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2012: Time To Expand Your Brand

As the new year begins, I'm like other people and thinking about some new and different things to do - especially in the area of social media. I've been through a lot, including "rebranding" from Doctor Anonymous to me. How will 2012 be different than last year?

Something interesting I'm seeing are platforms like tumblr and posterous, which are kind of mini-blog sites. Also, in the past couple of years, I've seen people particpate on their blog sites in posting a picture everyday of the year. These have always been intriguing ideas to me, but I felt, for me, that I would be spreading myself thin with more and more social media platforms.

For 2012, I think an idea everyone should consider is to expand their own brand. Don't rest on your laurels and try to milk your own supposed social media success. Try something different, would ya? As I've written in the past, I'm not afraid to fail - Hehe. (in the video above, you'll see a rare video recorded during my Doctor Anonymous days)

I've added a couple of sections to this website - namely a photo only blog and a mini blog. The idea of the mini blog is to write on other topics than medicine and social media that I talk about here. Also, the mini blog are writings somewhere between 141 characters (twitter) and the full length blog post that you'll find here.

Why not challenge yourself at the beginning of the year? How can you expand your brand? Why not take a risk and do something different in the social media world? It could be a learning experience. You could have some fun. And, who knows, you may add more value to your social media brand....

Video: Patients Shouldn't Rate Doctors?

In the video above, I talk in a TV interview about how some doctors are making their patients sign "gag orders" preventing them from talking about their doctors on social media. Is this fair? I talk about physician's reputation on line and why this is important. 

The anchor was also nice enough to mention my podcast and ask me what's that about. I mentioned that I talk about social media and medicine topics including the recent failure of Congress to pay a measure to prevent a 27% Medicare physician payment cut as of January 1, 2012.

The interview was recorded on Wednesday, December 21, 2011. I invite you to check out some more of my TV interviews at MikeSevilla.TV

Video: There's An App For Health

In the video above, I talk in a TV interview about using smartphone apps to monitor your health. Even though I didn't mention it by name, I was talking about the Endogoddess app by Dr. Jennifer Dyer. The anchors seemed to like the term "gameification."

I also talked about the idea of doctors friending their patients on facebook and what that means. The interview was recorded on Wednesday, December 21, 2011. In invite you to check out my other TV interviews at MikeSevilla.TV

I Will Stop Taking Medicare As Of January 1st

 

Dear United States House of Representatives and Senate:

I really hope that you enjoy your Christmas break going back home to your families. While you're home, I really hope that you will hear from those constituents who will be affected by the 27.4 percent Medicare physician pay reduction that is schedule to take effect January 1st. I really hope that the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, the main stream media, social media, and other outlets start to cover stories of patients who will lose access to their physicians because of those physicians who will choose to no longer accept Medicare as health insurance.

Did you know that one in four patients seen by Family Physicians are on Medicare? Did you know that for some Family Physicians, Medicare comprises as much as 8 in 10 of their patients? (source) What would happen if your pay was cut by nearly 30%? Oh yeah, I forgot. Government never gets a cut. The Federal Government continues to grow.

I know that you have been doing your political calculations about who will get the blame for the lack of passing a definitive solution. Let me help you out. All of you will take the blame including the House, the Senate, and the President - including the Republicans and the Democrats.

I have talked some of my colleagues and some of my patients, and all of us are very upset about this. Some of my physician friends are really thinking this time about completing the necessary paperwork to stop accepting Medicare patients. How can any business (except government) run with such uncertainty as not finding a permanent fix to the broken current Medicare system. Patients will be unable to see their physicians, resulting in delayed care, increased hospitalization, and illness.

Will I stop taking Medicare patients as of January 1st? I have 10 days to decide. Of course, it would be a bold political statement. But, alas, I'm not a politician. I'm a physician and a healer. I still hopeful, even though it is a diminshing hope, that my prediction will stll come true, and the Congressional Conference committee will come together to hammer out a deal before the end of the year.

