Preparing for the West Point Glee Club Alumni Reunion- Nostalgia

Dr Synonymous Show: Nostalgia Via West Point Alumni Glee Club Reunion

Dr Synonymous, aka Pat Jonas, MD- West Point Class of 1968, is travelling to West Point for a Glee Club Alumni Reunion (his third).  "I love these experiences.  The music is great, the people are great, the place is beautiful."

Listen as Dr Jonas reviews the agenda for the weekend and reflects on his days in the West Point Glee Club, life as a cadet and after.  He'll  reflect on a few songs and  even sing a few bars here and there and review a few Glee Club Memories.

The concert will be July 15th 7:30 PM- 9 PM at Trophy Point on the post at  West Point.

The Dr Synonymous Show Discusses Direct Primary Care and Ohio "Unsummit" III

Let's talk about Direct Primary Care for a while.  What's going to happen at the Third DPC Ohio "Unsummit"?  DPC is happening slowly but surely. Getting better and  better.  Are you Fed Up with getting the run-around in healthcare?  Do you want a doctor who will listen to you?  Do you want to step away from the annoying, artificial financial pressures of your insurance company?

Maybe you should look into Direct Primary Care.

Physicians: Do you want something different?  Do you miss getting to spend time with patients helping to solve their problems and treat their diseases?  Do you want more independence?

Maybe you should look into Direct Primary Care.

Dr. Jonas discusses  DPC and introduces the DPC Ohio Unsummit III scheduled in Dayton, Ohio on August 22, 2015 on The Dr Synonymous Show:

DPC and Ohio DPC "Unsummit" III .

Here is the information about the "Unsummit":  Facts about the "Unsummit" and Registration

Follow the Facebook page of The Center for Innovation in Family and Community Health for more information as the schedule unfolds.  Mark the date now if you want to get ready to practice in a DPC setting.

My Blogs from July 9 and 11 are reviewed, finishing with a Didgeridoo solo.

Why Are So Many Physicians Afraid?: The Coward to Warrior Ratio Seems Huge

From coward to warrior, physicians come in all shapes, sizes and attitudes.  Or do we?

It seems that lots of physicians are afraid to be a professional.  They are afraid to disagree with the financial decision makers in their institutions (that employ them or with whom thy're contracted). This is rampant behavior.

We represent an ethical position that our patients and communities expect.  They don't know it's not happening like it used to.  Yes, it used to be common behavior for physicians to vehemently disagree with hospital administrators over a principle involving ethical decision making.

It looks like we were for sale.  We were bought.  We're saluting the hospital flag and altering clinical judgement to the massive expense of our patients and our society.

We sold out to the EHR which was billing software slightly altered for clinical purposes.

We sold out to do massive numbers of CT scans in ER's of questionable utility.

We sold out in rehab facilities to maximize reimbursement.

Were we always for sale?

Were we always cowards?

What are we afraid of?

Do our patients and communities know?

Let's tell them.  That's informed consent.

(Better than what they get in ER's when they aren't informed about the potential benefits and harms of all the CT scans.  Look around your ER for a consent form to do a procedure like CT scans that can cause cancer. You won't find one.  Shouldn't a patient know? )

Breathing, Snoring and the Didgeridoo

Here's the outline for my presentation at the Institute of Holistic Leadership for July 9, 2015
Yes, I'm teaching the didgeridoo to attendees for fun and that they may have diminished or no snoring.

Breathing, Snoring and the Didgeridoo                                  Pat Jonas, MD

July 9, 2015                       Institute of Holistic Leadership

Breathing                           First exercise                    Three Deep Breaths

Didgeridoo First Demo                                                Dr J

Breathing

               Baby 44, Adult 14-18 breaths per minute

               Oxygen Dissociation Curve, Sports Medicine

               Usual Breathing

               Diaphragmatic breathing

Breathing Exercise Two                                               The Stimulating Breath (Bellows Breath)

Nasal Breathing                              Heating, Cooling, Nitric Oxide

Breathing Exercise Three              The Balancing Breath                  Dr. Laskow

               Left Brain, Right Brain Issues

Didgeridoo Second Demo

Breathing Exercise Four                               The 4-7-8 (Relaxing) Breath      Dr. Weil

Break

Snoring Study 85% at 5 mos

The Didgeridoo                What it is  rhythm, What it does,  History   

               Grab your Didge:  The raspberry and the sweet spot

               The Drone

               Vowels                A-E-I-O-U

               Consonants        B-C-D-T

               Kazoo Effect

               Circular Breathing

Lip Buzz, Dizzyness        Dying Cow               YouTube Lessons

Buying at www.Didgeridoostore.com

Didgeribreathing Exercise

Questions?

Independence Weekend 2015

Independence Day is actually Independence Weekend most years and 2015 is no exception.  Friday the third of July we had some patients to see and closed at two PM. Before a special weekend like this I ask most patients what they are doing for the holiday. Many of them will have an altered experience due to the affliction that caused them to see a doctor.  Others are "a threat to society" because of the contagious nature of their infection.  Vomiting with abdominal pain is especially important to keep away from other people.  Most will be shedding viruses for a few days after the vomiting stops.  (Don't let them breathe near you).

When people mention their holiday plans, they are often sharing information about their values and dreams.  Who, What, Where, When, Why, Who are often included.  This information helps me to understand them and issues that relate to their health.  It also informs me about what people in general are doing these days.

One of the roles of the Family Physician is to act as a public health agent-- identifying issues that affect the health of the public enables us to contribute to prevention efforts and share trends with other physicians and public health officials.  Our generalist role in health care gives us a perspective about health system trends that may be helpful or harmful to patients.  We have to stay aware of our duty to inform and protect people (you and us - we have a duty to help each other).

Warning to you:  Currently the healthcare system seems out of control and constitutes a threat to the financial survival of individuals, families and communities-  in fact it's a threat to the nation.  More, more, more is what we say about everything.  More tests, more medication, more mandatory prescribing, more "quality" bonuses for health plans and physicians.  There is no realistic plan to do otherwise. There are superficial efforts to reduce certain tests and procedures.  I just saw a letter from one of the area practice networks advising their male patients to have the PSA test, which actually is no longer recognized as a screening test for prostate cancer.  It's only supposed to be used in symptomatic males- which is a diagnostic test--not a screening test (for non-symptomatic persons).  How is a patient to know that?  I was shocked and disappointed.  But I can blog about it and tell the people about it and mention to physicians about how the PSA test is supposed to be used.

I'm looking into programs like Samaritan Ministries and Liberty Healthshare as a consideration for our Direct Family Medicine (Direct Pay)  patients to have hospitalization outside the Affordable Care Act.  They are for Christians, but I assume that each religion has some special waivers relative to the Affordable Care Act, although I haven't researched it.  

Huge changes are coming in the next three years.  Stay tuned.

Independence Day.  I love America.  I love patriotic music.  I love the Boston Pops Independence Day Concert and A Capital Fourth both with the 1812 Overture.  I'm getting ready for the third ever West Point Glee Club Alumni Reunion Concert on July 25th.  I sang in the first two.  I'm looking forward to 3 days of the Hudson River Valley, nostalgia and patriotic music.  God Bless America.