area exposed to sun, and be sure to remember behind those ears and on the neck.
5. See your family doctor and/or dermatologist for sunburn, or any suspicious skin spots.
Keep yourself well hydrated by drinking lots of water. Have a fun, safe summer!
by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice physician, patient advocate, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.
www.mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U
www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd

President Obama's Health Care Reform Plan

Did the President sell us a health care overhaul today? Or is it more of the same talk phrased differently in a town hall setting set before the media? SSDD - same stuff, different day.

He discussed the National Health Insurance Exchange that helped fuel his campaign. It is nice to hear a promise that if you like your doctor and health care plan, you will be able to keep them. What other choice do you have with pre-existing conditions? A promise for lower cost would be nice, especially since "health insurance premiums have grown three times faster than wages". Actually, it is more like five times.

This "patchwork system" needs tweaking. Big time. The public option gives people a choice especially if they don't have health insurance. Does it really?

"Every plan should have incentives for preventive care." Incentives are attractive, but is it enough? Do incentives work? What types of incentives are you talking about? Will everybody have access to them, or just those with employer-based health insurance?

It will take "a couple of years" to get it all done. That will be a true miracle from the holy waters of Lourdes. Oh, then the President changes that...it may take four or five years or so. Or longer.

"The more tests I perform the more I get paid" is the "business mentality" of physicians. The more tests doctors perform, the better chance you will get an accurate, timely diagnosis. Those tests that aren't done, are a primary reason for malpractice. Doctors sure could use help with malpractice insurance, especially if medical testing is limited by big business "gatekeepers".

Prevention and wellness is key. The example of obesity and weight loss is a good one, but how realistic is this for the low income 70 year old morbidly obese hypertensive diabetic who is in a wheelchair?

The last question on wellness and prevention covered an incentive example. If you stop smoking, you will see your premium drop. Does this apply to the uninsured? Will you get health insurance if you practice wellness and prevention?

Finally, trillions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid is still not enough. If "we can bend the cost curve down....we're going to be okay". Let's hope so.

Please, "steal my ideas", Mr. President.

See the previous blogs here for a real plan. It is time to act. It is time to stop talking.

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family medicine doctor, patient advocate, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.
http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/

ABC's of Healthcare Reform

The link below on the ABC's of healthcare reform is from my friend, Kathleen O'Connor. Her organization, CodeBlueNow! (http://www.codebluenow.org/ ), is dedicated to health care reform. Her effort is one of the best around. Ms. O'Connor started this after challenging the American public in a contest to write about their thoughts on how America's health care system could be fixed. Out of the 2003 entrants CodeBlueNow! was born.

Thank you Ms. O'Connor for the opportunity to submit my action plan, Building An American Health System. I was one of the ten finalists.

As we look forward to the President's national health care plan being passed soon, let us all speak up for the best health care we deserve. It is time for successful CPR.

http://www.codebluenow.org/ABCs%20of%20Reform--The%20Alphabet%20of%20Health%20Care.final.4-27.1doc.pdf



by J.L. Richardson, MD, family physician, patient advocate, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.
http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/

Building An American Health System

These are the notes from my Power Point presentation of my 2003 research paper, Building an American Health System. The medical budget and financing was based on a federal deficit. This was about $400 billion dollars which was greater than the HHS budget alone. In 6 years the only thing that has changed is the exorbitant price we all pay.

Slide 1 Building an American Health System = the best health care for everyone by bringing
best of all medical systems together.


FOCUS of my paper is to bring best of all medical systems together = government, private, international – much of infrastructure in place especially with government = agencies, IT, monies



Slide 2 Information technology = CIA = Communication Information Automation
Communication = medical record creation, maintenance, transmission
Information = education + wellness, prevention, diagnosis, treatment
Automation = Internet wired wireless medicine


One of the first things to get the BEST is to maximize IT, info tech

uses CIA…which connects patient to doctor to health providers – thus creating uniformity w/ easy accessibility

Communication based on most important document, the medical record = it’s creation, maintenance and transmission

Information primary for health education

Automation brings it all together seamlessly and efficiently




Slide 3 System Update = uniform with continutiy of care; timely and easy acces to health care;
eduation on wellness, prevention. and treatment based on prevalence of disease and
proven preventive measures; provide more information to patient; serve everyone


In view of the rise in elder and chronic medical illness a uniform system allows access anywhere, anytime i.e healthcare obtained from every state, doctors licensed in every state – this allows timely, quality care – the best –

USPTF and Healthy People 2010 exists for prevention – HHS has many programs from community to federal level and its systems which have shown to have the best care - more efficient care and lower cost than the private sector



Slide 4 To DO List - use government + private "bests" = merger; extend IT infrastructure,
data base


This will create uniform and easily accessible system for everyone from patient to doctor and in between

there is a ways to go when look at federal deficit at an all time high! As is health spending at over $1 trillion!

suggestions for financing are outlined in my paper as are resources already in place



Slide 5 GOALS - Uniform continuous qualitymedical care to everyone regardless of cost of
of pre-existing condition; educate and inform; practice wellness and prevention to
have a Healthy America.


the goals are ...

As the cartoon in depicts the doctor telling the patient “your HMO won’t cover any illness contracted in the 20th century” = that was in 2000 – if American health system continues the way it is this is a dilemma we all potentially face and are beginning to experience.

twtpoll :: How do you prefer your doctor contact you with your test results? (via )

twtpoll :: How do you prefer your doctor contact you with your test results? (via )

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