June 1st, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, True Stories
1 Comment »
I regularly talk to my patients’ parents about social health. What parents do, what they think, and how they socially experience their child’s health problems has become an interest of mine.
I can hear it now: “Of course patients won’t discuss their social health activities with you, you’re a doctor.” Perhaps, but I don’t think so. Actually, I’ve had some very interesting open dialog with a few of my long-term patient-parents. Many have children suffering with chronic diseases such as Crohn’s disease, eosinophilic enteropathy, and the like. The relationships I cultivate are open, and the nature of my dialog has been just as consistently open as other aspects of our relationship.
Interestingly, while nearly all have used online search to understand their disease, most have never connected with other disease sufferers in the online space. The concept of crowdsourcing is met with puzzled looks. Sure they’re e-patients, but I would characterize most of my patients as e-patients. The question is: What does that really mean? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
May 17th, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Research
1 Comment »
I recently stumbled onto the “Minimally Disruptive Medicine” blog maintained by Dr. Victor Montori from the Mayo Clinic. I have to admit that the name caught my attention so I scoped it out.
According to Dr. Montori, “minimally disruptive medicine refers to the practice of medicine that seeks to design effective treatment programs for patients while minimizing the burden of treatment.” He describes this as an emerging field.
I have to admit that I was simultaneously puzzled and intrigued. After all, how is this different from the way good medicine is practiced? I, for one, like to think that I create individually-tailored programs that meet my patients’ needs while minimizing their treatment burden. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
May 10th, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Book Reviews, Health Policy, Health Tips, Opinion
No Comments »
What’s amazing is that despite the vocal movement to empower patients, no one has put together a well-referenced, readable book to help patients understand how they should use personalized medicine to influence their health — until now.
Enter The Decision Tree: Taking Control of Your Health in the New Era of Personalized Medicine (Rodale 2010), something of a blueprint of patient liberation written by Thomas Goetz, executive editor of Wired magazine. It offers constructive narrative not only about the importance of the decisions we make but how to apply the concept of an old-fashioned decision tree in making those decisions. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
May 5th, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, True Stories
No Comments »
I [recently] visited a small town in west Texas to address a local medical society on the emerging role of social media in healthcare.
My presentation involves social media and the evolving relationship that patients share with doctors. I discuss challenges and opportunities -– especially as it relates to transparency, personal boundaries, and even the ethical obligation to participate in the online conversation. I target the disconnected physician and offer education as well as a compelling argument for involvement.
When I arrived at the venue I found that the meeting was attended predominantly by physicians much older than myself. While waiting to speak, I was concerned that my message of connection and changing relationships would elicit pushback. After all, isn’t it this era of physicians we hold accountable for paternalism and control in dealing with patients? That’s what I’d been lead to believe. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
April 7th, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Book Reviews, Health Policy, Opinion, Primary Care Wednesdays
No Comments »
I just finished Seth Godin’s Linchpin. Seth makes the case that in a hypercompetitive world the stakes are higher than ever to make an indispensible contribution to something you care about. The linchpin is the essential element, the piece of a wheel or organization that is absolutely irreplaceable.
Seth references business, but he might as well have been talking about obstetricians or internists. We need more linchpin doctors.
Modern patient care is progressively marginalizing physicians. Care that is increasingly “managed” and dependent upon automated diagnostics is leaving physicians as powerless cogs in a system of mechanical patient care. Patients have become naturally detached as they search for solutions of their own.
Physicians have to be remarkable to remain relevant. Physicians have to offer something not available anywhere else. Physicians need to make a difference and in their own way and serve as real leaders and innovators in their relationships with patients and their communities. Physicians have to be linchpins. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
