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Dr. A Show Tonight!

Thursday, August 14th, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time

Join us tonight for The Doctor Anonymous Show number 44. This will be a more tech and new media related show tonight as opposed to medicine. We will be having reports from New Media Expo in Las Vegas. Scheduled to be on the show are a couple of friends from Podcamp Ohio - Angelo and Brandice. We'll also talk about some ideas for Podcamp Ohio 2009.

If you do listen live, you can even take part in the chat room. It is truly "The show within the show." You can even call in and say hello. A great opportunity to interact with medbloggers you've only read about. And, you will be able to see me on the live webcam during the show! See you tonight!

For first time Blog Talk Radio listeners:
*Although it is not required to listen to the show, I encourage you to register on the BlogTalkRadio site prior to the show. I think it will make the process easier.

*To get to my show site, click here. As show time gets closer, keep hitting "refresh" on your browser until you see the "Click to Listen" button. Then, of course, press the "Click to Listen" button.

*You can also participate in the live chat room before, during, and after the show. Look for the "Chat Available" button in the upper right hand corner of the page. If you are registered with the BTR site, your registered name and picture will appear in the chat room.

*You can also call into the show. The number is on my show site. I'll be taking calls beginning at around the bottom of the hour. There is also a "Click To Talk" feature where you do not need a phone to call into the show - only a microphone headset. Hope these tips are helpful!

Show 44 Preview

The Doctor Anonymous Show is going tech this week with a report from the New Media Expo in Las Vegas. From my understanding, this used to be called "podcast expo," but then the name was changed to reflect the constantly changing state of new media. Man, I really wish that I could be there this weekend.

Our scheduled guests on the show this week will be calling in from Las Vegas to give us the New Media Expo report. Angelo Mandato from the Blubrry podcast network (and lead organizer from Podcamp Ohio) will be joining us. In addition, Brandice Schnabel from Viddler video posting site will also be giving us the scoop from LV. We'll also be talking about initial plans and ideas for Podcamp Ohio 2009.

So, this will be more new media focused this week as opposed to medicine focused. I hope that you will still be able to join us Thursday, August 14th, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time. Hang out in the chat room, call into the show, and even see my shining face on the live web cam. Hope to see you for the show! (Also check out the video post above)

Show 43 Wrap-up

Thanks so much to Dr. Alan Dappen from Doctokr Family Medicine for joining us on Show number 43 this evening. Thanks also to Dr. Dappen for being flexible in his schedule for allowing me to push back the interview an hour. I really appreciate it. See video post above.

After we talked about his training and travel (did you know that he and his wife were in Kenya for a short period of time?), we talked about his journey through the broken health care system that we have now. During this time, he did a study which confirmed his hypothesis that talking with patients (what we call "taking a history"), basically gives you the diagnosis, without sometimes needing to examine the patient or ordering tests. However, with the physician payment system as it stands right now, patients must come into the office for the traditional office visit which includes taking a history, physical exam, and testing, if needed.

We then talked about how he put together the business model that he practices right now. So, if I want to me a new patient, I would contact Dr. Dappen for an initial traditional office visit. Following this, you would be set up for a price structure to deliver the 24/7 availability. He does accept insurances - sort of. You pay him a fee, even if you pay for a insurance card for the availability.

Thanks also to Dr. Val for calling into the show and asking some questions of her own. Following the show this evening, I had an "after show" party on my UStream channel. We had a bunch of people go from the show over to the after show and we were there for another hour. I'm always humbled by the thought that people would spend two hours of their time to hang out with me. I really appreciate it and I really appreciate the community that has been built by the show. I'm on call this weekend, but I'll be around on Twitter and may even try another ustream "party," so stay tuned. Have a great weekend!

Dr. A Show 43: Alan Dappen

Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 10pm Eastern Time

(Please note the time change)

Join us tonight for The Doctor Anonymous Show number 43. Our guest will be Dr. Alan Dappen from Doctokr Family Medicine in Virginia. He practices a model of medicine which has been called "concierge medicine" or "retainer medicine." Check out previous posts for more a description of this. Also, see the video post above.

*To get to my show site, click here. As show time gets closer, keep hitting "refresh" on your browser until you see the "Click to Listen" button. Then, of course, press the "Click to Listen" button.

Time Change for Show 43

Dontcha hate when real life gets in the way of new media life? Sheesh! Anyway, just this morning, I was informed of an "urgent" meeting that I have to be at tomorrow night. Don't worry, I'm not going to have to cancel the show. Dr. Dappen graciously agreed to move the interview back from the original time.

So, Show 43 will now be at 10pm Eastern Time on August 7, 2008 on Blog Talk Radio. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause, and I hope that you're still able to join the show!

Beijing Olympic Smog

Ok, so I admit that I didn't know that the olympics were opening this weekend. I'm not a big olympic fan, and it really doesn't interest me that much. However, I saw this picture which is apparently a US Olympic cyclist who showed up at the airport with a mask - with concern about the city smog.

When I did further research on this, I found the picture below, which, if accurate, really shows the air pollution problem at the olympic site. If this is really the case, then the health part of this story got a little more interesting for me, and may warrant more reading and exploration....

Concierge Medicine on Dr. A Show

These are not my words, but part of the title of a post by Dr. Val Jones from Revolution Health from October 2007. The actual title of the post is called Concierge Medicine For The Masses in which she talks about our guest for The Doctor Anonymous Show number 43 on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time.