In the mean time, I will be educating my patients on this (as of now) political reality of a Medicare payment cut. I encourage my physician colleagues to utilize social media outlets to express our outrage that America's patients and physicians have become political pawns to try to score political points with the public.

Happy Holidays to the members of Congress and the President! I know that Santa will give you everything that your deserve this Holiday season....

Addendum: Of course, at the last minute, Congress voted to delay this impending cut for another two months. We'll see what happens in February 2012 when this entire debate and vote happens again. 

2012 Goals For #FMRevolution

The video above is a segment from last night's Family Medicine Rocks podcast episode 27 where Dr. Gerry Tolbert and I discuss Family Medicine and social media - especially going into 2012. Gerry is the host of the new podcast called Here's To Your Health where he dispels common myths in medicine. Some of his podcast titles include "Flu Shot Shenanigans," "Cold Myths Busted," and "Vaccine Veracity."

In addition to his podcast, we also discussed what we think needs to happen for #FMRevolution to succeed in 2012 when it comes to social media. We agree that Family Medicine needs to take a leadership role in being a champion for physician social media. Are you a member of #FMRevolution? What do you think needs to happen in 2012 for Family Medicine and social media? I also invlte you to download the entire podcast here and to listen to our entire conversation from last night.

Download FamMedRocks Ep 27

FamMedRocks Ep 27: Gerry Tolbert

The video above is a segment from last night's Family Medicine Rocks podcast episode 27 with Dr. Gerry Tolbert from Total Access Physicians where he talks about his model of concierge direct medicine model of care. In this model, patients pay a monthly fee for a set of services. He also talks about what happens when some lab tests are ordered and if patients need hospitalized. I encourage you to download the entire podcast here to listen to our entire conversation on this subject.

Download FamMedRocks Ep 27

The Doc Fix Debacle (again)

Haven't we seen this movie before? It's late December (on the Congressional calendar) and physicians across this country are again focused on Washington, DC seeing how the "Doc Fix" chess game will play out. "Doc Fix" is the main stream media's buzz phrase for the Medicare SGR band-aid Kabuki theater that happens every other year in the halls of Congress.

Last night, Tuesday, December 13, 2011, the US House of Representatives, by a 234-193 margin, passed legislation including the "Doc Fix," extend the payroll tax cut, and speed the process for governement approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, (and prevent a federal government shutdown).

Now, the predictable political drama continues as the clock ticks down. The Senate and the President vow to reject this House bill. Meanwhile, millions of Americans, including physicians, are hanging on every word that comes out of Washington, because whatever happens, people's lives will be changed.

Without action from Congress, Medicare physician payment sees a 27.4 percent pay cut on January 1st. Now, some of you may not care, because you see physicians as "the 1%." But this Medicare payment is what is also used to compensate people that work in physician offices like nurses, secretaries, lab personnel, etc.

What will happen? C'mon, everyone knows what will happen here. Mark my words: The Senate will pass their version of the bill, and then Congressional leaders go into the back room called "Conference Committee" where things will be hashed out, and no one's fingerprints will be seen anywhere. Congressional accountability? That's an oxymoron.

My prediction (I know you'll tell me when I'm wrong. But what's your prediction? How will this play out?): The Republican debate is Thursday night. I think the Senate will pass an amemded bill on Friday or Saturday. The Sunday news show pundits will guess what will happen in Conference Committee. At the beginning of next week, the public's attention will shift to the upcoming holidays and they will care even less about politics.

Conference Committee will really get to business on Monday. And, the President will sign it into law - with the band aid Doc Fix and without the controversial stuff - on Wednesday next week, just in time to get on a plane to join his family in Hawaii for a 2 week Christmas vacation. And then in 2 years, the "Doc Fix" Drama Sequel will happen all over again - exactly the same way - Isn't groundhog day in February?

Social Media Fatigue

 

Ever feel like you're kind of stuck and you need a change? I was there last week. With the upcoming Thanksgiving week, life was adding more stress that was difficult to handle. For weeks now, I felt like I was taking all my efforts and playing catch up. Don't get me wrong. I'm very happy where I'm at right now professionally and personally. I was just tired.