Our guest will be Dr. Alan Dappen from Doctokr Family Medicine in Virginia. It's no secret that the American health care system is broken - Duh! This fact has challenged the medicine establishment to become innovative in coming up with ideas to better deliver health care in this country. Among his credentials include being awarded the 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year by his chamber of commerce.

In this model, Dr. Dappen is available to his patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via phone, e-mail and in person. You can schedule an office visit or he can make a house call and come to you. He utilizes technology like electronic medical records and internet access to deliver care. He was even interviewed on ABC's Good Morning America.

What's the catch, people ask? Well, the cost of this model of health care mostly comes out of the patient's pocket. Insurance? Dr. Dappen's practice does not submit claims to insurance companies. On the website, patients are given the details on how to submit claims to their own insurance company, thereby decreasing office overhead.

Critics of this model call it concierge medicine elitist and country club medicine. Something that everyone knows is that the current American Health Care Delivery System is on it's way to total collapse - the question is just when. This should be a thought provoking show, so you can't miss it!

More Podcamp Ohio Outtakes

Shout out to Brandice for posting these vids! This is great because you see more of little ol me in these vids rather than the ones that I shot. In the video below, this is the night before Podcamp Ohio when we were a the local Damon's Restaurant. This was kind of weird for me because the night before, I had the Pre-Podcamp Ohio Show. People were coming up to me clearly knowing who I am because I run a live webcam during the show, so at least they knew what I looked like.

In the video, I got to check out Brandice's Flip Ultra - which I had never seen before. And, actually, that really influenced me into eventually getting my Flip Mino cam. And, she made fun of my beer - What's wrong with Mic Ultra? It's great stuff! As far as Brandice, she sampled the strawberry mint lemonade (watch closely the initial facial grimace) and the enormous chocolate dessert. Finally, I think Kirk/Shatner rocks and she does not. That inside joke kept going through Podcamp Ohio.

Not only is there one Brandice Podcamp Ohio video for today, there is another. In this one, I talk about the key to Podcamp Ohio - the front desk registration - Shout out to the front desk! And, I'm a slacker. Plus, another interview with the camera guys. Brandice totally crashed my interview with Kate. So, I gave her my best/worst Kirk impression. Finally a short clip with Mike Genovese.

Conference letdown

Does this happen to you? Almost every time I go to a conference, I have a great time! I experience the great content of the meeting, along with hanging out with friends, and all around - good times. Usually very little sleep during these meetings.

I got up early on Sunday (like 4am) for my flight home. And, you know how tough it is on a travel day - going through airports - and waiting in line - and the overall travel schedule. Not many people can, but I can usually take a nap anywhere - like airplanes. The flight was only a couple of hours long, but with the nap, the flight seemed to go by quickly.

After landing, my travel day is not over yet. I have another hour and a half drive home from the airport. It's kind of funny because the driving time from the airport to home is almost the same time sitting on the plane. Yeesh. And, after getting home, I took a very long nap. And, now, I have to try to prepare for a full work week.

In fact, as I look back across the summer, starting with Podcamp Ohio at the end of June, I've had something to do every weekend - whether it be work or non-work related. I had a couple of soccer weekends, a weekend on call, this past KC weekend, and then I'll be on call this coming weekend again. No wonder why I'm tired. So, sorry for all the whining. I'm just glad to have my home internet connection back - at least for now.

KC Meeting Update

Greetings from Kansas City! I'm at the American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students - Boy, is that a long name! This meeting definitely has a special place in my heart. I've been coming to this meeting off and on for the past 15 years or so - ever since I was a 2nd year medical student.

I know that I have mentioned this on the blog before, but every time I attend a meeting like this - I get re-energized. And, it re-emphasizes to me about the specialty choice that I made. I love explaining what I do to medical students and I love sharing what I do in my day-to-day job with family medicine residents.

I guess that's why I was tapped to be on the panel this morning. There were three others on this panel as well. And, let me tell you, I definitely felt outclassed by these people. These people all has international experience practicing family medicine all across the world. It was fascinating hearing these docs share their stories.

When I first walked into the room, I saw spotlights and I saw a camera in the back of the room. Apparently, they were going to record this session for posterity and probably place it on the Academy website. Right away, my anxiety level went up a little bit. After the panel introduced themselves is where the real fun began.

There were a great variety of questions for the panel which included the following: What do you think of the hospitalist movement that is occurring now, What medical references do you use when taking care of patients, How can students/residents become more involved in health policy development, What would do you differently in your training (if anything), What leadership roles are you involved with?

Then, this question, "What rewarding activities do you find yourself involved in that you hadn't planned?" And, of course, I think that I was selected first to answer. I mentioned on the show this week that I might have an inkling to "come out" as it were and reveal my name. So, to start my answer, I talked in generalities about social networking and medicine new media.

The moment was then upon me. Do I say it, or don't I say it? Even up to the last second, I was going back and forth and analyzing all of the pros and cons of the situation. I asked myself of the the potential ramifications if I went public. And, the possibility of having to stop the blog depending on what happens. What happened? Well, check out the video post below to find out. (I'm bad, aren't I?) I'd appreciate your thoughts and comments below after you watch it.