"Social Media Fatigue" is a dirty little secret that the early adopters never write about - especially those in health care social media. That's why I was surprised when a few months ago, my good friend, Seattle Mama Doc wrote the post "Online Sabbitical."

I’m taking an online sabbatical this month. Consider this an act of both self-reflection and self-awareness but also an act of self-preservation. As any blogger knows, blogging every few days, taking photographs daily, approving and responding to comments 24 hours a day (7 days a week), while authoring content in your head every few paces, is an entirely consuming experience. Blogging has completely changed my life. And this job is an utter privilege... But I’ve been consuming media, blogging, and authoring content without reprieve since November 11, 2009.

Now, my blogging frequency and my podcast frequency have decreased tremendously in the past 2-3 years. But, I still feel that social media has taken over my life, and I needed a break. So, I took one for a week. And, let me tell you, it was quite liberating. It opened my mind up to all kinds of new possibilities.

It was also cool that Thanksgiving fell in this time as well. It was great to spend time with the family and not constantly checking my phone. My parents, who are of course proud of my social media work, asked me lots of computer questions - specifially about digital photos. And, it was so interesting to hear them tell stories about each and every picture.

What's my social media future? NO, I'm not quitting. But, as the end of the year quickly arrives, I'm looking ahead to 2012 and thinking about what my social media life will be like and my continued challenge to balance personal, professional, and social media life.

I'm very thankful that I've gotten to experience being a conference speaker this year, and I hope this continues. But, I'm thinking about some different plans for the website and the podcast for 2012. If you have suggestions, please let me know.

I talk about this more in last night's Family Medicine Rocks Podcast Episode 22 in which I talk about my social media fatigue episode. If you have your own thoughts on social media fatigue, I would love for you to share them as well. I also encourage you to check out posts on the subject by Chris Brogan, BusinessWeek, and MemeBurn. This is not something talked about or written about much. I wonder what your thoughts are on this topic.

Download Podcast Ep22

Missouri AFP Fall Conference

Thanks to the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians for the invitation to speak at the 19th Annual Fall Conference at Big Cedar Resort in Ridgedale, Missouri. I've been asked to do two sessions: Why Family Medicine Needs Social Media and Practical Steps In Social Media & Family Medicine. The slide sets are below and I hope to put up the video here when I'm able to edit it.

This is my last speaking opportunity for 2011. If you told me at the beginning fo this year that I was going to be in 4-5 different states talking about social media, I would have told you that you're nuts. If you told me that I would be presenting at a national meeting about social media, I would have laughed out loud. It has been quite a ride this year. I hope to write a more comprehensive post later. This has such been a good time, and I hope that this experience continues in 2012!

 

Why Family Medicine Needs Social Media

 

 

 

Family Medicine Advocacy Thru Social Media

E-Patient Chat Tonight

A few weeks ago, I met Kari Ulrich at the Mayo Clinic Social Media Summit. She is also known as @FMDGirl on twitter. Her diagnosis is Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD), which I admit, I don't know much about. I encourage you to check out the video above in which she tells her story. She told the same story at the Summit.

Kari approached me for a unique opportunity to take part in an e-patient chat on the topic of FMD. This chat will take place on the FMDChat facebook page on Thursday, November 10th, 2011 from 8:00-8:30pm Eastern Standard Time. Also taking part will be Mike Ulrich, MD who is a Family Physician at the Mayo Clinic. Get more details on the chat here.

Some preliminary questions have been proposed for the participants, including the following:

  • What are the biggest challenges you face with your primary care physicians (PCP)?
  • Share with us what you appreciate most about your PCP.
  • How much time do you need with your physician for an average FMD follow-up appointment?
  • If you could give your PCP one piece of advice, what would that be?
  • What areas do you think need to be addressed most with PCP in dealing with patients with FMD?

There will probably be more of these good questions during the chat tonight. Thanks to Kari and her co-facilitator Sarah for conducting the chat tonight. If anything else, I invite you to listen. People just want to be heard. I'm looking forward to this unique experience tonight.